Training Tips

Complete as many rounds as possible in 15 minutes of:

19 wall-ball shots

19-calorie row

19.1 is here and it’s bringing the 🔥 🔥 🔥

This old-school AMRAP is one hell of a way to kick off the 2019 CrossFit Open season and Brute coaches Adrian Conway and Nick Fowler are walking you through how to approach it.

Step One: Set up your gear.

1. Used to wearing weightlifting shoes for the rower? Bring those bad boys — that can be a great advantage for you. However, if that’s not something you normally do then stick with what you’re used to, the CrossFit Open isn’t a time for trying something new.
2. Show up a little early and clean your rower out.
3. Call dibs on the nice ball. Nothing like a lopsided ball to throw off your rep scheme.
4. Put your phone on airplane mode and set up your camera (and your back up camera). Having to redo your workout because of a phone call interrupting your video is an Open Tragedy.
5. Set up your rower near where you’ll be doing your wall-balls.

Step Two: Warm-up.

10-minute air bike buildup to aerobic pace

**Gradual buildup of pace until you reach 80%

Activate:

2 Rounds

10 Groiners

10 Samson Lunges

10 PVC Pass Throughs

15 Second Handstand Hold

10 Banded Good Mornings

 

Then…

3 Rounds

12 Second Row @ +300cal/hr Pace of Workout

5 WB Front Squats

5 Strict Press Toss

5 Wall-Balls @ 19.1 Weight

Rest 60 Seconds

 

Build-Up:

3 Round **Fast Transitions**

30 Second Calorie Row @ Workout Pace

8 Wall-Balls

*Focus is on transitions. Have your rower straps setup so that you can slip in and out without touching with your hands.

Step Three: Rest three minutes.

Step Four: GO!

Decide on your strategy before you begin. Pacing is going to be everything in this workout and can either make or break it for you.

Not happy with how you finished the workout? This one is definitely repeatable and you’ll be able to do it two times — maybe even three times.

For Adrian and Nick’s full strategy and warm-up tips, watch the entire episode above.

May the odds be ever in your favor 🙌

Brought to you by Games Athlete and Brute Coach George Sanchez

Workout 19.3:

“DUNCAN SHEIK”

For Time:
27-21-15-9
Dumbbell Squat Cleans (50/35)
Toes to Bar
***100 Double Unders BETWEEN each round***

Breakdown: Time, Length, Equipment needed:

Time cap is 30 minutes. Plan to pace this out for a longer workout but qualifiers will not take that full 30minutes. I would say 12-15minutes for elites is reasonable but it’s tough to say without doing this one. Pair of dumbbells, jump rope, pull-up bar.

Pacing advice:

This workout is going to get grippy quickly so breaking things up early and often is my suggestion. One thing of note is that the workout does not end on 100 double unders so don’t conserve anything once you get down to the set of 9s. Taking 2-3 quick breaks on the sets of 27 and 21 is completely reasonable to keep heart rate down and again to conserve your grip. Make sure to review the standards of movement here because the cleans differ from what we saw in the Open in that only one head of the DB needs to touch the ground and the dbs can go inside or outside of your body. You’ll have to practice what works best for you before hopping into this one but going inside with the weights will shorten cycle time and allow you to keep your feet in your squat stance the entire time. Again, break up these reps early and then when you get to the 15s it’s time to start ramping up to finish this workout. Save your grip!

Camera setup:

Remember that videos are NOT required when submitting a score; an Affiliate Owner can verify your scores. Elite Division athletes, however, should be videoing ALL workouts because at the conclusion of the qualifier, 1-2 random workout videos will be asked of the athletes. These videos are required to verify your score in the Elite Division for both Team and Individuals.

Prior to starting, film the dumbbells clearly showing the weights of each.  All video submissions should be uncut and unedited in order to accurately display the performance. A clock or timer with the running workout time clearly visible should be in the frame throughout the entire workout. Shoot the video from an angle so all exercises can be clearly seen meeting the movement standards. Athletes must stay in the frame for the entire video. Videos shot with a fisheye lens or similar lens may be rejected due to the visual distortion these lenses cause.

Limiters/ sticking points:

-Grip won’t have a place to rest here so a break plan with short rest is needed.

-Set of 21s when it all starts to sink in. Keep moving.

Repeatability:

You’re going to have to choose your battles wisely with three scores this week. This can be repeated but what it might cost another workout may not be worth it. Set a plan and attack first time through!

Workout 19.4

“BOY, THAT ESCALATED QUICKLY”

Every 3 Minutes complete the following:

10 Bench Presses (135/95)
10 Chest to Bar Pullups
10 Alternating Db Snatches (50/35)

***add 2 reps to each exercise each round***

Breakdown: Time, Length, Equipment needed:

3:00 work increments until failure. Ranges will be wide here based on the bench and pull-ups but I would expect elites to reach 6-8cycles of this(18+ minutes).

You’ll need a bench, barbell, plates and clips, and one dumbbell

Pacing advice:

Play to your strengths here. If you’re great at bench/pushups then there should be too many breaks here until you get deeper into the workout. Same goes for the c2b pull-ups. I would plan to break the pull-ups in half early to keep heart rate down and breathing in check as long as possible. The Db snatch is a bit of an afterthought at this weight but will still take up a considerable amount of time as the work increases each interval. Be careful trying to buy yourself time, and know roughly how long each set will take you on the snatches. You need to be able to finish the c2b with time to complete the snatches. Take the time in your warm up to time out some sets to figure out what is realistic and possible for you and then go get it! Stay calm as long as possible and when it’s your time to shine on your last 3:00 interval leave no doubt. Who knows, you might buy yourself another 3:00…

Camera setup:

Remember that videos are NOT required when submitting a score; an Affiliate Owner can verify your scores. Elite Division athletes, however should be videoing ALL workouts because at the conclusion of the qualifier, 1-2 random workout videos will be asked of the athletes. These videos are required to verify your score in the Elite Division for both Team and Individuals.

