Every year you hear people debating whether or not to compete in the Worldwide Crossfit Open. And every year you hear many good reasons to do so, and a few good reasons not to do so. The one thing I have never heard is anyone regretting competing in the Open. And I have heard people regretting saying, “I wish I would’ve done it last year.”
If you’ve never done Crossfit before in your life and 23.1 (the first Open workout of 2023) is your first ever Crossfit workout, you are one lucky dog. This will likely be one of your worst Open performances. As you progress through your Crossfit journey you will steadily improve in your ability and capacity, and by the time the next Open is here (2024), you will be miles better than you were the previous year, and you’ll be able to measure and see that progress.
If you’re new to Crossfit and have never competed in an Open before, you are one lucky dog. You will be able to experience a WOD like you never have before. Even though you will most likely not even come close to making it to the Games, your effort will be a much better effort than you have ever performed in any class. The competition, your community cheering for you, and the adrenaline rush will make you push for that extra rep, or pick that barbell sooner than you would normally. It’s part of the atmosphere and mindset that comes with knowing that every rep counts.
If you’ve done the Open in the past and aren’t as fit as you were before, you are one lucky dog. This is your chance to find out where you sit compared to previous years. Even though your performance level has declined, you will get a good evaluation of where you truly stand fitness wise. It is never a bad thing to know. What you do with this feedback is up to you, but it’s a good starting point to begin setting new goals if applicable.
If you’ve done the Open before and are fitter than the years previous, you are one lucky dog. I have nothing to say to you, go get ‘em!
Honestly, you’ve got nothing to lose and much to gain. I’d also like to make clear that you can compete in the Open without actually signing up for the Open. Save your $20 if seeing your name on the leaderboard and your affiliate’s team doesn’t mean much to you. Either way, perform the workouts and track your performance.