My First Repeat of CrossFit Open Workout 20.3

I have to say that I was excited to do CrossFit Open Workout 20.3. This workout was originally done as Open Workout 18.4. And 2018 was the first year I officially did the Open.

I did face a dilemma on whether or not I should do it as RX and try to get a HSPU, or do it scaled and try to beat my score in 18.4. There was a lot of thought that went into that decision and I will tell you about it shortly.

Now I will say that I was presently surprised at how well my back did with this workout. After throwing it out last year, I have continued to have issues. And I haven't been able to lift heavy. But let's get into this workout.

CrossFit Open Workout 20.3

For Time:

• 21 Deadlifts
• 21 HSPU
• 15 Deadlifts
• 15 HSPU
• 9 Deadlifts
• 8 HSPU
• 21 Heavy Deadlifts
• 50 ft. Handstand walk
• 15 Heavy Deadlifts
• 50 ft. Handstand Walk
• 9 Heavy Deadlifts
• 50 ft. Handstand Walk

RX weight was 225 lbs for men and 155 lbs for the women on the first bar, and 315 lbs for the men and 205 lbs for the women on the second bar. For specific movement guidelines check the CrossFit Open website.

For the scaled division the HSPU were substituted with Hand Release Push-Ups and the Handstand Walk was replaced with the bear crawl. The weights for the first bar 135 lbs for men and 95 lbs for women and the second bar was 185 lbs for the men and 135 for the women.

There was a 9 minute time cap and the tie break time was taken after a completed round of Deadlifts.

My First Thoughts on Open Workout 20.3

When I first saw this workout, I was excited to do my first repeat workout. But then came the choice to do it as RX or scaled, like I did the original workout.

I was also thinking that if we redid this one in the 2019 Open, then I would have definitely done this RX. However, 2019 HSPU standards were different than this workout and I hadn't been practicing them recently.

So how did I decide???

It really came down to if I cared more about my score on the leaderboard or to see if I have improved overall. To be honest I knew, after my back injury that my Deadlift hadn't improved, but also hadn't gotten worse.

To be honest my biggest concern was the push-ups. I haven't practiced HSPU since coming to Germany, and to be honest my push-up work has been inconsistent as well.

So I decided to do it scaled again and try to beat or get close to my old score. The reasoning is because I wanted to see exactly what kind of shape I was in compared to last time. That way I can plan a long term program to get me ready for the next Open.

How I did?

In 2018, I got 132 reps in the 9 minute time cap. Well, I fell short of the goal, but only by 5 reps.

I felt really good on the deadlifts. My form remained good throughout the entire workout. And I feel like I paced myself well. Now the push-ups were difficult.

I felt good, but I could tell that I hadn't been doing the movement very often. My arms fatigued a lot faster than my legs or even my cardiorespiratory capacity.

The only negative I experienced was as soon as I stood up from the bear crawl, I had an instant headache and a bit dizzy. I had to take a longer break than I wanted to get back to the bar.

Now I don't think that is the only reason I was short my 5 reps, but overall I am proud of what I accomplished.

Tips for the Open Workout 20.4

My first tip is to pace yourself on the deadlifts, but keep moving. Break up this workout as needed. Including the deadlifts, HSPU or HRPU. No matter if you scale or RX, this is a lot of reps in a short amount of time.

I would also actually recommend if you are close to getting a HSPU and can lift the weight for the Deadlifts, then you should try to RX this workout. The Open spirit definitely helps people hit PRs all over the place!

Last year (February) I was one of them!

Lastly, I would tell you to time your breaks quickly. Depending on your skill and fitness level, a count of 3 or 5 would be a great way to start. Between your sets, just take a breather and get back to it.

On to the Next one

So the next workout has been announced and I have already done it, but you will have to wait and see my thoughts on this one! Don't forget to check out the Workout of the Week for the at home version of this Workout!