Last Saturday I was supposed to compete in my first ever Crossfit competition. This competition was called Epics Showdown and it was taking place at The Sports Arena in St. James Long Island. The Sports Arena is an indoor sports complex that hosts all different sports events including hockey, soccer, and flag football. This was their first Crossfit competition.
Due to an injury I decided not to compete but I was still pumped to attend the event and see what it was all about. I decided to follow a few competitor's and watch how the handled the event. It was an interesting and fun experience. The intensity and level of commitment from the competitors was astounding. Remember, These "competitors are not professionals, they are regular people with regular jobs training for fun...but boy did they give it their all
Event One was a true test of Crossfit strength. It was a clean ladder starting at a lighter weight working up to as heavy as a competitor could go. Cleans are known as one of the main moves in Crossfit and are worked on multiple times a week by Crossfitters. I would say it is the most used olympic lift in the world.
Event 1
Clean Ladder:
Score = Max weight + deadlifts (each deadlift = 1lb added to your score)
30 seconds per station
When you fail, max reps deadlifts in remaining time
2 attempts allowed before deadlifts, but you may just make 1 attempt if you'd like
If you are able to complete the HEAVIEST weight, you have the option
of deadlifting the remainder of the 30 seconds (each deadlift = 1lb) OR
attempting an additional clean (each additional clean = 10lbs)
Men’s Ladder:
155, 170, 185, 205, 215, 225, 235, 245, 265, 275, 285, 300, 315
RX begins at 185
Scaled begins 155
Anthony Escandon, a Crossfit coach with 3 years of experience was nearly able to complete the ladder as he cleared the 300 clean for a new personal record. He completed it on the first attempt and was able to bang out 11 deadlifts for a very impressive showing.
When asked about the workout Anthony said "The cleans weren't the hard part really. What made made it hard was we were the last group so every in the place was watching us. I just had to channel my nerves into pulling the weight." He seemed nervous about the attention at first but in the end having everyone's focus on his lifts seemed to help. "By the time I got to the deadlifts I was shot but everyone was screaming not to drop the bar so I felt like I absolutely had to keep moving"
Anthony Escandon pictured in the front getting in the zone.
Anthony Escandon making the quick work of the clean ladder
Event Two was quite different from the first by design. If the number one was a true test of Crossfit strength than event two was a true test of Crossfit stamina. It's basically you, a kettlebell and lots of open space. Competitor's performed the movements below and in between had to drop down for some burpees followed by a broad jump. I actually demo'd this at the gym I work out at and it was killer. By the end of the workout I wasn't able to jump. Serious stuff.
Event 2
Field WOD:
Score = Total reps with time as tie breaker
10 min cap:
Men’s/Women's RX:
50 KB SDLHP (53/44)
20m burpee broad jump
40 KB swings (53/44)
20m burpee broad jump
30 Goblet squats (53/44)
20m burpee broad jump
20 KB snatches (10 per side) (53/44)
20m burpee broad jump
10 KB pistol squats (5 per leg) (53/44)
I caught up with first time competitor Ty Gomes from Selden, NY before and after the workout. Before the workout Ty, who is a collegiate football player who just picked up Crossfit a few months ago, seemed confident. "I practiced this workout a few times at my gym and I did well. I just hope my legs will hold up" Ty said. Ty informed me he sustained a serious knee injury 7 months ago that he is still rehabbing.
After a solid performance Ty looked beat, he could barely catch his breath to speak to me. "That workout's a burner, it's all about endurance and the volume your legs can handle. You can squat 400 pounds but if you don't have the gas in the tank it doesn't matter with all of the lower body movements consecutively" he said emphatically.
First time competitor Ty Gomes in the middle getting ready for the kettlebell circuit.
Various participants shown exhausted from the workout I nicknamed "hell by kettlebell"
Event Three was more of a skill + stamin workout. Handstand pushups or HSPU are very hard to master along with the vaunted double unders. You wouldn't think swinging the jump rope twice before you landed and stringing them together would be so hard, but it is. NOBODY and I mean NOBODY likes to practice double unders; they're tedious, annoying, you get whipped by the jump rope, and they're tiring. Mention them in a crossfit conversation and all you will here are sighs.
Event 3
Score = Total reps (jump rope + HSPU) with jump rope time as tie breaker
4 min:
Men's/Women's RX:
100 double-unders
HSPU in remaining time
This was a quick but very tiring workout it seemed. It looked like basically the equivalent of a full body sprint. I was very impressed by the skill of the participants at their double unders. I was able to catch up with the competitor who finished his double unders first, completely unbroken mind you. "I started Crossfit 4 months ago and I want to be the best. I hate losing and double unders frustrated me the most so I practiced them every day. I bought my own jump rope from
Rogue (Rogue Fitness sells popular Crossfit gear) and it helped a ton" Ray said in a confident tone. So there you have it I guess not everyone hates double unders. Ray was a division one soccer player who is looking to feed his competitive nature and love for fitness. Later in the conversation he showed his competitive fire ever more after getting his time and seeing that a lot of competitors caught up to him on the HSPU. "This made me realize I suck. I finished my HSPU almost a minute before the guy who won the event because he did 20 more."
All in all witnessing my first Competition was a lot of fun and I cant wait to join in the sweaty, exhausting madness! The competition ran smoothly and people were giving their blood sweat and tears while also cheering on everyone else. What a great atmosphere, I can see why Crossfit is so popular now!
