Joe Tolles CrossFit Series: December ’23
Joe wraps up the year and the dumbbell portion of the series with the Dumbbell Snatch.
More Than Our Story
Joe Tolles CrossFit Series: June '22
My Approach
Hey guys! I’ve been asked to share my approach for programming CrossFit workouts in a new monthly series of posts in which I focus on one workout from the month and do a deep dive into how and why I programmed it that way. My general approach is to keep things constantly varied and engaging. In a word… challenging. I also have a specific focus for each day, which I’ve outlined below:
Monday – Olympic weightlifting.
Tuesday – Gymnastics skills.
Wednesday – Muscular endurance and strength training.
Thursday – Cardio conditioning.
Friday – Mixed bag, revolving around movements we’re not currently focused on during our six-week strength cycles.
Saturday – Partner workouts.
Sunday – Open Gym.
A lot of people like to coast into the week, I don't believe in that...Monday is going to be tough.
Workout Of The Month
Part 1: Front Squat
Every 2:00 for 5 Rounds:
3 Pause Front Squats (:05 pause in bottom)
*Building in weight.
Part 2: The Great Outdoors
For Time:
10 Push Press
10 Front Squats
7/5 Calorie Assault Bike
9 Push Press
9 Front Squats
7/5 Calorie Assault Bike
…
1 Push Press
1 Front Squat
10/7 Calorie Assault Bike
Barbell: (95/65)
*Score = Time it takes to complete the workout.
What Was My Approach With This Workout?
This month I selected a Friday workout. The focus right now is on the deadlifts, so I need to make sure we’re squatting.
Front Squat: The strength portion of this workout is front squats with a pause at the bottom. The focus here is on getting stronger. If you look at powerlifters – they’re very strong, but they don’t perform well under fatigue or stress on their bodies. The pause really strengthens your core, forcing you to keep your elbows up, and improving your form when you’re tired. My approach here is like anything else – if you do it enough in a controlled environment, when you get tired, you won’t need to think so much about it – body awareness.
Great Outdoors: I wanted to incorporate a light front squat, and I wanted to go fast. I wanted a 15 minutes full-send workout.
What Do You Expect To Be Challenging?
I wanted to make the workout light enough that you could hold on to the bar the entire time, and have to make that decision yourselves, whether you could get through it, or if you had to break it up. When I look at a workout, there are certain movements, or certain loads on a barbell that dictate the workout. If there are 10 ring muscle ups to start a workout, that dictates the fact that most people are going to break those up. You might have somebody really outside of the box go unbroken, but if I were to program 4 ring muscle ups, almost everyone can go unbroken. So when I chose 95 (pounds for men) and 65 (pounds for women) for today’s front squat/push press workout, pretty everyone doing it as prescribed, can do it unbroken, it’s just a mental battle. If it was 135 (pounds for men), everyone would break it up, but at 95, it’s all mental – you know if you pushed through that threshold, or if you got a little soft.
What Do I Expect People To Like About This?
This is more than just fitness. When I think about you guys, I’m not trying to get you stronger, and more fit, I’m trying to teach you how to attack your life. Every once in a while, like today, it’s okay to attack with reckless abandon. In my opinion, a lot of people miss opportunities because they are too afraid of what’s going to happen. Today is one of those days, where you can go out hot, go after it. If you blow up, whatever, you pick yourself back up again and figure it out.
The other thing to consider was the length of the workout, I programmed for a time range between 8 and 15 minutes. After 20 minutes, people are going to slow down, if I programmed 4 minutes, the stronger people are going to win – it would be a pure power output workout. When it’s that middle range 8 to 15 minutes, that’s when you have to get tough and hang on.
This is more than just fitness... I'm trying to teach you how to attack your life... In my opinion, a lot of people miss opportunities because they are too afraid of what's going to happen... If you blow up, whatever, you pick yourself back up again and figure it out.
What Modifications Are Applicable?
I have a number of members who ask for modifications due to knees, backs, shoulders, arms. You can always lighten the weight for the entire workout. Modifications for the push press – for people who have trouble with over the shoulder movements – you could substitute GHD sit-ups, as going between front squats and GHD sit-ups will tire your midline, and be challenging. Modifiers for front squats really depend on the potential injury, and the person – perhaps a power clean if it’s a sore knee. If it’s a back issue, I would avoid any hinging – substitute a push-up variant. Finally, for modifiers for the assault bike, try any form of cardio machine, or just keep moving by running or doing burpees.
