New CrossFit Games Open is here again and I believe I am finally I ready. Every year I was afraid of what will Dave Castro announce but this year is different.

Why I am not afraid?

It’s my third Open – I know what I can except from the Open and how hard it will be I know my weaknesses – I have trained a lot last year on my weaknesses but I know if there are going to be some sort of max lift, chest-to-bar pull ups, wall ball shots or thrusters that my score will suck, I still hate these movements even though I worked on them a lot I don’t have high expectations – thanks to logging all my workouts on BTWB I know how good I am and what I can except from the Open I am doing it for fun – I will do all workouts with friends and of course I will try to beat them 🙂 but if I don’t than I don’t mind about it I will approach it as regular workout – there is no need for any special strategy do it same way as you would do it any other day, going too quick from beginning or doing too much reps unbroken will usually lead to lower score I want just perform better than last year – in 2015 I was in top 2.8% which won’t be so easy to beat but I would like to place about the same or better And don’t forget it is all about the workouts – its not good to look for excuses when first workout was just announced but if all 5 workouts consist only from your not favorite movements than expect yourself to drop in the leaderboard

What is the CrossFit Games Open? It is worldwide CrossFit competition open for everybody. Everyone will do 5 workouts in 5 weeks. There are over 100 000 participants and only very few athletes (10-30 depends on region) will advance to the Regionals and then to the CrossFit Games. Oh and don’t forget you don’t have to be top athlete to participate in the Open! Check out official site for more info.

16.1 is …

Complete as many rounds and reps as possible in 20 minutes of:

25-ft. overhead walking lunge

8 burpees

25-ft. overhead walking lunge

8 chest-to-bar pull-ups

Men lunge 95 lb.

Women lunge 65 lb.

My 16.1 strategy to hit top 5%

20 minutes AMRAP, only 3 movements and low reps. I didn’t expected such workout from Dave Castro but I love it. I think that everyone with +10 rounds will be placed very high on leaderboard.

How will I approach it?

20 minutes is a lot – don’t hurry , go on 90% and push the tempo for last 2 minutes

, go on 90% and push the tempo for last 2 minutes Few reps and many rounds – try to minimize transition times (you don’t need to use chalk every round)

(you don’t need to use chalk every round) Do lunges unbroken – 25-ft is not much and putting bar down will reduce your score a lot

– 25-ft is not much and putting bar down will reduce your score a lot Don’t stop on burpees – better go slowly but without rest than doing them quickly and than rest 15 seconds before going on barbell

– better go slowly but without rest than doing them quickly and than rest 15 seconds before going on barbell Broke chest-to-bars into smaller sets – I know that if I will do them all unbroken I will burn out after 5 rounds so dividing them from first round into sets of 4-4,5-3 or 3-3-2 is great idea

into smaller sets – I know that if I will do them all unbroken I will burn out after 5 rounds so dividing them from first round into sets of 4-4,5-3 or 3-3-2 is great idea And just keep going – workout is long and relatively easy so don’t rest and keep going in slower pace for all 20 minutes

Edit: How I did in 16.1?

One and done, I am not trying to get to regionals I just want find out my fitness level.

I have just finished it with score 9 rounds + 10 reps which is for now fitness level 98 at BTWB so I am happy about my performance :-).

I have decided to follow my tactic and split up chest-to-bars into 4+4 from 1st round and it was great idea. Last 2 sets I had to do 3+3+2 my forearms were fatigued. But on the other side I have rested on CTBs, my HR dropped and I could go faster on burpees.

And walking lunges were pretty hard in last 5 minutes maybe its because I am lighter guy (165 lbs) but I had problem with balance when my body was fatigued.