WOData: CrossFit Open 24.3
Strategy and analysis
read time 5 minutes
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TL;DR
This post shares my strategy and analysis for CrossFit Open Workout 24.3, including all the data, charts, and graphs.
My strategy absolutely buried me…
Let’s just say, I was a little too ambitious with this one. But nonetheless, I’ll share my thinking, how I performed, and what I’m going to change when I retest this one.
24.3 didn’t go as I had planned. Maybe it was because my strategy was a little to ambitious. Maybe it was because I was coming down with a stomach virus?
I’m not going to make excuses…but it wasn’t my best performance. Which was unfortunate because I was really excited about this workout.
I thought it could be one I could crush. I actually think I can crush it. But I just didn’t on this first attempt.
Onward…
What was Open Workout 24.3?
5 rounds of:
10 thrusters, weight 1
10 chest-to-bar pull-ups
Rest 1 minute, then:
5 rounds of:
7 thrusters, weight 2
7 bar muscle-ups
Time cap: 15 minutes
♀ 65, 95 lb (29, 43 kg)
♂ 95, 135 lb (43, 61 kg)
Strategy
I watched Training Think Tank’s 24.3 CrossFit Open Pacing & Strategy video and recorded Mike McGoldrick’s splits. Mike finished under the time cap and I figured “Hey! If he can do it, so can I!” Wrong.
What I didn’t know was that Mike has been to the CrossFit Games several times (as an individual and as a Team) and has consistently finished in the top 99th percentile in the CrossFit Open for a long time. In other words, I really shouldn’t have based my pacing strategy on Mike’s performance — he’s a professional. I’m a novice.
But my overly ambitious self-thought I could hang, so I built my strategy off of Mike’s splits and set a goal to FINISH the workout (ha, ha).
My plan?
Treat the first set — thrusters and chest-to-bar pull-ups — like an EMOM (every minute of the minute for non-CrossFit folk). In other words, every minute on the minute, complete 10 thrusters and 10 CTB pullups.
After I rip through the first round, I’ll take the mandatory one-minute rest — which obviously would be enough for me to catch my breath and gather myself before the second round — and then hit the second set, executing on a 1:45 timer. In other words, every one minute and forty-five seconds, complete 7 thrusters and 7 bar muscle-ups.
I’d finish the second set with time to spare and finish well under the time cap!
What a fantastic plan. What could go wrong?
Analysis
I created a tool to see how well I executed my strategy. If you’re interested in analyzing your score, head over to WOData: CrossFit Open 24.1 for detailed instructions on how you can use the tool to do the same.
All you need is the tool and a video of you doing 24.3.
Quick tip for your video: try to get a clock in the frame — see my 24.2 video for reference — because it makes recording timestamps 100x easier.
Time / Round
Set 1 — rounds 1 to 5 — (95# Thrusters + CTBs)
Goal time: 1:00 / Round
Actual time: 00:49, 01:02, 01:15, 01:55, 02:07 ❌
Set 2 — rounds 6… — (135# Thrusters + BMUs)
Goal time: 01:45
Actual time: 05:38 ❌
Reflection:
I dramatically overestimated my abilities on this workout. The first round of set 1 was 00:49, and my last round was 02:07 — almost double. I went out too hot in the first set and it showed in the second round when I finished the first round at a snail’s pace…05:38. 🐌
When I do this one again, I’m going to budget 1:30 per round in the first set to keep my heart rate down. And then just focus on being smooth in the second round, accumulating as many reps as I can.
Time / Movement
Thrusters (95#)
Goal time: 00:25
Actual time: 00:24, 00:24, 00:23, 00:51, 00:47 ❌
Reflection:
I was pretty consistent across the first three rounds. But things fell apart in rounds four and five.
Chest to Bar Pull-Ups
Goal time: 00:25
Actual time: 00:21, 0021, 00:29, 00:33, 00:31 ❌
Reflection:
I broke the CTBs into sets of five. My thought was 25 seconds for thrusters, five seconds of transition to the bar, and then 25 seconds for CTBs.
Overall, I was pretty consistent across rounds. You might be looking at my time on Thrusters and CTBs and thinking “Hey, this doesn’t look too bad!” Just wait until we get to my transition times. That’s where the wheels really fell off.
Thrusters (135#)
Goal time: 01:00
Actual time: 02:06 ❌
Reflection: I planned to split these into two sets — four and three. I ended up doing singles and they still hurt.
Bar Muscle Ups
Goal time: 00:35
Actual time: 02:49 ❌
Reflection: Same thing as thrusters, I planned to split these into two to three sets. I ended up doing singles and failed on my first attempt which was a bummer.
Time / Transition
Goal time: 00:05
Actual time: All over the place ❌
Reflection: I overestimated how my pace on the movements was going to affect my heart rate, and that sent my transition times into a frenzy. If you watch my 24.3 video, you’ll see what I mean.
Wrapping up…
Well, that’s all I’ve got for 24.3.
Wasn’t my best workout, but it is what it is. At least it was enough to qualify for the Quarterfinals!
See you all in a couple of weeks.
Austin’s Recommendations
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I actually like it better than Mint.
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