HOA4 RX & Scaled Divisions. To Scale OR Not To Scale?

Each year, leading up to November's Annual Heart of America CrossFit Team Competition, many affiliates struggle with the decision on whether to register their team in the Scaled or the RX division. Here are some guidelines I'd like you to consider in making this decision:

• Evaluate the individual athletes that comprise your team. If at least 4 of your 6 teammates can check the mainpage (crossfit.com) WOD on any given 3 day work cycle and are able to perform at least 2 of 3 of these WODs completely as RX, then consider your team for the RX division.

• If at least 4 of your 6 athletes are capable of working with modalities such as HSPU, Muscle Ups, Ring Dips, Toes To Bar, CTB Pull Ups, Double Unders, and Moderate to heavy load lifts such as OHS, Thruster, Clean & Jerk, and Snatch, then consider registering your team in the RX division. 

• If your athletes generally display aptitude in all of the objectives listed above and you have 1 or 2 who don't - we're advising that they take the plunge and go for the RX challenge.

• KNOW THIS: HOA4 WOD programming, just as it has been in years past, will aim to be inclusive for ALL athetes on ALL teams - meaning whether your team is competing as RX or Scaled - my objective will be to program in such a way that everyone will have their moment to be involved and to shine.

• Remember! Competition brings out game-day efforts and gameday performances. The biggest let down in any sport is to not step out of your comfort zone and test your ability and your potential to it's FULLEST.

• Teams who feel they do not comprehensively meet the guidelines listed above need not worry! You won't be getting shortchanged! The Scaled Division WODs will be designed to - as best as possible - mirror the movement patterns and metabolic demands of the RX division WODs. Those who have competed in the Scaled Division in previous HOA years know that these WODs will not be a cakewalk. They will be both fun and challenging team events that will not leave you wanting.

• BOTTOM LINE: Take an honest look at your team and make the best decision for everyone involved! Choose wisely as there's nothing worse than realizing you could've done more or maybe should've done less.

Hope this info helps!

IMPORTANT INFO REGARDING HOA 4 REGISTRATION: We're working on the HOA4 registration process now and hope to make this process as easy and streamlined as possible. HOA4 registration will go live on the 1st Monday of September. Get to training and picking your dream teams NOW! ***PLEASE NOTE: This year, once you've registered your team and designated your 6 athletes (3men/3women), THAT"S IT. THIS IS YOUR TEAM. Barring family emergency or Injury, you're roster is LOCKED. Upon registration, each team member will have to show ID to confirm team affiliation. Also, when your team captain registers your team, make sure they ACCURATELY report your shirt sizes as we will not allow switching out event shirt sizes the day of registration.

Be sure to continue to check HERE for HOA4 updates in the weeks to come! 3..2..1..GO!!!

2009 Heart of America CrossFit Affiliate Competition RESULTS
2010 Heart of America CrossFit Affiliate Competition RESULTS
2011 Heart of America CrossFit Affiliate Competition RESULTS

Announcing H.O.A 4!!!

Welcome to The 2012 Heart Of America CrossFit Team Competition aka HOA4!!! It's ON, peeps...AGAIN! Last year, HOA3 was spectacular. Period. If you weren't there, read all about it in the posts below and watch the HOA3 highlight reel on youtube. This year, expect nothing less. Once again, it's going to be 3 days of intense but totally DOable and totally FUN CrossFit team competition. Everyone's invited and, perhaps most importantly, whether you're participating as a competitor, judge, or volunteer, everyone will be INVOLVED. From now until the first WOD on Friday, November 2nd, keep checking on the HOA4 website to stay updated on all of the details of the event.


Team competition in the sport of CrossFit continues to grow and is showing no signs of losing popularity. Many top individual CrossFit athletes all around the world are opting to represent their affiliate teams during the CrossFit Games season. After 3 consecutive years, full of many good times, great moments, and some very healthy, comeraderie-driven competition, The Heart Of America CrossFit Team Competition has now proven its ability to provide a LEGIT platform for your affiliate to test ANY of your athletes in an organized competitive setting. SEVEN...that's right, seven teams that competed at HOA3 qualified for the 2012 North Central Regional. Two of those teams, CrossFit Jenks and Quad City CrossFit went on to finish top 3 in the region and qualify for the 2012 CrossFit Games World Finals in Los Angeles!


Here are some basic HOA4 details we're able to provide at this time:

• HOA4 will be held at CrossFit Springfield in Springfield, MO from Friday Nov 2nd through Sunday Nov 4th 2012. The first WOD will take place on the evening of November 2nd.

• HOA4 will have 2 competitive divisions: Scaled and RX'd. Registration will again be capped off at 60 teams (30 Scaled and 30 RX'd). Last year, 348 athletes and 58 teams from across the region competed at HOA3. It was pretty freakin' sweet. We'd be thrilled to have you back! 

