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The 2025 CrossFit Open: The Ultimate Test of Community and Fitness

The CrossFit Open is back for 2025, bringing with it the most exciting and inclusive test of fitness in the world. Whether you’re a seasoned competitor or someone stepping onto the competition floor for the first time, the Open is for everyone. It’s a global celebration of strength, endurance, and most importantly—community.

What is the CrossFit Open?

The CrossFit Open is a worldwide competition that takes place over three weeks, with a new workout released each week. Athletes from every level of fitness—from first-time CrossFitters to elite competitors—take on the same workouts, scaling where needed.

The beauty of the Open is that it’s not just about who lifts the heaviest or moves the fastest. It’s about pushing your own limits, testing yourself against last year’s performance, and joining a global movement of fitness enthusiasts who share the same passion.

The Open is also the first step on the road to the CrossFit Games. For those chasing elite competition, success in the Open can lead to the Quarterfinals, Semifinals, and ultimately, a spot at the CrossFit Games. But for most athletes, the Open is about something even bigger—community and personal growth.

More Than a Competition—A Community Movement

If you’ve ever stepped foot into a CrossFit gym (aka a box), you know that CrossFit is more than just a workout. It’s a community-driven fitness movement where athletes of all backgrounds train together, support each other, and celebrate victories—big or small.

The Open brings this energy to the next level. Every year, gyms around the world host weekly events, turning each Open workout into a festival of fitness. There’s a unique buzz in the air when an entire gym gathers to cheer on their members, whether it’s someone attempting their first pull-up or an RX athlete crushing the leaderboard.

Many gyms run Friday Night Lights, a weekly throwdown where athletes take on the Open workouts in front of a hyped-up crowd. Others create intramural teams, adding extra fun and competition by pitting gym members against each other in friendly rivalry.

At its core, the Open is about participation. It’s about stepping outside your comfort zone, supporting your fellow gym members, and proving to yourself that you’re stronger than you think.

The Open is for Everyone

One of the best things about the Open is its accessibility. Every workout has a scaled version, meaning that regardless of your skill level, there’s an option for you.

Never done a muscle-up? No problem. Struggling with double-unders? There’s a scaled alternative. The goal is simple—do your best and have fun.

For many athletes, the Open is an opportunity to hit new milestones. The energy of the crowd, the adrenaline of competition, and the camaraderie of the community push people to achieve things they never thought possible.

Why You Should Sign Up

Whether you’re an elite competitor or someone who started CrossFit last month, signing up for the Open is a no-brainer. It’s a chance to:

✅ Challenge yourself in a fun and supportive environment
✅ Be part of a global fitness movement
✅ Set new goals and track your progress year after year
✅ Celebrate fitness with your gym community

At the end of the day, the leaderboard doesn’t matter—what matters is showing up, pushing yourself, and embracing the Open spirit.

So, are you in? Talk to your gym, sign up, and get ready for three weeks of adrenaline, community, and unforgettable moments.

See you on the leaderboard!

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Hyrox Brisbane 2025: A Record-Breaking Fitness Spectacle

The Hyrox fitness phenomenon made its triumphant return to Brisbane in 2025, and this year’s event shattered records, showcasing the growing enthusiasm for hybrid fitness competitions in Australia. Held on March 1-2, 2025, at the Brisbane Convention & Exhibition Centre, the event attracted a staggering 9,495 finishers—more than double the participation from August 2024, making it the biggest Hyrox event in Australia to date.

What is Hyrox?

Hyrox is a global fitness competition that bridges the gap between endurance racing and functional fitness. Athletes of all levels, from weekend warriors to elite competitors, complete a standardized race format that includes running intervals combined with functional workout stations such as sled pushes, rowing, and burpees. With multiple categories including Individual Pro, Doubles, and Relay events, Hyrox offers an inclusive yet highly competitive arena for testing strength, stamina, and mental toughness.

Read More here.

TWL at Hyrox Brisbane

TWL was once again at the heart of the Hyrox Brisbane experience, with numerous members of our community stepping up to push their boundaries. From first-timers tackling their fitness limits to seasoned veterans aiming for podium finishes, TWL was proud to support, inspire, and gear up athletes for this ultimate test of endurance and resilience. Our team was on-site, cheering on competitors, providing the best performance gear, and fueling the Hyrox spirit with our unwavering commitment to functional fitness.

