WHY I DON'T SIGN UP FOR THE CROSSFIT OPEN (But man, do I LOVE this stuff!!!)
I get asked often this time of year, "Are you doing the OPEN?".
For those who haven't the slightest of clues as to what the OPEN is, I'll fill you in. The Reebok CrossFit Games season begins with the online Open. Anyone can sign up to compete in five workouts over five weeks and post their scores online. Last year, the Open reached more than 209,000 athletes from around the world.
I have mixed feelings about the event. I love, no really Loooove, the idea of being part of the game and taking on the same challenges the elite in the sport take on, pushing myself past what I think I can do and then comparing my results with others. I also hate those exact same things and what it can do to an inexperienced or like myself, a casual CrossFitter. The injuries that can occur and the blow to the ego can be devastating. And all that for the low cost of 20 dollars.
I really like the sport as a spectator! I really, really like to train! I really, really, really...MAN, I LOVE THIS SPORT! Look, I'm all fired up about the upcoming Open so don't get your panties in a bunch about my title or what I'm about to say. I'm a fan, a big fan! This is the reason I, me, no one else, does not sign up for the Open.
Let's be frank here, CrossFit is a sport and just like any other sport there will be injuries. Come on, even Tiger Woods was injured and he plays golf. And let's face it, anyone can open a gym. There are no qualifications or standards to abide by when opening a gym. Just a level 1 certification and an affiliation fee - if you go that route. Heck, I'm not far off from that story except my level 1 Cert. followed a litany of other certifications and courses and has been built upon ever since. But that's because I have an athlete first belief and will do anything in my power to teach my athletes how to live a healthy lifestyle. My hope is that when they train with me they know I will not let them get injured and that they trust enough in my knowledge that they will listen to me. I believe in baby steps and that technique trumps all else and this is where my problem with the Open begins. It's not the Open per say. The problem is there are way too many box owners out there with no experience, looking to make a buck off of CrossFit.
When it comes to the strength and conditioning world I am still in my infancy as a coach. I still and never will, know it all but I am brave enough admit to it. It's this lack of certainty that keeps me grounded and keeps my clients safe. My workouts don't often leave people floor-bound or vomiting. That was never my intention when I opened my gym. I feel that kind of mindset can be both ridiculous and unsafe. I can't say it hasn't happened but I try to keep it to a minimum but this push harder mindset is what people expect. It's that fact, I believe, that has some boxes moving away from what CrossFit stood for – 'the pursuit of excellence in human movement' – and it has become more like a group exercise model such as aerobics or spinning but with way more yelling, grunting, sweating and occasional vomiting. Um, no thank you. This means that, there's good CrossFit and bad Crossfit. The good is run by professional coaches who know how to programme, how to teach a class step by step, empower clients and when to reign those clients in. The bad can be dangerous and is just about throwing people into the class and seeing how hard they can go before they break.
Don't get me wrong. There's something unique and inspiring about the power of group energy that I have never seen replicated in any other type of gym that causes clients to try just a bit harder and they wind up gasping on the floor elated. It's what keeps members coming back and pushing themselves. And this is what the Open is about. I love the whole lead up to the event. I talk, no go on and on, about the Open. I have gatherings to celebrate the Open. We do the Open workouts, in our own way, and perhaps even try the workouts as prescribed. I want you to do the Open. (As a matter of fact I have provided you with a home version of the workout at the end of this post. Check it out.) Even if you can't do the exact prescribed weight of any or most of the Open workouts, you will most likely surprise yourself with what you are able to do. A little competition can be good. I just know I can't. I know I am going to want to push myself and my form will break down and what does that say about my coaching? If an unobservant or undertrained coach can cause more harm than good – for example by promoting heavy lifting over good technique... see where I went with that? It would be hypocritical of me to ask others to push themselves to failure. And for what? I want to keep it fun for me and that doesn't include having my crap time up, done with crap form, for the world to see, for a fee.
