The CrossFit OPEN is here! Every year we get pumped to challenge and test ourselves. The OPEN is all about stepping into the unknown–we don’t even know what the workout will be until it is announced every Thursday of the 3 week competition. We train to feel better, look better and for some we train to compete. We build our capacity to get ready for competition and we want you to understand there is a real difference in the Points of Performance and the Standards of Performance.
As coaches throughout the training season we are focused on the quality of movement on the floor. The methodology we use is CrossFit and the Points of Performance (POP) are the guide we utilize. CrossFit coaches go through a weekend seminar to get a Level 1 but the years on the floor coaching and the time we spend learning is where we gather the knowledge to become professional coaches. The POPs are the coaching cues we use when coaching classes.
Think of what you hear when we are coaching the air squat: feet hip width apart, hips back, knees out, heels down, chest up, hips below parallel. We break these cues down in progressions to build the air squat and these cues help us coach you to move better. Barring injury, squatting below parallel for many of us takes practice and our job as coaches is to help point out the “faults” and correct your movement.
The Standards of Performance (SOP) are built on the Points of Performance but are used in competition. This distinction is important as you get ready to take on the workouts in the OPEN. You will have a judge and they will be looking for “faults” specific to the movement standards, you are not being judged on how well you did the movement. This can be confusing and the best advice we have is to practice the POPs throughout the year to be ready to meet the SOPs strict definitions. Let’s go back to the air squat: the standard of performance is hips below parallel and full hip and knee extension at the top. What happens in the middle of the movement is less important in judging standards. Yup, you can look like a train wreck and still meet the standards!
Last year we started Firebreather Friday because when we got to the OPEN many people were thrown off by having a judge give them a NO REP, which simply means, you didn’t meet the standards of performance for the movement. It doesn’t feel good to get a NO REP but that’s what the OPEN is all about…challenging yourself to walk into the fire. Having a judge who is not afraid to give you a NO REP is the best judge to have because they will make you meet the standard. As coaches, when we are judging you in the OPEN you won’t hear us correcting you with our usual cues, but we will be looking to see if you are meeting the standards. Let’s take a look at the deadlift, this one can be mind-boggling when you get a NO REP because you may not realize you didn’t meet the standard.
We encourage everyone to give the OPEN workouts a try even if you don’t “officially” sign up. You can learn so much from having a judge and being a part of the competition. The OPEN starts on Thursday with the announcement of 25.1. We will be doing the workout on Friday in all of our classes. There is a make up day on Sunday at 11 am.
And remember, if you get a NO REP take it like a GAMES athlete–take a breath and go! If you don’t know why you got no rep’d, STOP and ASK! You don’t get points for being crafty or cutting corners! That’s the essence of the CrossFit OPEN and we love it!
