The CrossFit Open is upon us and for most of us we are sitting here and wondering what Dave Castro is going to throw at us. If you are new to CrossFit, you might have no idea what to expect. The Open is the worldwide competition for athletes to test their skills against themselves and against other athletes across the world. You can see how you stack up next to some of the fittest athletes, other athletes in your state, and in your own gym. It’s a way to track your progress and see how much you improve year after year. The Open is the online qualifier that pushes athletes to compete at regionals and then the CrossFit Games in August. The Open is for everyone. If you’ve been a CrossFit athlete for a week or 6 years, you can participate. The workouts are easily able to be scaled to your fitness ability and it’s a great way to push yourself and have fun with the other members of the CrossFit community around the world. Here are our top 5 tips for preparing for the Open as a newbie or a veteran!

1. Don’t Freak Out: 

The most important thing that you can do heading into Open season is to not get intimidated once the workouts are announced. You might be anxiously waiting to see what Dave Castro is going to announce by stalking his instagram feed for clues, or you gather up with your CrossFit crew and watch the announcement live on Thursday, waiting to see what movements they are going to throw together for the world to attack that weekend. Whatever you do, do not think too much about the workout. Don’t freak yourself out about the combination of movements, how much it’s going to suck, or question your abilities. Know that you will survive the workout, just like everyone else, and attempting it is better than watching from the sidelines.

 2. Proper Nutrition:

You must fuel yourself properly in order to be in optimal condition to push your body’s physical limits. Stay away from refined sugars and processed carbohydrates throughout the week and make sure to steer clear of foods that can cause discomfort, ie, anything spicy, fried foods, dairy, etc. Make sure you grab yourself a protein rich snack, like Fuel For Fire, before you workout and replenish your body with electrolytes after the workout.

3. Get Plenty of Sleep:

We all know that sleep is important for our daily lives, however, sleep is critical for athletic performance, especially during the Open. Not only does sleep activate muscle recovery, it’s very important for mental recovery, as well. It gives your body time to recharge and set you up for optimal performance once fully rested.

4. Trust Yourself:

You have been working hard every day that you step into the gym, you have to trust in the skills you have mastered and not worry about the skills you haven’t yet. Can only string together 2 or 3 double unders? That’s ok! Push yourself and try to attack the workout even if it takes you longer to finish the workout. As a veteran athlete, you should be confident in the skills that you have mastered, but don’t get complacent. Push yourself. Go a little faster, strategize how you are going to attack the workout. Just trust in yourself and the training that you are fully prepared for whatever Castro throws at you!

5. HAVE FUN!

Above all else, this is about the community of CrossFit. We are all in this together. We are all feeling the same suck. Cheer each other on and help your teammates push through the pain of the workout because the reward of finishing the workout is such an amazing feeling. CrossFit isn’t just about fitness, it’s about community and the Open is the one time of year that the global CrossFit community gets to come together.