Jeffrey Adler's Dynamic Prep For The 2023 CrossFit Games – Breaking Muscle

Adler is stepping up his athletic prep after a top-five finish last year.

Written by Robert Zeglinski Last updated on July 21, 2023

Jeffrey Adler has been a staple at the annual CrossFit Games for what will be five consecutive years. After finishing in the top five in 2022, the Canadian athlete will now be looking to topple two-time reigning Men’s Individual champion (2021-2022) Justin Medeiros for the crown. Before officially earning his berth in the 2023 iteration of the Games, Adler surged in 2023 by winning the Men’s CrossFit Open and the 2023 North America East Semifinal. He’ll be looking to parlay that momentum into his training.

On July 7, 2023, the Buttery Bros shared a video on their YouTube channel where they received an inside look at how Adler is training for his latest Games opportunity.

At the time of the video, Adler was roughly six weeks out from the 2023 Games. He explained that this part of his training process was looser than it had been in the past.

Pre-Workout Regimen

Adler starts his day accordingly with some dynamic stretches. The athlete utilizes a wall, the floor, and a small ball to ease into the demands of his day’s workout. The main focus was getting his back and shoulders prepared.

Adler diagrammed his supplement stack, which starts with a pre-workout energy drink in the mornings. He then takes a BCAA powder in the afternoons, which offers electrolytes and amino acids for performance and post-workout recovery. Citrulline and beta-alanine are his final components.

Full Training Day

Here’s an overview of Adler’s training program featured in the video.

Speed Bike Intervals

Adler performs two timed interval rounds after warming up for about 20 minutes on a stationary bike. The intervals had times ranging from two to four minutes with goals of achieving between 150 and 400 watts. Adler’s average watts over 40 minutes was 292. By comparison, the Buttery Bros stayed in the 170-190 range.

Muscle-Up Medley

Both Adler and the Buttery Bros completed three rounds of the below, for time, during this segment:

• Deadlifts — 142.9 kilograms (315 pounds), five reps 
• Burpee Muscle-Ups — Five reps
• Burpee Bar Muscle-Ups — Five reps
• Yoke Bar Muscle-Ups — Five reps
• Deadlifts — 142.9 kilograms (315 pounds), five reps

At the end of each circuit, everyone rested for two minutes. Adler recorded a time of 2:22 on his final round. Every athlete achieved all 45 muscle-ups.

12-Minute EMOM

Adler explained that this third workout has the aim of beginning one round of exercises “every minute on the minute.” That meant he goes through his movements beginning at the top of a minute and uses whatever time is left over as rest:

• Parallel Bar Traverse — Three reps
• Double-Under Crossovers — 15-20 reps
• Ski Erg — 60 seconds

Adler explained his traversing technique — trying to shift as much of his weight as possible to each supporting arm before shimmying along the parallel bars. The double-under crossovers was a challenging event which cost many competitors, including five-time champion Tia-Clair Toomey, valuable points when it debuted at the 2022 CrossFit Games. The movement requires athletes to use stamina, coordination, and fast-twitch movements to complete all repetitions without stumbling. The Ski Erg is a mimic of upper body skiing movements, which requires lats and overall upper-body strength.

After the 12 minutes needed for the third workout, the group left for an extended break and breakfast.

Traditional Weightlifting

Adler warmed up with 20 box jumps before lifting weights post-breakfast. He then rolled through box speed squats using a safety squat bar and resistance bands for nine sets of three reps. The idea was to improve dynamic movement instead of necessarily focusing on weight or technique. To further combine strength and cardio training, a set was performed 30 seconds.

Afterward, Adler performed speed deadlifts, this time centering on how fast he could complete his pulls at lighter loads for another nine sets of three. He would close the day’s overall workout routine with “accessory” movements, like single-leg Romanian deadlifts and core training.

Recovery

Adler enjoyed alternating hot-cold therapy following the training session which lasted more than two and a half hours. He spent a few minutes in the steam room and a few minutes with a cold plunge. Part of the aim was to reduce inflammation in the knees and address heart rate variability (a measure of overall recovery).

Adler’s CrossFit Games journey is not complete. He will try to win his first-ever Men’s Individual title in Madison, WI, in early August 2023.