Hyrox Brisbane 2025 - TWL

Record-Setting Performances

Brisbane witnessed some incredible performances across all categories. The competition was fierce, with elite athletes clocking phenomenal times. Here are the top results from the event:

Pro Men

  1. Stephen Carter – 59:14
  2. Jess Price-Owen – 59:49
  3. Luke McKenzie – 1:00:05
  4. Adam Fitzakerley – 1:00:23
  5. Hamish Granger – 1:00:35

Pro Women

  1. Connie Stevenson – 1:07:02
  2. Aisling Ryle – 1:07:17
  3. Calypso Sheridan – 1:07:17
  4. Katie Brock – 1:07:30
  5. Carlie Reid – 1:07:31

Pro Men Doubles

  1. William Martin & Nikola Sovljanski – 52:39
  2. Daniel Payne & Tanguy Cruz – 53:35
  3. Kieran O’Leary & Liam O’Leary – 56:39

Pro Women Doubles

  1. Nicola-Georgia Macbeth & Gabrielle Nikora-Baker – 59:27
  2. Madeleine Clarke & Jacqueline Clarke – 1:00:40
  3. Libby Carr & Emily Amris – 1:01:25

Mixed Doubles

  1. Joanna Wietrzyk & Hunter McIntyre – 51:20
  2. James Newbury & Tia Toomey – 54:11
  3. Mollie Emond & Aaron Price – 55:09

Men’s Relay

  1. Richard Munchow, Jay Moran, Sean Turner, Peter Philips – 55:45
  2. Joseph Webb, Max Hoonhout, Sebastian Serrano Valladares, Sam Cameron – 55:59
  3. Gino Allen, Chris Di Sipio, Marcel Gaensler, Luke Skinner – 57:56

Women’s Relay

  1. Dani Taylor, Olivia Keogh, Daina Maher, Stephanie Wilton – 1:01:28
  2. Kathrine Gailey, Tanya Harris, Sissel Way, Naomi Grayson – 1:09:26
  3. Susan Roberts, Jacqui Stacey, Amanda Menheere, Jenni Jones – 1:10:01

Mixed Relay

  1. Lou Kelly, Steve Duke, Sophie McConnell – 57:08
  2. Lucy Kirwan-Hamilton, Travis Emtsis, Liam Wilson, Kate Maher – 58:03
  3. Heath Davy, Kerry Ashford, Max Crisp, Bec Myers – 59:43

The Future of Hyrox in Australia

With a record-breaking turnout and some of the most competitive races in the event’s history, Hyrox Brisbane 2025 has set the stage for even greater participation in future editions. The sport continues to gain traction across Australia, drawing fitness enthusiasts eager to test their mettle. TWL remains committed to supporting this incredible community and fuelling the passion for performance.

Were you part of Hyrox Brisbane 2025? Share your experience with us and tag @TWL to celebrate your achievement!

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TWL Hosts Exclusive Training Club Event with Reebok and CrossFit Games Athletes

Jay Crouch CrossFit Games Athlete

The WOD Life (TWL) continues to solidify its presence in the functional fitness community by hosting another incredible event, the TWL Training Club, in collaboration with Reebok. This exclusive session, held at CrossFit Charge in Northcote, VIC, was led by two of Australia’s most accomplished CrossFit Games athletes, Jay Crouch and Maddie Sturt.

The event provided an unparalleled opportunity for fitness enthusiasts and CrossFit athletes to train alongside elite competitors. Both Jay and Maddie brought their years of experience and expertise to guide participants through a challenging and inspiring workout. The atmosphere was electric as athletes of all levels gathered to push their limits under the guidance of these two CrossFit Games stars.

TWL Training Club x Reebok Featuring Jay Crouch & Maddie Sturt

Jay Crouch, a fan favorite in the Australian CrossFit community, has been a regular at the CrossFit Games, known for his tenacity and dedication. Maddie Sturt, a multi-time Games competitor, is equally respected for her incredible work ethic and consistency. Their combined knowledge, hands-on coaching, and encouragement helped create a session that went beyond just fitness—it was about pushing boundaries and building confidence.

