I am writing this essay a few hours before the CrossFit Open announcement for 18.1.
Every year internet forums and Facebook chats rumble with angst as people worry about upcoming WOD announcements. Then the worry turns to frustration or anger, as people either feel excluded because of the complexity of the workout, or they are insulted by the scaling options.
In the past I would have considered taking a rest day, or a light day, on the eve of an Open WOD. This year my attitude is slightly different. Today I did a Rowing WOD at full intensity. This evening I will attend Barbell Club and work on my Snatch and Clean & Jerk. When I awaken on Friday morning I will fell “beat up”. I may simply wait until Monday morning to do the WOD.
As a child born during the Truman Administration, I have learned more about myself during the past six years in my local Box, than I did a half-century in an office. My work life life consisted of constant planning. Whenever I was performing a task, I was looking out to next week, next month, or even next year. I never grasped the concept of NOW.
Since I grew in CrossFit and Olympic Weightlifting, I have learned that all my future plans are fully dependent upon what I do today, this hour, this minute, Now!
Such mindfulness is a joy. So when I see any workout, I know it may be 12 minutes of various movements. I know it will hurt. I know my heart rate and breathing will make my chest feel like it is ready to explode. BUT,… But all I need to focus on is this current pull on the barbell, this push-up, this wall ball. One movement at a time.
I no longer look to see the clock. I used to think, “Man, I have to hang on for another 9 minutes and 30 seconds. How can I do that?” Today I just look at the task before me. Lift, Push, Pull, Run! One simple movement at a time.
In my opinion, the Open is not the same as a competition. In a real CrossFit Comp, athletes will do three or four events in several hours. For an older Masters Athlete, recovery is at a minimum. During the Open, though you can compare yourself to your peers on the leaderboard, you have the opportunity to rest up to a week before the next workout, if you choose to. You even have multiple opportunities for a “Do-Over”. You will not see that in a local weekend comp, Regionals or Games.
For the average CrossFitter, those with no Games aspirations, the Open is simply another WOD, but with a great deal of hype and fanfare to make it more exciting. So while you may be willing to up your game a bit, it’s still just a daily workout.
Instead of making yourself stressed about it, just review the WOD, observe videos or comments of those who have already done it. Formulate your strategy and go do it. Also be prepared to throw your strategy out the window as reality sets in by the second round.
Then drag your tired butt off the floor and cheer on the next heat of athletes, because you know how they are suffering.
Next week I’ll publish a Post-Mortem of my 18.1 performance as I have done on every Open workout since I began CrossFit. Kick butt, Be Defiant, Be Well! Just have fun.
(Note: Since I began this draft, the CrossFit Open 18.1 announcement has taken place. I’m looking forward to Monday)
I was rather insulted by having sit ups as a scale and was planning to spend the time trying to get a first t2b. I was feeling a bit lazy and didn’t feel like that would be much of a workout. So I did the scale but used 20# dbs by mistake. Not a stellar performance either. The next day after the group WOD I got 4 t2b just messing around. I did consider another go at rX, but meh. The Monday workout looks like more fun. I’m just not a competitor I guess.
This is my sixth Open. When I first began, there was no Scaled options. Which meant you often struggled to get your first for much of the WOD. Which meant you really didn’t do a WOD, you did skills training, often far beyond your ability. Then CFHQ introduced a Scaled Version and people can sometimes do movements A & B Rx, but can’t do C. So they feel deprived when they scale down.
So in the past I did Rx (and failed), I did Rx to game the system and get 1 Rx rep, to beat all the scaled athletes on the leaderboard, and now I just come out to do a workout. I’ll go all out scaling and know I can work for the full 20 minutes, instead of working for 90 seconds and staring at the bar for the next 18 and a half minutes. Your mileage may vary. Remember, there are four more workouts, and none of them are guaranteed to be in your wheelhouse. Have fun!
A great perspective on how to approach the WOD. After 18.1 was announced Thursday night, I immediately went to the scaled version to see if it was something I could do (because RX wasn’t going to happen), and it was. As you said, it’s just like any other WOD, but with lots of hype and excitement. I think it was that excitement that allowed me to dismiss my concerns about a current injury and just plow through those 20 minutes. I was thrilled with my rep count and didn’t give a re-do a second thought. Now, as I wait for the next announcement 2 days from now, I’m telling myself to go into it with the same attitude. See what it is, and then figure out what I can do……just like any other day. 🙂