Workout of the Day
Open 20.4: Any Guesses?
Our good friends at Diablo CrossFit in Pleasant Hill will be hosting the Open Announcement of “20.4” on Thursday evening at 5pm — and CrossFit fans will be able to watch former Games Champion, Ben Smith, battle it out live against Games athletes Sean Sweeney and Jason Carroll.
Any guesses as to what 20.4 will be?
Also, check out Jay’s photos of 20.3 at Arena Ready at the following link!
https://www.dropbox.com/sh/gi45fozyhcwexo9/AABvDOCrhpw7pRmLuIf7MrlOa?dl=0
WOD For 10-31-19:
Split Jerk:
3-3-2-2-1-1-1
Climbing as your technique allows
-then-
“Strict HSPU Annie”
For Time:
10-8-6-4-2
Strict Handstand Push-ups
50-40-30-20-10
Double Unders
AbMat Sit-ups
Dia De Los DBs
After 5 consecutive days of programmed barbell work here’s a break from the bar, and a day off from overhead movements. But it’s most certainly NOT a break from fitness… OR FUN.
Who doesn’t love a longer mid-week partner workout?!
WOD For 10-30-19:
“Rob’s Dia De Los Dumbbells”
With a Partner, For Time:
BUY-IN (SHARED): 100 Calorie Row (FM Pairs = 90 Cal / FF Pairs = 80 Cal)
… then, BOTH athletes complete…
10-9-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1
Dumbbell Deadlifts @ 50/35 lbs (each side)
Dumbbell Front Squats
… then…
BUY-OUT (SHARED): 100 Burpee Box Jumps @ 24/20 in
*The buy-in and buy-out are shared with only one athlete working at a time, and reps do NOT have to be split evenly.
**BOTH athletes must complete ALL rounds of the DB couplet with only one athlete working at a time:
Athlete A completes 10 & 10
Athlete B completes 10 & 10
Athlete A completes 9 & 9
Athlete B completes 9 & 9
... etc...
The Hook Grip: "It's Like You're Cheating"
Several years ago one of our members watched Big Tony Miranda and Coach Sarah do the WOD "Isabel" (30 Power Snatches For Time @ 135/95 lbs) unbroken in a little over one minute... which means to say they didn't let go of the bar once. This person was astonished and asked me, "How the hell did they hold on to the bar for all 30 reps?!"
My answer was two-fold, "Well, they've both spent almost 20 years getting really freakin' strong. And, perhaps even more so in this specific case, they both have a solid hook grip on the bar."
Then Tony chimed in, with the most humble tone you could imagine when saying something so jarring, "Yeah man, the hook grip. It's so easy to hold on the bar with a hook grip. It's like you're cheating."
I'm not sure I would go so far as to say it's like you're cheating, but I'm also not as strong as Tony is, so I've never held on to thirty 135-pound snatches in a row. But oh man when you need that hook grip on some heavy and/or high rep cleans or snatches, and you've got the technique of it down, it feels pretty damn close to holding on to the bar with a strap:
The hook grip is a bit uncomfortable at first, and can put some stress on the thumbs, so newcomers often disregard it and go back to just holding the bar without it. The problem with that is once your strength and fitness has progressed to a point where the weights are heavy (and/or high rep) enough to require a hook grip, you will have trained yourself to lift without it - and will then have a really difficult time trying to implement it by changing your old habits. It's like trying to tell a fairly high-level tennis player who has smacked their forehands with an Eastern grip for their entire playing career to switch to a Western grip. Good luck with that. The only difference is that in tennis there are examples of high level athletes having success with both grips (although very few use an Eastern grip anymore), but in both Olympic-style weightlifting and CrossFit the top level people ALL use the hook grip - there is no alternative. Well, other than not being able to hold on to the bar.
Part of the thumb discomfort eventually goes away once your hands adjust to the grip, and the soft tissue around the thumb adapts a bit to accommodate the position. We never want your thumbs to be in actual pain (which is why we have new athletes ease into it), but we do want you to know that the annoyance of the grip does fade over time.
