In this Whiteboard with Max, he dives into one of the most overlooked movement combinations in CrossFit, training upper-body pushing and pulling together.

Many athletes develop solid strength or endurance in isolation but struggle when these movements are paired at high volume, and this combo has shown up in nearly 40% of Open workouts over the past six years.

This pairing exposes weaknesses in key areas that directly affect performance, such as:

• Cardiovascular strain – from prolonged overhead positions because your heart’s working harder to pump against gravity.
• Scapular and shoulder control — poor mechanics can limit breathing and increase injury risk.
• Grip endurance — constant isometric tension that quickly leads to fatigue.
• Core stability — the midline has to stabilize and breathe, often becoming the first thing to fail.

Max lays out a progressive training model to address each layer:

1. Movement Quality: Fix mobility and positioning in the shoulders, scapula, and core.
2. Strength Development: Build balanced push and pull strength.
3. Sport-Specific Conditioning: Train these movements together under fatigue to build resilience.

If you’re not developing this pairing intentionally, you’re leaving performance on the table… which is exactly why we’re targeting it in the upcoming Ultimus Cycle.