Preparing for the Open is a year-round responsibility; and it’s about so much more than staying fit. Precise nutrition, careful programming, intense training and purposeful rest and recovery are the necessary components of a stellar athlete. We wanted a closer look at exactly what goes into making an athlete Open-ready, so we caught up with Luke McMahon and Matt McLeod down in New South Wales. McMahon has four Regionals under his belt, and McLeod has qualified for Regionals twice.
So, how does one prepare for the world’s biggest fitness competition? McMahon and McLeod stressed the value of training with a partner. There’s a sense of accountability you can’t get when training alone. Plus, it provides an added layer of motivation unmatched by any solo sweat session. When you think you can’t do even one more rep, a friend can give you the little nudge you need.
TWL tagged along while McLeod and McMahon demolished their workouts.
WOD 1
3 rounds
- 10 snatches @ 70kg
- 12 synchro pull-ups
3 rounds
- 8 snatches @ 80kg
- 9 synchro C2B
3 rounds
- 6 snatches @ 90kg
- 6 synchro bar muscle-ups
WOD 2
3 rounds
- 1000m farm run
- 10 med ball/sandbag over-the-shoulders @ 70
WOD 3
5 supersets
- Max chest-to-ring hold
- 8 ring push-ups with a 5sec negative
- Max wall-facing handstand hold
EMOM for 9 min
- On the odd minutes: 9 hang power cleans @ 90kg + max double-unders
- On the even minutes: rest
WOD 4
2 rounds
- 100m swim
- 20 overhead KB lunges
2 rounds
- 100m swim
- 20 KB OHS
2 rounds
- 100m swim
- 20 overhead KB lunges
Embracing the ever-popular philosophy of “constantly varied,” McLeod and McMahon keep an open mind when it comes to their programming and often see where the wind takes them. Sometimes it’s the gym. Other times, it’s the beach. Maybe it’s a park. They steadily challenge themselves with new activities so when it comes time to compete, they’re ready for anything.
Watch them in action and learn more about their training and nutrition in our first episode of The Journey.
