Wednesday’s workout is from the original CrossFit Open – 11.2.  It’s a heavy breather of box jumps, stomach hand release push ups and deadlifts.  This workout introduced hand release pushups to the masses, stomach although they had been introduced in the CrossFit Games the year before.  Back then, # the Games were streamed on the internet and like a 1,000 people watched in Carson.  Now, you can flip through Regionals heats and consume CrossFit as seemingly thousands of people watch in the stands at Regional events.

This workout was a shit show for scoring and judging back in the day.  Video submissions for 11.2 were getting ripped apart on the internet.  The pushups, which demanded the hand release and a lock out, but little else in between, looked like people were doing the worm or humping horse stall mats.  But the box jumps were worse.  The only requirement was that both feet leave the ground at the same time and the hips open fully.  You didn’t have show control at the top of the box.  Folks were wildly bouncing all over the place, getting their feet on the box and calling it good.

In Regionals that year, we saw the advent of “control at the top” box jump, which is what we practice today.  By 2013, in the Open at least, we saw the requirement of the jump go away.  As long as you go from the ground to the top of the box and show control, we call that a rep.

Jumping is important, and I still try to do it.  But if you’re in the woods, and you see a big rock that you need to get over, how do you get on top?  I’m guessing you step up.

Workout of the Day

Strength/Skill

The Cube, Phase 3, Week 1

Deadlift

1 set of 8+, 80% of 1RM

Conditioning

AMRAP 15

15 Box Jumps

12 Hand Release Pushups

9 Deadlifts 155/100