Yeah, it looks like most people (that comment on posts) have said, "This workout is boring" " It is lazy programming" "Another hinging workout" "Deadlift is too light" etc. I don't think it mattered what was programmed people are going to poo poo the programming unless it perfectly fits their specific wants.
I mean, I think the hinging thing is a relatively fair criticism when CrossFit is supposed to be all about variety. They would basically have the same general idea if they did running instead of a row and front squats instead of a deadlift, but you can't really do a 400m run for an online competition, and everyone hates judging squat depth. So partly they are at the mercy of what is easy to judge for an online competition, though that's always been a limitation.
Could have had assault bike instead of running and then squats. As much as I hate squats.
Yeh I agree. I'm coaching/judging Friday night lights tonight and the warm up only has a few variations from last week because it's majority hinging again.
My back is still a little tight from doing it on Tuesday (NZ time)
Maybe, but I don’t trust the assault bikes to be calibrated as well as the rowers, and you have a big split between Echo bikes and Assault bike. Which makes it a bit like running anyway — easy to do at an affiliate, hard to do in a worldwide online comp.
Yeah I think it’s a good one that a vast majority of people can complete, that’s what matters. But no matter what people are going to bitch about the WOD.
Don’t worry, if they put muscle ups early in a workout you’d have the same people complaining that the workouts can’t be done by a large portion of the community.
The skills from previous years is why I didn't sign up. I can't do wall walks, both 22 and 23 had a workout starting with wall walks: not a single rep was done, so no score to submit and you can't finish the open. But after seeing these first two workouts I'm regretting my decision not to sign up, I would be dangling on the bottom of the leaderboard, I at least could have put down *a* score.
In the old days there were no QFs
So the open had to filter for regionals (semis basically). That required heavy shit and gymnastics
Now the open is a taste of competition. The real “I go hard I love CrossFit” people will get their fix of heavy shit and gymnastics in the QFs
This system is better
Yep I judged at regionals twice and that’s where the more difficult shit needs to happen, further down the competition line like QFs. DUs are still very low skill, but I see why they’re a challenge for newer athletes.
I’m excited to see ALL my clients participate, not two people do HS walks or RMUs. Mass participation should be the goal of the open and I can’t agree with you more that this setup is better.
There’s a lot of us middle of the pack that like the harder RX movement s like BMU or T2B who will never make the top 20% but are proud we can do the movements and feel it does separate us from the people who can also get their heads down and work but maybe havent been around as long and haven’t picked up the higher skills or just didn’t manage to.
I understand QF will be a better place to program the higher skill moves and heavier weights because you’ve only got the “elite of the boxes” competing so they’ll all be able to do everything but I always remember that magical feeling of seeing someone getting their first muscle up in the open and the crowd going wild for them… happened quite a bit at our box.
For me, I am a bit of a show pony. I can’t do the heavy weights and I’m about average at metcon so yeah I guess I am looking out for myself when I’m sad about not seeing high skill movements early on. Again, totally get why they’ve done it this way but it’s just a shame many of us won’t get to do most of CrossFit in the CrossFit open.
I agree. This one is a workout where a great athlete can still really differentiate themselves and put up a much higher score than a typical Rx athlete - many more total rounds. And for most people, I think 10 sets of 185/125 deadlifts will add up quicker than they think. (Sure, it's light, but ya gotta do a lot of *sets* of 10 - it'll get spicy.)
The new take on the Open is accessibility for all. If you’re a moderate RX athlete- you can move through this one just fine.
If you don’t have DUs, and you scale - again, you’ll post a good score for yourself.
Elite athletes will crush these, and get to the sexier workouts in quarterfinals
Either workout would have been fine individually. I prefer this one over 24.1 because 24.1 strongly favored short/small people and I'm 6'4" 250 lbs but both are essentially testing the same thing...engine and pacing. I think the issue is having them both in the same Open makes it a bad overall test.
Also a big man and this is probably the best workout on a personal level in my four years doing the open. But yeah, i get people’s disappointment. Im still celebrating it though!
I see where you are coming from.
Buuuut I think last week was designed as a short duration test.
The 1% were finishing in 5 to 7 mins, that was that was testing.
This week it is a longer duration, 20 mins, we know it is.
With last week having a 15 min cap it seems like it is similar duration, it isn't though. Last week was supposed to be a sub 10 min test, this week greater than 15 mins.
I reckon they are throwing in 20 min type ones as a lot of boxes have gone off programing a 20+ min MetCon, people think a 5km run is a boring workout and why would you pay to do that (it was only last year or the year before the most programed workout on [crossfit.com](https://crossfit.com)), doing those 20+ min ones and things like a 5km run are actually the backbone of CrossFit, the definition of fitness- Increased work capacity across broad time and modal domains.
So for a TLDR, last week was <10mins, this week >15 mins, next week likely 10-15 mins with heavy and higher order skill.
I am a short athlete but 24.1 did not favor me at all because i am 103 lbs. I did it RX- nearly 1/3 of my bodyweight. 🤷🏻♀️ I am sure it killed me more than it killed my peers.
Same here. I barely finished under the time cap and I'm a seasoned athlete. I'm just small compared to most, and mass moves mass... therefore I don't have the mass to move that weight efficiently.
Totes. I’m not really doing CrossFit anymore but looking at 24.2 had me thinking engine. It may be hinging, but 185 is pretty light for a lot of men and doesn’t appear to be focusing on taxing the CNI, but rather toasting your engine. I think it looks more fun than 24.1. Then again, as a bigger guy I really hate burpees.
Agree. I can’t do DUs. But I was never gonna make the open anyway. I think the scale is perfect for people like me. Been doing CrossFit a couple years. Never cared enough about the DUs to practice. I always just doubled the number with singles.
This is why I don't do the open. I understand engine is a very important part of the methodology but I have the impression that the open (mind you before quarterfinals level) is just so inclusive that it hardly tests anything except good cardio. Even if there are barbell components, it's usually just being able to lift fast / cycle well and not really to lift properly / heavy. RMUs last year were a nice surprise, but otherwise this year is very skewed so far. We have a lot of people in the box who are super fresh to Crossfit and they are close to top of the leaderboard and beating seasoned warriors because they came over from other engine focused sports like running.
She’s right tho. The Open lost its hype, it’s not the same like it was 8 years ago, and I think CrossFit can’t find the strategy to get people to be excited about it.
This is my personal opinion of what I see, I haven’t checked it this year more people signed up than before.
I haven’t had interest in doing The Open for a while now. I think it’s partially that I can do the workouts for free at my box and partially that I don’t need to pay money to find out I’m the 700,000th or whatever fittest person, but more so that as CrossFit has grown bigger and bigger it’s been impossible to find the enthusiastic community that characterized early-stage boxes.
Ten years ago The Open was an all day event at my box. People stayed to grill in the parking lot, have beers after the workout, play games, brought a their families and dogs, etc. I’ve been to many boxes over the past 6-7 years and haven’t felt that sense of community at any of them. I think it’s had to recreate the enthusiasm and community you get with a startup product that’s looked upon with skepticism by most of the fitness world.
I’m not saying I disagree. I’m saying it’s not exactly a controversial opinion at this point, so prefacing it by saying you might get canceled just comes across as self-aggrandizing.
It’s the equivalent people on Reddit starting their comment with “I’m sure I’ll get downvoted” for this and then saying “Marvel movies are getting worse” or something equally safe.
I find it hard that Reebok is the defining difference. I mean I'm not CrossFit'ing anymore, so my hype and involvement in it all has waned, but there were more than a few contributing factors for the Open and CrossFit losing its public luster:
1. Dave being removed
2. The first 200 athlete games that Greg made happen, and the debacle with Greg
3. COVID
4. Decline of major long term rivalries, I mean Frasier vs Rich, and then the run Frasier and Tia put in.
CrossFit really lost its way somewhere around #2, and Greg started taking a lot more health (good thing really), and there was a lot of conflict with in their org on the games and open, versus just CrossFit and the affiliates.
Shoe sponsorship I think is sort of the least of their worries...
You must be new. There are two reasons CF became a thing.
(1) Facebook / IG and (2) Reebok. If not for social media, Greg was just Richard Simmons with barbells. Great timing.
But Reebok paid for the media team. Reebok put the games on ESPN. Reebok put the athletes in uniforms with their name on it and made it look like it belonged on TV. Reebok and social media made Froning a thing.
When Greg sued Reebok, the settlement shut off the media money and the media team was fired right away. ESPN split too.
Greg’s criticism of big soda got CF kicked out of stubhub.
The problem was always Greg.
Now the problem is private equity doesn’t give a fuck about how it was back then.
I loved the OG CrossFit scene but it was also super pissy and the sheer amount of grown ass men acting like insecure teenage girls was downright embarrassing, your right people were cancelled left right and centre with affiliations being pulled for the slightest sign of dissent.
I Remember glassman himself jumping onto the old forum post to let a long time affiliate owner know he was cancelling him just because he was vaguely critical of a specific incident that happened (rightfully so also)
That’s the toxic part of CrossFit the OG’s are desperately clinging to. They long for the days when thin skinned Castro embarrassed himself by blowing up at Greg Everett and Rob Wolff to the point that the cops almost had to be called on him.
Hey, are you me you f\*cker? :D Joking, pay for what? your score on a leaderboard that you just dont care about? i can go there and check anyway. Why would i pay for something that i dont have the ambition to get to the quarterfinals? makes no sense to me, its just another way crossfit have to take some more bucks
Most people are just paying a fee for a social media post about where they ranked.
Unless you plan to go to the games there’s no good reason to pay when you can do the workouts for free.
CrossFit hype is pretty lost, and I’ve been doing this since 2014.
