Thoughts on Reebok CrossFit Games Open WOD 12.2

Sorry for the late post, I meant to write something right away Wednesday night, but when 12.2 came out, I wasn't quite sure what to write besides, "You better have been working on your snatch!" Much like cramming for a test, there is not going to be an incredible amount of things you can change between now and Sunday. But there's gotta be something I can do, right!? Sure there is. Read below.

Workout 12.2

Proceed through the sequence below completing as many reps as possible in 10 minutes of:

30 Snatch (M 75 / F 45 lbs)
30 Snatch (M 135 / F 75 lbs)
30 Snatch (M 165 / F 100 lbs)
Max Rep Snatch (M 210 / F 120 lbs)

CrossFit Open 11.1 workout

STRATEGY

Right after reading the workout, I tweeted, "This is when everybody wishes they worked on their snatch more!" As I said in my post "What Malcolm Gladwell Has to do with Olympic Lifting," literally thousands of repetitions are required to become proficient at technical lifts such as the snatch. However, not all is lost. Here is what I would do for 12.2. 

First, warm up sufficiently and make sure you are limber and mobile. Who else to look to for tips on this than the great K-Star, CrossFit's mobility expert. I'm not even going to try and give you advice on this, so here's a video from the man himself (you can find more mobility tips on his site, MobilityWOD.com)

In terms of form, you do NOT have to squat snatch, and you MAY press out, however, the bar cannot stop at the shoulders since this can be interpreted as a clean and jerk or clean and press. If squatting low, even in a power position, is trouble for you, then I suggest SPLIT snatching it. If you're not sure what that is, Google it. Although squat snatching is most efficient, it also will be taxing on your legs with a longer range of motion. If you can power/split snatch, then do so. The heavier the lift, the lower you may have to drop in that power position. Rich Froning Jr. does an excellent job showing this in the mainsite demo video. 

This is not a time to look at 75# snatches and think you can fly through them, especially if your form isn't perfect. (Don't you remember 11.1? Have you ever met "Randy"?) Pace yourself and find a way to save your back for the heavier lifts. You WILL be gassed at some point. 99% of people will be muscle or power snatching the first 30. Make sure to stay balanced in your feet and push those knees out at the bottom of the lift so your back doesn't take the brunt of the work. For the light weights, don't move your feet much, there's not need to jump out wide for these and reset your feet narrow. Try to keep a landing position with your feet, even in the jump. The 30 snatches, even with breaks, should take you only a few minutes. You then have the rest of time to basically do "Isabel" (30 snatches at 135#/95#). At this point, some of you are saying "But my 1RM is 125!" Well, then this is your time to saddle up and PR! Amp yourself up, have someone scream at you, do whatever you can to get that bar up. Just one rep will put you ahead of literally thousands of people. 

The bar must also come from the ground every time, so if 135 is going to do-able but heavy for you, it might be worthwhile to drop from the top, again to save that back for an attempt at 165. If you know you can do 135 and 165, well, then you should move quickly and efficiently through 135 in sets of 3 or 5 and try to get as many as you can with 165 because this is where the top dogs will live. If you are someone who can get through 135, 165, and move on to 210, well, then you should be writing this blog, not me.

Just snatching 192 kilos. Aka 422#. No big deal.

REACTION

This sequence of events reminds me of the CrossFit Games at Aromas in 2009. The first event was a 7k run up a SUPER steep terrain. Chris Spealler came in first, Mikko Salo in second (the sprint finish at the end with Speal was amazing), and Russell Berger in 3rd for the men, while Sarah Dunsmore, Lauren Erwin, and Carey Kepler were the top 3 women. The very next event was a deadlift ladder. Athletes had to move from one bar to the next, as weights increased, and perform a deadlift. Sixteen men tied on the last and heaviest bar at 505#. Although this might seem light for the CF Games now, back then it was heavy and unpredictable that after a 7k run, that many men would tie. 

Clearly HQ learned their lesson to set a very high bar and organize workouts to separate out competitors. 