Prior to starting, film the weights for the bench press, including bar and all all plates. They must also video the weight of their dumbbell clearly showing the weight. All video submissions should be uncut and unedited in order to accurately display the performance. A clock or timer with the running workout time clearly visible should be in the frame throughout the entire workout. Shoot the video from an angle so all exercises can be clearly seen meeting the movement standards. Athletes must stay in the frame for the entire video. Videos shot with a fisheye lens or similar lens may be rejected due to the visual distortion these lenses cause.

Limiters/ sticking points:

– managing a comfortable pace on the first few intervals to buy yourself a chance to go deep in this one

-maximizing your strengths whether that’s the bench or the pull-ups or maybe both.

Repeatability:

Definitely repeatable as time management is the name of the game. Take care of those hands so you don’t worry about a rip on the C2B. Again, you’re going to have to choose your battles wisely with three scores this week. This can be repeated but what it might cost another workout may not be worth it.

Workout 19.5

“NASTY GIRLS LOVE DT”

3 Sets for Time:
50 Air Squats
7 Ring Muscle Ups
1 Round of “DT”

“DT”

12 Deadlifts (185/125)
9 Hang Power Cleans
6 Shoulder To Overhead

Breakdown: Time, Length, Equipment needed:

Time cap is 30min but again it will not be taking the top spots that long. Sub 10s for sure from elite qualifiers and my guess is a sub 8 for the top spot..You’ll need a set of high rings, barbell, plates and clips.

Pacing advice:

What a fun way to finish two weeks of some great workouts. This workout will test some classic CrossFit and force you to leave it all on the floor. Air squats are going to have to be quick as some of those smaller athletes will likely crush this first part of the workout. As soon as you feel extension it’s time to drop back into the squat. Waste no time here and consider squatting directly underneath your rings. Ring MU should be unbroken for those looking to qualify Elite. If you have to break these then just make it quick. For the “DT” portion you’ll need to find a way to keep that barbell moving. If you’re limited by the HPC or S2OH consider breaking before your final rep of the movement before so you can go as unbroken as possible. Best of the best won’t be taking many breaks here. Once you get back to the air squats it’s the same mindset as set 1… just keep moving. You will not fail an air squat. And remember you’ll get to ‘air them out’ a little on the next movement. Keep those transitions tight by air squatting under your rings and having your barbell only 1-2 steps away, chalk breaks at a minimum, and finish up strong here.

Camera setup:

Remember that videos are NOT required when submitting a score; an Affiliate Owner can verify your scores. Elite Division athletes, however should be videoing ALL workouts because at the conclusion of the qualifier, 1-2 random workout videos will be asked of the athletes. These videos are required to verify your score in the Elite Division for both Team and Individuals.

Prior to starting, film the weights on the barbell to ensure correct loading has been achieved.  All video submissions should be uncut and unedited in order to accurately display the performance. A clock or timer with the running workout time clearly visible should be in the frame throughout the entire workout. Shoot the video from an angle so all exercises can be clearly seen meeting the movement standards. Athletes must stay in the frame for the entire video. Videos shot with a fisheye lens or similar lens may be rejected due to the visual distortion these lenses cause.

Limiters/ sticking points:

–letting the air squat burn slow you down in later rounds

-breaking rings/barbell movements up

-losing time in transitions

Repeatability:

This can be repeated as CNS fatigue won’t be much of a limiter. Again, you’re going to have to choose your battles wisely with three scores this week. This can be repeated but what it might cost another workout may not be worth it.

 

Brought to you by Games Athlete and Brute Coach George Sanchez

Workout 19.1:

Chipper “Christine”

For Time:
1,500m Row
36 Deadlift (225/155#)
63 Box Jump Overs (24/20″)
Time Cap:15min

Breakdown: Time, Length, Equipment needed:

15min time cap, C2 rower, barbell, plates, ploy box .

Pacing advice:

If you saw the vote for this version on the traditional “Christine” this is definitely the faster option. That said, you could use a your benchmark time for this workout as a guideline, but expect this to be a little quicker as you will only be making 2 transitions in this workout compared to 8 in the 3 rounds for time version. The row in this workout should be approached with a little bit of reserve but not so much that you feel fresh getting off. I would plan to hold my 2k row PR pace for the majority of this and then start to pull back the last 100m to allow some space to gather breath and focus on those deadlifts. For those hoping to qualify Elite, these deadlifts are just a set up for the box jump overs. You’ll definitely need to have a smart break up plan on the deadlifts to truly attack the box jump overs. I like to work in descending rep schemes so 12-10-8-6 or 15-12-9 might be something to consider. Be sure to monitor rest and not just wait until you feel ready for the next set. Be strict with work and rest. For the box jump overs you’re going to want to find a rhythm early and ride that out for the majority of these reps. I personally think that 63 reps is too much to just ‘send it’ on even though it will be very tempting. Even if you’re great at rebounding these, you’ll want to be slightly conservative on the first 20 or so to find a solid rhythm and focus in on one point of the box. Don’t get distracted by anything around you because a missed jump here will hurt in more than one way. Once you find a rhythm here, it’s time to start trying to speed up the reps. Hold on and finish.

Camera setup:

Set up your camera so that you can clearly see the rower monitor and lockout of the deadlift.  Set up your bar close to your rower and box just on the back side of both. Just like the open you should make sure you stay in the frame at all times, battery space is plentiful, and disturbances are turned off.

Limiters/ sticking points:

-consistency on deadlifts and breaking work/rest properly

-trying to speed to finish too soon on the box jump overs

Repeatability:

You could repeat this, but beware of the lingering posterior soreness that is certain with the high volume box jump overs especially if your plan is to rebound reps. Aside from muscle soreness, CNS should be able to recover in time for a second crack.

Brought to you by Games Athlete and Brute Coach George Sanchez

Workout 1:

12 min AMRAP
30 Double Unders
3,6,9 etc Power cleans @ 50kgs/35kgs
(reps increasing by 3 each round)

Breakdown: Time, Length, Equipment needed:

12 minutes, barbell, plates, clips, jump rope

Pacing advice:

This is a muscle endurance workout that will challenge your shoulders and grip. Honestly this workout is just a whole lot of power cleans and the double unders will become an afterthought for most athletes. That said, is important to remain focused and move with intention in and out of those sets of double unders. If you trip up, don’t let it get to you. Simply take a step forward and keep jumping. In your warm-up you should really focus on dialing in your footwork and breathing with that barbell in your hands, because again this will make up the majority of your workout. Hook grip that barbell and hold on for dear life!

