Another year, another Crossfit Games Open!
This will be my third time participating in an Open (after doing Crossfit just a little more than two years, completing my first one pretty fresh out of On Ramp!), and honestly – I will admit that I am less than excited this year than I have been in the past.. Sad, I know..
I’m not sure if it’s because the honeymoon phase has worn off or because I lost a bit of competitive drive since I shifted my focus to weightlifting over met-cons, but since my Crossfit spark has been rekindled, I knew it was something that I needed to do! Plus, everyone needs to get competitive every once in a while!!
When 15.1 was announced, I was pretty excited. My toes-to-bar are less than stellar but I was anxiously awaiting relatively heavy snatches in a WOD as a lot of my Outlaw Way training so far has been leaning towards them. When 15.1A was announced, I was THRILLED!
The Open is tailored to Crossfitters who do Crossfit, and typically does not favor those who have a weightlifting focus, so I was all smiles when I hear this!
As programmed, we did the workout on Friday, with a chance to repeat on Monday. While still nursing a fractured thumb, I knew I couldn’t set any huge expectations, but just wanted to go in and have fun with it.
Despite all of the strategy videos and commentary from others who did the workout claiming their grip was dead, I had a feeling that my plan on doing single toes-to-bar would alleviate some of this worry. If I’m not holding onto the bar for so long, it wouldn’t affect my grip so much, right?
I knocked out my first round of toes-to-bar, discovered the deadlifts were a great rest period, and did my snatches all singles. While 75# is a comfortable snatch that I have done for touch-and-go reps before, today was not the day to do them that way.
I dreaded getting back to the rig, but just kept moving, kept up with my plan. I switched my shoes and rested up a bit prior to attempting my clean and jerk, the part of the workout I was anticipating the most. Prior to this, my max C&J was 125#, though I have cleaned 130# from the blocks and jerked 130# from blocks. I did my attempts at 105# (comfortable), 115# (a forever nemesis jerk weight that I fail half the time), 120# (easy!), and then cleaned 130#.. and panicked and called it a day. 😉 Score: 118/120, two reps shy of 4 full rounds.
Sine Outlaw programmed the WOD again on Monday, I had a chance to redeem myself and make up my two missing snatch reps. Someone asked me what I intended on doing differently, and really nothing at all. Just keep moving knowing that I did it once, I should be able to squeeze in two more reps.
And the plan was working great.. until I got to my last 5 snatches to make up 4 rounds. I PEED.
What?!
Yep. Now, I’ve had this issue come up a handful of times before doing double-unders. I expect it, prepare for it.. but never has this happened while lifting, especially since I tend to pee like 12 times before any WOD!
So picture the scene – I have five snatches to go, and not a lot of time left on the clock. I snatch, and pee a little.
Compose myself, think okay, it’s just a little, no big deal, snatch.. and more. Ugh.
They’re cheering me on (I was the only one doing it at the time), and I’m losing a little bit every lift I made.
I so wish that I got a picture of my fifth snatch which I got in with a few seconds to spare, I squatted it, and caught it in the kind of pose you can imagine like a little kid trying to hold it.. absurd.
Since I did get those two reps and beat my 15.1 score, I had to at least match my 15.1A score to make it worth my while, though I had no idea how I was going to make it through heavy clean and jerks while conscious of this little issue I had going on. Looking back, I should have used a minute of that time I intended for rest in between the two pieces to run to the ladies’ room!!
Anyway, I started at 115# and it was just a horrifying experience of what was going on down there. TMI? Sure. It was terrible!
I wanted to jump to 125# but did 120# just to guarantee a tie from my first attempt. Then called it quits there with a couple of minutes left. My teammates were hollering at me to add more because it was an easy lift, but the last thing I wanted to do was expose myself to more… issues.
