Feature Footage Friday: 14.1

Well the open workout is released. Let the craziness begin. I know they follow the trend of liking to repeat previous workouts, but honestly I’m glad they picked this one. Once in a blue moon I do actually attempt to complete CrossFit workouts. Back in 2011 this was one of the few workouts I did complete. I’m not going to tell you my score, I’m just going to leave that to your imagination 🙂
That being said, I did learn something performing that work out that year. Here’s a couple different principles I want you to consider when completing this work out and also some videos at the bottom to help visually demonstrate what I’m talking about.
1. 10 minutes is a long time. I know in the grand scheme of things or for potential endurance athletes 10 minutes sounds like nothing. However, when it comes to 30 double unders and 15 snatches 10 minutes is a long time. This workout should be approached much more with a 5K mentality then with a 400 m mentality. Don’t come out of the starter blocks gunning. By four minutes you will regret that decision immediately. I know from personal experience.
Somewhere during my coaching career I heard the phrase, “Don’t let a workout force you to rest, you tell the work out when you’re going to rest.” I say this to remind you that if you ever get to the point where the workout is forcing you to stop then you’re push the gas pedal too hard, too early. That feeling should only come near the end. Stay present in the work out, be aware of what you are doing and how you are doing it, and don’t let yourself redline until the last 30 to 45 seconds. If anything slow down.
2. Double Unders take no time. 30 Double Unders, especially if you’re proficient at them, will seem like more of a tease than anything else. Two suggestions here. Relax. Relax your arms, relax your shoulders, relax your wrist. Simply relax. Double unders should be a resting period for you. Don’t let such a simple movement create more tension for your shoulders and forearms by tightening up and allowing yourself to remain under stress. If you’re not proficient at Double Unders, in this workout that actually is not a major weakness. Unless of course you can’t do them. It may actually slow you down so that you’re able to excel at the snatches. There are a million double under videos out there to watch that are great instructional videos. I’m going to leave you to them. One more time: relax.
3. How you complete the snatches may actually be the determining factor for your overall rep count. Anyone who has completed his work out before knows the burn and the pain of an overtaxed posterior chain specifically the spinal erectors. There are some simple cues and technical advice that can help prevent this problem. First of all if you are the athlete who will eventually struggle to complete this snatch at this load, disregard everything I’m about to say. If 75 or 55 will eventually become heavy for you then your best bet is to treat every snatch as if it needs to be technically perfect. Set up just like you would for a heavy attempt, move your feet, finish the pull, all of the things that you would consider when doing a strength workout.
However, if you’re like most and this weight is not necessarily challenging for you, then here some pointers. First, move your feet out to a receiving position. The reason I want your feet in a receiving position is because the necessity to move your feet at such a light load is nonexistent. Thus you have a more stable base and are able squat into the set up a little better. From this position there is no need to move your feet so don’t worry about it. As a matter of fact try to keep your feet flat for as long as possible and if it all possible do not come up on your toes. It’s simply not necessary. Other things to consider when completing the Satch portion of this workout is to drop your hips a little lower than you normally set up to allow you to utilize your legs more and protect your back. Bring your grip in just a little bit to allow your torso to be more vertical in the set up and in the return thus preventing any extra strain on your back. Lastly, unless you are an extremely elite athlete, bring the bar back to your hips every single rep. Don’t go directly from overhead to the ground as that will force your shoulders over the bar and ultimately put undue stress on your back. From overhead come to the hip then go to the ground. This will allow you to keep your shoulders even with or behind the bar for the entirety of the movement and in a big way protect your back.
Basically, everything I have ever told you to do for a proficient snatch I want you to forget about. If you can achieve a perfectly vertical bar track with no sweepback, Do it. Don’t let your shoulders get in front of the bar. Don’t move your feet. Don’t sweep the bar back off the floor. Set up with your hips below your knees. All the things that I traditionally would tell you not to do I’m going to encourage you to do. If you are a strong athlete you will never struggle to move this weight. In this work out with the amount of reps that you will be completing efficiency and the shortest distance from A to B is the name of the game. Not necessarily your ability to complete the snatch with perfect technical proficiency. Also, ladies use a 45lb bar with 5lb plates. Going just below the knee shortens your range of motion. It’s a no-brainer.
Snatch Setup DifferencesnSnatch Movement DifferencesnFemale Snatch Movement Differences