As always, Castro's enigmatic clues do not help us much to reveal the mystery of the Open CrossFit Games 2018 workout . This week's photo, the photo of a dog's snout along with an egg, made us think and, although we already know what 18.4 is, we still don't understand that hidden message. What is clear is that the fourth WOD of the Open is full of new features .
What is 18.4?
The director of the CrossFit Games, Dave Castro, has listened to people for this exercise and has included two new features . You will have to do in 18.4 :
21-15-9 Deadlift (102kg/70kg) Hand Stand Push Up 21-15-9 Deadlift (143kg/93kg) Hand Stand Walk over 15m With Time Cap of 9 minutes
Indeed, in the first part of the WOD , Diane plays, one of the girls from the reference WODs that Greg Glassman, founder of CrossFit, created. It is the first time that a benchmark has been included in the Open, to the joy – or misfortune – of many. The second novelty of 18.4 is the new movement that comes to the Open Games: Hand Stand Walk . After Diane's handstand push-ups, you will have to walk on your hands to complete this exercise.
Eye! The rules have changed regarding the execution of this movement. The Hand Stand Walk begins with the hands behind the line and not with the feet on the start, as was the case previously. Try to look at the WOD standards and follow the judges' instructions to avoid unnecessary no-reps .
How to face 18.4?
If you have ever done Diane, you already know the difficulty of the exercise. For both the first and the second part, these are our recommendations:- Look for a rhythm in the repetitions of deadlifts, such as sets of 5 unbroken reps and 2 second rest.
- Don't forget to breathe : the pines will test your aerobic capacity and your body tension. In the deadlift, remember to expel the air at the moment of effort to gain strength and avoid doing the entire set in apnea (and getting dizzy).
- Try to keep your core very active throughout the WOD, to avoid injuring the lower back in the deadlifts and losing balance in the Hand Stand Walk.
- For Hand Stand Push Ups, don't rush. Seek perfection in the movement to avoid non-reps , waste time and get more tired.
- And if you get to the Hand Stand Walk, same thing. Step by Step. Maintain balance by squeezing your abs and glutes, as well as keeping your shoulders activated.
- Sets of reps and short rests
- Maintain a steady pace and good breathing
- Avoid no reps and add the maximum number of repetitions to the Time Cap
- Go Fire on Diane to Gain Time on the Hand Stand Walk
And an endless number of different objectives that will motivate and guide you throughout this WOD.
What material do I need to use in 18.4?
First of all, protection.
Some will not need any material for this WOD, while others need support from some part of their body. Therefore, the recommended material would be:
- Wristbands to avoid injuring the joints when inverted.
- Lumbar belt if you need extra support during deadlifts.
- Knee pads if you suffer from knees in deadlifts and want to protect them.
And Gudmundsson's Azor Grips?
You may have noticed the green leggings that the Icelander wore in his presentation during the live announcement on 18.4. Yes, they are our Azor Grips . Yes, they are at the Open CrossFit Games again. And no, we are still not behind it. Although BKG ultimately did not use it in the WOD, you can use them to protect your hands in deadlifts . We know that some athletes use grips to have a better grip on the bar. If this is your case, you already know. ?
Iceland vs. United States: Gudmundsson's confrontation against Panchik
What happened this morning at the Live Announcement live in Arizona? For 18.4, CrossFit brought together two promises from the 2018 Games . On the one hand, the Icelandic Bjorgvin Karl Gudmundsson (nicknamed BKG) and promise of European CrossFit. At 25 years old, he has reached the Games several times and may be the next European to take first place since Mikko Salo in 2009. On the other hand, the American Scott Panchik , also known as Mister Consistency or Mr. Perseverance. At 30 years old, he has participated in the CrossFit Games six times and has always finished in the top 6. Will this be his year?
What can we learn from Panchik and Gudmundsson's performance
Consistency, rhythm and breathing. This is the strategy used by Panchik to beat his Icelandic opponent in 18.4. The American marked series of 5 reps in the deadlifts while BKG went at full pace, without pause.
The rush took its toll on Gudmundsson who lost time in several non-reps in the HSPU and HSW. Seeing this delay, Panchik accelerated in the final repetitions to finish the WOD in 7.11 minutes, one minute ahead of the Icelander. As for Diane, Panchik took 2.56 minutes; and Gudmundsson, 2.46 minutes. As you can see, each one applied a very different strategy. But the conclusion we can draw is that it is better to go slowly but surely in the 18.4 .
