COACH BENJI’S TRAINING STRATIGIES

Are You Letting One Page Tell The Entire Story?

I want you to picture something for a second. Imagine you’re standing in the middle of this giant  open field, and right in the center is this tall pole that is cemented deep into the ground. Every time the wind blows, the top of the pole sways left and sways right. Where we get into trouble is when the pole sways FARRR left and FARRR right,  But no matter how hard the wind blows, the base stays exactly where it is. I think that’s one of the best pictures of what training should look like. The problem is that so many of us let one workout completely change how we feel about ourselves. You hit a PR and suddenly you’re thinking, “I’ve finally figured it out!” A week later you have a terrible workout and now you’re feeling like, “what’s the point, I should quit”. Neither one is true. Those are just emotional reactions to whatever gust of wind happened to hit you that day. I’ve watched people walk out of 12th State after a great workout feeling like they could qualify for the CrossFit Games, and I’ve watched those SAME people a few days later saying things like, “I can’t figure anything out” . Trust me, you’re not the first person to feel that way, and you definitely won’t be the last.

If you read my training article from last month, the mistake isn’t having good days or bad days. The mistake is letting those days define who we are. It’s almost like picking up a book, reading the last page, and deciding you know the entire story. One page doesn’t tell you if the book is good. One chapter doesn’t tell you how it ends. And one workout definitely doesn’t tell you what kind of athlete you are. Some days the barbell is going to feel light, the burpees are going to feel easy, and you’ll probably wonder if Coach Whit secretly programmed the workout just for you. Other days I will tell you, “That looked great!” and you’ll be thinking, “Benji…there’s no chance you could be referring to me..” Then tomorrow Coach Mike will somehow have the whole class laughing during the warm up, and Coach Noah will convince everyone the workout “isn’t that bad.” Life keeps moving, the gym keeps moving, and thankfully we all get another chance to train tomorrow.

So here’s what I want you to remember the next time you leave the gym frustrated or overly confident. Don’t confuse the wind with who you are. Great workouts are AWESOME, and bad workouts can be… disappointing, but neither one gets to define you. The athletes who make the most progress aren’t the ones who never get blown around. They’re the ones who always find their way back to center. They understand that fitness isn’t built on one amazing day or destroyed by one rough day. It’s built by showing up over and over again, staying cemented at the base, and trusting the process even when the wind is blowing. So the next time training doesn’t go the way you hoped, don’t let yourself believe you’ve read the whole story. You’ve only read one page, and I promise you, THERE’S A WHOLE LOTTA BOOK LEFT.

 

Turning “Bad” Training Days Into Good Ones

I want to share a feeling that I KNOW you all at 12th State have experienced.

Work has been wild all day. Your boss dumped something on your desk at the last minute. The kids have been nonstop. You and your partner got into a disagreement. School has you stressed. Whatever the reason, the day has already taken more out of you than you planned. BUT! You still make it to the gym because you’re a badass.

Coach Whitney starts warming you up, you start laughing at Coach Chris riding his E-Bike through the gym, vibes are high and you’re feeling optimistic. Then the barbell starts feeling…heavy. Weights that normally move fast suddenly feel glued to the floor. Your legs feel sluggish. Your timing feels off. You’re breathing harder than you “should”. Nothing feels right. And just like that, your mind starts telling you that today is a bad training day.

Here’s the mistake many people make. They think the goal of training is to prove how fit and strong they are. It’s not. The goal of training is to create the right stimulus. Those are two very different things.

When we walk into the gym, we’re not competing for a gold medal. We’re not trying to impress anyone. We’re trying to apply the appropriate stress to our body so it can adapt and improve. Some days that means pushing hard, REALLY hard. Some days it means adjusting and pulling back.

One of the most valuable skills an athlete can develop is the ability to recognize what their body is giving them on a particular day and match the training demands. In fact, there are INCREDIBLE benefits to training at lighter percentages. Technique improves. Power and speed improves. Recovery demands are lower. You can accumulate quality volume without digging yourself into a deeper hole.

