Goal-Setting for the 2017 Open

By: Jenessa Connor

If you haven’t started to think about your goals for the 2017 Open, now is the time to do so. Whether you’ve got your eye on Regionals or simply want to improve upon last year’s performance, it’s a good idea to take your big, long-term goals and break them down into smaller, short-term goals. This will not only improve your chances for success, but it will also make your big goals seem more achievable.

Not sure where to begin? We’ve come up with a few broad categories to get you started. And, remember to make sure all of your goals are SMART (specific, measurable, achievable, realistic and time-bound).

Endurance

When it comes to the Open, strength alone won’t get you very far. Each of the five workouts is guaranteed to test your endurance, so make sure some of your short-term goals address metrics other than weightlifting PRs. Over the next month and a half, make it a goal to increase (or maintain, if you’re at your max) the number of metcons you complete each week. If you tend to avoid WODs with a high volume of running, double-unders or wall balls, stop cherry picking, as doing so will only work against you.

Attention to Movement Standards

Whether it’s during the Open or a random Tuesday night WOD, every rep in every workout should be clean and honest. That being said, it’s not uncommon to see athletes miss the target after the 50^th wall ball and count the rep anyway. During the open, you will be no-repped for failure to meet movement standards, so start holding yourself accountable during every part of the WOD, even the warm-up. Make it a goal to perform every movement precisely, and don’t count anything that falls short of perfection.

Work Your Goats

Inefficiency on skills like toes-to-bar, pistols, handstand push-ups and double-unders will slow you down during the Open. Whatever your goats may be, make time to work on them. Set a goal to attend open bar once a week, or commit to spending 15 minutes on skill work after every WOD.

Nutrition, Sleep and Hydration 

What you’re doing outside the box is just as important as your training. If you’re cheating yourself on sleep and eating junk, it’s going to negatively impact your performance. Set a goal to get 7-8 hours of sleep every night. And while different diets and nutrition guidelines work for different people, you can’t go wrong eliminating or greatly reducing sugar, processed foods and booze.

Get to Mobility Class 

If you lack full range of motion, you are leaving PRs on the table. Educate yourself on mobility basics by attending a class with Coach Iz or Coach Shante weekends at 11am. You’ll learn effective, time-efficient drills that can be incorporated into your everyday routine.

Still not sure how to prepare for the Open? The coaches at 718 can help. Shoot us an email at info@crossfit718.com with your questions and concerns, and we’ll help you come up with a game plan.