The discomfort can also be mitigated by taping your thumbs. There are many different ways to tape your thumbs for hook gripping, and different athletes have their own preferred tape and wrapping methods, so you may have to find what works best for you. The greatest CrossFitter on earth, who also happens to be a pretty darn good weightlifter as well, tapes his thumbs the way I teach most people to - it's simple, quick, and doesn't require a lot of tape:
And on that note...
WOD For 10-29-19:
1 Power Clean + 2 Hang Power Cleans:
5 Sets of (1+2)
Climbing.
-then-
"Hook Grip OR Bust"
3 Rounds For Time:
21 KB Swings @ 70/53 lbs
15 Hang Power Cleans @ 155/110 lbs
9 Strict Pull-ups (any grip allowed)
(Compare to 03-20-19)
Open 20.3 Score Submissions Due By 5pm Monday
Reminder to SUBMIT YOUR 20.3 score to the CrossFit Games website by the deadline of Monday at 5pm. We cannot submit your score for you so if you're reading this just do it now so you don't forget!
WOD For 10-28-19:
Back Squat:
Establish a Heavy Set of 5 (not a 5RM), then…
2 “Drop” Sets of:
1 x 5 @ 85% of top set
1 x 5 @ 80% of top set
-then-
For Time:
600m Run
50 Wall Balls @ 20/14 lbs to 10/9 ft
40 Toes-to-Bar
30 Med Ball Walking Lunges
20 Burpees to Jump Touch @ 6 in above max reach
Lots of people can game this one and get a “decent” time, but who will take a chance and bite big chunks out of each movement to start… and see if they can hold on to that pace through the end?
Open 20.3 Thoughts & Strategy
Open Athletes - if you haven't already, please watch the 20.3 standards video below (which briefly covers only Rx standards), and read the full workout details here on the CrossFit Games website. This will ensure that everyone is on the same page with movement standards and expectations (both Rx and scaled) prior to every athlete and judge starting their workout/heat. In particular, everyone should be familiar with how to accurately measure and uphold the HSPU standard (it is different from the 2019 Open). Also, remember to record the "tiebreak time" which is what the clock says every time an athlete finishes a round of deadlifts.
First, some logistics and safety concerns:
This is a great test of capacity, starting with one of the most classic benchmark workouts of all time, "Diane" - and then finishing with a true "separator" for the athletes on the very top end of the spectrum (heavier deadlifts and handstand walking). From a "fan of CrossFit" perspective I love this workout as a competition test, but from a "gym owner and coach of everyday CrossFitters" perspective I also have anxiety around the possibility of precarious reps by athletes who are potentially not yet ready for this loading and/or movement pairing.
So, let me be clear by stating once again: you are not allowed to do shitty deadlifts or sketchy HSPU attempts at Arena Ready. Ever. I don't care if it "feels fine" to you or whether or not you were allowed to do it somewhere else. If it looks bad to us our coaches will stop you, no exceptions. We ask that you make a good decision every time, even as you attempt to push yourself in the workout. Knowingly executing a heavy (or even not so heavy) deadlift with poor position will eventually lead to back pain and likely to injury - so please don't do it. Your health and safety are more important than a score on a workout, and if you can't come back next week to train then what's the point?
Just like we do in class every time HSPUs are programmed, we're going to be on you about being smart with regard to your head/neck. Just because this is a competition we don't feel any differently. If you cannot do HSPUs without slamming onto your head or losing control of the movement, then DON'T DO THEM. Your head and neck are serious business, so don't try to be a hero when you're inverted - play it smart and protect ya' neck!
That said, if you are capable of attempting either movement with good technique, but have simply never put yourself in that position (or under that load) just yet, you are more than welcome to try - and we are here to help you and to support you with honest feedback as to whether or not we think you're ready for what you're about to attempt. Be smart, try hard, don't be an idiot.
As we've covered previously in this post here, we'll be running the Open Workout ("20.3") during rolling heats in all of our Saturday morning classes. If you haven't already please sign-up for class in advance and plan on doing the workout AND judging another athlete while in the gym (no, you do not have to be a certified judge who has taken the judges course).
For those new to Arena Ready please note that these Saturday morning classes will be very different from our usual protocol. The warm-up will be self-directed and written on a board for you to follow. Please plan on showing up 10-15 minutes early for class if possible, so that you can sign-up for a heat time when you arrive and get yourself situated for warming-up.
