While the official first Rogue Invitation 2022 event occurred away from the cameras on Thursday, the main event kicked off on Friday with a typical CrossFit event, with a class Rogue twist.

Renowned for creating a true CrossFit spectacle, the Rogue Invitational pulled out another unique piece of equipment this year, introducing the athletes to a four-inch wooden log rather than the traditional 1.25-inch metal bar.

This article will look at how the CrossFit athletes tackled the Rogue Invitation 4-inch wooden bar and which ones came out on top.

Photo: Credit to the Owner

What is the 4-Inch Wooden Bar?

Unveiled to the athletes without any prior warning, the 4-inch wooden bar at the Rogue Invitational games was designed to test the athlete's grip and kipping ability in completely new ways.

And if that wasn't enough, they also had to fit in 64 total calories on the Ski Erg and 80 GHD sit-ups.

While some athletes managed to work out a technique to complete their 40 bar muscle-ups relatively quickly, others struggled to grasp the new and unfamiliar apparatus in the allotted time.

This workout was particularly tasking for the women, whose hands are naturally smaller than the men, making gripping the wooden bar even trickier.

Which Athletes Looked Comfortable on the Wooden Bar

Despite the initial issues, there were some success stories on the wooden bar, with Justin Mederios taking the win on the men's side of the event and Emma Lawson picking up the win for the women. 

However, no women were able to complete all of the work in the allotted time, and almost half of the men were also struggling to get under the time cap. There was a clear skill gap in the muscle-ups.

Those that performed well, such as Lawson and Mederios, clearly managed to position themselves with excellent grip and took full advantage of their excellent gymnastic kips, getting as high over the bar as possible and reducing the impact of the extra inches on the bar.

Chandler Smith is an outlier in this event. While his gymnastics is certainly top quality, it was his brute strength that helped him complete the work quickly and pick up an impressive second place in the event.

While this event was questioned by some, it was a clear example of just how important it is to work on your gymnastics fundamentals to ensure that even when there are slight changes to the apparatus, you have the skills required to complete all of the work.

Photo: Credit to the Owner

How To Get Better At Muscle Ups

Ultimately, the 4-inch wooden bar at the Rogue Invitational was an elite-level way to test the muscle-up skills and techniques of the best Crossfitters in the world. 

On the whole, those that performed well in that event clearly had the most efficient and effective kips and were able to use their gymnastic ability to overcome the difficult wider grip, an issue that was even more prominent for the women.

To ensure your muscle-ups are as efficient as practice, it is all about practice. Putting the hours in is the only way to continue working on your technique and perfecting your craft.

With so many hours spent clinging onto the rig, you need to ensure you have the best possible equipment to help you achieve your goals.

Check out our range of CrossFit gymnastic grips that you can use to take your muscle ups, toes to bar, and butterfly pull-ups to the next level.