CrossFit Games Open 12.4: Karen, DU, Muscle Ups

This workout is unique because it’s the famous girl workout, Karen, followed with double unders and muscle ups. The average Karen result on the site is about 9:30 (Around 5 minutes is beast), which leaves the average person 150 seconds to do 90 double unders and 30 muscle ups. I think it’s fair to say that majority of people will not complete a round (Graham got 25 Muscle Ups). The double unders, for a lot of people, are going to be the easiest part. During our 2 Minute Double Under Challenge users were putting up over 150-200 reps, so I think a lot of people will do them in 2 minutes or less.

Strategy?

New CrossFitter: Karen is over 12:00
Just do as many Wall Balls as you can. If you can get to the double unders, you’re awesome. But you should set your goal to get all the wall balls done and, more importantly, have fun. By fun I mean feel really horrible.

Average CrossFitter: Karen is around 9:30
If it’s around the average then try not to rest long after the wall ball because you don’t have that much time. Personally, I think a few reps of double unders will separate a majority of the results, so being able to push yourself for those last 150 seconds might be huge.

Beast
This is where it gets interesting. Let’s break down Graham’s, one of the fittest people in the world, result.

Wall Ball(150) 5:26. He busted out a huge set of 84 to start and completed the Wall Balls in 326 seconds. A set of of 15 reps every 20 seconds with a 14 seconds rest between sets adds up to 326 seconds or 5:26. I’m not sure if a huge set to start is good or bad, I think it depends on the athlete, but that’s just food for thought. Below is a quick breakdown of this strategy with different rests.

Double Unders(90) 1:34 This is interesting because a lot of people can do 100 double unders in a minute fresh, although obviously they won’t be. The question is would taking 30 seconds more on the Wall Balls increase your double unders by 30 seconds?

Muscle Ups(25) 5:00 Graham averaged 1 every 12 seconds. Which means that at this point you are going to pretty tired, and technique is going to be key. Below are some videos to help!

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WOD Prep and Technique Videos

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CrossFit Journal

Wall Ball

• Functionality and Wallball
• The Moves

Double Unders

• Jump Rope Basics Part 2: More Preparation Phase Plus Double-Under Tips
• Jump Rope Basics Part 1: Preperation
• Jump Rope Basics Part 3: Intermediate Phase
• The Position: Part 1—The Double-Under

Muscle Up

• The Muscle-up
• DogTown CrossFit Muscle-Up Drills
• Teaching the Muscle-Up to a Large Group: Part 1
• Teaching the Muscle-up to a Large Group: Part 2
• Multiple Muscle-Up Progressions
• Learning the Muscle-Up
• Training the Muscle-Up
• Assistance for Bodyweight Exercises/a>
• Muscle Up Training Progression
• The Moves
• Muscle-Up Progressions