CrossFit Open 26.1
It’s that time of year again - CrossFit Open time! I’ll be honest with you, I wasn’t sure if I was going to continue to do these posts this year. It’s highly unlikely that I’ll be doing the Open this year - I usually take Friday as a rest day and am home with my two youngest. We shall see.
I do think starting the Open with movements that are fairly accessible like 26.1 has is a great thing. I do think this workout is a recipe for some shins to get torn up on the boxes, so please watch yourselves!
I’ve been doing these blogging recommendations for 7 years for pregnant/postpartum athletes & 7 years for athletes with orthopedics injuries/pain. It’s hard to believe it’s been that long!
Side bar: For anyone who is reading this blog post, whether you’re injured, pregnant or postpartum, what’s your intention with the Open? Are you trying to get in a good workout? Are you trying to test the waters postpartum to see where you’re at? Are you trying to get the best Rx score at all costs no matter whether you’re injured, pregnant or postpartum?
Intention.
That’s my question for myself when it comes to scaling/modifying a workout, whether it’s for me or a patient/client. I like to focus on quality of movement and getting in a good workout (i.e. staying moving, minimal breaks, etc) in this chapter. My gym time looks different in this chapter - two Women’s Fitness classes per week that are kid friendly & usually a Saturday partner WOD. Occasionally a mid-week CrossFit class if I have a schedule cancellation and more garage workouts when the weather gets nicer. But in this chapter with 4 kids including a baby who doesn’t sleep great, and owning two businesses, I have to be mindful with my approach to working out. If I get hurt working out, that affects my ability to care for my kids, be there for my family & work, so I choose to modify my workouts more.
That being said, I think focusing on staying moving with quality movement is more important in the later pregnancy & early postpartum chapters. Focusing on quality movement, laying a good foundation will all pay off as we’re returning to fitness postpartum. As my friend Lisa Ryan likes to say, “slow is fast”.
I’m going to bold this next part because it’s very important. IT IS NOT NORMAL TO PEE OR LEAK DURING JUMP ACTIVITIES OR ANY ACTIVITY FOR THAT MATTER! IT IS COMMON, BUT THIS MEANS THERE IS DYSFUNCTION OF THE PELVIC FLOOR!!!!! Ok, please read that again. If you do experience leaking with any activity, please go see a pelvic floor physical therapist- it doesn’t have to be that way!!!
Symptoms for injured athletes: Pain, numbness, tingling, etc.
Symptoms for pregnant and postpartum athletes: Coning, leaking, pain, pelvic discomfort, pressure (in stomach/belly, pelvis or “down there”).
These are my recommendations as a physical therapist specializing in CrossFitters and pelvic floor, as well as a CrossFit Level 2 trainer. Interested in doing a consultation with me during these unique chapters of pregnancy & postpartum? I provide in-person sessions as well as virtual. You can book with me here.
Injured Athletes
As a physical therapist, my professional recommendation is if something hurts, don’t do it. Pain is our body’s way of asking us for change.
Shoulder/Arm Injury:
Wallballs: Wallballs may or may not be an issue. Consider:
Scaling the weight.
Wallball squats with a slightly heavier ball.
Box Jump Overs: Really shouldn’t be an issue here!
Wallball Box Step Overs: You may have to adjust how you hold the wallball, but otherwise should be ok.
Leg/Hip/Knee/Ankle Injury:
Wallballs: The intended stimulus here is cardio with a side of fatigued quads - If you cannot squat without pain, I recommend you modify the workout, and perform the wallballs to a depth that is pain-free.
Scale the weight.
Other options may include air squats, bike or lunges.
If weight-bearing is an issue, consider scaling the wallballs to the bike to maintain the cardio demand. I would recommend going for a certain amount of time per set, based on the amount of time it would take to complete that number of wallballs.
Box Jump Overs: You may want to consider doing step overs instead - you could alternate legs/perform the same number of reps on each side, or step up with the non-injured side predominantly.
Wallball Box Step Overs: I would see how the previous Box Jump Overs (or Box Step Overs) felt. If they’re not so great on your leg, I would not recommend adding the extra weight (wallball) to the movement, no matter how “light” it is.
Back Injury:
Wallballs: Remember the intended stimulus here is cardio with a side of quad fatigue. Consdier:
Scaling the weight down.
Scale the movement to a pain-free range if necessary (can use another wallball or box as a target).
Focus on form, gentle abdominal engagement and breathing through the movement.
Box Jump Overs: Land softly on the box jump overs (like a ninja) or scale to step up & overs. This will help minimize impact and be a bit less “jarring” on your back.
Wallball Box Step Overs: With holding a wallball, I’d be mindful of what is happening to your body & posture to hold the wallball while you complete this movement. Frequent changes in how you hold it may be necessary.
