The Open is Coming—Are You Confident?

We’re just weeks away from the 2025 CrossFit Open, and if there’s one thing I know after years of competing at the highest level, it’s this:

👉 The Open isn’t won in the first three minutes—it’s won in the final stretch, when you’re deep in fatigue and still moving well.

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In these final weeks before the Open, here’s how to train smarter, recover better, and prepare to crush whatever shows up on the leaderboard.

The Open workouts live in that 8- to 12-minute pain zone (on average), which means you need both power and endurance—and the ability to execute movements under extreme fatigue.

🔥 Build Power Under Fatigue:It’s not enough to be strong fresh—the Open demands barbell cycling, Olympic lifts, and thrusters when your lungs are on fire. Train touch-and-go reps at moderate weight to reinforce efficiency under stress.

🔥 Boost Your Aerobic Base:Now’s the time for interval work, not just long, slow efforts. Row, bike, or run 800m repeats, 1K row pacing, and moderate-duration machine workouts to sharpen your aerobic system without burning out.

🔥 Anaerobic Capacity Without Overdoing It:You need to hit redline, recover, and go again. Short, hard intervals (30s on/30s off, sled sprints, Echo Bike sprints) train your ability to push hard late in a workout—but be careful, as overdoing these can tank recovery.

Your ability to execute reps smoothly and quickly when exhausted is what separates elite performances from the pack.

✅ Film Yourself:Tiny inefficiencies in gymnastics, barbell cycling, or transitions can cost dozens of reps over a workout. If you haven’t filmed yourself moving under fatigue, do it now.

✅ Minimize Transitions:Seconds saved between movements = more reps completed. Keep your setup tight, eliminate wasted time, and train the habit of quick, intentional movement between exercises.

✅ Build Gymnastics Endurance Under Fatigue:Muscle-ups, toes-to-bar, double-unders—these movements feel different in minute 8 than in minute 1. Train them in fatigue states by incorporating them into metcons rather than just skill work.

You can be the fittest athlete in the gym, but if you crack when the pain sets in, it won’t matter.

💪 Pacing Strategy is Key:The Open isn’t an all-out sprint. Know your threshold, control your output, and practice workouts that mimic Open-style pacing.

💪 Push Through the Suck:The Open rewards athletes who can hold on longer when things get uncomfortable. Train workouts that force you to keep moving when your brain is screaming to stop.

💪 Visualization Matters:Picture yourself executing reps cleanly, staying composed, and finishing strong. If you’ve seen it in your head, it’s easier to execute under pressure.

This final stretch isn’t just about what you do—it’s about how well you recover.

🛌 Prioritize Deep Sleep:If you’re not sleeping 8+ hours, you’re not recovering fully. Thirdzy’s Rest & Recover Collagen is a melatonin-free sleep formula built for active people like us who need deep, high-quality sleep for peak performance.

🍽️ Fuel for Performance:Carbs before workouts, protein for recovery, and hydration (hello, LMNT) to keep your body running at full capacity.

🚶 Active Recovery Matters:Instead of hammering yourself into the ground every day, walk, mobilize, and keep your body fresh. Overtraining in these final weeks will hurt you more than help you.

The Open isn’t just a test of fitness—it’s a test of PREPARATION.

These last few weeks should be about sharpening your skills, refining your pacing, and prioritizing recovery.

Wherever you are in your training, make these final weeks count. If you’re looking for structured programming that ensures you’re prepared for everything, that’s exactly what I do at Bolder Athlete.

👉 Train Smarter. Compete Harder.

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Now, go get after it.

- Jason