CrossFit Open

I have been reading the comments on the CrossFit Games Page  about theCrossFit Open and it has got me thinking....



1) The Open is Hard.  Should Dave Castro scale all the movements so that everybody can do them????  No I believe not. The ability to perform a movement in correct ROM under a particular weight or time frame is an art, crafted over time and effort.  It agitates me that some competitors are wanting an easy way out or a way to take part without doing the hard yards leading up to the Open.  The Open is not for every one.  It has a magical way of finding a weakness and then exploiting it on the WOD floor.  Make a realistic assessment of your ability to perform the movements based on previous years Workouts before taking up the chalenge that the Open presents.

2) I believe that the work outs  are for both the Novice Athlete through to the professional athlete. To see my clients PB an o/h Squat or another similar movement is somewhat more rewarding than seeing an athlete complete 10 x the number of reps than anybody else at the box.  Both are equally important.  Different athletes are looking for different measures of success.  For some it is just completing one Rep whilst for others it is how many they are completing and where it will place them on the leaderboard.

3) Should you be a master of all Crossfit Movements before you take part in the Open?  No way at all.  Should you have been turning up to the local box 3-4 times per week for 6-8 months prior to registering for the Open?  It would be wise.  You cannot short cut the process in any shape or form.  One thing that the Open will do is place you in a position where the adrenalin is flowing and the crowd is cheering, helping you perhaps get one rep more, or lift heavier than perhaps you would in a normal WOD situation.  These are all helpful factors for overcoming major obstacles for you in your CrossFit  Journey.

What will the Open do for me???

It will push your mentally , more so than the average WOD at your local Box.
It will humble you to know that perhaps their are chinks in your armour.
It will cause you to become more intune to what other competitors are feeling as they face up to their fears.
It should drive a passion deep down inside of you to prepare better for next years Open.
It will cause you doubt ,anxiety and insecurity, but best of all we can overcome all of these.


Remember that taking part is more about the battle than actually performing the physical movements themselves.

Coach Harley