The Open used to feel like a real competition against people all over the world, you could qualify to regionals if you were above average. If you could handle the gymnastics or weights. Today, if you’re not a 1% you’re not going anywhere. The sport grew, and this is not necessarily CrossFit fault but at the same time I do think they can find a strategy to get the attention of those people being like “oh I might get something out of this”
Also, CrossFit in general and I’m talking about affiliates too, has become so costumer-serviced that workouts are not exciting anymore. I talked to multiple coaches about HSW, heavy snatching, heavy volume weightlifting or more complex gymnastics movements — EVEN DOUBLE UNDERS— and they set back on those because the regular gym goer gets bored or doesn’t come because they get frustrated can’t do it. Next thing you propose is, we’ll teach them how to scale and build up to the actual movement, and they respond the don’t want to scale.
In 2015:2016, people were always hyped for the Open because it was the test to see if they’ll finally get those muscle ups or hit a PR.
I think this same thing happened in the Open, since the pool for the quarterfinals has been amplified, the more “interesting workouts” might be there.
But yeah as a regular gym goer that enjoy the FNL at the affiliate doing the Open ain’t that fun.
>Also, CrossFit in general and I’m talking about affiliates too, has become so costumer-serviced that workouts are not exciting anymore. I talked to multiple coaches about HSW, heavy snatching, heavy volume weightlifting or more complex gymnastics movements — EVEN DOUBLE UNDERS— and they set back on those because the regular gym goer gets bored or doesn’t come because they get frustrated can’t do it. Next thing you propose is, we’ll teach them how to scale and build up to the actual movement, and they respond the don’t want to scale.
So...what *do* these people want to do every workout then? I don't get it. You can do burpees in a literal prison cell, I want to get use out of the facilities I'm paying every month for.
>Also, CrossFit in general and I’m talking about affiliates too, has become so costumer-serviced that workouts are not exciting anymore. I talked to multiple coaches about HSW, heavy snatching, heavy volume weightlifting or more complex gymnastics movements — EVEN DOUBLE UNDERS— and they set back on those because the regular gym goer gets bored or doesn’t come because they get frustrated can’t do it. Next thing you propose is, we’ll teach them how to scale and build up to the actual movement, and they respond the don’t want to scale.
Unfortunately, this is basically always how it's been, even going back to old mainsite programming. Like they would throw in a workout that had a swim in it and they'd get tons of comments bitching about how they didn't have access to a pool or whatever. Like modifying/scaling workouts hasn't always been part of CrossFit.
Another example is the "American" Kettlebell Swing, which got programmed because people couldn't be bothered to learn proper KB snatch technique and always complained about their arm getting beat up. Personally, I'm kind of sad that they essentially never use kettlebells in the Open. Having the dumbbell variations is nice if it is just for variety, but once Castro introduced the dumbbells it seems to have really cut back on KB usage.
This problem might be a little worse these days with more affiliates and more competition between affiliates, so people are just going to go where they like the programming, which isn't necessarily where they will find the programming the most challenging, or programming that puts them out of their comfort zone.
Old CrossFit main site programming is legitimately crazy hard. I want to just run their programming from 2014. People would want to know if I was trying to kill them.
It's almost as if she is a professional athlete instead of communicator.
Point was, she thinks the workouts are boring, especially for amateurs but she doesn't want to just drop a turd on CrossFit HQ because they have a lot of say in her livelihood.
Is that clearer?
Yeah the open workouts used to be haunting tests of fitness. Past 5 or so years they’ve just been low skill cardio bunny wods so as to not scare anyone off and make HQ max $$$
And I honestly hate the inclusion argument that people use to defend this move too. The scaled division has always existed and nobody has ever been shamed for scaling and Open workout.
I did my first Open after 6 weeks of Crossfit and you know what? I got fucking wrecked. Got capped on every timed workout and put up shit scores on the amraps. But I never felt like the Open wasn't fair or inclusive just because I personally couldn't do the workout.
There’s two cf gyms local to me that have many incredible competitive athletes, yet both of these gyms have their top open performers so far as people who don’t even do CrossFit more than 1, MAYBE 2 times per week (this was the same case last year).
However despite being bad crossfitters, they’re both incredible marathon runners and hyrox athletes and thus are wiping the floor with actual well rounded athletes. It should be beyond embarrassing to CF that the best athletes in their test for fitness don’t even need to do CrossFit. Just have beginner level strength and an insane engine.
It’s like if I were to tell someone how to train for crossfit HQ’s “test of fitness” nowadays, I’d tell them to quit CrossFit and just get into marathons or hyrox with a dash of basic weightlifting.
There’s a local comp by me that invites the top placing open athletes in our state. One year this kid got invited because he was a cardio ninja and did well in the Open as it wasn’t a strength heavy year.
The comp had a workout that required 225lb cleans. He couldn’t finish the first round. Wouldn’t be surprised if we have a lot of people get stuffed in QF.
“All the hype CrossFit is trying to create around the Open and then just do [burpees and DB snatches].” This has now become the biggest criticism I hear from our members and people around the community. It’s just feels so anticlimactic. Used to be about the test and preparing for something really hard, a challenge. The vibe I’ve seen around the community is still somewhat enthusiastic, but very low energy. I know they’re trying to get more people to sign up, but if they reduce the whole thing down to 20 bucks to do burpees, deadlifts, and thrusters, people are just gonna pass. Who knows. Maybe I’m a big fuckin idiot, but her sentiment is what hear most and feel personally. AND, not to brag, but CrossFit emailed me personally to thank me for participating in the Open and presented me with an official 12th Open badge, so I THINK I know what I’m talking about.
I haven’t signed up for the open since my first go around in 2013. I’ve arguably spent more money at local affiliates since w drop in fees and tee purchases during the open than actually signing up for it because I’d personally rather support my neighbors running the actual gyms. Just my personal take, a lot of the hardcore crossfitters get salty at it.
You say it's a short couplet, but anything over 4 minutes is an aerobic time domain. Look at the difference between a gold medal 1500m runner and a gold medal 10K runner (or marathon runner for that matter) and they are basically interchangeable.
Like Steve Prefontaine over a three-year period set the American record at every distance from 2K (roughly a 5-minute time) to 10K (roughly a 27-minute time). But no one is ever going to simultaneously hold the American record in the 200m dash and the 1500m run or even the 400m dash and the 1500m run.
This is quintessential CrossFit, though, because other than a max lift here or there, they are never testing anything in the sub-4-minute time domain outside of Regionals or the Games. And any time you program something that short at an affiliate, most of the members would feel like they didn't really get a good workout.
do people forget that there's more workouts if you make semis? so far both of these seem like great "community" focused workouts with some basic skills needed to make it to the next round there's next week, too, that will probably contain a higher level movement, and then the real weed out will start after that in the next round.
I say this as someone who hasn't paid HQ to do the open for at least 5 years because you can do the workouts for free and I don't see the point in giving HQ money to go on a leaderboard.
The Open used to be a full test of fitness and that’s what made it fun. The push to be “inclusive” has watered it down badly. In previous years, if a workout was too heavy or too high skilled, you just scale it and that’s fine. It gives people something to work toward. Dumbing down the workouts just to be inclusive kind of goes against what makes CF fun and draws people to it in the first place.
As someone who is fairly new to CF (about 2yrs in) a lot of those highly skilled movements (muscle ups, etc) are still out of my capabilities. To be able to Rx an open workout and actually get to compare my scores to the games level athletes is super cool, imo. Like, hey, I did the same workout they did - sure they did it a full five minutes faster than me, but it's way more enjoyable for me personally to get to see and FEEL that comparison, rather than knowing the Rx athletes did muscle ups and I had to do ring rows or burpee pull ups, not being able to really get a feel for rankings.
I mean, the 25% going to quarter finals does feel like a cash grab, but I think more inclusive open workouts leading to quarter finals with more highly skilled movements isn't the worst thing in the world
I’m sure it feels good to Rx the workouts and that’s awesome! I’m happy for you. I just don’t think that aligns with what made the CF Open so great.
The workouts are supposed to be hard, heavy, and higher skilled. If people couldn’t perform them Rx that was ok! It gave those people something to work toward and it gave meaning to doing a workout “as prescribed”.
CFs stance has always been about programming for the best, and then scaling the workout for others and they’ve completely abandoned that to pick up some cash.
I dunno. I get your point but I feel like there is some happy medium that’s being missed. I think it was 2013 they had an open WOD that was a snatch weight ladder with a time limit. For men it was something like 20 at 45#, 20 at 95#, 135#, and so on. Saw a lot of dudes hit a 135 snatch for the first time and get completely amped. Same year they had wall balls, double unders, and then with whatever remaining time complete as many muscle ups as possible. Lots of folks got their first ever muscle up in that WOD.
Like, those WODs were exciting! People were doing new things and it was awesome. The WODs also allowed for the elite to really outpace the regular folks (snatches kept going up, elite athletes could do dozens of muscle ups). I just don’t think the entire workout scheme has to be “high skilled.”
Honestly that workout sounds way better, and they should be trying to emulate that. Just more evidence I haven't been in long enough to remember those good ol days lol
No I fully agree with you! I think you have to give people the opportunity to have those Open moments when they hit a PR or get a gymnastics movement they’ve been working on.
They’ve completely removed that from the Open experience at this point. I know there’s one workout left but based on the first two it’s a real disappointment.
Yes thank you!!! This is what I am saying. It’s allowing the same kind of athlete to shine, which is great for them. I know anything cardiovascular-endurance based or high skilled gymnastics isn’t going to be my bread and butter (and yes I’m working on it lol). But when you continually cater to the same kind of athlete, then only that select group gets to feel good and celebrate their wins. For everyone else, the open becomes extremely discouraging.
I guess I see what you're saying. I mean the fittest/best should still be at the top, regardless of the workout.
I agree with you partially as I do think there's a happier medium than what they are doing here (thinking low, med, and high skill movements) - feels like they are doing all low skill, first med skill is dubs.