TWL Training Club x Reebok Featuring Jay Crouch & Maddie Sturt

In addition to the intense training, the event was supported by Reebok, a global leader in athletic footwear and apparel. Reebok provided gear and prizes for participants, ensuring everyone not only looked the part but felt supported during the workout. The collaboration between TWL and Reebok highlights the strong connection between fitness brands and the community, offering experiences that go beyond products to enrich the lives of everyday athletes.

The TWL Training Club event at CrossFit Charge was  a resounding success, bringing together top-tier coaching, community spirit, and the high-performance edge that The WOD Life is known for. With the backing of Reebok and the expertise of athletes like Jay Crouch and Maddie Sturt, it’s clear that TWL continues to elevate the fitness experience in Australia.

Stay tuned for more exciting events from The WOD Life, as they continue to connect the fitness community with world-class opportunities!

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Turf Games: A Celebration of Functional Fitness and Team Spirit

Turf Games 2024

Turf Games: A Celebration of Functional Fitness and Team Spirit

Turf Games 2024

Turf Games is one of the most exciting and fast-growing events in the functional fitness community. Launched in 2017 by Andrew Manteit in London, the competition was designed to bring everyday athletes together in a team-based format. Turf Games emphasizes camaraderie, teamwork, and pushing personal limits in a supportive, high-energy environment. Since its inception, the event has expanded globally, with competitions held in various cities, allowing athletes from all fitness levels to come together and showcase their strength, agility, and endurance.

The unique appeal of Turf Games lies in its inclusive format. Whether you’re an experienced CrossFit athlete or new to fitness, Turf Games encourages participation. Teams are made up of 4 to 6 athletes, and while the events are competitive, the focus remains on teamwork, strategy, and having fun. With a variety of categories, including Elite, Intermediate, and Everyday Athlete, it offers a space for everyone to compete and challenge themselves.

Turf Games 2024

On the 15th of September 2024, the latest Turf Games event took place on Australia’s Gold Coast, drawing fitness enthusiasts from across the country. Held at a scenic outdoor venue, the competition featured a mix of workouts designed to test all aspects of functional fitness. Teams battled it out through a series of grueling events, including weightlifting challenges, endurance-based tasks, and team relay races. The Gold Coast event, known for its vibrant atmosphere and stunning backdrop, provided the perfect setting for the athletes to showcase their hard-earned skills and determination.

The energy of the day was electric, with crowds of supporters cheering on the teams. Turf Games continues to grow in popularity, proving that fitness is more than just an individual pursuit—it’s about community, pushing boundaries, and celebrating the strength found in unity.

As Turf Games expands globally, it’s clear that this competition is here to stay, creating unforgettable experiences for athletes and spectators alike.

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5 Reasons You Should Sign Up for the CrossFit Open

crossfit

The Open is close. Let me rephrase that: the Open is terrifyingly close. And if you’re anything like me, when Castro released the start date of the Open, your stomach dropped faster than a 225-pound barbell. Memories that I had buried deep down, vivid painful memories, came rushing back to the forefront of my mind. Yet despite everything I just said, I know, undoubtedly, I’ll be one of the first people signed up once registration opens – and I know most of you Open vets feel exactly the same way. The challenge is convincing those athletes who have never delved into the Open waters. Whether you’re on the fence, hiding behind the “maybe next year” excuse or whatever, here are five reasons you should sign up for the Open.

1. It’s What We Do

It’s human nature to overcomplicate things, to overthink them, to set up invisible roadblocks. It’s the nature of the beast and more than likely the number one thing preventing people from signing up for the Open. Yet, in the end, how is the Open any different from what we do on a day-to-day basis? The same way runners who run every day sign up for a local 5k. We as CrossFitters sign up for the Open. It’s what we do. The scope and grandness of the worldwide Open shouldn’t cloud the fact that when you boil it down, it’s just a workout — a workout like any other day…maybe with a few extra faces in the crowd to cheer you on.

muscle ups

2. A Chance to Be a Part of Something Bigger

Name another sport aside from CrossFit where every athlete — from the chiseled-from-stone top 1% to the still wet behind the ear newbies — all start from a level playing field with a global championship looming at the end. The Yankees don’t play against your beer league softball team in their quest to win the World Series. Yet the only barrier to entry in CrossFit to compete “alongside” the best in the world is a $20 entrance fee. I don’t think the magnitude and scope of the Open gets mentioned enough. It’s a beautifully egalitarian worldwide event. It’s an opportunity to be a part of something bigger, something global. No other sport offers this. It’s uniquely CrossFit and we should take advantage of it.

