2008 Games History Lesson

Tuesday’s WOD is from the 2008 CrossFit Games.  The video is badass.  When it was announced, medicine the weight blew everyones mind’s.  275/185 seemed impossibly heavy in a WOD.  But a CrossFit usually shows, health the weight for the tope athletes was not an issue…the moved it up and down like sewing machines.
The only requirement that is different than normal – you cannot drop the bar from the top.  Each rep ends when you return the weigh to the ground.  Same standard at the top, but the return tot he ground is a different twist.
This WOD was actually the first Games WOD with burpees.  What was inters tong in CrossFit used the Games to define a movement standard, something that we see year in and year out now.
The burpee standard called for the athlete to finish in the air, having jumped, with hips, knees and ankles extended with a clap of the hands and the ears exposed in front of the arms.  Sounds confusing?  It’s basically how every Burpee we do should look – sometimes they get sloppy.  One way CrossFit has cleaned this up is throwing in bar facing or touch requirements.
In 2008, the Burpees were surprising in how blazing fast they we completed.  Athlete were sprawling, popping, jumping, clapping at break neck speed.  Gone were the day of a 6 count movement and in were the days of the metabolic smash of the sprawl Burpee.
Tomorrow is 2009 – HINT -it’s a war on your legs.
Workout of the Day
“2008”
5RFT
5 Deadlift 275/185
10 Burpees
10 minute cap
Take your time to warm up, using 3 DL to build, followed by 3 quick Burpees.  Singles are only allowed if you return the bar to the ground.
In the remaining time, build to a heavy Power Clean.