The body doesn’t know what number is loaded on the barbell. It only knows the stimulus it receives. So if you planned on squatting 315 pounds and today 275 is moving like 315 normally does, lowering the weight isn’t a failure or a wasted session. It’s training SMART. The workout didn’t become less effective and it may actually become MORE effective as it allows for you to push velocity on your barbell and not forcing another grindy set when your body isn’t ready for it.

You simply adjusted the prescription to match the athlete that showed up that day.

The funny thing is that many “bad” training days become good training days the moment we stop fighting reality. The frustration and the pressure disappear. And suddenly you’re moving well, getting quality work in, and leaving the gym feeling better than when you arrived.(I know you’ve heard me say this a million times)

The main reason why I wanted to write this was so the next time you catch yourself thinking, “This workout is going terribly,” ask yourself one question, am I here to prove something, or am I here to get the right training stimulus? Because if you can make that mental shift, a bad day can become a productive one in a matter of seconds and productive training always beats perfect training.

 

=====

 

Start 12th State Strong: Smart Strength Wins

Our non cycle-cycle is officially coming to a close BUT next week your new strength cycle begins and how you start is really important for your long term success. Here’s the key: you don’t have to lift max weights every session to get stronger. Starting an 8 week progression, which we are, conservatively is a very smart way to build power, perfect your form, and to set yourself up for your long term goals. I know you hear the coaches say this a lot but a general guideline for the first half of the cycle is to feel POWERFUL with each of your reps. I’m not saying every rep needs to be mindless and easy, I’m saying there needs to be speed on the bar and most importantly, intent to be powerful. These weights will still be challenging, but keeping it conservative allows for clean reps, proper technique, and confidence under the bar.

Some of the biggest names in strength training swear by this approach. Ed Coan, widely regarded as the greatest powerlifter of all time, built world-record lifts by starting cycles conservatively and adding weight slowly, sometimes only 2.5–5% each week. Louie Simmons, founder of the legendary Westside Barbell, revolutionized strength training by combining max effort days with dynamic effort days at 50–60% of max, emphasizing speed, technique, and long-term progress over ego lifting. Sebastian Oreb, coach to multiple World’s Strongest Man champions(Including Thor, also known as The Mountain) carefully plans progression so athletes rarely go near max outside of competition prep. These strength LEGENDS prove that smart, gradual loading beats reckless intensity every time.

A simple progression could look like this: Weeks 1–2: 65–75% of 1RM, focusing on perfect reps and volume. Weeks 3–4: increase to 70–80%, still prioritizing quality. Weeks 5–6: 75–85%, starting to push closer to heavier loads. Week 7–8: peak at 85–95%, preparing to test maxes with all previous weeks having built a solid base that prepared you to try something you haven’t tried before, you EARNED your upcoming PR attempts!

Starting lighter isn’t a weakness, it’s strategy. More clean reps, higher training volume, less fatigue, and bigger gains all come from being patient and purposeful. Focus on perfect movement, trust the process, and watch your strength explode when it counts. Next week, start smart, lift strong, and own your cycle.

 

=====

 

Why You’re Feeling STRONGER Off The Floor

Hey there 12th State Crew!

If you’ve been feeling that extra fire in your legs and back lately, you’re not alone! Coach Whitney has us 5 weeks deep in a training cycle that’s focused on building full-body strength, and the spotlight right now is on one of the all-time greatest and most functional lifts: the deadlift! 

I know you’ve noticed that we’re not just sticking to the standard version. You’ve pulled with your hands wider, your torso more upright and your traps on fire. That’s because we’ve been progressing the clean grip and snatch grip deadlifts! Each one is carefully chosen to build different parts of the body—and to make you a more well-rounded, resilient athlete.

Let’s talk about how they differ.

The conventional deadlift is our foundation. Your feet are set hip-width apart, your grip is just outside your knees, and you hinge at the hips with your shoulders over the bar. This version targets your glutes, hamstrings, and lower back. It’s all about creating tension, keeping the bar close, and moving with control. Whitney’s go-to cue here? “Push the floor away.”

Then we have the clean grip deadlift—which might look familiar to our Olympic lifters. With a grip just slightly wider than conventional (shoulder-width, like your clean), and a slightly more upright torso, this lift mimics the first pull of a clean. Your hips are a bit lower near parallel, and the emphasis shifts more toward leg drive. It teaches positioning, balance, and control—key for explosive movement later.

