Upper East Side

The clock is ticking! Sign up for the CrossFit Open. The first workout will be announced Feb. 25. Here’s why Coach Garen competes.

I look forward to the CrossFit Open every year for a multitude of reasons. Firstly, the community. After the workouts are announced, knowing you have an entire community of people — from your friends at your local box to the CrossFit Games athletes — participating in the same event it really is the ultimate “shared experience.”

Secondly, the workouts. I know I have five weeks in a row where I am going to be challenged and pushed to my limit. As an athlete, the Open informs my entire year of training. As a coach, I am able to see where my athletes need improvement. I know that if I experience a particular movement that is difficult for me, I can structure my training around improving that weakness. And I also know how I can help inform my athletes on how to structure their journey to improving their fitness. And now with the RX and scaled divisions, athletes of all backgrounds can experience the Open and feel adequately challenged, but not overwhelmed by specialty movements or highly skilled lifts.

Lastly, and most importantly, the camaraderie I feel with all the CrossFit athletes all over the world is unmatched. If you walk down the street during the Open season and see someone wearing CrossFit gear, you know they are going through this experience with you. For an individual competition, it is an amazing team experience. Get after it, have fun, and crush the Open!!!

Mobility: Breaking Muscle takes us through 3 key mobility drills for solid overhead position specifically targeting the thoracic spine. When the t-spine cannot fully extend, we find ourselves jerking in front of our head versus overhead causing more stress on the shoulders than necessary. Find out how to fix it here.

Warm up
3 rounds not for time:
250m row @ 18 stroke rating
20 hollow rocks
10 ring rows

Strength
Every 2:00 x 5: (3) TNG power clean + power jerk

Conditioning
Performance
9-minute AMRAP:
3 power snatches (115/75)
3 shoulder to overhead (115/75)
30 double unders
6 power snatches
6 shoulder to overhead
30 double unders
9…

Fitness
9-minute AMRAP:
3 hang power snatches
3 KB push press
60 single unders
6…