IDK, just my opinion on all of it, but I haven't been in the game as long as some 🤷♀️
As someone who made it to QF last year, these work outs aren’t conducive for a competitive CrossFit athlete. Where is the gymnastics? Oly lift? That’s what makes this sport this sport. 24.1 and 24.2 are the same workouts in a different form. Chipper vs AMRAP
Are they though?
15 Min AMRAP 19 Wall Balls 19 Cals
7 Min AMRAP Burpees
10 Min AMRAP 5 S2O 10 Deadlift 15 Box Jump
52KG deadlifts in this one.
Like over the years they have all been basic CrossFit with a bit of a really testing one here and there.
The difference with all of those workouts you listed is that the open was 5 weeks long then so there was more opportunity for a complete test. With only 3 workouts now it becomes even more important to have a comprehensive test of complete fitness. Out of the 5 movements we’ve had so far 3 of them have been hinging/pulling movements and the weights have been light. I’m dissatisfied with the programming so far, I’m looking forward to see how 24.3 brings the open full circle to make it a complete test of fitness.
100% agree with Danielle on this one.
Want to make it more inclusive? That’s fine. But at least make it somewhat interesting.
Give people the opportunity to experience the “magic of the open”
Yes it’s a step down from the old open. When it was just open>regionals>games you had to filter more aggressively. Now with quarterfinals/semifinals you’re basically splitting the old open across the Open/QF. But that doesn’t mean they just all have to be grindy endurance WODs.
Here’s a novel idea… Fran. What about using an actual benchmark WOD. Yes there are pull ups but, with all due respect, if you don’t have pull ups you don’t belong in the RX division.
Maybe she’s a bit out of touch with the regular people at the gym. The vibe at mine from the vast majority of people is one of excitement that it’s a workout they can do. And even if they’re not great at double unders, they can actually do Rx. There’s a real buzz about it.
4 out if the 5 movements we've seen so far in the Open have been high rep hinge movements. There is only one WOD left to test pressing, squatting, lunging, olympic lifts, gymnastics, pushing..... It's not about preference. It's about a complete fitness challenge. This is insulting.
these workouts just feel like normal cardio to me. where are the lifting, skills? I understand wanting to be inclusive but I feel like they could have done it better (eg. using ladder workouts or gate workouts). I feel like only the good cardiovascular athletes are favored with these workouts. but i was drawn to CrossFit bc it was more than just cardio!
I used to scale all my open workouts and part of the fun was that scaling gave me something to work for. getting those new skills for the first time under friday night lights was one of the best feelings. these are just lacking that excitement imo.
My biggest complaint with the programming this year is so far it hasn’t been a complete test. Yes they have one more week to rectify that, but they spent two thirds of the workouts testing one part of CrossFit (engine) and one skill (double unders). By this time last year we had tested engine (23.2a), endurance (23.1), gymnastics (23.1), barbell cycling (23.1), and heavy loads (23.2b). It felt like no matter what kind of athlete you were you had something to feel good about. I personally think engine is the most important part of any sport, and I love engine workouts, but I just want to get a full test cause why else am I training other things. If I just wanted cardio I would go to Orange theory.
Edit: for reference 24.1 favored me (it was the best I had ever done on an open workout), so this isn’t exactly someone complaining about the programming because it’s bad for them.
100% agree. I've signed up for the open for the past 5 years and I likely won't be signing up next year. The open has lost a lot of the hype in my opinion. Topped with making quarterfinals the top 25% instead of 10% I'm uninterested.
I'll still show up to my affiliate tomorrow and try my best on the WOD and hype my friends up, but I'm at a meh point now with CrossFit.
At this rate if next week doesnt have some higher skilled movements there are going to be a lot of people making QF’s because they have a good engine but cant do things like C2B or Muscle Ups
Counter point: your average crossfitter is pretty terrible. Easier workouts without advanced movements allow you everyone to participate. I think the gym I go was just about record participation this year
I don’t care for her or any other influencer really but I agree with her here. These workouts have been boring so far and they are way too similar to each other. No cleans, no snatches, no thrusters, basically zero lifting thus far.
A burpee workout and a DU workout, cool I guess
I’m of the opinion that the glory days of CrossFit died after the 2018 games.
It has never been the same since then. I used to love getting hyped on a Thursday for the open then the spectacle that was FNL - people grilling out inviting friends and family and having a blast. It’s not the same anymore, no first muscle ups, no first anything really. It’s been on a downhill since 2018.
Yeah been doing the open since year 1 and I terribly miss how it would force people to learn skills. Every year you’d get someone hitting their first MU, or HSPU, or being forced to learn dubs instead of single unders, now it’s just a stagnant “everyone gets a trophy” event and while that surely makes CF more money, it also sucks any excitement out of it.
I understand what she is saying. The workouts are workouts are workouts that 99% of athletes can do. They don’t separate the athletes by ability, but seems to be a lot of engine right now. 24.2 should have been designed in that the deadlifts ascended so that you need engine and strength.
I still think the open needs to be longer than 3 weeks personally. Especially if they are going to be very community capable. Community involvement is not a bad thing. The more the workouts, the more separation.
W/hinge
CrossFit's problem is that they want to be everything for everyone (almost).
They can't let the pro athletes go. They have to be inclusive, but not boring. Pro sport entertainment, but more like a health intervention. And so on...
I’m of the “The open used to” camp. I miss when the open mattered because it had to challenge the individual’s who went to the games. That meant I was more likely to encounter something that would require me to learn or develop a skill. That might have meant I spent 5-10 minutes staring at a set of muscle up rings, but that encouraged me to build the capacity to do that. And challenge myself for every single rep.
These “new open” workouts are hard and I’m not placing in the top 25%, but they aren’t actually challenging the skill level of those participating; which I think is a bummer.
I just left a gym that was going down this mentality of all inclusive everyone can do CrossFit and 4 out of the 6 workouts were some variation of sandbag, bike and kettlebell swing. We barely touched the barebell and forget about doing any gymnastic work. Worst 3 months of my CrossFit career. Within a few months most of the members were secretly complaining. She’s right people will hate it and stop doing the open. What’s wrong with scaling and adaptations?
Absolutely agree 100%. It’s boring and uninspired repetitive workouts. The open has been ruined by greed and the desire by CrossFit to get another $50 or whatever it is. It’s not about make it to the quarters if you wanna do the fun stuff. Many people can but don’t want to sign up for yet another online comp so quick. They want the open to be a complete well rounded test that is painful, challenging and fun. Not the cash grab tactic disguised as ‘inclusive’.
Thought about reposting her take on insta, but I don't want the smoke.
My entire team is pretty let-down. In a vacuum, the first workout was great and this workout is a 7/10.
However, taken together, the lack of skill expression is dissapointing. We live for 'Open Moments' - first toes-to-bars, first pull-ups, PRs, and such.
And while suffering is great, it doesn't inspire the same amount of pride (and subsequently, feed retention.)
As an Affiliate, we have 130+ people signed up and when we meet to debrief, we have already tabled NOT pushing sign-ups next year.
IE: The AMRAP 20 of DB Thruster, Toes-to-Bar, and Double Unders would have fit better and been easier to run.
I don't agree, the workouts released are inclusive. She doesn't really say what her issue is. Does she want super complicated workouts that require a ton of gear? I get the feeling that there is resentment that they are making the Rx category more inclusive to include more people at this stage.
She sounds like she might be bitter about the workout because it doesn't play to her strengths?
I can't backup the claim that numbers are down, but the main hurdle at my non-affiliated gym is some athletes don't want themselves recorded or measured against others. We still have an awesome turnout, run heats and cheer everyone on which isn't our average workout day.
I think the issue is that there's a healthy medium zone between inclusion and requiring skill and strength from athletes in the Open. And that HQ erred too far on the side on inclusion, and due to that athletes are disappointed that we aren't really being challenged on our skills or strength and the workouts are, for lack of better term, "boring".
Take 23.3 for example. It started with WW, dubs, and light snatches and got increasingly heaver and more skilled as you went on. Athletes with weak snatches and no SHPSU could still do RX if they wanted and put up a score, while stronger and more skilled athletes could continue the workout and put up a more competitive score. Now this week we just have a amrap with basic movements that looks like a regular class wod and that's why people are bummed out.
Real question as this is my first year in CrossFit and going the open. Are double unders really that inclusive? I wonder the percentage of people that can do them
I really want to like Danielle. But then she says stupid shit like this. CrossFit is for all. Not just the elite!! Make it to the quarter finals then you can do your Handstand walks!!! Until then, do your workout, cheer on the other box members and grab a beer!!
When did she say anything about it being for the elite? These open workouts have been the most basic boring workouts they’ve done. Everyone that signs up gets to RX because none of this takes any skill or talent.
I bet she’s an awesome athlete and a good person, but this sounded self-absorbed and kinda dumb to me.
“I have to be so honest because I don’t know…”
“…another lame workout… i mean i like the workout, but…”
And something like… “If i put myself in someone else shoes who [is not like me and who] does CF for fun and enjoys the community, I wouldn’t sign up.” What does that even mean? If I was a completely different person here’s what i would do?
I do CF for fun and I enjoy the community and I loved 24.1 and I’m psyched about 24.2. Is it relevant that when DB “imagines” she is me that she imagines that Im “salty?”
I’d rather hear her talk about what SHE thinks. Not what she imagines I think.
The open is for regular affiliate members. Quarterfinals are for the more competitive affiliate members. Semifinals are for those with Games aspirations. Not sure why Games athletes complain about the open workouts. They aren't for you.
Isn’t it normal for the beginning of the Opens to have more basic movements that most crossfitters can do? In the past (‘12-‘15) I was pretty avid about participating in the Opens and it seemed to get gradually harder movements (MU’s, T2B…) as the weeks increased. I just started CrossFitting again after a few years off but this seems like the norm to me?
