What Is the CrossFit Open and What It Means at Chaka CrossFit
The CrossFit Open is a worldwide annual fitness competition hosted by CrossFit. It is designed to be accessible to everyone, from brand new athletes to seasoned competitors.
The Simple Breakdown
The Open runs for three weeks, typically in February and March. Each week a workout is released on Thursday, and you will usually see that workout show up as the featured workout on Friday. You do it at your gym, and if you choose to register, you can submit your score online and see where you rank.
Why the Open Exists
At its core, the Open is meant to bring the CrossFit community together, give everyday athletes a fun measurable challenge, and identify athletes who advance to higher levels of competition such as Quarterfinals, Semifinals, and the CrossFit Games.
My Personal Take on the CrossFit Open
The CrossFit Open will be upon us before we know it. To me, the Open means many things and that meaning has changed over the years.
When I first joined a CrossFit gym, the Open had just wrapped up. There was a huge buzz in the gym about one workout: 100 burpees for time. Honestly, I had no idea what anyone was talking about, but it was clearly a big deal.
Fast forward to 2013. I had about a year of CrossFit under my belt, and the Open was right around the corner. Back then, we were encouraged to sign up with CrossFit HQ so you could see where you stacked up against people around the world, especially those similar to you in age. It was kind of cool. It was also stressful.
At that time, average everyday athletes could find themselves advancing to the next stage of competition. This was before CrossFit became professionalized. Athletes had full-time jobs and competed at high levels simply because they were experienced and exceptional.
Today, the athletes you see competing at the CrossFit Games are professionals. It is their job. They train for hours each day and are supported by sponsors. The sport has evolved and so has the Open.
Do You Have to Sign Up?
Short answer? No.
Signing up with CrossFit HQ is always a personal choice. If you want to officially register, submit scores, and see how you rank worldwide within your age group, that can be motivating and eye opening.
If you do not sign up, that is completely fine, too!
Either way, you will be doing the Open workouts at Chaka on Fridays. That is who we are. The Open is about community first.
Personally, I have participated in most of the Open workouts since 2013, and I am pretty sure I only paid CrossFit HQ once. Is it cool to see how you stack up with people your same age around the world? Yes, 100 percent. But it is not required to get real value from the experience.
Why Gyms Talk So Much About Open Sign Ups
It is true that CrossFit gyms are incentivized to encourage sign ups. But at Chaka, our priority has always been different. The Open is an opportunity to show up consistently, push yourself within your limits, celebrate effort and progress, and be part of something bigger than a single workout.
Whether you officially register or not, you are part of the Open at Chaka just by walking through the door. And that is what really matters.
How To Sign Up If You Want To
If you decide you want your name on the leaderboard and want to submit scores each week, here is how to register.
Go to the CrossFit Games Open registration page and log in or create an account.
Select your division and enter your details.
Choose your affiliate, Chaka CrossFit, when prompted.
Once workouts are released each Thursday, complete the workout and submit your score by the weekly deadline, which CrossFit lists as 5 p.m. Pacific Time on Monday each week.
Not sure how to sign up, or not sure whether you should register at all? Ask a coach. We will help you get registered, choose the right division, and decide whether RX or Scaled is the best fit so you can have a great Open experience!