And finally, there’s the one that tends to light up your traps and upper back: the snatch grip deadlift. This one’s wide—really wide. Your hands go out near the collars, and the lift demands a tall chest, strong upper back, and tight core engagement. Your hips start lower, your torso is the most upright of all three, and the bar path stays just as close. This is a brutal but incredibly effective tool for building total posterior chain strength.

Each variation has a purpose. The conventional deadlift builds brute strength. The clean grip builds power and Olympic lifting mechanics. The snatch grip? That’s your go-to for upper back and full-body control. Together, they complement each other to develop strength from all angles—something that pays off in every other lift you do.

So next time you walk up to the bar, remember: each grip, each setup, each rep is part of a bigger picture. You’re not just lifting—you’re training with intention.

Keep Grinding,

Coach Benji

=====

Make your training as effective as possible with simple steps

A new cycle is here and I’m fired up for it! We’ve got nine weeks to build raw strength, increase capacity, and sharpen the kinds of movements that pay off for life. This cycle is big lifts, smart progressions, and intentional work that leads to real progress if you show up and commit. It’s not about going full throttle and reaching failure everyday, it’s about hitting the simple, effective stuff consistently and with purpose. Lock in, trust the process, and let’s get strong together. I have 10 lessons below that I feel people overlook and when not taken seriously or done inconsistently will drastically slow or even prevent people from progressing.

1. Prioritize sleep and nutrition like you prioritize training. Recovery is the silent multiplier of your gains and recovery doesn’t always mean to skip sessions, it can look like going 5/10 effort instead of your usual 9/10 effort.
2. Focus on positions before loading the bar. Clean reps in clean positions will outwork ugly heavy lifts every time and even helps build tissue tolerance for those heavy lifts.
3. Warm up with intention. I know, warming up is my least favorite as well but that doesn’t make it any less important. Properly prepping your joints and movement patterns is the easiest strategy to reduce injury risk.
4. Eat primarily whole foods in quantities that support exercise without causing excess body fat. This takes experimentation and if you don’t know where to start reach out to Coach Chris as I don’t know anyone else who is more passionate about helping others with their nutrition.
5. Log your lifts and workouts. Tracking progress keeps you honest, shows you how far you’ve come, and reveals trends you might otherwise miss.
6. Breathe through your nose during warm-ups and during rest windows. It’s a free nervous system reset that helps improve recovery and endurance.
7. Stick to your percentages. You don’t need to max out every session to make serious progress, ESPECIALLY for strength gains. Follow the plan, trust the process.
8. Don’t skip cooldowns or mobility work. 5-15 minutes a day pays off more than most realize.
9. Ask questions. You hear me say this all the time, help me help you, ASK AWAY😀 The simplest way to fast track improvement is to understand why you’re doing something, every coach is here and excited to help!

Treat Thursday like training, not a throwaway day.  Recovery style days help build your aerobic base and can be so mentally rejuvenating after a tough Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday, have some fun with your fitness! Maybe this is you coming in for mobility Thursdays or maybe it’s you planning a walk with a friend.

 

====================

Getting in the right mindset for the 2025 CrossFit Open

Our “Open Prep” program took us through some extremely fun training sessions and also some…challenging training sessions, I know you have a few special ones that come to mind! We’ve done some practice touches on previous Open workouts 13.4,20.1, 22.1,23.1, and many other Whitney Gelin special Open prediction workouts. Some good news around completing this preparation is that we’ve been training at higher demands, more volume and tougher workouts than we’ll face in the Open. Our hard work is already done and now it’s all about just showing up, having fun and putting ourselves in a position to be proud of our efforts. These three weeks of the CrossFit Open aren’t about proving anything to anyone else, they’re all about proving to yourself what YOU can do.

When the workouts get announced it’s easy to feel anxious or to overthink the workout but instead of focusing on the unknown let’s try to focus on what you do know. You are stronger, fitter and much more equipped to handle the challenges of not just the open but your daily life as well. Maybe you’ll hit a PR, maybe you’ll get a new max set of pull ups or maybe you even surprise yourself with your engine and effort. No matter what it is, this is a chance to celebrate progress, not perfection.

