Hypertrophy Kickoff: Glute & Ham Focus with a CrossFit WOD Test

Are you looking to kick off a new training block with purpose, or seeking challenging workouts that build strength and endurance for Hyrox? This post dives into today’s (July 6th) intense training day, which officially marked the beginning of my hypertrophy block with a tough, glute and ham-focused leg session. We then tested tomorrow’s CrossFit Birch Bender WOD with a brutal metcon. You’ll learn how to structure a powerful lower-body session for muscle growth and resilience, and how high-intensity metcons can prepare you for the relentless demands of a Hyrox race.

The Workout Blueprint

Part 1: Hypertrophy Kickoff – Glute & Ham Focused Leg Session

This session with Jordan focused on building muscle and strength endurance in the posterior chain, a key area for power and resilience.

• Superset:
  • Eccentric Nordic Curls: 3 sets of 6 reps
  • Deadlift: 3 sets of 10 reps @ 225lbs
• Rest 2:00 between supersets
• Superset:
  • Good Mornings: 3 sets of 10 reps @ 55lbs
  • Landmine Slantboard Squats: 3 sets of 10 reps @ 135lbs
• Rest 2:00 between supersets
• Superset (One leg at a time):
  • Single Leg Elevated Glute Bridge: 6 sets of 10 reps per leg
  • Reverse Split Squat: 6 sets of 10 reps per leg @ 135lbs
• Rest 2:00 between supersets
• Superset:
  • Barbell Seesaw: 4 sets of 10 reps @ 45lbs
  • Lateral Medball Throw: 4 sets of 10 reps @ 20lbs
• Rest 2:00 between supersets

Part 2: CrossFit WOD Test – Metcon

A challenging metcon designed to test endurance. Tomorrow’s CrossFit Birch Bender WOD.

• 100 x Box Step-Ups (20″ +20lb db)
• 10 ROUNDS of:
  • 100m x Run
  • 15 x KB Swings (Amer. or Russ.) (GRN/YLW)
• 100 x Box Step-Ups (20″ +20lb db)
• Time: 21:23

Movement Breakdown & Rationale

Here’s a deeper look at why these movements and workout types benefit your Hyrox performance:

• Eccentric Nordic Curls: Excellent for building eccentric hamstring strength and hypertrophy, crucial for powerful running and injury prevention in Hyrox.
• Deadlift: A foundational movement for overall posterior chain strength (glutes, hamstrings, back), directly translating to powerful sled pulls and overall resilience.
• Good Mornings: Targets the hamstrings, glutes, and lower back, building strength and flexibility in the posterior chain, essential for maintaining posture and power under fatigue.
• Landmine Slantboard Squats: A quad-dominant exercise that allows for deep knee flexion while maintaining an upright torso, beneficial for wall balls and building resilient knees.
• Single Leg Elevated Glute Bridge: Isolates the glutes and challenges hip stability unilaterally, crucial for sandbag lunges and overall running mechanics.
• Reverse Split Squat: Builds unilateral leg strength and stability, directly applicable to sandbag lunges and improving balance and power in each stride.
• Barbell Seesaw: A dynamic core and shoulder stability exercise, improving coordination and strength across the midline, beneficial for maintaining form under fatigue.
• Lateral Medball Throw: Develops rotational power and core explosiveness, translating to more efficient movements and power transfer in various Hyrox stations.
• Box Step-Ups (Weighted): A high-volume leg endurance exercise, directly applicable to the burpee broad jumps and building quad stamina for repeated efforts.
• Run: Incorporating runs between strength efforts is key for compromised running, simulating the Hyrox race structure and building the ability to maintain pace under fatigue.
• KB Swings (American or Russian): Builds explosive hip power and posterior chain endurance, beneficial for sled pulls and overall power output.

My Experience & Key Takeaways for Your Training

Today’s training with Jordan was a fantastic and tough way to kick off the hypertrophy block, offering valuable insights for your own training. The glute and ham-focused leg session was brutal but incredibly effective. The supersets, especially the Deadlifts immediately after Nordic Curls, really challenged my posterior chain and heart rate. This highlights for you the power of pairing complementary movements to maximize muscle stimulus and build strength endurance simultaneously. The Good Mornings and Landmine Slantboard Squats provided excellent targeted work, while the single-leg exercises like Glute Bridges and Reverse Split Squats exposed and strengthened unilateral weaknesses – crucial for Hyrox lunges and overall running efficiency. The Barbell Seesaw and Lateral Medball Throws were great for core and rotational power.

The metcon we ran to test tomorrow’s CrossFit WOD was a perfect high-intensity finisher. Despite the fatigue from the strength session, pushing through the Box Step-Ups, runs, and KB Swings was a true test of grit. For your Hyrox preparation, this type of workout is invaluable: it builds mental toughness, forces you to maintain intensity under duress, and directly simulates the compromised running you’ll face on race day. It was tough but a great way to kick off this hypertrophy block, proving that even when focusing on muscle growth, you can still integrate high-intensity, race-specific conditioning. Remember, consistency and strategic programming, even if it means pushing through discomfort, are key to long-term progress for your Hyrox goals.

Scaled Options

If you are looking to take on workouts like these, here are a few ways to scale them to your fitness level:

• Strength Session:
  • Eccentric Nordic Curls: Use a glute-ham developer (GHD) if available, or perform stability ball hamstring curls.
  • Deadlift: Reduce weight, perform Romanian deadlifts with lighter weight, or use kettlebell deadlifts.
  • Good Mornings: Use a PVC pipe or empty barbell to focus on form, or perform banded good mornings.
  • Landmine Slantboard Squats: Perform goblet squats or bodyweight squats with heels elevated.
  • Single Leg Elevated Glute Bridge: Perform standard glute bridges or single-leg glute bridges on the floor.
  • Reverse Split Squat: Use bodyweight or lighter dumbbells.
  • Barbell Seesaw: Use lighter dumbbells or resistance bands for core stability work.
  • Lateral Medball Throw: Use a lighter medicine ball or perform rotational twists without a ball.
• Metcon:
  • Box Step-Ups: Reduce reps, use a lower box, or perform without a dumbbell.
  • Run: Reduce distance per round (e.g., 50m) or substitute with machine cals (Rower/SkiErg).
  • KB Swings: Use a lighter kettlebell or perform bodyweight good mornings.
  • Reduce Rounds: Complete fewer rounds (e.g., 5-8 rounds) to manage intensity.