CrossFit Open 13.1 WOD; What Did You Learn?

So, to break from the norm of the past two years, CrossFit HQ and Dave Castro cast aside the 7 minutes of burpees and decided to throw a little curve ball in the game. By combining WODs 12.1 and 12.2 from last year's open, they created a beast of a WOD that was sure to test folks! I know it incorporated the one Olympic lift I am very, VERY shaky at........snatches.

135# Snatches during 13.1.

Having decided to use the open as a measuring stick and to identify my weaknesses, it seems that I would be doing so immediately out the gate on this one. The WOD was as follows:

Men's Standards:
Proceed through the sequence below completing as many reps as possible in 17 minutes of:
40 Burpees
75 pound Snatch, 30 reps
30 Burpees
135 pound Snatch, 30 reps
20 Burpees
165 pound Snatch, 30 reps
10 burpees
210 pound Snatch, as many reps as possible

In last year's Open WODs 12.1 (7 minutes of burpees) and 12.2 (the snatch ladder incorporated above) I completed 69 burpees and then 36 reps in the snatch ladder. This year, I completed 108 reps. That is an increase of 2 reps in the snatch but considering I completed 70 burpees in the mix as well, I'll call it a win. While not the best score, by far, I am proud of being able to muscle through it.

Muscle through it....... That's where I learned the most. One of my fellow coaches and amputees, Matt Ramsey completed 150 reps. Beast! As I sat back and analyzed his performance, I came to a very stern realization. My strength far exceeds my form and mechanics in the snatch. While Matt's snatches actually resembled snatches, mine were closer to a snatch grip shoulder press. I know I'm strong, now it's time to get efficient. 

I'm not one for waiting to start challenging myself so directly on the heels of 13.1, I joined the CrossFit Rubicon Barbell Club in order to get better. But there's much more to the progression of learning and improving. Listen to your coaches. Practice the movements. But most of all, NEVER sacrifice form! So many of us hear 3-2-1 Go, and just shit on our form to get the most reps. It takes a bigger man to slow down and do it right, to demand more of yourself, than to plow through the movements in order to get the highest score. After all, this is training. Not testing!

Now to further improve myself and test myself with 13.2.