If you're not officially entered in the Open then ask a coach on site to help you decide on a reasonable scaling for the workout if needed -- based on availability & logistics we may assign you to a particular station to give priority to the athletes who are officially registered.
The rest of this post will attempt to break down some strategy based on where your current abilities lie within the parameters of the workout...
I can do "Diane" at Rx (and have before) in under 7 minutes:
Welcome to the fun of this puzzle of a workout. You might be saying "but the time cap is 9 minutes not 7" - true, but the Open standard for the HSPU is much tougher than when you're simply doing "Diane" as the gym's daily WOD (and even tougher than the Open standard in prior years, particularly if you have shorter arms and like a wide hand position). So if your true Diane PR is not under 7 minutes then your goal should be to finish the first 21-15-9 under the 9-minute cap - don't get too worked up about 315/205, and don't even think about handstand walking because sorry to say you won't even be close (I prefer to tell you the truth rather than blow smoke).
If you have a sub-7 minute Diane then it's all about getting to the 315/205 bar with some time remaining and maximizing how many reps you can safely make at 315/205 for that first round of 21. Every single rep is huge from a competitive standpoint since it places you ahead of hundreds, if not thousands, of others in the world (because this is where the bell curve of Rx athletes around the globe will be). Unless your name is Coach Hillary then this will likely be singles at 315/205 for just about everyone (maybe doubles if you gamed "Diane" well enough, are a strong deadlifter, and are feeling relatively fresh). It's likely that you will not sniff the handstand walking either, sorry not sorry for keeping it real.
If you have a sub-4 minute Diane, and are a good deadlifter, then it's all about getting to that first handstand walk and registering reps for that movement. And if you're really good walking on your hands then getting back to the deadlifts is a possibility.
If you have a sub-2 minute Diane then it's all about trying to finish the entire workout under the time cap. You should also be training for the CrossFit Games, just sayin.
Whether you're sub-7, sub-4, or sub-2 minutes on Diane (meaning your end goal for 20.3 is different) the general strategy is, in fact, very much the same: BREAK THE DEADLIFTS EARLY AND OFTEN AND STAY WITH SUB-MAXIMAL SETS ON THE HSPU THAT KEEP YOU NOWHERE CLOSE TO FAILURE/NO REPS.
For deadlifts it's all about managing systemic shutdown and breaking-up the time under tension early on to pay dividends later. When Coach Liz nearly won the 2013 Regional deadlift workout she went 6-5-5-5 on the set of 21 while nearly everyone else went out hot & unbroken for an early lead. When Liz and Hillary were in the Regional Top 10 in 2014 for the Open deadlift workout they broke early and often while nearly everyone else went out hot & unbroken for an early lead. Sound like a pattern? Think I'm biased because they're our own athletes/coaches? OK fair enough... in 2018 at the 18.4 Open workout announcement Scott Panchik (who is one of the fittest humans alive, can deadlift 500lbs, and do Diane in under 2 minutes) did the first set of 21 deadlifts in 6-5-5-5, the 15 in 5-5-5, and the 9 in 5-4. He watched his head-to-head competitor, BKG (also one of the fittest humans on earth), go out hot and stay ahead of him for a while, and then implode before his eyes while he just kept holding his own methodical, calculated pace.
So should you do deadlifts 6-5-5-5 to start? Maybe. It's one way to go if you're pretty darn good at Diane and/or you're a strong deadlifter. Believe it or not sets of 4s and 3s the whole way may even be better for most. You'll need to know yourself as an athlete and keep your breaks short and strict (e.g. two breaths or 3 seconds on the clock).
HSPU sets should be managed in much the same way, but with a wider variation in how big/small the sets should be based on your ability with the movement. If you're a HSPU ninja and this simply isn't an issue for you then you're basically trying to buy a little time before having to deadlift again, so a break or two may be a good idea. If you're not a HSPU ninja then sub-maximal sets in slightly smaller numbers than you likely think is the way to go.
Remember to try the HSPU standard in the warm-up area so you're familiar with how it feels and where you need to put your hands in order for the rep to count. It's quite challenging if you've never tried it before, so don't overlook this point (especially if you tend to do your HSPU with very wide hands, very far from the wall, or with a hyperextended/overextended back). Pull your toes toward your shins (i.e. dorsiflex your foot) at the top of each rep so that your heels reach farther up the wall - this should help you mitigate the risk of your feet not being high enough for the rep to count.
