New York Minute Benchmark Demo With FDNY

Already-dark rooms filling with smoke. Suffocating heat. Sky-high heart rate and gear in excess of 125 lb — navigating a burning building is a physical stress test with life-and-death stakes. And the firefighters who do it every day need to be prepared.

“CrossFit puts you in that setting,” says Andrew Guarrasi — FDNY firefighter and 11th-place Occupational Games Firefighter of 2022 — as he and fellow FDNY firefighter Chris Torres take on New York Minute, a new CrossFit benchmark workout, at Park Slope CrossFit in Brooklyn, New York.

“If we can control the physical part, which is being comfortable out of breath, that’s already half the battle,” he continues.

Torres, who is also a CrossFit Level 2 Trainer, agrees.

“No one call is the same as the other,” he says. “Being as physically prepared for whatever might come in any given scenario is a huge factor.”

Besides testing endurance, strength, and stamina, the new benchmark — a partner mash-up of classic benchmark workouts Karen, 30 muscle-ups for time, and Grace — builds camaraderie and communication, both critical for a successful mission.

“Firefighting is the ultimate team sport,” Guarrasi says. “Constant communication and being able to rely on the person operating with you is huge.”

For just over 8.5 minutes, the duo work through 210 total reps wall-ball shots, muscle-ups, and clean and jerks (although Guarrasi and Torres perform bar muscle-ups, the reps are intended to be done on the rings).

Afterward, they trade slaps to the hand (and other places, too).

“That was fun,” Torres says. “Let’s never do it again.”

New York Minute

Find a partner and complete as many reps as possible in 1 minute, switching every minute, until you complete:

150 wall balls
30 muscle-ups
30 clean and jerks

♀ 14-lb ball, 105-lb barbell
♂ 20-lb ball, 155-lb barbell

Post time to comments.

Scaling:
If you don’t have a partner, complete half of the reps, while maintaining the structure of 1 minute on, 1 minute off in the workout.

Solo Option:
Complete as many reps as possible in 1 minute, followed by 1 minute of rest, until you complete:
75 wall balls
15 muscle-ups
15 clean and jerks

♀ 14-lb ball, 105-lb barbell
♂ 20-lb ball, 155-lb barbell

Beginner Option:
Find a partner and complete as many reps as possible in 1 minute, switching every minute, until you complete:
100 wall balls
30 ring rows + jumping dip
30 clean and jerks

♀ 6-lb ball, 45-lb barbell
♂ 10-lb ball, 55-lb barbell

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