“Fran”
For Time:
21-15-9
Thrusters 95/65
Pull-Ups
This is THE classic CrossFit couplet that has inspired and hooked so many CrossFitters over the years. So simple, yet so potent. The intention is for this to be brutally fast. The fastest times world-wide are completed unbroken and under 2 minutes. Scale accordingly. However, as always, there’s is room to gut out Rx’ing a benchmark such as this at a load or degree of difficulty that’s at the edge of your ability so you might also consider that when deciding what your “Fran” will look like today. Top athletes complete the reps unbroken and with minimal rest but your (and my) Fran might be very different. If you can do the 21 thrusters unbroken but then you wind up in a world of shit for the 21 Pull-Ups, then you should probably break those Thrusters up! Do you rest too much during the 15s? Have a strategy to minimize rest like: 3-5 breaths between sets or a controlled 3-5 count in your head. In any case, have a plan that is honest to your level of ability. Let your judge know your plan and ask them to help keep you to it. And as always, have fun!
Sub Jumping Pull-Ups or scale volume as needed. Use lighter bars and larger bumps as available to save the 10s and 15s!
Post time and Rx to comments.
Here’s Morit S. Squatting 325.2 lbs at Saturday’s USAPL New Jersey State Championship. Mo took 2nd in her weight class and was gracious enough to write a recap for us. Read on! | Video by Coach Margie
From Iron Maidens to the NJ State Championship
By Morit Summers
This year’s Iron Maidens Raw Open truly helped me realize that being on the platform under the bar is my happy place. So when Iron Maidens was over and I started to lose motivation, one night in May I randomly, without even thinking about it, signed up for the New Jersey State Powerlifting Championships. After I did that, I kind of freaked out and had no idea why I had done it. I had to buy and wear a singlet, which I really was not happy about, but more importantly, I had no coach. Thanks to Margie that wasn’t a problem for long!
Unfortunately and fortunately, throughout training for this meet, I had a lot of random awesome stuff come up and my training schedule was not exactly what I would have wanted it to be. I wasn’t truly excited, thinking this was going to be a disaster until a week before the meet when I had my last Big 3 day with Margie and I PR’d all my lifts!
It’s funny because I kind of bombed at the beginning of Iron Maidens. I didn’t listen for the commands. I could hardly hear them because I was so nervous. I think my heart rate was too loud! This time around I repeated the commands with Margie over and over again before each lift. I do not even remember lifting, because all I was doing was focusing on the commands! Somehow it really helped keep me calm and kept my racing heart race in check.
I’m super happy with my progress and my performance, and I’m excited for more!
_____________________
First CrossFit Workout? CrossFit
The First Time “Fran” Was Posted to the CF Main Site
Morit- you are the strongest woman I know and you are amazing!!! Congrats. And put some weight on that bar!!!
Hey CFSBK, Having some "Farewell to CFSBK" cocktails at Lavender Lake on Thursday 6/11 @ 5:00. Come on by if you're in town.
Peter Hoppmann
Congrats Morit! Fantastic!
6am with Ro and McDowell
Partnered with James A. which is always a good thing.
Finished in 5:11 which is a 1:22 sec PR.
Awesome watching Kayleigh finish this Rx'd despite hands that resembled hamburger meat.
Morit! That weight moved! Good work!
6am with McD and Ro
Partnered with Matty, who is both coach in the gym and in life. Really going to miss you. Though I have a sneaky suspicion I will be seeing you in the evenings semi-regularly.
Fran – 4:59
A lot of PRs this morning and a lot of HHH (hamburger helper hands) – Kayleigh.
7am
Fran @75# amd boxed pus. 4:58. Dont think i had 95 in me.
Wheezed all the way back home.
MO!!!! Amazing!
OG volume day:
HBBSQ 180x5x2, 180×8. The last rep was a griiiiiind.
Bench 120x5x2, 120×8. Very happy to have gotten 8s on both rep-outs again.