Nine minutes is not a lot of time, but even still, humor an old coach and SAY IT WITH ME: Smooth IS Fast.
I'm not sure I can deadlift 225/155:
Is the Rx weight something in the neighborhood (within 10-20%) of what you've lifted before, even for 1 or 2 reps? If the Rx weight is something you can lift with good technique, but it feels challenging and heavy, you may be in the boat of thinking of this workout as "9 minutes to do as many beautiful heavy deadlift singles (or doubles) as is reasonably possible" (and no, those things are not mutually exclusive). Maybe you could surprise yourself - many athletes certainly did so in previous years during the Open, including a memorable performance by Kyle, who at the time had never deadlifted anything close to 225 lbs... when he did the WOD he proceeded to complete all 55 reps of deadlifts for 16.4/17.4, making sure to set his back and mid-line every single time. It was awesome to watch. Remember, you don't have to rush - you just want to get as far along as you can with solid position and technique. "Try hard" does not mean "get sloppy."
If 225/155 lbs is simply far too heavy and you just aren't in that neighborhood yet, then consider doing the scaled version of the workout which uses 135/95 lbs for the deadlift. If you have no idea where you fall in the spectrum then find a coach while you're warming up and ask them for their advice - they can help guide you and provide some insight on what is realistic and appropriate.
Deadlifts at 225/155 are fine but I'm not sure handstand push-ups are gonna happen:
How far are you from handstand push-ups (HSPU) being a reality? If you can't kick up to the wall and support yourself safely & reliably and/or lower yourself onto your head under control, then now is likely not the time to try and get that first one.
If you know you have a good shot at making your first HSPU, or first few in a workout, then find a coach or experienced athlete in the warm-up area and ask them to help you with the standard and with fine-tuning your movement. Just remember to respect the fact that they too have to warm-up and do the workout, as well be available to judge others - so trying to make up for a year of lost skill work within 5-10 minutes is unrealistic. But if you're strong enough, mobile enough, and have been playing around with position drills and skill work recently enough to know you're close, then a little help and encouragement may get you the rest of the way.
This is another opportunity where I'll leave my PSA from prior years:
"This is the time of year when I usually give my PSA that sounds something like "We have Open Gym Sundays nearly 50 weeks out of the year, and I'm almost always there -- AND some of my favorite movements to teach are ring muscle-ups and handstand push-ups. Just throwing it out there, friends. I can even provide references from current AR members if you need to verify that it works if you work at it with some guidance."
Closing remarks (since I said I would keep re-posting them):
Be smart and move well. You know what that means, I don't have to explain that one to you. The weights will be here tomorrow... will you be?
Cheer for your fellow athletes, and be a good judge. We do things the right way at Arena Ready -- with integrity and to the standards of the competition. Our movement is clean, our technique is admirable, our effort is 100%, and our members know the difference between intent and accomplishment (e.g. giving your fellow athlete a respectful but deserved no-rep when they're working their ass off but simply didn't accomplish a valid rep). The spirit of the Open is amazing - there's nothing like the energy and positive family vibe of these 5 weeks. Many of your buddies will do things they never thought possible, some will fall short of what they wanted and be frustrated for a bit, and others will have experiences on both sides. But in the end this is our community, and our AR family, and we support each other in success and in failure... knowing that we're all just trying to get better every day.
GO TIME!
WOD FOR 10-26-19:
"Open 20.3" AKA “Open 18.4”
For Time (9 Minute Cap):
21-15-9 (AKA "Diane")
Deadlifts @ 225/155 lbs
Handstand Push-ups
... followed immediately by...
21-15-9
Deadlifts @ 315/205 lbs
50ft Handstand Walk Between Rounds
Open 20.3 Announced!
