13.3 Ball Rash get used to it

BALL rash is something the entire crossfit community will have to get used to after 13.3 and that’s exactly what I’ve got right now.
    Let’s have a look at 13.3, we’ll talk strategy and I’ll give it a go.

13.3 the WOD - also known as Karen plus
150 wall balls men: 9kg to 10ft, women: 6kg to 9ft
90 double unders
30 muscle ups

The breakdown and strategy 
Well this is basically a revisit of 12.4 start with 150 wall balls, make sure you're nice and warm before you start this so you can get to the right depth in the squat before throwing the ball up the wall. Next up find a way to break it down many people do it in 10s. For me I go 50(2x25), 40(2x20), 30(2x15), 20(2x10), then 10 which you just smash out of the way or if you're really exhausted (2x5). Try not to drop the ball ever and catch it in a position where you don't have to adjust it before squatting and throwing again. Now if you're lucky enough to get through your 150 wall balls it's onto the double unders, find your rhythm and breath through it break it down if you have to but just get them out of the way. Then muscle ups you champ, if you've done these before (ever) just find your focus, 3, 2, 1. Now the top competitors are likely to get past those muscle ups and into the next set of wall balls as we've seen in previous years. Also there's a good chance you wont give this WOD another go in a couple of days, you'll see what I mean. However I do think if I ever do Karen in a normal class I'll just chuck on 90 double unders, why not!

My turn
Alright, due to some interesting weekend scheduling (parties and visitors) I gave this a go on Friday. The wall balls I broke it down as I said above and this year, they felt pretty good. I probably shouldn't have used chalk to cross it off. But it did give me focus. I had a few no reps, mostly for not hitting the wall, but that's always been my problem. I also dropped the ball after no repping, wasting precious time. The height however was not a issue so much usually at Crossfit Northside we aim for 10ft so 9ft was a bit of a walk in the park. Next up the double unders last year I didn't even finish these, I was so out of breath. This year I got through them doing on average 9 at a time simply because I was pretty tired from Karen. I finished them with 21 seconds to spare. So just for shits and giggles I attempted a muscle up. As I reached my arms up to the rings I was surprised at how sore they were. I simply did not have the power to get up. Also it would have been a crossfit miracle if I completed one because I never have before.

That's me getting ready for wall balls!

One day later
My legs are soooo sore and I have ball rash on my forearms and neck. Classy I know.

Come back soon and I'll give a prediction for next week's WOD we're over the halfway mark. Do you think they'll give us 12.5's Fran style WOD?

13.2 the prediction

recap of previous WOD 2s, the pattern, my prediction, how I went in 13.1

WHAT a start to the 2013 Crossfit Games open season! We were smashed with a 17 minute high intensity WOD (workout) testing our strength and endurance.
    This only means one thing... The crossfit gods are trying to kill us. No not really, but it does mean this is tougher then we’ve seen before which leads us into predictions for this week’s WOD.
    Lets start off by recapping previous years, looking for a pattern, my predictions and I’ll let you know how I went in 13.1 (spoiler alert! I’m pretty chuffed with 137).
   

The recap: number 2... The WOD that is...
    In previous years we found ourselves battling it out with very different WODs.

    2011
    15 minute AMRAP (as many reps as possible)
    9 Deadlifts (155lbs/75kg 100lbs/45kg),
    12 Push-ups
    15 Box Jumps (24/20 inch)

    2012
    10 minute AMRAP
    snatches
    30 reps Men: 35kg (135) Women: 20kg (45)
    30 reps Men: 60kg (165) Women: 35kg (100)
    30 reps Men: 75kg (165) Women: 45kg (100)
    Then max reps Men: 95kg (210)Women: 55kg (120)

The pattern... At first glance it doesn’t look like there’s one but I think there is.
    • One thing is certain 12.2 was very similar to 13.1 so will we see more WODs similar to 2012, I think so.
    • Then there should be the usual constraints seen in Crossfit opens - AMRAP, standard movements performed on camera, no repeat in movements from the previous WODs, minimal equipment.
    • Two to three movements per WOD.

My prediction...
    12 minute AMRAP
    21 double unders
    15 Wall balls
    9 Toes to Bar
    This notion if further confirmed by the pattern - if 13.1 was almost the same as 12.2, then 13.2 will be similar to 12.3 (18 minutes AMRAP 15 boxjumps, 12 push press, 9 toes to bar).
    Though I wouldn’t be surprised if we got a ‘quick’ 7 minute WOD


How I went in 13.1... A WOD to separate the field...
    Coming into the first round I was a little apprehensive, 17 minutes is a long time to be pushing yourself to the limit. I was scheduled to give it a crack in heat 2 at Crossfit Northside.
    I watched on as the other competitors moved through the WOD and was surprised to see most women got through the first 70 (40 burpees and 30 snatches at 20kg) in under 10 minutes and the following 30 burpees soon after.
    This gave me a spark of hope, I should be able to get more than 100 reps. This time last year I think 35kg was my 1RM but between then and now I had completed 3 reps at 42.5kg, so I really hoped to get to the third set of snatches.
    I set my mind to embrace the challenge, think Jenneke (the Australian hurdler who dances before each race, youtube it) with a bit of a shake and big smile the clock counted down 3...2...1!
    Don’t stop, don’t ever stop the words went through my mind, I slowed but never paused as I cracked through the first 40 burpees, much much quicker than I did 12.1 (7min AMRAP burpees).
    I picked up the 20kg bar knowing I only had to go below the knee as it had no plates, a fantastic prospect for tall people, it made it so much easier I almost thought of loading the next round of snatches with small weights.
    I didn’t put it down, completing 30 in a row exactly my plan to get a good split time.
    The 30 burpees seemed so much easier than the 40. After 15 I was halfway through (my mathematical brain breaking it down to three sets of 5).
    Then came the 35kg. Knowing that one of the girls at the gym got 150 (Shannon you champ) I wanted to reach her. I needed pace but after the first snatch I dropped the bar unevenly and only one side dropped so that really stuffed me.
    I kept my ‘dance your way’ attitude through the WOD and with a shake of the wrists did one rep at a time, and a couple of twos.
    My counter Dim (and the best female athlete at CFNS) kept telling me to pick it up and with 35 seconds remaining I completed the 30 snatches.
    I spun around and got down and up as quick as I could giving me 7 burpees for my grand total 137.
    I was over the moon, so happy, pumped and ready to go I thought yeah I’m gonna do this again, I’ve got this one in the bag.
    After a couple of drinks that night I stood up and my hamstrings were unbelievably sore and three days later (today) I’m still feeling it despite stretching and rolling.
    Needless to say I didn’t give it another crack.
    Instead I’ll focus on next week.

    Tune in to find out how I do, I’ll try to post it after I complete it on Saturday morning.