Unknown Heroes
For Time: Finished in 45:58
21 Front Squats (95/65 lb)
21 Pull-Ups
21 Sumo Deadlifts (95/65 lb)
21 Push-Ups
21 Push Presses (95/65 lb)
21 Wall Climbs
21 Squat Cleans (95/65 lb)
21 Burpees
21 Curtis P’s* (95/65 lb)
21 Toes-To-Bars
21 Double-Unders
21 Power Snatches (95/65 lb)
21 Broad Jumps
21 Wall Ball Shots (20/14 lb)
21 Box Jumps (24/20 in)
21 Calorie Row
21 Overhead Squats (95/65 lb)
21 Kettlebell Swings (53/35 lb)
21 Kettlebell Snatches (53/35 lb)
21 Kettlebell Taters** (53/35 lb)
21 Thrusters (95/65 lb)
Time Cap: 45 minutes
*One “Curtis P” complex is comprised of one Power Clean, one Lunge (each leg), and one Push Press.
**One “Kettlebell Tater” (video demo) is a kettlebell swing into a front squat, in which the bell is flipped at the top of the swing and again at the top of the front squat.
Extremely grateful to honor all unknown heroes today with some of my favorite people.
This was a tough workout but doable. The Curtis P's and wall walks were the toughest and took the longest. Everything else was just moving through. I love how thoughtful this was written and the deep meaning behind it.
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This Hero workout is in honor of those military combat Heroes that cannot be identified, except as "Unknown." All American service members depart for war with a name and identity, but not all return with the same or return at all. In essence, any grave marked "Unknown" could be any soldier who went to war and never returned. That is why this Hero WOD honors ALL the lost by honoring those who could be anyone. In the most appropriate fashion, "The Unknowns" was designed by former Tomb of the Unknown Soldier Sentinel, Jeff Binek of Friendship CrossFit @friendshipfitnessohio (Dublin, Ohio, USA). In an email with WODwell, Jeff graciously provided us with the following details about "The Unknowns". With regard to the movements of the workout, Jeff said: "The Movements were designed to create different "phases", similar to training at the Tomb. The beginning phase (movements 1-9) get your HR up quickly and have a few spots that you have to grind through. Section 10-17 are designed to be faster movements that require a bit more skill, and the final movements are ones that I wanted you to have to fight to keep moving to finish under the time-cap. There are places you can go fast and complete with ease, and places you have to be slow and intentional and grind through, much like training as a guard." Jeff also told us the impetus behind the creation of "The Unknowns" came from a student athlete who, after hearing Jeff speak about his time as a Sentinel, said Jeff should program a workout specifically for the Unknown Soldiers. Clearly, Jeff did just that. The workout was first performed on Nov. 11th, 2011, which is also known as Armistice Day (the end of WWI), and Veterans day. This date holds special significance to the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, as the first 'unknown' soldier was a casualty of WWI, and was interred at the Tomb on Nov. 11th, 1921, during an enormous ceremony to honor the unknown fallen. The following quote is commonly associated with "The Unknowns" in other locations on the internet, and according to Jeff, he believes this was a statement he made while describing the workout to athletes before they were to perform it. The statement was captured on a video, and transcribed. It is, without a doubt, the most appropriate way to mentally understand the passion of a Sentinel and the honor they protect, and therefore, this workout. “We represent the soldiers who have been killed in action, and have no remains left that can identify them. These soldiers are thus deemed “Unknown Soldier” on their headstone in Arlington. There are literally thousands of these headstones. Think for a moment about what it would mean for you to have a child, brother, sister, or parent in a conflict, and never know what happened to them. Never be able to attend a military funeral for them, or know if they were a POW, or KIA. These men and women that are the Unknown Soldiers of America gave not only the ultimate sacrifice of their lives, but also of their Identities, arguably more important. The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier is a tribute to these men and women. As Sentinels we are responsible for guarding the Tomb 24 hours a day, 7 days a week since 1937 and representing them for the remainder of our lives. We will never forget and we will never stop remembering and protecting these soldiers until the last one is identified. As Sentinels we are the only family that these Unknown Soldiers have to visit their graves – an honor we take very seriously.”
