In just a few weeks, your training will be put to the test with three cornerstone events: the Tubeman Re-Test, the Upper Body Pressing Endurance Cycle Re-Test, and the always-thrilling Summer Sizzler in-house competition. This week isn’t just another block in your programming; it’s a checkpoint. It’s where we see how well your body adapts under pressure, and how all the hours under the bar and on the ski erg pay off.
But there’s a catch: your results will not only reflect how hard you’ve trained, they’ll also reflect how well you recover and fuel. That means what you do before this test week starts matters just as much as what you do during it.
In this blog, we’re breaking down what you should be doing nutritionally and from a recovery standpoint to make sure you show up to each event primed, focused, and ready to deliver your best.
Let’s start with what many overlook: the weekend before test week.
Think of your body like a Formula 1 car. You don’t fill the tank at the starting line, you come in topped off. Similarly, your body needs its glycogen stores maximized heading into a high-output week. Glycogen, stored in your muscles and liver, is your primary fuel source during intense efforts like retests or competitions.
According to a 2011 review in the Journal of Sports Sciences, topping off glycogen stores in the 48–72 hours before a major athletic effort can lead to marked improvements in time-to-fatigue and overall power output. This is especially relevant for mixed modal sports like CrossFit, where repeated efforts over multiple days are common.
What that means in practice:
Hydration matters too: every gram of stored glycogen binds with ~3g of water, so pair that carb loading with fluids and electrolytes to avoid a hydration deficit.
Carbohydrate Snack Sources
| Food | Serving Size for ~30–40g Carbs | Notes |
| Banana (ripe) | 1.5–2 medium (approx. 180–200g total) | Easy to digest, good pre/intra-competition |
| Dates (Medjool) | 3–4 dates | Natural sugar bomb, easy to pack |
| Raisins | ~50g (small box) | ~32g carbs, super convenient |
| Boiled potato | ~200g (1.5 cups diced) | ~30g carbs; salt lightly for sodium boost |
| Baked sweet potato | ~150g | Slightly slower digestion, good pre-comp |
| Apple sauce (unsweetened) | ~200g (small cup/pouch) | Great option for gut-sensitive athletes |
| Cooked white rice | 150g cooked (~1 cup) | Add honey or salt for flavor/boost |
| Rice cakes | 3–4 plain rice cakes | ~7–9g carbs each |
| Oats (cooked) | ~1 cup cooked | ~27g carbs + toppings like honey |
| Fruit leather (natural) | 2–3 strips (30–40g total) | Often made of pureed dried fruit |
| Mashed banana + honey | 1 banana + 1 tbsp honey | Fast energy combo, ~35g carbs |
Once you’re in the thick of testing week, nutrition becomes about timing, consistency, and digestibility.
Basic Nutrient Timing Suggestions
Why it matters: This meal tops off circulating glucose and primes your blood sugar for effort. Studies show that eating carbs 1–3 hours before exercise improves endurance, peak power, and even decision-making under fatigue.
Sample Day of Eating – AM Re-Test
| Day | Meal | Time | Fuel Example | Macro Breakdown |
| Night Before | Dinner | 6pm | Grilled chicken, jasmine rice, roasted carrots, EVOO+12-16oz water | 60-80g carbs30-40g protein15-20g fat |
| Night Before | Pre-bed Snack | 9pm | Oatmeal, banana, whey protein, dash of honey+6-8oz of water | 40-60g carbs, 20-25g protein, low fat |
| Morning of | Breakfast | 6:30am | ½ scoop whey protein, 1 slice white toast with jam or honey, small banana+12-16oz water with electrolytes | 25-30g carbs, 10-15g protein, minimal fat/fiber |
| Day of | Post-Recovery Meal | ~45-75mins post attempt | Eggs/egg whites, sweet potato or fruit, toast/rice cakes+Water with electrolytes | 40-60g carbs, 25-30g protein, 10-15g fat |
| Day | Meal | Time | Fuel Example | Macro Breakdown |
| Morning of | Breakfast | 8am | Scrambled eggs, oatmeal, berries+Water with electrolytes | 40–50g carbs, 25g protein, 10–15g fat |
| Day of | Lunch | 12:30pm | Grilled chicken, white rice, zucchini, EVOO or avocado | 50-70g carbs, 30-40g protein, 10-15g fat |
| Day of | Pre-Workout Meal | 3pm | Turkey sandwich on sourdough with mustard, apple or banana+12-16oz water with electrolytes | 45-60g carbs, 25g protein, low-moderate fat |
| Day of | Optional Carb Boost | 4:30pm | Rice cake with honey or small piece of fruit or sports drink | 20-30g of quick carbs |
| Day of | Post Workout..then Dinner | 6:30pm7:30pm | Whey protein + chocolate milk and/or banana+Salmon or chicken, white or sweet potato, mixed greens with EVOO | 20-30g protein, 30g of carbs+50-70g carbs, 30-40g protein, healthy fats |
| Day of | Before bed | 9:30pm | Greek yogurt, berries, drizzle of honey+Optional: magnesium or sleepy time tea | 15-25g carbs, 15-20g protein |
You’ve survived testing week, and now you have the Sizzler workouts to tackle over the weekend. Whether you’ll be competing on a team or doing the individual option, we have workout-specific fueling recommendations for each event. For simplicity’s sake, we’ve kept our recommendations based around each individual workout rather than the entire weekend. Most athletes will probably tackle these workouts Friday and Saturday, but you also could space them out throughout the entire weekend OR try to hit all three in one day.