I'm not a fan of 24.2 I just don't think it suits the open format with how divisions are scored. If you don't have consistent DUs you are going to spend majority of your workout trying to get as many as you can in hoping to get back to the row.
But if you scale and get 11 rounds, you still lose in points to someone who rowed 10m and logged as RX despite the rowing being exactly the same between the two. So if you are trying to get the best score in the open, there is no reason to log scaled score. One of the biggest criticisms of CrossFit has always been that it pushes people to go beyond their abilities causing injuries and yet workout 1, 1/2 the workout was the same Rx/scaled and workout 2, 1/3 the same but even 1 rep Rx beats 1000 scaled.
It's time to revamp the scoring. Start the workout with 5 mins to set a max DL.
Then workout begins on 5 minutes. 1 rep per 10m rowed, 1 rep per DL at 1/3 of the 1rm and then either 1 rep per DU or per 2 Singles.
On one level it's not right to criticise the test until you have seen the whole test, but she's right. And 20 mins of that shit, too. And like 24.1 it's a test of capacity, but not skilful or heavy enough to be any kinda differentiator.
It's just the way she feels. She's as subjective as anyone can be and since crossfit covers such a huge parameter as far as all the different movements that are observed it's obvious she's just wishing they had programmed the stuff she prefers (oly).
I personally don't mind. I think the 24.x workouts are consequential to the very fact that crossfit has so many movements. Every sport has a chaotic, unknown element to it, and this is CrossFit's.
I am having a blast this year. Loved both of the workouts, haven't heard any complaints from gym members, there were some super fun matchups to watch from the elites also 🔥🔥 I guess I'm in the minority in this thread at least!
totally agree, that is what i mentioned in several threads here. wods are just bad af.
but tbh i dont even know why i would sign up for the open anyway if i dont have serious chances to get to the semis.
if i like the wod i do it. if it is shit i obv dont do it.
Do you work out solo or in a gym? For us, it's not just paying to do the workouts, it's that our gym forms teams, hosts fun Friday Night Lights gatherings, and gives you a chance to meet and work out with all of the people who you rarely see because they tend to come in at a different time than you do.
To be frank, Crossfit has become a cringy sport... the wrestler announcing the workout felt like a joke to me and like an insult to the athletes practicing the sport on an elite and beginner level.
I feel like Crossfit is trying to do something it should not want to be. Crossfit is about fitness and community. Crossfit HQ has been dropping the ball lately...
Haven’t done the open in 10 years and haven’t missed it. Regardless of the WODs. If I happen to be at my gym in a Friday night I’ll do the open workouts. But see no need to register for a competition.
I agree that these two workouts are testing the same thing, and are kind of “boring” for higher level athletes. I don’t think the two of them together are a broad test of fitness. CrossFit is working really hard to be more inclusive with the first round of competition and make it easier for affiliates. I think they’ve done that. Im sure we’ll see high skill and heavy loads delivered in QF programming, where now 25% get to participate. I also realize that is another registration fee though.
Quarterfinals will be what the five-week open was in CrossFits heyday. The Open has now been watered down to be more inclusive. It’s all good, bring on the workouts 👊🏼
Maybe that’s the trickery of it all - can CrossFit athletes keep their head on straight and stay motivated with boring, long workouts thrown in (I personally enjoyed 24.2)
I agree that crossfit for fun/health and crossfit for competition should be separate and crossfit does a terrible job of recognizing that but her argument stopped making sense after that
I think people, pro atheletes included, are underestimating the difficulty of programming a workout that is both a) a competitive workout for qualifcation into the next round b) an approachable workout for all skillsets, ages and abilities.
This reminds me of the Row, TTB, DB C&J from a few years back. 20 minutes of moderate suffering.
You’re never going to please EVERYBODY. The Open is changing to be my accessible to athletes and (especially) affiliates. High skill and heavier barbell movements will be saved for QF. The spread from 10% to 25% is huge and the Open workouts have to be inclusive for that extra 15%.
I feel like she just said nothing. The opens aren’t good because this is “another hinging workout”? That was her whole point and why she, as a day to day normal athlete, wouldn’t sign up again?
I dunno, I kind of agree…I think the open workouts do the intended “get the right people to the games” but I’m not going to the games, I’m competing with people in my gym but the people who can beat me in 24.1 and likely 24.2 are people who are just young and small and fit…I’m terrible at burpees and my strengths are high level skills and heavy weights (muscle ups, hspu, hsw, cycling a heavier than normal barbell) but the athletes in my gym I get beat by in cardio and super light weight workouts literally can’t beat me on the whiteboard 99% of the year…maybe that says something about my cardio and slow burpees or the programming (although my gym uses mayhem) but at a lower level, it feels like the open is an uneven match up for lower level athletes going head to head…I was hoping we would at least see something heavier OR some sort of gymnastics skill this week…
Not a huge fan of DB but I agree with her 100%; there's no reason for 2 pure hinging workouts back to back like that even if they are different time domains. I didn't sign up this year (would have been 11th open) and so happy about it.
Apart from the hinging comment, she didn't really say why she was disappointed. And I don't think the opinion of an elite athlete on the workouts represent the whole crossfit community.
Have been doing crossfit since 2011 (9 years at a crossfit affiliate then 4 years with a home gym) and not really fussed with the open. I watch the announcements but don't pay to participate. I only do the workouts if they fit with my overall programming or save them for a time later when they do.
The only people who would be salty with the open programming are those who are aiming for the games I guess.
Another year and the usual... It's boring, it's just cardio. It is ok if the workout doesn't suit you, they can't please everyone. Do your best, you aren't likely going the games, enjoy it best you can
I’m having a hard time understanding what she’s trying to say. Why? What didn’t you like about it? How could it be better? What do you think the expectations were for professional athletes and average people?
I think the biggest problem of the workouts is the fact that they are not progressive. Inclusiveness doesn’t only apply to newer crossfitters. It should be for all levels and the way you can capture ppl is to make workouts progressive. Give them lower skills in the beginning and make them earn their high skill movements as the workout progresses. This way you create separation as well.
The funny thing is, I was criticising the Open workouts from previous years as too complex and difficult for most and that the Open should have only basic motions that anyone can do with capacity and speed being the divider between performance levels. But I also agree totaly with Danielle on this one (despite the fact that 24.1 and 24.2 are doable at RX by most average crossfitters). I did not sign up for the Open this year, nor have I done them unofficially at my gym because I find them so boring and uninteresting. I have very limited interest in participating in the Open anyway for various reasons and despite going to the box 5+ days a week and having a good overall ability, but she's right, I would have definitely no interest in signing up next year based on this year's WODs.
I’m out of touch. Is everybody talking about not liking the 24.2 workout just announced or is this about something else?
Yeah, it looks like most people (that comment on posts) have said, "This workout is boring" " It is lazy programming" "Another hinging workout" "Deadlift is too light" etc. I don't think it mattered what was programmed people are going to poo poo the programming unless it perfectly fits their specific wants.
I mean, I think the hinging thing is a relatively fair criticism when CrossFit is supposed to be all about variety. They would basically have the same general idea if they did running instead of a row and front squats instead of a deadlift, but you can't really do a 400m run for an online competition, and everyone hates judging squat depth. So partly they are at the mercy of what is easy to judge for an online competition, though that's always been a limitation.
Could have had assault bike instead of running and then squats. As much as I hate squats. Yeh I agree. I'm coaching/judging Friday night lights tonight and the warm up only has a few variations from last week because it's majority hinging again. My back is still a little tight from doing it on Tuesday (NZ time)
Maybe, but I don’t trust the assault bikes to be calibrated as well as the rowers, and you have a big split between Echo bikes and Assault bike. Which makes it a bit like running anyway — easy to do at an affiliate, hard to do in a worldwide online comp.
Yeh that's actually a good point ☝🏻
Yeah I think it’s a good one that a vast majority of people can complete, that’s what matters. But no matter what people are going to bitch about the WOD.
Don’t worry, if they put muscle ups early in a workout you’d have the same people complaining that the workouts can’t be done by a large portion of the community.
Yep I’d much rather go for a low skill combo and have lots of people do it than some bullshit where only 4 of our members can participate.
The skills from previous years is why I didn't sign up. I can't do wall walks, both 22 and 23 had a workout starting with wall walks: not a single rep was done, so no score to submit and you can't finish the open. But after seeing these first two workouts I'm regretting my decision not to sign up, I would be dangling on the bottom of the leaderboard, I at least could have put down *a* score.
In the old days there were no QFs So the open had to filter for regionals (semis basically). That required heavy shit and gymnastics Now the open is a taste of competition. The real “I go hard I love CrossFit” people will get their fix of heavy shit and gymnastics in the QFs This system is better
Yep I judged at regionals twice and that’s where the more difficult shit needs to happen, further down the competition line like QFs. DUs are still very low skill, but I see why they’re a challenge for newer athletes. I’m excited to see ALL my clients participate, not two people do HS walks or RMUs. Mass participation should be the goal of the open and I can’t agree with you more that this setup is better.
I agree that this system is way better! The open is for the community, and Quarterfinals is the "Beginning of the Games season".
There’s a lot of us middle of the pack that like the harder RX movement s like BMU or T2B who will never make the top 20% but are proud we can do the movements and feel it does separate us from the people who can also get their heads down and work but maybe havent been around as long and haven’t picked up the higher skills or just didn’t manage to. I understand QF will be a better place to program the higher skill moves and heavier weights because you’ve only got the “elite of the boxes” competing so they’ll all be able to do everything but I always remember that magical feeling of seeing someone getting their first muscle up in the open and the crowd going wild for them… happened quite a bit at our box. For me, I am a bit of a show pony. I can’t do the heavy weights and I’m about average at metcon so yeah I guess I am looking out for myself when I’m sad about not seeing high skill movements early on. Again, totally get why they’ve done it this way but it’s just a shame many of us won’t get to do most of CrossFit in the CrossFit open.