Then superset x3:
6 chinups (had to break this into 5 and 1 for the last set)
DB press 25×10. Rough.
Nat asked me this morning whether I was training for a meet. I'm not, but I feel like I should be! OTOH I'm looking forward to getting back into group classes, which I plan to do after Labor Day. I miss my 7 AM peeps!
Morit!!!!!!! Xoxoxoxo congratssss such awesome numbers you put up!!
6am with McD and Ro
Partnered with Roy, who always makes the pullups look so easy.
Fran 7:45 rx'd, which is a multi minute PR, I do believe. Thrusters in 13/8, 9/6, 9 with about 5 breaths in between. Pullups as singles. Definitely happy with this as the start of crush week.
Make up posts:
8/6 – Squat: 315×4 then racked. 14:43 rx'd. Still recovering from pneumonia, so took it easy.
8/7 – C+J: 100 kg, then failed an ugly 105 kg on the jerk. 1 Rnd + 25 DU rx'd. Took this as DU practice day.
8 AM with McDowell.
Fran 4:35 with 65# and ring rows.
really interesting to talk about how to think about working up to this kind of workout and
plan it out.
Way to go Morit.
7 a.m. wakeup with Fran; James, playing greeter, rightly busted my chops for not showing up at 6.
85# thrusters in 14/7, 9/6, 6/3
These went well and I'll aim for 90 in my next Fran.
BUT lingering shoulder problems led me to stick to jumping pullups. Finished in 6:58.
7am with McRo
Fran Rx – 9:39
First time ever doing this. First round went well, then it all fell apart. Seems to be how this goes the first time around. Was hoping to finish in the ~8:00 range going into it.
A few minutes ago I dropped a bottle cap and considered just being okay with littering for a day (I picked it up).
6am with RoDowell
Fran in 5:45 Rx about a 1:15 PR. Third time doing Fran and times have gone from 11:21->6:59->5:45. So pretty happy about that. Just need to hang onto that pull-up bar longer.
Thrusters were 11-10, 9-6, 9
Pull-ups were 7-7-7, 5-4-2-2-2, 3-2-2-1-1
Great vibe this morning and was awesome to watch Kayleigh do her first Rx Fran. And congrats Morit! 325# looked easy!
NICE, Morit!! Badass ladies abound.
High volume PR day in Strength Cycle.
LBBSQ 175x5x3
Bench 100x5x3
DL 200x5x1
7 AM-ers, sorry to miss Crush Week with you! Crush Week, I don't miss you, though.
First Rx Fran done, and quite messy as previously documented. 11:52. Forced myself to break up the thrusters 14-7 and 10-5 so I would be going into the pull-ups relatively fresh. Pull ups just take time – ripped on the first one of the set of 9. Proceeded to remove the largest chunk of skin I ever have from my hand before finishing (don't worry, cleaned everything up after). Many thanks to Joy and the entire 6 AM crew that helped cheer me through the end.
Saturday:
Clean + 3 Front Squats + Jerk: Worked up to 138#. Practiced elbow out instead of up for the front rack, which made a huge difference in keeping upright.
Strict C2B Practice: 5×5 with blue and red bands.
31 Heroes WOD – heavy thrusters, rope climbs, high box jumps, and sandbag runs galore.
Sunday:
Clean Pull + C&J: Worked up to 143, failed the jerk at 153. Just wasn't committed to it.
WOD: 4 rounds + 99 reps.
Also, Mo you are a rock star. Awesome work!!!
Thank you everyone for your awesome encouragement!!
Congrats, Morit! That's amazing.
On my less amazing day, 8 a.m. w/McDowell. As Charles said, really appreciated McDowell taking the time to break down how to game this workout out.
Fran: 8:53 @ 95#, 18-9-6 kipping pull-ups. Thrusters 12-9, 9-6, 9, pull-ups many short sets & singles.
Would've been there for significantly longer had I shot for the full set of pull-ups, so I scaled down after failing two in a row at the 18 mark in the first set, but this is the first pull-up workout in which I've stuck with kipping pull-ups all the way through since I learned how to kip earlier this year. Progress! Just gotta keep at it.