3. Step Outside Your Comfort Zone

Neale Donald Walsch once said, “Life begins at the end of your comfort zone.” And that’s exactly what the Open is for a lot of people: an opportunity to step outside of their comfort zone. There’s a certain level of fear, of vulnerability, that accompanies such acts — a fear of being exposed, of not being as good as you had hoped, or even worse, of not being as good as other people had hoped. It’s a fear that paralyzes a lot of people, and in this case, prevents them from signing up for the Open.

What people don’t realize is fear can be a good thing. Fear can be the catalyst for something great, for knowing something’s worth doing. It’s the same reason Fraser dry heaves before walking out on the competition floor or why you started sweating bullets before you asked Cindy Lou to prom. Stepping outside of our comfort zone is how we grow and evolve as people. With CrossFit, it’s an opportunity to put yourself in a position to do things you never thought were possible. And at the end of the day, even if you fall short, at least you can sleep easy knowing you went for it.

4. PRs Aplenty

Stepping outside your comfort zone naturally lends itself to new experiences. The Open provides that in spades. From getting your first bar muscle-up, to hitting a new max snatch, to getting your first double under, the beauty of the Open is it sometimes forces you into doing the uncomfortable. Maybe you haven’t tried a bar muscle-up in a while and whenever they show up in normal programming, you scale down. So you decide to give it a shot when it shows up in the Open and lo and behold, you get it. That little nudge the Open provides can lead to huge milestones and I’ve seen it time and time again. I’m sure anyone that’s done the Open before can attest to that too.

olympic weightlifting

5. Opportunity for Growth

This is the big one, the real reason we all do the Open – to measure our progress year over year. CrossFit markets itself as a quantifiable, results-driven workout regimen. Although the tests may change every year, the Open remains a benchmark of progress. Consistency coupled with an unbiased program will undoubtedly yield results. It’s always fun to compete against other people at the gym (I’ve been known to have secret rivals at other gyms, and by secret rivals I mean they have no idea about it), but competing and beating yourself from last year is the real reward. The ability to look inward and find motivation there is the true source of sustainable growth. Use the Open as the culmination of all the hard work you put in the last year and a spark of motivation for the year to follow.

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Can You Really Be a Competitive Weightlifter and CrossFitter?

You’ve probably known of a few people who are capable of being both a competitive weightlifter and a competitive CrossFitter. The most famous is likely Tia-Clair Toomey, who won the 2017 CrossFit Games about one year after she represented Australia at the Rio Olympics. This is a highly unusual case, with most CrossFitters being decent lifters, and most lifters being decent CrossFitters (or amongst the best, as the case is with Mat Fraser — admittedly, a rare find).

So, why don’t we see more people performing at the competitive level in both?

What Each Sport Demands

Physiologically, weightlifting is at the very extreme end of the power versus endurance spectrum. Movements are so brief and so technical that it requires an incredible central nervous system as a part of training. Weightlifting is more about speed than anything else.

The other end of this spectrum would be Ironman triathletes and ultra-marathoners, who cannot be successful without training and improving their endurance over very long distances.

snatch

No matter your talent, there is no feasible way to train both ends of the spectrum and absolutely dominate in either one.

CrossFit fits into this picture somewhere in between the weightlifter and the marathon runner. Workouts include a little bit of everything: strength, endurance, and speed. It also relies on the same basic mobility, speed and movements we use in weightlifting.

Once you’ve trained strength and speed, what’s left is endurance. For weightlifters looking to tackle CrossFit at a higher level, this is often the hardest part. They’re not used to 20-minute WODs, because their movements take a matter of seconds.

