CrossFit Open 25.3
And it’s the last week - unfortunately this workout does not start super friendly to the pregnant & postpartum demographic. It’s also a midline heavy workout - wall walks, lots of cals on the rower, deadlifts, cleans & snatches - lots of core and in this chapter, that can be a weakness for us. But that’s ok! We know this is just one chapter in our lifetime and it’s okay for our training to look different during this chapter.
Side bar: For anyone who is reading this blog post, whether you’re injured, pregnant or postpartum, what’s your intention with the Open? Are you trying to get in a good workout? Are you trying to test the waters postpartum to see where you’re at? Are you trying to get the best Rx score at all costs no matter whether you’re injured, pregnant or postpartum?
Intention.
That’s my question for myself when it comes to scaling/modifying a workout, whether it’s for me or a patient/client. I like to focus on quality of movement and getting in a good workout (i.e. staying moving, minimal breaks, etc) in this chapter. My gym time isn’t super consistent with having 3 kids + 1 on the way and owning two businesses, so I feel the need to scale to keep the workout appropriate for where my body is at. That’s different from before having kids & also from when I have been able to train consistently in postpartum. If I get hurt working out, that affects my ability to care for my kids, be there for my family & work, so I choose to modify my workouts more.
That being said, I think focusing on staying moving with quality movement is more important in the later pregnancy & early postpartum chapters. Focusing on quality movement, laying a good foundation will all pay off as we’re returning to fitness postpartum. As my friend Lisa Ryan likes to say, “slow is fast”.
I’m going to bold this next part because it’s very important. IT IS NOT NORMAL TO PEE OR LEAK DURING JUMP ACTIVITIES OR ANY ACTIVITY FOR THAT MATTER! IT IS COMMON, BUT THIS MEANS THERE IS DYSFUNCTION OF THE PELVIC FLOOR!!!!! Ok, please read that again. If you do experience leaking with any activity, please go see a pelvic floor physical therapist- it doesn’t have to be that way!!!
Symptoms for injured athletes: Pain, numbness, tingling, etc.
Symptoms for pregnant and postpartum athletes: Coning, leaking, pain, pelvic discomfort, pressure (in stomach/belly, pelvis or “down there”).
These are my recommendations as a physical therapist specializing in CrossFitters and pelvic floor, as well as a CrossFit Level 2 trainer. Interested in doing a consultation with me during these unique chapters of pregnancy & postpartum? I provide in-person sessions as well as virtual. You can book with me here.
Injured Athletes
As a physical therapist, my professional recommendation is if something hurts, don’t do it. Pain is our body’s way of asking us for change.
Shoulder/Arm Injury:
Wall Walks: Perform the scaled version or consider doing bear crawl.
Incline march: Hands elevated on a higher surface, alternating bringing knees up to chest.
Mountain Climber: Start in top of push-up position & alternating bringing knees up to chest.
Box: Feet/knees on box, starting out in plank position, walk back as far as you can without increasing symptoms or until vertical.
Rowing: If rowing is bothersome, focus on pushing more with your legs & squeezing the shoulder blades.
Deadlifts: Hopefully this shouldn’t be much of an issue for shoulder pain, but if it is, consider decreasing the weight on the bar.
Cleans: If you do have pain in the front rack position, I would recommend scaling the weight.
Could also do a DB clean on one or both sides.
Snatches: Going overhead into a snatch or may not be painful for you. The weights are intended to be lighter with this workout, so keep that in mind. Consider the following if the snatch is painful:
Scale the weight.
Scale to cleans.
Scale to DB snatch & use the non-injured side only.
Leg/Hip/Knee/Ankle Injury:
Wall Walks: Depending on your upper body strength may want to scale. As you fatigue, coming down could be harder to control.
Bear crawl (see foundations division)
Incline march: Hands elevated on a higher surface, alternating bringing knees up to chest.
Box: Feet/knees on box, starting out in plank position, walk back as far as you can without increasing symptoms or until vertical.
