13.3 last years recap and my prediction

I’ve used all my psychic powers of guestimation to come up with this week’s WOD. First off lets look at previous WOD 3s, recap the movements so far and have a look at what to expect tomorrow.

Previous WODs
WOD 3 2011 was a
5 min AMRAP (men - 165lbs/75kg women - 110/50kg)
squat clean
jerk

Well it's not going to have running in it!

Meanwhile 12.3 gave us
15 box jumps
12 push press
9 toes to bar

Patterns...
Where does that leave us?
    • These two are completely different  however we haven’t had any squat cleans or toes to bar.
    • Other movements we haven’t seen yet include - pull-ups, muscle-ups, double-unders, overhead squats and wall balls.
    • We also know last week the weight was relatively light so we can expect something heavier this week.
    • If we look at the crossfit main website they had clean and jerk on Monday, but none of the others I have written in this blog.
    • The WOD has to be done in a small space and all on camera so no running.
    • There will be simple standards so no push-ups and I don't think we'll get kettlebell swings. There may have been some alleged no-rep issues with some of the scores in 12.2 (but we wont look at that here, I merely suggest the top 200 competitors video submit or they have an extra level comp (say districts) to make sure the every rep ‘actually’ counts and we don’t see any duds go through to the next level)

My prediction...
7min AMRAP
double unders and squat cleans...
50 double unders
15 squat cleans 75/45kg
10 toes to bar

Good luck! Check back and I’ll let you know how I go in my own attempt in 13.3

13.1 Predictions

THE height of the Crossfit season is almost here and with just under a week to go it is time to register and get ready for the games to begin.
    Follow me through this Crossfit Games open blog in my second annual attempt to break a sweat, rack up some points and hopefully beat my efforts last year.
    Here I’ll pray to the Crossfit gods and predict for you the 2013 WODs (workouts), break them down and tell you exactly how hard they are.
    For five weeks, starting in Brisbane on Thursday, March 7 at 11am (or Wednesday, March 6 at 5pm in USA -PST) Crossfit headquarters will release a WOD then participants have one week to do it and register their score.
    With the games are now in their seventh year and more competitors than ever it will be tough to move past the opens (each box/my level), to the regionals (top 60 national competitors/30 teams) and finally the games (international competitors/three men, women and teams from each region).

• Me during our Australia Day celebrations
at the box - Aussie 'Fran'.

Firstly lets recap previous games week 1 WODs...

2011 gave us:
 10 min AMRAP (as many reps as possible) of:
 30 Double-Unders
 15 Power Snatches (M 75lbs/35kg : W 55lbs/25kg)

Then 2012 gave us:
7 min AMRAP of:
burpees

So lets think about it and look for a pattern.

• It could be an AMRAP, Chipper (a lengthy AMRAP), a ladder (each round there’s an extra rep for each movement) or a set WOD for time.
• The movements have to be able to be performed in front of a camera - getting rid of long runs, farmers carries and WODs where you cover any real distance.
• The first week is generally one that everybody can complete RXD (at the prescribed weight, aka RX in some places).
• The equipment used across the opens is usually pretty basic including a medicine ball, skipping rope, bar, box and rings.
• Each WOD has less than four movements.
• Each movement has clear standards so they can be judged online.

My prediction is...

7 min AMRAP
20 box jumps
10 power snatches (M 75lbs/35kg : W 55lbs/25kg)

My trainer James at Crossfit Northside thinks it will be an AMRAP of wall balls.

My boyfriends thinks double unders, squats and chest to overheads.

What do you think?

12.4 my legs are killing me!

IF I only got one more rep I would have had 200, but I'm sure everyone wanted one more rep. That's what keeps me motivated as well as how much better I will be at the Crossfit Games next year, in theory.

'Karen' was definitely a challenging way to start off the fourth WOD this year and I dare say the thought of 150 wall balls would have stopped people from giving this one a second try.

To recap 12.4 was a 12 minute AMRAP of 150 wall balls (for women - 6kg throwing it up to the 9 foot mark) followed by 90 double unders (double skips) and 30 muscle ups.

It was my first time ever doing Karen RXD and the first thing I told my awesome counter Michelle was please count it in 50's I do not want to hear okay that's 67 keep going.

I'm lucky that squats have always been my thing and being taller I didn't have to throw the ball as high. I also had Michelle tell me to yell lower if my squats were starting to get iffy so I wouldn't get no reped. I pushed through 25, 20, 15 and 10 at a time and finished them with a few minutes to spare.

The walk from wall balls to my skipping rope was epic. My legs were like jelly, my mind was a blur and my heart was racing. My recovery time is getting much better but I still have to work on my endurance.

I took a sip of water and asked the gods to give me rhythm. I missed a few skips but persevered five or four at a time. I wanted 90 but 49 was still pretty awesome.

The top people so far got...

Australia- Men: 261 (150 wb, 90du, 21mu) Women: 261

World- Men: 323 (1 round plus 150wb and 23du) Women: 266 (150wb, 90du, 26mu)

I just submitted my score so I'll let you know tomorrow what position I'm coming at through a comment. Hopefully a little better than 515 where I have been sitting after WOD 2 and 3. By the looks I could be 330 in Australia, that's so exciting!!!!

One day on my legs are sore, my neck is sore, my shoulders and lats are sore, my head is sore all though that's probably St Patricks Day/friend's hen's night related. lols bring on next week.

Come back soon to find out my predictions for the final open WOD, whether or not I get it and what my plan will be.