Still, you can — without a doubt — train endurance. So, does that mean an athlete can realistically tackle both sports? There’s still more to this debate.

Being a Specialist Versus a Generalist

Besides endurance being a challenge, the biggest obstacle is a matter of logistics. There are so many skills to learn in CrossFit that the athletes are only moderately good at all of them, and never truly become a master at any of them. They are not the strongest athletes, not the most powerful, do not have the best endurance, are not the best gymnasts, etc. Learning many different skills makes the athletes very fit and well-rounded, but not a specialist in anything in particular. These are generalists.

regionals

While the CrossFitter is busy improving upon 20 different things (including lifting), the weightlifter is perfecting one: weightlifting. Because of this, it’s clear that a full-time weightlifter will likely be more proficient at weightlifting than a CrossFitter will ever be. Weightlifters are specialists.

The simple logistics make it difficult to imagine succeeding in both when training demands such different things. That being said, some people seem to make it work.

How You Might Make it Work

There have been some high-profile female CrossFit athletes, including Annie Thorisdottir, who have attended world-class weightlifting events such as the European championships and world championships. They are the best in their respective nation, performing at the bottom of the international field. They oftentimes represent countries with little or no high-level weightlifters or no weightlifting program, so the competition might not be as stiff. Regardless, simply qualifying to the international stage is an incredible feat and something to be immensely proud of.

If you think you would be happy performing in the top 20 or 30 in your nation, go for it! It might be difficult to take the platform at the IWF World Championships and the CrossFit Games in a single year; but don’t let that stop you from training your heart out. And remember, you can always compete on a local level for fun. After all, the number one priority should always be to enjoy what you’re doing — not win medals.

Can you train in both sports? Yes. Can you compete at a high level in both? It’s not likely. This doesn’t have to be a bad thing. You can still find a way to include both Olympic weightlifting and CrossFit into your programming so that spending time in the gym is always fulfilling.

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Camille Leblanc-Bazinet’s Hip Bridge Variations

If you’re trying to increase your squat or deadlift, hip bridges are an excellent accessory for you. Like most other exercises, there are additionally a number of variations you can do, too. Recently on Instagram, Camille Leblanc-Bazinet shared some of her favorite variations using a band and low rings. When executed properly, you should feel these in your hamstrings, glutes and back.

Main image: Camille Leblanc-Bazinet/Facebook

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See How Marcus Filly Uses Bodybuilding to Stay Shredded and Healthy

We’ve talked before about why bodybuilding should be a part of your training. It addresses weaknesses you might not find otherwise, helps to correct imbalances and offers a lower-impact way to add serious muscle to your frame. It’s great to use as a supplement for your regular training, and it’s even good for active rest days. Marcus Filly knows this, and he’s made time for bodybuilding over the years. In a recent post on Instagram, he shared some of his exercises; and there’s no denying it: this guy looks strong, healthy, mobile and totally jacked.

Main image: Marcus Filly/Facebook

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5 Ways To Train Your Brain

Did you know that staying fit involves your body and mind? Yes — if you’re only training your body in the gym but neglecting your brain, you’re missing a huge portion of the equation. Maintaining the enthusiasm and determination you need to stay healthy takes serious effort and dedication. Sometimes, these feelings can wane because we realize how challenging training can be. Your thoughts and emotions are in greater control than you might suspect; and what you think about, you create. Thus, training your brain is an absolute must. Here are five ways to do it.

1. Get Your Mind Straight

Are you still thinking of that to-do list at home or work? Do you feel bad that you left your kid with the nanny? Dreading the pile of paperwork sitting on your desk? When you train, you need to make sure that your attention is focused on the task at hand. If you’re distracted, you cannot give your 100% in completing the WOD. This means you either need to tune everything out, or take care of it so it’s no longer taking up valuable brain space.

