The CrossFit Open
Are you in?
For the Open, that is.
The 2022 CrossFit Games begins this Thursday with the CrossFit Open. The Open consists of three workouts spread over three weeks, broken up into Rx, scaled, and foundations divisions. The elite among us will move on through quarterfinals and semifinals, all leading up to the Games in August.
For us everyday athletes, the Open is a time to showcase what we have been working on all year. Maybe you were able to string together toes-to-bar, or you finally stopped tripping on your double-unders every rep. Maybe you’ll be able to get your first bar muscle-up! Or maybe you have just found CrossFit and are looking forward to seeing what you can accomplish with a little more fitness and whole lot of cheering from your friends.
That’s the beauty of the Open. An entire box coming together, motivating you to get that last rep, push a little harder, saying you can do it, even if every muscle in your body is protesting.
The elite/Rx athletes might have a slightly different perspective, but if you are new to CrossFit, in the Open for the first time, or here to fitness with friends, here are some tips to help you be successful:
Embrace the scale.
Yes, I said it, scaling is good! The intended stimulus for most of these open workouts is to go fast. You can’t do that if you are stuck on trying to get that one pull-up. The foundations division, created for last year’s Open, was intended for this purpose: to give new athletes a competitive division where they could showcase their fitness without having to stop a workout prematurely. In your first year, try to attack these workouts as best you can. The beauty of the Open is that when these workouts show up again, either in future Opens or in a WOD, you will be able to see your progress in your increased rounds/reps, decreased time, or increased weight.
Lean on your friends.
The spirit of the Open can be used to your advantage. Yes, this is a competition, but (at least at my box) everyone wants you to succeed and cheers you on in the process. There is nothing like the collective cheering from the other members to make your forget that you ripped your hands or about your burning quads. You can also get a good perspective from other members who have competed in the Open before. Ask your class-friend what it was like last year, how they got through some of those painful moments.
Actually sign up.
Really. Pay the $20. It’s worth it. My first recorded Open was in in 2017. I know I did other Open workouts in the years since starting CrossFit, but I don’t have the proof and I wish I did. I can’t tell if I got any better with 16.1 because I don’t know what my baseline was. Use this year to get your baseline, pay the money to save your results in the system, look at the leaderboard and give yourself an idea of where you stand. If only to be able to look back on these workouts when the come up again, and they will come up again.
What do you think? Is this your first year? Are you just excited to showcase your fitness, with friends cheering you on? Comment and let me know!
