The CrossFit Open Workout that will be repeated in 2014 – Analysis

That is one of the topic Brent Fikowski (finished 6th in the Australian Regionals in 2013 and now lives in the Canada West region) and I have been discussing. This post is a combination of our discussions on the topic so it is essentially co-written by Brent.

Brent's pick? 13.2...here's why. (And he wants to say, it is not just because he had success in this WOD!)

For those that don't know, last year's 13.2 Open Workout was particularly interesting for two main reasons.

The first reason is that some high scorers on this WOD were given the infamous "No-Rep" and were disqualified from The Open, thereby crushing their goals of Regionals and The Games.

The second reason was that the opinion of many (including myself) is that multiple rebounding box jumps is an unsafe exercise to program. Repeating 13.2 would allow those disqualified athletes an opportunity at redemption, and a way for CrossFit Headquarters to say we don't care what you think, when we say jump you say how high. CFHQ, for better or for worse (IMHO) loves online hype, conversation, and controversy. I can't think of a better way to stir the pot than to have that workout back in it. What would be great is if those disqualified athletes were on the live Open show. And then it would be even better if they all got no-repped heaps...[which they won't because they will have learned from last year!] But still, that would be an incredibly entertaining viewing experience you have to admit.

Still don't agree they'll repeat 13.2? Well I'll break it down even further for you.

First we will assume that they will repeat a previous Open workout. They have done a repeat every year, so that the progress of "the sport" can be analyzed. Although it is possible they will repeat a workout from a previous years (2011, 2012), for argument's sake lets say that they won't.

So I will tell you why they WON'T re-do any other 2013 workouts:

• 13.1 was already a combo of two previous wods. To repeat it again would be like a threepeat.
• 13.3 was a repeat wod. Again, unlikely to threepeat.
• 13.4 was the most boring WOD of last year. AND was a repeat of a previous 3-6-9 ascending format. With a barbell movement and a kipping movement on a pull-up bar. Pretty similar. But most importantly, it was boring. And the 3-6-9 format was used in 2011 and 2012 as a repeat.
• And yes, finally the crown jewel 13.5. Probably the most entertaining. I mean what wouldn't be exciting after 13.4? It was the surprise at the end, the big finale. With Frich Roning and the whole gang in attendance. It was the third year in a row there was a Fran couplet that lasted longer than a typical Fran would last. 2 years ago the Fran couplet was the final workout of the Open. It seems highly unlikely they will repeat this workout again.

So that leaves us with 13.2! Practice your S2OH (full lockout please!) lightweight deadlifts (no bouncing please!) and box jumps (go as fast as possible, don't worry about locking out on the top of the box. She'll be right).

But they might repeat the 13.5 format with another couplet. The 'never ending clock' idea. Maybe Diane, Elizabeth, Amanda, or a new combination. Will the nasty Fran couplet of thrusters and pull-ups rear its ugly head again? Possibly… but hopefully they will mix in one more movement like burpees or double unders so it doesn't feel too repetitive.

On a final note I anticipate burpee box jumps to find their way into an Open WOD very soon. Easy to judge, but very demanding