If you are looking for ways to outclass CrossFit Open workout 21.1, look no further, as Tia-Clair Toomey and her husband/coach Shane Orr share crucial tips.
Tia-Clair Tommey is the first female to have win CrossFit Games on four occasions (2017, 2018, 2019, and 2020), while Shane Orr coaches her and five times Fittest on Earth, the CrossFit legend, Matthew Fraser, who retired earlier this year.
CrossFit Open 21.1 workout consists of:
- wall walks and double-unders – RX
- wall walks and lateral jumps – equipment free
- bear crawls and jumping jacks – foundations
You can read the full details of CrossFit Open 21.1 workout here.
Tia-Clair Toomey and Shane Orr CrossFit Open 21.1 Workout Tips
“This is definitely a shoulder and upper body workout that is going to burn”, said Tia-Clair as soon as Dave Castro announced the CrossFit Open 21.1 workout.
“Consider breaking on double-unders and going unbroken on the wall walks. It will be a wise move,” says Shane Orr.
David Upshaw, coaching staff at PRVN Fitness, broke down some specific tips to excel at CrossFit Open 21.1 workout. Tia-Clair Toomey and Shane Orr collaborate in the PRVN Fitness programming.
CrossFit Open 21.1 Workout Warm-Up
3 rounds for quality
- 1 minute machine of choice (assault bike or skierg are great choices)
- 20 single-unders
- 5 inchworms (hand release)
- 20 plank shoulder taps (10 taps on each shoulder)
“We want to be moving with quality and purpose, and getting everything nice and loose. We don’t want to get the heart rate too hijacked before we start”.
CrossFit Open 21.1 Workout Primer
3-4 minute AMRAP
- 1 wall walk or scaled wall walk
- 20 double-unders
“This is to practice the transition from movement to movement [of CrossFit Open 21.1 workout].”
If you have more shoulder fatigue, you can use a band resistance and practice band pull-apart to activate your shoulder and back.
CrossFit Open 21.1 Workout Strategy (with scaled tips)
David Upshaw explains that its PRVN program divides athletes into sub-categories:
- Level 3 – elite athletes that are trying to finish the CrossFit Open 21.1 workout.
- Level 2 – advanced athletes that are expected to be close to finishing the workout.
- Level 1 – athletes that will be performing the scaled version of CrossFit Open 21.1 workout.
Level 3 Elite Athletes – Tips and Strategies for 21.1 Workout
- Keep a loose grip while performing double-unders, save the arm pump.
- Maintain straight arms while performing wall walks.
- Stay conservative.
The first two tips will help your shoulders and not fatigue them, this is a heavy shoulder workout after all.
“We saw with Kristi Eramo O’Connell that she was halfway through the exercise just after finishing the 150 double-unders. So you have to keep your pace”.
Level 2 Advanced Athletes – Tips and Strategies for 21.1 Workout
- Break the double-unders early in the workout and stay smooth and consistent on the wall walks.
- Take that extra second between each rep of wall walk.
- Don’t save energy for the 21’s, it is expected for athletes to get time capped.
Do not push early on the workout. Take an extra second after completing a wall walk to make sure you can finish the next rep.
During the 9 wall walks you want to stay conservative through, and on the 12 wall walks you pick up the time. Do not save energy for the 21’s because it is probable that you won’t have time on that.
Level 1 Athletes – Tips and Strategies for 21.1 Workout
- Single arm speed, relaxed shoulders
- Pay attention to the scaled standards
- Depending on your CrossFit Open division, this might be a more cardiovascular than shoulder stamina workout
The high volume of single-unders will differentiate the end score of people during this workout. Maintaining the speed of single-unders is the most important factor of 21.1.
Be conservative and make sure to breath more in the beginning and pick it up towards the middle, because it is expected for athletes in the scaled version to finish the workout.
The 2021 CrossFit Open is underway, but you can still register and submit your score on the leaderboard here.
Image Sources
- Tia-and-Shane-Moving-To-Cookeville: Tia-Clair Toomey