Some weeks we chase the clock. This week, we’re chasing strength — and the conditioning is built to make it stick.
There’s a strong CrossFit Games thread running through the next seven days, from a squat clean ladder pulled straight from the 2012 Games to a remixed 2009 chipper and a partner mash-up on Saturday. If you’ve ever wanted a taste of what the sport’s biggest tests feel like (scaled to you, of course), this is your week.
Here’s how it breaks down.
Monday — Strict Press + “Hat Trick”
We open the week with pure pressing strength: strict press every 2:30 across 4 sets, working down 10-8-6-4 reps. As the reps drop, the load climbs. No leg drive, no cheating — just shoulders doing honest work.
Then the engine turns on with “Hat Trick”: every 5 minutes for 3 rounds, you’ll knock out shuttle runs, 20 wall balls, 8 alternating dumbbell snatches, and more shuttle runs. The challenge we’re setting? Unbroken wall balls, every set. Pick a target and hold the line.
Tuesday — Squat Clean Ladder + Front Squats
This is the big one for the barbell lovers. Part A is a direct adaptation of the 2012 CrossFit Games Squat Clean Ladder — one squat clean every 30 seconds for 12 sets, with the weight climbing as you go. It’s a test of composure as much as strength: how heavy can you stay smooth?
Part B backs it up with front squats every 2 minutes across 6 sets in a 7-5-3 wave, run through twice. Wave loading like this lets you touch heavier weights on the second pass, when your nervous system is primed.
No conditioning piece today — and that’s deliberate. We honour the strength intent. Recover, refuel, and come back ready.
Wednesday — Handstand Skills + “Echo Press”
Midweek is about skill and pressing stamina. We start with 10–15 minutes of handstand play time: freestanding holds, parallette work, pirouettes, and box drills. Whether you’re kicking up for the first time or chasing a freestanding walk, there’s a progression for you.
Then “Echo Press”: 5 rounds of a 90-second AMRAP — sprint 15/12 calories on the Echo bike, then max-rep dumbbell bench press with whatever time remains, followed by 90 seconds of rest. The strategy is simple to say and hard to do: sprint the bike, then control the bench.
Thursday — “Run Row Run”
A classic aerobic endurance test: 3000m run, 2000m row, 1000m run, for time. No barbells, no gymnastics — just you, your pacing, and your lungs.
The coaching cue for the day: settle into a sustainable pace early. The athletes who blow up on the first run pay for it on the rower. This is a session where discipline in the first 10 minutes buys you speed in the last 5.
Friday — Ring Muscle-Ups + “CGE8 2009 Remix”
Friday brings our ring muscle-up progression — banded muscle-ups and the feet-over-PVC drill — so everyone from first-timers to seasoned kippers has something to work on.
Then we throw down with a Games-era chipper: 30 power cleans, 30 toes-to-bar, 30 box jumps, 15 ring muscle-ups, 90 double unders, 15 thrusters, 30 pull-ups, 30 bar-facing burpees, and 30 front rack lunges. It’s long, it’s honest, and it rewards the athlete who builds a strategy before the clock starts — and sticks to it when things get spicy.
Saturday — Partner Games Mash-Up
Grab a mate. “091022 Games Mash-Up” is a two-station partner workout: Station 1 is 4 rounds of wall walks, kettlebell swings, and medball sit-ups; Station 2 is 7 rounds of deadlifts and strict handstand push-ups. Both partners complete both stations.
Saturday sessions at CrossFit Coorparoo are the best energy of the week — loud music, shared suffering, and coffee after. If you’ve been thinking about trying a class, this is the one to visit.
Sunday — “Spirit of the Games” EMOM
We close the week with muscular stamina and aerobic recovery: a 24-minute EMOM rotating through a 150m run, a round of Strict Cindy (strict pull-ups, push-ups, air squats), a 15/12 calorie row, and a 150ft farmers carry.
It’s steady, honest movement — the kind of session that flushes the legs, keeps the engine ticking over, and sets you up to attack Monday again.
Why We Program This Way
Strength and conditioning isn’t about smashing yourself every day. It’s about intelligent waves: heavy strength work when you’re fresh, skill development midweek, aerobic capacity to build your base, and structured recovery so it all compounds.
That’s what a week at CrossFit Coorparoo looks like — Games-inspired, coach-led, and scaled to every single person who walks through the door, whether you’re 25 and chasing a muscle-up or 45 and chasing your kids around the backyard.
Train With Us in Coorparoo
CrossFit Coorparoo has been building fitter, stronger locals for nearly 20 years at 1/44 Harries Road, Coorparoo. Every class is coached, every workout is scalable, and your first session is free.
Book your free intro at [insert booking link] or drop in and say g’day — we’ll take care of the rest.
