Christopher Douglas

CrossFit Open 19.4: Ultimate Workout Strategy for Rx, Masters, Scaled

CrossFit Open 19.4 is here, and it’s a great week for a first bar muscle up…. or maybe a pull-up, if you’re going after 19.4 scaled. In week 4 we have three movements, and some programmed rest. Let’s take a look at the workout, and then talk strategy, courtesy of WodPrep.

CrossFit Open Workout 19.4:

For Time (12 minute time cap, this includes 3 min rest!)

3 rounds:

• 10 snatches 95/65 lbs
• 12 bar facing burpees

Rest 3 minutes then…

3 rounds :

• 10 bar muscle ups
• 12 bar facing burpees

Looking for a complete breakdown of 19.4 workout standards? Head to the official 2019 CrossFit Games Open website.

19.4: Snatches

• If the snatch is light for you (~50% or less), go touch & go, try to stay unbroken.
• If the snatch is heavy (~ 60% or more), it’s OK to do quick singles – but make sure to move quickly on burpees!
• Don’t rest unless absolutely necessary. Remember, you have a huge 3 minute rest after part 1 that you can take advantage of.
• Especially if you’re going unbroken, keep a hook grip the whole time your hands are on the bar. Start with wide feet and try not to move them at all. Power snatch for most people is going to be ideal here.

19.4: Burpees Over The Bar

• Go fast – no excuses here since you’ll have time to recover. The key is not “as fast as possible”, which would make you redline, but instead it should be “what pace will make it so that I have absolutely no resting?“. Go at that speed, and try to push your tempo.
• I personally plan to do my burpees by jumping down and stepping up. Last year step-down/step-up burpees were not allowed, but apparently they are now okay in 2019 – check out the full CrossFit 19.4 Open standards on the Games website.

19.4: Bar Muscle Ups

• Bar Muscle Ups are going to depend on your abilities. Personally, I will try this unbroken, then move to 6/4, but this is because I can do 20+ unbroken when fresh.
• Most people should HIGHLY consider breaking up into singles. If you can’t do 5+ BMU’s unbroken, DO NOT try multiples, as it will only hurt you and cause you to rest too much.
• Using the “box drop-in” will be a HUGE win for anyone trying to learn their first reps. At the very least, make sure you are jumping into the first rep of each set (or each single) to ensure that you utilize the precious momentum.
• “Find the floor” and make your transition AGGRESSIVE. (watch this for more details)

19.4: Burpees Over The Bar (Round 2)

• I wouldn’t push the pace too much – at least not as fast as part 1… the goal is to be slightly recovered for the BMU so you can crush them! If you go max effort on these burpees, you’ll more way too slow on the BMUs and might start failing reps.

CrossFit Open 19.4: Scaled

Scaled needs to do pull-ups in the 19.4 scaled workout! Oh snap!

• Guess what… you need to be working on these ALWAYS and it should be a priority for your fitness, and is a fundamental part of being a fit person.
• Check out the above advice on snatches and burpees – similar coaching pointers apply!
• If you are trying for your first pull-up, I WOULD NOT suggest kipping wildly just to try to get a rep, but since that will inevitably happen… here’s what I suggest – use the “box drop in” method to develop momentum to get your chin above the bar.

55+ Scaled (CrossFit Open 19.4)

• On the jumping pull-ups – USE YOUR LEGS and don’t let go of the bar. Embrace the burn because your rep cycle time will be fast!

CrossFit 19.4: Masters

Like past 2019 Open workouts, the standards are going to stay the same here until we hit Masters 55+, where the BMU’s change to Chest to Bar pull-ups.

• The same rules apply for C2B’s as they do for BMUs… trust your abilities, but don’t go unbroken if your max set is only 15 reps.
• Instead, take short, quick breaks and get back on the bar ASAP. Singles are totally OK as long as you keep moving. Don’t waste time!
• As previously mentioned, push the burpee tempo, but not so much that it burns you on the pull-ups.
• Check out this WodPrep video on the ‘hip pop’ if you plan to do either bar muscle ups – or chest to bar pull-ups.

Post Workout Nutrition Tips — we’ve talked a little bit about what to eat…now let’s talk about when to eat it!

0-2 HOURS AFTER

This meal enhances your recovery for the next day and the earlier you can refuel, the better! The Open Workouts can be more challenging than your average day at the gym and your body won’t be recovering as quickly as usual. The sooner you’re refueled and kicking into ‘recovery mode,’ the more prepared you’ll be for the next workout. If your stomach isn’t up for a meal of real food, this is the ideal time for a post-workout shake to get those essential proteins and carbs, even if your appetite is low.

2+ HOURS AFTER

This meal is especially important during Open season because of the challenging nature of the workouts. It allows you to continue recovering from your earlier workout, and if it is one of your last meals of the day, it also prepares you for a good night’s sleep. This is important because certain recovery is specific to sleep! Recovery also ensures proper preparation for tomorrow’s workout. Now is the best time to fit in those essential macronutrients, micronutrients, vitamins and minerals that you didn’t eat around workout times, such as fats and more fibrous vegetables.

19.4 should be fun and fast! Get a game plan for your post workout foods and we look forward to seeing you at the gym!

Well, we knew it was coming…

Week 3 is officially that “separator” workout that we see each year.

Many of the athletes who were grinning after 19.1’s announcement are now contemplating their existence and/or sobbing.

There were a lot of predictions leading up to this that “strict gymnastics” would be making their appearance in 2019, and this has turned out to be correct…

CrossFit Open WOD 19.3

For Time (10 minute time cap):

• 200 ft. Dumbbell overhead lunge
• 50 DB box step-ups
• 50 Strict HSPU
• 200 ft. handstand walk

Men: 50 lb dumbbell / 24 inch box
Females: 35 lb dumbbell / 20-in box

With four movements, and two of them being upside down – there’s definitely plenty to dissect with this workout. So let’s hop right into it.

