The Catalyst Games is a “collaborative competition.” We recruit judges from among your peers to help YOU stay accountable to yourself.
Judges aren’t there to referee or solve disputes; they’re there to count your reps for you, let you know where to go next, and generally keep the playing field level.
After each event, your judge will have you sign your scorecard and then take it to the scorers’ table.
First, Rx vs Blue Collar:
Individual – if you’re competing in the Rx division, your movement standards will be held to the level of CrossFit Open-style judging by veteran judges (like me.)
Team – same. Each individual will be held to the level of the Open.
Blue Collar – you will be accountable for holding a consistently good movement pattern. For example, if your arms are unable to reach full lockout overhead because of a biomechanical limitation, that’s fine. If you can’t lock out a weight because you’re not strong enough–sorry, no rep.
Listen to your judge; their decision is final, and if they’re having fun, so will you. (It sounds like I’m talking to my hockey parents here!)
General:
Indie events precede Team events on the schedule. Event start times will mean the start of Indie heats. Since the majority of competitors are Team, your start will be very close to the Indie start time.
Teams will begin each event in reverse order of finish from the previous event (last place in event 2 goes first in event 3.) It pays to be a winner at each. Enjoy!
Event 1: Clean and Jerk Ladder (8:30am start)
On the minute, every minute, athletes will move through a series of pre-loaded barbells, beginning with the lightest weight.
The bar has to begin from the ground and end in a fully locked-out position overhead.
This year, there’s a point for the clean and a point for the jerk. A successful ground-to-overhead lift will be worth two points.
The athlete must complete the lift – from still on the ground to locked out overhead, with feet together – before the timer sounds to end the minute.
If an athlete is holding a barbell but hasn’t yet completed the lift, it doesn’t count, even if the bar is in motion.
For example, if an athlete has cleaned the bar to her collarbone but hasn’t locked it out overhead when the buzzer sounds, she gets one point. She will not have a chance to attempt the jerk.
If an athlete begins the jerk, but hasn’t finished with his feet together when the buzzer sounds, he’ll get credit for the clean, but not the jerk.
Any clean is allowed (power or full) and any variation of jerk (push press, push jerk or split jerk) will do.
However, if an athlete drops to her knees during the lift or any part of their body other than their feet touches the ground, the lift is a no-rep.
If an athlete can’t complete the jerk at one weight, they may not move on to the next weight.
Event 2: “16.5” (9:45am start, latest)
21-18-15-12-9-6-3 reps for time of:
Thrusters
Burpees
Men use 95 lb.
Women use 65 lb.
On the “Go!” command, the bar is lifted from the ground. The athlete progresses through a full front squat to a fully locked-out overhead position with their feet parallel on the frontal plane. The bar may be dropped as necessary, but all reps of the Thruster must be completed before moving on to the burpees.
In the burpee, the athlete’s chest and thighs must simultaneously touch the ground before they spring up and jump, clapping overhead. While jumping and clapping, the athlete’s torso must be vertical in relation to the ground (no 45-degree burpees) and they must clap while their feet are off the ground. That’s one rep. Each rep starts on the ground and finishes with the clap.
For teams: Each teammate must complete two of the rounds (including the full suicide run), but teammates can be rotated in any order. Teammates must tag the next teammate for them to proceed. See yesterday’s post for full team rules.
Time cap: 20:00.
Event 3: Catalyst Games 2010 Event #3: (11:30am start, latest)
Sprint 10m shuttle – 50 double-unders
Sprint 20m shuttle – 40 double-unders
Sprint 30m shuttle – 30 double-unders
Sprint 40m shuttle – 20 double-unders
Sprint 50m shuttle – 10 double-unders
Full Suicide run: 10m – 20m – 30m – 40m – 50m.
…for time.
Time Cap: 8 minutes.
See yesterday’s post for full team specs and rules.
A double-under requires a rope to pass beneath the feet of the jumper twice unbroken. Your judge will count your reps aloud while you’re jumping.
Blue-collar athletes may substitute 3x the number of single jumps for each double-under. Judges will count reps aloud.
In the shuttle run, the athlete’s foot must cross the line and touch the ground at each interval length AND again at the starting line. Their hand need not touch the ground for the interval to count.
Event 4: “MOUNTAIN MURPH” (2pm start, latest)
100 PRONE RING ROWS, then run up the mountain.
Stop at 4 prescribed points and perform 50 pushups at each.
Reach the finish line at the top for time.
Team rules are here.
In the ring rows, the athlete’s shoulders and hips must start on the ground and return to the ground on every repetition. Arms must be straight at the bottom (elbows fully extended) and the athlete must rise until the rings touch their shoulders. 100 ring rows are no joke: this is harder than pull-ups.
Immediately after finishing the ring rows, athletes will begin their ascent up the mountain by first running to the start gate and then following the road to the top. Variance in the route will result in disqualification. This is also a longer course than last time by about 500m on flat ground.
On their way up the mountain, athletes will be stopped at predetermined checkpoints to complete 50 pushups before continuing their ascent.
A pushup begins with chest and thighs simultaneously touching the ground, and ends with the arms fully locked out and the hips on the same horizontal line as the shoulders.
Rx division – knees must leave the ground before or simultaneously with the chest. (No worming)
Blue collar division – the athlete must start in the same position on the ground and end in the fully-locked-out position with knees off the ground. But knee involvement during the press phase OR the descent is allowed.
At the top of the hill, athletes will cross an obvious “finish line” and their total time will be recorded.
Then we’ll have a beer or water and enjoy the gorgeous finish to our training year!