Rowing: Use more upper body with rowing if it is painful and/or limit the amount of knee and hip flexion on the return.
Deadlifts: Modify weight as needed to decrease load/stress on lower body.
Cleans: A power clean will probably be more comfortable- choose a weight you can do without increase in symptoms.
Could scale to a hang variation if starting/pulling from the floor is an issue.
Snatches: The weights are intended to be lighter with this workout but the reps are high, so keep that in mind. Consider the following if the snatch is painful:
Scale the weight.
Scale to a hang if it’s painful to pull from the floor.
Scale to seated alternating DB snatch if unable to do much with your lower body.
Back Injury:
Wall Walks: This is a tough one on the core- be sure to try to maintain core tension during the movement.
Avoid overextending during the movement (think more hollow position).
Bear crawl (see foundations division)
Incline march: Hands elevated on a higher surface, alternating bringing knees up to chest.
Mountain Climber: Start in top of push-up position & alternating bringing knees up to chest.
Box: Feet/knees on box, starting out in plank position, walk back as far as you can without increasing symptoms or until vertical.
Rowing: Be careful not to overextend while rowing if that's something that bothers you- instead try to get good pushes with your legs and pull with your arms.
Deadlifts: These are not super heavy for general Rx athletes, but it is a lot of reps. Scale the weight here as needed.
I would do lots of glute/hamstring warm ups to get those primed and firing. The glutes and hamstrings should be doing the work on deadlifts- aka that's where you should feel it, and not your back.
If you do decide to "belt up", please make sure you know how to properly use a weightlifting belt. It's more than just getting it as tight as possible- you should be bracing into the belt for extra support. It's like a biofeedback tool here.
A cue that helps me personally get my posterior chain to activate on deadlifts is trying to push your feet/heels into the ground as you begin to pull. If you think of it more as a "push" with the feet and less as a "pull", this can help better activate the posterior chain.
If you have a back injury, I would highly recommend scaling the deadlift weight at a minimum. Consider substituting the movement for something a little less scary for your back.
You could modify the deadlift itself to a sumo style or starting off on plates/blocks so not as low to the floor.
Cleans: Choose a clean weight that you can perform comfortably. If you don't know how to properly use a belt (it's not just putting it on as tight as you can), don't start now.
Quick singles might be a better option to avoid coming down and putting more stress on your low back. Also focusing on hinging
Scale the weight as needed or adjust to a hang.
Can also do a hang DB clean (personally I think DB cleans from the ground are not great for those with back issues).
Snatches: Definitely make sure you’re lifting with good technique, keep hinging & don’t just bend over. The weights are intended to be lighter with this workout, so keep that in mind. Consider the following if the snatch is painful:
Scale the weight.
Scale to hang snatch if pulling from the floor is problematic.
Scale to DB snatch (can do from the hang as well).
Pregnant Athletes
25.3 is going to be midline heavy with all of these movements. Don’t forget about your goals beyond training in pregnancy & risk versus reward. Don’t get hung up on the movements, scale it appropriately (mid-WOD if needed) and just move! Remember, this is just one chapter of your pregnancy journey!
Let’s take a minute and talk about diastasis rectus & coning. Diastasis is 100% normal in all full-term pregnancies - it’s our bodies way of accommodating growing baby. Coning shows us that there is an increase in pressure within our abdomen & our core is having a hard time managing it. Increased pressure = increased stress on a system that is already under increased stress & pressure with growing a baby. Choosing exercises that further cause an increase in pressure that our core can’t manage will put more stress on a system, which could manifest now or in the future as pelvic floor dysfunction, pain or injury.
Wall Walks: Once past the first trimester, I would recommend considering scaling this movement. As your bump starts to pop, it changes your center of gravity, which can make going upside a bit weird/risky. IMO it’s not worth the risk of falling.
Consider some of the following options- it may depend on how big your bump is!
