The season of the CrossFit Games is already here! In a few days, madness will begin again, more than 400,000 athletes prepare to test their physical condition for 5 weeks with intelligently designed evidence by the only and unimitable Dave Castro, the director of the CrossFit Games

If we make a quick summary, the Open are the first step towards the CrossFit Games Everyone can participate, the WOD are scalable, it is really a community event since each training is held in their own box (or in any other you choose) with a registered judge, or by sending videos, and is tried by the community . For some, the Open are also the first step for the classification of CrossFit Games, since this is where the athletes will go to the next phase, the CrossFit Games Regional. But if we are really honest, the CrossFit Games Open is the end of the way for most people registered. This is no way bad. Open are a great way to prove physical ability, to encourage people to try harder, to go out and try, and many times to get that exercise that seemed impossible (I have seen many people make their first muscleup, pullup , Double Under, etc. during the Open).

I will assume that you don't have to convince you to register in the Open (why didn't you do it?) And that you are going to focus on everything that can help you make the Open the best possible experience.

The first decision you will have to take It is whether to compete in the category Rx or in the Strong climbing category>. I'm already listening to some saying "But I can't do some WOD in Rx And others in Scaled? "The answer is yes, can you, but seriously advise you to choose one or another category for several reasons.

There is a classification dedicated to the Scaled cateogría where you can compare yourself with other people in the same situation; It is not necessary to deal with the frustration of spending a whole WOD trying to get a rep of a movement that you do not control; and lose motivation to compete 100% Rx In the coming years. There are many other possible reasons, but those are the most important.

And you will say "What about improving my RM or my first pullup?" Well, you're right, but that doesn't mean you have to do it at the WOD. Use it as a motivation to test the WOD, and if you can make multiple repetitions, do it at the WOD!

Now that you have chosen a category, you have five weeks of Wods.

There are some things to take into account. One of the first doubts I have is "How many times should the WOD do every week?” It is an excellent question, but there is no correct answer. It depends a lot on your goal, do you plan to go beyond the Open? Then repeating the WOD several times can be an advantage, however it must be remembered that the final score is the 5 -week combination and not a single week.

Does repeating the WOD often prevent you from doing well the WODS of the coming weeks? Will it prevent you from correctly training the rest of the days even if they are recovery training? They are points to take into account when we value whether to repeat a wod or not. Sometimes repeating a wod does not mean improving it, so keep it in mind. By my personal experience, I usually make an attempt as a mission of recognition. It allows me to analyze the wod beyond the theory, and draw a plan to attack it when you repeat it. I have always made these approaches and I have never failed. By this I mean that this way of working allows me to draw a plan with which I am happy and carry it out successful.

Now that we have already talked about how many times try the WOD during the 4 days available every week let's talk about something very important: Open can be very frustrating. They are designed for that, to test your limits. And not only do they put you to physical trial but also mentally. And that is why it is very important to have a plan (which I have told you before when I talked about the times I repeat a wod). You should know and accept your limitations and make a plan within your possibilities. If you say that you can make a series of 20 chest to bar, do not start the wod making a series of 20. Now you, your coach or both should know what number of repetitions you are able to maintain for each exercise, and you should use that information when Armes your plan to attack the wod.

I have an exercise to mind, the HSPU, where once you get off the wall because you cannot do more repetitions you need a good time before trying the next repetition, so try to never put yourself in that situation. My personal experience tells me that being very conservative with the number of repetitions does not work either. So it is possible that there is a wod (or the 5) where you end up frustrated for one reason or another. It is a good idea to anticipate that possible frustration and plan to overcome it in a proactive way. Have a good mood, positively and if things fall apart at some point, it is not the end of the world.

What is not talked about much but It is important to take into account during the Open are heating, the return to calm and recovery. I have discovered that many people do not like to heat and feel they are ready to start the WOD. It is important to prepare the body for what is to come. It is already trying to do a mobility, practicing the real movements involved, testing the weights that are used, but the cardiovascular aspect, being hot and breathing strongly is also important. I have ever heard "I don't want to be tired before starting the WOD." A well -designed specific warming does not leave you tired, on the contrary, it prepares you to attack it!

I have seen that very few people or nobody knows what is a return to calm and less do it! After training it is a good idea to work to return to calm, to help your body to regenerate and prepare for recovery.

As for recovery, it affects many variants; Nutrition (food, supplementation, quantities of nutrients), rest, mobility, body work (massages, cryotherapy, physiotherapy, chiropractic care, etc.), the options are infinite and a good way to help the body recover from each attempt if They make multiple attempts, but also from week to week during the period of 5 weeks.

Open can be overwhelming and frustrating, especially for a rookie, But they can also be a positive and rewarding experience, if we allow it and plan it.

As I am preparing my seventh Open, with options to classify for my regional seventh (it is not an objective this year) and my first experience as a master's degree (definitely an objective) I simplify it in: Commit - plan - test - Evaluate - rethink - rethink - remake - rebuild - Recover. Focus on positive aspects, use any negative aspect in a constructive way, and minimize frustration when prepared.