Crossfit 13.1 strategy and tactics

Hey everyone, I am kind of breaking a rule of mine today.  I originally wanted this blog to only be about the barbell and all that goes along with it.  Today I am talking about a crossfit "Wod".  It does have lots (and lots and lots) of barbell work in the Wod, so I guess I am not really breaking any rules.  But this Wod will only make you mentally stronger, not physically, so keep that in mind if you are reading this blog to get super awesome and strong.  Today is not that day.

So, onto the Crossfit Open 13.1:
This WOD as all of you know by now consists of Burpees and Snatches with a descending burpees ladder and an ascending snatch weight ladder. 

40 burpees
30 75# snatch
30 Burpees
30 135# Snatch
20 Burpees
30 165# Snatch
10 Burpees
AMRAP 210# Snatch

If you have done any large amount of burpees, your lungs hurt just reading that rep scheme.  But lets get over our initial fear of the large numbers in front of us and break this work out down into doable chunks.  By the end of this strategy guide we don't want to be afraid of the workout, but look forward to testing our abilities.

Step one: Find your pace

If you have taken a class that I am coaching, you have probably heard me say "find your pace".  One thing competition has taught me is that it is not about how hard you start, but hard consistant you can perform through the workout. 
If you come out the gates and try to bang out 40 burpees in 1:30 to save you time in the snatches, your heart will not forgive you through the rest of the work out.  A good visual for me is to not push yourself into the "redline" right off the bat.  When you hit this physical limit, you will not be able to perform at a good pace for the rest of the wod.  You must find a pace that you can keep for all 40 burpees.  If you can do 1 burpee every 4 seconds and do that for the whole 40, you will be in a FAR better position than if you hit 10 as fast as you can, then rest for 20 seconds, then hit 10 more, then rest, etc....
The same goes for the 75# snatches.  It will be very easy to hit your redline moving this relatively light weight too fast right off the bat. 
So Find you pace and don't be in a hurry through the first part of this wod.  The same advice goes for all the burpees in the wod.  I have actually seen people set metronomes so on different ticks they should be performing different parts of the movement. 

Step two: The snatch (biting off more than you can chew)

The snatch is not something you can get better at by reading this blog today.  It takes practice and practice, and more practice.  So don't worry so much about your form today.  It is too late for that.  What you can worry about is how many snatches you can perform at the different weights at any one time.  Just like finding your pace, you msut know where your physical limit is when "linking" snatches together (touch and go).

You might be able to do 75# unbroken, but will your forearms and back allow to do continue the wod after that?  It might be better to do 10 reps, plan on 5 seconds of rest, 10 more, 5 seconds, 10 more.  Then you will have some left in the tank for 30 more (properly paced) burpees and on to the 135# snatches.  If your plan is to do singles from here on out, do one, drop and get right back on the bar.  No rest.  Only the pace that you can maintain.  If you can link them, keep the same strategy.  Link as many as you can reasonably do, then plan on your rest time too.  I personally hope to link 3 -5 at a time here.  We will see how that plan goes once we are in the thick of it. 

The point is, just because you can, doesn't mean you should.  Unless you are in the last 3-5 minutes of the wod, you should be holding a little something in the tank.  Remember, don't hit your redline.

Step Three: Hit your redline

This is a competitive workout.  You aren't gonna get stronger or better today.  This is a test.  So you want to have nothing left when you are done.  Well for the last 14 minutes you paced yourself beautifully and you are on the home stretch.  It is time to hit the "redline".  For the last 3-5 minutes you should be on the verge of out of control.  If you kept this pace for 6 minutes, you would pass out.... but you timed it for the last 3-5 minutes.  Time to go balls to the wall and go for broke.  When you are done and everyone is cheering your effort, you should be like will ferrell. "What happened, I blacked out?"

Step 4: Relax, or how I learned to stop worrying and love the WOD

For most of you this is your first competition.  If something goes horribly wrong, don't worry about it.  It is just another workout.  Have some fun, and cheer on the heats before and after you.  Then after tonight get back to your barbell work, because you can be good at lifting and not be good at crossfit, but you cannot be good at crossfit if you are not a good lifter. 

Last here is an awesome video of last years snatch workout: