Sara Sigmundsdottir is on a mission, and after winning the Meridian Super Regional, the Icelandic athlete looked stronger than ever headed into the 2016 CrossFit Games. Of course, she looked even stronger after tackling “Grace” (30 clean & jerks for time) at 100 kilos/220 pounds.
Now, Sigmundsdottir and coach Erik Lau Kelner have upped the ante even more. Recently, Kelner posted a video of the end of a truly horrendous sounding workout: 1 clean & jerk every 30 seconds, for 50 reps, at 90 kilos/~200 lbs.
Sigmundsdottir made it through the workout, but not without having to dig very, very, very deep. A warning: The very end of the video — after Sigmundsdottir completes her last rep — is a very visual reminder that even the world’s top fitness athletes often push past their comfort zones and end up as puddles on the floor.
Here, we’re watching an athlete on a mission, and it’s tough to say there’s another CrossFit Games competitor heading into Carson with the same arsenal of physical and mental tools/toughness. She goes deep into the pain cave and stays there, firing off rep after rep of a lift that stays technically sharp and fast.
We haven’t tried this workout — at any weight — but our guess is that it’s about as challenging a mental slog as they come. There’s no extra rest, no chance to catch your breath if a rep proves particularly challenging. It’s another lift, every 30 seconds, for a grueling 25 minutes.
We never know what will happen at the CrossFit Games, and while Sigmundsdottir — who made the podium in her rookie year — is certainly a favorite, we’re not betting the farm on anyone. But it’s tough to point to another athlete who has publicly demonstrated this level of grit throughout the year, and we can’t wait to see what she does in Carson.
