The Open is finally here! Today starts the 2016 season and I'm excited to see what Dave Castro has in store for us. I know I'm not going to qualify for regionals but "leaderboarding" is going to be fun. Seeing where I stack up against friends from my gym and others is also a bonus. I like competition, and I use it as a way to push myself to be better. 

The workout announcements are also fun to watch. Dave Castro is a bit dramatic but it adds to the tension. The athlete showdown is entertaining since you get to see how the pros do it. 16.1 sucked! It wasn't the worst workout that I've done but it ranks up there. 

Workout 16.1

AMRAP 20 minutes

25 ft. overhead lunge (95 lb.)

8 bar facing burpees

25 ft. overhead lunge (95 lb.)

8 chest-to-bar pull-ups

I didn't know how to approach this workout but I knew I had to have a good pace. I haven't done many workouts that last 20 minutes. Usually those workouts are done with a partner. I underestimated the lunges initially and was more focused on the burpees and chest-to-bars. "I have good legs" I thought to myself, "it's not going to be that bad". As the workout went on, I realized the mistake I made. I was able to do the first three rounds unbroken but it was tough. After each interval I would take a short break to catch my breath. My legs were on fire by this point and I was starting to have a hard time lifting my self out of the lunge. Holding the weight overhead was the easy part. The last round was terrible, it was a mental test. I wanted to quit a few times but I stuck it out. 

The burpees and chest to bar pull ups were difficult but manageable. I was able to get through them without much trouble, except for the last round. I wanted to stay on the floor every time I did burpees but I was able to get back up somehow.  I broke the burpees into sets of four and the chest-to-bars were done in singles. I finished the workout with 113 total reps. 

It was a great start to the 2016 CrossFit season. I hope Dave Castro doesn't kill us with a crazy workout in the coming weeks. Even though the workout was horrible, I had a good time. 

Lift Heavy and Level Up!