Though I’ve migrated from endurance sports into strongman, I’ve always prided myself in my ability to design efficient programs.   What is said movements, how are said movements broken down and how does one body’s move in accordance with said goals – the rest is just science.

The goal of this article isn’t to tell you how awesome I think I am but rather how surprisingly awesome I felt the about the CrossFit Games. I knew of CrossFit’s existence, but more so as a plague that would leave the masses hunting for their dinner in crutches and with an unfortunate disorder that leaves them boasting about nothing other than CrossFit.

Lets look at some of the numbers we saw:

OVERHEAD SQUAT

1RM OH Squat
Athletes each have 3 attempts

Event winner: Kara Webb hit 250lb

A 250 back squat alone is impressive for any 154lb female but to have that load overhead requires core strength of a superhero. This movement requires a good combination of both stability and mobility. The OH squat is a method I use in the gym to assess a clients structural stability. I’m always in awe watching athletes hit 1RM’s in this position because the more you load the structure, the more balance is required thus a greater number of stabilizers are in play.

Corssfitters hit the OH Squat to acclimatize their bodies to come out of the hole with a big load in hand so they can hit a better snatch. I have a hard time lapping a 250 log and tip my hat to the strength these ladies showed.

21-15-9 COMPLEX

For time:

8 deadlifts 115 lb
7 cleans 115 lb
6 snatches 115 lb
8 pull-ups
7 chest-to-bar pull-ups
6 bar muscle-ups

6 deadlifts 115 lb
5 cleans 115 lb
4 snatches 115 lb
6 pull-ups
5 chest-to-bar pull-ups
4 bar muscle-ups

4 deadlifts 115 lb
3 cleans 115 lb
2 snatches 115 lb
4 pull-ups
3 chest-to-bar pull-ups
2 bar muscle-ups

Home girl Camille Leblanc-Bazinet won first in the 21-15-9 complex.

For those of you who don’t math good here are the totals:
18 deadlifts
15 cleans
12 snatches
18 pull-ups
15 chest-to-bar
12 muscle-ups

15 cleans at 115 would leave me crawling home without  having started the remainder of this sequence. High recruitment of posterior chain, great combination of strength and power.  It essentially pre-exhausts all secondary muscle groups in first three events to then be blasted with the last three. Based on how quickly and effectively this sequence gets the ticker going, you’ll hope all your stabilizers wont fail to leave you broken.

Look at the numbers for the Clean speed ladder:

Quarterfinal Round:
For time:
1 squat clean 155 lb
1 squat clean 160 lb
1 squat clean 165 lb
1 squat clean 170 lb
1 squat clean 175 lb
Time Cap: 2 minutes
Top 24 athletes advance
Semifinal Round:
For time:
1 squat clean 180 lb
1 squat clean 185 lb
1 squat clean 190 lb
1 squat clean 195 lb
1 squat clean 200 lb
Time Cap: 3 minutes
Top 8 athletes advance
Final Round:
For time:
1 squat clean 205 lb
1 squat clean 210 lb
1 squat clean 215 lb
1 squat clean 220 lb
1 squat clean 225 lb
Time Cap: 4 minutes

CrossFit is a very successful enterprise – they have created a unique business model that attracts athletes, coaches and entrepreneurs into a community that shares similar values and goals. It’s draw has become so vast that even skeptics cant help themselves to ask: “So what do you think about this CrossFit thing..”.

I can talk miles about the complexities of some of the movements, the challenge in pairing the events into mega events and the preparation that goes on year-round for these incredible female athletes. In the end I think its important to underline the accomplishment of all parties involved and a special mention to the impressive army of ladies.

As a strongman athlete, seeing that some of our own events were included in this year’s games is a promise that strongman is climbing in popularity. As a female strength athlete, seeing CLB’s mass success in media is a promise that female strength athletics has less stigma.