CrossFit Open 20.1 Strategy: Warmup, Recover and Restore
The 2020 CrossFit Open is here and if 20.1 is any indication, it’s going to be a very spicy five weeks. To get you ready for each WOD - and to help you recover and stay balanced throughout the entire Open - Mobility MVMNT is offering a 2020 Open Series.
For each Open WOD, we’ll recommend three MVMNT sequences:
First, a proper Warmup specific to the workout movements and demands
Second, a targeted post-WOD Recovery Session that will help reduce the DOMs and prep your body to move into a more parasympathetic state.
Finally, a Restorative Sequence focused on regulating the nervous system so your body can tap into its natural capacity to rebalance before the next workout.
20.1 Sequence
1. Warmup
First, make sure you really warmup your body before 20.1. We’re not talking about a gentle stretch for a few minutes, we’re talking ready-to-go: the best way to get the most out of this workout is to go into it with your entire body primed. Make sure your heart rate is elevated, your body has started to perspire and that you are mentally prepared to move through all 10 rounds.
We recommend the following warmup to prep your body for the Ground-to-Overheads and those brutal bar-facing burpees.
2. Recover
Second, post-WOD Recovery. One key to recovering properly is to build a consistent practice. We encourage individuals to spend just 10 minutes after each WOD; this will help you reduce the DOMs (Delayed Onset of Muscle Soreness) and prep your body to move into a more parasympathetic state. With a consistent practice you will feel noticeable changes in your body.
We’ve chosen this sequence to help you recover after 20.1 because it is nice and short (one of our ten minute MVMNT’s), and is focused on your quads and shoulders. We can all agree that everyone’s quads and shoulders can use some love after this one!
3. Restore (to be done right before bed the same day of the WOD or the day after)
Finally, a parasympathetic state is critical to allowing for soft tissue change. 20.1 will create a lot of stress in your body, so now your nervous system needs the opportunity to relax fully in order to return to a balanced state. Often, less is more when it comes to improving flexibility and mobility. If we try to ram our bodies into cool looking stretches and hold them for five mins but we can’t breath or relax while we are there, we might end up tighter as a result because our body perceives this as another stressor.
We created a Restorative section that specifically focuses on regulating the nervous system. Our restorative video will guide you through gentle stretching, breath work and mindfulness to help you get into a deeper state of relaxation so your body can tap into its natural capacity to recover.
Wayside is the recommended restorative sequence for 20.1. We have chosen this sequence because its focus is on the whole body and the breath, most of the sequence is done lying to further enhance your relaxation, lastly there is a big focus on gently open up your lats, chest, hips and thoracic spine. This sequence offers wonderful counter-balance to intensity of 20.1.
Good luck in the Open!
- Mobility MVMNT