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Fitness

Quick Tips: CrossFit Qualifiers for Masters and Teens

CrossFit has attempted to broaden its appeal over the last five years and nowhere is that more apparent than in the growing levels of competition among mature and teen athletes.

Mike Tromello

Written by Mike Tromello Last updated on Nov 22, 2021

CrossFit has evolved over the last decade. In that evolution, the Masters and the Teens categories have become a significant factor in competition. This year, we expect over 40,000 female competitors in the Masters’ division alone. So, if you make it to the CrossFit Regionals, ie, in the top 200 performers, you are in the top 1% of fitness athletes in the world. If you make it to the CrossFit Games then, you’re the top 1% of the top 1%. Masters and Teens is definitely a growing part of the CrossFit community.

The results are not just at the top, I see athletes in their 40s, 50s and beyond achieve new heights of performance every day. Age is not a limiting factor and CrossFit has broadened its appeal to be accessible to a much larger population than most people realize. It creates a great atmosphere in the gym because everyone, no matter what level and what age, feels inspired and has aspirational examples of athletes of all levels around them. For me, this competition is a testament to how my older, and younger, athletes have prepared and followed the programming all year. As of this year, I have never qualified as many people as I have this year. That means that I see the programming I do is having an impact and I can see that there are a lot more people that I can reach and qualify than I ever thought possible.

CrossFit Open Masters and Teens Categories

Teens’ Age Groups
Boys 14-15 years old
Girls
Boys 16-17 years old
Girls
Masters’ Age Groups
Men 35-39 years old
Women
Men 40-44 years old
Women
Men 45-49 years old
Women
Men 50-54 years old
Women
Men 55-59 years old
Women
Men 60+ years old
Women

The WODS for the 2018 CrossFit Open for Masters and Teens

Age Group Workout 1

For Time
4-8-12 Thrusters
1-2-3 Rope Climbs 15 ft
Men: 135 lbs
Women: 95 lbs
10 min Time Cap

Age Group Workout 2

For Rounds For Time
45 Chest-To-Bar Pull-Ups
5 Cleans
Men: 245 lbs
Women: 170 lbs
15 min Time Cap

Age Group Workout 3

AMRAP 20 min
50 Wall Ball
100 Double-Unders
50 ft. Handstand Walk
100 Double-Unders
50 Cal Row
100 Double-Unders
50 ft. Handstand Walk
100 Double-Unders
M: 20 lb Wall Ball
W: 14 lb Wall Ball

Age Group Workout 4

AMRAP 5 min
9 Handstand Push-Ups
6 Bar-Facing Burpees
3 Snatches
Male: 165 lbs
Women: 115 lbs

Tips, Tricks, and Techniques for Open WOD Success

The only thing that might throw you in this set of WODs is going to be the rope climb. Having said that, you can probably bet on rope climbs being part of the Open next year so, get on training for them. Focus on the speed down the rope and you’ll get your time up because the first workout is a pure sprint.

If you want to plan out which workouts to do, I would say you go with:

Workout 1 or 2
Workout 3 or 4
Workout 2 or 1
Workout 4 or 3

For my athletes, with a focus on getting into the CrossFit Games, I am going to have start with workout 4 then, workout 2 and 3 the next day, and finally, on the last day, workout 1. That’s for my athletes.

In general, for the games-minded athlete, I suggest you aim to do your weaknest WODs first and second and then your strength WODs third and last. Ultimately, it will depend on you. Feel free to pick from any of the combinations I have offered. Also, check out the video below for my pitch to my athletes in my gym as soon as the workouts were announced. Good luck!

Mike Tromello

About Mike Tromello

Mike, a graduate of Occidental College, spent three years playing for the SCIAC Champion Tigers, graduating with his bachelor’s degree in 2005. In the summer of 2005, Mike spent six months playing professionally in Europe for the Gefle Red Devils of Sweden. Mike also served as the defensive coordinator for the organization’s prep team, as well as the head strength and conditioning coach.