Don’t hold your breath! Also be aware of your alignment here - try to keep those ribs pulled down to keep your core engaged. More of an arch position will likely show more coning and be more uncomfortable.
Bear crawl (see foundations division)
Incline march: Hands elevated on a higher surface, alternating bringing knees up to chest.
Box: Feet/knees on box, starting out in plank position, walk back as far as you can.
Plank walk: Start in a plank position, with feet touching wall. Step one foot up onto wall & then bring the other up. Then bring one foot down, then the other.
This one will depend on how well you can manage core tension in this position. You can watch by putting your phone underneath you and either video or just watch the camera.
Rowing: With the length of the row, coning could be a possibility especially with all the core work in this workout. The bike is a good alternative if this seems to be an issue.
If rowing, exhale on the pull.
Choose a speed that can be performed with no symptoms.
Consider decreasing the amount of calories or going by the number of strokes (scoring for the foundations level).
Deadlifts: For the most part, this movement shouldn’t be too much of an issue.
Consider using a wider or sumo stance for bellies that have popped and/or dropped 🤣.
Could also do a shorten ranged or KB deadlift if needed.
If it's uncomfortable to deadlift from the floor, another posterior chain movement would be a great substitute.
KBS, good mornings, bridges are some examples
Exhale on the pull to avoid holding your breath & putting more stress on the pelvic floor.
You can engage your core with these - think about hugging the baby before you get in your start position & pull!
Cleans: Depending on your comfort level with a barbell, you may choose to use DBs instead.
Scale the weight as needed - remember this shouldn’t be heavy & it is a lot of reps!
I can promise you, bumping your belly does not feel good. However, if you feel confident with using a barbell and are not super concerned about learning any bad patterns during pregnancy, go for it!
Those further along may find a hang clean more comfortable (Hi, it’s me!) secondary to how big the belly is & how low it is dropping.
Focus on exhaling on the pull & the catch (the catch can be a leaking point if it’s heavy). This is not intended to be a heavy weight for Rx athletes.
You can engage your core with these - think about hugging the baby before you get in your start position & pull!
Snatches: Similar to the clean. Scale to DBs if you’re not comfortable with the barbell or if going overhead with a barbell is uncomfortable (some women can experience abdominal discomfort/pulling with this).
Scale the weight as needed.
Hang snatches may be more comfortable for my third trimester ladies.
Focus on exhaling on the pull & the catch (the catch can be a leaking point if it’s heavy). This is not intended to be a heavy weight for Rx athletes.
You can engage your core with these - think about hugging the baby before you get in your start position & pull!
Postpartum Athletes
25.3 is a midline heavy workout - which is likely to be challenging with the postpartum group, especially the earlier you are. I would recommend reflecting on what you’ve done so far postpartum & how you’ve felt - have you worked with a pelvic floor PT and/or done specific core & pelvic floor rehab? Have you done core rehab (ideally seeing a pelvic floor therapist!)? When re-introducing movements, I always like to pick one thing to progress/reintroduce, rather than overload the system. Lots to think about here!
Don’t get hung up on the movements, scale it appropriately (mid-WOD if needed) and just move! Remember, this is just one chapter of your postpartum journey!
Coning: If you see coning occurring - can you change it and make it go away? If yes, great, continue! If it’s hard to control the coning it’s a good idea to modify. Coning isn’t necessarily bad.
Pelvic Floor: If you haven’t been to see a pelvic floor physical therapist yet, I highly recommend it. Even if you have no symptoms, they can be valuable on guiding you on your return to fitness!
Wall Walks: The scaling options are ordered in what I would recommend for early postpartum (6 weeks & on- you should be cleared by your OB first & ideally a pelvic floor physical therapist as well), progressing as the athlete is further into the postpartum period and asymptomatic!
Don’t hold your breath!