• Teams must be comprised of 6 members: 3 Men and 3 Women

• HOA4 is an affiliate/same-based facility team competition. In previous years, there have been a few exceptions made to allow teams comprised of athletes who do not actively train at the same facility to participate at HOA. This will not be allowed at HOA4. ALL of the athletes on your team must ACTIVELY train at the SAME CrossFit affiliate, fitness center, or garage gym. If you hear of any team trying to cheat this rule - by all means - tattle on them.

• The goal right now is for HOA4 team, judge, and volunteer registration to open and go live - possibly before - but definitely no later than: Monday, September 3rd 2012.

• HOA 2012 event sponsorship info and vendor info will be available very soon! HOA 2011 had some great sponsors, all of which who we'd be honored to have participate once more!

HOA3 Highlight Video by Snobl Productions

2011 Heart of America Champions: CrossFit Jenks!!!

Congrats to all HOA3 competitors on an amazing weekend and for making this a great competition!!! With 8 separately scored events in 3 days, there was plenty of action for all. The 348 HOA3 athletes left everything out on the floor and gave all of us an impressive showing of determination and all out effort! Thank you!

When the dust settled and all was said and done, CrossFit Jenks (Paige Millspaugh, Christina Merlo, Nicole Berry, Breck Berry, Denver McPhail, and Anthony Taylor) walked away with the title of 2011 Heart of America CrossFit Competition Champions. Their consistency and balance as a team was evident on each of the WODs as CrossFit Jenks finishes were 3rd, 1st, 3rd, 3rd, 7th, 3rd, 2nd, and 4th. Equally as impressive was CrossFit Springfield's 2nd place finish and WOD rankings of 5th, 5th, 1st, 1st, 2nd, 6th, 4th, and 2nd. Rounding out the top 3 RX division teams was last year's HOA champs, Quad City CrossFit who made the 2011 HOA podium after a hard fought and well earned 1st place nail-biting finish in the final event of the weekend. 28 RX teams competed in this year's competition and every single one gave us some inspirational and memorable CrossFit moments.

RX Division Top 3 teams and Point Totals:

1. CrossFit Jenks, 713pts
2. CrossFit Springfield "Tiger Blood", 710pts
3. Quad City CrossFit, 693pts

There was absolutely no shortage of determination, athleticism, and heated competition in the Scaled Division of HOA3. 30 Scaled teams showed up not only ready prove their fitness, but also to represent each of their affiliates to the fullest!!! And that's exactly what they did. If ever there was a team to show us work capacity across broad time and modal domains, it was HOA3 Scaled Division Champions, CrossFit NWA. Although their team never finished 1st in any of the 8 events, they always managed to place themselves towards the top of the heap. In the end their diligence and hard work paid off! Congrats to CF NWA team "Crabtree" and also to CF NWA "Kelly's Killers and CrossFit South City for making the HOA3 Scaled division podium!

Scaled Division Top 3 teams and Point Totals:

1. CrossFit NWA - Crabtree, 661pts
2. CrossFit NWA "Kelly's Killers", 643pts
3. CrossFit South City, 631pts

The greatest sporting events are typically those capable of eliciting an array of emotions. We witnessed a little bit of everything at HOA3: Heroics and heartbreak, PRs and missed opportunities, misery and glory. It takes guts to compete. It takes even more guts to put yourself in the cross-hairs of CrossFit competition. Although there were many first time CrossFit competitors at the 2011 Heart of America CrossFit Competition, there was no question about which team was the youngest or possibly the most brave. 6 CrossFit Kids athletes from CrossFit Springfield went to battle in the Scaled division on a team titled "The Next Generation". They demonstrated and embodied everything that is good about our burgeoning sport. These 6 kids never quit, they never complained, they never wavered from the task at hand. Congrats to "The Next Generation" for receiving the 2011 HOA "Warrior Spirit" Award!

For a complete viewing of all HOA3 photos, please visit: http://kinseymhirephotog.smugmug.com/

AND

http://vibranteyephoto.smugmug.com/

Thanks so much to HOA3 photographers Kinsey Mhire and Jessica Gallegos!

To see the RX & Scaled Division final overall rankings or to view scores for each of the WODs, please visit: HERE

SO PROUD of all our CFS teams and members who participated at HOA3!!! Thank you for making CrossFit Springfield the very special place that it is! Thanks also to ALL of the HOA3 event staff, volunteers, and judges for your efforts and for sacrificing so much time and energy on HOA3! YOU made this thing happen – BE PROUD!!! Make a mental notch now, fight fans: November 2012…HOA4…Springfield, MO…See ya next year, folks :)

Facebook HOA Page

Like this page on Facebook to see up to date scores, announcements, heat times, etc during the whole weekend of HOA!

http://www.facebook.com/HOAaffiliatechallenge

Friday Evening WODs 1 and 2 Announced

That’s right, folks!!! Friday evening you’ll be performing TWO separately scored workouts. The instructions are listed below. Read them. Then re-read them. If you still have any questions, hang on to them and they will be answered on Friday at 6:25pm. Here are the first 2 events:

Your team will have a 13 minute time-limit to complete both WODs 1 and 2 (not 13 minutes for each; 13 minutes TOTAL).