2. Keep Smiling

In other words, stay positive. There are times when the WOD is not aligned with your strengths; but it shouldn’t pull you down. You have to approach it knowing you’re a rockstar and you can do anything you set your mind to. Encourage and support yourself like you do all your friends at the gym. Flood your mind only with positivity, and your body will follow.

working out

3. Focus on Yourself

A wise man once said that a person feels envy only when they look at what their neighbour has, instead of what they have. The same can be said for your training. Don’t compare yourself to a person who can lift a 20-pound kettlebell when you’re still working with a five-pound one. Don’t even glance at the time running during the AMRAP. Just focus on your breathing and the number of rounds you can do. You’ll be surprised of how much you can accomplish.

4. Learn From the Past

Wisdom comes from experience. With the help of your coach, try to identify what could have improved in the workout you just did. None of your training will be pointless if you learn at least one thing from it. Find what you could’ve done better, and next time, do it!

5. Keep Your Eyes on the Prize

Why are you here? What drives you? What is your motivation? It all starts with your “why.” If you don’t know why you are doing this, then you probably won’t stay for the long haul. You’re likelier to give up when things get hard or progress slows. Knowing your why will keep you motivated and committed, no matter what happens.

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Training With Intensity

Intensity is one of the pillars of CrossFit. In fact, the word “intensity” is never missing from definitions of CrossFit. If you were to look in the dictionary, the word would refer to a degree of strength, power, force or energy.

How Does Intensity Work?

CrossFit incorporates intensity because it is good for developing fitness. It’s a potent stimulant that is critical to adaptation. You are training for a result. You do exercises that your body is not used to and you engage in a level of physical activity that is much more than what you usually do. Your body is forced to adapt. As you exercise on a regular basis, you grow stronger. Your endurance improves, and more.

When you reach a point where your usual load or movements are starting to feel easy, don’t stay there. You need to scale or kick your workouts up a notch to avoid reaching a plateau, or a point where you are no longer improving. You need to increase the intensity of your workouts so your body can reach another level.

Intensity is Relative

Coaches and gyms tend to forget that what is intense for one person is different from what is intense for someone else. Some levels of intensity might be too much for others. It’s all relative. This depends on a variety of factors: age, gender, fitness level, health history, strength and more.

dumbbells presses

This is where scaling comes in. You can adjust your workouts to match your fitness level and work on an intensity that is challenging for you. It’s important for coaches and students to work together to track progress and scale workouts.

CrossFit is Supposed to be Hard

…but it should not push you to the point of no return. Great coaches should emphasize first the importance of doing workouts correctly to get optimal results. They should encourage newbies that doing it right is more important than doing it fast. Once they get comfortable and have increased strength, agility, etc. to complete a round or do as many reps as possible, then they can train at a higher intensity.

Intensity is the greatest opportunity for success, as well as the greatest opportunity for disaster. Hard work gets results, but you need to find the sweet spot.

How Can Coaches Help?

The best part of CrossFit is the opportunity to scale. Coaches, instructors and athletes have a number of variables they can control when it comes to a workout. You can make movements more simple or more complex and offer options to your students. You can control load, range of motion, volume and even intensity.

Remember, you need to keep your students from over-exerting themselves. Check up on them, making sure that they are training at a level of intensity that will help them improve and avoid plateauing. But at the same time, keep the level so that it doesn’t result in injury. Refine their technique and track their progress. Help them understand why intensity is important to the workout. All of this will be helpful in the long run.

It’s easy to over-exert yourself when you feel like you’re not getting the results you want. It’s also easy to get lazy and think that as long as you’re going through the motions, you’ll be fine. Find the right level of intensity to stay challenged but still be able to do quality work. You’ll achieve your fitness goals in time.

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5 Best Exercises to Improve Explosiveness and Power

The athletes of today are faster, bigger and stronger than ever before. Everyone’s goal is to run faster, jump higher and lift more. However, trainers and coaches have not come to an agreement on the best way to train. Some argue that you must only use Olympic lifts, others say you must lift light and fast, while there are those who tell you to just lift heavy weights. The truth is that athletes can benefit from a mix of these training styles. Another common mistake is that coaches cannot agree on the terms to use, often interchanging “power” and “explosiveness” — making it tougher to know the exercises that benefit each.

Power refers to the speed of movement. If you do a movement faster, you will have more power. The equation for power in physics is work over time, and work is computed as force multiplied by distance. It’s moving fast across a certain distance with force.

