Open in 6 months, want to make regionals

[Thomas Mitchell]

I want to make regionals next year and am wondering if i should do a full strength cycle or keep doing a split of strength/ olympic lifting/ WODS. My stats are:
Squat 160kgs
Bench 135kgs
Deadlift 200kgs
Press 80kgs
Front squat 130kgs
Snatch 90kgs
C&J 120kgs

I didnt compete this year and was fairly dissappointed after i did the open workouts in the last couple of months i would of placed in the rank 100s

[Jeff Enge]

Depends... what do your other non-strength stats look like?

[Jason A Smith]

Thomas,

Your strength numbers do not appear to be an issue in regards to handling weights in the Open. You also look to be fairly well balanced as well, which would mean you have developed decently and have fairly good technique.

Like Jeff said, what do your other numbers look like ? How lean are you, what skills can you do, cannot do ? where do you find weaknesses ?

Making it through the Open and competing at Regionals are somewhat different animals. The Open is more lightweight/engine psecific, whereas Regionals are heavier and much more skill based.

You likely need to develop some work capacity before the Open. A strength cycle will not be necessary.

[Charles Golden]

Also, were there Open WODs that you did well in and others you struggled in or were you pretty even across the board?

[Aushion Chatman]

From what I see here I would not put you on a sole strength program. Strength should still be worked. I'd have you squat in some fashion twice a week. Clean work one day, snatch another, some kind of hellish 20 min (every once in a while longer) type of WOD at the end of the week.

If you have time for two a day. You have double the training hours potentially and can fit in a lot more work/skills

[Andrew N. Casey]

your strength is plenty for the open. i would do as others have suggested and work on improving strength slowly while also ramping up the conditioning.

[Thomas Mitchell]

Thanks guys yeah i sucked in 13.2 and i realised i have really bad leg fatigue but ive been doing leg wods since. im 6 foot and down to 93kgs from 98kgs which i was almost 2 months ago. Not the best at skills, d/u i sometimes cant get rhythm going sometimes. suck at burpees too still got 163 for 13.1

[Matt Kohn]

Thomas,

I really suggest reading this bit from the Competitor's WOD about programming philosophy and prepping for open/regionals/etc.

http://competitorswod.blogspot.com.a...sophy.html?m=1

"The Three-Headed Monster
Your goal is to become a three headed monster. Top athletes in this sport have Strength, Skills and Conditioning. Your goal is to be feeding (improving) all three heads at the same time - every month, every week, every day. If you have a serious weakness in one (one head is smaller than the other two), feed it more till its as big as the others."

[Richard Colon]

The open is very metcon(y) - I don't like that word.

therefore, the reason you sucked in the open workouts and were disappointed is because your engine sucked.

you list your strength numbers as a badge of honor. Good on you, and be proud. Pretty good numbers. However, those won't help you as much in the open. You need work capacity - period. So...I'd not focus on a dedicated strength cycle yet. If so, make sure it doesn't deter from getting in some engine work as well.

What is your 100 Burpees time like? Can you go 3-5x 500m Row around the 1:35 pace with only 1 minute rest between each round? 2k Row in the 7min or less range? What about a 3, 6, 9, 12...21, 24 type workout in a 10-12min AMRAP with light weights? Can you touch the 15 to 18 rep round marks?

On the strength thing though. Despite those decent starting numbers, once you get passed the open and focus on metcon stuff, you aren't strong enough to make any mark at the regionals. 225 Squat cleans will crush you for 15+ reps (I believe it was 4 reps in 4 rounds combined with rope climbs) when your max Front Squat is around 285ish. Snatch ladder or OH Squat ladder like there was? Your dead with a max C&J @ 250ish. Remember that bar was from the floor.

I know the goal is make regionals and you want baby steps - Open>Regions>Games>Podium>Win but why make it there to not be able to give it an honest run?

[Dakota Base]

Originally Posted by Richard Colon

I know the goal is make regionals and you want baby steps - Open>Regions>Games>Podium>Win but why make it there to not be able to give it an honest run?

Seems kinda elitist? How many thousand people submit for the Open? Do you REALLY believe that you should only submit to the Open if you think you could podium at the Games? I understand the mentality of 'play to win', but I don't agree with this statement's tone of "if you can't win, then don't bother playing".

I say go for it. You have the 'tests and metrics' (WOD's and scores) from the past few years Opens, Regionals, and Games, develop your program to focus on meeting those metrics. If improving NEXT SEASON beyond your goal of qualifying for Regionals THIS YEAR is something you're interested in, then you'll have a learning experience this year to build on, and the training for this year would be the same either way.