separate yourself in metcons
Learning how to properly pace a CrossFit workout is challenging and there are many variables that come into play. Athletes can easily get overwhelmed by all of the decisions that need to be made in order to pace well, which often leads to an overcomplicated and hard to execute pacing plan. Because of this, we have tried to simplify the pacing process by introducing the concept of separation value.
“Separation Value” is a term used to describe how athletes can either gain or lose time (or reps) in a workout based on the movements tested in relation to their ability to perform them. Separation value represents the movement(s) with the highest potential for an athlete to separate themselves from their competitors (side note: this can mean you are losing OR gaining time/reps against the field).
There are two distinct separators that make up the concept of separation value:
General Separation: we identify “general separation” as the movement that requires the most time or elicits the largest bottleneck for the broader population in a workout. For example, in Open workout 19.1 (a 15 min AMRAP: 19 Wall Balls, 19 calorie row), the general separator is the 19 calorie row. Based on average rep speed, the 19 row calories take up a larger portion of the workout and has the highest potential for the athlete to separate themselves from the field. On average, a 19 calorie row will take 57 seconds if the athlete rows at 1200 cals per hour, whereas, on average, 19 UB WBs takes 38 seconds. Because more time is typically dedicated to the row, there is inherently more opportunity for separation in that particular movement. Therefore, developing strategies to reduce the total time performing the “general separator” provides a general advantage against the field.
Personal Separation: we identify “personal separation” as the movement that imposes the most significant effort or elicits the largest bottleneck for YOU in a particular workout. Let’s assume, using the same 19.1 example from above, wall Balls are a huge limitation for an athlete. Despite the row calories requiring more time on average for the general population, this athlete redlines quickly when doing larger sets of wall balls in a workout. This athlete would then identify wall balls as their ‘personal separator’. They know that they can lose a lot of time if they mis-strategize their WB sets in this workout. Since both general and personal separators work in harmony, we need to come up with a strategy that allows the athlete to eliminate any costly transitions/rest breaks based on their personal limitations while also keeping in mind that they do not want to have their personal limitations negatively impact their ability to lose time on the general separators in the workout.
It is important to note, again, that we use both of these separators in harmony to help us choose a strategy for an athlete that allows them to perform the workout in the least amount of time based on THEIR abilities. One athlete’s strategy may not work for another person, and vice versa, which makes it vitally important for every athlete to clearly define their personal strengths and limitations.
So let’s actually walk through an example in full to give you a step by step process of how you can identify the largest separators in a workout:
Step 1: Identify the general separator:
Let’s use the example from above, Open 19.1:
We know for an avg male they can row 19 cals in 57 seconds (assuming 1200 cal/hour)
We know for an avg male they can perform 19 UB WB in 38 seconds
So, at the most basic level, on average, there are 19 seconds more time spent (20% more time!), per round, on row calories than wall balls. Therefore, in the workout, row calories will be the general separator in this workout.
Step 2: Identify the personal separator (your bottleneck):
For this example, let’s say this athlete's biggest bottleneck is the Wall Ball Shot. Their max UB set is 30 reps and they know that performing 19 each round will redline them within 2-3 rounds. On top of that, they also understand that they will have to slow down their row pace significantly if they choose to do large sets of wall balls which will then cause them to lose significant time against the field during the row. This athlete’s personal separator is, therefore, the wall ball, which means this athlete will need to build a pacing structure that allows them to optimize their wall ball endurance while also not overly impacting their ability to keep a competitive row pace in this workout.
Step 3: Determine Rep Speed and Transitions:
Once an athlete has identified the general and personal separators, the next step is for the athlete to determine their rep speed and transition goals. In our view, the best way to do this is to test the movements, preferably an entire round. Once the athlete has worked through an entire round, filming and timing each movement, along with transitions, they can start to build out several strategies for the best way to reduce the overall time, or increase total reps, in the workout. Let’s say our example athlete tests a round of 19.1 and this is their result:
They perform 19 wall balls in 38 seconds.
It takes them 6 seconds to transition from the wall ball to the row erg
They perform 19 calories in 57 seconds.
It takes them 6 seconds to transition from the row erg back to the wall ball
Their total time, for one round, including transitions is 1:47 seconds, which would equate to 8.5 rounds in 15 minutes.
