Whether you’re a veteran CrossFitter, brand new to the community, or just thinking about joining a gym near you, the CrossFit Open is a great way to get introduced to the sport and community of CrossFit.
Every year, the CrossFit Open kicks off the competition season, and hundreds of thousands of athletes compete globally. As the name suggests, any athlete regardless of age, gender, or ability can enter and compete.
On Thursday night for three consecutive weeks—this year started on February 16th—a new workout was announced. All participants had until the following Monday to grind through the workout and submit their scores. Athletes chose between an RX (or “prescribed”) version or a scaled version of the workout so that each participant had the opportunity to complete the test.
Three Weeks, Three Workouts
Live announcements of the Open tests were streamed on CrossFit Game’s Youtube channel. The hosts broke down the movement standards and two top male and female CrossFit athletes went head to head in a live competition.
Each week posed a new challenge as the workouts varied dramatically. Week 1 incorporated a combination of cardio, body-weight, and strength movements. Week 2 was a simple cardio centric workout with a one rep max thruster added to the end. While Week 3 offered an extended workout to those who completed the initial movements in under 6 minutes.
For full workout descriptions, movement standards, and video tutorials, visit the CrossFit Open site.
Follow Along
The live leaderboard tracked the top scores of The Open, so any participants or fans can gage where they or their favorite athletes stand.
You can search by region, division, and workout type. Currently, four-time CrossFit games top 10 finisher, Mallory O’Brien, holds first place in the Women’s division. While last year’s 5th place Games competitor, Jeffrey Adler, is leading the pack for the Men.
Friday Night Lights x PWR LIFT
On the Friday after an Open workout is announced many CrossFit gyms host a Friday Night Lights event where members get together and support each other as each person attempts the test.
This year PWR LIFT went to Texas to support local CrossFit communities in their efforts. For 23.2 the team sponsored Houston’s Skyline CrossFit in their Friday Night Lights. After the athletes finished their tests, there was an ice cold PWR LIFT and a congratulatory fist bump waiting for them. There were over 80 attendees who showed up and either faced the challenge themselves or encouraged those who did.
In Austin for 23.3, PWR LIFT stopped by eight CrossFit gyms on Friday afternoon to hand out cold products ahead of their big nights.
It was inspiring to see these communities come together to compete and cheer each other on.
Beyond the Open
The Open is just the beginning of the CrossFit Games season. After the Open, the top 10% of individual athletes in each region advance to the Quarterfinals—set for March 16th. This is where the competition begins to intensify.
During the Quarterfinals, the athletes are given one or two workouts that need to be completed in 24 hours. This process repeats for a total of three grueling days. Only a select few from each region will advance to the Semifinals starting on April 28th.
In the Africa, Asia, Oceania and South America regions the top 30 athletes will be selected. While in North America East, North America West and Europe, 60 from each region move on.
Finally, the top 40 men and women around the world will qualify for the CrossFit Games in Madison, WI. This is the ultimate proving grounds for determining the Fittest Man and Fittest Woman on Earth. The global multi-day event will be streamed on ESPN, CBS and numerous other international broadcasts and will take place from August 1st to the 6th.
There truly is no other sport or competition in the world that measures fitness like the CrossFit Games. And the inclusivity and community focused approach of The Open generates excitement and buzz that is unparalleled in the world of fitness and sports.