In last month’s article, “Foundations,” we laid groundwork for conditioning workouts by investigating best practices, realizing time frames (sprint, mile, 5K,) and recognizing which movements are appropriate for conditioning. This month, we will put that information to good use by writing productive and fun workouts.

How do I write a “sprint” workout?

Sprint workouts should be one, two or three movements that you can perform at a very high intensity. It is easiest to write workouts in the AMRAP (as many reps as possible) style where you pick the movements, rep range and time frame. As you’re getting the hang of writing workouts, AMRAPS are a good place to start. Transition to task-oriented workouts (for time) by writing them and including a time cap. That way if you underestimated the amount of time it would take to complete the workout, the clock will eventually stop you.

Here’s an example of writing a sprint workout, and how I made the decisions about weight and reps. I’d like to use a barbell and I’m very comfortable with a 95-pound power clean (at 135 pounds, I slow way down.) Five repetitions in a row is a breeze, 10 is getting challenging and 15 requires serious breaks, so I’ll do 10 reps/round. I recently added GHD sit-ups with a med ball toss into my routine, and it’s time to put them in a workout. As I was building up volume, I did 15/set, so 10/round should be sustainable. All right, how many rounds? Fresh I could do 10 of each in about a minute, but that’ll slow down as I get tired. I definitely don’t want to go longer than five minutes, so four rounds should be just enough that I can still go hard and fast. There it is: four rounds for time: 10 power cleans 95 pounds, 10 GHD sit up with med ball toss (five minute time cap.)

How do I write a “mile” workout?

Remember that one man’s sprint is another man’s mile. Many popular CrossFit benchmark WODs (the girls) are mile length conditioning workouts for us mere mortals. Rich Froning can do “Fran” in sub two minutes but it takes me at least seven (a perfect mile). If you are approaching a workout like this be sure to do you, not Rich Froning. Adopt a mile pace, not a sprint pace.

You can write a mile workout by making a sprint workout bulkier. With the sprint example above, if the athlete who was writing the workout does a 135-pound power clean instead of 95-pound one, he will slow way down, because he has to rest more. That’ll turn the spring workout into a mile workout.

For your first mile workout, consider writing a short circuit that includes a cardio movement. The cardio movement will make the workout longer without taxing the athlete quite as much as other movements.

Here’s a mile example: Spring is upon us, so it’s time to add running back into the routine. 400 meters at a time sounds do-able. My kipping pull-ups have really improved; I can do about five at a time and keep up the pace to about 20, 20/round it is. My physical therapist said more unilateral work will help me avoid some of the lower back issues I’ve been dealing with, so walking lunges with a 45 pound bar overhead would be great (I don’t mind that the bar overhead taxes my shoulders; they can recover during the run.) What do we got here? Three rounds for time: 400 meter run, 30 walking lunges with a 45-pound bar overhead, 20 pull-ups… sounds about right. 15-minute time cap in case anything is spicier than imagined.

How do I write a 5K workout?

The priority in a 5K is breathing and moving. The athlete should be able to work at a constant rhythm for the entire piece. To this end, don’t include movements or rep ranges that require a lot of rest or disrupt the flow.

Some workouts are famously tortuous. They have their place in the world. In a fitness competition where you are testing the upper echelon of athletes, it makes sense that they should be able to do an evil workout faster than everybody else. And sometimes us regular Joes and Janes should suffer through a particularly hellish experience (I call them f#*k you workouts.) It humbles us and gives us perspective that can be appreciated in and out of the box. What makes these kinds of workouts (here is an example) so awful? Every movement in the workout is incredibly taxing. If you think to yourself, this part is nearly a workout in itself, reconsider where you’re headed.

As you write your 5K, consider writing a changing circuit similar format to the mile example above. This is a circuit of movements performed back to back but each round you change the order, such as first round: hang power snatch, sit ups, double unders, etc… second round: sit ups, double unders, hang power snatch, etc. This format provides a very interesting stimulus because it’s different every time.

5K example: I hate rowing but I know it’s good for me, and I shouldn’t be too bored if I do 500 meters at a time. My double unders start strong and finish lacking, but I should be able to keep it together a 50/round. I’ve become proficient at the snatch, but lots of overhead squats would seriously slow me down, so I’ll stick with the power snatch- 10/round at 95 pounds can be done in about two sets each time. Sit-ups won’t change the world but they will keep me moving and focused, 15/round. Oh no, I was just looking through my journal and I haven’t done burpees in ages. Shit. 20/round should be humbling. What we have so far then: 500 meter row, 50 double unders, 10 power snatch at 95 pounds, 15 sit ups, 20 burpees. I think one round will take a little less than five minutes (I’ll shoot for even splits,) so let’s say five rounds. Throw a 30 minute time cap on there, and let’s see what happens!

