There aren't a lot of categories where I would rank amongst the upper tier in the gym, but when it comes to decking out in festive gear, I hold my own. My Halloween outfits have been pretty strong. We used to have a neon WOD once a year at the gym and I happen to own some outfits that would blind most people. I've had my fair share of colorful outfits and accessories ready for the Open, where each of the teams has their own color. The only time of the year where I've struggled to come up with a themed outfit has been on Independence Day. I don't have a lot of patriotic-looking gear. In fact, the only two red, white, and blue items I own are two gaudy tank tops that I bought in years past for the 4th of July WOD at KOP. Those were my two choices on Tuesday WOD: go with the USA Drinking Team tank or the 'Merica tank. I thought I had worn the 'Merica tank more recently, so I went with the always classy USA Drinking Team alternative.
The 4th of July WOD is always a team affair involving groups of 4 or more. The reason that the teams are so large is because this is one of the rare workouts that we do where tire flips are involved. There were plenty of other obstacles for the teams to conquer. Here's how we were all celebrating the nation's birthday:
4th of July WOD:
Teams of 4 (or more)
30 minute AMRAP
400 meter run
4 tire flips (small or large tire)
30 burpees
40 box jumps (24"/20")
50 air squats
60 KB swings (53/35)
*All teammates must complete the 400 meter run
**Two athletes may work at a time on the burpees, box jumps, air squats, and KB swings
I can't remember the last time I showed up to a holiday workout that called for partners or teams and had pre-established plans of who I was going to work out with. I walked into a packed gym on Tuesday morning with little clue of who I'd be sweating with for a half-hour. Based on how folks were huddled up, it seemed like a lot of teams had already been formed. Neil was there along with his girlfriend, Kim, and they didn't appear to have teammates yet, so I asked them if they'd take on a straggler. Even though Neil wasn't a fan of my garb, he was okay with being teammates. We needed one more person and that slot would get filled when Sarmad joined our group.
Coach Aimee had a ton of assistants on hand to help organize the large group of athletes taking part in this WOD. Apparently an impromptu Competitors Class was held before we all arrived, so the members of that class stuck around to play coach. There were so many coaches that the members of the demo team were able to substitute in and out as they showed us the different movements we'd be performing in this workout. We even had a set of indoor coaches and a set of outdoor coaches.
The outdoor crew keeping an eye on the teams as they flipped tires
Everyone went on a large group run to ensure that all participants were familiar with the location of the turnaround point for the 400 meter run. Then we came back inside to go over the four traditional Crossfit movements in the workout. Aimee asked each team to get 2 boxes and 2 KBs and to stake out some space for the WOD. My team ended up on the magic platform, near the whiteboard in the front of class. The four of us began to discuss how we were going to split up the box jumps, but it became clear that Kim wanted no part of them. We had brought over a 24" box for the guys and a 20" box for her, but the prospect of having to jump to that height was causing her a lot of distress. We told her that we'd get her a smaller box, but that didn't seem to calm her nerves. Giulz had a talk with Kim to try and put her at ease. She set up a plate for her to jump on, but Kim had no interest in jumping on an object of any height. It really wasn't a big deal though, because there wasn't some requirement that she had to do box jumps. The three guys agreed that we would handle all 40 of the box jumps each round.
We then went over the KB swings. We had the 53 pound version for the guys. Kim stated there was no way that she was swinging a 35 pound KB. We brought out a 26 pounder and an 18 pounder, but it was still no dice with Kim. She really didn't want to participate in this workout at all. She let Neil know that she wanted to leave, but he talked her into staying. As was the case with the box jumps, we assured Kim that she didn't have to do any of the work. 60 KB swings was 20 apiece for the guys and we felt comfortable handling that amount. There wasn't anything to fear with the burpees and the air squats, so maybe Kim could help us with those.
Because there were only four tires (two big, two small) available for flipping, Aimee designated different starting points for the teams. If we all went on the 400 meter run together, there would be a logjam at the tires when we got back. So some teams started on the run, some started at the tires, and the rest started with the work inside the gym. Our team was selected to begin with the run. Among the teams who started on the run, I think we were the 3rd team back to the tires. I led our team over to one of the small tires. Neil and I were two of the bigger athletes taking part in this workout, so it wasn't like we couldn't handle the big tire. My main concern now was how Kim would react. She seemed traumatized by the box jumps and the KB swings, so I wasn't going to make the situation worse by forcing her to flip the big tire. The four of us lined up behind one of the small tires. Immediately we were yelled at by the coaching crew that we were at the wrong tire. To be honest, it felt like we were. So we checked with Kim to make sure she was cool with flipping the big tire. She said that she was. We moved over to a big tire and began flipping it. That first round was all about getting the feel for picking the tire up off of the ground as a team. We didn't struggle too much, but things went a lot smoother in later rounds.
The USA Drinking Team practicing for "Giant Flip Cup"
Our first task once we were inside the gym was to belt out 30 burpees. Two of us could work at a time, so me and Neil began a set of 5 burpees each. Once we had finished 10 burpees combined, we tagged in our teammates. Sarmad began to do burpees, but Kim did not. We knew she wasn't doing box jumps or KB swings, but she apparently had second thoughts about doing burpees. It didn't make sense to have only one of us working at a time, so I dropped to the floor and knocked out some additional burpees. When I got tired, Neil came in for me and then I jumped in when Sarmad was tired. This continued on during the box jumps. We had to adjust to it on the fly, but the three of us worked out a system to try and make sure we were getting adequate rest while also completing the work as efficiently as possible. Neil and Sarmad were finishing off the last few box jumps, so I went over to ask Kim if she was okay doing the air squats with me. She was in tears at the time (she really did not want to do this workout!), but she agreed to do the air squats. I synchronized my movement with hers and we completed 10 air squats each before Neil and Sarmad took our spots. They both did 10 more and then Kim and I finished 5 each to bring the team's total to 50. The last element of the round was the KB swings. We still had a 53 pound KB and a 35 pound KB in our area, so the three of us not only rotated through work and rest, we also rotated through the heavier and lighter KBs.
That first round took about 8 minutes to complete, so it seemed pretty clear that we'd only be doing 3 rounds of this workout. I wasn't sure how far we'd get into round four, but I thought it would be nice if we could make it back from the run at least. The next two rounds were similar to the 1st round. The run was probably a bit slower, but we were less hesitant about flipping the tire and might have made up the time there that we lost on the run. Kim still had no desire to do the box jumps or the KB swings, but she did eventually join us on the burpees and I'm always grateful when someone helps me do less burpees. There was less than 3 minutes to go when we completed the third round, so it seemed safe that we would complete the 4th run. (Yay, we ran a mile!) As we got back to the tires, we heard that there was 15 seconds remaining. We lined up and quickly flipped the tire. I just wanted to get one flip in before time was called, but we did that first flip so fast that we had time to sneak in a second one as well. Final score: 3 full rounds, a 400 meter run, and 2 tire flips.
We all deserved a treat after a tough 30 minute workout. Plus, it was a holiday, so it was appropriate to celebrate. After cleaning up our equipment and changing into drier shirts, a bunch of us headed over to the Bridgeport Brew Pub. Kim was much happier in that environment. The anxieties that had bothered her earlier in the day were replaced by a smile at lunch. Box jumps and KB swings might not bring people together, but burgers and beers certainly do.
Wednesday preview: Just when I thought I had a handle on Fran, I am reminded in no uncertain terms that I do not.
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