6am.
Fran: 6 and change. While over my PR. Just wanted to move– quads sore, tried from working in the sun all day yesterday, and the only thing that I did healthy last week was apply sun tanning lotion. It was great to see folks crushing old PRs and hitting this Rx for the first time.
Between the above accounts and all of the "First Fran tips" I've been reading all morning, I have serious Crossfit butterflies about tomorrow morning 7am. Can't wait.
Morit—it is inspiring and a privilege to watch you strive, conquer, and succeed.
Be proud becuase you are strong, and with that comes great responsibility. ??
Almost flaked on training tonight. Glad I turned the corner.
Run to gym with Penny, about 15 minutes.
3x:
:10 each 1-arm handstand hold (keeping legs closer)
6 lateral box step ups (24", minimal push)
5 strict TTB (getting better, straight legs!)
1-arm DB Press: 3×8 ea @ 35#
this was very very hard tonight. 2 reps up from last week. definitely lost position and got squirrelly on the back half of the sets. will push for 3×10 next week… :-/
3 sets: 8ea 1-leg RDL with 30# DB
EOMOM 10 min (5 sets)
:30 Front Rack Standing Hold @ 100% 1RM FSQ
Did this at 80kg/176# (my 1RM is 180). Holy hell that was intense! Warmed up at 60kg and 70kg, which already felt hard. Had to take really short and quick breaths, lots of shaking. Really didn't want to pass out. Had to sit down immediately. Very excited to see what this does to my FSQ and heavy cleans though!!!
about 10-15 minutes of seated stretching before heading home. solid.
Congratulations, Morit!
Warm up —
3x: 10 ea leg reverse lunges w/ 20kg, 20 hollow rocks, 5 HSPUs (abmat)
Snatch —
Triples up to 40kg, 45kg x 1, F
Singles @ 35kg, 39kg, 41kg, 42kg, 44kg — focusing on exploding upward
Had a really fun session with a client who brought his daughter and then had to rush home.
7:30 with DO and Ro
First time doing Fran RXd.
Finished in 7:50. Pull ups in many sets 🙂
Enjoyed watching Jay and Crum crush it.
6:30pm with RoMelo
Last time = 9:50. This time = 7:43.
Extremely pleased with the 2 min improvement. Disappointed because I wanted sub-7 and at 5:30mins, I was there. Then, I stopped being comfortable with the discomfort and got away from it as far as I possibly could. Megaprops to my partner Mo for keeping me honest and getting me back on the bars. Real talk, I wonder what my former self was doing for those extra 2:07.
Since I was the first wave, I got to cheer Mo on while he crushed my time by a min. I also got to watch other people do strong things and it was awesome. Next time Fran and I meet, I look forward to getting sub-6:30.
Now, time for me to be true to my word and honor my pact with Ariel and Commish Megan: sleep not for time.
Incredible, Mo!!! Congrats!
Frankie's Oly Class:
Snatch pull, snatch, snatch pull, snatch: 8 singles at 60% (63#)
Clean pull, hang clean, clean, jerk: 8 singles at 60% (78#)
Focused on having fast elbows and on using my legs on the initial pull off the ground.
Was happy to go light today bc I am sore.
So amazed at all these Fran PRs! I should take a rest day tomorrow, but I don't think I can resist her!!!
Noon on Tuesday
Was not looking forward to Fran. I've done it maybe 10 times over the years and have improved significantly over my first one which took a little over 10 minuets but figure that my best time of 4:51 is a few years behind me and not ahead. Alas:
6:12
Thrusters: 12/9, 9/6, 5/4
Pull Ups: 8/7/6, 6/5/4, 3/3/3
To many breaks and too much time spent on them. Never feels any easier. Glad that's over!
Here is an earlier Fran, and I believe there are many Fran's earlier than this Fran https://www.crossfit.com/workout/2004/07/06#/comments