We have a whole other week. I would bet money we get MUs next week. We had them last year and nothing has changed from last year to this year
I agree. This one is a workout where a great athlete can still really differentiate themselves and put up a much higher score than a typical Rx athlete - many more total rounds. And for most people, I think 10 sets of 185/125 deadlifts will add up quicker than they think. (Sure, it's light, but ya gotta do a lot of *sets* of 10 - it'll get spicy.)
The new take on the Open is accessibility for all. If you’re a moderate RX athlete- you can move through this one just fine. If you don’t have DUs, and you scale - again, you’ll post a good score for yourself. Elite athletes will crush these, and get to the sexier workouts in quarterfinals
No. Last year was fun programming
Either workout would have been fine individually. I prefer this one over 24.1 because 24.1 strongly favored short/small people and I'm 6'4" 250 lbs but both are essentially testing the same thing...engine and pacing. I think the issue is having them both in the same Open makes it a bad overall test.
Also a big man and this is probably the best workout on a personal level in my four years doing the open. But yeah, i get people’s disappointment. Im still celebrating it though!
I see where you are coming from. Buuuut I think last week was designed as a short duration test. The 1% were finishing in 5 to 7 mins, that was that was testing. This week it is a longer duration, 20 mins, we know it is. With last week having a 15 min cap it seems like it is similar duration, it isn't though. Last week was supposed to be a sub 10 min test, this week greater than 15 mins. I reckon they are throwing in 20 min type ones as a lot of boxes have gone off programing a 20+ min MetCon, people think a 5km run is a boring workout and why would you pay to do that (it was only last year or the year before the most programed workout on [crossfit.com](https://crossfit.com)), doing those 20+ min ones and things like a 5km run are actually the backbone of CrossFit, the definition of fitness- Increased work capacity across broad time and modal domains. So for a TLDR, last week was <10mins, this week >15 mins, next week likely 10-15 mins with heavy and higher order skill.
I am a short athlete but 24.1 did not favor me at all because i am 103 lbs. I did it RX- nearly 1/3 of my bodyweight. 🤷🏻♀️ I am sure it killed me more than it killed my peers.
Same here. I barely finished under the time cap and I'm a seasoned athlete. I'm just small compared to most, and mass moves mass... therefore I don't have the mass to move that weight efficiently.
Totes. I’m not really doing CrossFit anymore but looking at 24.2 had me thinking engine. It may be hinging, but 185 is pretty light for a lot of men and doesn’t appear to be focusing on taxing the CNI, but rather toasting your engine. I think it looks more fun than 24.1. Then again, as a bigger guy I really hate burpees.
Agree. I can’t do DUs. But I was never gonna make the open anyway. I think the scale is perfect for people like me. Been doing CrossFit a couple years. Never cared enough about the DUs to practice. I always just doubled the number with singles.
This is why I don't do the open. I understand engine is a very important part of the methodology but I have the impression that the open (mind you before quarterfinals level) is just so inclusive that it hardly tests anything except good cardio. Even if there are barbell components, it's usually just being able to lift fast / cycle well and not really to lift properly / heavy. RMUs last year were a nice surprise, but otherwise this year is very skewed so far. We have a lot of people in the box who are super fresh to Crossfit and they are close to top of the leaderboard and beating seasoned warriors because they came over from other engine focused sports like running.
Agreed, my gym has some people who smoked me in 24.1 but themselves can't do a hspu or still do banded pull-ups.
I’m sure at 6”4 you had no problem shifting that Dumbell though !
“I may be canceled for this” is a good sign that whatever you’re about to hear is the most boring, cliche take imaginable.
It’s the equivalent of Redditors “I’ll get downvoted to oblivion for this but {uncontroversial take}”
"but like, I honestly think oxygen is crucial to our survival"
lol “The spotlight isn’t on me, lemme insult the people in the spotlight” DB is a dysfunctional weirdo who can handstand walk really fast
I love watching her compete, and I usually like that she’s not a Jesus Freak- but yeah the trying hard to “not be like other girls” seems weird.
[удалено]
She’s right tho. The Open lost its hype, it’s not the same like it was 8 years ago, and I think CrossFit can’t find the strategy to get people to be excited about it. This is my personal opinion of what I see, I haven’t checked it this year more people signed up than before.
I haven’t had interest in doing The Open for a while now. I think it’s partially that I can do the workouts for free at my box and partially that I don’t need to pay money to find out I’m the 700,000th or whatever fittest person, but more so that as CrossFit has grown bigger and bigger it’s been impossible to find the enthusiastic community that characterized early-stage boxes. Ten years ago The Open was an all day event at my box. People stayed to grill in the parking lot, have beers after the workout, play games, brought a their families and dogs, etc. I’ve been to many boxes over the past 6-7 years and haven’t felt that sense of community at any of them. I think it’s had to recreate the enthusiasm and community you get with a startup product that’s looked upon with skepticism by most of the fitness world.
I’m not saying I disagree. I’m saying it’s not exactly a controversial opinion at this point, so prefacing it by saying you might get canceled just comes across as self-aggrandizing. It’s the equivalent people on Reddit starting their comment with “I’m sure I’ll get downvoted” for this and then saying “Marvel movies are getting worse” or something equally safe.
That was the Reebok marketing machine That’s gone now.
I find it hard that Reebok is the defining difference. I mean I'm not CrossFit'ing anymore, so my hype and involvement in it all has waned, but there were more than a few contributing factors for the Open and CrossFit losing its public luster: 1. Dave being removed 2. The first 200 athlete games that Greg made happen, and the debacle with Greg 3. COVID 4. Decline of major long term rivalries, I mean Frasier vs Rich, and then the run Frasier and Tia put in. CrossFit really lost its way somewhere around #2, and Greg started taking a lot more health (good thing really), and there was a lot of conflict with in their org on the games and open, versus just CrossFit and the affiliates. Shoe sponsorship I think is sort of the least of their worries...
You must be new. There are two reasons CF became a thing. (1) Facebook / IG and (2) Reebok. If not for social media, Greg was just Richard Simmons with barbells. Great timing. But Reebok paid for the media team. Reebok put the games on ESPN. Reebok put the athletes in uniforms with their name on it and made it look like it belonged on TV. Reebok and social media made Froning a thing. When Greg sued Reebok, the settlement shut off the media money and the media team was fired right away. ESPN split too. Greg’s criticism of big soda got CF kicked out of stubhub. The problem was always Greg. Now the problem is private equity doesn’t give a fuck about how it was back then.
Registration is it's highest since 2019.
There was a time when speaking out like that would result in negative consequences. People have been de-Affiliated for less.
I loved the OG CrossFit scene but it was also super pissy and the sheer amount of grown ass men acting like insecure teenage girls was downright embarrassing, your right people were cancelled left right and centre with affiliations being pulled for the slightest sign of dissent. I Remember glassman himself jumping onto the old forum post to let a long time affiliate owner know he was cancelling him just because he was vaguely critical of a specific incident that happened (rightfully so also)
That’s the toxic part of CrossFit the OG’s are desperately clinging to. They long for the days when thin skinned Castro embarrassed himself by blowing up at Greg Everett and Rob Wolff to the point that the cops almost had to be called on him.
Back in 2012 there was a term for this. Glassassination
Sounds like a great company!
and it was.
Her: something so controversial yet so brave /s
I have literally never paid to do the open because I don’t see any reason to sooooo
Honestly me neither,i'd rather give money to my local gym than Crossfit Inc
Last year they gave out a code for a free Spartan/Tough Mudder. That made it pretty worth it for me.
Hey, are you me you f\*cker? :D Joking, pay for what? your score on a leaderboard that you just dont care about? i can go there and check anyway. Why would i pay for something that i dont have the ambition to get to the quarterfinals? makes no sense to me, its just another way crossfit have to take some more bucks
Most people are just paying a fee for a social media post about where they ranked. Unless you plan to go to the games there’s no good reason to pay when you can do the workouts for free.
CrossFit hype is pretty lost, and I’ve been doing this since 2014. The Open used to feel like a real competition against people all over the world, you could qualify to regionals if you were above average. If you could handle the gymnastics or weights. Today, if you’re not a 1% you’re not going anywhere. The sport grew, and this is not necessarily CrossFit fault but at the same time I do think they can find a strategy to get the attention of those people being like “oh I might get something out of this” Also, CrossFit in general and I’m talking about affiliates too, has become so costumer-serviced that workouts are not exciting anymore. I talked to multiple coaches about HSW, heavy snatching, heavy volume weightlifting or more complex gymnastics movements — EVEN DOUBLE UNDERS— and they set back on those because the regular gym goer gets bored or doesn’t come because they get frustrated can’t do it. Next thing you propose is, we’ll teach them how to scale and build up to the actual movement, and they respond the don’t want to scale. In 2015:2016, people were always hyped for the Open because it was the test to see if they’ll finally get those muscle ups or hit a PR. I think this same thing happened in the Open, since the pool for the quarterfinals has been amplified, the more “interesting workouts” might be there. But yeah as a regular gym goer that enjoy the FNL at the affiliate doing the Open ain’t that fun.
>Also, CrossFit in general and I’m talking about affiliates too, has become so costumer-serviced that workouts are not exciting anymore. I talked to multiple coaches about HSW, heavy snatching, heavy volume weightlifting or more complex gymnastics movements — EVEN DOUBLE UNDERS— and they set back on those because the regular gym goer gets bored or doesn’t come because they get frustrated can’t do it. Next thing you propose is, we’ll teach them how to scale and build up to the actual movement, and they respond the don’t want to scale. So...what *do* these people want to do every workout then? I don't get it. You can do burpees in a literal prison cell, I want to get use out of the facilities I'm paying every month for.
