Wednesday’s benchmark WOD is Isabel, diagnosis 30 Snatches for time at 135/95. The rep scheme and the weight are the same as Grace, ambulance but the movement is more technically challenging, sickness so you will need to be smart here.
Scaling
Unlike Grace, I recommend scaling the weight on Isabel if needed. Because the Snatch is technically demanding, I’d rather you focus on good mechanics. Most importantly, we don’t want to see any “pressing out” the snatch – meaning catching at about eye level, then pressing the bar to extension. We want everyone to pull their body down and meet the bar in the catch.
For scaling (or goal setting), I recommend a weight that you can handle a rep every 10 seconds. That will give you a 5 minute time, which is very good.
5 years ago, very few CrossFitters were able to complete Grace as prescribed. At the 2009 CrossFit Games, Mikko Salo snatched 185 and won the Games. Jason Khalipa may have hit 225, but I think it was 205. Tanya Wagner had a top snatch of 115 pounds and won the CrossFit Games. At Regionals last year, over 25 guys Snatched over 200 pounds and girls snatched well over 150. CrossFitters proficiency at the Olympic lifts has expanded greatly in recent years – we are more comfortable learning, teaching and executing the lifts. Because of this expanded proficiency across the board, we are attacking WODs like Isabel earlier in our CrossFit “careers.” I had never snatched before starting CrossFit and it took about 3 years before I could comfortably Snatch 135.
So my Isabel advice is really just get good at Snatching. Practice it, at a minimum of once a week, and twice a week is even better.
For Prescribed athletes
1 and dumps work very well with Isabel. 1 lift, dump, quick reset, go again till you hit 30. If possible, use a counter.
My only real advice that is different from Grace is – be very smart if you are going to chain together reps. I recommend returning the bar to Position 1 before going to the ground. This will keep the torque off you lower back, although it may tax your grip (and you should definitely be hook gripping).
Here’s a video of Marcus Filly performing Isabel recently. Marcus qualified for the CrossFit Games last week. I’m no expert, but Marcus is the most technically proficient lifter I have seen in person, and nearly every movement he performs is crisp. Pay particular attention to how he returns the bar to the ground
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c_moOBDN_8g?rel=0&w=560&h=315]
Workout of the Day
“Isabel”
30 Snatches for time, 135/95