“Morrison”
50-40-30-20 and 10 rep rounds of:
Wall Ball 20/14 to a 10′
Target Box jump 24/20″ (jump is Rx’d, step-up is scaled)
Kettlebell Swing, 53/35
*40 minute cap
As Rx’d, “Morrison” is 450 total reps (that’s a lot!) and is often reported as one of the hardest WODs people have done. Set a steady pace for yourself and try to stick to it. Definitely don’t blow up in the 50s.
B Scale: 40-30-20-10 reps for time (100 reps of each movement, 300 total).
C Scale: A partner version is appropriate for newer folks, and it’s still a hell of a workout. Split the work evenly in sets as desired (75 reps each movement, 225 total).
U.S. Army Specialist Scott Morrison, 23, of Blue Ash, Ohio, assigned to 584th Mobility Augmentation Company, 20th Engineer Battalion, 36th Engineer Brigade, based out of Fort Hood, Texas, died on September 26, 2010, from injuries suffered on September 25 when insurgents in Kandahar, Afghanistan attacked his vehicle with an improvised explosive device. He is survived by his father Donald, mother Susan, brother Gary, and sister Katie.
Post time and Rx to comments.
Compare to 4.5.2014, 5.23.2012, and 7.13.2011
Coaches Jess and Chris Fox love to travel far and wide. Here are nos Renards visiting the Eiffel Tower on a beautiful day in Paris. Très bien! | Photoshop by Cam C.
- Do you store your lifting shoes in the closet at 597 or the loft at 608? If so, please make sure they’re marked with your name. Unlabeled shoes will be removed on February 21st. Space is getting tight!
- There are just 17 days until the annoucement of CrossFit Open Workout 16.1. Yikes! Have you registered yet?
The Iron Maidens of CFSBK: Jenna Jerman
The Iron Maidens Raw Open is less than 4 weeks away. Leading up to the event, we’ll be posting brief interviews with CFSBK lifters to help you get to know our team and give you a sense of what these women are doing to prepare. This year, through competitors’ fundraising efforts, Iron Maidens will create the inaugural annual Iron Maidens Stay Strong Scholarship. Our goal is to raise $20,000 to pay for 70% of college tuition for 10 women in the College Prep program at the Bronx-based Grace Outreach. Right now we’re at $13,765 donated, and we need your help to reach the finish line! You can donate to a lifters’ campaign by going here.
Last week we heard from Rachel Hsiung. Next up: Jenna Jerman…
JJ! Tell us about your training program.
For the past few months, I have been exclusively Olympic lifting, 2-3x per week in Frank’s program (plus the occasional yoga class). In the Olympic class, we only High-Bar Back Squat, but doing so has really allowed me to focus on busting through a lot of my old mobility issues and correct some old bad habits in my form. So even though I have had to keep my weights lower than I would have if I had been Low-Bar Back Squatting on my own (and probably sacrificing form for the sake of heavier loads), I am hoping that the new strength I have developed through my fuller range of motion in all of the positions will translate to a stronger Low-Bar Squat. Same goes for my Deadlift—I haven’t been training this lift, but I expect that all the pulling we do will yield some strength gains at the meet. Starting in February, I also plan on devoting more OG sessions to powerlifting, to work on a linear progression for my bench and deadlift and to reacquaint my body with the movement of Low-Bar Back Squatting.
What’s your motivation for competing in Iron Maidens?
I mostly just love the super-supportive and celebratory environment of Iron Maidens (and CFSBK in general). I don’t consider myself to be a very competitive person (at least not athletically), but there is nothing like getting up on the platform and getting to feel like a TFBA, and having that feeling validated by all of the other strong, TFBA women around you. A week or two ago I was looking at the video posted on the @ironmaidensopen Instagram account of Bethany E. Deadlifting, and I thought to myself, “Shit, I can’t compete with her! She’s too strong!” Then I realized that I won’t be competing against her, really. I will be competing with her, and I really like that. (It also helped that I was discussing weight-class strategy with KMo one day—I am right on the cusp of two weight classes—and she laughed at me and said, “I’m sorry, you don’t think you’re going to win this event, do you?” I had to laugh, too. Sometimes it helps to be reminded to take myself less seriously and that I am only doing this for fun.)