If you, unlike me, are training to be great at CrossFit, and are looking to take part in the sport at that kind of level then intensity will raise - intensity in your workouts, intensity in the amount of days you train, etc. This is necessary to compete. This intensity with any sport will leave you open to injury. It is the nature of the beast. Now you have to be smart about your training. Listen to your qualified coaches and take great care of your body. If this is you then get out there and do the Open with vigor but if not, take it easy and be smart.
So my answer to the question above is, "No. I haven't paid twenty dollars to put my name up on a worldwide white board to feel bad about how poorly I did. No I haven't signed up to something that happens at the worst part of the year when I inevitably have some form of cold or asthma issue. No, I don't want to pay to do what could be a free workout at home where I can scale it to a responsible time or weight if I need to. No, I'm just not that interested in world wide competition, I guess."
BUT MOSTLY NO...My ego just can't take it. I am not an elite CrossFitter, I never will be and I don't like being judged - I get enough of that from the world around me.
For those who haven't the slightest of clues as to what the OPEN is, I'll fill you in. The Reebok CrossFit Games season begins with the online Open. Anyone can sign up to compete in five workouts over five weeks and post their scores online. Last year, the Open reached more than 209,000 athletes from around the world.
I have mixed feelings about the event. I love, no really Loooove, the idea of being part of the game and taking on the same challenges the elite in the sport take on, pushing myself past what I think I can do and then comparing my results with others. I also hate those exact same things and what it can do to an inexperienced or like myself, a casual CrossFitter. The injuries that can occur and the blow to the ego can be devastating. And all that for the low cost of 20 dollars.
I really like the sport as a spectator! I really, really like to train! I really, really, really...MAN, I LOVE THIS SPORT! Look, I'm all fired up about the upcoming Open so don't get your panties in a bunch about my title or what I'm about to say. I'm a fan, a big fan! This is the reason I, me, no one else, does not sign up for the Open.
Let's be frank here, CrossFit is a sport and just like any other sport there will be injuries. Come on, even Tiger Woods was injured and he plays golf. And let's face it, anyone can open a gym. There are no qualifications or standards to abide by when opening a gym. Just a level 1 certification and an affiliation fee - if you go that route. Heck, I'm not far off from that story except my level 1 Cert. followed a litany of other certifications and courses and has been built upon ever since. But that's because I have an athlete first belief and will do anything in my power to teach my athletes how to live a healthy lifestyle. My hope is that when they train with me they know I will not let them get injured and that they trust enough in my knowledge that they will listen to me. I believe in baby steps and that technique trumps all else and this is where my problem with the Open begins. It's not the Open per say. The problem is there are way too many box owners out there with no experience, looking to make a buck off of CrossFit. When it comes to the strength and conditioning world I am still in my infancy as a coach. I still and never will, know it all but I am brave enough admit to it. It's this lack of certainty that keeps me grounded and keeps my clients safe. My workouts don't often leave people floor-bound or vomiting. That was never my intention when I opened my gym. I feel that kind of mindset can be both ridiculous and unsafe. I can't say it hasn't happened but I try to keep it to a minimum but this push harder mindset is what people expect. It's that fact, I believe, that has some boxes moving away from what CrossFit stood for – 'the pursuit of excellence in human movement' – and it has become more like a group exercise model such as aerobics or spinning but with way more yelling, grunting, sweating and occasional vomiting. Um, no thank you. This means that, there's good CrossFit and bad Crossfit. The good is run by professional coaches who know how to programme, how to teach a class step by step, empower clients and when to reign those clients in. The bad can be dangerous and is just about throwing people into the class and seeing how hard they can go before they break.
If you, unlike me, are training to be great at CrossFit, and are looking to take part in the sport at that kind of level then intensity will raise - intensity in your workouts, intensity in the amount of days you train, etc. This is necessary to compete. This intensity with any sport will leave you open to injury. It is the nature of the beast. Now you have to be smart about your training. Listen to your qualified coaches and take great care of your body. If this is you then get out there and do the Open with vigor but if not, take it easy and be smart.
BUT MOSTLY NO...My ego just can't take it. I am not an elite CrossFitter, I never will be and I don't like being judged - I get enough of that from the world around me.
Roger Murtaugh: I'm getting too old for this shit!
The at home workout I mentioned above.
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