15.5 | Quad Burn
15.5…… After 5 weeks of ups and downs, here we are with the final open workout of 2015. Firstly it was great to see friend of Kitbox Samantha Briggs show everyone she is still, in our opinion, the best athlete in the world live in Vegas! Awesome work Sam. Now we look ahead to see how Joe, Josh, Darren, Chloe, and Pippa are going to tackle the WOD.
Kitbox (KB) – So 15.4, how did you all get on?
Pippa Alford (PA) – I was really happy with this WOD. The cleans felt good, I completed them all in quick singles. The HSPU felt good, too. Used a tip from Becky Standen to use my hips a lot during the kip, which definitely helped as it saved a lot of energy and delayed fatigue in my shoulders.
I found that my limiting factor was lowering myself down! I'm a bit of a wimp and scared of hurting my head / neck. I completed 108 reps, which placed me 81st in Europe. I'm clawing my way back, hopefully I can score well on this next WOD and finish in the top 100 overall.
Joe Cowen (JC) - I don’t want to talk about it! But next time I do this I will smash my score ….
KB – Well done Pippa, and hard lines Joe! Now onto 15.5…. What did you think when you first saw the WOD?
Darren Freeman (DF) - The workout itself could be straight forward if you recover on the rower and push through the Thrusters... But that's not the opens!!! This one is going to hurt... A lot.
Josh Saville (JS) - The Final hurrah in the open!!!! Thrusters and rowing! Possibly my favorite move the thruster mixed with certainly my worst movement the rower!
JC - My initial thoughts on 15.5 are rowing and thruster are very simple movements that everyone can do. However, this is another CrossFit masterpiece. The simple ones are always the worst.! 2 movements that will destroy your lungs and your quads! The quad pump is going to be unreal - make sure you Instagram those badboys #quadoff
Chloe Barrett (CB) - I view this as a test of your engine and your mental strength. If you are a Duracell Bunny and have an engine that's enables you to go for hard for long periods of time I wouldn't over think this workout, I would get your head down and grind it out.
PA - I really don't mind thrusters at all, so am happy that they are in this WOD. I was hoping for burpees and box jumps, but unfortunately we have rowing!
KB – How are you with the movements?
PA – Although I did a bit of rowing whilst at uni, I really struggle using the rowing erg. I've got to be really disciplined with the rowing, trying to keep a good split the whole time. The thrusters I should be okay to go unbroken, so it will be all in the rowing for me
KB – Any advice or tips?
JS - My plan to for this is to go Easy on the row and try to keep hold of the bar on the thrusters! .. its definitely a work out which if done right will definitely put you in that dark place (the cave). If your not walking like John Wayne afterwards you really didn't go hard
CB - Getting as many reps out as possible in one go, aiming to go un broken and pulling a consistent hard pace on the rower. It will hurt but it is a descending ladder, take heart in the reps getting lower and know that as they do you are getting close to the end.
JC - My plan of attack for this workout is going to be based solely on how quick Mark Williams is moving. I am currently 1 point ahead of Mark in the CrossFit Napalm leader board so its winner takes all in this one. What makes this workout worse is neither Mark or I have any advantage in this workout it’s going to be down to who can ‘embrace the suck’ and it must be unbroken.
DF - Watching the girls go unbroken on the head-to-head is the best tactic if you have that in your locker. If you don't then my advice is break once... 17-10 / 12-9 / 9-6 / 9.
The row wants to be 85-90% effort. Transitions minimum, just get off the rower and pick the bar straight up. Squat clean the first rep and just keep moving.
CB - Unfortunately I am no super human, I will be breaking the WOD down based on my experience from other workouts that are similar. In the 27 & 21 calorie row I will be working at 90% of my max, for the 15 and 9 I am going all out. On the thrusters I will break as follows: 27 (10+10+7), 21 (11+10), 15 (8+7) and the 9s unbroken. Everytime the bar goes down I count to 5 in my head before go again. It seems like a lot of breaking but, for me the structure enables me to remain focused on what I need to do.
KB – Final thoughts?
JS - I have mixed views on my open this year... wasn’t fully prepped or in the best state but overall "fine" with how I did!!! Every open I've entered I've always had that 1 WOD which I did shocking in and pulled me down the board, but hey I've got my goals and hopefully injury free train hard and get some gainz. F#!kin love this shit though #Kitbox #onelove #crossfit
JC - Enjoy it, it’s the last open workout and once it’s done its back to your day to day kick ass training. Never drop the bar and leave everything on the dance floor. Pace the first row then go ballistic!
DF - Regarding the CrossFit Games, this is the end of the road for 99.9% of us... Have fun and give it all you've got. It could be worse... It could be 14.5!!!
PA - I am predicting a real quad-burner, so it's just a matter of gritting and bearing! Fingers crossed it will be a good one
KB - Thanks guys, good luck and we’ll catch up next week to review your 2015 CrossFit games Open.
