CrossFit Games 2014 Workout Analysis: Team Workouts

In order to help you all join in this annual celebration of CrossFit, we are analyizing the WODs and giving tips on how to approach them. We’ll be issuing a challenge or two, as well! Today we bring you all the Team Workouts in one place, accompanied by our recommendations on how to scale and strategize.

The 2014 CrossFit Games Team Workouts

7/23: THE BEACH

1,000 yard swim with rescue sled, for time, with a 45-minute time limit.

All six team members must take the sled from the start, to the ocean, out around the buoys (a thousand-yard swim) and back up the beach to cross the finish line.

100 point event

Thoughts on strategy for this workout: 

As I watched this play out, it was clear there wasn’t much thought given to working together to be efficient on this event. While running, it was easy and everyone ran the same direction, but once in the water, the aerial view showed clearly how out-of-sync the teammates typically were.

It has come to be expected that swimming will be part of the CrossFit Games. If you are entering as a team, it isn’t inconceivable that the team will have to swim together. With that in mind, every athlete needs to put themselves aside and focus on how the team can win.

7/25: 6 MILE RELAY RUN

This team event is made up of three two-mile legs run by a pair of male teammates, then a leg run by a pair of female teammates, then leg run by a male-female pair of teammates. Each two-mile leg must be completed in order. The next pair of athletes cannot begin until the pair before them has finished.

As with other endurance events, especially when midway through a multi-day competition, the key here is knowing your pace and sticking to it. The run is only two miles, but it’s really another two miles, with much more work to come.

This is a great event to put on at your home box. While CrossFit boxes are well known for being tightly knit communties, there aren’t too many workouts that stress the need to rely on the people you train with for your success.

There is nothing superhuman about being able to run two miles, but starting out with this relay and moving on to some of the other events (or versions of them) immediately afterward could prove interesting.

Know your pace, hold your pace.

UPDATE: The pairs of competitors are joined by a three-foot section of rope, forcing the slower athlete of the pair to maintain the pace of the faster athlete.

7/25: FRANTASY LAND

This is a relay event for time. Each team member will perform one leg of the relay. Teams will be bringing the Big Bob sled, outfitted with pull up bars for this event, along with them as they advance.

Female 1

21-15-9 reps of:

• 65lb thrusters
• Pull ups

Female 2

15-12-9 reps of:

• 75lb thrusters
• Chest-to-bar pull ups

Female 3

12-9-6 reps of:

• 95lb thrusters
• Bar muscle ups

Male 1

21-15-9 reps of:

• 95lb thrusters
• Pull ups

Male 2

15-12-9 reps of:

• 115 lb thrusters
• Chest-to-bar pull ups

Male 3

12-9-6 reps of:

• 135lb thrusters
• Bar muscle ups

With a quick glance at the reps and weights, it’s clear the trap has been set. Have your strongest athlete handle the heaviest weights, right? Maybe.

If you play it that way, your team’s strongest woman and man will have the least rest before the next event, the 100-yard Big Bob sprint, set to take place “moments after” this event.

A better strategy might be to have the lightest/weakest athlete that can handle the set do it, and save your power houses for the sled sprint. Based on a similar event in the 2012 Games, everyone is going to need all the fresh muscle they can get. The sled push itself starts at about 11:50 in the video.

7/25: BIG BOB 100

A simple team sled push. The sled, however, weighs 800lbs empty.

Try this at home? YES! Just don’t stop to get gas when the low fuel light comes on. Make sure you have at least five friends with you, though.

For more ways to train for an event like this, check out our four-week Featured Coach Workout Program Explosiveness is at the Root of it All from MovNat Master Trainer Vic Verdier

7/25: DEADLIFT

Six minutes to achieve the highest cumulative one-rep deadlift total.

First, the three males on the team will go, then the three females. The team with the highest total wins.

This is simply not a good idea for the recreational athlete. Essentially, it’s max reps of max weight for time. Please refer to our article on the 2014 Crossfit Games Masters Workouts for some ideas on how to scale the deadlift if you do want to test yourself. If competition is not your bread and butter, this event is best left to the professionals.

7/25: BIG BOB 200

You guessed it: down and back on the 100-yard course with the Big Bob Sled.

Just in case there is anything left of these intrepid team’s core and posterior chain muscles, this will finish them off.

I’m not sure there is any strategy that can affect how this will play out. Between Frantasy Land, Big Bob 100, and the Max Cumulative Deadlift, all that could possibly remain is willpower and a desire not to let your teammates down.

While I can’t advocate this amount of volume for the recreational athlete, the car push is a direct analog to the Big Bob Sled. Team car pushes can really be fun, especially if you live near a large, abandoned parking lot.

7/26: TRIPLES CHIPPER

For the men:

For time, with only one athlete working at once:

• 150lb medicine ball clean, 50 reps
• 50 muscle ups
• 100 handstand push ups

For the ladies:

For time, with only one athlete working at once:

• 80lb medicine ball clean, 50 reps
• 50 muscle ups
• 100 handstand push ups

After yesterday’s posterior chain massacre, it’s good to see some upper-body focus today. Each trio of teammates (three males, three females) will chip away at the required reps until the whole workout is done.

To try this at your box, gym, or home, you might consider using one or two kettlebells or dumbbells or a single sandbag for the cleans.

For the muscle ups, from easiest to hardest, try:

• Inverted rows
• Inverted ring rows
• Inverted ring rows with feet elevated
• Pull ups
• Chest to bar pull ups

If you’re interested in achieving a muscle up, Breaking Muscle has numerous resources to help you.

• An eight-part video series from Dogtown Crossfit and Dusty Hyland
• Article and video: The Key to Conquering the Elusive Muscle Up

Here’s the video from the second link:

If you’d like to work on your handstand push ups, we have a great video from David Ayres explaining the proper technique and an easy-to-apply progression that will have you inverted before you know it.

7/26: SQUAT BURPEE

Seems innocent enough…

All six team members do:

3 rounds for time

• 30 squats with the Worm shouldered
• 30 burpees over the Worm

The Worm?

I’m really appreciating how many of the team events require team effort. There is no way to do this one on your own, and without being in sync, it still might not be possible. This could be done at your box with a log, though it wouldn’t quite have the same effect of singling out the weak link that the Worm does.

Click here to read our thoughts on the 2014 Masters Workouts.

Photos courtesy of CrossFit, Inc.