January 5, 2015 – Masters Program

WELCOME TO DAY ONE OF THE MASTERS OPEN-PREP CYCLE! We’re pumped to be able to help all of you, and will do our very best to provide you with feedback and encouragement through the next 12 weeks preparing and competing in the 2015 CrossFit Games Open! All we ask is that you share your results with us in comments so that we can design the program to suit our athletes’ needs and help you be the best you can be!

Workout of the Day
Mobility & Activation
Three sets of:
Hip Flexor Stretch x 60 seconds per side
LAX Ball to Pecs x 60 seconds per side
Partner-Assisted T-Spine and Shoulder Stretch x 10-15 seconds

A.
Three sets, not for time, of:
Ring Dip Hold x 20 seconds
(externally rotate shoulders, pinkies to hips and thumbs point away, stay in a hollow body position and accumulate time holding the fully extended top of the ring dip)
Nose-to-Wall Handstand Hold x 45-60 seconds
Double-Unders x 40-50 reps

60+
Three sets, not for time, of:
Ring Dip Hold x 10 seconds
(externally rotate shoulders, pinkies to hips and thumbs point away, stay in a hollow body position and accumulate time holding the fully extended top of the ring dip)
Wall Climbs x 3 reps – slow and controlled with a 5-second pause at the top
Double-Unders x 30-40 reps

B.
Every minute, on the minute, for 15 minutes:
High Hang Clean x 1 rep

Our goal here is simple, work PERFECT mechanics establishing a consistent contact point for the barbell, with the lifter driving hard through the mid-foot to create velocity on the barbell, and developing speed pulling under the barbell. Do not exceed a load in which you can maintain good speed and perfect mechanics.

C.
Four sets for max reps of:
30 seconds of Power Cleans @ 50% of 1-RM Clean
Rest 90 seconds

Note the weight used and the reps achieved.
From now until the beginning of the Open you will see many opportunities to practice cycling the barbell through different movements and loading percentages. Use these opportunities to fine tune technique and determine your best movement strategies for different loads and rep schemes.

D.
40-49

“Amanda”

Complete rounds of 9, 7 and 5 reps for time of:
Muscle-ups
135/95 lb Squat Snatches

50-54
Muscle-ups
115/65 lb Squat Snatches*

MEN 55-59
Chest-to-Bar Pull-Ups
115/65 lb Squat Snatches*

MEN 60+
Chest-to-Bar Pull-Ups
95/55 lbs Squat Snatches*

*A power snatch to overhead squat is allowed for 50+ divisions.
*This is a workout we will be retesting so keep track of your numbers
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NOTE ABOUT PROGRAM DESIGN – We received a lot of feedback that many of our master athletes train with – and often whoop – the young kids at their gyms. Accordingly, we will try to keep a similar schedule to our Competition blog, and occasionally throw in similar elements. The program will still be tailored to what we believe are the greater priorities for our masters athletes, but when possible, we’ll try to let you mix it up and have fun with the young kids. A good example is today’s barbell cycling work. It’s a skill that masters and open competitors alike will need to be proficient with going into the Open, so we’re trying to link it up on the same days for you all.