A different way to see the CrossFit Open this year…
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It’s been a tough year..and a strange one to say the least (lockdowns, COVID, home workouts..or a lack of workouts for some..)
In saying that, the open may seem like a waste of time, or something you just don’t think you’re “ready” or “fit enough” for..
Why don’t you try and look at the Open from another perspective?
Try seeing the Open like this…
1. Testing out your current fitness Level/See where you are at.
This doesn’t just apply to the athlete’s that are trying to make it to the next stage, this applies to EVERYONE at ANY level. This could be your first Open or this could be your 10th..We can all learn something from the Open that can help us all improve our current level of fitness.
Yes, we can see where we are at via the leader board but I am talking about much more than that – there is always a chance that there will be a workout repeat that you have done in the previous years that may show up. What a great way to see if you’ve improved since then and also show some deficiencies you may have. (19.3 is a great example of this with Strict Handstand Push-ups showing up instead of Kipping – what a great way to highlight a weakness in pushing strength for athlete’s who struggled)
2. The Open is a great opportunity to learn and grow.
The Open always has a way of teaching us a lot about ourselves:
– Physically the open usually leads us to pushing ourselves really hard which can lead to many new PR’s (Members getting their first pull-up, handstand push up, muscle up and many weightlifting PR’s)
– Mentally the Open always gives us a good kick in the butt regarding mental resilience/perseverance ( think Open workout 15.5 – Thrusters and rowing with NO Time Cap) and sometimes the Open even brings out some areas that need improvement both physically & mentally (ever got Post-Open Blue’s ha ha..)
Now on a serious note. Some of the Open WOD’s hurt (or all…?) and they usually force us to push into that “dark place”.
Usually we see athlete’s push themselves so much harder than they would during the daily WOD in the Open.
It doesn’t matter what level you’re at or what your goals are, everyone has the opportunity to push to that level they didn’t know they could.
3. Getting more involved in the Community.
The Open brings community – It is one of the best parts of CrossFit. Whether you are competing or not, watching everyone support each other is one of the best parts of the CrossFit open.
So I mean…What have you got to lose my friend?