The 2012 CrossFit Open has reflected the 2009 Games in the first event being a cardiovascular event, while the second is a strength based one. Those who can do both well will rise to the top. Large people were up in arms about 12.1 and the burpees, but the tides have turned with this snatch workout. It allows everyone to get a score on the board (the spirit of the Open) but will absolutely separate the elite. There is one big difference from 2009 though. Choosing this snatch movement caters to those who are technically proficient, not just "gorilla" strong. At the same time, it takes away any advantage a specialist would have (i.e. a pure olympic lifter) because they are not used to high rep snatches. They may be able to snatch 300#+, but I guarantee if they haven't been training high reps and/or CrossFit, they won't even make it to the 210#.

Indeed, this workout is made for experienced and strong CrossFitters. High rep olympic movements are simply not found elsewhere in fitness. 

Unfortunately, it also means that there will be UGLY performances around the world. By my guesstimation, only a small percent of people have their snatch form dialed in. The majority of people (including myself) will be pressing out. Pure oly lifters will cringe when they see video of these performances and don't be surprised when there are blog posts flying around complaining about the ugly form of CrossFitters. (there are already plenty of those) There is also the danger of shoulder injuries due to the external rotation of the shoulders coupled with multiple attempts at PR weights. So make sure you are smart about your limits, even if you're pushing for a PR.

PREDICTION

The cream will certainly rise to the top after this one, just like it did in 2009. Back then, the top 3 men overall (Mikko, Tommy Hackenbruck, and Moe Kelsey) were all in the top 10 after the first two events (7k run and deadlift). The top 3 women overall (Tanya Wagner, Charity Vale, and Carey Kepler) were more spread out after two events (top 13) but check this out: Tanya and Charity were 1st and 2nd after two events, and guess who was 3rd and 4th? Kristan Clever and Annie Thorisdottir (2010 and 2011 champions, respectively). 

I predict that like in 2009, the combination of burpees and snatches will put top CrossFitters in a ranking order that will not change drastically over the last three workouts. Those who are proficient at high rep, heavy snatches are already fire breathing CrossFitters. Rich Froning Jr. demonstrated the 12.2 workout in a video and looked like he was casually having fun with 210#. He did 98 reps then, but I predict he'll redo it and get 110+. Kristan Clever will once again destroy this workout with supremely efficient form and a huge engine. She'll get just under 110. 

For those looking on some power snatch tips, check out this video from Coach Rippetoe.

The Power Snatch: Teaching Method from stef bradford on Vimeo.

Who Doesn't Love a Paleo T-Shirt?

Sometimes you just need to let people know how well you eat and for that, I decided to dive into the world of merch. Other times you need to get amped up for a party or a PR because, well, it's BOOM TIME. Yes, I know have a t-shirt shop on Spread Shirt. No, I'm not quitting my jobs to live off the few cents I get every time someone gets suckered into buying a shirt, but I thought it would be fun to have. If you have any non-elaborate ideas for shirts, let me know at chris@crossfitkop.com or hit the comments. 

Constantly Varied Shop

Paleo Summit: Who Doesn't Like Free Info?

If you've been interested in learning more about the Paleo/Primal lifestyle, but don't have the means or the money to attend seminars held across the country, here's your chance to hear from the big names in the Paleosphere. The Paleo Summit is a multi-day event held ONLINE hosted by Underground Wellness for FREE. There are keynote speakers such as Mark Sisson, Mat LeLonde, Dallas and Melissa Hartwig of Whole9, and many more, and Youtube videos available each day. Each day features two or three of the biggest names in Paleo research, medicine, and movement. Today was the first day of presenters (Mark Sisson and Diane Sanfilippo) but you can still catch the next seven days of presenters. Get to it! (click the picture below)

Thoughts on Reebok CrossFit Games Open WOD #12.1

A year ago, 26,000 people around the world signed up for the CrossFit Games Open. CrossFit opened the doors to the world once again (50,000 people as of Feb. 22, 2012 in fact...) to throw down and see who is the fittest in the world. Folks will have 5 weeks and as many workouts to sort themselves by region. Top 60 men, top 60 women, and top 30 teams move on to each regional competition. From there, 2-3 each of men, women, and teams move on to the CrossFit Games held at the Home Depot Center in California. Last year Rich Froning Jr., "Iceland" Annie Thorisdottir, and CF New England were the respective winners. In the Masters Division, the winners were: Scott DeTore, Susan Habbe (45-49), Gord Mackinnon, Mary Beth Litsheim (50-54), Steve Anderson, Shelley Noyce (55-60), and Greg Walker (60+). 

