• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
Breaking Muscle

Breaking Muscle

Breaking Muscle

  • Fitness
  • Workouts
    • Best Shoulder Workouts
    • Best Chest Workouts
    • Best Leg Workouts
    • Best Leg Exercises
    • Best Biceps Exercises
    • Best Kettlebell Exercises
    • Best Back Workouts
    • Best HIIT Workouts
    • Best Triceps Exercises
    • Best Arm Workouts
  • Reviews
    • Supplements
      • Best Pre-Workout
      • Best BCAAs
      • Best Testosterone Boosters
      • Best Bodybuilding Supplements
      • Best Creatine
      • Best Supplements for Weight Loss
      • Best Multivitamins
      • Best Collagen Supplement
      • Best Probiotic
      • Best Non-Stim Pre-Workout
      • Best Greens Powder
      • Best Magnesium Supplements
    • Protein
      • Best Protein Powder
      • Best Whey Protein
      • Best Protein Powders for Muscle Gain
      • Best Tasting Protein Powder
      • Best Vegan Protein
      • Best Mass Gainer
      • Best Protein Shakes
      • Best Organic Protein Powder
      • Best Pea Protein Powder
      • Best Protein Bars
    • Strength Equipment
      • Best Home Gym Equipment
      • Best Squat Racks
      • Best Barbells
      • Best Weightlifting Belts
      • Best Weight Benches
      • Best Functional Trainers
      • Best Dumbbells
      • Best Adjustable Dumbbells
      • Best Kettlebells
      • Best Resistance Bands
      • Best Trap Bars
    • Cardio Equipment
      • Best Cardio Machines
      • Best Rowing Machines
      • Best Treadmills
      • Best Weighted Vests
      • Concept2 RowErg Review
      • Hydrow Wave Review
      • Best Jump Ropes
  • News
  • Exercise Guides
    • Legs
      • Back Squat
      • Bulgarian Split Squat
      • Goblet Squat
      • Zercher Squat
      • Standing Calf Raise
      • Hack Squat
    • Chest
      • Bench Press
      • Dumbbell Bench Press
      • Close-Grip Bench Press
      • Incline Bench Press
    • Shoulders
      • Overhead Dumbbell Press
      • Lateral Raise
    • Arms
      • Chin-Up
      • Weighted Pull-Up
      • Triceps Pushdown
    • Back
      • Deadlift
      • Trap Bar Deadlift
      • Lat Pulldown
      • Inverted Row
      • Bent-Over Barbell Row
      • Single-Arm Dumbbell Row
      • Pendlay Row
Fitness

Athlete Journal: Michael Winchester, Entry 13 – 5/27/12

Michael discusses in specific detail the workouts Outlaw Rudy Neilsen has Team CrossFit Central doing in preparation for the CrossFit Games. A lot of barbell and a lot of brutal conditioning!

Michael Winchester

Written by Michael Winchester Last updated on Feb 22, 2023

Schedule of CrossFit Athlete Journals:

Mondays – Ingrid Kantola

Wednesdays – Travis Holley

Sundays – Michael Winchester

Michael Winchester – Athlete Journal 5/27/12

(Read Michael’s Bio here)

As we prepared for the South Central Regionals, Team CrossFit Central realized that if we wanted a shot at Games Glory, we would need to take our training to the next level. In doing so, we decided to hire a brilliant and well-respected member of our community, Rudy Nielsen of Outlaw CrossFit, to fill the shoes of programmer and coach.

In the entire history of CrossFit Central, we have never had an outside coach or programmer – we have always relied on the genius within our own box. But the time has come in our sport where that simply will not suffice. To be elite – as an individual or a team – you need someone with an unbiased view and a full time commitment to your training. A coach has to be MORE preoccupied with your workouts, times, and weights than you are.

And Rudy does just that. Our volume has increased, and barbell work has moved to the forefront of our training. Strength is a focus, but the conditioning is just as brutal. See for yourself:

5/14:

1) 5×2 Snatch @80%

2a) 3×3 Snatch Pulls

2b) 3×3 Heaving Snatch Balance

3) 4 rounds, each for time:

  • 200m Sprint
  • 20 Unbroken Pullups
  • Rest 2 minutes

4) 1 Mile Run??