But really, it does feel like a privilege to get to lift with all these strong women. I think the saying, “a rising tide lifts all boats” fits here somehow. It makes me a better lifter (person?) to lift with all these supportive women, and I want to contribute to that. I am really grateful to Margie for creating this awesome event, and I hope to participate in as many of them as possible, because they’re just really fun. I will never be good enough to compete in any kind of CrossFit competition, (or maybe I just don’t want to because seriously, fuck Burpees) but this event is accessible to all people at all levels.
I also like that the event is focused exclusively on strength, full stop. Not: “strength is beautiful!” I like participating in a women-focused event that celebrates strength as the end goal, not as a means to acceptable physical appearance.
__________________
Yesterday’s Whiteboard: Clean | Open Workout 11.3
“Morrison” Hero WOD Demo WODwell
The Final Comeback of Axl Rose GQ
6am with DO and McDowell. Holy hell, this was a rough workout – easily in the top 5 toughest I've done. I finished in 38:28 Rx'd. I was surprised that the kettlebell swings were the most taxing here. I broke the wall balls up into manageable 5ish rep bites and the box jumps were slow and steady, almost like active rest, but the swings (which I broke into sets of 10) just beat up my low back.
The only reasons I finished under the time cap were 1) everyone cheering me on, counting reps, etc. at the end; and 2) Joe Esposito's masterpiece "You're the Best" on the stereo. It was good enough to inspire Daniel LaRusso to a hard-won victory in the All Valley Karate Tournament and it was good enough to get me through Morrison. Thanks, Joe Esposito!
6am with David and McDowell
Finished Morrison Rx'd in 33:33. This sucked pretty much right from the beginning. The entire time I kept thinking I should be going faster but I just couldn't get my body to do it.
Echoing Shawn, my lower back is completely smoked. Dropped my soap in the shower this morning and I had to slide it halfway up the wall with my foot to reduce how far I had to bend down.
I am now against the wall of my office with a lax ball in my lower back. Someone asked me why I am rubbing my butt against the wall. I just said, "it feels nice" and then I slowly closed the door.
Fuck burpees is right. Go Jenna!
Strength cycle week 6. WHOA HEAVY.
Squat 202.5x5x3. Getting to the point where 5 minutes of rest between rounds is *barely* enough
Bench: paused 120×3, 125×3, unpaused rep out 100×18. A la Nietzsche, this did not kill me (though I felt like it was going to), and I'm sure it made me stronger.
Deadlift 255×5. I have to go back to my 2014 logbook, but I'm pretty sure this is a 5RM for me and that I've failed at 5 at this weight before. I think I still have room to grow, too. 300 club, I am coming for you!
Make-up post from Sunday 12pm class
Clean: PR'ed at 250#.
Metcon: 20 rounds (40 points)
—–
6am with McDowell and DO
Morrison in 25:24 Rx. I am wiped out and still sweating four hours later. That was like Karen plus a bunch of other stuff. Did everything in sets of 10, tried to hit the gas a bit during the end but my lower back felt like soft cheese.
Cashout: 2 x 12 on the GHD machine.
7am with McDowell and Oscienceo
Morrison Rx'd in 38:58
Came in with a plan for the rounds of 50 and 40 and figured I'd be able to sort out the rest. That plan went out the gd window pretty quickly and I just decided to be slow and steady and not deviate from my planned breaks. Took 4-5 no reps on the wall balls which made me want to punch things as they occurred. This sucked all the suck that's ever sucked.
Awesome interview, and awesome that everyone has almost met the fundraising goal this early on. Grace Outreach is an incredible organization, and these women deserve all the funds we can raise!
Miss you guys!
