3 Lessons I Learned from the CrossFit Open on How to Set Yourself Up for Success

Nothing we do is ever purely about the thing itself.

In March I participated in my second CrossFit Open; each of the three workouts was a rich source of inner work and lessons that extend beyond the “box” (as CrossFit gyms are called).

Although each workout yielded specific lessons and insights, there are also several general lessons that came up across all three workouts.

I’ve split them up into different themes.

The first theme is about the foundation: how to set yourself up for success.

Here are 3 lessons that I learned about to set yourself up for success in any endeavor.

(1) Support Part 1: Get a Good Coach

Anyone who submits a score for the CrossFit Open must have a “judge” who keeps track of rep counts and ensures compliance with the movement standards — for example, making sure your hips are below your knees in a squat.

At the most basic level, this person is tasked with counting your reps. When done well, this helps an athlete let go of counting for themselves and free up energy to maintain focus on performing the workout.

In my first attempt at 24.1, I had a newbie judge. In my redo, I had an experienced CrossFitter take on the role, and I immediately realized the value of having the right judge.

Don’t underestimate the difficulty of counting reps when music is blaring and people around you are also counting reps for other athletes. It’s not an easy task.

But that’s just the tip of the iceberg. In fact, the word “judge” isn’t the best description of the value this person can provide.

The best “judges” act more like coaches. My judges helped me define a strategy that would work well for my strengths and ability level.

When the workout got tough, they reminded me to stick to the plan and coaxed me back to my intended pace. They were attuned to the moment to provide either gentle or forceful encouragement depending on what was needed.

Beyond the Box:

Whatever your goals, having the support of a good coach is crucial. A good coach can help you clarify your goals and create a strategy that is aligned with your strengths and skills.

Coaches hold space for you to bring your challenges and your wins. They help you celebrate when you’re doing well and get back on track when you’ve veered off course.

(2) Support Part 2: Find a Community

A crucial part of my success on my redo of each workout was the community support. Each workout required a different type of support.

In each case, I considered what type of energy I would need. And then I did the heaviest lifting of asking for that support.

During Open 24.1, I needed people to cheer and encourage me throughout the long slog of burpees and snatches.

Open 24.2 was a different vibe. There’s only so much that people can do to carry you through jumping rope and deadlifts. In that workout, I knew I needed people to keep me on track and remind me not to slow down in later rounds when I started to fatigue.

In Open 24.3 I knew I would need moral support and encouragement as the thrusters got heavy.

My support team offered this and more, chipping in with helpful reminders about form and technique, reminding me to breathe, and helping me avoid stagnation when my body didn’t want to move anymore. Their energy lifted me when I was flailing.

Perhaps most important: because I asked them to hang out and cheer me on, their presence kept me from quitting on myself when things got really hard.

Beyond the Box:

Nobody achieves anything great on their own. We evolved to survive — and thrive — in tribes.

Behind every successful endeavor is usually a team of people that you generally don’t see, offering encouragement, support, strategy, and techniques.

(3) Set Up the Right Space

There’s a famous aphorism, environment is more potent than willpower. This applies to everything, including CrossFit workouts.

At the most basic level, the general space makes a difference.

Before the first workout, one friend said she was going to do it at home. I encouraged her to come to the gym to do it — the gym has the right energy and people around who could offer encouragement.

Once in the gym, the specific set up of the space made a huge difference.

This was most evident in 24.2, where the set-up of the rower, barbell, and jump rope was crucial to navigating all the transitions in the workout. The first time I did 24.2, my barbell was behind my rower to the left, requiring 6–8 steps for me to reach it after getting off the rower.

On my redo, I placed the barbell directly to the right of my rower to leverage my habit of coming off to the right. I reduced the steps from 8 to 1, shaving several seconds per round off my time.

Once the space is arranged well, other factors like music and sound can play a huge role. When I did 24.2 during Friday Night Lights, the music was so loud that I couldn’t hear my coach well.

When I redid each workout, I got to pick the music I wanted, which was a nice perk. Having good music during a hard workout can keep you going when it gets tough.

Beyond the Box:

If you want it to accomplish things, you need to plan when you’re going to do the tasks — by putting the task on your calendar. But that’s only half the battle.

You must also consider where you’re going to do it.

Finding the right space for your task is a crucial first step to set yourself up for success.

Creating Space for Your Best Work is core part of what I help my clients do.

As I say often to my clients: there’s a reason you cook in your kitchen and shower in your bathroom, and not the other way around.

Once you have the general where, make sure you set up the space to be most effective for the task you’re doing.

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What kind of support do you need to achieve your goals? If you don’t even know, that’s completely normal. I help my clients discover what type of support and strategies will work best for them depending on their goals and tasks, and create customized support plans to help them stay the course. Contact me to discuss your situation further.