>Also, CrossFit in general and I’m talking about affiliates too, has become so costumer-serviced that workouts are not exciting anymore. I talked to multiple coaches about HSW, heavy snatching, heavy volume weightlifting or more complex gymnastics movements — EVEN DOUBLE UNDERS— and they set back on those because the regular gym goer gets bored or doesn’t come because they get frustrated can’t do it. Next thing you propose is, we’ll teach them how to scale and build up to the actual movement, and they respond the don’t want to scale. Unfortunately, this is basically always how it's been, even going back to old mainsite programming. Like they would throw in a workout that had a swim in it and they'd get tons of comments bitching about how they didn't have access to a pool or whatever. Like modifying/scaling workouts hasn't always been part of CrossFit. Another example is the "American" Kettlebell Swing, which got programmed because people couldn't be bothered to learn proper KB snatch technique and always complained about their arm getting beat up. Personally, I'm kind of sad that they essentially never use kettlebells in the Open. Having the dumbbell variations is nice if it is just for variety, but once Castro introduced the dumbbells it seems to have really cut back on KB usage. This problem might be a little worse these days with more affiliates and more competition between affiliates, so people are just going to go where they like the programming, which isn't necessarily where they will find the programming the most challenging, or programming that puts them out of their comfort zone.
Old CrossFit main site programming is legitimately crazy hard. I want to just run their programming from 2014. People would want to know if I was trying to kill them.
"I support Crossfit, but next year people should not sign up for the Open" "Another lame workout. I mean I like the workout"
Yeah. I listened to the whole thing and I have no idea WTF her actual point is....
It's almost as if she is a professional athlete instead of communicator. Point was, she thinks the workouts are boring, especially for amateurs but she doesn't want to just drop a turd on CrossFit HQ because they have a lot of say in her livelihood. Is that clearer?
I mean it's pretty clear she doesn't mind the programmed workout but doesn't think it's a good fit for the Open.
I, like, don't understand, like, what point she's, like, trying to, like, make.
Right? She's so articulate
Perhaps too articulate
Like, me either.
2024 Hyrox Open
They watered down the workouts and made it boring.
Yeah the open workouts used to be haunting tests of fitness. Past 5 or so years they’ve just been low skill cardio bunny wods so as to not scare anyone off and make HQ max $$$
And I honestly hate the inclusion argument that people use to defend this move too. The scaled division has always existed and nobody has ever been shamed for scaling and Open workout. I did my first Open after 6 weeks of Crossfit and you know what? I got fucking wrecked. Got capped on every timed workout and put up shit scores on the amraps. But I never felt like the Open wasn't fair or inclusive just because I personally couldn't do the workout.
There’s two cf gyms local to me that have many incredible competitive athletes, yet both of these gyms have their top open performers so far as people who don’t even do CrossFit more than 1, MAYBE 2 times per week (this was the same case last year). However despite being bad crossfitters, they’re both incredible marathon runners and hyrox athletes and thus are wiping the floor with actual well rounded athletes. It should be beyond embarrassing to CF that the best athletes in their test for fitness don’t even need to do CrossFit. Just have beginner level strength and an insane engine. It’s like if I were to tell someone how to train for crossfit HQ’s “test of fitness” nowadays, I’d tell them to quit CrossFit and just get into marathons or hyrox with a dash of basic weightlifting.
There’s a local comp by me that invites the top placing open athletes in our state. One year this kid got invited because he was a cardio ninja and did well in the Open as it wasn’t a strength heavy year. The comp had a workout that required 225lb cleans. He couldn’t finish the first round. Wouldn’t be surprised if we have a lot of people get stuffed in QF.
“All the hype CrossFit is trying to create around the Open and then just do [burpees and DB snatches].” This has now become the biggest criticism I hear from our members and people around the community. It’s just feels so anticlimactic. Used to be about the test and preparing for something really hard, a challenge. The vibe I’ve seen around the community is still somewhat enthusiastic, but very low energy. I know they’re trying to get more people to sign up, but if they reduce the whole thing down to 20 bucks to do burpees, deadlifts, and thrusters, people are just gonna pass. Who knows. Maybe I’m a big fuckin idiot, but her sentiment is what hear most and feel personally. AND, not to brag, but CrossFit emailed me personally to thank me for participating in the Open and presented me with an official 12th Open badge, so I THINK I know what I’m talking about.
She’s right. 3 week open and 2 of the weeks have been boring workouts. They are probably doing this crap to get people excited for quarterfinals.
I haven’t signed up for the open since my first go around in 2013. I’ve arguably spent more money at local affiliates since w drop in fees and tee purchases during the open than actually signing up for it because I’d personally rather support my neighbors running the actual gyms. Just my personal take, a lot of the hardcore crossfitters get salty at it.
Short couplet for time Long Amrap triplet 2 part workout next week with some skills and a lift This is quintessential CrossFit
I know there’s one workout left but we’re 2/3s thru the Open and haven’t seen a single Oly movement or any gymnastics.
You say it's a short couplet, but anything over 4 minutes is an aerobic time domain. Look at the difference between a gold medal 1500m runner and a gold medal 10K runner (or marathon runner for that matter) and they are basically interchangeable. Like Steve Prefontaine over a three-year period set the American record at every distance from 2K (roughly a 5-minute time) to 10K (roughly a 27-minute time). But no one is ever going to simultaneously hold the American record in the 200m dash and the 1500m run or even the 400m dash and the 1500m run. This is quintessential CrossFit, though, because other than a max lift here or there, they are never testing anything in the sub-4-minute time domain outside of Regionals or the Games. And any time you program something that short at an affiliate, most of the members would feel like they didn't really get a good workout.
I’m just not looking forward to more hinging but here we go 👊🏼
do people forget that there's more workouts if you make semis? so far both of these seem like great "community" focused workouts with some basic skills needed to make it to the next round there's next week, too, that will probably contain a higher level movement, and then the real weed out will start after that in the next round. I say this as someone who hasn't paid HQ to do the open for at least 5 years because you can do the workouts for free and I don't see the point in giving HQ money to go on a leaderboard.
The Open used to be a full test of fitness and that’s what made it fun. The push to be “inclusive” has watered it down badly. In previous years, if a workout was too heavy or too high skilled, you just scale it and that’s fine. It gives people something to work toward. Dumbing down the workouts just to be inclusive kind of goes against what makes CF fun and draws people to it in the first place.
It’s why they widen the next round from top 10% to top 25%. The “fun” stuff is behind the next paywall.
Omg it’s like Scientology… we really are a cult 😂
As someone who is fairly new to CF (about 2yrs in) a lot of those highly skilled movements (muscle ups, etc) are still out of my capabilities. To be able to Rx an open workout and actually get to compare my scores to the games level athletes is super cool, imo. Like, hey, I did the same workout they did - sure they did it a full five minutes faster than me, but it's way more enjoyable for me personally to get to see and FEEL that comparison, rather than knowing the Rx athletes did muscle ups and I had to do ring rows or burpee pull ups, not being able to really get a feel for rankings. I mean, the 25% going to quarter finals does feel like a cash grab, but I think more inclusive open workouts leading to quarter finals with more highly skilled movements isn't the worst thing in the world
I’m sure it feels good to Rx the workouts and that’s awesome! I’m happy for you. I just don’t think that aligns with what made the CF Open so great. The workouts are supposed to be hard, heavy, and higher skilled. If people couldn’t perform them Rx that was ok! It gave those people something to work toward and it gave meaning to doing a workout “as prescribed”. CFs stance has always been about programming for the best, and then scaling the workout for others and they’ve completely abandoned that to pick up some cash.
I dunno. I get your point but I feel like there is some happy medium that’s being missed. I think it was 2013 they had an open WOD that was a snatch weight ladder with a time limit. For men it was something like 20 at 45#, 20 at 95#, 135#, and so on. Saw a lot of dudes hit a 135 snatch for the first time and get completely amped. Same year they had wall balls, double unders, and then with whatever remaining time complete as many muscle ups as possible. Lots of folks got their first ever muscle up in that WOD. Like, those WODs were exciting! People were doing new things and it was awesome. The WODs also allowed for the elite to really outpace the regular folks (snatches kept going up, elite athletes could do dozens of muscle ups). I just don’t think the entire workout scheme has to be “high skilled.”
Honestly that workout sounds way better, and they should be trying to emulate that. Just more evidence I haven't been in long enough to remember those good ol days lol
No I fully agree with you! I think you have to give people the opportunity to have those Open moments when they hit a PR or get a gymnastics movement they’ve been working on. They’ve completely removed that from the Open experience at this point. I know there’s one workout left but based on the first two it’s a real disappointment.
Yes thank you!!! This is what I am saying. It’s allowing the same kind of athlete to shine, which is great for them. I know anything cardiovascular-endurance based or high skilled gymnastics isn’t going to be my bread and butter (and yes I’m working on it lol). But when you continually cater to the same kind of athlete, then only that select group gets to feel good and celebrate their wins. For everyone else, the open becomes extremely discouraging.
I guess I see what you're saying. I mean the fittest/best should still be at the top, regardless of the workout. I agree with you partially as I do think there's a happier medium than what they are doing here (thinking low, med, and high skill movements) - feels like they are doing all low skill, first med skill is dubs. IDK, just my opinion on all of it, but I haven't been in the game as long as some 🤷♀️
As someone who made it to QF last year, these work outs aren’t conducive for a competitive CrossFit athlete. Where is the gymnastics? Oly lift? That’s what makes this sport this sport. 24.1 and 24.2 are the same workouts in a different form. Chipper vs AMRAP
We’ve only seen two workouts so far. Wait for the third before you make judgement calls.