Upon his return home, Mike went back to Occidental College to complete his master’s degree and earn his secondary school teaching credential, which he completed in the spring of 2006. In December of 2006, Mike represented Team USA against Team Canada in a football showdown between the two countries. Between 2005 and 2009, Mike spent five seasons as the strength and conditioning and secondary coach for the Occidental College football team.

In September of 2008, Mike took over as the middle school strength and conditioning coach at Harvard-Westlake School. Here, he was put in charge of the school’s developmental strength and conditioning program. For eight years, Mike aided in the school’s creation of a vertically-integrated strength program. Within this program students where taught how to build a technical weightlifting base, starting in the seventh grade, that was developed upon over time. Through technical efficiency learned at a young age, students vertically integrated to the high school program where strength was developed further. This program received much acclaim by major strength and conditioning associations, such as the NSCA. It also led Mike to publish a book on the subject matter: “Building the Beast: A comprehensive Guide to Adolescent Strength & Conditioning.” In addition to this work with adolescents, Mike also was the Head Strength & Condition Coach for the Varsity Water Polo and Track Teams. By the completion of his tenure at HW, Mike was a part of 2 National and 3 CIF Championship Teams. Mike was also put into the HW Water polo Hall of Fame.

In addition to his work as an elite strength & conditioning coach, Mike is also an accomplished CrossFit and Weightlifting coach. Over the past several years he has coached multiple athletes, all of whom have fared very well, to the national and world levels of Weightlifting: Frank Datello (2018 University National and AO3 Champion), Urbana Sepulveda (2019 Masters National Champ, 2019 Masters Worlds Silver Medalist, 2019 World Open Champ), Margie Rivas (2019 World Open Silver Medalist), Hannah Hall (2020 Youth & University National Champ), Crystal Riggs (2012, 13 & 15 American Open Championships, and 2015 & 16 USA Nationals), Katie Crowe (2012 & 13 American Open Championships), Chrissy Barron (2015 American Open Championships), Nathan Doud (2015 American Open Championships), Deanna Douglas (2015 & 16 University Nationals), Danielle Marino (2015 & 16 University Nationals), and Evan Hardman (2016 University Nationals), Lindsey Valenzuela (2009 American Open Championships) . In CrossFit he has coached multiple Games and Regional athletes, such as Hunter McIntyre (2019 CrossFit Games), Team Torrance Training Lab (2018 CrossFit Games), Tori Dow (2017 & 18 CrossFit Games), Hannah Hall (2018 CrossFit Games), Bill Grundler (2016 CrossFit Games 45-49 Silver Medalist), James Grundler (2015,16,17, & 18 CrossFit Games), Alison Locke (2014 & 16 CrossFit Games), Dan Wells (2015 CrossFit Games), Greg Smiley (2013 CrossFit Games), Chelsey Grigsby (2018 CrossFit Games), Dane McLaughlin (2018 CrossFit Regionals), Nolan Gouveia (2018 CrossFit Regionals), Katie Crowe (2011,12,13,14, & 15 Southern California & California Regionals), Jessica Goeser (2012,13,14,15 & 16 Southern California & California Regionals), Lindsey Deitsch (2014, 15 & 16 Southern California & California Regionals), and Daimino Stewart (2014, 15 & 16 Southern California & California Regionals), to name a few. In addition, he has coached his gym’s team (TEAM PRECISION) to every Regional / Sanctional since the inception of the CrossFit Games Open in 2011.

-WINNER OF THE 2016 STAR PHYSIQUE AWARD FOR MOST INSPIRING COACH IN HEALTH AND FITNESS
-MASTERS DEGREE
-CERTIFIED STRENGTH AND CONDITIONING SPECIALIST (CSCS)
-REGISTERED STRENGTH AND CONDITIONING COACH WITH DISTINCTION(RSCC*D)
-USAW NATIONAL COACH
-USAW LEVEL 2 COACH
-CROSSFIT LEVEL 2 COACH
-CIF COACHING CERTIFIED
-CALIFORNIA TEACHING CREDENTIAL

View All Articles

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