I failed cleaning 125#, a weight that I know I should be able to make, but I was just too uncomfortable and embarrassed to keep going! I definitely could have completed 125# had I just sucked it up and let loose. Not okay, in my book. Not related to me at all, but I’m super proud of this guy and his 285#. <3
In the end, I logged 120/120, which I was pretty pleased with, all things considered. 🙂
I know for the upcoming week I have to cram in a lot of skill work on double-unders and chest-to-bar pull-ups, two movements destined to be coming soon! Though, secretly hoping for handstand push-ups and pistols..
Your turn..
What were your initial thoughts when 15.1 was announced.. and then 15.1A?
Do you like high-rep Oly lifting?
Was grip an issue in this WOD for you?
Any PRs?
Are you glad toes-to-bar are out of the way?
Please no handstand push ups and pistols!!!! Who knows what Castro will programme… It makes me feel queasy!! haha!
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I did it twice as well. Scaled the first time. Rx the second. During the scaled one I got 188 reps and it really fried my grip. I’ve never had that feeling before, where I wasn’t sure if I was going to be able to hang onto the bar. And I didn’t have a good plan for the C&J’s so I was disappointed with the weight. I wanted to try Rx though I’ve just got TTB recently and I got 100 reps that way. And added more weight to the C&J so I was pumped with that. I am glad that TTB are out of the way. Can’t wait to see what comes out tonight.
I actually think this is why my power clean is better than my squat clean–once I hit 90-95%, I am running to the restroom between every rep. Same with paused front squats–something about having the bar front racked, in that deep squat just destroys me. It is humiliating and my single biggest fear at every oly meet. UGH.
15.2 surely won’t be as fun as 15.1. It’s gonna have some movement like DUs or HSPUs that I can barely do and may force me to scaled. Hey, at least it wasn’t HSPUs when you had your, issues… That would probably be the worst haha! =)
Chris recently posted..2015 CrossFit Open WOD 15.1 Recap
I actually really liked this style of WOD! But after coming back from a slight back injury, I was just glad to actually do it. I’ll probably do scaled for the entire Open, just because we have ‘winners’ each night, but also because I don’t want to risk tweaking my back again. I hope to do this one in the future, once my snatches are more solid at 75# (1RM at 80# currently…I need to start another lifting cycle!). Nice work on your scores! I’m excited to see what 15.2 ends up being…
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Twitter: fantabulouslisa
March 5, 2015 at 5:06 pm
You did great! And YES, I’m glad toes-to-bar are done, but then there’s still pull ups, and ring muscle ups coming. I actually PR’ed my clean and jerk on the 21st because of the couple’s challenge that we did–so I was ECSTATIC that it was going to be a part of the 15.1 open workout! I think people PR-ing their C&J after that metcon is crazy! The bar felt SO heavy to me. I did get within ten lbs…. or 8 actually, thank you bumper plates, for a lift at 197lbs. YAY for heavy lifting–it put me almost in the top 100 in my region which is EPIC.
(p.s. I might have peed a little during double unders the other day…. which has NEVER happened.)
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Hey, I just wanted to share this link about pelvic floor weakness. As a crossfitting mum I have worked very hard on strengthening my pelvic floor after a difficult birth. As much as peeing during double unders, box jumps etc. is common, it’s not normal and is a sign of pelvic floor dysfunction. Diaphragmatic breathing coupled with kegel exercises has been very helpful for me and has actually strengthened my squat and deadlift immensely. http://physiodetective.com/2013/06/27/crossfit-your-pelvic-floor-and-peeing-during-workouts/
Thanks for the tips! Yes, def know it’s not a “normal” thing. Never had it happen doing heavy lifting, which is something I do often – so was pretty surprised!
Oh dear! I was laughing through this and not at you, but because I can totally relate! It’s a requirement for me to use the restroom prior to doing even a single double-under. If I don’t, I’m limited to 10 maybe 15 DU before having to stop. Ugh, it’s so frustrating.
Congratulations on an amazing score! You should be super proud. 🙂 I struggled with the snatches – that’s just a little on the heavy side for me and so it was a lot of slow singles.
shelly recently posted..CrossFit Open 15.1 Recap + My Initial Thoughts on 15.2
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