Just as it is in any sport, the ON season is the most popular.
The hype from the Open, Regionals, and the Games is what the majority of CrossFitters live for. We can't wait to watch others push themselves to the limit and beyond. All we want is to cheer louder and harder than we have before because we all know the pain and pleasure that goes along with this time of year. We know that feeling of anxiety minutes before the WOD, and we know that feeling of relief when it's all over. Whether you kicked ass or have had better days, this is our Nirvana... this is our ecstasy!
But we must travel back to the beginning... back to that Monday after the Games... this is where our heaven and hell begins!
This is the OFF season for approximately the next 5 months. Our main focus in the OFF season should be building strength and tackling weaknesses. This is when the PR's just start rolling in. This is when we pack on the pounds of muscle and struggle through some of the simplest METCON's. The 85%-90% percentile is a common sight in many of our WOD's. During the OFF season we take on those dreaded gymnastics skills and get comfortable being upside down, flying through the air, or simply working our way around a pullup bar more efficiently. Its going to be a long 5 months, but we are thankful for cheat days and beer to help us get through it.
Then one day somewhere around the New Year.... it happens...
The ON season begins! How excited do we get when CrossFit HQ posts a quick Youtube clip with the words "open" in it? This is where our training takes a drastic turn. Our main focus should be building endurance and getting back to doing just straight "CrossFit". 20-30 min AMRAP's, Hero Wod's, Chippers, and Benchmarks become the norm. We are well beyond the rep scheme and weight of yesteryear that we struggled with exactly one year ago. We show up for class... warm up... get our ass kicked... and then decide to sprint a mile for a little extra work! There is minimal time for strength gains. You had 5 months for that, so when the 1RM, 3RM, 5RM PR's slow down... slap 65% on the bar and bust out 20 reps unbroken. Jump on the bar and hang on until your grip gives out. Embrace the lactic acid building up in your muscles causing a deep burn and do 5 more reps. Quit walking away from the bar and get back on it. The next thing you know, we'll all be gathered around a computer some Thursday afternoon with anticipation as Dave Castro announces the first Open workout. We'll know that we prepared accordingly and we'll smash the workout as soon as we can.
Now you may be thinking this doesn't apply to me... I'm not a competitive CrossFitter... I CrossFit because it keeps me healthy and in shape for what life has to throw at me. That is awesome! Keep it up and keep kicking ass! Continue to make yourself a better person in every way possible! But...
if you haven't experienced the hype, if you haven't experienced "Friday Night Lights" at your gym, if you haven't experienced your social media timeline bogged by updates such as "13.1 will be the death of me", or "13.4 286 reps", then you are in for one hell of a time where community becomes the heart beat of every workout and camaraderie is what picks us up off the floor and gives a good fist bump as to silently say "you smashed that SHIT SON!!!!!!"
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