Greetings! Just in time for 17.4, here’s my CrossFit Open 17.3 recap! I have a good reason for taking so long, I promise. I went on vacation with my family, so I performed the Open WOD at a box in Ft. Walton Beach. CrossFit Above the Bar was very accommodating and welcoming, and I had a great time.
Now, on to the CrossFit Open 17.3 recap.
When CrossFit HQ announced the WOD last Thursday, I groaned a little. It was:
Prior to 8:00, complete:
3 rounds of:
6 jumping chin-over-bar pull-ups
6 squat snatches, 35 lb.
Then, 3 rounds of:
7 jumping chin-over-bar pull-ups
5 squat snatches, 55 lb.
*Prior to 12:00, complete 3 rounds of:
8 jumping chin-over-bar pull-ups
4 squat snatches, 65 lb.
*Prior to 16:00, complete 3 rounds of:
9 jumping chin-over-bar pull-ups
3 squat snatches, 75 lb.
*Prior to 20:00, complete 3 rounds of:
10 jumping chin-over-bar pull-ups
2 squat snatches, 95 lb.
Prior to 24:00, complete 3 rounds of:
11 jumping chin-over-bar pull-ups
1 squat snatch, 105 lb.
*If all reps are completed, time cap extends by 4 minutes.
Note: Squat snatches or power snatches with overhead squats permitted.
That’s the scaled women’s version of the WOD. I’d be doing that. It felt eerily similar to 16.3. Back then, I was stressed about everything, from the snatches to the chest to bar pull-ups. This time, I was only stressed about that second snatch weight. My one rep max on the snatch was 50 lbs. I aimed to get at least one 55 lb. snatch this time around.
I did the 6:30 am open gym at CrossFit Above the Bar. It was Carly and me, and Jenna was coaching that morning. I let her know that I’m a super-scaled athlete, and she set up the bars to 65 lbs., optimistically. I warmed up with a ride on the assault bike, since it was raining, and did some hip openers, air squats, and shoulder mobility work.
At 3…2…1…GO!, I didn’t stress out. Frankly, it was too early in the morning, and jumping pull-ups and 35 lb. squat snatches are something I do all the time. The first three rounds went as expected, and I finished under the time cap at 3:46. I got to move to the next three rounds. Again, the pull-ups weren’t a problem. But that 55 lb. bar loomed next to the rig. I won’t say I wasn’t nervous because I was.
But I did it. Jenna coached and cheered me through it, and I did it. I got that bar over my head in a power snatch and sunk down into an overhead squat, which is permitted in my division. Then, I did that four more times, with each rep being a little uglier than the last.
And – I still had time to go back to the rig, bang out 7 more jumping pull-ups, and try to knock out another round of snatches.
The first snatch in that second round at 55 lbs. was so ugly that I knew it was game over.
But.
I did 6 snatches at 55 lbs.
Six! Sei!
That’s 5 more than I thought I’d do, and it brought my score to 56. Am I happy? Yes. The CrossFit Open is bringing out all sorts of possibilities, and I have a feeling a big new one rep max is coming.