Camera setup:

Profile or 45 degree angle of your barbell.

Video submissions are required for each workout, for all athletes who want to qualify for the ACC. Please note for teams, all workouts are individually performed and submitted via their team captain. The team captain is responsible for uploading the scores and video links for each member of the team.

Prior to starting, athletes should state their name, and show and state the weights and equipment to be used. All video submissions must be uncut and unedited in order to accurately display the performance. A clock or timer, with the running workout time clearly visible should be in the frame throughout the entire workout. Shoot the video from an angle so ALL exercises can be clearly seen meeting the movement standards. Videos shot with a fisheye lens or similar lens may be rejected due to the visual distortion these lenses cause. If an athlete needs someone to adjust their camera during the WOD to capture all movements, this is acceptable, as long as the flow of the workout and the athlete is in view the whole time.

Limiters/ sticking points:

-consistency on double unders

-purposeful transitions

-grip and local muscle endurance

Repeatability:

I would take a couple days before doing this one again as lingering effects on your grip could affect your ability to do DLs consistently in W2.

Workout 2A & 2B

For Time;
30-20-10 reps;
Dumbbell Deadlifts @ 35kg/22.5kg Pair
Burpee Box Overs 24inch/20inch

Part B
In remaining time:
3 RM overhead squat from the floor

Breakdown: Time, Length, Equipment needed:

Varied on A, 20min clock for both parts to be complete. Proper DB weights, plyo box, barbell, plates, clips

Pacing advice:

Part A times are going to be a little varied based on ability and endurance of the athlete. You have a 20min clock here, but both parts are scored so you still have to go hard on A and hit a strong lift (or 3) for Part B. I would recommend breaking up the DB work only if you know that you’re not traditionally comfortable with a whole lot of hinging in a workout. Be smart with these breaks, maybe 2 in the first set and 1 in the second(set of 20), by giving yourself a straight or descending rep scheme to work with. This might look like 12/10/8 or 10s on set 1, or maybe 16/14 if you’re feeling confident at this weight. On the BBJO, this is all about moving at a consistent pace through the 30s and 20s. Stay focused and keep your footwork looking tight here. Any wasted time on the box will certainly cost you more than taking a quick break with your dumbbells.

Part B is from the floor so you have a little bit of freedom as to how you’re going to get that weight overhead for 3 reps. A well balanced athlete will more than likely power clean their rep to the shoulder, and then go overhead for the 3. Some may even squat clean but I believe that is a huge energy drain for pressing to hit a 3RM. Again, a well balanced athlete will aim to hit around 85-90% of their power clean max. With part A happening first, you should still have a decent amount of time to build and hit this weight. Your midline will be fired about by the time you get here, so make sure to take your time and treat each lift like it’s your max to ensure you’re lifting as much weight as possible.

Camera setup:

Prior to starting, athletes should state their name, and clearly show and state the weights and equipment to be used. All video submissions must be uncut and unedited in order to accurately display the performance. A clock or timer, with the running workout time clearly visible should be in the frame throughout the entire workout. Shoot the video from an angle so ALL exercises can be clearly seen meeting the movement standards. At the end of part B, you must declare the weight you successfully lifted and show the camera the barbell.

Videos shot with a fisheye lens or similar lens may be rejected due to the visual distortion these lenses cause. If an athlete needs someone to adjust their camera during the WOD to capture all movements, this is acceptable, as long as the flow of the workout and the athlete is in view the whole time. It is the athletes responsibility to ensure their video meets the standard

For all athletes who want to qualify for the ACC, video submissions are required for each workout at the same time as score submission. Please note for teams, all workouts are individually performed and submitted via their team captain. The team captain is responsible for uploading the scores and video links for each member of the team.

Limiters/ sticking points:

-consistent pacing on part A

-proper planning on weights for part B

Repeatability:

I would take a couple days before doing this one again just to allow CNS to recover enough to give yourself a chance at a heavier weight on the OHS.

Brought to you by Games Athlete and Brute Coach George Sanchez

Workout 1 – Athlete A – For Time
3 Rounds Of
10 Back Squats (225, 155Lbs)
20 Toes To Bar

Workout 2 – Athlete B – For Time
3 Rounds Of
15 Back Squats (185, 125Lbs)
15 Deficit Hspu (6In, 4In)

Workout 3 – Athlete C – For Time
3 Rounds Of
20 Back Squats (135, 95Lbs)
10 Ring Muscle-Ups

Workout breakdown: Time, Length, Equipment needed

Varied depending on ability, fastest times will be sub 4 minutes for elites going UB on all movements,

Pacing advice:

You really have to know your ability and on the gymnastics movements here and play to your team’s individual strengths in assigning workouts. No matter who you are, you have to move through the back squats with a little bit of reserve as the faster you squat the higher your heart rate will be. The last place you want to be is gasping for air in your second set of squats. I honestly believe there are some ninjas out there that will be aiming to go as unbroken as possible through all of these sets. If you know what your max set is of ttb/deficit hspu/mu then you should use that number as a guide for how big of sets you might try to attack. Take a look at the total volume of what’s required of you here.. 60 toes-to-bar or 45 deficit hspu or 30 ring muscle ups. Rounds 1 & 2 are not the places to take chances on the gymnastics movements. In my opinion, the last round is going to be what makes or breaks the best times. Find that right threshold line to ride for you, and then go for broke on the final set of gymnastics. This might mean quick work quick rest sets, and this might mean a full send for UB. Remember, push through that pain and do it for your team!

Camera setup:

Prior to starting, athletes should state their name, and show the weights to be used and the hand box measurements created by the tape for the handstand push-ups (36x24in,) if applicable. All video submissions should be uncut and unedited in order to accurately display the performance. A clock or timer, with the running workout time clearly visible should be in the frame throughout the entire workout. Shoot the video from an angle so all exercises can be clearly seen meeting the movement standards. Videos shot with a fisheye lens or similar lens may be rejected due to the visual distortion these lenses cause. If an athlete needs someone to adjust their camera during the WOD to capture all movements, this is acceptable.

Please note, video submission will be required at the conclusion of the WZA Online Challenge & Qualifier for teams landing in top spots, as well as for those athletes looking to earn a spot to compete in MIami via Open Registration in Scaled. Videos will be requested at the conclusion of the Team Challenge, so Team WZA recommends recording any and all workout performances.

Limiters/ sticking points:

–Knowing threshold in gymnastics movements and breaking before you’re forced to break (fail).

Repeatability:

-Definitely. I would consider doing this one twice because times will be super close. If you blow your pacing the first time through then learn from it and improve.

WZA Online Team Qualifier Workout 4

Brought to you by Brute One-on-One Coach, El Senouvor

For Total Cumulative Load (Athlete A + Athlete B + Athlete C)

In A 3Min Window, Each Athlete Individually Establishes Their 5 Heaviest Snatches

*Singles Or Touch & Go Allowed / Weight Cannot Change

Tie Breaker

The Team’s Heaviest Individual Athlete’s Score.

*If performing in kilograms, each athlete must individually convert their score to pounds (lbs,) rounding down to the nearest whole pound before totalling their score.

Tips and Strategy

With each athlete having a 3 minute window to complete their heaviest 5 lifts, gives you the opportunity to go for 90% +. Drop and reset every rep is the way to go here, no need to attempt to TNG the 5 reps when you can turn this into a battery test. Performing a lift every 45 secs will allow you to put some big numbers up relative to your 1-RM. Make sure you warm-up properly and you feel confident in the weight that you’re attempting. You can make multiple attempts at it but once you start there very little room for error.

Camera Set-Up

Make sure you show all you weights prior to the workout and you clearly announce the load prior to each attempt.

Limiters

-Your technique

-Your battery / engine

Repeatability

Because of the high CNS demand on this one, make sure you make your efforts count. 1 repeat with 24-48 hours between efforts is the way to go.

WZA Online Qualifier Workout 5

Brought to you by Brute One-on-One Coach, El Senouvor

Each Workout Has A 10 Min Time-Cap

Athlete A – Jackie For Time:

1000M Row

50 Thrusters (45/35lbs)

30 Pull-Ups

Athlete B – Karen For Time:

150 Wallballs (20/14lbs To 10Ft)

Athlete C – Fran For Time:

21-15-9

Thrusters (95/65lbs)

Pull-Ups

Tie Breaker: Athlete C’s Time On Fran

Jackie – (45, 35lb) – (20, 15kg)

Karen – (20, 14lb) – (9, 7kg) – (14, 10lb) – (7, 5kg)

Fran – (95, 65lb) – (44, 30kg) – (75, 55lb) – (34, 25kg)

Scaled Variation

Jackie:

Thrusters (45, 35Lb)

Jumping Pull-Ups

Karen:

Wallballs (14 To 10Ft, 10Lb To 9Ft)

Fran:

Thrusters (75, 55Lb)

Jumping Pull-Ups

Tips and Strategy

When selecting which athlete will complete which workout, use benchmark scores to decide which options give your team the lowest cumulative time.

Fran –  Full Send! *Meaning to go for broke, all out effort here!

Karen –  The goal on Karen should be UB, if you don’t quite have that capacity then you should have solid rep scheme to hold yourself accountable to. Making sure that you’ve properly warmed up and your shoulders, legs and aerobic system are good to go is a great way to set yourself up for success. Having your teammates count your reps and rest so you can focus on doing the work will be helpful.

Jackie – Properly pacing the 1000m row is critical to your ability to finish the workout with intensity. Your pace should be about 10-20 secs slower than your best 1000m row avg pace. Transitioning into the thruster with the mindset of not putting the barbell down until you’ve completed all 50 reps will set you up well for the remainder of the workout. Once you get to the pull-ups go for unbroken or very big sets with very short breaks.

Camera set-up

“Prior to starting, athletes should state their name, and clearly display every piece of equipment they are using and make sure that the weight is also clearly shown in the video. If performing wall balls, the target must be measured and clearly displayed on video as well. A clock or timer, with the running workout time clearly visible should be in the frame throughout the entire workout. Shoot the video from an angle so all exercises can be clearly seen meeting the movement standards. Videos shot with a fisheye lens or similar lens may be rejected due to the visual distortion these lenses cause. If an athlete needs someone to adjust their camera during the WOD to capture all movements, this is acceptable. “

Repeatability

These workouts are short, light and intense, you should be able to repeat with 1-2 days between attempts.

WZA Online Qualifier Workouts 6 & 7

Brought to you by Games Athlete and Brute Coach George Sanchez

In a 10min window, each athlete individually completes:
Workout 6
Row Time Trial (2000m, 1750m)

Workout 7
Max Devil Press (50, 35lbs)

Workout 6 Tie Breaker
The slowest individual row time on the time trial between the three teammates.

Workout 7 Tie Breaker
The highest number of individual devil press reps completed by any of the three teammates.

Acceptable KG Conversions
Dumbbell – (50, 35lb) – (23, 16kg) *Scaled option; (35, 20lbs) – (16, 9kg)

Workout breakdown: Time, Length, Equipment needed

10min clock, Concept 2 rower, pair of dumbbells

Pacing advice:

Time to refresh that 2k PR time!! Hopefully you have an idea of what your 2k PR time is and you can set a goal to try to get as close to it as possible. There will be a sense of a slight preserve here because workout 7 starts as soon as you complete that row. For your 2k, it is imperative that you remain calm and focused through the middle 1000m (500m-1500m) because this is where those negative thoughts might creep in with fatigue building. Remain calm and stay in control of your pace. When setting paces in running, rowing, or biking, I like to try to be as close to my target pace as possible. Aim small, miss small. For the rower this might look like making sure your average pace always displays your goal within a second. To be even more precise, you might want to even dial this into .5 of a second to keep your mind busy and engage through this entire row. Make sure you get nice and sweaty in your warmup for this piece and get after it!

There isn’t really a whole lot of strategy going into W7. You have a fairly low skill movement and nowhere else to go but down and up with those dumbbells. Try to immediately grab a hold and get into a cadence with your breathing and movement. You won’t have a whole lot of time to work here so move with a purpose and lean into that discomfort. If you can hook grip the dumbbell then do it. Use your body levers to your advantage here and treat that ‘press’ as a swing from the floor keeping the weights close to your body. When you set them down, be precise and drop with your DBs. Just keep moving!

