Bound Newsletter 2.8.2025
Glassmans 2003 test of Fitness
5 events each gives you a specific score to add up to see your level.
The great excel spreadsheet creator Alex Willis has donated his time to create
a epic leaderboard for us. Not only will we all right down our numbers, but we’ll
place them on the excel leaderboard to see how we match up and keep track
for future tests.
The speadsheet will be shared through a link in the wodify app and through gym.
Complete the 5 Tests of Fitness and Set Your Goals for the Future
How do you measure your fitness? Greg Glassman, the founder of CrossFit, laid out five essential tests in his 2003 article, How Fit Are You? These tests challenge different aspects of fitness, from strength and endurance to speed and stamina, giving a clear picture of where you stand and where you can improve.
At CrossFitBound, we believe in testing ourselves regularly to gauge progress, celebrate victories, and set new goals. Fitness is a journey, and these five tests will help you understand your strengths and weaknesses. The key is to give your best effort, embrace where you are today, and use the results to drive your training forward.
The 5 Tests of Fitness
Bench Press 1 rep followed by max set of Pull-ups:
Performance: Ramp up to a one-rep max Bench Press and after a short rest begin the max set of pull-ups.
Any grip is allowed on the pull-ups as long as the range of motion is complete - all the way up and down.
Scoring: Multiply the bench press load in pounds by the number of pull-ups completed.
Modifications: Where needed use an assisted pull-up device such as a band keeping a 11X1 tempo.
Character: This tests the upper body for both absolute and relative strength and stamina.
Workout: This test can be practiced as a workout of three to five repetitions of the test, resting between efforts as needed.
Clean and Jerk 15 Reps
Performance: There is no time limit, but the weight cannot be rested on the ground. Resting at the hang, rack, or overhead is O.K. At the ground, the athlete must touch and go. Technique is otherwise not critical.
Scoring: The score is exactly the load lifted.
Modifications: There are no modifications needed for this test.
Character: This classic movement is traditionally an excellent test of overall strength, but when performed at 15 reps becomes an extraordinary metabolic challenge as evidenced by max heart and respiratory rate.
Workout: This test can be practiced as a workout by completing the test and then repeating at twelve and nine reps with the same load, resting between efforts as needed.
Tabata Squat followed by 4 minutes of Muscle-ups
Performance: After the eighth Tabata Squat interval the athlete gets ten more seconds of rest and then has 4 minutes to complete as many muscle-ups as possible. The muscle-ups need not be consecutive, i.e., without rest. All squats must be from below parallel to full extension of the hip and leg.
Scoring: The test score is the Tabata Squat score (weakest number of squats in each of eight intervals of twenty seconds of work followed by 10 seconds of rest) multiplied by the number of muscle-ups completed within four minutes. Total time for test: 8 minutes.
Modifications: With regard to the muscle-up, there are two possibilities for adaptation. One is to assist manually - someone pushing the athlete up. The other is to replace the muscle-up with four minutes of pull-ups and dips.
Character: The Tabata Squat is a CrossFit classic testing both athletic hip function as well as aerobic and anaerobic capacity. The muscle-up is arguably the single best upper body exercise. This combination alone is suggestive of an athlete’s total fitness. Workout: This test can be practiced as a workout by completing the test and then repeating after an extended rest.
Deadlift 1 RM followed by a max set of Handstand Push-ups
Performance: Ramp up to a one-rep max and within 30 seconds of completing the deadlift begin the handstand push-ups. The handstand push-ups must bring the ears below the hands so they needs to be done on parallel bars, parallettes, or some other raised platform like 45/25lb plates. Using the wall for balance is O.K.
Scoring: Multiply the deadlift load in pounds by the number of handstand push-ups completed.
Modifications: There are two options for modification of this test. The first is to provide manual assistance to the handstand push-ups. Typically, this is done by lifting the athlete by the calves or ankles. Alternately, where even the handstand is a challenge, the substitute exercise is a shoulder press.
Character: This duo represents a reasonable estimate of an athlete’s total strength - relative and absolute, upper and lower body. Workout: This test can be practiced as a workout of three to five repetitions of the test, resting in between efforts as needed.
Run 800 meters, Thrusters 75 lbs x 21 reps, “L” Pull-ups 21 reps
Performance: The thruster must originate from a full squat each rep. The “L” pull-ups are pull-ups with the legs extended straight out in front of the athlete. Any pull-up where the heels fall below the butt or the legs bend other than slightly is disallowed. The thruster and “L” pull-ups need not be performed consecutively, i.e. without breaking. Any grip is O.K. for the pull-up, but the range of motion must be complete.
Scoring: The entire effort is timed from the start of the run to the last pull-up. A time is returned in minutes and seconds. Modifications: Where necessary, the load for the thrusters may be reduced and the “L” pull-ups can be assisted by gently lifting the heels or allowing a “sloppy L.” For those not able to perform a pull-up, an assisted pull-up device may be used.
Character: This test is classic CrossFit. The combination of a monostructural metabolic exercise (running) combined with a high demand weightlifting movement (Thruster: front squat/ push press), and a super demanding bodyweight movement (“L” pull-up), all for time, is distinctly CrossFit and is directly indicative of an athlete’s total capacity.
Workout: This test can be practiced as a workout by performing the test and repeating after an extended rest.
What Do Your Results Mean?
Each of these tests measures a unique aspect of fitness, and together, they paint a well-rounded picture of your current abilities. Some athletes may excel in strength but struggle in endurance, while others might dominate aerobic tests but need to build power. The goal isn’t to be perfect—it’s to improve.
