Improving CrossFit Open 24.3 (Part 2)

Intro to Sport Performance 

In Part 1 of this blog, we discussed how we think about improving movement for people that want to participate in competitive CrossFit. Once those basic movement skills are developed, athletes start to move into an intermediate or advanced stage of development where they have to actually learn to train for the sport. In this blog, we will explain how we think about long term development in the sport.

Data

Data source: https://btwb.blog/2024/03/15/crossfit-open-24-3-preliminary-analysis/

Using the Data

As people compete in the Open, you can start to identify where their strengths and weaknesses lie. The tests can take on different time domains, structures, loading, and volume requirements. Open workout 24.3 spans 15 minutes across three different movements. As more tests are released, you will be able to see where individuals get exposed from a racing standpoint relative to their placement on the leaderboard. Within the TTT brand, we have different ways of trying to classify these workouts based on the energy system demands, time domains, and the movement complexity within the workout. So, if athletes scored poorly on this test, then they might need to develop physical performance qualities and sport-specific abilities that translate to improvements in areas that relate to the workout.

Sample Training Progressions

Training progressions can be categorized based on the biomotor qualities of strength, speed, endurance and based on their sport specificity. Here are some example workouts that would address those needs in training:

Strength Progressions

For many athletes, the heavier thruster bar in 24.3 could present a strength challenge. If your clients struggled with the 135 lb or 95 lb loads in the 2nd half of the workout, it is possible that they were limited by their absolute strength in either the squat or the press portion of the lift. To determine this, you would need to run a strength assessment so that you know if they struggled more due to a strength deficit or a strength-endurance deficit. We recommend a full strength assessment with all of your clients, which we lay out in detail in the TTT Coaching Strength course.

An easy way to gauge your client’s strength levels is to use comparative metrics. In our previous blog. How Strong Do You Need to Be, we broke down the strength levels required for each division of the sport, including masters athletes. You can use this to guide strength development with your competitive CrossFitters. If you find a deficit in 1RM strength, the following strength progressions could help to transfer back to the heavy thruster bar in 24.3.

Week 1: (heavy load resistance + yielding isometrics) 

A. Front Squat - 5,5,5,5; rest 2min b/t sets (build to strong 5 for the day, ~85% of 1RM) 

B. Push Press - 5,5,5,5; rest 2min b/t sets (build to strong 5 for the day, ~85% of 1RM)

C. Yielding Isometric @ ¼ Front Squat - 7sec every 90sec x 5 sets (~75-80% of 1RM) 

Week 2: (heavy load resistance + yielding isometrics) 

A. Front Squat - 3,3,3,3; rest 2min b/t sets (build to strong 3 for the day, ~90% of 1RM) 

B. Push Press - 3,3,3,3; rest 2min b/t sets (build to strong 3 for the day, ~90% of 1RM)

C. Yielding Isometric @ ¼ Front Squat - 9sec every 90sec x 5 sets (~75-80% of 1RM) 

Week 3: (cluster training + overcoming isometrics) 

A. Front Squat - 3 x 3.2.1; rest 30sec b/t clusters + 2min b/t sets (heaviest load from “A” last week, across) 

B. Thruster (from rack) - 3 x 2.2.2; rest 30sec b/t clusters + 2min b/t sets (build to heavy for the day) 

Strength Endurance Progressions

If your athletes possess the necessary strength levels needed for the sport, but struggle with the fatigue accumulation in 24.3, we recommend strength endurance progressions. Strength endurance is frequently tested in competitive CrossFit and can either look like completing bigger unbroken sets or smaller repeated sets under fatigue. Below you will find strength endurance training progressions that you could use to improve the thrusters under fatigue that were tested in 24.3.

Week 1: (moderate load resistance)

A. Thruster - 7 reps every 90sec x 5 sets (135/95# across) 

B. Thruster - 1 set max UB @ 95/65#

Week 2: (moderate load resistance with active recovery) 

A. Thruster - 7 reps every 90sec x 6 sets, bike @ zone-2 pace for remaining time after each set (135/95# across) 

B. Thruster - 1 set max UB @ 95/65# 

Week 3: (moderate load resistance training with pre-fatigue) 

4x Sets; rest 2min b/t sets 

500m Echo @ zone-3 pace 

7-9 Thrusters @ 135/95# 

Cyclical Endurance Progressions

Open 24.3 spanned a wide time domain, ranging from 8 minutes for elite CrossFitters all the way to the 15 minute cap for the majority of Open participants. The 8-15 minute time domain for this workout means that there will be significant contributions from both the anaerobic and aerobic energy systems. For most people who felt limited by their heart rate or breathing, spending time doing a combination of intensive and extensive interval training can be beneficial. Below you can see how we would progress intervals over the course of three weeks to build capacity to raise an athlete’s conditioning ceiling. 

