Preparing for the Unknowable
It’s coming: The 2015 CrossFit Open.
Are you going to be ready?
Ultimately, the tests in the Open are to find the fittest CrossFitter, the “fittest CrossFitter’s tests.” Still, preparing for the ‘unknown’ and ‘unknowable’ can prove to be quite the challenge. After all, you don’t really know if you are “ready” for the unknowable until the unknowable has arrived.
However, with the annual Open, there are generally a number of things we have been able to count on in the past—movements we can be sure to see, including: wall-balls, muscle ups, box jumps, snatches, double-unders, thrusters, overhead squats, burpees, toes-to-bar, cleans, deadlifts, pushups, pullups (and chest-to-bar pull-ups), shoulder-to-overhead, toes-to-bar, and, last year, the introduction of rowing (during 14.4).
On top of the movements, over the years, we have also witnessed a handful of predictable variations of these movements in workouts, including:
- An ascending or descending ladder of some sort (think 13.4’s 7-minute AMRAP of 3-6-9-etc. clean & jerk and toes-to-bar, or 14.2’s combination of overhead squats and chest-to-bar pullups);
- Something a little bit heavier (like last year’s 14.3- 8 minute AMRAP of ascending heavier deadlifts and box jumps)
- A chipper-style workout (Open WOD 14.4)
- Something light and fast (such as 14.1’s 10-minute AMRAP of 15 power snatches at 75/55 lbs. and 30 double-unders)
- Something with a higher-skill gymnastics movement (traditionally, muscle-ups in past years).
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An 8-12 min amrap – high reps and turnover
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ALL one modaility – 7 min burpees
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Time frame specific – increasing reps (13.5: 4-minute AMRAP 15 thrusters and 15 chest-to-bar pull-ups)
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HEAVY with one movement – SC to OH
This year, however, will mark the first year since the Open’s inception in 2011, that the ‘unknowable’ is truly more unknowable than ever before with the introduction of now an RX and Scaled Divisions.
Unlike years past, when the Open was one cut-and-dry competition of the Rich Fronings versus the Average Joe’s of the world, now those who are truly serious competitors and those who just “do it for fun” will see division, and therefore, potentially different and newer standards than in years past.
Higher skill gymnastics movements near the beginning of workouts, rather than the end? A heavier baseline for the prescribed weights and loads? More opportunities to ‘weed’ out the fittest of the fit early on?
While we could talk at nauseam about the ‘what if’s’ and ‘probabilities’ of this and that, your guess is as good as anyone’s. At the end of the day, if you want to do well in the Open, you need to be prepared for the Open.
PREPARATION:
Partner Assisted Thoracic Spine and Shoulder Stretch
Psoas and Hip Flexor Stretch
STRENGTH:
EMOM on for 7 minutes of:
- Power Snatches (begin at 50% of your Max)
Met-Con W
