OPEN HOURS….
So what is this Open thing that people are starting to talk about??
The Open is the first step in qualifying for the CrossFit Games.
"Oh but that's not me" I hear you say........... however, this first step is designed to be as accessible as possible to as many people as possible.
The CrossFit Games state that their aim is to identify the Fittest Men and Women On Earth, so in order to help validate that claim, it needs to be easy to enter. And The Open is as simple as creating a log in, paying $20, anxiously waiting for the announcement of the first workout on Friday afternoon (praying that it doesn't include that one movement you suck at....), spending all of Friday night at the gym, while you try to practice all the movements and gain some confidence, turning up to the gym on Saturday morning to warm up early, cheer on everyone in the earlier heats, then have your 3rd nervous pee before it's your turn.
Submit your score, spend a few days anxiously leaderboarding, wonder if you should repeat it for a better score (luckily your coach has enough common sense and will tell you NOT to...), and then start the cycle all over again.....
Are you sold? Trust me, it is actually great fun!
But chances are you may be thinking you can't do it because you can't do ________. Well, now you know what you need to work on! You've got 4 weeks to practice!
The last couple of Saturdays, and the next three, we're drilling down on skill work, all the things that might hold you back (double unders, pullups, toes to bar, handstand pushups and muscle ups......). It's free to any member, you DON'T have to sign up for The Open.....
So what can we predict for The 2017 Open? In 2015, we saw HSPU for the first time, and muscle ups in the beginning of a workout, instead of as the usual final movement separator. In 2016, we saw bar muscle ups and walking lunges. What new movement might we see this year? Pistols?
Remember, there is a scaled category also. You don't need tall he big kid skills to play the game.
The Open workouts will be released every Friday, and we'll be performing them in house on Saturday mornings during class.
It will be awesome fun, the atmosphere will be off the charts, and we'll get the BBQ cranking on the final weekend to celebrate the end of the season.
Yes some of the workouts will be right at the edge of your capabilities, (it's not uncommon to see people with a score of 1 rep, as they battle to achieve a movement or weight they have NEVER completed until then).
You'll be fine if you focus on a) the great technique you've learned, and b) the rest of the community screaming your name!! We see PR after PR after PR on Open weekends, it's awesome to watch.
We see people finally 'getting it', understanding what they are capable of, how hard they can push, and how good it feels.
Registration is already open, for more information, see the CrossFit games website HERE, or talk to a coach.
If/when you do register, be sure to select 'Reebok CrossFit 09' as your affiliate. (No need to join a team)
BUT, if it's not your thing, no pressure! This doesn't mean you have to stay home on Saturdays, or that you will become some sort of second class citizen.... There will probably be less than a third of the gym doing The Open, so class will be business as usual, with all the regular programming options available, no matter your goal.