CrossFit Games Recap

Last weekend we were pretty busy, but I found time to watch a good amount of the CrossFit Games on the live webcast.  This was a first for the games.  This year 14 cameras allowed for a pretty dynamic production.  In previous years we've had to depend on twitter updates and composite videos after the fact.  Another first was the location.  The Games were at the Home Depot Center in L.A. (Where the L.A. Galaxy plays), a far cry from the Aromas, CA ranch where the games have been held in the past.  There was even a fly-over!

The feats of athleticism I witnessed were incredible.  I have quite a few new CrossFit crushes.  The WODs were very well designed and just brutal.  The individual competition consisted of 6 intense workouts over three days.

This recap video made by Again Faster gave me the chills:


Event 1 (Friday Evening)
This is where I fell in love with Camille LeBlanc-Bazinet.

9, 7, 5
Muscle Ups
Squat Snatches (135/95)

Event 2 - "Hell-In" (Saturday Morning)
This event was basically a diabolically re-arranged double Helen followed by an overhead lift.

Run 1,200
63 Kettlebell Swings
36 Pullups
Run 800
42 Kettlebell Swings
24 Pullups
Run 400
21 Kettlebell Swings
12 Pullups
90 seconds to establish a 1RM shoulders to overhead.

These two events begin to show an all around athleticism with the sprint like nature of the first event (if you have muscle ups) and the longer endurance nature of Hell-In.

Event 3 (Saturday Afternoon)
This WOD combines reps of a heavy lift with a rarely practiced pistol and the highly used, but easy to screw up double under. So you have to have brute strength, agility, coordination and gymnastics ability to be successful in this WOD. Oh, and you're already smoked from Hell-In.

As Many Reps As Possible (AMRAP) in 7 minutes
7 Deadlifts (315/205)
Sprint across stadium
14 Pistols
21 Double Unders
Sprint back across stadium

Event 4 - The Sandbag WOD (Saturday Evening)
This was an awesome event to watch. It not only involved many aspects of athleticism, but a lot of strategy as well. This event was about your ability to do work and certainly speaks to the functional aspect of CrossFit.

Athletes had to move 600/370 lbs of sandbags from the top of the stands on one end of the stadium to the top of the stands on the other end (this involved getting them over a wall about 7' high).  They did have wheelbarrows to move the sandbags across the stadium.

Event 5 (Sunday Morning)
Most people can't do a single full range of motion handstand pushup. This WOD is going to favor gymnastically inclined athletes.

7 Rounds
3 Cleans (205/135)
6 ring Handstand Pushups/4 Handstand Pushups

Event 6 (Sunday Afternoon/Evening)
This is one of the most punishing WODs I've ever seen. One look at the course and you know you're in for a pretty fun time though. This WOD makes me want a scaling wall to practice on!

Event 6a
3 rounds of:
30 push-ups
21 overhead squats (65/95 lb.)
Wall rope climb between each element
(7-minute cap)

Event 6b
3 rounds of:
30 toes-to-bar
21 ground-to-overhead (95/65 lb.)
(7-minute cap)

Event 6c
3 rounds of:
5 burpee wall jumps
20-foot rope climbs (3/2)
(12-minute cap)


I'm so proud and excited to be a part of this sport.