Six months today on 22nd February 2019 is your chance to join in with over half a million other CrossFit athletes in five workouts over five weeks.
Most athletes just do it for fun, to join in with the other members at CrossFit Thao Dien, and as part of their own fitness challenge.
A very rare few athletes compete with the aim of reaching the Regional competitions and to fight for a chance to go to the CrossFit Games, which had $300,000 prize money in 2018... but that's for the super hardcore!
What is the Open?
The Open is comprised of five workouts over five weeks, and it will start with 19.1 on 22nd February. The workouts are released every week and you can watch the live announcement of the workout that will be streamed on the CrossFit Games website. After the workout is released, you get 4 days to do the workout at CrossFit Thao Dien, being watched/scored by a judge, and then submit your best score online.
Why Join In?
1. Most importantly, it's really good fun!
2. It's an opportunity for any athlete of any level to be challenged and participate in a competition. Every CrossFit box in the world can take part... that's over 13,000 boxes! There's no other sport in the world where you get an opportunity to perform at the same event as the highest level performers. There is a scaled version of each workout, which allows you to complete it safely and within your capabilities.
3. It can add real meaning and purpose to your training. The Open gives you some interesting data on your performance, which can be a guide for setting realistic goals for the following year. We promise you that you will be amazed at your progress if you continue with your CrossFit training and retest the following year!
4. You are very likely to do achieve your "Firsts"... With the added motivation, the Open is when we see the most achievements from athletes... the first hand stand push up, pull up, toes-to-bar etc.
5. It brings our CFTD community closer together as we cheer each other on and share a sweaty floor!
6. If you’ve been doing CrossFit for a year or more, all it takes is a little competition to really bring out the best in you. It’s easy to lose intensity in your workouts if you never push past what you think you can do. It can also be a harsh reality check if you’ve been coasting in class or not really sticking to standards for the sake of speed. Perhaps your takeaway will be that you need to count your reps properly, work towards virtuosity in your movements, or at the very least, achieve full range of motion on your reps!
"If the idea of competition makes you nervous, don't let it hold you back from signing up. The real magic of the open lies in the environment, not your scores. There's excitement, anticipation, loads of positive energy, and a level of support that is tough to match on a regular day to day basis." - CrossFit LA
How do I prepare?
Simple... Come to class! Commit to your health and fitness with a good diet, sleep pattern, and train regularly to develop your skills, strength and stamina.
Come to class, and work hard, at least 3-5 times per week to see real progress! By making great progress you will be more motivated to keep training, creating a healthier and happier you!
To track your scores and monitor your progress use the BoxChamp CrossFit Thao Dien App... this can be a really good reminder of how far you have come when you look back over the last 6 months!
Good Luck with your training and we look forward to seeing what you can do in 6 months time!
By CrossFit Thao Dien Coaching Team
Sources:
https://www.crossfittla.com/blog/2018/2/1/all-aboard-the-open-train
https://edition.cnn.com/2018/02/19/sport/crossfit-open-biggest-competition-on-earth/index.html
https://games.crossfit.com/article/crossfit-open-explained