6am w/ McDowell and David.
Metcon: 29:27 Rx. This is over 2 minutes slower than last time. Just couldn't get out of 2nd gear.
Greetings from surprisingly warm and sunny Portland, Oregon. Dropped in at CrossFit Pearl District this morning. This was my first visit to a box other than CFSBK, and I was a little worried that I'd panic, forget everything I've learned over the past nine months, and bring shame to the House of Osorio. But it went just fine. Nice facility, helpful coach, adorable dogs (I'll post more details in the Travel Gym Recs section).
Lift:
20 minutes to work up to a heavy squat clean followed by a front squat
Then 3 x 1-1 @ 85-90% of that weight
Worked up to 135, then did the 3 sets at 115
WOD:
5 minute AMRAP of 50 bar-facing burpees followed by max rep squat cleans (Rx: 135/95)
Took almost the whole 5 minutes to finish the burpees, so I only got in one successful squat clean (115#) at the end.
Love the Foxes' new photo series so very much. The look on Jess's face is what makes it.
TNG Power Clean Triples
60kg-70-80-85x3x3
Morrison was awful. 36:27? I hate that workout. Saturday I said it was fun to be back in group classes…today, not as much.
Yay JJ!
low energy today, definitely a bit depleted. just doing my best to move well, but not ready for a heavy metcon just yet.
about 20 min of mobility/mashing/
Power Clean and Split Jerk:
barbell drillz, focus on positions and keeping it close
35kg: 3 position power clean + 2 push jerk + 2 split jerk
45kg: 3 pos PC + 2 PJ + 2 SJ
50kg: 3 pos PC + 1 PJ + 1 SJ x2
55kg x1 x2
60kg x1x4
60kg x2x3
85% … this was feeling surprisingly fast and sharp. Ro gave me some eyes on and recommended doing some doubles here instead of just singles. good challenge. second rep def not as clean. still need to be patient and not rush it.
pull is so strong. gotta keep front squatting so my clean can go up!
4 RNFT:
120 ft farmer carry, 28kg in each hand
10 pistols, alternating
7 tempo push-ups (:01 pause at bottom, no pause at top)
Morrison in 31:14
Wall balls to 9' target
14# ball, 20" box, 16kg bell
It was pretty bad but not as bad as I thought. Only threw two air balls which is a huge accomplishment for me! It helped having Charlie in front of me as motivation to keep moving. She did all of her wall balls to a 10' target!! Round of 20 was the most challenging.
Wall balls in sets of 5
Box jumps slow and steady
Swings in sets of 10
Happy birthday, Charlie!
Jenna! This is great! Yes! Snacks!
That is such on time advice because:
7 am with McDowell and David and I've been starving since! #cantstopeating
I wanted to scale to a 12# ball but there weren't any (I swear) and I only had a 9' target options soooo:
10# to 9'; 20' box; 16kg russian.
Either 34:41 or 33:47 (something like that – will see what I put on the whiteboard when it posts tomorrow).
Brendan and Andre were great with the stick-to-it-ness! Plus Brendan is funny. Have you noticed?
Happy Birthday Charlie!!
Great interview with Double Jerman.
Did a 3:00pm Solo Session
5:00 Row
DROMS
Some warm-ups on each movement
"Morrison"
34:46 as Rx'd
First time doing this bench mark, was all engine (or lack thereof), no muscular fatigue whatsoever.
Goal coming into it was to do all the Wall Balls in sets of 10 which I accomplished.
Was hoping to be in the high 20's but knew that wasnt going to be the case after my 40s round. Just held steady and did the best I could.
For me, whenever I got into a high rep workout like this, I work extra hard to make sure I'm maximizing my efficiency and positions with all my movements. I want my first wall ball rep to look exactly like my 150th. Made sure to land light on the box and step down under control and maintain a conservative hip hinge on the kettlebell swings to not fatigue my spinal erectors. I guess this is all true for every workout I do, but extra for really high volume workouts. Don't slog through this, move with intention.
