While we hit benchmark workouts at our affiliates throughout the year, the CrossFit Games Open is the time to see how we perform compared to other CrossFitters around the world and for us an opportunity to compete with each other and prove your fitness.

WHAT IS THE CROSSFIT OPEN?

This year the CrossFit Games has moved back to its original time of February-March but has been reduced from 5 weeks to 3, This is the official beginning of the 2022 CrossFit Games competitive season.

The Open is comprised of three workouts over three weeks, and it starts with the first workout 22.1 being announced on Thursday February 24, 2022.

Open workouts are identified by their year and the order in which they appear. The workouts will be released every Thursday during the three weeks of the Open, every Sunday the workout will be the “Workout of the Day” at UNLEASHED. Whether you are trying to claim the title of fittest, or simply challenge yourself to see how well you do, it’ll be a fun and wild time at UNLEASHED.

TEAM WORK MAKES DREAM WORK

In years past we have divided the gym into teams, this year we are tackling this as individuals but celebrating as one big community. We will compete, cheer, and scream as we watch athletes take on whatever CrossFit has prepared for us. The coaches and fellow athletes will judge and count your reps as you perform the workouts. This year we will perform each Open workout with an additional UNLEASHED.nyc workout, turning it into a SAVAGE every Sunday for 3 weeks.

SAVAGE: SOCIAL

We will conclusion of each SAVAGE Open week we will participate in a social at a local venue. Join us after the workout for drinks and celebrate our community.

THE PURPOSE OF THE CROSSFIT OPEN

The Open is the first qualifying stage of the CrossFit Games. Any athlete who wants to compete at the Games must first make it through the Open in their region.

It’s an opportunity for any athlete at any level to participate in the competition. It can add meaning and purpose to your training while also bringing your gym’s community closer together. (As a rule of thumb, the Open is the time of year where we see many people achieve important firsts: bodyweight snatch, muscle-ups, toes-to-bars, handstand push-ups, double-unders, etc.)

Most importantly, the Open will also give you some interesting data on your performance in the gym, which can be a guide for setting realistic goals for the following year.

THAT SOUNDS GREAT, BUT WHY SIGN UP? I’M NOT GOING TO THE GAMES…

Only a very small percentage of athletes will make it to the Games. While I can understand the sentiment of “Why bother?” I really encourage you to think about participating because you will be part of a very big international event that represents your affiliate. Every affiliate in the world can take part in the Open, which is amazing, and we don’t want you all to miss out on the fun!

Affiliate owners can use their members’ performance data to determine how and why the programming should change for the coming year. For instance, if most of the gym can’t do chest-to-bar pull-ups relative to every other gym in the region, then the trainers can work on bringing up that skill in the gym’s population.

It’s much easier to stay motivated during the Open (and with CrossFit) if you are committed to tracking your progress.

YEAH, BUT I DON’T KNOW. I’VE DONE CROSSFIT FOR A FEW YEARS ALREADY. WHAT’S THE POINT?

If you’ve been doing CrossFit for a year or more, all it takes is a little competition to really bring out the best in you. It’s easy to lose intensity in your workouts if you are never pushed past what you think you can do.

It can also be a harsh reality check if you’ve been coasting in class this past year or not really sticking to standards for the sake of speed. All those times you wrote Rx’d next to your name on the whiteboard, maybe it wasn’t the case. Perhaps your takeaway will be that you need to count your reps properly, work towards virtuosity in your movements, or at the very least, achieve full range of motion on your reps!

If you have been interested in doing a local competition, then participating in the Open is absolutely your best opportunity to get a taste of what it’s like to be judged and compete in a CrossFit event. While you may not make it to regionals, the excitement of doing the same workout as Games athletes is a fun element to add to your weekly fitness routine.

Finally, consider that the Open is simply a snapshot of your fitness at one point in time. Maybe you are rehabbing an injury, just coming back to the gym after a layoff. The easiest thing is to make an excuse and not participate. The Open can be the catalyst to get you back on track at the gym

WHAT ABOUT ME? I’VE ONLY BEEN DOING CROSSFIT FOR TWO WEEKS!

Even if you are a complete beginner (yes, those of you who finished Foundations last month), you can participate in the Open. Every Open workout will feature a scaled workout option which any can do. This workouts will be no harder than the ones you take on each and every day.

Think of this Open as an opportunity to set a performance baseline for CrossFit. I promise you that you will be amazed at your progress if you continue with your CrossFit training and retest the following year.

DATA = TRAINING PROGRESS

What’s most useful about participating in the Open is having a complete record of your past performances. Writing down your training results is a huge (if not the biggest) component for seeing consistent progress in the gym.

Besides providing a nice reality check about your overall skill and fitness level, you’ll find that reviewing all the past data is beneficial for goal setting.

OK, I’M CONVINCED! HOW DO I REGISTER?

Step 1. Register via UNLEASHED.NYC.  Cut-off is Monday February 14th 2022.

You will be asked a series of simple questions, please specify if you want to sign up for just the 3-week event or the event + a limited edition teeshirt.

Your account will be billed a $30 registration fee or $55 for the event + shirt.

Tee shirt designs will be released as we get closer to the OPEN and are completely optional and an additional charge this year. You can Pre-Order your shirt for $25 and save.

Step 2. OPTIONAL Register via Games.CrossFit.com Cut-off Monday February 21st 2022

You will see a big red register button. Click it, and you’ll be directed to a login page where you will be prompted to enter your existing CrossFit ID. If you don’t have one, you’ll need to create an account. You’ll then be prompted to select your division, which is going to be either “Male” or “Female,” your location, and agree to the competition rules and waiver.  You’ll also be asked to pay a $30 registration fee. This fee goes towards running the competition, and your Open scores will be stored under your profile for years to come.

Lastly, don’t worry about signing up for Rx’d or Scaled workouts. Everyone competing in the Open has the option of performing a scaled version of the workout in any given week. If you are a complete beginner, this is great news! It ensures that the experience will be even more inclusive.

FAQ?

Do I have to compete each week?

Much like our SAVAGE events, participation is voluntary. It will have an effect on your overall leaderboard score.

Do I have to pay $30 if I am only planning on attending 1 event?

We are bundling the event as a package deal and you can’t sign up for a single SAVAGE workout. Scoring will be cumulative, you must participate each week in order to get the best possible score. However, you don’t have to participate each week if you can’t make it.

I can’t do double unders, muscle-ups, chest to bar pullups, etc… Should I bother signing up?

YES! There will be a scaled division for each workout, and we can modify the workouts further to meet your needs.

Why bother?

Support the gym and fellow athletes, do an extra workout each week, and challenge yourself. At the very least, do it for the social after each workout and grab a drink or food with your fellow UNLEASHED members!

How is the winner picked?

We will have leaderboards for Rx & scaled divisions each week and an overall leaderboard at the end.

If I scale one workout does that mean I am in the scaled division?

The scaled athletes will rank under the Rx athletes on the leaderboard, so if 20 athletes perform the workout Rx and you finish first in the scaled workout you will rank 21st for the week. The following week you can end up number 1 in the Rx and your overall score will be 22 points heading into week 3. So although it may be hard to catch up, it is not impossible.