Incline march: Hands elevated on a higher surface, alternating bringing knees up to chest
Bear crawl (see foundations division)
Plank walk: Start in a plank position, with feet touching wall. Step one foot up onto wall & then bring the other up. Then bring one foot down, then the other.
This one will depend on how well you can manage core tension in this position. You can watch by putting your phone underneath you and either video or just watch the camera.
Modified wall walk: Walk up as high as you can maintain core tension/tight midline, then return to start position.
Rowing: With the length of the row, coning could be a possibility especially with all the core work in this workout. The bike is a good alternative if this seems to be an issue.
If rowing, exhale on the pull.
Choose a speed that can be performed with no symptoms.
Consider decreasing the amount of calories or going by the number of strokes (scoring for the foundations level).
Deadlifts: For the most part, this movement shouldn’t be too much of an issue, just need to scale for what’s appropriate for where you’re at postpartum.
Exhale on the pull to avoid holding your breath & putting more stress on the pelvic floor.
These shouldn’t be heavy, especially in early postpartum.
You can & should think about engaging your core with these. “Sucking in” without holding your breath is a good place to start.
If deadlifts don’t feel great consider some of these modifications: (ranked from what I would generally consider the easiest to more challenging
Bridges
Barbell thruster
KBS
Good mornings (barbell or banded)
Kettlebell deadlift
Cleans: Scale the weight as needed - remember this shouldn’t be heavy & it is a lot of reps!
Those early postpartum may find a hang clean more comfortable secondary to less range to control within your core.
Focus on exhaling on the pull & the catch (the catch can be a leaking point if it’s heavy). This is not intended to be a heavy weight for Rx athletes.
You can & should engage your core with these - think about “sucking” your belly in before you get in your start position & pull!
I would not recommend using a belt for these if you’re early postpartum. Rehab your core (go see a pelvic floor therapist & make sure you’re engaging well!), build your strength & threshold back up before adding the pressure of a belt.
Snatches: Very similar to cleans.
Choose appropriate weights that cause no symptoms.
Exhale on pull and during the catch.
If you have symptoms going overhead, consider modifying to a clean.
You can & should engage your core with these - think about “sucking” your belly in before you get in your start position & pull!
I would not recommend using a belt for these if you’re early postpartum. Rehab your core (go see a pelvic floor therapist & make sure you’re engaging well!), build your strength & threshold back up before adding the pressure of a belt.
Good luck!
Coaches:
When considering scaling an athlete, try to keep in the mind what functional movement is being performed. Is it a variation of the squat, hinge, pull, push, etc.? Try to maintain the integrity of the functional movement, while modifying it a level that is appropriate for your individual athletes. If you would like to learn more about coaching pregnant and postpartum athletes, please look into Brianna Battles' coaching courses here. For questions regarding scaling/modifications for the injured athlete, please feel free to contact me and/or work directly with the athlete's healthcare provider.
***All pregnant and postpartum women should have their physician's approval to workout. If you don't, please do not workout. If you have any physician restrictions, to ignore them is placing you and your baby's health in jeopardy.
***I recommend all postpartum women get assessed by a pelvic floor physical therapist. Find one by you here. I also highly recommend finding a Pregnancy & Postpartum Athleticism coach by you to go over strategy with specific exercises, programming and recommendations. Find one here.
***See coning with any movement or experiencing "leaking", sensation of something "falling out" and/or anything that doesn't feel right? - Can you make it go away with changing the movement in some way? If yes, continue. If not, that indicates a modification is needed. Take more breaks as needed, if it's due to fatigue. Focus on your breathing and movement strategy. If you haven't consulted with a healthcare provider and/or postpartum fitness specialist regarding your symptoms, I highly recommend doing so.
If you have specific questions regarding this post, please comment below or contact via social media or email. I'm happy to help- but remember my advice is not accompanied with a hands-on assessment, which is the best way to make recommendations. If you are interested in meeting with me, please contact me. If you're interested in finding an appropriate healthcare provider/coach, please contact me and I will do my best to help you find one.