Open workout "20.3" was announced on Thursday evening, and the deadlift and handstand push-up (and handstand walk!) combo from 18.4 is back... it’s a repeat! It will be a very small percentage of folks who can get to the handstand walk, but it is a great way to create separation at the top level (along with the heavier deadlift weights). For the rest of us this will be a classic test of pull/push (lower body/upper body), and folks at Arena Ready are fairly familiar with our old friend "Diane." You're also familiar with the fact that we don't allow crappy deadlifts or HSPU attempts that look like you're a dying fish - so I'll preface tomorrow's "strategy & thoughts" post with that sentiment. Your lumbar and cervical spines are important to us (and obviously to you too).
If you're going to be completing the workout this weekend at Arena Ready (either during the fun craziness of our Open Heats during all Saturday classes, or during Sunday Open Gym) then please start by reviewing the workout details here and watching the standards video below (which covers only the Rx workout, and not the scaled version) - thanks!
WOD For 10-25-19:
Alternating Every 2 Minutes For 7 Rounds (28 Total Minutes):
A) At 0:00, 4:00, 6:00, 8:00… etc… 24:00
300m Row OR 300m Ski OR 18/13 Calorie Assault Bike
B) At 2:00, 6:00, 10:00, 14:00… etc… 26:00
5 Front Squats @ pick loading (no rack, cleaned from the floor)
5 Box Jumps @ 30/24 in
*You choose the weight for the front squats — use the same weight across all 7 rounds OR change the weight as you go (athlete’s choice today).
*Box jumps are intended to be done explosively and for quality & height, NOT for speed to complete the reps.
*Want to dial-up the intensity? Row/ski/bike faster. If it’s still not “hard” enough for you then you’re not going fast enough.
Open 20.3: Any Guesses?
Open workout 20.3 will be announced to the world on Thursday at 5pm. Any guesses as to what’s coming?
Much like we’ve done the last couple of weeks with barbell cycling and an alternating “for quality” movement we’ll mix the two domains across an alternating EMOM and then attack the shortest met-con piece so far this week with a chipper-style workout.
Enjoy!
WOD For 10-24-19:
Alternating EMOM For 5 Rounds (10 Minutes):
MINUTE 1:
3 Hang Power Snatches
MINUTE 2:
6 Single Arm Dumbbell Overhead Squatss @ pick load (3 R / 3 L)
*Climb as your technique allows on the barbell
*DB OHS are FOR QUALITY
-then-
For Time:
100 Double Unders
50 Russian KB Swings @ 70/53 lbs
50 Medicine Ball Sit-ups @ 20/14 lbs
50 Russian KB Swings
100 Double Unders
The Push-Up: How You Do One Thing Is How You Do Everything
In my life outside of the gym I’ve interviewed hundreds of eager candidates who sought to join a sales and client service team within a demanding, deadline-driven, constantly evolving services and technology industry. Over the years I had culled my interview questions down to just a handful that seemed to work really well for predicting how that candidate might fit into the role we were trying to fill. One concept we tried to investigate and use during this process was "how you do one thing is how you do everything."
Think about it. You all have friends, family, and coworkers and some of them might be good examples. That friend you have who has an organized car that's always sparkly clean? She probably has her act together at work and stays on top of her list of action items with a sense of urgency. Your cousin who has months-old unopened mail and catalogues on his dashboard, and a half eaten pizza on the backseat? I'll bet his email inbox at work has thousands of messages in it, and he "can't figure out why his email thingy keeps crashing" when his boss needs him to follow up with a client.
In the gym, and with human movement, it's often the same thing. How an athlete does one (basic, fundamental) thing usually indicates how they'll do nearly everything else. The guy with the sloppy air squat, who doesn't work to correct it no mater how many times he's cued to do so? He likely moves poorly in just about everything else we do in the gym.
One movement we generally get a lot of comments from both newbies and experienced athletes alike is the push-up. We teach the push-up in On-Boarding and we cue the movement frequently in the gym WODs, sometimes to the point of bewilderment by a few. But the truth remains-- how an athlete does this one thing is generally how that athlete will do nearly everything else. Those that have chosen not to correct their push-up positioning or go through the period of "but it feels way harder when I do it that way!" have generally not progressed in push-up strength, stability, or muscular endurance. Those who have? Well, they're crushing it in push-up WODs and are now the people I point to when I'm trying to get someone into the correct position.
