With the first week of the 2022 CrossFit Open in the books, Week 2 has arrived, along with the second event. And would it really be the Open if there weren’t burpees involved? The obvious answer is no. So, we’re not all that surprised that 22.2 is bringing us burpees — lots of them. 100, to be exact. Open workout 22.2 is 1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8-9-10-9-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1 deadlifts and bar-facing burpees, with a 10-minute time cap. Men lift 225 lb/102kg, and women lift 155lb/70kg.
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The equipment requirements for this one are minimal, but you’ll need a barbell and plates.
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7 Tips and Tricks for Crushing Open Workout 22.2
Let’s jump right in with tips to improve your strategy.
Tip #1: Pace Yourself from the Word “Go”
The workout is a sneaky one. In the beginning, you’re going to feel like you’re moving fast. That’s the tricky part with rep schemes that go up. Thus, you don’t want to come out of the gate too hot.
Even though you’re going to feel fresh and amazing, intentionally hold back a little during those earlier rounds. You’re going to need some tank in the gas when you get to those higher-rep rounds. Here’s the good news, though: Once you hit that round of 10 reps, it only gets easier.
When you hear the timer start, it’s easy to go into panic mode, because you’re hyper-aware of the time cap. Breathe. Stay in control. Pace yourself!
Tip #2: Treat the Burpees as Rest Time — And the Deadlifts, Too
Let us explain.
Burpees are almost a “break” because they’re more cardiovascular, while deadlifts are more strength-based. So, during your burpees, focus on the chance that your muscles are getting to rest. And conversely, during your deadlifts, focus on the chance that your heart and lungs are having to catch up.
We’re not trying to pretend that 22.2 is going to be easy. However, these two movements complement each other quite nicely. (To highlight this, imagine if the workout was burpees and box jumps. That would mean cardio on cardio, and yikes, would that burn.)
Tip #3: Remember that a Burpee is Essentially Falling
Truthfully. You fall down. You stand back up again. Is there still some technique involved? Sure. But burpees are one of those movements that you can perform completely ugly, and the reps still count.
When you’re starting to enter the pain cave, remember this little mantra: “Fall down. Stand up. Fall down. Stand up.” Say that in your mind as you’re getting through those burpees, and it’s going to make the reps feel a little bit more manageable.
Psst! You might find wrist wraps helpful. They’ll provide extra support and stability.
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Tip #4: Scale the Deadlift Weight Accordingly
Those prescribed weights are no joke. Should it be challenging? Of course! This is the Open, after all. However, if you’re nearing failure due to the weight of the barbell, then it’s too heavy.
When you’re warming up before the workout, take your weight for a spin for a round of maybe five to 10 reps. You should feel confident with this weight. If you don’t, it’s perfectly okay to scale it down a little.
You might find that a weightlifting belt helps you. Just be sure you take it for a test drive in advance — the last thing you want is a belt getting in the way of your burpees. (And needing to unclip and reclip it in between each movement isn’t very efficient.)
Tip #5: Always Be Moving
One thing working in your favor is the simplicity of this workout. All you need to think about is two movements. It’s not much of a brain-buster.
Instead of getting caught up in the time on the clock, we encourage you to think only of this: Just keep moving. If you’re always moving — even if it’s super slow — then you’re one step closer to finishing this workout. This is especially going to be the case with those burpees. Even if you have hardly any breath left in your lungs, you can still fall down to start the next rep.
Tip #6: Experiment with Dropping the Barbell at the Top
In a perfect world, you perform the deadlifts unbroken. But what happens if, at some point, this no longer feels feasible?
There’s nothing wrong with breaking up the reps into sets of two or three and enjoying a few seconds of total rest in between those. However, you might also want to consider performing singles, with dropping the weight at the top of the movement, as opposed to riding it back down to the ground.
This approach won’t be the best fit for everyone, but some people actually get more reps in with this system. Others may find the former method more efficient. You won’t know until you try.
Tip #7: Always Stay Near the Barbell and Count Your Rest
It’s nothing to be embarrassed about — we all do it: You intend on resting for three seconds and end up spending 45 minutes pacing back and forth, positive that there’s no way you can continue.
Try this instead. Always stand next to your barbell, and count your rest. This was a little breathing trick we picked up from Rich Froning. In some of his videos, you can see that in between reps, he takes a specific number of breaths — usually one or two. Then, he gets right back to work. You can count your breaths like him, or you can count the seconds.
Either way, giving your rest periods a concrete limit is going to save you time, in the long run.
The last thing we want to leave you with? What makes this sport so much fun is the community. Grab your gym mate to cheer you on, and 22.2 is going to be so much more enjoyable. Good luck!
