Gratitude and The Open: Tips from a Games Champion
Laurie Meschishnick, 2019 CrossFit Games Masters Athlete Champion (55-59).
20.4 is about to be announced, and by now you must be feeling the physical, mental and emotional effects of what has so far been a very demanding CrossFit Open. Whether this is your first, second or eighth Open, this five-week test can feel like a roller coaster. So far you may have celebrated some big wins or experienced some frustrations. Regardless of where you are at, there is a lot more that the Open can teach us beyond the leader board. Here are a few ways to remember gratitude during the Open from Laurie Meschishnick, 4x CrossFit Games Masters Athlete Podium Finisher and 2019 Champion (55-59).
The Chance
Right before you hear 3, 2, 1… go, take a moment to be grateful for the chance to participate. While the Open is an excellent opportunity to test our fitness, it’s easy to get caught up in the excitement and competitive spirit that this global competition brings. Even if you don’t feel too competitive, there is a certain level of excitement and tension that is in the air when standing at the start line. Your judge is holding your score sheet, friends are cheering for you, and it’s easy to focus on reps/sets, or if you can accomplish as many double-unders as you hope to. Take a deep breath and be grateful for all that your body can do. There are a variety of reasons that people may not be able to participate, but you can and you are choosing to. Thank your body for all that it can and does do for you, regardless of your score at the end.
The Test
Being able to participate is a wonderful thing to be grateful for, as is the ability to test your hard work. The Open is a great marker to see where you are at from year to year. While you are testing yourself continually in CrossFit, there is something special that comes with the Open, especially when it comes to testing the repeat workouts. There is a certain magic that can come from Open workouts where you push a little harder, reach a little further and see what you’re made of. That extra push generally leads to some big accomplishments, and that is definitely something to feel grateful for.
The Lesson
There are so many lessons to be grateful for during The Open. It’s an exciting time to strategize each workout around your strengths and weaknesses. It’s amazing how much you can learn about yourself during such a short period of time. Do you listen to your coach or do you change your strategy halfway through? Are you disciplined enough to stick to the plan that you set out for yourself? Do you stay mentally controlled throughout or do you let the pressure get to you? Are you emotionally responsible or are you throwing your skipping rope across the gym when the workout is over? There are so many lessons to learn outside of the actual workout. Who are you in the middle of all of this? How do you want to carry yourself? Is the score what’s most important to you when it’s all said and done yet everyone in your CrossFit box will remember that you complained the whole time that it wasn’t fair that you got a no-rep? This competition, regardless of how seriously you take it, is an excellent time to learn more about yourself, and that is definitely something to be grateful for.
The Big Picture
The Open is also a great time to be grateful for the big picture. How are you treating yourself during this time? Not practicing handstand push ups all year, only to be frustrated that you can’t do them is simply setting yourself up for failure. Is that being very kind to yourself? Is pushing yourself to the point of injury worth it? Is being hard on yourself and repeating a workout three or four times the most caring thing you can do for your mind or your body? How are you recovering? Are you recovering? There are so many things to consider during this time. It is important to always keep the big picture in mind. That may be scaling a workout so that you can continue to exercise for months following The Open as opposed to RX, only to be injured and need to take weeks off to heal. The big picture may be only doing a workout once to put time with friends and family at the forefront as opposed to repeating it over and over trying to get one more rep. Remember to keep the big picture in mind and be grateful for all aspects of your life - keep things in perspective!
While The Open can be very challenging both physically and mentally, it’s also a great reminder to be grateful for all the things your body can do, and for all the support and positivity the CrossFit community brings. Mobility MVMNT has partnered with Laurie Meschishnick, 8 times Masters CrossFit Games Athlete, and 2019 CrossFit Games Masters Champion (55-59) to develop the Mastery and Gratitude Signature Series. Click here to learn more about Laurie’s Signature Series.
Good luck with the remaining workouts. Have fun and remember to be grateful for this awesome experience.
The Mobility MVMNT Team