Greg Everett wrote a great article a couple of years ago about the push-up, and I was reminded of it recently when observing a few athletes do push-ups in some random video that another gym had posted online. His article - titled "The Push-up: Why Is This So Hard?" - is located here, and I've pasted an excerpt below:
The push-up is one of those things that when done well doesn’t draw much attention—it’s not a flashy feat of athleticism. However, in my opinion, how one performs a push-up is indicative of that individual’s athletic foundation, and possibly more importantly, how committed one is to excellence in movement and performance. Sloppy push-ups suggest to me a superficial interest in athleticism and a degree of laziness. Put a little attention and effort into the simple things and it will pay returns in the more complicated and interesting ones.
How you do one thing is how you do everything.
WOD For 10-23-19:
Against a 22-Minute Clock:
BUY-IN: 1000m Run
… Then, AMRAP of…
15/12 Calorie Row, Ski, or Assault Bike
15 Hand Release Push-ups
20 Dumbbell Snatches @ 50/35 lbs (alternate sides)
20 Walking Lunges
Open 20.1 and 20.2 Images From Jay
WOD For 10-22-19:
Every 2 Minutes For 7 Rounds:
3 Back Squats
*Start at a moderate weight and climb as desired, or stay at a challenging weight across multiple sets (no misses, this is not a max out session).
*If possible add to 10-11-19
-then-
Alternating TRIPLE Tabata (12 Total Minutes / 24 Total Movement Rounds):
Wall Balls @ 20/14 lbs to 10/9 ft
Strict Pull-ups
Box Jumps @ 24/20 in
*Score = lowest rep round for each of the three movements
*Movements ALTERNATE - i.e. wall balls > strict pull-ups > box jumps > wall balls > strict pull-ups > box jumps
Open 20.2 Score Submissions Due By 5pm Monday!
Reminder to SUBMIT YOUR 20.2 score to the CrossFit Games website by the deadline of Monday at 5pm. We cannot submit your score for you so if you're reading this just do it now so you don't forget!
WOD For 10-21-19:
With a Partner On a Running Clock…
A) 0:00 - 10:00
Power Clean:
Both partners Establish a Heavy “Touch-and-Go” Triple (AKA Set of 3)
*Use the same barbell and load/unload the weights accordingly between sets
B) 13:00 - 28:00
AMRAP 15 Minutes:
6 Deadlifts @ 155/110
5 Power Cleans
4 Push Jerks
3 Lateral Bar Burpees
*This is “You Go, I Go” format (i.e. complete one full round then switch)
Open 20.2 Thoughts & Strategy
It's week TWO of the 2020 Open at Arena Ready, and our Saturday Open WOD brings us three movements that most of us saw coming at some point - thrusters, toes-to-bar, and double unders!
Like we say every week - whether you're officially signed-up for the Open and will be competing on Saturday (Or Sunday), or you're just doing the workouts for fun & fitness (and to be a part of the Open energy at AR) please watch the 20.2 standards video (I have re-posted it above) and read the workout details here on the CrossFit Games website. Due to the longer time domain of this workout AND the potential for a high volume of total reps, it's important that everyone completing and judging the workout is familiar with all of the standards in advance. PLEASE KNOW THE STANDARDS BEFORE YOU COME IN TO THE GYM, BOTH AS AN ATHLETE AND A JUDGE. Thank you.
Oh, and if you're entered in the Open and need a judge to validate your performance you may want to bring a small thank you gift for your judge for counting DUs for 20 minutes. Just a thought LOL.
Now, some logistics and then a little strategy...
First, logistics:
if you are NOT officially entered in the Open I would plan on NOT being judged, as I think it's a lot to ask of someone to count your reps for 20 minutes (unless that person actually likes doing that sort of thing). You may also consider using a non-competition weight for the dumbbells (45s, 30s, 25s, etc) if any are appropriate for your level.
Whether you're entered in the Open or not (and whether doing the workout Rx or Scaled), if your performance and movement deteriorates to the point of unsafe levels WE WILL CUT YOU OFF regardless of what the clock says. Sorry I'm not sorry. Letting someone continue on past the point of exhaustion and safe movement, particularly with these three movements, is just plain dumb. I don't think our athletes need that warning but it makes me feel better to write it out and to say it out loud if needed.
