Primal Pairs

Sorry all, I have been locked in a cave they call a new course and have also had a week off training to try and give my shoulder a bit of a break.  I seem to have been doing a lot of pushups lately and shoulder work putting a lot of undue stress on my already precious shoulder.  I crushed my AC joint (acromioclavicular) back when I was about 22 and never did rehab.  It has come back to bite me on the butt now!  So if there is a lesson for you it should be, listen to your physio and do your boring mundane exercises, even if you think they are not doing anything.   Something I am presently working on correcting.  Better late than never!!


 Anyway, my week off training was leading up to my very first Crossfit Competition, not ideal timing but what can you do!  This was called the Primal Pairs and was quite obviously a competition in pairs.  I competed with a friend of mine Alecka in the women’s division.  We added a quirky element to the games by dressing up in Triathlon suits.  For the first WOD we added a swim cap and goggles, the second WOD we added a bike helmet and the third WOD we added a sun visor.  Unfortunately there were 4 WODS and we hadn’t come prepared for a 4^th leg so we stayed the way we were.

WOD 1 – Suicide with Weights

One plate beginning at 5 then 10, 15, 20 and 25kgs was placed on every 10m line along 50m of the athletics track.  In pairs, the first athlete had to sprint to the 50m mark and pick up the 25kg plate and sprint with it back to the start line, place it on the ground (not drop it) and the next athlete will then race to the 40m line, pick up the 20kg plate and bring it back to the start line and tag the other athlete.  This would go on until all the plates were compiled at the start line ...THEN....you had to return all the plates in the reverse order they were collected in.  This whole exercise was for time.

WOD 2 – Partner time

This WOD was compiled of 3 difference exercises.  

2.1 The first exercise was to piggyback, yes, piggy back (not fireman carry or any other method) your partner as far as you could in 45 seconds.  If you dropped your partner or fell over you had to stop where you fell off.  You would then swap and your other partner would carry you for 45 seconds.  The total number of cones passed between you both was your score.

2.2 The second exercise was to do a human wheelbarrow race with your partner. Ie. You hold your partner’s legs while they walk on their hands as far as they can in 45 seconds. Once again, if you drop you have to stop where you are, swap positions with your partner and then continue on in the same direction you were travelling before, except now the wheelbarrow is to go backwards.  So effectively you are walking backwards holding your partners legs while they walk on their hands backwards(still facing the ground). Once again, the total number of cones passed between you both was your score.

2.3 The third exercise was throwing and catching a bean bag as far as you could.  Each partner had 3 attempts to throw the beanbag and have their partner catch it.  The more cones you could throw the beanbag passed and have your partner catch, the more points you got.  If you were unsuccessful in catching any beanbags, or the beanbag went out of your allotted lane, you received no points.
The total number of points for this WOD is all three exercises accumulated.





WOD 3 – Rowing & partnered power cleans

This WOD required that the pair row 2km between them (each partner must attempt the row at some point) and then complete as many two man power cleans (both people holding on to the bar at the same time and power cleaning together) as possible in 10 minutes.  It was for total points.  If you completed the 2km row you received 2000 points (1 point/meter) and then 1 point for every power clean successfully completed, hips locked out and elbows in front of the bar.

WOD 4 – Backwards Running, Chest to Overheads, Rope Jump, Burpees and Forward Running

This comprised of both partners running backwards together for 400m around the track.  Then the pair had to complete 200 chest to overhead barbell raises with a 20kg bar. It could be broken up however you liked.  Once the chest to overheads were complete, the pair had to complete 150 jumps over a rope about knee height.  Then, 100 burpees between the pair jumping on to a plate and hips fully opened out.  To finish the WOD it required both people to run 400 forwards around the track to the finish line.
Alecka and I were coming 2^nd after the second WOD but unfortunately dropped to 8^th place overall.  We were very happy with our performance and can’t wait for the next competition.  We have a lot to work on between now and then.

Thanks Alecka for being my partner...you were awesome girl!!!