6am Morrison with DO and McDowell
Coming off kind of a long weekend and not much sleep last night, but decided to come in anyway. Probably could have used a day of rest.
Ended up at 24:14 Rx'd, which is about 30" slower than my last time from about 2 years ago. This felt pretty rough from the get-go. Lower back got really fatigued, which slowed me down a bunch.
JJ! Great interview!! Yay!
Bench Press
45 x 5, 75 x 4, 95 x 2, 115 x 1, 125 x 1, 130 x 4 x 4
This is 90% and it moved well 🙂
Morrisson in 31:04
First time ever Rxing a Hero WOD! In fact, I think the only benchmark I have Rxed is Annie! It was really tough- duh.
I broke wallballs up immediately into sets of 5 and smaller as it went on. I had several air balls/ no reps and tried to not jump for each rep on Fox's advice, but that 10 foot target is sooo far away, and I had only ever hit it by mistake before today.
Box jumps were fine- sets of 15 and 10 mostly.
Focused on knees out, full extension and tried to remember to alternate which leg I stepped down with first, which was challenging.
KB swings were hard as I am not used to swinging USA style. Sets of 10 on these.
The round of 20 was the worst and the round of 10 was my absolute favorite.
Just really tried to pace myself on this one and I think I succeeded. I possibly could have rested a little less between sets of wallballs, in retrospect.
Thanks Kelly! And thanks for keeping me going too 🙂
Second time doing Morrison, first time going Rx. That extra foot for wallballs is no joke. Finished in 27:50. My sets are never consistent on anything, but I've gotten pretty good at knowing when to pause, take a breath, and just keep grinding through.
Make up post Sunday 1p: 215 on the cleans which I believe is PR territory for me. Then the WOD just crushed me. 165 moving slow – 11 reps, 22 points.
7AM (but really close to 6a) for some Morrisson!
If you've read the other reports, then you already know, this was brutal.
Wall balls did a mix of 15's and 10's. Later rounds, straight 10's.
Box jumps – didn't really stop too much here, as long as my legs allowed it I tried to keep moving.
KBs were always at least 10 swings. Even the KB started feeling really heavy.
I hope we don't repeat this one for at least 2 years.
Morrisson Rx 29:11
1st time through Morrison! Really hyped myself up for this one reading previous comments, but was able to finish in 31:45 at Rx (except KB swings were Russian). Stuck to 5 Wall Balls at a time and did Box Jumps and KB swings in sets of 10. Focused on making the rest periods consistent… the first toss/jump/swing of each set was the hardest.
4:30 class with Noah and Ro
Morrison rx'ed in 31:32.
I have learned from this weekend and today the importance of nutrition and eating the right food and amount.
I spent the weekend in Saratoga at Chowderfest, a friend's 30th birthday, and a superbowl party, none of these events did I eat well nor drink well at. Lots of friend foods, vodka (no beer) and some tequila. Today being a travel day back, I had a banana and a salad with some chicken. Zero carbs, a little protein and that's about it.
Then I came in and did Morrison…. woof! No energy, light headed, a little nausea and a slower time. I had no carbs to burn for energy which really killed me on this. I have a new respect for macros and nutrition!
7am With McDowell and DO
Morrison Rx'ed in 45:00
So I had a plan going into this, never hit the redline by doing everything in sets of 10-5 but lik Mike Tyson said "Everyone has a plan until they get punched in the face" The first round of wall balls punched me in the face! Recently I have concentrated on staying tight and aligned during wall balls instead of dropping to the bottom like a limp noodle. This makes them slow and hard during but my body feels better after.
I finished the round of 20 and immediately said thats it, "Time Cap" and as soon as I said that DO told me to go ahead and finish the last round of 10. I never knew something could be so deflating and encouraging at the same time haha.
The WHOLE 7am class stayed and cheered me on which I was so appreciative of!
Swam 1500 yards after work to loosen up so hopefully I am not sore tomorrow.