(picture - no picture I forgot, I'm so sorry I might try and get one during the week)

12.4 Muscle ups whatevs

CAN'T do muscle ups? Don't even worry most people will be lucky to even get that far in the 2012 Crossfit Games WOD 4. At least I know I will be...

Today we're going to go through the WOD breakdown, strategies and my goals.

The 12.4 Crossfit Games Open is...

12 minute as many reps as possible -

150 Wall balls (Men - 20lbs/9kg to 10foot/3m Women - 14lbs/6kg 9foot/2.74m)

90 double unders

30 muscle ups

I'm not sure what the Aussies are doing as far as weights are concerned it's generally 10kg for guys 5kg for girls. 9kg is good for our guys though! For us girls we usually go to 10ft anyway... mixed bag!

So first up we have to complete notorious benchmark WOD Karen. It starts with the ball to the ground you pick it up, squat to hips below knees then thrust it up and push it to the recommended height. Catch it and go again.

Now 150 is a lot of reps so the key is to stay focused and keep going. I like to break it down into manageable chunks. 50 (or 2x25) 40 (2x20) 30 (2x15) 20(2x10) 10. "Keep on with the force, don't stop... Don't stop till you get enough," as Michael Jackson said.

90 double unders, have the rope pass twice under your feet in each skip. To get consecutive double unders is a real crossfit achievement usually one of the first most people get but gosh they feel good. Breath, relax, keep your arms in close to your body and let your wrists do the rest.

If you've gotten to the muscle ups congratulations. Now I've never done one of these but if I had to give advice I'd say deep breaths and make each movement count. You don't wanna be swing under the rings for too long or failing attempts just go, go, go!

Now for my goals but I'll give you a bit of background... I started crossfit in Septemberish 2010

In dec 2010 I tried Karen, just me and two trainers at 9.30am in the middle of the Australian summer... I got 100 wall balls in 11.44mins then gave up. At this stage I was a one session a week crossfitter.

In July 2011 I finished Karen in 9.44mins almost RXD very close but not RXD enough.

Here's the thing though, I used a 5kg ball and went 10foot high. So I'm hoping to stay focused keep persisting, If I finish Karen in under 9 minutes this time round I'll be really really happy.

For the double unders my max consecutive is about 63 so in theory I'll just catch my breath and concentrate on relaxing my shoulders that's the spot that burns.

Muscle ups... If I did these it would literally be a miracle, I can do a kipping pullup and a pushup but thats about it. Miracle. lol.

Tune back in soon to see how I went and find out what my predictions for WOD 5 are.

Tuesday's prediction wasn't too bad double under I got. I knew they'd throw in muscle ups at the end of a long wod sort of similar to WOD 4 last year.

(video: the official breakdown)

12.4 the next prediction - what's missing

SOMETHING is missing from the 2012 Crossfit Games Open WODS and that's exactly what my guess is for workout four.

Here we're going to look at what movements we haven't done yet, what WOD 4 was last year and my prediction for this year...

So far we have had burpees, snatches, box jumps, toes to bar and push presses (which were essentially chest to overheads).

Keeping in mind we didn't do any kettle bell swings last year and no movements this year were new we're left with....

Double unders, pullups (chest to bar), cleans, wall balls, thrusters, push ups, dead lifts, squat clean, overhead squats, muscle ups.

This time last year we had...

10 min AMRAP

60 bar facing burpees

30 overhead squats

10 muscle ups

My prediction for the 2012 crossfit games open WOD 4 is

10 min AMRAP (haven't had one yet)

weights - lbs M: 135 W: 75 kgs M:60 W:35

30 double unders

15 deadlifts

10 cleans

5 overhead squats

That's my gut feeling... Especially after the hand carnage from toes to bar last week I think they'll save the chest to bars for the final week.

(picture hmmm the tea leaves seem to say kettle bells but I don't agree)

Come back to find out what the WOD is, my strategies and results and the final open games prediction next week :D

Predictions for WOD 1 2012 Crossfit Games

SPECULATION about the first workout in the 2012 Crossfit Games is well and truly underway with the first round to be released in less than two days.

In my mind I can break it down to give educated guess and think about my ideal workout.

In all seriousness the only way to predict the WOD is to look back at the 2011 games which more than 26,000 people took part in.

If there's any pattern it's here so let's work with the knowns to sort it out.

• Last year there were six WODS, all AMRAPs (as many rounds and reps as possible to get your best score).
• Each WOD could be completed in a relatively small area, for video recording purposes I'm sure, that cuts out runs, farmers carries and the like.
• The equipment used was the box, bar, rings, medicine ball and skipping rope. So pretty basic.
• Weights were pretty light for the first weeks and it got harder in either weight or reps as the rounds went on.
• Each WOD had two to three movements.

To refresh your memory Week 1 WOD 2011 was:

10 min AMRAP

30 Double-Unders

15 Power Snatches (M 75lbs/35kg : W 55lbs/25kg)

My prediction Week 1 WOD 2012:

10 min AMRAP

10 chest to overheads (M 100lbs/45kg : W 65lbs/30kg)

15 burpee box jumps

I'd like to add situps in there but it's not according to the 2011 pattern.

What I'd like to see:

10 min AMRAP

10 overhead squats (M 100lbs/45kg : W 65lbs/30kg)

10 pull ups

30 double-unders

Although I think my arms would get sore but I'd like a combination like that.

(Picture: Alternately you could just ask the crystal ball found in all good Crossfit gyms)