This is our first workout in the our new series of CrossFit workouts. This series will feature only the most brutal and difficult workouts Crossfit has to offer. The kind that would make a billy goat puke and make Rich Froning run home crying to his mommy, maybe not but you get the picture. These are the best of the worst.
For our first workout we are going to cover “The Seven”. It is one that I have a love/hate relationship with so for me it is a great place to start.
Analysis: The Seven is a meat grinder. Seven rounds of seven exercises for seven reps. I have done this workout about 10 times or so and each time it is a challenge both mentally and physically. I guess that is why I have such a love/hate relationship with this workout, I always love a challenge. I downed my favorite pre workout PreSeries Bulk to get me totally amped and focused for this brutal workout and got started.
For the first round or so I always fool myself into thinking “this isn’t so bad, I can fly though this” then by the third or forth round reality starts to set in and I wonder why I make myself do this workout so often. There is even a thought that pops in my head that maybe I should just scale it back to 5 rounds, I workout in my garage, no one would ever know. Then I immediately tell myself I am a total pussball for even having that thought cross my mind, after a few more insults and challenges to my own manhood I move on to the fifth round. The fifth round is the worst of all, every time I have done this workout I have gotten a feeling like I was going to puke and it always comes on in fifth round. Luckily I have never actually puked but the feeling like I might always pops up around round five. Why? I have no idea but it fades as I go to round 6 and 7. The sixth and seventh round I just grind out. The end is in sight which makes it easier to just put your nose to the grindstone and get it done. The worst portion of each round is the thrusters then a quick 7 knees to elbows then right into deadlifts, it drains me for the rest of the round. The best part about this workout though is the feeling afterward, you can’t help but feel like a badass after getting through all of that. I would certainly schedule a rest day for the day after. Get after it and enjoy!
My crappy time: 34:07 rx’d
Scale back to 5 rounds or use lower weight if necessary.
Ryan Douglas
*Consult a physician before attempting this or any other exercise program
Ryan is a former college wrestler and lifelong fitness fanatic. He has run half marathons, done mud runs, placed in body transformation contests, coached wrestling, and now coaches girls’ soccer. Not to mention he has also tried literally hundreds of supplements over the years and has a vast and thorough supplement knowledge. He has written for Muscle & Strength, Testosterone Junkie, The Sport Review and other publications. He is also the editor-in-chief of this website and has over 25 years of experience in the fitness industry. Feel free to connect with him on his LinkedIn page below.