Embrace Your Current Fitness and Set New Goals
Wherever you land on these tests, own it. Your results aren’t a judgment; they’re data. Use them as a launching point to refine your training. Maybe you need to build a stronger deadlift, increase your endurance, or improve your pull-up capacity. With a plan and commitment, progress will follow.
At CrossFitBound, we encourage you to challenge yourself, put forth your best effort, and accept where you are today so you can set the bar higher for the future. These tests will not only show you where you stand but will also give you direction for where to go next.
Give your best, trust the process, and keep pushing forward!
Bragging Board:
Fittest of the Coast Competitors:
Grant Griffin with a 5th place finish overall in the Rx Division (with a 2nd & 5th place finish)
Jesus Mundo with a 41st finish in the Intermediate Division
Jeb Buffington with a 4th place finish (with a 1st & 3rd place finish)
Matt Link with a 7th place finish (with a 2nd & 5th place finish)
Shout out to Davis Brown with a 14th place finish
Shout out to Logan Brown with a 22nd place finish in the PRO division
Sergio Rivera - half marathon run at the mountain
Getting ready to celebrate Amber and Jonathan wedding next month!
Welcome New Members:
Sabrina Melo an online athlete
Will Hamilton *the return of one of the greats
Upcoming Birthdays:
Mandi Nobis - Feb 9
Sarah O’Connor - Feb 11
Micheal Demperio - Feb 17
Savannah Haygood - Feb 17
Jenni Pettit - Feb 17
Jennifer Hughes - Feb 19
Ryan Allen - Feb 21
Faye Smalle - Feb 25
Upcoming Anniversaries
1-year Memberships:
-Greg Dafini Feb 12
-Alex Falcon March 9
3-year Memberships:
-Trevor and Hillary Maloney - Feb 14
4-Year Membership
- Brian Chambers - Feb 22
2025 Calendar of Events:
Couples Conquer at CrossFit Bound February 15th, 2025.
We are making this an in-house competition this year. You can find any partner to compete with. We’ll do prizes for the top 3 teams and have raffles in between.
Registration/Workouts uploaded soon
We are making this an in-house competition.
We will have a $35 entry fee per person.
We will have food, a bounce house and kids area, prizes, etc
Elsie Enduro: February 22, 2025
Website/Registration HERE
There’s a $20 discount on black Friday!
CrossFit Open February 27-March 17
Be sure to Register.
We’ll be hosting FNL on February 28th, March 7th, March 14th
Pensacola Beach Brawl Spring: March 22-23, 2025
Website/Registration HERE
Team Ragnar Series in Georgia: April 11-12, 2025
Website/Registration HERE
Atlanta Ga April 26-27th
Website Registration HERE
Blue Ridge Adventure Race: May 3&4th
Information/Website/Registration HERE
Atlantic Coast Classic in Florida: June 20-22, 2025 in Daytona Beach
Website / Registration HERE
CrossFit Journal Article of the Week: Let’s Talk Kipping Pull-Ups
by Pamela Gagnon, CF-L2
It’s time to talk about kipping pull-ups. Which scenario resonates with you?
First Scenario: You look at the Workout of the Day and realize you’ll be doing ring rows once again because you still don’t have a pull-up.
Second Scenario: The Workout of the Day involves kipping pull-ups, and you wince because you know you have pain in your shoulder every time you do them, so you give up and resort to ring rows again.
Let’s break down these issues so you can better understand how to move toward Rx’d and implement pull-ups during your workouts.
“Why Can’t I Go Rx’d?”
Let’s delve into the common struggles with kipping pull-ups, an issue many of us can relate to. When we encounter kipping pull-ups in a workout, two main issues often surface. First, athletes without pulling strength will resort to the SAME scaling option for years: the dreaded ring row. Don’t get me wrong, ring rows are a good pulling skill, but they don’t translate to getting pull-ups. Next, athletes who don’t have strict strength often default to doing kipping pull-ups, but kipping pull-ups are NOT a scale for strict pull-ups.
So, what’s the solution? I have a few!
The Kipping Pull-Up
The kipping pull-up is a combination of kipping mechanics and strict pull-ups. The best way to move toward the Rx’d version is to train parts of the whole. This involves training both the kip swing via the shoulders and lats while you move through the arch and hollow, and the strict pull-up, which builds scapular, grip, lat, and bicep strength. While this might seem overwhelming, you can break this down into two simple movements during workouts with the goal of building technique, strength (to also protect those shoulders from injury while kipping), and confidence. There are many options, but here’s a simple breakdown you can use as a template.
21 Pull-Ups!
Imagine the workout of the day from CrossFit.com is Erin.
5 rounds for time of:
15 dumbbell split cleans
21 pull-ups
You might break up the 21 kipping pull-ups into two parts, where both parts add up to 21 reps per round.
For Example:
Beginner:
Complete 15 banded arch hollows + 6 toe-assisted pull-ups each round.
Intermediate:
Complete 11 kip swings + 10 toe-assisted pull-ups each round.
Both options break the skill into the parts of the whole. As you move through months of training, you can increase the “load” by dropping one foot off the box, eventually using the box to assist the pull-up, and then lifting your feet to work on the eccentric movement with your entire body weight.
*The article continues to cover main topics on the kipping pull up followed up by a 3 week training program to improve your pull ups training 3x days a week
Motivational Video of the Week:
Weekly Training Breakdown: February 10 - February 15
