Almost there...Are you ready for the Open?

Here we are boys and girls.

Only 2 weeks until the CrossFit Open 2017!

Whether you are a veteran or just a beginner at CrossFit, if you look around and listen to conversations in between your daily WOD, you will notice the buzz and chatter building up to this yearly event.
On this week's Food for Thought Friday here at the Cavs, we are going to talk about some of the facts you may or may not know about the Open.
Making sure you do your best at this year's Open Competition!

CrossFit Open: What's going on?

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For newcomers in CrossFit out there, here is a little background and info on the CrossFit Open.

Started in 2007, the CrossFit Games is the only true test of fitness out there. Perfect time for CrossFitters in all Levels to show others the hard earned results of their training. (Even if you are just starting out it's great fun to be a part of it too!)

Here's what you need to know

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3 Stages


The Open (Feb 23 - Mar 27)
5 weeks 5 workouts
Workout released on Thursday every week
Submit your score before Monday
Check your rank on Leader Board!


The Regionals (May 19- June 4)
Top Ranking Athletes from the Open get invited to the Regionals
3 Days event designed to test athletes who compete for 5 qualifying spots in The CrossFit Games.
For those who make it this far, the Hong Kong region is grouped under the Pacific Regional competition.


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The Games (Aug 1-6)
This is it!
​Best of the best from all around the world will go to The Games.
40 Men, 40 Women, 40 Teams, 80 Teenagers, and 220 Masters will compete in the 6 days event that's designed to separate the weak from the fittest on earth!

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CrossFit Open: What else should you know

No Competition would be Fair if there are no standards in place.
This is particularly important for the CrossFit Games because the difference of
a split second or a single repetition can be the deciding factor of your results!
Scoring criteria could differ from workout to workout .
However, there are standards to moves that need to be met in order for a rep to be counted.

Remember:
Your form need NOT be perfect guys!
Just meet these criteria and your reps are counted :)
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​Squats

​Whether it's Back Squat, Front Squat, Overhead Squat or Thrusters,
the same principle applies when it comes to the depth of the squat.

Here, we can see Jay's hip crease below the top of her knee.   That's important because no matter how bad you think your squats are, as long as you go as low as this and stand up to a full extension, you're good.

Rep counted!

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WallBalls are counted when the ball hits the target.

Don't forget to squat below parallel too!

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Make sure to Stand Straight Up and extend those hips & knees on those Box Jumps.

​That goes for every Rep!


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Presses

​The ending position of any Overhead Lifts, such as strict press, push press, push/split jerk, require you to extend your knees and hip as shown in the picture. Also remember to straighten out those arms out too! Anything less than what Jay is showing us here will simply not do :)

So make sure you lock out those joints and crush those overhead components!

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Cleans

One of the most common mistakes many make in cleans is not turning the elbows out.

Make sure both elbows are well in front of the bar for each rep to be counted!
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Pullups

For Pullups, you need to clear your chin above the horizon of the bar!

Furthermore, your arms need to be completely straightened out before continuing onto the next rep. 

PS: Don't get intimidated if you are struggling with your pull-ups just yet, there's always the scaled version and having fun is what counts! :) 

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​Toes to Bar

For toes to bar, make sure those little toes touch the bar at the same time but not one after another!

Also, might sound silly but important to also mention that you must be suspended (with both feet off the ground) before getting the all cleared to start your toes to bar.

After all it's been said and done, Don't forget to SIGN UP for the CrossFit Open 2017 !
Register on the Official CrossFit Web Page & Keep on WOD-ing with anticipation with the rest of us here at
CrossFit Cavaliers!
https://games.crossfit.com/