Camera setup:

Prior to starting, athletes should state their name, and show the weights for their dumbbells and perform the above stated directions on how to set up the C2 Rower. All video submissions should be uncut and unedited in order to accurately display the performance. A clock or timer, with the running workout time clearly visible should be in the frame throughout the entire workout. Shoot the video from an angle so all each snatch can be clearly seen meeting the movement standards. Videos shot with a fisheye lens or similar lens may be rejected due to the visual distortion these lenses cause. Please note, video submission will be required at the conclusion of the WZA Online Challenge & Qualifier for teams landing in top spots, as well as for those athletes looking to earn a spot to compete in Miami via Open Registration in Scaled. Videos will be requested at the conclusion of the Team Challenge, so Team WZA recommends recording any and all workout performances.

Limiters/ sticking points:

-proper target pacing for the row

-willingness to immediately start the devil’s presses once the 2k is complete

Repeatability:

-Yes, the lingering effects of this workout will not be as great as some of these other ones we’ve seen so far. Ensure a proper cool down and recovery protocol and you should be good to go.  

WZA Online Team Qualifier Workout 8

Brought to you by Brute One-on-One Coach, El Senouvor

For total cumulative time:

60 Deadlifts (135, 95lbs)

45 Overhead Squats (135, 95lbs)

30 Shoulder to Overhead (135, 95lbs)

Time-cap- 20min each athlete

–

Tie Breaker

The team’s fastest individual time between the three teammates.

Acceptable Kg Conversion

(135, 95lb) – (61, 43kg) | (115, 85lb) – (52, 39kg) | (75, 55lb) – (34, 25kg)

Scaled Variation

60 Deadlifts (75, 55lbs)

45 Overhead Squats (75, 55lbs)

30 Shoulder to Overhead (75, 55lbs)

Pacing Advice

This Work-out is a muscle endurance workout and only gets more challenging the further you get into it. This workout will quickly kill your engine if you don’t pace or break up the reps in a way that is sustainable and repeatable. Most Athletes should pick a rep scheme that allows them to maintain speed throughout the deadlifts and the Overhead Squats. Something along the lines of 30-20-10 on the deadlifts, and 21-15-9 on the overhead squats will allow you to stay under threshold until you get to the shoulder to overhead. Once you get there your goal is to finish the workout as fast as possible but you still need to be consistent so a rep scheme like 12-10-8 is a good way to finish the workout unless you can go UB.

Camera Set-up

This one is pretty straight forward, prior to starting, athletes should state their name, and show the weights for their barbell. All video submissions should be uncut and unedited in order to accurately display the performance. A clock or timer, with the running workout time clearly visible should be in the frame throughout the entire workout. Shoot the video from an angle so it’s clear that theres full extension at the top of every deadlift, and full range of motion on the overhead squats (below parallel and hips opening at the top) and shoulder to overhead.

Limiters/Sticking points

-Your ability to work fast and pick up the bar after very short breaks

-Sticking to your gameplan

Repeatability

This is one that can be redone twice based on need, the load is light and the volume is moderate so based on your level of experience it should not be too taxing on your nervous system. 2 days should be plenty to recover and repeat.

WZA Online Team Qualifier Workout 9

Brought to you by Games Athlete and Brute Coach George Sanchez

Every 4 minutes, for 4 rounds:
3min of work, followed by 1min of rest

Buy-in:
60 Double-Unders
16 Dumbbell Step-overs (24’, 20’) (50, 35lbs)

Remaining time:
Max Bar Facing Burpees

Tie Breaker
The team’s total combined bar facing burpee repetitions performed on the fourth and final round, by the three athletes.

Acceptable Kg Conversion
22.5 kg (50 lb.), 15 kg (35 lb.), 10 kg (20 lb.)

Scaled Variation

Every 4 minutes, for 4 rounds:
3min of work, followed by 1min of rest

Buy-in:
60 Singles
16 Single Dumbbell Step-overs (24’, 20’) (35, 20lbs)

Remaining time:
Max Bar Facing Burpees

Pacing Advice

This workout is another endurance style workout that will challenge your ability to stay focused, move smoothly through the buy-in, and move quickly through the burpees on each round. You have to consider the length of the work time here and realize that 1 min of rest between each round will go by very quickly. In your warm-up, you should experiment with the DB step overs if you haven’t in a while and find a cadence and rhythm that works for you to potentially do all 16 without needed to set the DBs down. Any breaks there will be precious time lost. For most, the jump rope should be a very smooth and easy buy-in to this movement. Stay focused through each jump to avoid any unnecessary trip ups. When you get to the burpees, I think it is wise to go at about 90% for the first 2 rounds and then go for broke on the last two. If you come out too hot in that first round you will surely begin to suffer too soon and mistakes will begin to happen. Approach this one with a but of finesse and control through the first two rounds, then start to pick that up in the final two rounds. Almost there!

Camera Set-up

Prior to starting, athletes should state their name, weight of the dumbbell(s) being used and show the height of the box. All video submissions should be uncut and unedited in order to accurately display the performance. A clock or timer, with the running workout time clearly visible should be in the frame throughout the entire workout. Shoot the video from an angle so all each snatch can be clearly seen meeting the movement standards. Videos shot with a fisheye lens or similar lens may be rejected due to the visual distortion these lenses cause. Please note, video submission will be required at the conclusion of the WZA Online Challenge & Qualifier for teams landing in top spots, as well as for those athletes looking to earn a spot to compete in MIami via Open Registration in Scaled. Videos will be requested at the conclusion of the Team Challenge, so Team WZA recommends recording any and all workout performances.

Limiters/Sticking points

–fumbling with the jump rope

-2nd and 3rd round pacing on burpees

-db step overs.. the overall fatigue dictating pace in the later rounds over a strict tempo

Repeatability

This is one that can be redone twice based on need, the load is light and the volume is moderate so based on your level of experience it should not be too taxing on your nervous system. 2 days should be plenty to recover and repeat.