How do I write a conditioning workout focused on skill?

The sport of fitness has revolutionized strength sports in a lot of ways. One of the biggest ways is creating this challenge-- sure, you can clean and jerk a whole lotta weight, cool. But can you do it tired as shit? It is important in a fitness program that you are able to move a lot of weight, sometimes in a highly technical manner, and occasionally you have to be tired while you do it

Once you’ve chosen the highly technical movement that you’d like to train under metabolic duress (read: tired as shit), you have to choose a cardio movement to couple it with or an x-factor movement. What’s an X-factor movement? The snatch is a highly technical movement requiring incredible control of the mind and body. If you couple it with box jumps you must answer the question- can I still snatch well when my legs and hips are tired? Enter the X-factor.

WARNING: Only perform these workouts once you have become very comfortable, confident and competent with the movement you are handicapping. These workouts are serious business and do increase the risk for injury or accidents. Enter at your own risk.

Skill workouts are best as a mile conditioning workout. Shorter ain’t helpful; longer will get sloppy.

Example: Now that my clean and jerk isn’t awful, let’s see if I can do it in a workout. My one rep max is 185 pounds, 135 is just over 70 percent so that shouldn’t be too bad. Next time I’d like to try clean and jerk and toes to bar, see if I can keep it together, but today I’ll just do shuttle sprints. Three rounds: eight clean and jerk, 10 60-yard shuttle sprints will be awful and beautiful. If my clean and jerk form holds up, I’ll consider upping the weight for next time.

How do I write a chipper?

Definition of chipper: a list of exercises done in bulk, one before the other. Example: “Angie” 100 pull-ups, then 100 push-ups, then 100 sit ups, then 100 air squats.

Once you know your time frame (chippers are usually miles verging on 5Ks,) choose what movements you would like to take priority. These are those movements that you know are more technically difficult, you suck at and would like to work on, or will simply take longer than all the other movements in the sequence. Use your priorities as landmarks and fill in the space in between with less taxing and less frightening movements. The order of operations here is very important: Do you want to be fresh when you have to do 50 toes to bar? Put it at the beginning. Do you want taxed shoulders before starting your light push presses? Do the burpees before. Do you finish the chipper with a sprint or a mental &/or physical tester? 50 double unders is a sprint home, 30 muscle ups asks, what’re you made of?

Example: I’m turning 40 today, so let’s celebrate with some exercise! 40 air squats will get the ball rolling, 40 hang power snatch at 75 pounds will keep me young, 40 jump switch lunges will hurt so good, 40 ball slams at 30 pounds will be the fun part, 40 clean and jerk at 75 pounds will keep me going ‘til I’m at least 75, and everyone should do burpees on their birthday, 40 burpees it is.

How do I write a workout that I can do at home?

Start by considering the categories of movement listed in last month’s article (upper body push, lower body [knee dominant], etc.) Using these categories make a list of exercises you can do at home. Almost any bodyweight movements are fair game. Some cardio movements are an option since almost everyone can run. What equipment do you have available? This is a really fun opportunity to make your own equipment. “Make your own strongman equipment” is a stand alone article so I won’t go too far, but definitely Google search “DIY exercise equipment” and the like then start your own arts and crafts and fitness project today (here’s a great link brought to you via RossTraining to get you started.) Once you know your movements, choose your time frame and get to work!

Example: As I built that flowerbed, I knew it’d be a great place to do box jumps, 20 inches exactly. I’ll run up that hill in the back, it’ll make mowing next time seem easy. I know I’ll look silly doing it, but these paint cans each weigh about 30 pounds and they’d be perfect for a farmer’s carry. 4 rounds: 20 flower bed jumps 20”, one hill run, 50 meters farmer’s carry with 30 pound/hand will make me feel a lot better about being lazy the rest of the day than doing nothing would have!

There you have it! There are an infinite number of workouts you can create, so get started now! Challenge your friends with your homemade workouts by starting a leaderboard online or in the garage where you all drink on Saturday nights. Being a part of a positive community is truly the best part of this whole working out thing, so don’t keep all your good ideas to yourself. You can even Tweet at me @kjs_37 or email me (kyle@crossfitnyc.com) with any challenges or questions you may have.