Each year CrossFit Headquarters hosts an online, global 5 week event called The CrossFit Open. For 5 weeks, starting Thursday February 21, a workout will be released. All athletes have until the following Monday evening to complete and enter their score.
While the 5 weeks is used by the CrossFit Games to identify and eventually crown the fittest man, woman, and team on Earth, it’s an amazing opportunity for all of us.
For us the Open is all about having fun.
The competition side of it isn’t about finding out how you can exercise against the 400,000+ other people worldwide who participate. It is to help the you and the other CFCL athletes to push to new levels in fitness and accomplish things you’ve been working on and weren’t so sure you could do. The competitive side helps do that.
More so, it’s about community and a way for you to be part of it. Fitness is what we do here, but community is what we build. You can show up and get better at thrusters and pull-ups on your own but it’s much more fun to have people cheer for you, encourage and help you accomplish things you never thought you could and for you to do the same for others all while getting tons of high fives, fist bumps and warm and fuzzy feelings from the CFCL community.
ALL skill levels can participate…there are Rx, Scaled, Teens, and even Masters (50+) versions of the workouts.
How we do it.
The Intramural Open will consist of teams. Those teams will be awarded points throughout the open based on participation, success and most importantly spirit on any given week.
How are teams made?
All those signed up for the Open will be randomly put into teams.
All Teams will have a captain.
During the 5 week competition, your team earns a point each week for every single team member that simply posts a score. This means the larger the team – the larger the potential point total.
So how do you grow your team? You recruit them.
You have from Team Announcement Day until the Thursday the open begins (Feb 21) to bribe and beg anyone that is a member at either gym to be part of your team. (We will start each team with a player cap though and raise it as all teams fill.)
How does scoring work?
Each week, teams accumulate points in a few ways:
They earn 1 point for every athlete that enters their score
They earn 2 points for coming to the specific event day to do the workout
They earn 3 points for every athlete that places in the top 3 of their division : Rx or Scaled
They earn 5 points if their team wins the weekly spirit award
At the end of the 5 weeks, scores are totaled and the team with the largest score wins!
If you enter your score and help your team win the weekly spirit award you’re getting points for your team!
You don’t have to worry about not being the fittest or holding your team back, it won't happen! Your score for the workout doesn’t have anything to do with the score you get for your team.
Weekly Event Day
Each week we’ll have a day that we’re designating as the event day. That’s when team spirit awards will be won!
This year we are mixing up the events.
Week 1 – Thursday, February 21 – Thursday Throwdown – 8:00PM – as soon as the WOD is announced we will do it! We will have a couple of coaches and members go head to head and stream it live on FB!
Week 2 – Saturday, March 2 – At Every Class – we will crush 19.2 and then crush brunch afterwards even harder!
Week 3 – Saturday, March 9 – At Every Class
Week 4 – Saturday, March 16 - At Every Class
Week 5 – Friday, March 23 – Friday Night Lights ~6PM and party to follow
Do I have to come to all the events?
Nope!
We of course highly encourage you to be there, but we realize your lives are filled with so many things.
If you can’t make it, no big deal. You can complete it on your own on Sunday at any class or Monday. You’ll need to provide your own judge and the best time is outside of class time. Allowance to do it during class time will be up to the coaches discretion. Coaches may say “No” if equipment/space/safety issue.
But why would I complete if I won’t “win”?
There are so many reasons.
It’s fun…no really, it is. During these 5 weeks there is an energy in the gym that is hard to replicate the remainder of the year. When we get together for Friday Night Lights. 50+ people take turns giving it their all and then cheering on everyone else afterwards. The music is pumping, sweat is dripping, and cheers are flowing.
You will surprise yourself. I’ve seen people that struggle with single unders get their first double under. I’ve seen PRs on squats, presses, box jumps, and muscle ups. Most importantly, I see just about everyone say – “I can’t believe I just did that.”
It’s a benchmark for where YOU are. In the grand scheme of things, it doesn’t matter one bit where you finish vs. everyone else. It matters what your scores are today vs. your scores tomorrow. One of my favorite moments is repeating workouts from the previous year. I get to see athletes that are one more year into their fitness journey smash their old scores. They are always overcome with pride and renewed motivation to keep going. Had they not done the open – they would miss that experience.
There will be more details, times, and dates to come, but in the meantime just sign up and get ready for an amazing time!
How do I sign up?
Simple – click here to add your name to the CFCL Intramural Opens.
Then click here to register your name on the CrossFit Games website. That’s where you’ll submit your scores weekly - which will let us know to give you a point! The cost is $20 and goes to CrossFit Headquarters. Trust us – it’ll be well worth it for the 5 weeks.