CF Games Open WOD 11.4...yay, burpees!

When the CrossFit Open WOD 11.4 hit the streets last Tuesday evening, I became excited. While not all three movements were necessarily among my greatest strengths, they were not among my most dreaded weaknesses either. The bottom line: I could stay efficient with each movement.

Burpees are burpees--whether they're bar-facing, hand-clapping overhead, or whatever. Burpees will forever remain a CrossFitter's bane. The overhead squats, at 120lbs, seemed reasonable. And the muscle-ups? I can do muscle-ups. Put them all together in a nice little 10-minute AMRAP, and you've got one nasty little WOD.

I did a "one-round test run" before I actually attempted the WOD. I did not go all out--I just maintained an even pace. I ended up completing one full round (100 reps) in 9:17. I then proceeded to set my goal for 120 reps, and planned to knock it out on Saturday afternoon. I always feel, that when setting a goal, it should be very challenging to reach, yet not unreasonable. I feel that I hit the mark on this goal: I completed one full round plus 15 bar-facing burpees (115 reps). Just like 11.3, I had to video tape this one and send it up to HQ (and the world) to judge. Here it is:

CF Games Open WOD 11.3...Getting Heavier

Many CrossFitters had been wondering when the CrossFit Games Open was going to get heavy. 165 pounds may have not seemed that heavy to most; or, maybe, it seemed ridiculously heavy to some. The bottom line: yes, the weight got heavier...especially taking into consideration the fact that the workout was only five, short (or long, depending on your perspective) minutes long. Complete as many rounds as possible in five minutes of: 165 pound clean and jerk (or ground-to-overhead). That was it. Was there a strategy behind this workout, or was it just "go as fast as you possibly can".  As all WODs go, the strategy was arguable.