Pregnant Athletes
26.1 is overall pretty accessible to most athletes - however for my pregnant athletes I would recommend scaling the box jump overs to step overs. I’m concerned about the level of fatigue coming off the wallballs and then being able to get those feet up & over the box consistently without losing the workout stimulus. Definitely don’t want a trip & fall here, in my opinion the risk vs reward just isn’t worth it. Don’t get hung up on the movements, scale it appropriately (mid-WOD if needed) and just move! Remember, this is just one chapter of your pregnancy journey!
Wallballs Choose a weight you can perform comfortably under fatigue with no symptoms.
Modify the depth of the squat if necessary to eliminate/decrease symptoms &/or if the belly does not allow for a full range squat.
Scale to squats if going overhead causes symptoms.
Exhale up (throw), inhale down (catch).
Box Jump Overs: As I mentioned above, I would recommend most of my pregnant athletes to perform Box Step Overs instead. My thoughts immediately go to being fatigued from the wallballs & catching a foot on the box while jumping and either ending up with a goose egg on your shin, and/or bumping your bump. The risk vs reward isn’t there for me personally.
Wallball Box Step Overs: You may or may not need any extra weight to carry on this one!
Breathe through the movement
If step ups cause pubic pain, try a shorter box/step. If there’s still discomfort, I would consider scaling to a bike/rower for that cardio stimulus without the unilateral leg movement.
Postpartum Athletes
26.1 is a pretty friendly workout - that being said, the earlier postpartum you are and/or the weaker your core is, box jump overs may end up being a sticking point. For that movement in particular, I’d have a backup option or two in mind to keep you moving through the workout. Don’t be afraid to start with one variation and then change mid-set! Don’t get hung up on the movements, scale it appropriately (mid-WOD if needed) and just move! Remember, this is just one chapter of your postpartum journey!
Coning: If you see coning occurring - can you change it and make it go away? If yes, great, continue! If it’s hard to control the coning it’s a good idea to modify. Coning isn’t necessarily bad.
Pelvic Floor: If you haven’t been to see a pelvic floor physical therapist yet, I highly recommend it. Even if you have no symptoms, they can be valuable on guiding you on your return to fitness!
Wallballs: Choose a weight you can perform with no symptoms - remember this is a cardio stimulus with a side of quad fatigue.
Modify the depth of the squat if necessary to eliminate/decrease symptoms.
Scale to wallball squats if going overhead causes symptoms.
Exhale up (throw), inhale down (catch).
Consider decreasing the amount of reps, especially if you’re not signed up for the workouts.
Box Jump Overs: Things to consider:
How is your lower body strength currently? Quad fatigue is going to be very real & limiting here.
How have Box Jumps been so far for you? This is pretty high volume = lots of impact over & over.
For those on the fence, I’d recommend starting with Box Jump Overs & then as you fatigue or start to notice some symptoms, switch to Box Step Overs for the rest of that set. Then you can go back to Box Jump Overs on your next set.
Wallball Box Step Overs: I would carefully consider adding weight to this movement based on you have been feeling with life & training, as well as how you feel with the above movements as well.
Coaches:
When considering scaling an athlete, try to keep in the mind what functional movement is being performed. Is it a variation of the squat, hinge, pull, push, etc.? Try to maintain the integrity of the functional movement, while modifying it a level that is appropriate for your individual athletes. If you would like to learn more about coaching pregnant and postpartum athletes, please look into Brianna Battles' coaching courses here. For questions regarding scaling/modifications for the injured athlete, please feel free to contact me and/or work directly with the athlete's healthcare provider.
***All pregnant and postpartum women should have their physician's approval to workout. If you don't, please do not workout. If you have any physician restrictions, to ignore them is placing you and your baby's health in jeopardy.
***I recommend all postpartum women get assessed by a pelvic floor physical therapist. Find one by you here. I also highly recommend finding a Pregnancy & Postpartum Athleticism coach by you to go over strategy with specific exercises, programming and recommendations. Find one here.
***See coning with any movement or experiencing "leaking", sensation of something "falling out" and/or anything that doesn't feel right? - Can you make it go away with changing the movement in some way? If yes, continue. If not, that indicates a modification is needed. Take more breaks as needed, if it's due to fatigue. Focus on your breathing and movement strategy. If you haven't consulted with a healthcare provider and/or postpartum fitness specialist regarding your symptoms, I highly recommend doing so.
If you have specific questions regarding this post, please comment below or contact via social media or email. I'm happy to help- but remember my advice is not accompanied with a hands-on assessment, which is the best way to make recommendations. If you are interested in meeting with me, please contact me. If you're interested in finding an appropriate healthcare provider/coach, please contact me and I will do my best to help you find one.