The 2016 CrossFit Regionals start on May 13th, and we now know the first two events the athletes must tackle—and boy, are they wicked!
EVENT 1
10 squat snatches (185/135 lb.), by 2:00
8 squat snatches (205/145 lb.), by 4:00
6 squat snatches (225/155 lb.), by 6:00
4 squat snatches (245/165 lb.), by 8:00
2 squat snatches (265/175 lb.), by 11:00
Time cap: 11 minutes
Notes
(From the CrossFit Games site) This event begins with the athlete on the starting mat. At the sound of the beep, the athlete will move forward to the barbell and perform 10 snatches. Once the 10 snatches are completed, they will roll the bar forward to the next station, add weight, then perform 8 snatches. At each subsequent station the reps will decrease while the load increases. Each station will also have a cut-off time by which all the reps must be completed in order to proceed forward. Once an athlete has completed all the required reps for a given load, they may immediately advance and do not need to wait for the clock before moving to the next station. Time stops when the athlete reaches the finish mat.
Note: Athletes will use one barbell for the first 3 stations, adding weight each time they move it forward, and will then move to a second preloaded barbell that they will use for stations 4 and 5.
The 2016 Regionals kick off with heavy weight in a workout that builds on the snatch speed ladder of the 2015 Games. Yet, a new Games season means the bar is pushed higher, and that’s evident with the loading for the barbells in event 1. Take a look at the difference in weight between event 4 of the 2015 Games (Snatch Speed Ladder) and event 1 of the 2016 Regionals:
| 2015 Games Event 4 (Semi-Finals) | 2016 Regional Event 1 |
| 220/135lbs (1 rep) | 185/135lbs (10 reps) |
| 230/140lbs (1 rep) | 205/145lbs (8 reps) |
| 235/145lbs (1 rep) | 225/155lbs (6 reps) |
| 240/150lbs (1 rep) | 245/165lbs (4 reps) |
| 245/155lbs (1 rep) | 265/175lbs (2 reps) |
Aside from the weight increase, another cool element of this event is that athletes have to use the same barbell and add weight for the first three stations. Could we see an event won or lost due to the time taken to load a bar?
EVENT 2
Regional Nate
10 rounds for time:
4 strict muscle-ups
7 strict handstand push-ups
12 kettlebell snatches
M 70 lb. F 53 lb.
Time cap: 20 minutes
Regional Nate is a variation of the Hero workout Nate, which is a 20-minute AMRAP (as many reps as possible) of:
2 muscle-ups
4 handstand push-ups
8 kettlebell swings (70/52lbs)
The obvious difference with Regional Nate is that it includes strict bodyweight movements, as well as kettlebell snatches. While we have seen strict handstand push-ups in Games competitions before, this will be a first for the strict muscle-up and the kettlebell snatch.
We expect that many athletes will be stopped by the strict elements in this event, but remember that these workouts are designed to find the fittest athletes worth qualifying for the Games. As Dave Castro stated via Instagram, “The regionals programming is programmed for the top athletes to go to the games. It is not programmed for those who can’t. It’s programmed for those who can. I expect a lot of people to be stopped by the rings on day 1. That’s the point. And at the games. Expect events that will stop games athletes. It’s not about making your favorite athlete shine. It’s about testing them and exposing weakness in them”.
Some people may question how the judges will determine what constitutes a strict rep for the handstand push-ups and muscle-ups. The CrossFit Games site provides the standards for each:
Strict Muscle-Up:
These are strict muscle-ups so kipping is not allowed. The feet must remain in front of the body, with the legs straight, throughout the rep. The hip may not provide assistance in elevating the athlete on top of the rings. Between consecutive reps, the athlete must settle back into a dead hang position with the feet in front of the body before pulling up on the rings to start the next rep.
Strict Handstand Push-Up:
This movement begins at the top of a handstand with the arms fully locked out, the heels on the wall and the hips open with the body in line with the arms. The hands must be placed within the clearly marked area. The marked area will be a 36-by-24-inch box, and the palm of the hand must be placed within the clearly marked area (fingers may extend out of the box). At the bottom of each rep, the athlete’s head must touch the mat. At the top of each rep, the athlete must return to a fully locked out position with the heels on the wall and the feet within the width of the marked area. Kipping is not allowed. The athlete’s hips may not touch the wall, and their legs must remain straight. Athletes may not wear any material over the heels of their shoes.
They also provide the standards for the kettlebell snatch:
Kettlebell Snatch:
At the top, the kettlebell must come to full lockout overhead with the hips, knees and working arm fully extended, and the kettlebell directly over the middle of the body. The kettlebell must “turn over” to rest on the back of the forearm and must pass below the hips at the beginning of each rep.
The first rep of a set may be taken directly overhead from the ground, but successive reps will be from the hang. All six repetitions must be completed on one arm before switching to the other arm. The kettlebell must be controlled to the ground and set in an upright position before the athlete lets go of it. If an athlete drops the kettlebell before it has settled on the ground, the last repetition will not count.
So there you have it! Events 1 and 2 of the 2016 Regionals are known. What will we see for the remaining six events?
©2016 CrossFit Inc. Used with permission from CrossFit Inc.