Week 1: (intensive intervals) 

Every 4min x 6 sets 

2min Cap: 

15/12 cals Echo 

max cals Ski remaining time 

Week 2: (intensive intervals) 

Every 4min x 8 sets 

2min Cap: 

15/12 cals Echo 

max cals Ski remaining time 

Week 3: (extensive intervals) 

2x Sets; rest 5-7min b/t sets

5 Rounds: 

10cals Echo

10cals Ski 

Sport-specific Progressions

Success in CrossFit tests requires more than just developing strength and endurance in isolation. When you mix the two elements together into a metcon, the result is more than the sum of the two parts. In order to progress someone from either a strength or conditioning limitation to sport performance, you need to gradually progress them into a mixed fatigue environment. A three week approach to this type of graded exposure is detailed below. 

Week 1: (pre-fatigue) 

45cals Echo @ progressive effort (building zone-2 → zone-4) 
into for time: 
3 Rounds 
10 Thrusters @ 95/65# 
10 CTB Pull-ups 

--rest 5min--

45cals Echo @ progressive effort (building zone-2 → zone-4) 
into for time: 
3 Rounds 
7 Thrusters @ 135/95# 
7 Bar Muscle-ups

Week 2: (intensive intervals) 

5x Sets; rest 1min b/t sets 
10 Thrusters @ 95/65# 
10 CTB

-rest 4min-

5x Sets; rest 1min b/t sets
7 Thrusters @ 135/95#
7 Bar Muscle-ups 

Week 3: (extensive intervals) 

3x Sets: rest 4min b/t sets 
2 Rounds 
10 Thrusters @ 95/65# 
10 CTB

-1min rest-

2 Rounds 
7 Thrusters @ 135/95#
7 Bar Muscle-ups 

Sport-specific Workout examples

If your client’s goal is to maximize their performance in a test similar to Open 24.3, then you will need to have them perform some sport-specific training sessions. These are meant to reflect the same demands as 24.3 but introducing subtle variance so that they are continuing to prepare for the unknown and unknowable aspects of the sport. Below are three sport-specific tests that could be used when preparing someone for competition. 

Week 1: 

Heavy CTB Fran
21-15-9
Thrusters @ 155 / 105#
CTB Pull-ups

Week 2: 

2022 LCQ Event #1

From 0-2 minutes:
20 thrusters
Max-rep bar muscle-ups in the time remaining

-Rest 2 minutes-

From 4-6 minutes:
20 bar muscle-ups
Max-rep thrusters in the time remaining

♀ 125 lb ♂ 185 lb

Week 3: 

"Open 21.3"

For Time
15 Front Squats (95/65 lb)
30 Toes-to-Bars
15 Thrusters (95/65 lb)

-Rest 1 minute-

15 Front Squats (95/65 lb)
30 Chest-to-Bar Pull-Ups
15 Thrusters (95/65 lb)

-Rest 1 minute-

15 Front Squats (95/65 lb)
30 Bar Muscle-Ups
15 Thrusters (95/65 lb)

Closing Thoughts

As we said the last two weeks, we try not to allow a single workout to dictate entire training progressions because when a test becomes a target, it no longer becomes a good measure. So, while we used this workout to illustrate our training philosophies and methodologies, we would not organize an athlete’s training entirely around improving one singular test in the sport. Remember that as you analyze these example sessions, you should think of them as parts of a more holistic program that would be written to get the athlete better at the entirety of the sport.

As you move forward in your coaching career, if you want to use CrossFitTM for GPP training, remember to ensure that people move well, safely, and in a variable way as we covered in Part 1. And if your clients are talented, hungry, and seeking challenges enough to want to improve in The Sport of Fitness™, remember to coach them with the care that an athlete requires.