I must say I wasn’t surprised to see 14.2 repeated, especially with the 2 athletes that were chosen for the demo.
Thankfully for anyone reading this (and for myself) I have repeated this workout 3 times since last year’s Open and feel that I know it pretty well. Please keep reading even if you’ve done this one before.
Unlike last weeks Tips & Strategy I am going to cover some warm-up advice and then 2 different strategies that I think could work well for a variety of athletes depending on strengths and weaknesses.
Warm-up:
– Row 500-1000m at a moderate pace (should be able to talk quite easily while rowing).
– Mobilize hips and shoulders. Things like PVC pass throughs, the Samson stretch, spiderman walk, crab walk, kipping swings, rolling thoracic spine will all work well.
– Movement specific – work up to an OHS Squat (from the ground) that is not maximal but a good chunk heavier than the work out weight and perform some pause reps (sit in the bottom of the squat and hold active). Perform some small sets of linked C2B pull-ups to get the flow of the movement dialed in but be aware keeping the volume low. Personally, I will be doing something like EMOM x 7-10: 1 Full Snatch + Pause OHS (50-60kg) followed by 2-3 C2B Pull-ups as my specific warm-up before this workout (note that my goal is to get a good chunk through the 18’s so don’t over do it).
Strategy One:
This is actually not my strategy but one I got from Outlaw CrossFit last year and I have used it a few times with good success (got into round of 18’s). This strategy works as follows:
– Split each 3 min. work period into 2 x 1:30 rounds. Perform the first set of OHS and C2B and rest out the remainder of the 1:30 and then repeat for the 2nd set. Initially this works out as about a 1:1 work rest ratio which progressively declines as the rounds go on. At some stage (based on feel) you’ll have to make the call to abandon this strategy and just keep working but it’s a good way of keeping your rate of exertion under control for the first few rounds.
– Keep the OHS unbroken for as much of the workout as possible. Be fast but smooth. Use the hip extension at the top of each rep as a momentary rest and try to bring the bar into a back rack rather than dumping it when you start to fatigue. If you try to do these too fast you will likely be untidy and burn a lot more energy for not much gain.
– The pull-ups are quite individual. I have done the early sets of this workout unbroken without any great detriment but these are a strength of mine. The main thing is to be smart with your sets when you know you’ll have to break them up. Avoid failure and having to do singles and don’t force yourself to butterfly if your not efficient at them.
Strategy Two:
This is what I plan to do this year:
– As above for the OHS. Stay UB and efficient for as long as possible.
– Rather than use a fixed 1:30 half round strategy, I plan to break up the pull-ups into smaller sets and use the time between these efforts as recovery. Once I finish the 1st set of pull-ups I will move straight to the pull-up bar for the 2nd set of OHS. I feel that one large rest break at the end of the bigger rounds will be more of an advantage than 2 smaller ones with the 1:30 round strategy.
Which one should I use? If you’ve got the time. Try doing the round of 10’s both ways to see which one will work for you. Maybe don’t do this just prior to the workout but a day before should be fine.
General: Don’t let details cost you your best score. If you rip your hands normally, then tape up. Wear weightlifting shoes. Tight collars on your bar. Plenty of chalk, water and a towel nearby and relax!
Chris.
Chris Saliba is the co-owner of Coastal CrossFit Queensland and has competed at the Australia Regional 3 times and was the 2013 state weightlifting champion in the under 69’s. For more info, check us out a www.coastalcrossfit.com.au
