Calm Before The Storm

I had planned on taking a rest day today, but I thought I could make it in to the gym for a little practice session (double unders, pull-ups, toes-to-bar) as well as grab a couple of t-shirts that I've been meaning to get.  Unfortunately, work has turned into a mess and I ended up stuck there past 7, so today turned into a full-fledged rest day.  In fact, this evening became more important as a rest day for my mental health than my physical health.  (I have issues)

How does a Crossfit addict enjoy a mental health evening?  For starters, my sister got me what I assume is some sort of "epsom salt on crack" concoction for my birthday, so I treated my old bones to a bath.  And then I binge watched the remainder of the 5 part behind the scenes series on the 2014 Crossfit Games.  By the time I was done, my day long pity party had turned around and I was feeling pumped again for the Open.

I definitely needed that feeling back, because there is a lot going on with the Open officially starting in less than 24 hours.  For those who have read the blog to this point, you know I have my bet with Rachel where the loser has to wear an Outfit of Shame of the winner's choosing to one workout.  To be honest, I have put zero time into thinking about what I would make Rachel wear because I have little belief that I can really beat her.  But I do want to make her work.  I'd like to win one of the first two workouts, if only to push her to even higher levels over the last three workouts.  It will be a disappointment for me if I don't beat her in any of the workouts.  It will be a victory if I somehow manage to snag two.  I would love to force her to have to re-do a couple of the workouts, if only to stoke that Viking anger.  But more than anything, I'm excited for the challenge of how hard I am going to have to push myself in order to make this even remotely compelling.

A year ago, I took part in my first Open.  I was more than mildly terrified as I had seen what the workouts from the year before were like.  There were movements I barely had (double unders, toes-to-bar, pull-ups) and movements I didn't have at all (chest-to-bar pull-ups, muscle ups).  A year later, those movements I barely had are now the ones that are starting to develop (although I lack consistency with them).  I still don't have much in the way of chest-to-bar pull-ups, nor do I have anything in the way of a muscle-up, but I can at least conceive of how to get those movements now.  My mental focus during workouts has improved and I am stronger than I was 12 months ago.  Now it is time to test how far I have really come along.

Plus, I can't let the Orange Team down.  You know, the team that is going to win the Team Competition!  Led by Captain Giulia, the Orange Team has been practicing double unders, wall balls, toes-to-bar, pull-ups, and Olympic lifts so that they are ready for whatever Dave Castro throws at them tomorrow night.  There are three other teams involved in the competition from what I hear.  Each team should have at least 16 participants, which means that Friday nights at KOP should be wild over the next 5 weeks.

Finally, it's time for my two Open predictions: one for 15.1 and one for the Open in general.  My prediction for 15.1 is that the workout will consist of clean and jerks of ascending weights along with chest-to-bar pull-ups.  Where did I come up with that?  Well, let's work backwards.  Last year, right before the Open, I started going from one measly double under to the occasional set of two and the very rare set of three.  I was kinda getting it (but not really).  All I was hoping for was a few additional weeks to kinda get it some more.  So without fail, 14.1 included double unders and I sucked big time.  What movement have I been kinda getting but could use a little more time on?  Pull-ups.  And since they tend to like the chest-to-bar variety during the Open, I expect to see it in 15.1.  The ascending clean and jerk prediction is based on the fact that Froning and Fraser are extremely good with heavy barbell movements.  Since this will be Froning's only individual appearance (he is doing the Team Competition this year - we tried to recruit him for the Orange Team, but no luck), I have to believe the workout will involve heavy barbell movements.  They might even just repeat 14.2 since these guys tied in the overhead squat event at the Crossfit Games last year.  But I think they'll go with clean and jerks instead.  So that's what I'm expecting to see tomorrow night.  Please don't use my crazy logic for gambling purposes.

My broader prediction for the Open is...that this year we will see handstand push-ups in a workout.  There has been a lot of speculation on what the scaled workouts will look like, whether the difficulty of the RX workouts will escalate, etc.  And Dave Castro seems way too pleased with himself when he is able to roll out a surprise.  Putting that together, I can envision handstand push-ups (which are seen very often at regionals) making an earlier appearance this year, with the scale likely being something like use of 2 abmats.

21 hours until it all starts!  And less than 48 hours until we kick things off at KOP!  But before that, I will resist the urge to try Jackie RX tomorrow (I totally want to try that) in lieu of a special workout instead.  Plus thoughts on the real 15.1, coming in tomorrow night's post.