*This is last year's first open workout. Burpees target height should be 6″ above max reach height. Rings, pull up rig or a wall can be used.
Great job last week Battleground! I saw you guys putting in some serious work. Big week for those of you that signed up for the CrossFit Opens. This year I will be posting the workouts on Thursday night and we will be doing them on Friday as our class WOD. For those of you that have not signed up, DO IT! Like I've mentioned before, you'll be doing them anyway! The link to sign up is below. As mentioned, workouts will be done on Friday or during open gym BUT a judge MUST accompany you if you do it during open gym hours. It is up to you to coordinate a day/time with that person. If no judge can be present, video record yourself and submit it into the games site. No exceptions, sorry!
REST 1 minute repeat a total of 5 rounds.
5 rounds for time. Rest 3 minutes between rounds. Post your total time minus 12 minutes of rest.
3 rounds for time. Rest 3 minutes between rounds. Post your total time minus 6 minutes of rest.
For today's workout, only advanced athletes should attempt "Barbara". This workout is a CrossFit benchmark, an oldie but a goodie!
For the ring rows, try to stay as parallel to the ground as possible.
1 Hang Power Clean into 3 Front Squats. Build Up to a heavy set. You can not hang squat clean the first rep.
Another great week of work last week. Below is an article regarding the annual CrossFit Opens. If you haven't signed up already please do so…give it a shot! Be ready to work this week, and hopefully no snow!
The 2014 CrossFit Games Open is quickly approaching. For some, this news will send you into a tailspin of panic. Freak out. Throw stuff. It's okay. We'll get through this. It's just exercise. Follow these simple guidelines and you'll be happier, healthier and far more sane than your misguided gymmates.
You don't need to strategize these workouts to death, or forego the rest of your training for 5 weeks to get two extra reps.
Whether this is your first year or your fourth of doing the Open, the main focus is to be level-headed throughout those 5 weeks. For 99% of us, there is no reason to do these workouts more than once. Just look at it as a friendly competition amongst your gymmates, the same as any other workout. The main reason to do the Open, and the main reason we do CrossFit in the first place, is for the community aspect. Getting fitter is great and all, but the people are what keeps us coming back.
The Open is a carnival of fitness where each week your local box is transformed into a mini competition. You will judge your friends. Your friends will judge you. And at the end of the workout we'll all eat wings and drink adult beverages together. If you're lucky maybe someone will treat you to a bottle of Old Smuggler. Booze and wings? Who wouldn't want to do the Open?
You don't need to strategize these workouts to death, or forego the rest of your training for 5 weeks to get two extra reps. What's the point? It's just one workout a week. It shouldn't disrupt the rest of your training or your life. Hey, I like to geek out over the Fitness as much as the next guy, but I'm not calculating the number of seconds it will take me to do 5 shoulder-to-overheads with 135 lbs. Let's pump the brakes here, people.
If you go that route what will most likely happen is that you'll neglect your weekly strength and skill development and lose 5 weeks of training. It may not sound like much, but you can lose a good chunk of strength in 5 weeks, and if you're new to the Fitness that's the time when PRs are happening by the week. Take advantage of that time because it won't last forever.
The main reason to do the Open, and the main reason we do CrossFit in the first place, is for the community aspect.
I've written before about finding your 80% and cruising through a workout at that rate of exertion. If you want to kick things up a notch in a competition setting you can take an 80/80 approach. Go at 80% for the first 80% of the workout, and then go the full 100% effort for the last 20% of the workout. So, if the workout is a 10-minute AMRAP, for the first 8 minutes you would go at an 80% effort. Then, for the last 2 minutes you find that extra gear and go at a 100% of your abilities. This is a much more practical approach and it helps to alleviate the First Round Freak Out.
Let's be honest with ourselves. If your first day of walking into a CrossFit gym didn't involve you destroying everyone in the workout, you're probably not going to make it to Regionals. Ever. That's not to say that you couldn't work really hard, get really strong and technically sound, be willing to suffer more than everyone else, and then maybe eventually earn a spot. But the deck is kind of stacked against you.
Don't be sad if your dreams of making it to Regionals have just been crushed. That just means you had a normal childhood and your parents hugged you. Be happy about that.
Enjoy the Open. Wings and booze for everyone!