Thinking about taking a break during your WOD? …Think again.
Here are some words of advice on maximizing your potential in the CrossFit Open from our friends at CrossFit Brand X.
As the Open begins, a few words on………..
Intensity
This is key: How much pain can you eat? When the misery index rises, what do you do? Having a plan helps. Before getting to specifics, here are a couple of things to do to up your intensity.
The Specifics:
1. Have a plan for each WOD. Look at each WOD. Try to decide how long each round should last. Shoot for that.
2. Think about breaks. Have a plan for your breaks going into the WOD. Say you are doing Fran and your pull-up max is 10. Plan to break the first round 7-7-7 and rest 15 seconds before getting back on the bar. This will help you avoid muscular failure. If you hit muscular failure, it will take 30-40 seconds before you are able to get back on the bar and do anything meaningful. That’s a lot of time spent staring at the clock spinning.
3. Work specifically on a plan to minimize break time. Using Fran as an example again, say that 95# Thrusters are not heavy for you and that the limiting factor is cardio-respiratory endurance. In this case, your heart is hammering when you reach 11 reps, but the bar speed is the same as rep number one. Now you can put the bar down and acknowledge that it’s okay to be a pus** today, or you can continue. If you do put the bar down, have a plan: I’ll pick the bar up in 15 seconds, I’ll take three big breaths and pick the bar up, etc.
4. If you are working with a class, pick someone that is close to you in their fitness level. Before you start the WOD, tell yourself that you will watch them and break only when they do. Resolve when they put the bar down you will do one more rep than they did. When they look like they are going to pick the bar up, grab your bar and do at least one rep before they get started. Be aware that eventually they will realize what you are doing and the game will be on. Who will drop the bar first? Again, “Men will die for points.”
5. NEVER walk away from your bar! NEVER, NEVER, NEVER!
6. Understand that every time you put your bar down, you can chalk 20 seconds onto your time. Is breathing really worth that 20 seconds? I don’t think so.
7. Just finish it. When most people set the bar down, they wait until they feel better before picking the bar up again. This is a mistake. You will not feel better until the thing is done. Might as well get back on the bar and finish the work required. Little known fact: working helps regulate breathing. The hard part of Fran is the transitions. You’re gasping for air staring at the bar. Surprisingly if you clean the bar up and start doing your thrusters, your breathing will regulate. Keep that in mind while the clock spins and you stare.
Just a few thoughts.
The next time you find yourself in the middle of a WOD wanting to take a break, try even just ONE of these techniques and see if they work for you!
Today’s Workout
Buy In – Playing with the Ropes
* Coaches show rope climb progressions
* split the class in two and take turns on the ropes
* wear your long socks! 🙂
WOD – “Ring My Bell”
AMRAP in 20 minutes of:
Run 200M
16 KB Thrusters (hold from bottom)
Run 200M
16 1 arm KB Swings
Run 200M
16 1 arm KB Snatch
Run 200 M
16 1 arm KB push press
Games Prep – 35lbs/55lbs
Rx – 20lb/35lb KB (only use a DB if there is no KB`s available)
Zone 2 – Scale KB as needed
Zone 1 – Scale as needed
Then: Tabata Hollow position holds, 8 rounds
Cash Out – MWOD
*Psoas stretch – hold 1 minute per side
* Roll out with lacrosse ball in the hip flexors
* Roll out with lacrosse ball in glutes while in the figure four stretch