WZA Online Team Qualifier Workout 10

Brought to you by Games Athlete and Brute Coach George Sanchez

Total cumulative time

Athlete A – 40 Bar Muscle-ups
Athlete B – 30 Bar Muscle-ups
Athlete C – 20 Bar Muscle-ups

7 min cap on each

–

Tie Breaker
the highest single number of unbroken bar muscle-ups performed by any one athlete on the team during the WOD.

Scaled Variation

Athlete A – 30 Jumping Chest-to-bar
Athlete B – 20 Pull-ups
Athlete C – 10 Chest-to-bar

Pacing Advice

What a beautiful finish. Just like W1-3, you need to assess the ability of your team mates here and decide who will be doing what number of reps. If you have someone who can hit that big set of 40 close to UB, that will be your best bet in terms of your tie breaker for this one. That said, that person will need to quickly reset and finish because it is still 40 muscle ups and not just about that tie breaker rep. This is another workout where you have to consider what your max effort ub set is, if you know it, and then create a game plan based off of that. If you have a max set of say 10-12 reps, then you should never really be doing more than 6-7 at a time. This 55% rule is something that should keep you moving. Be honest with yourself here about what’s known, but don’t be afraid to push into the unknown and potentially hit a big PR. Create a plan that is a set amount of reps, sets, and rest you will commit to and then execute. Time to finish big and get ready to go down and compete in January!

Camera Set-up

Prior to starting, athletes should state their name, and show their hand protection, and the pull-up bar they’re using. All video submissions should be uncut and unedited in order to accurately display the performance. A clock or timer, with the running workout time clearly visible should be in the frame throughout the entire workout. Shoot the video from an angle so all each snatch can be clearly seen meeting the movement standards. Videos shot with a fisheye lens or similar lens may be rejected due to the visual distortion these lenses cause. Please note, video submission will be required at the conclusion of the WZA Online Challenge & Qualifier for teams landing in top spots, as well as for those athletes looking to earn a spot to compete in Miami via Open Registration in Scaled. Videos will be requested at the conclusion of the Team Challenge, so Team WZA recommends recording any and all workout performances.

Limiters/Sticking points

-once you reach your max ub number, things will start to get more difficult

-committing to and sticking to a game plan if planning to do multiple sets

-clock management in ^^^

Repeatability

If you don’t demolish your hands doing this.. then I would say yes this can be done again but not more than twice overall. The demand placed on your body over the course of all of these workouts will catch up eventually. Hopefully you have a coach or some guidance on order and were able to split these workouts up throughout the time required. Finish strong!

Brought to you by Games Athlete and Brute Coach George Sanchez

First things first; make sure you take a good look at the web page and all of the specifics and requirements for this qualifier. I really enjoy how strict and in-depth the FICT team went with putting their event on this year. Here’s the link to the general page, but make sure you navigate through and look into each workout as well:

https://fittestincapetown.com/qualifiers/online-qualifiers-general-requirements/

Workout 1

15min AMRAP:

50 Calorie Row
10 Burpee Over The Rower
40 Wall Balls, (Women: 14lbs to 9”, Men: 20lbs to 10” – accepted minimum: 6/9kg to 275/305cm)
10 Burpee Over The Rower
30 Deadlifts, (Women: 95lbs, Men: 135lbs – accepted minimum: 43/61kg)
10 Burpee Over The Rower
20 Handstand Push Ups

10 Burpee Over The Rower
10 Thrusters, (Women: 95lbs, Men: 135lbs – accepted minimum: 43/61kg)

10 Burpee Over The Rower
SCORE: Score is Total Repetitions.
TIEBREAKER: Time after LAST completed set of 10 Burpees

Breakdown: Time, Length, Equipment needed

-15 minutes

-C2 Rower, Medball, barbell, plates, clips, tape for HSPU measurements

Pacing advice:

You’re going to need to hit a very thorough warm-up for this workout as you’re about to catch the entire kitchen sink here. There is a lot of push/pull going on in this workout so make sure you are prepping for this early. For elite athletes, prepare to get uncomfortable and stay there for a while because none of these weights or movements will be significant enough to hold you back. If you don’t consider yourself in that field, I would still prepare for things to start to get dicey toward the end of your first round.. Yes, if you have decent HSPU I would be thinking about how deep you could get into that second round before your 15 minutes is up. My personal thoughts for this workout is to attack in those places where you feel comfortable and break up reps early and often in the places you don’t. If you feel confident in all of these movements, then it will be about your capacity to ride a threshold for 15 minutes. If you know that ‘longer’ CrossFit style workouts are not your jam, then we need to consider more of a 85% pace for at least the first 10 minutes of this thing before you start to put the pedal down. As always, focus on what limiters you might have here and create a plan or two on how you will be ready for them when you get there. Besides those HSPU and a few mod-heavy thrusters, this workout will demand you to push hard for 15 minutes if you want to find yourself at the top of the leaderboard.

Camera setup:

Follow the exact set up listed on the page. Link can be found here:

https://fittestincapetown.com/qualifiers/fictoq-wod-1/

HSPU standard is a little different than what we’ve seen but completely reasonable.. will it catch on?

Limiters/ sticking points:

–Pacing for the specific time domain

-HSPU and Thrusters in the first round will begin the real separation in athletes and continue through the rest of the workout

Repeatability:

Yes. 1-2 day separation between attempts depending on the athletes ability to recover in those days.

Workout 2

7min AMRAP:

5 Toes To Bar
4 Chest To Bar Pull Ups
3 Hang Squat Cleans (Women: 105lbs, Men: 155lbs – accepted minimum: 48/70kg)
2 Front Squats (Women: 105lbs, Men: 155lbs – accepted minimum: 48/70kg)
1 Shoulder To Over Head (Women: 105lbs, Men: 155lbs – accepted minimum: 48/70kg)

SCORE: Score is Total Repetitions.
TIEBREAKER: There is NO tiebreaker in this Q-WOD.