WOD 1

RX Division: Run 1600m For Time

Scaled Division: Run 1200m For Time

All 6 team members will run 1600m (RX)/1200m (Scaled) for time. The run will begin and end outside.

WOD 1 Score = Average of all 6 athletes 1600/1200m run times.

WOD 2

RX & Scaled Divisions: Establish a 1RM Snatch

Each team will have 1 men’s bar and 1 women’s bar. All 6 athletes will have any remaining time of the 13 minute cap to transition indoors and establish a 1RM Snatch. You do not have to wait until all of your teammates have returned from the run to begin attempting lifts. However, only one athlete will be allowed to attempt a lift at any given time. Keep this in mind as the 13 minute-time limit closes in. Each team will have 1 judge for WOD 2.

WOD 2 Score = Sum of each team members 1RM Snatch.

Snatch Movement Standard: The barbell will start on the ground and finish motionless overhead with the elbows, shoulders, hips and knees completely locked out. The feet must be parallel with the barbell in the finish position. The barbell may not come in contact with the upper torso or head on the attempt. The athlete must wait for the audible and visual signal from the judge before the weight can be lowered to the ground. Upon completion of the lift, the athlete may drop the weight, but must have their hands on the bar until it passes their hips when lowering the weight. The athlete may squat snatch, split snatch, power snatch, muscle snatch, or any ugly variation made up on the spot.

HOA3 WOD 1 Heats Announced!!!

Friday November 4th:

12pm to 5:30pm – Team Check-In & HOA Judges, please be here NO LATER than 5:30pm
6pm – Welcome & Thank Yous
6:10pm – Invocation by Jake Woolfenden
6:15pm – WOD 1 Announcement and Briefing
6:25pm – Q & A
6:30 to 6:55pm – Warm Up
6:55pm – National Anthem by Rachael Snow

WOD 1 Heat Times & Assignments: Scaled Division

All teams are listed by their affiliate and team name- unless you didn’t submit a team name- in which case you are listed by the affiliate + the last name of the person who registered your team.

7:00pm:

CF Ice –Wilson 2
CF Natural State Kiefer 2
Kelly’s Killers–Albert, CF NWA
Somo Scaled
CrossFit CFT
Quad City CrossFit–4S
Quad City Beasts
Wallballers–CF TNT
The Name Takers–Hoss, CFS
Jam Session–CF 417

7:15pm:

Snatch Whipped–Davis, CFS
Pork and Beans–Holt, CFS
Superhero Wod Squad–McCinnis, CFS
Crossfit 26–Wehrel
CF South City–Jones
CF NWA–Minor
Wasabi Wod’n –Willhelm, CFVP
Generation Next–Hutter, CFS
Crossfit Resurgence–Kaufmann
We’re Kind of a Big Deal–Kahle, CFVP

7:30pm:

Squats-A-Lot, McCracken, CFS
Brute Force–CF St Charles
Team Vintage–Beebe, CFS
Eat Spam–Berberia, CFS
Cut ‘n’ Jump–Kallmbah, CFS
Generations, Llewellyn, CFS
Scotch ‘n’ Wodders–Moore. CFS
A Few Drinks In–Womack, CFS
Wod Balls–Bogart/Baker, CFS
CF 26—Bess

WOD 1 Heat Times & Assignments: RX Division

7:45pm:

Crossfit Valley Park: We’re Actually a Big Deal
Crossfit 540: Crossfit 540 1
Quad City Crossfit: Quad City Crossfit – Kurth
Crosffit Resurgence: Crossfit Resurgence – Kaufman 1
Crossfit 515: Crossfit 515
Quad City Crossfit: QCCF Giants
Team Bacon
Quad City CrossFit: Team Tiger

8:00pm:

Quad City Crossfit: QCCF 1
Crossfit Springfield: Frantastic Voyage
Crossfit 540: Crossfit 540 2
Crossfit 540: Crossfit 540 3
Crossfit Springfield: WOD Smack
Crossfit Springfield: Tiger Blood
Crossfit Jenks: Crossfit Jenks
Crossfit Valley Park: We Eat Chalk For Breakfast
Crossfit Ice: Crossfit Ice – Wilson 1
Crossfit Natural State: Crossfit Natural State – Kieffer 1

8:15pm:

Crossfit SOMO: SOMO RX’d
Crossfit Springfield: BAMF
Crossfit Springfield: United We Fran
Crossfit Springfield: Seis Equis
Crossfit Springfield: Stairway To Kevin
Crossfit Springfield: Superpower
Crossfit TNT: TNT Stripes
Crossfit NWA: NWA – Crabtree
Crossfit NWA: NWA – Hewlett
Crossfit NWA: NWA – Kelly