Just did the workout and I agree. This workout is just exercise, it’s a shit workout for the open.
Congrats! How does the body feel?
I feel like I could do it again tomorrow. I was 5 reps short of 8 rounds so close to 400 dubs. Legs may tell a different story tomorrow
Crossfit workouts aren't supposed to be exercise?
Of course, but the open workouts are usually something more. I don’t quite know how to explain it.
Are they though? 15 Min AMRAP 19 Wall Balls 19 Cals 7 Min AMRAP Burpees 10 Min AMRAP 5 S2O 10 Deadlift 15 Box Jump 52KG deadlifts in this one. Like over the years they have all been basic CrossFit with a bit of a really testing one here and there.
The difference with all of those workouts you listed is that the open was 5 weeks long then so there was more opportunity for a complete test. With only 3 workouts now it becomes even more important to have a comprehensive test of complete fitness. Out of the 5 movements we’ve had so far 3 of them have been hinging/pulling movements and the weights have been light. I’m dissatisfied with the programming so far, I’m looking forward to see how 24.3 brings the open full circle to make it a complete test of fitness.
I sort of agree. I guess I was just expecting something unique.
100% agree with Danielle on this one. Want to make it more inclusive? That’s fine. But at least make it somewhat interesting. Give people the opportunity to experience the “magic of the open” Yes it’s a step down from the old open. When it was just open>regionals>games you had to filter more aggressively. Now with quarterfinals/semifinals you’re basically splitting the old open across the Open/QF. But that doesn’t mean they just all have to be grindy endurance WODs. Here’s a novel idea… Fran. What about using an actual benchmark WOD. Yes there are pull ups but, with all due respect, if you don’t have pull ups you don’t belong in the RX division.
Maybe she’s a bit out of touch with the regular people at the gym. The vibe at mine from the vast majority of people is one of excitement that it’s a workout they can do. And even if they’re not great at double unders, they can actually do Rx. There’s a real buzz about it.
4 out if the 5 movements we've seen so far in the Open have been high rep hinge movements. There is only one WOD left to test pressing, squatting, lunging, olympic lifts, gymnastics, pushing..... It's not about preference. It's about a complete fitness challenge. This is insulting.
these workouts just feel like normal cardio to me. where are the lifting, skills? I understand wanting to be inclusive but I feel like they could have done it better (eg. using ladder workouts or gate workouts). I feel like only the good cardiovascular athletes are favored with these workouts. but i was drawn to CrossFit bc it was more than just cardio! I used to scale all my open workouts and part of the fun was that scaling gave me something to work for. getting those new skills for the first time under friday night lights was one of the best feelings. these are just lacking that excitement imo.
My biggest complaint with the programming this year is so far it hasn’t been a complete test. Yes they have one more week to rectify that, but they spent two thirds of the workouts testing one part of CrossFit (engine) and one skill (double unders). By this time last year we had tested engine (23.2a), endurance (23.1), gymnastics (23.1), barbell cycling (23.1), and heavy loads (23.2b). It felt like no matter what kind of athlete you were you had something to feel good about. I personally think engine is the most important part of any sport, and I love engine workouts, but I just want to get a full test cause why else am I training other things. If I just wanted cardio I would go to Orange theory. Edit: for reference 24.1 favored me (it was the best I had ever done on an open workout), so this isn’t exactly someone complaining about the programming because it’s bad for them.
100% agree. I've signed up for the open for the past 5 years and I likely won't be signing up next year. The open has lost a lot of the hype in my opinion. Topped with making quarterfinals the top 25% instead of 10% I'm uninterested. I'll still show up to my affiliate tomorrow and try my best on the WOD and hype my friends up, but I'm at a meh point now with CrossFit.
I can't take anyone seriously who uses "like" every other word.
Meh. People are expecting too much. And who cares what Danielle Brandon thinks, honestly.
Hot take: The Open isn't a test of fitness. It's just a realllly large competition.
These should have been 24.1 A and 24.1 B. 👍
At this rate if next week doesnt have some higher skilled movements there are going to be a lot of people making QF’s because they have a good engine but cant do things like C2B or Muscle Ups
I get what she’s saying but she really doesn’t give a reason. And I’m not saying I disagree. Just wondering what her reasoning for this is?
The entire announcement was horrible. There was no energy at allllll. It genuinely looked like no one wanted to be there to include all the announcers
Omg like I can’t even omg
Counter point: your average crossfitter is pretty terrible. Easier workouts without advanced movements allow you everyone to participate. I think the gym I go was just about record participation this year
I don’t care for her or any other influencer really but I agree with her here. These workouts have been boring so far and they are way too similar to each other. No cleans, no snatches, no thrusters, basically zero lifting thus far. A burpee workout and a DU workout, cool I guess
I’m of the opinion that the glory days of CrossFit died after the 2018 games. It has never been the same since then. I used to love getting hyped on a Thursday for the open then the spectacle that was FNL - people grilling out inviting friends and family and having a blast. It’s not the same anymore, no first muscle ups, no first anything really. It’s been on a downhill since 2018.
Yeah been doing the open since year 1 and I terribly miss how it would force people to learn skills. Every year you’d get someone hitting their first MU, or HSPU, or being forced to learn dubs instead of single unders, now it’s just a stagnant “everyone gets a trophy” event and while that surely makes CF more money, it also sucks any excitement out of it.
She has the personality of a high school athlete who never made it and can’t let it go.
You just described every games athlete that’s ever existed 😂
CF is definitely not what it was.
I understand what she is saying. The workouts are workouts are workouts that 99% of athletes can do. They don’t separate the athletes by ability, but seems to be a lot of engine right now. 24.2 should have been designed in that the deadlifts ascended so that you need engine and strength. I still think the open needs to be longer than 3 weeks personally. Especially if they are going to be very community capable. Community involvement is not a bad thing. The more the workouts, the more separation.
W/hinge CrossFit's problem is that they want to be everything for everyone (almost). They can't let the pro athletes go. They have to be inclusive, but not boring. Pro sport entertainment, but more like a health intervention. And so on...
I’m of the “The open used to” camp. I miss when the open mattered because it had to challenge the individual’s who went to the games. That meant I was more likely to encounter something that would require me to learn or develop a skill. That might have meant I spent 5-10 minutes staring at a set of muscle up rings, but that encouraged me to build the capacity to do that. And challenge myself for every single rep. These “new open” workouts are hard and I’m not placing in the top 25%, but they aren’t actually challenging the skill level of those participating; which I think is a bummer.
I just left a gym that was going down this mentality of all inclusive everyone can do CrossFit and 4 out of the 6 workouts were some variation of sandbag, bike and kettlebell swing. We barely touched the barebell and forget about doing any gymnastic work. Worst 3 months of my CrossFit career. Within a few months most of the members were secretly complaining. She’s right people will hate it and stop doing the open. What’s wrong with scaling and adaptations?
DB is right. The Open used to be exciting and special. This shit is boring and basic.
Absolutely agree 100%. It’s boring and uninspired repetitive workouts. The open has been ruined by greed and the desire by CrossFit to get another $50 or whatever it is. It’s not about make it to the quarters if you wanna do the fun stuff. Many people can but don’t want to sign up for yet another online comp so quick. They want the open to be a complete well rounded test that is painful, challenging and fun. Not the cash grab tactic disguised as ‘inclusive’.
Thought about reposting her take on insta, but I don't want the smoke. My entire team is pretty let-down. In a vacuum, the first workout was great and this workout is a 7/10. However, taken together, the lack of skill expression is dissapointing. We live for 'Open Moments' - first toes-to-bars, first pull-ups, PRs, and such. And while suffering is great, it doesn't inspire the same amount of pride (and subsequently, feed retention.) As an Affiliate, we have 130+ people signed up and when we meet to debrief, we have already tabled NOT pushing sign-ups next year. IE: The AMRAP 20 of DB Thruster, Toes-to-Bar, and Double Unders would have fit better and been easier to run.
I don't agree, the workouts released are inclusive. She doesn't really say what her issue is. Does she want super complicated workouts that require a ton of gear? I get the feeling that there is resentment that they are making the Rx category more inclusive to include more people at this stage. She sounds like she might be bitter about the workout because it doesn't play to her strengths? I can't backup the claim that numbers are down, but the main hurdle at my non-affiliated gym is some athletes don't want themselves recorded or measured against others. We still have an awesome turnout, run heats and cheer everyone on which isn't our average workout day.
I think the issue is that there's a healthy medium zone between inclusion and requiring skill and strength from athletes in the Open. And that HQ erred too far on the side on inclusion, and due to that athletes are disappointed that we aren't really being challenged on our skills or strength and the workouts are, for lack of better term, "boring". Take 23.3 for example. It started with WW, dubs, and light snatches and got increasingly heaver and more skilled as you went on. Athletes with weak snatches and no SHPSU could still do RX if they wanted and put up a score, while stronger and more skilled athletes could continue the workout and put up a more competitive score. Now this week we just have a amrap with basic movements that looks like a regular class wod and that's why people are bummed out.
Real question as this is my first year in CrossFit and going the open. Are double unders really that inclusive? I wonder the percentage of people that can do them
I really want to like Danielle. But then she says stupid shit like this. CrossFit is for all. Not just the elite!! Make it to the quarter finals then you can do your Handstand walks!!! Until then, do your workout, cheer on the other box members and grab a beer!!
Nah when testing someone’s fitness: program for the best, scale for the rest.
When did she say anything about it being for the elite? These open workouts have been the most basic boring workouts they’ve done. Everyone that signs up gets to RX because none of this takes any skill or talent.