Breakdown: Time, Length, Equipment needed:

7 minutes, pull-up bar, barbell, plates, clips

Pacing advice:

What a fun workout! This is that time domain we all love to hate in the sport as it demands an aggressive pace and willingness to quickly move from movement to movement. My initial thoughts on this workout is grip fatigue and a burn that just won’t stop; lungs, legs, and forearms will be tested and it’s up to you to manage that fatigue and uphold a tempo that looks very similar from beginning ‘til the end. It will be tempting to want to do all the ttb and c2b without coming off of the bar, but unless you know you’re a ninja then I wouldn’t take the chance here. It’s not worth getting 3 minutes into this thing and feeling the need to take multiple sets to complete each respective movement on the rig. Come off the bar after the TTB, take a step back, then get right back to work. A quick break for your grip will go a long way here. It will also be very easy to come out too hot on the first set especially on that barbell, so make sure you’re aware of this and flowing through this to the best of YOUR ability. I would compare the barbell cycling on this workout to that of the Hero workout “DT”. If you know you can cycle that bar well, then every time you put that bar on your shoulders you should be committing to completing the shoulder to overhead before putting it down. If this weight is challenging or you know will be tough to squat in the later rounds, then perhaps you think about breaking after your first front squat so that you’re not needing to clean that bar any more than you have to. Again, you’re going to have to play off of your limiters and address them appropriately but on this workout you really have to find a way to keep moving for the entire 7 minutes. If you find yourself bent over staring at either bar remember that your competition is passing you.

Camera setup:

Follow the exact instructions on their web page for this. Link can be found here:

https://fittestincapetown.com/qualifiers/fictoq-wod-2/

Limiters/ sticking points:

–grip fatigue

-time under tension on barbell

-pacing through 2-6 minutes in this workout

Repeatability:

Yes, plenty of time to get this one done again. I would take at least one day of rest to make sure you’re ready to go full tilt again.

Workout 3A:

2 Rounds for Time:
– 21 Alternating Dumbbell Snatches (Women: 35lbs, Men: 50lbs – – accepted minimum: 15/22.5kg)
– 150 Double Unders
– 9 Ring Muscle Ups
[12min CAP]

SCORE: Score is Total Working Time.
TIEBREAKER: Time after LAST completed set of 150 Double Unders will decide the athletes tiebreaker in case of more than one athlete ending up with the same score for Q-WOD 3A.

Workout 3B:

– in whatever time is left on the 14min Timer, For Max Load:
– 1RM Snatch.
SCORE: Score is load in LBS.
TIEBREAKER: There is NO Tiebreaker for this part.

Breakdown: Time, Length, Equipment needed:

14 min time cap for both parts. 12min cap for 3A and at least 2min for 3B. I’m estimating times for 3A to be as low as 5:30..

Pacing advice:

This will be dicey! Precision and finesse is the name of the game on this final workout. I believe most athletes will cruise through the db snatches in both rounds, but the double unders and muscle ups will challenge the elites to be precise and the rest to be very particular about breaking up the movements to match their capacity in both the double under and the muscle up. If you know the capacity is there to in the double unders and muscle ups then this workout may look like a full send to you as you’ll want and have plenty of time to find your 1RM in part B. If you know you struggle with double unders, then let’s make a plan to take planned breaks every x amount of reps to keep your rhythm and breathing in check. This might look like sets of 50, or descending sets like 60/50/40… etc. Muscle ups are a little different story as many elites will be able to do these UB in both rounds. If that’s not you and you some can only get 1-2 at a time then it will be a great idea to know exactly how long you will be resting between those reps. If you’re somewhere in the middle, just make sure you don’t try to go UB on that first set if your max set of muscle ups isn’t 15+. Come off those rings in a controlled manner so you don’t stand there watching them swing and make every set count!

Depending on how much time you end up with for part B you will need to have a plan to hit at least 2 snatch weights you are confident you can hit, then swing for the fences. A good rule of thumb here is to open somewhere between 70-80% of your 1RM and build from there. Ideally you would make at least 3 attempts in this final block. Be patient, make your first attempt in the most focused and efficient way possible and bring intensity to every single lift. Last one here, time to go out big!

Camera setup:

Follow the exact instructions on their web page for this. Link can be found here:

https://fittestincapetown.com/qualifiers/fictoq-wod-3/

Limiters/ sticking points:

-double under and muscle up capacity and efficiency

-mental focus for every single rep

-planning for snatch weights with unknown amount of time

Repeatability:

Yes, plenty of time to get this one done again. I would take at least 2 days to make sure you’re ready to go full tilt again.

Brought to you by Games Athlete and Brute Coach George Sanchez

8min AMRAP

Max Meter Row

Workout breakdown: Time, Length, Equipment needed

8 minutes

Concept 2 Rower

Pacing advice:

Row your boat! This workout is all about knowing your ability and riding that threshold line for 8 minutes. Pacing is going to look a little different from athlete to athlete on this as some might consider trying to hold one pace for this entire push and others may set some parameters on working through it in intervals and float around a specific pace. Either way, I would expect most athletes to be thinking about their 2k PR row pace and plan their strategy off of that. A thorough warm-up will be necessary as this is basically like running a mile for time just on a rower. Get nice and sweaty, get your mind ready to push and get after it!

Camera setup:

Prior to the start of the workout, athletes will be required to pre-set their rower moni- tor in the following way:

First, turn the monitor on. Once on, click “Select Workout.” Then, “New Workout”, “Single Time.” Then pre-set the rower to “8:00,” and click the checkbox button.

Prior to starting, film the athlete selecting the correct settings on the rower for the 8:00 custom workout. All video submissions should be uncut and unedited in order to accurately display the performance. A clock or timer, with the running workout time clearly visible, should be in the frame throughout the entire workout. Shoot the video from an angle so all exercises can be clearly seen meeting the movement standards. Videos shot with a fisheye lens or similar lens may be rejected due to the visual dis- tortion these lenses cause. If an athlete needs someone to adjust their camera during the WOD to capture all movements, this is acceptable.

Limiters/ sticking points:

 

• Declaring and setting an intentional pace

 

• Consistency through the 2:00-6:00 mark on the clock

 

 

Repeatability:

Yes, the recovery off this one should be a doable for most but I would still recommend putting a day or two between efforts.

