CrossFit Open Week 3
It’s the last week of the Open, and not-so-shockingly, there are thrusters and gymnastics.
CrossFit Open 24.3
For time:
5 rounds of:
10 Thrusters, 95/65 lbs
10 Chest-to-bar Pull-ups
-- then --
Rest 1 min
-- then --
5 rounds of:
7 Thrusters, 135/95 lbs
7 Bar Muscle-ups
Time cap: 15 minutes
Full details about all divisions and movement standards are online. Please take time to look them over before coming to the gym! (Links: RX/Scaled/Masters and Foundations)
Logistics:
Sign up for class as you normally would. When you come, you will sign up for a heat and there will be a self-directed warm-up for you to follow. Expect to work out during one of the heats and judge/cheer a friend during another. If you know you need extra time, come a bit early to get yourself warm and cheer people on.
Pull-up station preference will be given to those athletes who are officially entered in the competition.
If you happen to be in the camp of trying to get your first chest-to-bar pull-up or bar muscle-up, come in early, watch a heat before you and ask the coaches/advanced athletes for tips.
Can’t make it Saturday? Post to Slack and we’ll help find a time for you to do it with a judge before the Monday 5PM score submission deadline.
Strategy
Thrusters:
Use your legs! Save your shoulders for all the gymnastics by driving hard with your legs to get the bar up before you need to engage the upper body.
Similarly, break them up! Almost everyone will benefit from a quick break (5-5 or 6-4 on the reps) to shake it out and spend less time under tension.
Be prepared for the second weight of thrusters to feel much heavier than it actually is. Remember to stay tight out of the bottom and use those legs to explode upwards.
Chest-to-bar Pull-ups:
Focus on that good kip – tight body position and a snap from arch to hollow.
Drive the elbows back and lean back a bit as you pull your chest to the bar to make it easier to make contact.
Aim to break at least 1-2 reps before failure so you don’t risk doing a big pull, and not making it to the bar.
If you know you’ll make it into the bar muscle-ups, break up the sets up early to save your pull for the second half of the workout.
Bar Muscle-ups:
If you have these, awesome! Focus on your technique as they will feel much harder after all the pull-ups.
If you’re still working on these, here are a few tips to get your first one: jump into an arch slightly in front of the bar. Push down on the bar to elevate your hips/body (it’s a push with straight arms, not a pull with bent arms). As your shoulders move behind the bar, then start to transition over the bar (be patient here!).
Pacing: don’t come out hot!
Start slower than you think you’ll need to go. It is very easy to spike your heart rate on the light thrusters. Don’t sprint them! Pace these smartly to set yourself up for the workout.
Plan how you will split up each movement. It’s much easier to keep those breaks short versus having to stop when you’re smoked or failing.
Know yourself on the gymnastics movements. If you can do big sets of pull-ups, break them into 2 sets. If you can do 2-3 unbroken, then it’s likely singles will be best. Either way, plan these out to keep your breaks short and leave enough energy to tackle the thrusters.
When you make it out of the first part, walk around, take some deep breaths, and shake out your arms/shoulders.
Scaling
We will have scaling options for everyone! If you’re entered online, there is an official scaled version with lighter thrusters, jumping chest-to-bar pull-ups, and chin-over-bar pull-ups. Remember though, that any reps at RX beat all scores at scaled! So, if you’re able to do the thrusters at the RX weight and then want to try for some chest-to-bar pull-ups, do it! If you hit the wall on them but want to keep doing the workout, tell your judge you’re done with the RX version and switch out whichever movement is limiting you.
Congratulations on finishing the Open! We’ll see you next weekend to celebrate everyone’s successes at Barebottle (Saturday 3/23 from 3-5PM).