The longer time domain means less heats per hour, and the double DB requirement means there will be assigned stations by weights — SO, that means if you have a strong preference for when & where you go then I suggest getting to the gym early to have the best chance at picking a preferred slot. Otherwise you may be at the mercy of what’s left when you arrive.
Per our SOP we'll detail a suggested, self-directed warm-up on the board, and you're welcome to follow that or do your own warm-up to get yourself ready to go.
Second, some thoughts on strategy:
Some sources have over-complicated the strategy element of this workout to the point where I think they're just making up rhetoric in an effort to sound like an authority on the topic. All the "split time" spreadsheets and "how to shorten the range of motion" suggestions are mostly nonsense, because the fact of the matter is you can pick any pace or splits that you like - the key is CAN YOU HOLD THAT PACE FOR 20 MINUTES? I could very easily say "Oh, you want to run a 20-minute 5K? Well that's easy, you just have to pace it correctly. Run each 400m lap in 1:36 and hold that pace the whole time. There you go... easy. Have fun and thank me later."
1) Shocker..... pacing is key.
20 minutes of ANYTHING requires pacing. Smooth and steady is fast. Smooth and steady is fast. Smooth and steady is fast. You need to know yourself, be honest with where your fitness level currently is (and how proficient you are with the skill movements), and set a pace accordingly. Pace it smooth and steady early on, and don't let the feeling of the first few rounds fool you into thinking it will feel that same way in minutes 15-20.
The nice thing about 20 minutes of low-rep rounds is it makes the math and conceptual approach easy - if you use the 80/20 rule (go at 80% effort for 80% of the workout, and then step on the gas for the last 20%) you'll be steady and relaxed through AT LEAST minute 16, and then you'll leave it all out there in the final 2-4 minutes. For example, if your goal is 15 rounds this means one round every 1:20, and if you feel good at the 16:00-18:00 mark then pick up the pace a little to beat your goal. If, by chance, you look at the clock after 4 rounds and you're at 3:00 (which many of you are plenty capable of for 4 rounds) then expect that you'll soon feel like someone punched you in the face and breadbasket simultaneously with brass knuckles - and for a lot of us there's no coming back from that with 16-17 minutes remaining in the workout.
Is your goal 10 rounds? Then the above applies at a "1 round every 2:00" pace. You get the point. The lower your goal is the more you can fudge the early rounds and start just a bit faster (think roughly 10-20% or so faster), with the assumption that fatigue will eventually slow each successive round regardless, and you'll be glad you started just a bit ahead of your goal pace.
So, pick a pace that's reasonable based on the fact that:
A) 4-6-24 unbroken at a decent tempo = approximately 40 to 45 seconds for "very fit non-professional CrossFit athletes who are gainfully employed and cannot work out seven times a day" AKA Rx/Black level "every day" people that are good at all three movements.
B) Most (if not all) of us without high-level competitive aspirations cannot hold that same pace listed above in "A" past a handful of rounds (think "how long could I do 4-6-24 if we were doing it in an “Every 45 Seconds” workout?" … and be HONEST with yourself.
C) Breaking up the T2B and/or DU into sets will add significant time to each round but are likely necessary for many of us to keep a disciplined and reasonable pace, so if you're not planning on going "unbroken" through most of the early rounds then start building your pace/splits/goal on the basis that you'll have to break up the movements beyond the first few minutes of the workout anyway.
D) It's much easier to speed up in the second half of the workout if you feel good and realize that you're capable of something faster than your original plan than it is to try and hold on for dear life because you started out way too fast and only learned about it when previously mentioned brass knuckles smack you in the gut & windpipe.
Breaking up the thrusters is a matter of specific athlete ability. While Rx athletes shouldn't put the DBs down at all unless totally at the point of muscular fatigue, many of you who find the weight heavy will benefit from 2 sets, and some will need to split it up into singles at some point in order to safely navigate the movement. You need to know yourself as an athlete and do what it takes to keep the engine under the redline and the movement quality high. A good rule of thumb is "no strained reps for as long as possible" - meaning if you feel like you'll need to really gather yourself to stand up the squat or press out the top of the rep, or the speed of the reps is noticeably slowing, then put it down before the next one. Whatever the case we will enforce a NO DROPPING THE DUMBBELLS policy, both for everyone’s safety and to avoid having a pile of broken dumbbells at the end of the weekend. If you have to drop the DBs then it’s simply too heavy for you to be using them in the first place.
