The Pistol On Debut But The Real Separator In 20.4 Will Be The Barbell

It’s been a year of firsts in the 2020 CrossFit Open and 20.4 is no exception seeing the introduction of the single-leg or “pistol” squat.

The Separator: Usually when we see a new movement introduced for the first time – think the strict handstand push-up (19.3) or the bar muscle-up (16.3) – the ‘unknown’ can act as a major separator on the worldwide leaderboard.

• Fun Fact: There are now only four movements that have been programmed in every CrossFit Open: double-unders, toes-to-bar, chest-to-bar (pending 20.5) and thrusters.

Maybe this year, it won’t be the case: The pistol is no simple movement. However, if we consider Castro’s craft of barbell loading, the heavier weights could be your ticket to bypassing thousands of other Open competitors in week 4.

What happened the last time: The squat clean ladder style of 19.2 was the last time we saw progressively heavier barbells pop up in the Open. Perhaps this gives us the most likely indication of how your position can improve with just one additional rep as the barbell weight increases in 20.4.

• Progressing to the third barbell in 20.4 (185lbs for men – equivalent to the 2nd barbell in 19.2) could be worth 6,018 places on the worldwide leaderboard in 2020.
• For women, the heavier weight (115lbs in 19.2) could be worth around 2,428 positions.
• A subsequent rep at this weight is likely to pay 1,214 positions for women and 2,779 positions for men.
• Granted 30 pistol squats are in your reportee, 145/225lbs respectively could bump you up an additional 1,261 (female) and 2,456 (male) positions.
• The number of athletes actually making it to 175/275lbs in 19.2 lowers the position spread on the leaderboard – 423 positions for women and 781 positions for men.
• In 19.2, solely making it to the final barbell (205/315lbs) put you within the top 500 in the world. If this is you throwing down in your local affiliate, we salute you.