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Beast Mode Battle Recap – Written by Noah Ohlsen

CrossFit Militia hosted their first annual competition in Sunrise, FL this past weekend and right in line with the name, some beasts came out to battle. Unlike any CrossFit competition I’ve seen or competed in before, it was set up in 2 person “flights” that rotated through 6 different WOD stations every 10 minutes. So in my case, my flight began at 11:20 and I was done with the entire competition in 60 minutes of almost non-stop grueling work. Here’s how the stations were broken down:

1. 9 min to get 1RM Ground to Overhead w/ 1 min to clear bar/transition.
2. 9 min to get 1RM Back Squat w/ 1 min to clear bar/transition.
3. 9 min to get 1RM DeadLift and 1 min to move outside for 3 remaining WOD’s..
4. For time: 500m row, 30 KB Swings at 53#, 500m row. Remainder of ten minute cap to rest/move toWOD station 5.
5. 9 min AMRAP: 5 reps of 140# 2” thick bar press and 5 lateral abmat burpees. Remainder of tenminute cap to rest/move to 6th and final WOD station.
6. For time: 200m Prowler Push at 90#, every 50m complete 15 hand release pushups.

Upon arrival, all athletes weighed in, which would ideally even the playing field, as points were awarded in accordance to each athletes max lift to body weight ratio for the first 3 WODs. Right from the get go, the competition began heating up, figuratively and quite literally. The stage was set and tensions were high as friends, family, and fellow athletes followed competitors from station to station. As some struggled to complete lifts with weights just out of their reach, others stepped up to the plate and hit new PRs.

The first 3 stations of max lifts were a bit more slow paced, but once the clock passed that 30 minute mark, it was time to head outside and get to work. With temperatures hovering round 100 degrees all afternoon, the blazing heat certainly played a factor. After strapping in and sprinting through a 500m row, it was instinctive to pick up the kettlebell and swing away in the salvation of whatever shade you could find. A mere 30 unbroken swings later, it was back on the rower to sprint the final 500m even harder than before. Once “time!” was called, many competitors collapsed to the floor to catch their breath and immediately following, it was a race inside to grab a little shade and cold water for the remainder of the 10 min cap. WOD 4 proved to be a game changer for many, as most women and several of the men couldn’t even clean up the 2” thick bar to begin their presses. Be it a combination of fatigued grip from the max lifts, sweat from the blistering heat, or sheer exhaustion, it was hard to watch some struggle to complete one clean for the entire 9 min AMRAP. For those that were fortunate enough to get the bar up, repeated rounds of 5 simple presses and burpees became quite the task.