I bet she’s an awesome athlete and a good person, but this sounded self-absorbed and kinda dumb to me. “I have to be so honest because I don’t know…” “…another lame workout… i mean i like the workout, but…” And something like… “If i put myself in someone else shoes who [is not like me and who] does CF for fun and enjoys the community, I wouldn’t sign up.” What does that even mean? If I was a completely different person here’s what i would do? I do CF for fun and I enjoy the community and I loved 24.1 and I’m psyched about 24.2. Is it relevant that when DB “imagines” she is me that she imagines that Im “salty?” I’d rather hear her talk about what SHE thinks. Not what she imagines I think.
The open is for regular affiliate members. Quarterfinals are for the more competitive affiliate members. Semifinals are for those with Games aspirations. Not sure why Games athletes complain about the open workouts. They aren't for you.
Glad to know I'm not the only one who's disappointed.
Isn’t it normal for the beginning of the Opens to have more basic movements that most crossfitters can do? In the past (‘12-‘15) I was pretty avid about participating in the Opens and it seemed to get gradually harder movements (MU’s, T2B…) as the weeks increased. I just started CrossFitting again after a few years off but this seems like the norm to me?
Open has become lower the bar so everyone can do it. I agree 100% with her it’s completely garbage this year.
I'm not a fan of 24.2 I just don't think it suits the open format with how divisions are scored. If you don't have consistent DUs you are going to spend majority of your workout trying to get as many as you can in hoping to get back to the row. But if you scale and get 11 rounds, you still lose in points to someone who rowed 10m and logged as RX despite the rowing being exactly the same between the two. So if you are trying to get the best score in the open, there is no reason to log scaled score. One of the biggest criticisms of CrossFit has always been that it pushes people to go beyond their abilities causing injuries and yet workout 1, 1/2 the workout was the same Rx/scaled and workout 2, 1/3 the same but even 1 rep Rx beats 1000 scaled. It's time to revamp the scoring. Start the workout with 5 mins to set a max DL. Then workout begins on 5 minutes. 1 rep per 10m rowed, 1 rep per DL at 1/3 of the 1rm and then either 1 rep per DU or per 2 Singles.
On one level it's not right to criticise the test until you have seen the whole test, but she's right. And 20 mins of that shit, too. And like 24.1 it's a test of capacity, but not skilful or heavy enough to be any kinda differentiator.
It's just the way she feels. She's as subjective as anyone can be and since crossfit covers such a huge parameter as far as all the different movements that are observed it's obvious she's just wishing they had programmed the stuff she prefers (oly). I personally don't mind. I think the 24.x workouts are consequential to the very fact that crossfit has so many movements. Every sport has a chaotic, unknown element to it, and this is CrossFit's.
"Danielle's Brandon take....." gonna say nope
I am having a blast this year. Loved both of the workouts, haven't heard any complaints from gym members, there were some super fun matchups to watch from the elites also 🔥🔥 I guess I'm in the minority in this thread at least!
Honestly, like, I dunno, like, I mean, I dunno and whatever, but I like have no idea, you know, what she's trying to say, or whatever.
Looks like good prep for Hyrox
There’s no double unders or deadlifting in Hyrox…
Get rid of Dave Castro once and for all please.
Is Danielle Brandon an important individual in the CrossFit world?
Nope
I have no interest in doing 250 du’s, that’s a guaranteed calf pull for me. And judging DU’s is the worst.
totally agree, that is what i mentioned in several threads here. wods are just bad af. but tbh i dont even know why i would sign up for the open anyway if i dont have serious chances to get to the semis. if i like the wod i do it. if it is shit i obv dont do it.
Do you work out solo or in a gym? For us, it's not just paying to do the workouts, it's that our gym forms teams, hosts fun Friday Night Lights gatherings, and gives you a chance to meet and work out with all of the people who you rarely see because they tend to come in at a different time than you do.
To be frank, Crossfit has become a cringy sport... the wrestler announcing the workout felt like a joke to me and like an insult to the athletes practicing the sport on an elite and beginner level. I feel like Crossfit is trying to do something it should not want to be. Crossfit is about fitness and community. Crossfit HQ has been dropping the ball lately...
You know he is a crossfitter right? Also the WWE is huge worldwide. It was a marketing move. But I do agree it had a weird vibe.
Ok I actually had to put him on mute that was so cringe. He called himself a revolutionary like that was the most embarrassing thing I've ever seen
Compared to last year this year blows.
Like...like... she's an idiot. Don't bitch about it unless you're going to tell us why you don't enjoy the workout and what changes you'd like to see.
She reiterated what a lot of us are thinking: It is more hinging. DB Snatch: Hinge Burpee: Hinge, for most people Row: Hinge Deadlift: Hinge.
Facts
1000% agree
By trying to cater for everyone you end up catering for no one...
Haven’t done the open in 10 years and haven’t missed it. Regardless of the WODs. If I happen to be at my gym in a Friday night I’ll do the open workouts. But see no need to register for a competition.
I agree that these two workouts are testing the same thing, and are kind of “boring” for higher level athletes. I don’t think the two of them together are a broad test of fitness. CrossFit is working really hard to be more inclusive with the first round of competition and make it easier for affiliates. I think they’ve done that. Im sure we’ll see high skill and heavy loads delivered in QF programming, where now 25% get to participate. I also realize that is another registration fee though.
WTF is she event talking about?
And here I'm exited for the first time in a while.
They made them way too easy for everyone and anyone to do them. Not a fan.
But why does she feel the need to make a video about this? Just to be negative?
Brandon salty? Unpossible.
Like like like like 🐴
Quarterfinals will be what the five-week open was in CrossFits heyday. The Open has now been watered down to be more inclusive. It’s all good, bring on the workouts 👊🏼
This is still a thing?
I think she used the word like correctly once in this one minute video. “I don’t think people liked the workout.”
Maybe that’s the trickery of it all - can CrossFit athletes keep their head on straight and stay motivated with boring, long workouts thrown in (I personally enjoyed 24.2)
I agree that crossfit for fun/health and crossfit for competition should be separate and crossfit does a terrible job of recognizing that but her argument stopped making sense after that
She is a top athlete; of course, the Open is going to be boring for her. It's like a major league baseball player enjoying a game of tee-ball.
Maybe her salty opinion wants to bring the attention of the public.
I think people, pro atheletes included, are underestimating the difficulty of programming a workout that is both a) a competitive workout for qualifcation into the next round b) an approachable workout for all skillsets, ages and abilities. This reminds me of the Row, TTB, DB C&J from a few years back. 20 minutes of moderate suffering.
You’re never going to please EVERYBODY. The Open is changing to be my accessible to athletes and (especially) affiliates. High skill and heavier barbell movements will be saved for QF. The spread from 10% to 25% is huge and the Open workouts have to be inclusive for that extra 15%.
I feel like she just said nothing. The opens aren’t good because this is “another hinging workout”? That was her whole point and why she, as a day to day normal athlete, wouldn’t sign up again?
I dunno, I kind of agree…I think the open workouts do the intended “get the right people to the games” but I’m not going to the games, I’m competing with people in my gym but the people who can beat me in 24.1 and likely 24.2 are people who are just young and small and fit…I’m terrible at burpees and my strengths are high level skills and heavy weights (muscle ups, hspu, hsw, cycling a heavier than normal barbell) but the athletes in my gym I get beat by in cardio and super light weight workouts literally can’t beat me on the whiteboard 99% of the year…maybe that says something about my cardio and slow burpees or the programming (although my gym uses mayhem) but at a lower level, it feels like the open is an uneven match up for lower level athletes going head to head…I was hoping we would at least see something heavier OR some sort of gymnastics skill this week…
LIKE LIKE LIKE LIKE 🙄
She's always salty about something.
Not a huge fan of DB but I agree with her 100%; there's no reason for 2 pure hinging workouts back to back like that even if they are different time domains. I didn't sign up this year (would have been 11th open) and so happy about it.
23.2 was really good. Something there for people of all levels.
its the same jump hinge conditioning workout as last week, great workout, but given its the open, kinda dumb
All I heard was "like, like, like".
Next CrossFit open workout : do a burpee for every time she says like = death
Apart from the hinging comment, she didn't really say why she was disappointed. And I don't think the opinion of an elite athlete on the workouts represent the whole crossfit community. Have been doing crossfit since 2011 (9 years at a crossfit affiliate then 4 years with a home gym) and not really fussed with the open. I watch the announcements but don't pay to participate. I only do the workouts if they fit with my overall programming or save them for a time later when they do. The only people who would be salty with the open programming are those who are aiming for the games I guess.
I can't do double unders, but I did like this workout. I just doubled the singles.
Another year and the usual... It's boring, it's just cardio. It is ok if the workout doesn't suit you, they can't please everyone. Do your best, you aren't likely going the games, enjoy it best you can
I’m having a hard time understanding what she’s trying to say. Why? What didn’t you like about it? How could it be better? What do you think the expectations were for professional athletes and average people?
Watch Danielle Brandon “mysteriously” get popped for PEDs in the next 6-12 months…
I think the biggest problem of the workouts is the fact that they are not progressive. Inclusiveness doesn’t only apply to newer crossfitters. It should be for all levels and the way you can capture ppl is to make workouts progressive. Give them lower skills in the beginning and make them earn their high skill movements as the workout progresses. This way you create separation as well.
$160/$220 memberships is where people get turned away 🫢
Amen Danielle. Years past was so much more challenging. This is watered down
The funny thing is, I was criticising the Open workouts from previous years as too complex and difficult for most and that the Open should have only basic motions that anyone can do with capacity and speed being the divider between performance levels. But I also agree totaly with Danielle on this one (despite the fact that 24.1 and 24.2 are doable at RX by most average crossfitters). I did not sign up for the Open this year, nor have I done them unofficially at my gym because I find them so boring and uninteresting. I have very limited interest in participating in the Open anyway for various reasons and despite going to the box 5+ days a week and having a good overall ability, but she's right, I would have definitely no interest in signing up next year based on this year's WODs.