WZA Online Qualifier Workouts 7

Death By: E2MO2M

8 Burpee Box Jump Overs (24, 20in)
8 Hang Power Snatches (115, 80Lbs)
8 Thrusters (115, 80Lbs)
–
Tie-Breaker
Total time on the clock at the conclusion of the athlete’s previous complete round.
–
Scaled Option
8 Burpee Box Jump Overs (20, 16in – May Step-Over)

8 Hang Power Snatches (75, 55Lbs)
8 Thrusters (75, 55Lbs)

Workout breakdown: Time, Length, Equipment needed:

-2:00 time domains on repeat for as long as possible (60min cap).

-Barbell w/ listed weights loaded and clips

-Plyometric Box

Pacing advice:

Initial thoughts on this piece is to set a conservative pace that you can sustain for up to 15-20 minutes bearing in mind your rest. It is very tempting to want to get the work done faster to increase your rest each round, and if you do decide that is your strategy then I would recommend practicing that before starting this workout. I picture this workout kind of like a line graph of effort and HR where the more fit you are the more gradual your ramp up will be and the opposite will look very up and down. You should practice some paces of movement in all three movements to figure out how long a round will take you roughly, and where you can/should afford some time to rest within the 24 reps. Round times that are actually slower but more consistent in the first 3-5 rounds will be the athletes that make it the furthest. Burpee box jump overs require constant movement, but the barbell work can easily be broken up into 2 sets to keep things in check and orderly a little bit longer.  Be cautious of those breaks on the barbell though because time can be lost here very quickly and easily. All three movements will challenge breathing mechanics differently so make sure you’re paying attention to this in your warm-up. Be intentional with every breath and every transition and prepare for the long haul. Again, try not to be fooled by the short work and short time domain and picture this workout as a much longer piece where the methodical turtle will win the race and the rabbit will surely fall off.

Camera setup:

Prior to starting, film the barbell, weights, and box to be used so the weight and height can be clearly seen. All video submissions should be uncut and unedited in order to accurately display the performance. A clock or timer, with the running work- out time clearly visible, should be in the frame throughout the entire workout. Shoot the video from an angle so all exercises can be clearly seen meeting the movement standards. Videos shot with a fisheye lens or similar lens may be rejected due to the visual distortion these lenses cause.

Limiters/ sticking points:

-Capacity to breath and remain steady through BBJO

-Ability to cycle a barbell under extreme duress

-Consciously making the decision to keep moving

Repeatability:

Yes, although I would try to create the perfect plan and execute it the first time through because this one is going to be a doozy! 1-2 days between attempts.

Dubai 18.3

Brought to you by Games Athlete and Brute Coach George Sanchez

This is a 20 min AMRAP ascending ladder

9 Cal row
9 Double KB snatch
15 Cal row
15 Double KB snatch
21 Cal row
21 Double KB snatch
27 Cal row
27 Double KB snatch
33 Cal Row
33 Double KB Snatch
39 Cal row
39 Double KB snatch
45 Cal row
45 Double KB snatch
Etc…

Kettlebell weight: 2x24kg /2x16kg

Workout breakdown: Time, Length, Equipment needed

20 minute AMRAP, pair of kettlebells(24/16kgs), Concept 2 rower

Pacing advice:

First impression of this workout is A LOT of hinging and holding on for 20 minutes. In your warm-up you’re going to need to make sure you prep these movements and get really warm and sweaty before diving into this thing. Think of your warm-up as a ramp up to your workout pace and intensity. 20 minutes is going to seem quite a bit longer compared to what you’ve done thus far so pacing needs to be your number one priority when strategizing for this workout.

Think back to CF Open workout 18.1 and remember the pace you held for those 14 cals each round. Your row pace on this workout should be similar if not the same. If you did not compete in the open this year, then your row pace should look like something that is sustainable for this time domain, but one that still challenges you to hold onto. You should not feel like you’re rowing at a super aggressive pace on this until the final minutes. The beauty of the rower is that you really won’t be breaking up your reps so once you set that goal pace, be prepared to fight for it in the later rounds and perhaps the need to settle for just a little bit slower than what you start with. I would also set up your foot straps so it’s an easy in and out for your transitions. Just keep moving. On the KB snatch we’re looking at an ‘odd’ movement that most have probably not seen a whole lot of in their day to day training. You will definitely be breaking the sets up here and most might want to consider doing that in the very first set. The KBs are not allowed to touch your body on the way up or on the way down, and every rep after your first from the floor may come from the hang. Set out with a plan here and dictate when you will break each set and for how long. You don’t want to get caught up reaching for a giant UB set, getting set off balance, and ending up bent over gasping for air. This movement can be tricky, but if you’re using your levers to your advantage then swinging and resetting these reps will be much easier. Grip will eventually become a factor in this workout so make sure you have a plan when the kbs start to feel like they’re slipping! Practice breathing and swinging with ascending weights in your warm-up to make these as smooth as possible. Again, 20 minutes is a long time to work on this couplet and the majority of your time will be spent on those double kb snatches. Pace pace pace and finish strong!

Camera setup:

Videos are required and must be uncut and unedited. The athlete may upload the video to YouTube, Vimeo, Dropbox or Google Drive and need to make sure that the sound respects the copyright rules of the platform chosen.

All submission videos must clearly show the athlete’s Judge throughout the workout.

To make sure the video is valid, the athlete needs to specify his/her name, the equipment and the weights used during the workout (by showing them in the video) and the score at the end (time or repetitions). It is the athlete’s responsibility to position the camera so that the timer, all the movements and their standards can be evaluated correctly.

Make sure you reset your monitor for each round of the calorie row, and that your screen can be seen clearly in your video.

Limiters/ sticking points:

 

• Consistency on the KB snatches

• Proper pacing on the rower

• Grip fatigue in the later rounds

 

Repeatability:

Yes, because it is very easy to blow a pace in this time domain and the local muscle endurance fatigue can be recovered from in a day or two. Most will consider doing this twice.

 

Coming back from a muscle tear or strain? We understand the temptation to push through it and keep training, but the annoyance of your strain will only get worse if not given the opportunity to heal.

Dr. Sean Pastuch, Brute Strength’s Director of Injury Management and founder of Active Life RX, is touching on how to recover and what percentages you should be training at to keep that slight pain from turning into a big problem.

To learn more about injury management with Dr. Pastuch, join us for the next Brute Athlete Camp.