5) 50 Burpees

5/15:

1) 5×2 C&J @ 80%

2) 12 minutes to work up to a 3RM Low Bar Back Squat

3) 10 Minute, as many rounds as possible:

  • 5 Rope Climbs
  • 20 Burpees

5/16:

1) 5×1: 3-Position Snatch Practice (Ground, Knee, Mid-Thigh)

2a) ?3×3 Bench Press @ 85%

2b) 3×3 Good Mornings (Heavy)

3) 4 rounds for time:

  • 30 Front Squat @ 115#
  • 15 Toes to Bar
  • 15 Lateral Box Jumps

5/17:

Rest Day

5/18:

1) For time:

  • 500m Row: All Out

*Rest 2 minutes

  • 20 Unbroken Chest to Bar Pullups
  • 20 Ring Dips
  • 20 Kettlebell Swings @ 32kg

*Rest 90 seconds

  • 20 Unbroken Pullups
  • 20 Ring Dips
  • 20 Kettlebell Swings @ 32kg

*Rest 90 seconds

  • 500m Row: All Out

*Rest 2 minutes

  • 20 Unbroken Chest to Bar Pullups
  • 20 Ring Dips
  • 20 Kettlebell Swings @ 32kg

*Rest 90 seconds

  • 20 Unbroken Pullups
  • 20 Ring Dips
  • 20 Kettlebell Swings @ 32kg

*Rest 90 seconds

  • 500m Row: All Out

2) 5 minutes to practice Ring HSPU

5/19:

1) 15 minutes to work up to a 1RM Snatch

2) Every minute on the minute for 10 minutes: 4 Muscle-Ups

??

3) 10 minutes, alternating each minute between:

  • Max-effort High Bar Back Squat @ 250#
  • Max-effort Double Unders

5/20:

Rest Day

Michael Winchester

About Michael Winchester

Michael Winchester was born and raised in Houston, Texas - though now he calls beautiful Austin, Texas home. He was recruited to Stetson University out of high school where he played four years of NCAA Division I soccer, majored in Spanish, and minored in Business Law. After a three-year stint in Spain as an English teacher, Michael returned to Texas, found CrossFit, and was immediately hooked.

Michael’s first CrossFit competition was the 2009 Fittest Games, held by CrossFit Central. He has competed in many competitions and challenges, has competed at the regional level for the past three years (2009, 2010, 2011), and was a member of the 2011 CrossFit Central Affiliate Team.

Michael has been a CrossFit coach for three years – learning from and working with the best coaches in the nation. He currently coaches at the RedBlack Gym, where he is the head coach of the RX program and also strength and conditioning coach for the University of Texas Rugby Team. Michael also directs and programs competitions for CrossFit Central under Event Director Ingrid Kantola.

Michael has only one goal for the 2012 CrossFit Season: to win the 2012 CrossFit Games as an athlete on Team CrossFit Central.

View All Articles

Related Posts

Female competitors headline a graphic for the 2024 CrossFit Games season.
2024 CrossFit Games Season Schedule: Division-by-Division Breakdown
2023 Rogue CrossFit Invitational winners Pat Vellner and Laura Horvath holding their championship titles.
2023 Rogue CrossFit Invitational Results — Laura Horvath and Patrick Vellner Become Two-Time Champions
Female competitors performing medicine ball sit-ups at the 2022 Rogue Invitational.
2023 Rogue Invitational Events Revealed
CrossFit athlete Josh Bridges performs a barbell back squat in his home gym.
CrossFit Legend Josh Bridges Crushes Full-Body Workout Two Weeks Out From 2023 Rogue Invitational

Primary Sidebar

Latest Articles

New Year’s Fitness Sales (2025)

XWERKS Motion BCAA Review (2025): A Registered Dietitian’s Honest Thoughts

Assault Fitness AssaultBike Pro X Review (2025): Assault’s Best Bike Yet?

13 Best Exercise Bikes for Home Gyms (2025)

Transparent Labs BCAA Glutamine Review (2025): The Key to Post-Workout Recovery?

Latest Reviews

Element 26 Hybrid Leather Weightlifting Belt

Element 26 Hybrid Leather Weightlifting Belt Review (2025)

Omre NMN + Resveratrol, Lifeforce Peak NMN, and partiQlar NMN on a red background

Best NMN Supplement: Fountain of Youth in a Bottle? (2025)

The Titan Series Adjustable Bench on a red background

Titan Series Adjustable Bench Review (2025)

A photo of the NordicTrack Select-a-Weight Dumbbells on a red background

NordicTrack Adjustable Dumbbell Review (2025): Are These Value Dumbbells Worth It?

woman lifting barbell

Be the smartest person in your gym

The Breaking Muscle newsletter is everything you need to know about strength in a 3 minute read.

I WANT IN!

Breaking Muscle is the fitness world’s preeminent destination for timely, high-quality information on exercise, fitness, health, and nutrition. Our audience encompasses the entire spectrum of the fitness community: consumers, aficionados, fitness professionals, and business owners. We seek to inform, educate and advocate for this community.

  • Reviews
  • Healthy Eating
  • Workouts
  • Fitness
  • News

Follow Us

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • RSS Feed

© 2025 · Breaking Muscle · Terms of Use · Privacy Policy · Affiliate Disclaimer · Accessibility · About