On the other hand, explosiveness or explosive strength is more about the speed of contraction. Both explosiveness and power work together to improve an athlete’s overall strength.

How Do You Train for It?

You need to do exercises that involve force and speed. Here are some of the best exercises to improve explosiveness and power.

Concentric Box Jump

Get in a half squat position. Extend your arms in front of you. From this static position, resisting from making counter movements, jump up onto the box. Land in the middle of the box and stand all the way up. Return to starting position.

This exercise teaches you how to create a large amount of force from a static, isometric position. Your body starts in a state where you are supporting your own weight. Then, you forcefully overcome the inertia and your body weight.

You can do this for 2-4 sets of 6-10 reps.

Dumbbell Jerk

Stand at shoulder width with your toes pointed straight ahead. Hold each dumbbell up to your shoulders. Your elbows should point straight ahead. Allow one end of each dumbbell to rest on your shoulders.

To execute, drop straight down a few inches and forcefully jump, extending upward. As quick as you can, drop straight down into a lunge (split jerk) position.

One leg should go forward while the other goes back. Catch the weight with your arms fully extended. Stand up with your arms still extended until you are upright. Take small steps as you get up. Your arms should be fully extended and behind the ears in the catch position.

The highlight of this exercise is getting down quickly. “Jerk” means to get down quickly. The momentum of the jump should get the weight to move upward. The rest of the exercise is about getting underneath the weight before you catch it.

You can do this for 2-4 sets of 8-10 reps.

Standing Triple Jump


If you’re familiar with the traditional triple jump, the standing triple jump is similar except you start from a static position. To start, stand at shoulder width and jump forward. Land on one leg, then jump forward forcefully. Next, land on the other leg and jump forcefully forward, landing softly on both legs. Return to starting position.

This exercise is a great measure of single leg power. It’s a better training exercise or test than single leg vertical or horizontal jumps. The standing triple jump prepares your body for bounds or depth jumps.

You can do this in 2-3 sets of 4-8 reps.

Plate Jumps

If you want to jump harder, this is a good exercise. Stand upright with a 10-pound plate in each hand. You can also change to a weight you are more comfortable with. Then, swing the plates backward as you let your body bend downward in countermovement. Swing the plates forward and upward. Think of it as throwing the weights in front of you and letting their weight carry you.

In this exercise, you must match the speed of the weights. Otherwise, you will fall forward.

Make sure to reset before each jump. You can adjust the exercise for height, distance, laterally or even off a single leg.

You can do 3 or 4 sets of 8-12 jumps.

Box Squat Jumps

Place dumbbells on your shoulders. Your elbows should face straight ahead, with your fingers on top of the dumbbells. The back of your heels should be placed against the box. Sit way back onto the box without rounding your lower back. Keep a flat and engaged lower back position. Relax your hip flexors but keep everything else tight.

From this position, jump as hard and fast as possible straight up. Return to starting position. You want to keep the body tight for this jump. The use of barbells is not advised.

This box squat starts in a relaxed state. When you jump, your body must overcome the weight and inertia of your body and the dumbbells. The weight is supported by the box, not your muscles. Because of this, force is created in a short amount of time. Compared to the traditional box squat, it relies on more starting strength because you actually jump.

You can do this for 3-4 sets of 8-12 reps.

Other Exercises

These are just some of the exercises you can do to increase power and explosiveness. You can also do variations of box jumps, banded kettlebell swings and other movements like jumping good mornings. With improved explosiveness and power, you can become a better athlete overall.

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This is How Mat Fraser Warms Up

We all have our own way of warming up. Some of us like a light jog; others have a stretching routine. Sam Dancer likes to take a 455-pound front squat for a spin. No big deal. Then there’s Mat Fraser. In a recent Instagram post, Mat shared his warm-up while at CrossFit Mayhem, and his friends even got in on the action. We spy with our little eye Rich Froning; and Lindy Barber, is that you?

Mayhem knows how to make fitness fun. Need to get warmed up before a big WOD? An hour and a half of handball should do.

An hr and half later… well warmed up. #handball #HWPO

A post shared by Mathew Fraser (@mathewfras) on

Main image: Mat Fraser/Facebook