12.5 at last - current results, breakdown, strategies as a first timer

MY gut instinct was right, the last workout from 2011 is perfect as the last workout this year. So, that's exactly what we got (I shouldn't have changed my prediction at the last second, I would have been right otherwise).

Today we'll go through the Crossfit Games 2012 12.5 break down, have a look a at current results, my strategies and goals.

The 12.5 WOD is....

A 7 minute AMRAP

3-6-9-12-15-18-21....

Thrusters (Men: 100lbs/45kg Women: 65lbs/30kg)

Chest to bar Pullups

So each round you do 3 of each movement, then 6, then 9 and so on until the 7 minutes is up.

Thrusters - it starts with the weight on the ground and you clean it up to your shoulders, or get it there any way you can. With the bar on your shoulders squat down until your hip crease is below your knees. Then drive up and push the bar overhead until your legs, hips and arms are all locked out. Then it's just a matter of doing it again until you've finished the round. You can do a squat clean into a thruster for the first one and it'll get counted.

For me here's the tricky bit

Chest to bar pullup - this one can be done strict, butterfly or kipping as long as your chest hits the bar and your arms are extended at the bottom.

Every rep is counted for this one and currently the top scores are:

Australia
Men 136 -18 rounds + 10 thrusters
Women 105 - 15 rounds + 15 thrusters

Worldwide
Men 159 - 18 completed + 21 thrusters +12 pullups
Women 137 - 18 completed + 11 thrusters

So looking at this if I were confident with the movements I'd aim to finish round 9 or 12. However, I have never done a chest to bar pullup in my life.

Here's my plan
Thrusters should be fine as long as I go low enough because I'm doing a low number of reps I'll just take it easy here. If this weren't the case I'd squat clean it up straight into a thruster. If you're having problems with your depth get in early before the workout and stretch.

I can do kipping pullups, the most I've ever done is 50 in one WOD (in sets of 1-6) so in theory I should be able to get onto the bar. My hands are not ripped at the moment just a slight blister on the thumb so I wont go to crazy with strapping. I'll just aim to hold onto the bar nice and tight.

Before the WOD begins I'm going to go back to basics with C2B on the bands working my way from green to orange then I'll do a few without any, I hope. I may strap for this just to keep my hands protected so they're good for the actuall WOD.

I hope to get the start of the 9 thrusters round but all honesty I'd be happy to get up to the 6 round.

Check back soon to find out how I went and my final blog for the 2012 crossfit games (as I'm quite certain I wont make the cut for regionals... This year round anyway)

(Video - The official 12.5 crossfit games 2012 break down)

Below is last years break down... It's not as fast paced and exciting but it is extensive and really goes into depth about how to rep and no rep.

12.3 if only I could have caught my breath I'd be able to rock this

THE hardest workout by far was certainly the Crossfit Games WOD 3 - 15 box jumps, 12 push press and 9 toes to bar.

My initial plan was to go all out and get as many rounds completed as possible, which I guess is what anyone would hope to do every time.

15 box jumps complete, 35kg push press which I semi jerked most times was not too bad, I just kept telling myself I've done 55kg, 35 is easy. Toes to bar... I got about three or four done properly, then I realised how hard it was.

Before starting the workout I was having a chat to a few of the other crossfitters and there were a range of different strategies and levels of nervousness.

The main concern was indeed the toes to bar and how ripped their hands were going to get so I absolutely covered my hands in strapping tape... only to find my hands were getting sweaty later.

During the first round - a couple of times I managed to get one foot up then kick the other foot to the bar. Either way, slowly, I got the first round completed.

Second round box jumps were good, push-pressing was a little harder and I went back to the bar.

Breathlessly I jumped up and tried to kip my way up with only a little luck. At about five reps in ripped tape of one of my hands to give me time to catch my breath again.

Then I kipped again and found the rhythm, I could get one leg up easily and kick the other up sort of like an eight-year-old trying to do flips on the monkey bars.

I finished the second round and still couldn't get my breath, kept pushing and thinking I'll catch my breath on the box jumps, push press or toes to bar.

I got to the third round of toes to bar took off the strapping from my other hand and had a rhythm going one leg at a time.

I'm pretty sure I was the only one doing it this way but hey, whatever gets you through it is the way to do it. I also had great support from the rest of the team at northside, thanks guys.

In the end I got three rounds and 15 boxjumps.

That places me in

WOD 3

Australia 520

World 6735

Overall

Australia 515 of 709 so far

World 6645 of 7738

Not bad. I can only imagine how much better I would be this time next year.

Visit again soon to find out my prediction for next week, my strategies for the WOD 4 and results.... Two weeks to go!!!

(picture - this one is from Katrina who was taking photos on the day, (thankyou!) i've got no strapping on my hand so I can only assume it's late round two or three)