However, this particular athlete knows they cannot keep the wall balls unbroken throughout, without negatively impacting their row pace. If they keep their wall balls unbroken, their row pace will likely fall closer to 900-1000 cals/hour, which means they will be losing 11-13 seconds per round just based off the decrease in row output. With that being the case, their real average will be 2:00 min/round and their total score will likely be 7.5 roundsm with a top end ability of 8.5 rounds assuming they build a quality pacing structure. Once the athlete has a realistic idea of what they are capable of, they move to step 4.
Step 4: Build a pacing structure:
Finally, based on all the data we have gathered, we now need to build out a pacing structure that will give us the best opportunity for success. Our goal in building out a pacing structure is to create a format that will allow us to take advantage of the movements we are good at while also ensuring we are not losing time on our bottlenecks. We want to maximize our efficiency on the bottleneck movements by building out a plan that minimizes rest times, increases rep speed, and offers us the best sustainability across the workout. It is important to plan a strategy that attacks the movements you are good at without negatively impacting the bottlenecks you may face. Based on our example above, our athlete knows they will need to break the wall balls in order to not have a major drop off on the row erg. Therefore, they create a strategy as follows:
They perform 10 wall balls, rest 4 seconds, perform 9 wall balls in 42 seconds.
The keep a 6 second to transition from the wall ball to the row erg
They perform 19 calories now at 1250/cals per hour in 54 seconds.
They keep a 6 second to transition from the row erg back to the wall ball
Their total time, for one round, including transitions is 1:48 seconds
For this athlete, the short break on the wall balls allows for a quick release of tension in the legs and gives them al “micro goal” each round (perform 10 wall balls and then I get a break). By doing so, they are able to increase their row pace by 50 cals/hour, maintain their transitions, and hold on to a manageable rest time during the break in the wall balls. This pacing structure will allow them to average 1:48 per round and finish just under 8.5 rounds, which is almost a full round better than with their original plan of unbroken wall balls.
Final Thoughts
The last thing I want to leave you with is this: you need to know the numbers. In a sport as varied as CrossFit, it is vitally important to have at least a baseline understanding of how long certain movements take and how they may impact other movements in a workout. With our 19.1 example above, it is easy for me to give someone pacing advice because we have a vast collection of data points that give me guidance when discussing how long certain things will take. For example, below I have listed common row paces tied to how long it will take to complete 19 calories:
Rowing Paces
800 cals/hr = 1:25 for 19 cals
1000 cals/hr = 1:08
1200 cals/hr = 0:57
1400 cals/hr = 0:48
1600 cals/hr = 0:42
Knowing these will better inform my decisions as a coach and an athlete. For example, 1000 cals/hour vs 1400 cals/hour = 20 seconds per round, which is 3:20 of time in a 10 round workout. By knowing this ahead of time, I can take measured risks on when and where to speed up or slow down on the row. So, whether you are a coach or athlete, you should start to build out a comprehensive list of movements along with some of the following: how long each rep takes, how often they are programmed in the sport, the most common movements they are paired with, and so on.
One last thought, there are plenty of workouts where the general separator will be obvious, however, there are many others that may require a little more nuance. For example, many chipper style workouts may have multiple bottlenecks that make pacing challenging. For those that are more complicated, it is important to know your own personal separators so you can game plan around those movements you may struggle with. Your first step in competition is to optimize your potential, which means dialing in your own weaknesses and making the most of your strengths is priority number one. Finding and working with a good coach is a great first step in learning how to be the most efficient athlete you can be.
Application to Training
During our 2024 Open Prep Camp, Coach Kyle Ruth delivered a presentation on this topic which was followed by a workout where athletes were instructed to use these principles to build a strategy. Below was the workout and an example of how you can organize and apply your tactics to execute a workout.
Corpus Animus Podcast
We recently released a three part series on building strategy and pacing plans for CrossFit Workouts. In this episode coaches Brannen and Max discuss defining and identifying separators within workouts, and how athletes and coaches can use this information to maximize performance.
In this episode of the Corpus Animus Podcast, Coach Kyle Ruth deep dives into the topic of separation value with Coach Brannen.