Crossfit Games Open 2014: Predictions for 14.1

I posted last night that I thought Crossfit North Atlanta had given us some really good clues as to what we’ll see tonight when Dave Castro announces the first Open WOD of 2014. Now that I’ve had all night to think about it, I think I’ve come up with a prediction that I feel fairly confident with, at least for now (small disclaimer: I always feel confident with predictions until they’re proven wrong, it’s my process).

First, let’s recap, here’s what we know based on the pictures that CF North Atlanta posted. One, there is a two man rig set up for some movement that’ll require hanging from a bar (pullups, toes to bar, chest to bar etc) and the rig doesn’t currently have any capability for squats from the rack or wall balls. Secondly, the rig is not set up in the center of the arena so that tells me there will be more to this workout than just pullups, toes to bar, chest to bar, etc. Now of course I’m probably making way too many assumptions based on just a couple pictures. Maybe the rig won’t be used at all (although last year if they set up a rig they used it and when they did need a rig they didn’t wait until the last minute to set it up) or maybe Dave Castro is just trying to throw us all off, but at this point it’s just more fun to mild wild assumptions based off the few clues at our disposal. Now onto the prediction for 14.1:

17 min AMRAP (ode to 13.1)
30 burpee pullups
30 clean and jerks (95/65lbs)
30 burpee pullups
30 clean and jerks (135/95lbs)
30 burpee pullups
30 clean and jerks (185/125)
30 burpee pullups
30 clean and jerks (205/145)

I'll freely admit that I'm at least partially biased, if not totally and completely, because if I have one minor strength, it's with the clean and jerk. I'd feel fairly confident if this were the WOD (and by confident I mean that I would post a number I'd be happy with, not confident as in a number that even a Regionals level athlete would be satisfied with) and to be honest I'd enjoy it. Burpee pullups are brutal, especially when you're talking about 60+, but all of the Open WODs are going to be brutal and at least with any variation of burpees, you can keep moving. Your strength isn't going to "give out" on a burpee. You're going to slow down but you can keep moving and for a very average CFer like myself, that's important. If this were the WOD, and I can assure you it won't be, I'd be shooting for at least getting to the 185lb clean and jerks. Now that I think about it, I'm going to have to try this WOD at some point after the Open just to see how far I'd get.

Crossfit North Atlanta Drop Big Clues about 14.1

Ever since Crossfit started the live announcements of the Open WODs I've gotten even more
enjoyment out of trying to guess/determine what the WODs will be by searching Facebook and Twitter for photos and hints of the site of each live announcement. There is some logic to this after all, equipment and an "arena" must set up ahead of time and it's only logical that each home gym and their members will be excited about the unveiling. So far this has led to plenty of pics regarding each setup and Crossfit North Atlanta did not disappoint today. They've posted quite few pics from before any set up started and all the way through final construction. Here's what we know:

An arena was constructed and nothing was inside that arena while it was built. Once the arena was complete, a small, two person rig was added to one side of the arena. The rig was very simple with one pull-up bar on each side. There was no J-hooks for squats or targets for wall balls, this rig will used for pull-ups, T2B or perhaps my favorite idea, burpee pull-ups. There is a small chance that wall balls could be a part of this but as of right now there are no targets on the rig. That would be an easy add at the last minute so don't totally rule them out.

Of course just knowing that the WOD will involve a rig doesn't tell us even close to the entire picture but it is pretty interesting considering that the none of 11.1, 12.1 or 13.1 used a rig at all. Perhaps 2014 will be quite a surprise form Dave Castro after all.

And yes, that's Mr Bob Harper, from the Biggest Loser, in the brown jacket. That guy loves him some Crossfit.