Workout Pacing Predictors of Crossfit® Open Performance: A Pilot Study

Abstract

To observe workout repetition and rest interval pacing strategies and determine which best predicted performance during the 2016 CrossFit® Open, five male (34.4 ± 3.8 years, 176 ± 5 cm, 80.3 ± 9.7 kg) and six female (35.2 ± 6.3 years, 158 ± 7 cm, 75.9 ± 19.3 kg) recreational competitors were recruited for this observational, pilot study. Exercise, round, and rest time were quantified via a stopwatch for all competitors on their first attempt of each of the five workouts. Subsequently, pacing was calculated as a repetition rate (repetitions·s-1) to determine the fastest, slowest, and average rate for each exercise, round, and rest interval, as well as how these changed (i.e., slope, Δ rate / round) across each workout. Spearman’s rank correlation coefficients indicated that several pacing variables were significantly (p < 0.05) related to performance on each workout. However, stepwise regression analysis indicated that the average round rate best predicted (p < 0.001) performance on the first (R2 = 0.89), second (R2 = 0.99), and fifth (R2 = 0.94) workouts, while the competitors’ rate on their slowest round best predicted workout three performance (R2 = 0.94, p < 0.001). The wall ball completion rate (R2 = 0.89, p = 0.002) was the best predictor of workout four performance, which was improved by 9.8% with the inclusion of the deadlift completion rate. These data suggest that when CrossFit® Open workouts consist of multiple rounds, competitors should employ a fast and sustainable pace to improve performance. Otherwise, focusing on one or two key exercises may be the best approach.

Quantifying CrossFit®: Potential solutions for monitoring multimodal workloads and identifying training targets

“…Another approach is to utilize a coach or judge (60) or a video recording (61)(62)(63)(64) to document start and end times for each exercise, set/round, break, and transition, as well as the occurrence of failed repetitions (i.e., "No-Reps"), within an entire workout. This approach was initially proposed in a pilot study that aimed at relating different pacing strategies to 2016 CFO performance (60).…”

“…Another approach is to utilize a coach or judge (60) or a video recording (61)(62)(63)(64) to document start and end times for each exercise, set/round, break, and transition, as well as the occurrence of failed repetitions (i.e., "No-Reps"), within an entire workout. This approach was initially proposed in a pilot study that aimed at relating different pacing strategies to 2016 CFO performance (60). In that study, the authors first calculated repetition rate for each exercise and round (i.e., repetition rate for all exercises within a single round), and then related the average, slowest, and fastest exercise/round repetition rates to the overall workout completion rate.…”

“…It does not precisely quantify training workload but can provide a closer (to the cause) approximation of how an athlete handles a workload. Thus, far, this method has only been used in one study (60) and a series of poster presentations (61)(62)(63)(64). These studies limited the analysis to repetition completion rate and quantified breaks, transitions, and failed repetitions to make comparisons among athletes and predict performance.…”

Crossfit®: uma abordagem sobre força de mordida e imagem ultrassonográfica dos músculos mastigatórios

“…A habilidade física e o equilíbrio do corpo necessários na prática esportiva podem sofrer influência da oclusão dentária, mostrando a relação entre os músculos, apertar os dentes, desempenho esportivo e saúde, como observado no halterofilismo onde ocorre o levantamento de peso e normalmente os dentes são protegidos por aparelhos bucais para melhorar o desempenho do atleta, em decorrência da redução de carga de força promovida ao apertar os dentes (KINJO et al, 2021) Existem várias maneiras de realizar atividades físicas regularmente e que promovem benefícios para a saúde. Entre os vários esportes, desta-se o treinamento pelo Crossfit ® que trabalha o atleta para desenvolver força e resistência por meio do condicionamento físico, aumentando o desempenho funcional (DOS SANTOS QUARESMA; GUAZZELLI MARQUES; NAKAMOTO, 2021;MANGINE et al, 2021;.…”

“…Sports, when regularly practiced, promote health benefits 8 . For example, training by Crossfit® improves strength and endurance and increases functional performance 9,10 .…”