One of my favorite things to remember about the Open is that it’s not even just about the workout, it’s about the experience at 12th State. The energy in the gym, the support from your community and the feeling of pushing yourself past what you thought was possible. These are some of the moments that remind me why I love CrossFit. It’s not about the leaderboard rankings or scores, it’s about EFFORT. Every rep, every lift, every step you took that you didn’t think was possible is a win in itself.

So when you step through that 12th State door, trust your training, trust yourself and trust your support. You’ve done the work and now all that is left is just effort, excitement and A WHOLE LOT OF FUN! The open is here, you are ready and I hope you can enjoy it as much as I do! 

Let’s get after it 12th State fam!

Coach Benji

 

====================

Want to achieve a new goal in CrossFit?  

Reverse Engineer it for success!

Do you have a goal in mind that you want to achieve? Maybe complete your first pull up/chest to bar/muscle up, PR a lift, complete a 5k, perform a workout Rx, change your body composition?  

A lot of the time, Coach Whitney’s programming and all of the coaches’ scaling helps to progress everyone toward achieving new PRs but if there is a particular goal you have your sights set on, start with the end goal in mind! Reverse engineer the activity components and then layer on those components over time to progress toward the goal.  Breaking down the end goal into smaller, more visible steps, allows you to see the path to success more clearly.

As most of us know, it’s not as easy as just wanting to achieve a goal, it takes time, consistency and trust in the process to attain the goal.

=====

Pull ups and muscle ups:

There are many components to these movements but often people skip foundational building blocks. The questions I ask myself for every skill is, “what position am I starting in, what path is my body moving through and what position am I ending in?” The pulling bar movements take place when you’re hanging from under the bar and are smoothly rising above the bar. 

Work through the following:

1. Dead and Active Hang from the rig: You need to have the ability to hold your body weight from the rig. It would be hard for me to imagine anyone being able to do a muscle up without the ability to hang for a minimum of 60 seconds.
2. Kip Swings: Your hollow and arch positions are where you generate and express force in gymnastics. Your ability to create and maintain tension as you transition from your hollow position and arch position is critical for longevity and power expression. Consistent kip swing practice is crucial for all levels of gymnastics and you should have the aim to achieve 3 sets of 20+ as often as 3 days a week within warm up or as accessory movements. This especially applies in early stages of gymnastics.
3. Strict Pull Ups: Build the foundational strength! Start with negatives (aim for a 3-5 second descent) from a jumping pull up then progress to banded pull ups and finally, aim for achieving a solid 5-10 strict pull ups before moving on to movements like a bar muscle up.

Going beyond a pull up to bar muscle ups:

1. Chest To Bar Pull Ups: These will increase the range of motion at the top of the pull up and will get you more comfortable pulling higher. Obviously strict here would be fantastic but comfortable sets of 5-10 kipping C2B pull ups will also be a great aim.
2. Transition Drills: One of the most forgotten aspects of practice when it comes to the bar muscle up. Practice the transition on a low bar or with bands to understand the movement pattern of getting on top and over the bar. The aim here is to have a strong physical connection with understanding the relationship between the elbows and shoulders when the transition from under to over the bar occurs.
3. Dips: Come on baby, dip it out! Strengthen your triceps and chest with upper body pressing exercises, especially the ring dip. Your body is going to combat you getting into a position you can’t support yourself in. Aim is 10+ strict bar dips and 5+ strict ring dips.

If you’re able to reach these targets, I feel confident with you being in a great spot to take game time attempts at the bar muscle up. 

If your goal is focused on other movements or activities, work to break them down and develop a plan.  Ask me or another coach for help (we all love helping) to integrate it to your training plan.

Don’t make it overly complex, in fact make it easier than you think it should be.  Start with the basics and give it time for your body to adapt and progress.  Don’t rush things and trust the process.  

Those are the types of things that run through my head each day when it comes to learning new things. Embrace the awkwardness, celebrate little wins and don’t forget to laugh at yourself along the way. The right mindset and a good laugh can fix nearly everything!

Keep lifting, learning and laughing,

Coach Benji