Sizzler Workouts
| Workout 1 | Workout 2 | Workout 3 |
| For Time: 60 DU’s 30 Thrusters – 95/65# 60 DU’s 30 Snatch – 135/95# 60 DU’s 20 C/J – 155/105# 60 DU’s 20 Thrusters – 155/105# 60 DU’s 10 Snatch – 175/125# 60 DU’s AMRAP C/J – 225/155# until 10 min Mark *10min Time Cap* | 20 min AMRAP: 5 Rounds Each P1 – 15 Wallball – 20/14#, 10/9ft P2 – 10 Line Facing Burpees …into 5 Rounds Each P1 – 15/12 Cal Row P2 – 10 Line Facing Burpees | 12 min Clock: 1 Round: 60 Syncro Single Arm DB Deadlifts – 50/35lb 60 Toes to Bar – Shared …into 2 Rounds: 30 Syncro Single Arm DB Hang Power Cleans – 50/35lb 30 Pull-Ups – Shared ….AMRAP Remaining Time: 30 Alternating Single DB Suitcase Box Step Overs – 50/35#, 20” box for all – Follow the leader style 15 Bar Muscle Ups – Shared |
Workout Specific Fueling Recommendations
| Athlete | W1 Fueling | W2 Fueling | W3 Fueling |
| Male | 30-40g of carbs BEFORE attempt + 25g of protein POST attempt | 30-40g of carbs + 25g of protein POST attempt | 30-40g of carbs BEFORE attempt + 25g of protein POST attempt |
| Female | 20-30g of carbs BEFORE attempt + 30g of protein POST attempt | 20-30g of carbs + 30g of protein POST attempt | 20-30g of carbs BEFORE attempt + 30g of protein POST attempt |
| Master Male | 30-40g of carbs BEFORE attempt + 30g of protein POST attempt | 30-40g of carbs + 35g of protein POST attempt | 30-40g of carbs BEFORE attempt + 30g of protein POST attempt |
| Master Female | 20-30g of carbs BEFORE attempt + 40g of protein POST attempt | 20-30g of carbs + 40g of protein POST attempt | 20-30g of carbs BEFORE attempt + 40g of protein POST attempt |
Recovery Practices That Actually Move the Needle
Let’s talk recovery, and not the trendy stuff with marginal returns. We are encouraging you to put your focus on high-impact practices that actually make a difference in your readiness.
There’s no shortcut here. Aim for 8–9 hours per night, with consistent bed and wake times. Sleep is when your body does its best hormonal and neurological repair, essential for repeat performance. Research shows that even one night of poor sleep can impair power output, reaction time, and decision-making, while chronic sleep loss decreases testosterone and growth hormone levels.
Your Sleep Checklist:
Instead of just sitting on the couch, try:
These low-stress efforts keep blood moving and reduce soreness without adding fatigue.
Recovery isn’t just about protein (though yes, aim for 1-1.5g of protein per kg bodyweight daily). It’s also about:
By this point, you’ve trained your body, but have you trained your brain?
You’ve done the hard work in the gym. Now it’s time to let all that effort shine by controlling the variables you can: nutrition, sleep, recovery, and mindset.
Fuel up before you need it. Recover like it’s your job. And walk into each test knowing you’ve done everything to earn your best performance yet.
Your coaches believe in you. Now it’s time for you to back that up with food, sleep, movement, and intent.
Good luck, everyone!