Difficulty Level?
4/5
I would say 4 – this is a tough one. I love workouts where you guys have to think; you’re forced to look in the mirror. We all have those battles each day.
If I program five hang power cleans at 135 (pounds for men) followed by five front squats, the weight is light enough that people could go unbroken, but they’re going to have to ask themselves, “Do I really want to hurt that bad today?”. I love those types of challenges, and I love seeing them play out. Who’s going to hold on? Who’s going to break it up? I usually know who’s gonna do that beforehand, but sometimes people surprise you. I see the journey of people when they start, and how mentally tough they get over six months, a year, five years.
Programming is one of those things where it’s such a big part of the gym, but no one really knows about it. Without it, we would be lost, we all just take it for granted. It’s been a long time of trial and error, and experimenting in my garage. You’ll notice if you go to another CrossFit gym, we have very hard programming. I’m not afraid to challenge you guys. I think I owe you that. I’m definitely not afraid to go after it, and see what you guys are capable of.
I love workouts where you guys have to think; you’re forced to look in the mirror. We all have those battles each day...I’m not afraid to challenge you guys. I think I owe you that. I’m definitely not afraid to go after it, and see what you guys are capable of.
North Shore Athletic Club
Joe Tolles
Joe Tolles is a semi-retired, professional hockey player, CrossFit gym owner/operator, and organ donor. He is a down-to-earth person whose work ethic and motivation are infectious.
Related CrossFit Articles
Joe Tolles CrossFit Series: November ’23
This month on the dumbbells Joe Tolles tackles the challenging Devil Press.
Joe Tolles CrossFit Series: October ’23
Moving on now to the ubiquitous dumbbell and this month we’re learning the Dumbbell Thruster.
Joe Tolles CrossFit Series: September ’23
Our final gymnastic movement on the pull-up bar for this month is the one and only: Bar Muscle-Up.
Joe Tolles CrossFit Series: August ’23
Next up on the pull-up bar, the infamous CrossFit pull-up: The Kipping Pull-Up.
Joe Tolles CrossFit Series: July ’23
We’re moving to the pull-up bar for our next series of movements. First up is the core-focused movement: Toes To Bar.
Joe Tolles CrossFit Series: June ’23
In the final installment of our current three-part series, Joe breaks down the mechanics behind his favorite CrossFit movement: the Squat Snatch.
Joe Tolles CrossFit Series: May ’23
In this second installment of our current three-part series, Joe breaks down the mechanics behind the Overhead Squat.
Joe Tolles CrossFit Series: April ’23
In this first installment of our next three-part series, Joe breaks down the mechanics behind the Power Snatch.
Joe Tolles CrossFit Series: March ’23
In this final installment of the three-part series Joe breaks down the mechanics behind his favorite lift: The Clean and Jerk.
Joe Tolles CrossFit Series: February ’23
Building on the movement learned last month - Joe breaks down the mechanics behind the power clean, in part two of a three-part series.
Joe Tolles CrossFit Series: January ’23
In part one of a three-part series, Joe breaks down the mechanics behind the deadlift – one of CrossFit’s foundational movements.
Joe Tolles CrossFit Series: December ’22
A barbell complex with a twist, and a new spin on a traditional, old school benchmark workout are the focus for this month's CrossFit Series.
Joe Tolles CrossFit Series: November ’22
Heavy lifting and high-skill gymnastics under fatigue are this month's focus. Buckle up and get ready to push yourself to the limit.
Joe Tolles CrossFit Series: October ’22
This month Joe covers a quick and nasty testing day that pushes your strength and capacity limits to the max.
Joe Tolles CrossFit Series: September ’22
This month's workout is focused on gynamics with both easier and high-skill movements performed under fatigue which compound upon each other.
Joe Tolles CrossFit Series: August ‘22
Joe breaks down this month's tough workout that will leave you smashed. Part strength training, part cardio, all tough.
Joe Tolles CrossFit Series: July ‘22
Joe breaks down his rationale behind adding longer aerobic cardio training to supplement more traditional CrossFit style training.
Joe Tolles CrossFit Series: June ‘22
For the first Joe Tolles CrossFit Series I chose a Friday workout. Front Squats for the strength portion, and 15-minute full send to finish.
Joe Tolles
Joe Tolles is a semi-retired, professional hockey player, CrossFit gym owner/operator, organ donor, and inspiration to others.