2014 Crossfit Open - analysis by Coach K

Hi All

Just following up from Troy's email about this next phase of training. The Mount is now consigned to history, it was a great event and all that participated and managed the team did really well.

But now 100% of our focus becomes preparing for the open, So when you present Troy with your goals this week you need to narrow the vision of your goals right down the next few months, It is our aspiration to get an individual or team to regional's 2014....... But dont put anytime or effort into including this in your goals.

Its very simple, think of your goals as a number of gates, The 1st gate to get through is the CrossFit open, you must be 100% focused training on this, we know historically what will and wont be in the open. 

What the open is.........All about engine..........mostly non techincal

What the open isnt.............Its not about absolute strength..........it isnt technical

Competition Class training for CrossFit Open

This programming is for Athletes  to perform their best during the Open and hopefully earn themselves a spot at Regionals (or the Games for Masters).  The focus is on preparing athletes for the demands of The Open (loading, movements, volume, etc...)

So with this in mind, the training structure for the comp class over the next few months is, and in order of importance.

WOD, this will always be the 1st thing you do in class and it needs to be smashed 100% focused

Strength: This will be worked after WOD

Skills; Working technique to improve efficiency for the WOD's

Insite  to Open Training from Ben Burgeron, please read then formulate your goals

Metcon – The Open is first and foremost a test of work capacity.  How much work can you do in a given time.  100% of the events that have come up over the past three years have been a test of Metabolic Conditioning.  your number one goal  is to build a huge engine.  Metcons must come first every training session as this is your primary focus.  These Metcons need to focus on AMRAPs in the 4-20 minute time domain, and movements and loads that we have seen in the past and can expect in this year’s Open.
 Running, Handstand walking, Monkey Bars, L-pull ups, GHD Sit ups, Rowing, Yokes, Ring Dips and the like are great movements to build GPP, but very unlikely to show up in The Open competition. 

Olympic Lifting – While the 1RM have yet to be tested in the Open, it almost always  pays to improve your O-Lifts.  Over the past three years, 36% of the movements programmed in to the Open WODs have been some variation of a Snatch, Clean or Jerk. 

Strength – You DON’T need to be super strong to do very well in The Open, but it sure helps to be able to move heavy weight for reps.  About 25% of the events have a moderate to heavy load (2012 Snatch Burpee, 2011 Snatch Ladder, 2010 Squat Clean Jerk AMRAP, OHS, and Cleans).  Getting stronger is important but NOT at the expense of losing fitness elsewhere.  In other words, do not do a strength cycle if your goal is to excel at The Open.

Skills – Based on previous Open Competitions it’s obviously important to be able to build your skills in certain movements; Box Jumps, Double Unders, Muscle ups, Toe to Bars and C2B Pull ups.  This is no guarantee that these are the movements we will see again, but based on what we know you would be a fool not to become a ninja at these movements.

Bring on the open

Cheers

Coach K