The Open exposes all of our weaknesses across the board. There is no escaping this fact. It reveals our complacencies, our strengths, and our total inadequacies.
For me, I couldn’t be happier. I met all of my goals in the workouts (except for the bar muscle up in 17.2). I PR’ed my snatch at 95 lbs. I crushed 17.5 as it played to my strengths. I got off the rower in 17.4 and got one Handstand push-up. I finished 126th in my region for my age group and finished 56th in my state for my age group. I am SUPER excited about this!
However, the most important lesson I have taken away is my renewed desire to improve all of my weaknesses, to get stronger, to be the best, to crush all the Open Workouts in 2018.
What I wish I would have done: I got complacent in my double unders. I have them but they are not consistent. I stopped practicing them months ago and it showed in 17.5. I could have shaved 2 minutes off my time if I hadn’t of stumbled in the double unders. They are so taxing and I get so winded. I haven’t learned to breathe through them and they definitely aren’t consistent. It bothers me.
Same with my muscle-up. I knew it was coming back in September. But I got so frustrated that I couldn’t do them that I stopped doing them all together until the Open was almost upon us and then it was too late. I would rip trying to get one and then be done for a week waiting for my hands to heal. Again, I got frustrated with it. Because I have the strength. It’s the technique.
Same with chest-to-bar. I got so frustrated kipping them that I only stricted them. So in the Open, I stricted all of them and lost time.
So, I have set new goals for the entire year to improve upon. I want to increase strength so 155 lb deadlift is not heavy for me and a 95 lb snatch is not a PR. I want to increase skill so double unders and pull ups are second nature and I don’t have to think so hard about them. Keep up my cardio so I can still kick butt. And push myself beyond my limits and my mindset to achieve what I haven’t been able to.
Summary: The Open exposes our weaknesses like no other. But it shows us areas to be stronger. Be better. And succeed. Both in CrossFit and in life.
My Journey to the CrossFit Games 