What Now – The End of the 2014 CrossFit Open?
On Monday March 31, 2014 at 5pm Pacific Time, the 2014 CrossFit Open officially concluded. Whether you participated officially, recording your scores on the CrossFit Games website, or unofficially during the regular Friday WODs, it likely played a part of your CrossFit life over the last 5 weeks. In an odd way, you probably feel a bit relieved and a bit disappointed that it’s over, don’t you? Relieved because along with the excitement came a certain amount of anxiety and nervousness. What strategy should I use? Should I drop from the rack each time after the toes to bar or try to string a few together? Step ups or box jumps? How will I compete this week against the rest of leader board and, more importantly, my fellow Modig members? Isn’t it an interesting dynamic to feel your competitive spirit come out in spades during the Open, but to cheer for the same people that you also want to beat?
At the same time, you might feel a bit disappointed too. It seemed that the camaraderie and community of Modig Fitness grew during the last 5 weeks. Classes were packed and the cheering was thunderous. Thursday evenings, usually rather quiet at Modig Fitness, were packed with CrossFitters in their street clothes, anxiously awaiting Dave Castro’s announcement of that week’s WOD. Would there be burpees? Thrusters? Burpees and Thrusters? Eek! And during the last three weeks of the Open, following the live announcement, we got to witness as our fellow CrossFitters went head to head (or head to heads!) in the workout. We got to watch as they readied themselves to tackle the workout, without the benefit of watching others do it before them or reading blog after blog about the work out strategy. It was awesome. And exciting.
The question is, now what? How do we keep the excitement alive? How do we take the things we learned during the Open and carry them forward? And how do we continue to foster a sense of community at Modig Fitness? Here are a few things to consider…what else would you add?
1. Support, motivate and cheer for each other…always. As long as there is still someone working out, cheer for them. Isn’t it amazing how you can actually see someone move just a little bit faster when they are being supported and cheered for by their fellow CrossFitters?
2. Tackle something new. If you did the Open, you likely had to do something that you had never done before. Double Unders or Toes to Bar, anyone? So maybe you finish a little slower…that’s okay! If every once in a while you take yourself out of your comfort zone, eventually it won’t be so uncomfortable any more!
3. Introduce yourself and greet each other. There are always new faces at Modig Fitness or classes you attend with people you don’t know. Try to make the effort to welcome new people and introduce yourself to others.
4. Balls to the wall isn’t always the best strategy. Think about what you learned during the Open related to strategy. If you always go all out from the sound of 3-2-1- GO, there is a good chance you might lose steam before the workout is over. Consider your strengths and weaknesses and apply them to that day’s workout…perhaps you’ll finish sooner or complete more rounds as a result?
5. Have fun! If nothing else, there was a lot of fun had over the last few weeks. While the implied benefit of CrossFit is improved physical fitness, it can also be a great way to have fun. There were many friendships formed and strengthened and much of that is related to how much fun we were having.
Don’t stop having fun…ever.