2016 Games Banter...starting off with Murph

[Brad Gerbrandt]

So, Murph again. I can't say I'm excited as it isn't the most entertaining to watch, but it will show who has been putting in the work. If you watched the 2015 documentary Justin J made a very good point. Most athletes will be able to tell you their Fran, Helen, Diane... time to the second whereas a lot know their Murph time to the minute or couple minutes. Plus, they may not be bringing quite the intensity when it comes to workouts like this.

I have a feeling this is going to hurt as much as last year.

[Jason A Smith]

Josh Bridges is gonna show "Murph" a good time............that is my prediction. If Briggs can get to the states I cannot see anyone touching her.

[Brad Gerbrandt]

Agreed on both accounts.

[Greg Morrison]

Originally Posted by Brad Gerbrandt

So, Murph again. I can't say I'm excited as it isn't the most entertaining to watch, but it will show who has been putting in the work. If you watched the 2015 documentary Justin J made a very good point. Most athletes will be able to tell you their Fran, Helen, Diane... time to the second whereas a lot know their Murph time to the minute or couple minutes. Plus, they may not be bringing quite the intensity when it comes to workouts like this.

I have a feeling this is going to hurt as much as last year.

This announcement got me way pumped for the Games!

[Victor J McQuaide]

I remember last year when the games started the masters with a workout that involved 90+ GHD sit ups. Was a rather nasty gut punch to start off workout 1 with.

Murph two times in two years seems like a tough way to start. Guess they loved all of the carnage that comes with that event. Testing to say the least. See how much people go slower this year in order to save themselves? Or are they testing the progress from the people who should have learned to train Murph.

I used to love Murph until I did it non partitioned. No vest doing it straight thru was my slowest time ever.. did I mention no vest..

Guess that the mega rig needs to be used and has 5 pull up stations.

Hope that it involves a twist? Team Murph.. something different please.

Yes agree that Briggs if she shows will murder it again.. Hard to believe that anyone will destroy last years leader.. Karl G.. but I am always amazed.

[John Drohan]

There's a chance some athletes may just sandbag Murph if it is fact scheduled as an individual event (there's some debate that it's really team Murph).

Strategically, it is actually a pretty sound strategy. It's simply a 100-point workout, just like most of the others. If one WOD is going to so adversely affect you such that it makes you perform worse on other events, then there is simply no need to kill yourself on this single workout.

[Brad Gerbrandt]

I thought of that as well. Just like some did on the peg board last year.

[Cory House]

Maybe it will be for the teams?

[Christopher Morris]

Originally Posted by John Drohan

If one WOD is going to so adversely affect you such that it makes you perform worse on other events

I just watched the 2015 Games video on Netflix, and I thought it was interesting that there were turning points during the week of competition but you don't really know it's a turning point until after. For Murph you could tell it was a turning point for Kara Webb and Annie Thorisdottir, but for the other athletes...?

Flipping the pig was a turning point for Mat Fraser that pushed him into 2nd place, but he didn't know that until the end of the weekend. He said he pulled the pig to his hips, curled it up, and flipped it over. This burned out his biceps, which would later surprise him in the form of failing rope climbs and handstand pushups in the last event. Did he know the pig would cause that? Not until it happened.

I don't think an athlete would completely sandbag Murph, but taking a more moderate approach would make sense.

[Victor J McQuaide]

Medium Murph.. I am not sure that a hero workout is supposed to be moderated. I am sure that some will go balls out but some are best to throttle back a bit to survive.