The topic of breaking up the double unders is a simple one for most of us. If you're good at them either unbroken OR one intentional break is the way to go - 24 is a small enough number that breaking them may be unnecessary for ninjas, but 20 minutes is a long time and some folks may choose to use a break to keep their pacing strategy disciplined. If you're not good at DUs then you're going to be missing anyway so just try your best to relax, stay calm, and get as many "runs" of consistent reps as you can. There's a lot of time here and keeping your cool is a big part of fighting through the frustration of DU misses.
2) Warm-up all the movements but don't go crazy.
You want to get some aerobic work in so the workout is not a shock to the body, but no need to "do the workout before doing the workout." Get the heart rate up, get a little sweat going if that works for you, do a little "wake-up burst" or two near the end of your warm-up, and then let it all come down a bit before you start (all of this is already detailed in the warm-up we wrote on the board). Beyond that, and some focused mobility and movement prep, you don't need much else. This is not the time to make up for lost technique or skill work (particularly for T2B and double unders), lest you end up doing half of the workout before you even start the workout. Your calves, feet, shins, Achilles, hands, and abs can only take so much in one day, friends!
Speaking of mobility and dynamic movement prep...
3) Hips, Shoulders, Ankles, Calves/Feet/Achilles, Lats and Upper Pecs.
Get these bad boys ready. You know what your body needs to get blood the pumping and your tissues unglued. We've written some suggested mobility and movement prep items on the warm-up board, but feel free to do the ones you like to make sure you're good to go. Your hips (and ankles too) need to be ready for the bottom position of the thruster, and your shoulders need to be ready for the overhead piece of the thruster and for the T2B. And, obviously, 20 minutes of T2B and double unders is a lot - particularly if you're not great at the movements - so prepare for the impact as best you can (and for those prone to lower extremity “stuff” you may want to set your own personal time cap as a responsible way to keep yourself out of the zone of "Oh crap, I should've been smarter and stopped before I aggravated my connective tissue issues").
4) Weightlifting shoes are not worth it.
I know they make thrusters easier, duh. But this is a lot of jumping and those suckers have no padding and very little give, so for most of us putting them on to jump this many times is a no go. Be smart and take care of your feet/ankles/shins/etc. - maybe just do some extra ankle mobility instead?
20.2 GIDDY UP!
WOD For 10-19-19:
“Open 20.2”
AMRAP 20 Minutes:
4 Dumbbell Thrusters @ 50/35 lbs (each side)
6 Toes-to-Bar
24 Double Unders
Open 20.2 Announced!
The second workout of the 2020 CrossFit Games Worldwide Open ("20.2") was released on Thursday evening, so if you're going to be completing the workout this weekend at Arena Ready (either during the fun craziness of our Open Heats during all Saturday classes, or during Sunday Open Gym) then please start by reviewing the workout details here and watching the brief video above (which covers only the Rx workout, and not the scaled version) - thanks!
Lots of front-side dominant movements on Saturday for 20.2 means we will use a few back-side dominant movement patters on Friday, both to have some fun and to provide a dose of deft intensity if you so choose.
Happy Friday, folks.
WOD For 10-18-19:
On a Running Clock…
A) At 0:00
“Partner Rowling” - 10 “Frames” For Total Time (Including Burpee Penalties):
10 x 100m Row Sprint (alternate “frames” so that each partner rows a total of 5 times)
*Attempt to stop the monitor EXACTLY on 100m for each "frame"
*For every meter over OR under 100m both partners must do one burpee — e.g. if the monitor reads 104m then both partners must do 4 burpees each BEFORE the next partner can start rowing the next “frame”
*Re-set the monitor to zero to start each "frame"
*Record total time required to complete 10 "frames" including burpee penalties
B) At 12:00
Bent Over Barbell Row:
5-5-5-5-5
C) At 22:00
3 Rounds For Time OR For Completion:
500m Row -OR- 500m Ski -OR- 30/21 Calorie Assault Bike
21 KB Swings @ 53/35 lbs
12 Burpees to Jump Touch @ 6 in above max reach