19.1 Tips from Hannah Caldas

Without realizing it, the CrossFit Games Open are here and the first event has already been announced. While the community is still wondering how the 3 presentations around the world were so disappointing, and trying to figure out where Dave Castro is, one thing is clear: the wod presented is basic! And basic is not a bad thing. Basic is good, it's inclusive, it's CrossFit. Doing the ordinary exceptionally well, so this is a great opportunity for everyone. If there's one wod everyone should try at RX, it's 19.1! It is a timed wod (15 min of work) with a "couplet" format (2 exercises). Curious combination of exercises, but this is CrossFit and we know they like to challenge us in every possible way. We have 2 movements, wall balls and rows, which are mainly a constant flexion/extension of the hip , so despite being basic it is important to master the technique. While the community ironically suggests that the number 1 tip for this WOD is to grow several centimeters (I doubt we'll see Matt Fraser use this as an excuse), here are a number of real tips that will help you with the 19.1 This is a WOD mainly of rowing rhythm with some wall ball throws to see how well you continue rowing in the next round.

General Tips

It is a 15 minute wod. You won't do well if you start too quickly. Slow and steady is better . Be smart, have a plan, carry it out.
Heat well . As I have already mentioned, throughout the WOD you will be doing hip flexion/extension, so make sure you take care of it and pamper it before you start.

I have reversed the order of movements to give the advice because I feel that it makes more sense to talk about rowing first to prepare the 19.1 strategy

Rowing

Rowing will take more than half of the WOD so put a lot of emphasis on it. Not only in rhythm, but also in technique. Surely everyone has an idea of how to control this exercise, but I think that more than the rhythm, the important thing will be the technique . Can you row with the most efficient technique and still burn calories? Of course! And you'll ensure that most of the energy expended on the ergometer is translated into calories rather than wasted, meaning you'll have more energy to tackle wall balls.

Rowing Tips from the Expert

I've spoken to Rowing expert Sandro Silva (Instagram @erg.on ) about how to best approach the rowing portion of this exercise and here are the tips:

Technical technical technical! Yes, wall balls are demanding on the legs, but it is better to maintain good technique and go slower than super fast and destroy your back and upper body.
A stroke speed of 26-28 spm and about 1400-1500cal/h for men, and about 1000-1200 cal/h for women, which translates into approximately 3 calories every 4 strokes. Can you go stronger and faster? Sure, but there's really no need, as long as you can keep it up for the full 15 minutes;
Don't go past the recovery phase. Recover each stroke in twice the pull time. Breathe and hold your pulse;
If, and only if, it is necessary can you use your arms during the pull a little more. This is because during wall balls, the upper part of your body will be pushing (throwing) the ball and it is the opposite movement to what you do in the row. The legs will be pushing on both. This doesn't mean you row with your top and don't use your legs! It means you can give it more emphasis while maintaining technique.

See this post on Instagram

A post shared by Erg ON (@erg.on) on Feb 21, 2019 at 12:11 PST

Wall Balls

Wall balls are here to further punish your cardiovascular system and test how efficient you are at paddling while your legs and lungs fatigue. This WOD is a rowing test with some wall balls added for fun (Dave Castro's).

Know your limits! Don't get burned by wall balls. While most top athletes will make every round unbroken, for most people it will be important to know how many wall balls they can do before going overboard and needing excessive rest. The goal here is to have as little rest as possible, so rather than doing very long wall ball runs that you can't sustain, it's better to know the number you can take and the breaks you're going to take!
Just as in rowing you won't have a "no rep", here you can! So don't try a rep if you're not sure you can do it. It is in line with point 1. Knowing when you should stop minimizes the possibility of being told a "no rep" and, thus, avoiding the loss of time and effort.;
Plan your stops! It's okay to rest on the wall ball sets , but don't leave it to "luck"; Be clear about how long exactly you are going to rest. It is easy in a 15-minute WOD to lose several minutes resting because we do not control it.

Final considerations

I'm going to repeat myself, but this is the message I want you to be clear about: PLAN for your level (you've been training all year, you already know what you're capable of) and EXECUTE IT with the best possible technique. If you attack this WOD smartly, not even your height (if you think you lack height) will stop you.