CrossFit Open Workout 19.2 challenged me in every way possible. The workout consisted of the following:
Beginning on an 8-minute clock, complete as many reps as possible of:
25 toes-to-bars
50 double-unders
15 squat cleans, 85 lb.
25 toes-to-bars
50 double-unders
13 squat cleans, 115 lb.
If completed before 8 minutes, add 4 minutes to the clock and proceed to:
25 toes-to-bars
50 double-unders
11 squat cleans, 145 lb.
If completed before 12 minutes, add 4 minutes to the clock and proceed to:
25 toes-to-bars
50 double-unders
9 squat cleans, 175 lb.
If completed before 16 minutes, add 4 minutes to the clock and proceed to:
25 toes-to-bars
50 double-unders
7 squat cleans, 205 lb.
Stop at 20 minutes.
For most individuals at my box, this was an 8 to 12 minute workout. Competing as an Rx Master’s Women Athlete (35-39 years) for the first time, the toes –to-bar alone crushed me. Coming into 19.2 my goal was to get through the first set of 25 toes- to- bar and I did it! I have been able to perform a toes- to- bar for at least the last month but I have had a really difficult time stringing together successive reps of the movement. So I found myself watching lots of technique videos Thursday night and practicing single reps in the gym on Friday. I decided to go with the single rep strategy and, for me, it worked great. I was no-repped maybe 5-6 times, just nearly missing the bar each time. I did also tear the heck out of my hands (see picture), but have since learned about the value of shaving callouses (check out video here: [Video] Ultimate Guide To CrossFit® Hand Care). For me, this was a mental workout as much as it was a physical workout. I knew I would be physically pushed and so focused my concentration on not becoming flustered with any difficulty I might and expected to encounter with the movements. In retrospect, keeping a calm mind was key for helping me get through those toes-to-bar.
I anticipated that if I made it through the toes- to- bar anything could happen with the double-unders. I finished 26 of these before I hit the 8 minute time cap (it took me about 4 minutes to complete TTB). I can do double-unders, but like the toes-to- bar, struggle with consecutive reps maybe topping out around 7 to 10. When the 8 minute cap hit, I was extremely happy to have accomplished my goal but was also left wishing I had worked harder through the year to become more consistent with double-unders. I really would have loved to have made it to the barbell because the squat cleans looked like where all the fun was happening! Again, as I touched on in my last post, I loved this workout because of the simplicity and the incorporation of complementing body weight and barbell strength movements. There are so many aspects and movements in CrossFit that I am excited to work on but after being pushed to the max by 19.1 and 19.2, I feel the need to re-up my commitment to focusing on fundamental body weight, gymnastic movements. Thus far, this Open has me chasing virtuosity!
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