RESOURCES

WodPrep Complete Strategy Guide w/Mindset

Video: 19.3 Strategy & Tips

Onto Week 3…Let’s talk a little bit about FIBER!

Keeping your fiber intake on point throughout the Open will provide optimal energy and joint function during the workouts, along with faster recovery afterwards, getting you ready for the next one.

Fiber is essential because:

• It is usually found in foods that are high in micronutrients which help to lower cholesterol and manage blood sugar levels.
• It leaves you feeling fuller for longer, as they are slower to digest.
• It keeps your digestion running smoothly.

I would recommend about 10-15 grams of fiber for every 1000 calories you consume. High fiber foods include vegetables, fruits, and many legumes. You’ll also find fiber in some grains and many other packaged food products (such as bread, tortillas, energy bars, or even dairy products). Read your food labels!

Remember to stay hydrated, keep your protein intake up, and let’s have some fun lunging around and getting upside-down!

A repeat workout? Almost.

Anyone who’s been around for awhile now might remember the triplette 16.2. 19.2 is very similar, yet the time requirements have been changed.

Before breaking down each individual movement, let’s first take a look at the workout…

CrossFit Open 19.2

Beginning on an 8-minute clock, complete as many reps as possible of:

• 25 toes-to-bars
• 50 double-unders
• 15 squat cleans, 135/85 lbs
• 25 toes-to-bars
• 50 double-unders
• 13 squat cleans, 185/115 lbs

If completed before 8 minutes, add 4 minutes to the clock:

• 25 toes-to-bars
• 50 double-unders
• 11 squat cleans, 225/145 lb.

If completed before 12 minutes, add 4 minutes to the clock:

• 25 toes-to-bars
• 50 double-unders
• 9 squat cleans, 275/175 lb.

If completed before 16 minutes, add 4 minutes to the clock:

• 25 toes-to-bars
• 50 double-unders
• 7 squat cleans, 315/205 lb.

Stop at 20 minutes.

Workout Strategy for 19.2:

Let’s start with toes to bar. The key here is to remember that singles are perfectly fine. Singles might even be your best bet for not wasting a ton of energy right from the start.

Keep in mind, even if you can do large sets of toes to bar, I don’t necessarily recommend it. Smaller sets of toes to bar will help you to fly through your double unders, keeping you fresh and ready for the heavier barbell.

Here’s a WodPrep tutorial on how to learn TTB.

Scaled Athletes: Unlike what I just advised for toes to bar, singles are not a good idea for knee raises or ab mat sit-ups. If you’re going to do scaled, push for unbroken during this portion.

Double Unders:

When you step up to your jump rope, have the mindset of ‘whatever it takes’. Try to keep the rope spinning at all costs, even if it means having to go single-double with your jumping. Don’t let silly trip-ups throw you off, remain calm, and hold good form.

Check out this quick video on some of the most common double under errors:

Squat Cleans:

Unlike double unders, singles are going to be a very good idea here. Unless the weights are extremely easy you, I recommend trying out the ‘Rich Froning’ breath in between reps or smaller sets. It will help to keep you on pace while you reset.

What’s the Rich Froning breath? It’s explained further here:

One thing to note: control your dropping. It’s not energy-efficient to have to be chasing your barbell all over the gym. Keep it within your space, control your breathing, and get back on the bar!

Scaled: If you happen to be scaling 19.2 because of the TTB and DUs, this barbell weight might be on the lighter end for you. In this case, I would disregard the “singles” suggestion until the barbell gets heavy (>50% of your 1RM).

19.2: Set-up

Be smart with your set-up. If you can, have your jump rope ready to go in front of your TTB bar. DO NOT jump rope on a “crack” – explained here. At your barbell station, make sure that the plates are set-up in a way that it’s very easy for your gym pals to switch out the weight.

CrossFit Open 19.2: Masters
The Masters standards for both males and females stay the same until we get to the 55+ age categories. At that point, the squat clean weight is going to drop slightly. The toes to bar and double unders stay the same.

We recommend checking out games.crossfit.com for the various weights.

CrossFit Open 19.2: Scaled

Here is the scaled version of the 19.2 workout:

8-minute clock, complete as many reps as possible of:

• 25 hanging knee-raises
• 50 single-unders
• 15 squat cleans, 95/55 lb.
• 25 hanging knee-raises
• 50 single-unders
• 13 squat cleans, 115/75 lb.

If completed before 8 minutes, add 4 minutes to the clock:

• 25 hanging knee-raises
• 50 single-unders
• 11 squat cleans, 135/95 lb.

If completed before 12 minutes, add 4 minutes to the clock:

• 25 hanging knee-raises
• 50 single-unders
• 9 squat cleans, 155/115 lb.

If completed before 16 minutes, add 4 minutes to the clock:

• 25 hanging knee-raises
• 50 single-unders
• 7 squat cleans, 185/135 lb.

Stop at 20 minutes.

19.2: Mindset Tips

This isn’t a sprint. The mindset here should be, ‘how fast do I need to go to comfortably make it to the next round?’

In most cases, this is going to mean single toes to bar to set yourself up to successfully get through the heavier cleans.

If you have done this workout in the past, this is a better time than ever to retest where you stand. Make the goal of hitting weights that you couldn’t hit last time this was programmed, or move through the double unders more smoothly.

Full 19.2 Strategy Video:

Enjoy the workout, and the spirit of the Open. Now let’s get to work!