It’s that time of year again where the worldwide CrossFit community comes together and competes in the CrossFit Open. This article will reflect on the lead up, during, and after procedures of the CrossFit Open.
What is the CrossFit Open you ask? The Open is the initial stage of competition which is open to all CrossFit athletes over the world. The workouts are designed by Dave Castro and his team which are released each week over a 5 week period. The workouts are announced Friday 12noon and must be performed with scores posted online by Noon each Tuesday. The top 30 athletes, male and female, from each region are invited to compete at the Regional’s. From there, the top 4 males, females, and teams are invited to compete at the CrossFit Games in Carson, USA. New Zealand is part of the Australasian region, forming one of the toughest regions in the world. The Australasian region consists of countries such as New Zealand, Australia, Asia and Siberia.
Before the Open:
- Sign up online at games.crossFit.com!!! You have a chance to set up your own account and create your own athlete profile. The cost is $20 US. There is now a CrossFit Games app which is available to Apple iPhones, great for accessibility to the workouts, scores, news and media surrounding the Open, Regional’s and the Games.
- Become a judge!!! This is optional, however it is a great way to help you to understand the movement standards and gain a better understanding of the sport.
- View the online video of the weekly workouts!!! These videos are very clear and give a great visual and written explanation/expectation of the workout and the movement standards. You can also Google search useful tips on how to warm up and develop a game plan for each workout.
- Goal setting!!! Regardless of each athlete’s fitness level, it is a great idea to set a goal for each workout. This will help individuals to succeed and find that extra motivation. Your goals may be as simple as completing a certain amount of sets, reps, reducing rest time, or obtaining a consistent movement standard.
Comp day:
- Have a general game plan; however try not to overwhelm yourself with the whole ordeal. I try to take each set/rep as it comes and not to think about the workout as a whole.
- Respect your judge!!! This is a must, as poor sportsmanship and bro reps will not be tolerated in the CrossFit community. The judge’s decision is final.
- Arrive early, stay late, cheer loud and enjoy the atmosphere!!! Be prepared and warm up well. It depends on the workout, but it can often be beneficial to enter the workout with your heart rate already cranking. The workouts are usually fairly short so this strategy can work well. Stay and help out, support your teammates, and witness people achieve things they never thought possible. Trust me, it is a life changing experience.
After comp day:
- Please submit your score on time!!! These scores set our box up for the year to be invited to other competitions. These scores not only reflect on you as an individual, but also us as a box and a part of the CrossFit community.
- Take time to reflect on your performance!!! Talk it over with your team mates or coach. Identify what you did well and what you can improve on for next year. Remember these workouts can be used as a bench mark for the following year. You will be able to reflect back on your achievements the following year. Because trust me, you will be surprised by your gains over a 12 month period.
- Treat yourself!!! Have a beer or KFC after the comp to reward yourself. You will find you will push yourself far beyond what you thought you were capable of, and for this you deserve a reward. However get straight back on the recovery track, eat clean, rehydrate, and sleep well in preparation for the following week.
Most of all team just have FUN. Enjoy the support and the wonderful community we have at CrossFit North Harbour and be a part of the CrossFit Open.
Coach Anna
