22.2

1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8-9-10-9-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1 reps for time of
Deadlift (225/155)
Bar-facing Burpee

Time cap: 10 minutes

WARM UP

5:00 Air Bike@Z1 or Conversational Pace
*Increase intensity slightly for the last minute

Activation:

Hip 90/90 Stretch: 3×0:15 Holds + 0:10 Rest b/t holds
Hip 90/90 Rotations: x5/side
Foam Roller, Thoracic Extension: 3×0:15 Holds + 0:10 Rest b/t Holds

3 Sets
McGill Curl Up: x5/side
Dead Bug: x8/side
Bird Dog: x8/side

General Warmup:

2 Sets
Cobra Push Up: x8
Tall Plank + Shoulder Taps: x0:15 + 10
Push Up: x5

2 Sets
Single Leg Glute Bridge: x10/side
Banded Good Morning: x 15

Specific Warm Up:

Row:
3 Sets
:30 Build Up Row
:10 Sprint
:30 Low Pressure Row

Rest 2-3:00

2 sets@75% Effort
5 Deadlift@135/85
5 Bar Facing Burpees
+
1 set@85-90% Effort
3 Deadlift@185/115
3 Bar Facing Burpees
+
1 set@Workout Pace
3 Deadlift@225/155
3 Bar Facing Burpees

Pacing / Strategy

• Having a step by step plan might play a bigger role in 22.2 vs 22.1. This starts with warm up, having a strategy for pacing, movement pattern and rest periods.
• Without saying, this workout most definitely favors those with an anatomy consistent with being successful at high rep hip hinging and pulling. The combination of these two exercises is a recipe to take anyone out of their pace and rhythm. It’s light, it’s repeatable, skill is low and that can easily lend itself for coming out of the gate way too hot. That’s most definitely something to be mindful of in this test.
• Spine, hip, “core” and “midline” activation will be key but so will spiking your heart rate before the workout. We do not recommend spending aimless time stretching before this workout. Emphasizing proper activation should be your main focus. Things like McGill Curl Ups, Deadbugs, and Bird Dogs that are featured in our warm up should be priority. We also recommend some high intensity Erg sprints.
• While unbroken Deadlifts might be consistent with some of the best times in the world, that may not be totally necessary to still have a great time. If dropping the Deadlift is something you are considering, we think the best place to start is with a plan for your drops. If this workout forces you to break, recovering from that point may not be realistic. Heart rate spill over and lower back fatigue aren’t normally two things that athletes tend to come out of. With that plan, always making sure to drop your last Deadlift is also recommended. The standard allows you to drop the bar from the hip on all reps so make sure whether or not you plan on going unbroken to do so on your final rep for each set. Outside of that guidance there isn’t anything else significant to talk about for the Deadlift.
• Burpee pattern and rhythm will likely help with controlling breathing pattern and regulating heart rate more than any specific strategy on the Deadlift besides planning a break if you have to. Especially if you consider that 2 foot take off is not necessary in the current standard, this will lend itself to moving even faster. Athletes may even want to pre mark the floor where they want their hands and feet to go in order to ensure they have a consistent Burpee movement pattern. Walking through your Burpee pace and increasing pacing to the event pace in warm up is ideal. The early sets are most definitely a trap and can easily bait athletes into moving much faster than what is repeatable for the entire workout.
• We already wrote about our warm up but understanding that the two limiters on this test will be lower back fatigue and ability to control heart rate/breathing is important. Expect a massive heart rate increase early on in this workout. This is why we are recommending spiking your heart rate on a rower should be your priority. Not only does the rower allow you to push in a “safe” setting it also does so while further ingraining the hip hinging pattern.
• The overwhelming take away from watching the announcement is that pace is key in this workout. Justin started his set of 10’s about :30 slower than Laura Horvath however finished significantly faster. While comparing their times may not be fair, the discrepancy in their times shows that starting at a more controlled and repeatable pace is the overarching theme in this workout. The goal should be to maintain a repeatable and breathable pace for about 7-8:00 and to leave enough reserves where you can close hard in the last 2:00 or so.
• While repeats are likely to be seen in this workout… We challenge all athletes to adopt a “one and done” attitude for the 2022 CrossFit Games Open. Anytime you are considering repeating a workout, you should have a good argument and reasoning behind it. From a competitive perspective, all athletes need to do is be in the top 10% of their continental region in order to make it to Quarterfinals. Repeating such a hip hinging dominant and intense workout is not ideal in any scenario and will likely prevent you from being able to train effectively throughout the Open. Right now… Training is about being prepared for QF, not The Open.