Workout Description

Why This Workout Is Very Hard

High skill gymnastics (toes-to-bar and ring muscle-ups), meaningful barbell loading, and big chipper volumes make this a demanding piece. The 14-minute cap forces smart pacing and capacity across grip, core, and pulling. Many athletes won’t finish, and those who do must cycle efficiently under fatigue without failing on the high-skill ring muscle-ups.

Benchmark Times for Open 23.1

• Elite: <10:00
• Advanced: 10:30-11:00
• Intermediate: 11:30-12:00
• Beginner: >14:00

Training Focus

This workout develops the following fitness attributes:

• Stamina (8/10): High total reps tax grip, core, and shoulders. Athletes must maintain repeated submaximal efforts on TTB, wall-balls, and barbell singles without failing late on ring muscle-ups.
• Endurance (6/10): Sustained 10–14 minutes with a large initial row and continuous work thereafter. Breathing and heart rate stay elevated while managing transitions and chalk breaks without long rests.
• Power (5/10): Explosive triple extension on cleans and wall-ball throws. Power output helps maintain pace but must be balanced with fatigue management and grip preservation.
• Speed (5/10): Quick transitions and efficient set breakdowns improve results. However, reckless sprinting early leads to failure on later gymnastics and barbell segments.
• Strength (4/10): Cleans at 145/95 lb are moderate; most athletes hit steady singles. Strength matters but is not the primary limiter compared to skill and stamina.
• Flexibility (4/10): Adequate shoulder flexion for wall-balls and bar stability in the clean, plus hip and thoracic mobility for deep squats and toes-to-bar range of motion.

Scaling Options

Scale to: Row 45/36 calories • 35 Toes-to-Bars or Hanging Knee Raises • Wall-Ball 14/10 lb (to 10/9 ft) • Cleans 115/75 lb • 20 Chest-to-Bar Pull-Ups or 10 Ring MU Transitions

Scaling Explanation

Reduces volume and loading while preserving the pulling density, squat-to-press pattern, and high-skill gymnastics stimulus appropriate to each athlete’s capacity.

Intended Stimulus

A controlled start that turns into a grind. Row strong but sustainable, then chip away at big gymnastics volume without blowing up your grip. Wall-balls and cleans feel like steady, deliberate work. Finish with composed, confident ring muscle-ups. It should feel challenging but repeatable, avoiding failure through smart sets and short rest.

Coach Insight

Row at a pace you could hold for 7–8 minutes, not a sprint. Break TTB early (e.g., 10s or 8s) to protect grip. Most important: Keep rests intentionally short—count three breaths and go. Singles on cleans are fine; just keep moving. Avoid death sets on TTB and early muscle-up attempts at failure. Smooth transitions beat giant sets.

Benchmark Notes

Times represent full-chip completion from time-capped (14:00) down to elite (10:00). Many athletes will time-cap; use levels to gauge capacity and pacing. If you consistently hit 12:00–11:00, you likely have efficient sets on TTB, manageable singles on cleans, and enough MU capacity to avoid long breaks.

Modality Profile

Significant gymnastics volume from toes-to-bar and ring muscle-ups drives the emphasis. The opening row is a sizable monostructural dose, and wall-balls plus barbell cleans deliver substantial weightlifting work. Time distribution typically skews toward gymnastics fatigue and transitions in the back half.

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If you enjoy Open 23.1, you might also like these similar CrossFit WODs:

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These WODs similar to Open 23.1 share comparable training demands, time domains, and movement patterns.