 Something new this year is that past champions need to compete in the Open. In the past, champions have always had a bye to the Games. This year, if a champion takes a qualifying spot at Regionals, an additional person is invited to the Games (on top of the 2 or 3 already qualifying). Let's take a look at the first workout of the 2012 season. 

Mid burpee. Photo courtesy of Tom Cercedes of CF Del Val

WORKOUT 12.1
Complete as many reps as possible in 7 minutes of: BURPEES
This workout begins from the standing position. The Athlete will move from flat on the ground to touching an object with both hands that is 6 inches above their max reach. Score is total reps completed.


STRATEGY
Keep moving! Some folks will go all out from the start, but may be gassed by minute four. This is totally dependent on how you work and what your stamina is like. If you know you can go the full 7 minutes at high intensity, go for it. If, however, you know 7 minutes is a long time for burpees, keep a pace so that you are just moving the whole time. Also, if you're someone who likes to rest, perhaps try going at full intensity for a set amount of reps and then take 5-10 seconds to rest. Try to have someone nearby to yell at you, encourage you, or do whatever it is that you need to keep moving. It may help to pick a number ahead of time and try to reach that number. Something that may be helpful is to chunk numbers so that you create mini goals. For instance, pick 25 as the first number to get to and then count another 25. Since most people work better with short term goals, this could be helpful mentally. The fact is, you can always do one more. This is a testament to your ability to push your limits and quite simply, how much you're willing to give. It's a matter of WILL.

In terms of the actual burpee movement, there are some things that might help, namely, where you jump your feet. One possible way is to jump your feet OUTSIDE your hands, not in. Doing this creates less emphasis on your knees/quads and more on your posterior chain and hip flexion. If you watch anyone extremely proficient at burpees, they always jump their feet out and keep their hands in a push up width, however, this is usually not to a target. The second consideration is this target. Jumping your feet INSIDE your feet will allow you to stand taller, essentially making your jump shorter. BUT it places more emphasis on the quads which will probably be burning anyway. 

REACTION
 In true egalitarian fashion, CrossFit has posted a workout that is accessible to everyone around the world. Simple in nature, yet devastating by the end of 7 minutes, burpees haunt CrossFitters in their sleep (and while awake). The fact that no equipment is necessary makes this one of, if not the most accessible workout to date. EVERYONE from eight year veterans to day one CrossFitters should be able to get a score and could theoretically do it two or three times to best themselves. However, the standard of jumping 6 inches will be quite different for those who usually speed through with half open hips and hair-thin jumps. Generally your lighter, more agile athletes will fare better at this single modality workout. Heavier athletes are probably cursing this workout, (if you were anywhere near social media when the workout came out, you probably saw things like this actual paragraph posted by my friend, Prime (as in Optimus Prime): 

"Way to knock it out of the park Crossfit HQ. Reduce the open from 6 weeks to 5 and why dont we have week one be a 7 min AMRAP of burpees? Way to go. Next week will be a 6 min AMRAP of hugs and cartwheels.....but the RX will come in a FULL bear hug, ass out hugs are scaling."


Needless to say, Prime is much larger (and stronger) than me and his reaction is hilarious. Either way, this is just the first of five workouts. I guarantee strength and size will play a bigger role (pun intended) overall for the CrossFit Open and true Transformers will reign supreme. At the end of these five weeks, everyone will have forgotten the simple burpee workout and will be talking about that crazy C+J/OHS/Snatch/deadlift/etc. workout. 

Speal at CF KoP for a cert

Christy Phillips winning 2010 CF Central East Region

PREDICTION
This one is going to go to my favorite CrossFitter, Chris Spealler. Although I have Mikko coming in a very close second (he once did 1000 burpees for time and did 30 burpees every minute with REST for the first 15 minutes), Spealler simply has a shorter way to go on the hip opening and jump. Although Speal has gained weight for the Games season, I still think he's got the engine he's always had. For the women, it's a little tougher to predict, but I'm going to go with Christy Phillips from CrossFit MPH in DC. I was able to see Christy's performance in the 2010 Central East Regionals and she is a force. Her determination to win is what's going to get her 1st in this workout. 

How many burpees are you going for? 

What's your strategy? 

What are your predictions??

I Want to Be This Guy When I Grow Up