The CrossFit Open

Probably cant do 14.1 at this gym.....

A Note About the CrossFit Open

** This is a blog I wrote for my previous gym - CrossFit Koa - during last years Open.  Certainly just as applicable today.  The Open is just as much about the guy and girl who finish LAST as it is about the ones who make it to Regionals... that is the truth.  

   Here is what is fascinating about the CrossFit Games and more importantly the Open: as coaches we are always pushing and motivating all of you to throw your hat in the ring and enjoy what we believe is a unique, challenging and rewarding experience.

   But what sometimes unfortunately happens is we look at the workout and think, “Oh man I can’t do that I’m no good.” Or after completing a workout the thought process almost immediately goes to “I totally could have done better” and instead of pride and excitement some of us feel dejected and frustrated.

   That should NEVER be the case!!!

   I want to share what I believe the CrossFit Open is supposed to mean to all of us.  These 5 individual workouts are NOT any indication of whether you are “fit” or not.  That probably sounds crazy but it’s true.  We all know many people we would consider “fit” that have not yet developed the skill to perform a muscle up; therefore if muscle ups come up in one of the five workouts, they may not post a great score.  Is that an indication of their level of their fitness?  Are they not fit because they post a relatively low score? 

   Absolutely NOT.

   Well then if it is not a measurement of how fit we are, then what the hell did I go around pushing all of you to sign up for then?!?!?  Glad you asked…

   The CrossFit Open is a test.  It is a test that reveals the truth about what you have been doing the previous 6-9 months. The Open reveals fitness that was created in the days and weeks and months leading up to this event.   Have you been getting to the gym and hitting every workout with the requisite amount of intensity to create change and progress?  Or have you been skipping those days that look “too tough”?  Have you been listening to our cues and instructions and trying to improve your skills?  Or have you been ignoring us and taking the “I’ll just do it my way” approach?  Have you been attempting to clean up your nutrition and fuel your body with what it needs?  Or have you made ice cream and pizza a staple of your weekly diet?

   Also, where has your focus been?  Has it been on strength?  Endurance?  Running?  Gymnastics?  Have you favored one particular area over another?  Have you truly worked on your weaknesses? 

   This is what the Open is about.  It is a chance to look back at your training and see how it has prepared you for the sport of fitness that CrossFit has become.  It can be a reality check, telling you that you have not been working as hard as you thought you were.  Or maybe a wakeup call to stop focusing on your strengths and start getting better at some of your weaknesses.   Remember: the Open isn’t just about where you are at this moment; it’s also about where you want to be in the future. 

   Example: Bill Lord.  Last year in the Snatch ladder – with NO burpees – I believe he got a handful of snatches at 165 lbs. 

   This year – ONE YEAR LATER – with 90 burpees mixed in between, Bill snatched 165 lbs. twenty times.  That ladies and gentlemen, is what we call progress. 

   So do not waste one second wondering if you should have or could have done better.  Instead look back at your last 6-9 months of training and see how that has or has not prepared you for these workouts.  Are you disappointed in your results?  Then map out your next 6-9 months to assure you are exactly where you want to be.  Are you content with your performance?  Then maintain the positive attributes you have established in the months leading up to this Open and make sure you continue them in the future. 

   You do not become “fit” or “unfit” from one workout.  It takes a long time to get to that point.  Use the Open not as a competition against 140,000 people, but instead as a personal test to determine if you are where you want to be and if you have done what you needed to get there.

   And then, after all this analyzing crap is over, sit back and smile and realize just how bad ass you are for even attempting the Open.  Most people will go a lifetime without EVER snatching a barbell over their head once, let alone 30 plus times!!!  In the end, ALWAYS be proud of your effort and your dedication to your goals to improve.  See yourself like I see each and every one of you: as the best damn CrossFitters any gym could ever possibly ask for!!