Are you looking for a way to test how far you’ve truly come during your CrossFit journey? If so, you may want to give the Linda Workout of the Day (WOD) a try. This is a benchmark workout that you can perform from time to time, seeing just how much your time improves.
A few of the most important points you need to keep in mind about the Linda WOD include:
- The Linda Workout of the Day is also called the 3 bars of death because you will perform three separate bar lifts.
- The goal is to get through the workout of the day as quickly as possible.
- There are ways you can scale the workout to make it easier if you cannot perform it as intended.
- This is one of the few workouts that uses your own body weight to calculate the lift weights.
Now, let’s take a closer look at the Linda WOD. How did it get its name, and what type of exercises will you perform? How does your time compare to others?
What Is the Linda Workout Of The Day?
And this workout of the day, you will be performing a series of weighted exercises. Importantly, this workout of the day uses weights derived from the athlete’s own body weight.
In this workout, you will perform three separate barbell movements. They are the squat clean, bench press, and deadlift. You will reduce the number of repetitions from ten, going down by one with every round.
Specifically, the workout includes:
- 10 deadlifts at 1.5 times body weight
- 10 bench presses at 1.0 times body weight
- 10 squat cleans at 0.75 times body weight
You will cycle through this workout routine a total of 10 times. The first time through, you will do each lift 10 times. Then, the next time through, you’ll do each lift 9 times. You will continue going through the repetitions until you only perform each lift once.
Even though it is unclear exactly how the workout got its name, it is meant for both guys and girls. It is also called the “3 bars of death.”
It might be helpful to take a look at a video of a Linda WOD here to learn more about what to expect.
What Is A Good Time For The Linda WOD?
The exact amount of time it should take you to complete this workout depends on what type of shape you are in. If you are a beginner at CrossFit, it will probably take you approximately a half-hour to finish this exercise. Or, you may not have enough strength to finish the workout in its entirety on the first attempt, which is totally fine!
Once you get to be a better CrossFit athlete, you should try to shoot for a time between 15 and 20 minutes. 20 minutes is considered average for someone who is in good shape. Once you get down to 15 minutes, you’ll be considered an advanced CrossFit athlete.
If you can complete this exercise in fewer than 13 minutes, you are considered an elite athlete.
If you can finish this workout in 11 minutes, you are considered a regional athlete. Here is a video of an elite athlete doing this workout.
How Can You Scale This Workout?
There are a few ways you can scale this workout. If you are a beginner, a few ways you might want to scale this workout include:
- You may want to start with a deadlift that is only 0.75 times your body weight.
- You can also start with a bench press that is 0.5 times your body weight.
- You can perform a clean that is 0.33 times your body weight.
If you do not want to change the weight you lift, you may want to change the number of repetitions you perform. For example, instead of starting with 10 repetitions of each type of lift, you may want to start with only eight repetitions.
As you get better at this workout, you may want to increase the weight slightly or go up to 9 repetitions as your starting place before you go all the way up to 10.
You can also scale this workout for an intermediate athlete. Some of the changes you can make at the intermediate level include:
- You can drop the deadlift bodyweight from 1.5 times bodyweight to 1.25 times body weight.
- You can drop the bench press body weight from 1.0 times body weight to 0.75 times body weight.
- You can drop the clean bodyweight from 0.75 times bodyweight to 0.5 times body weight.
At the intermediate level, you should perform 10 repetitions at the beginning. Even though you are still welcome to change the number of repetitions if you would like, it is usually better to go all the way up to 10 repetitions before you get your lifts all the way up to the intended weight.
Once you are able to perform the intermediate scale above, you should be able to go all the way up to the normal Linda WOD. It might take a few tries to perform the workout as intended, but you can mark your progress along the way. Here is another helpful video of the Linda WOD.
Tips And Tricks
When you perform this workout, there are a few important tips you should follow. They include:
- Make sure you set up properly. Proper setup can help you improve your score. Remember the goal is to perform this workout as quickly as possible. If you set up your weights appropriately, you can go faster.
- You should try to use three separate bars during the workout. That way, you don’t have to worry about changing weights as you go from exercise to exercise. The exact weight you will lift will change with the exercise, and you don’t want to waste time swapping out your weights.
- If you want to shorten your time, try to keep your weights close together. That way, you don’t have to go too far in between exercises.
Finally, it is important to prevent yourself from getting hurt. Some of the most important tips to keep in mind include:
- When you get tired at the end of the workout, make sure you still live with your legs instead of your back. Lifting with your back is one of the best ways to get hurt. Try not to over-arch your back during the bench press, and try to avoid jerking the bar off the ground.
- Do not perform this workout the instant you get to the gym. It is important to warm up and stretch before you try to perform this workout. Rowing and cycling are great ways to warm up before you jump into the main workout. You may want to perform some light repetitions of each individual exercise to work on your form.
- When you finish the Linda WOD, you will be exhausted; however, do not leave immediately. Make sure you take a few minutes to cool down. Get your heart rate back down to its resting state, and perform some easy cardio to flush the lactic acid out of your system. You may want to have a protein shake, drink some extra water, and perform some foam rolling.
If you keep these tips in mind, you can put yourself in the best position possible to blow away your best time during the Linda WOD.
Get Ready For The Linda Workout Of The Day
Linda Workout of the Day is a classic CrossFit WOD that uses your body weight to calculate the size of each individual lift. You will perform three separate bar lifts for declining numbers of repetitions, starting from 10 and going down to 1. The goal is to get through the workout as quickly as possible! Go test yourself!
