Programming During the 2021 Open

Programming during the Open can be a challenge for affiliates, especially when it comes to modifying programming following an Open announcement. Hopefully, your programming extends out beyond just a week and you have a general plan or template for future training days, but if not we’re here to help. For you current subscribers reading this, you can see what to expect for our Open Phase which begins on February 22nd, the last week of February’s program. We’ve been programming around the Open for nearly a decade and know how to not only modify programs, but also ensure your athletes are ready to go on Fridays. Check out how we will be programming throughout the Open – details below!

Open Phase Breakdown, February 22nd – April 18th

• Weeks 1 and 2: Open Prep with past Open workouts being tested on Fridays. There will be no test week this phase, but there will be a Baseline Test week at the end of the phase (details below).
• Weeks 3-5: programming will prepare athletes to execute the Open workout each Friday which will be the programmed workout. Affiliates who have athletes looking to perform the Open workout on different days or re-test on Monday should substitute the class workout with the Open test.
• Week 6: Partner Week!
• Weeks 7-8: Baseline testing – we will be testing various lifts and benchmarks for athletes to utilize for the upcoming year. We will still have usual test and re-test weeks in upcoming phases, but we want to make sure athletes have some accurate data points to use for the future.

Weekly Breakdown

• Monday, Tuesday, and Saturday will be “normal training”. Our strength work will account for 2 of these 3 days and will rotate in both the lifts themselves as well as the intensity in order to maintain a high level of GPP throughout the phase. For example, Monday of week 1 is the Back Squat, and it is a high CNS stimulus. Week 2’s high CNS will be the Deadlift and will be on Tuesday. Whichever day the High CNS lift falls on, class will only be a lift. On the other day, we will focus on a gymnastics skill and put it into practice on the same day in the workout.
• Wednesdays: these will have longer, more aerobic based workouts that will allow athletes to still get a great workout without beating themselves up.
• Thursday: Primer day. We’ve found that athletes perform better in Open workouts when they did a somewhat normal training day the day prior rather than a rest day. The lift will be an EMOM of Power Clean and Jerk or Power Snatch. The conditioning piece will allow athletes to push the intensity without creating excessive soreness.
• Friday: Open workout

Programming Through the Open

• Because we cannot predict what the Open workouts but still want to provide you all with the full month of programming rather than week by week, our plan for modifying potential workouts throughout the Open is as follows: each Thursday after the Open announcement, we will look at Saturday and the following week of programming to determine if any movements need to be modified. We will then upload a brief document with suggested modifications to any workouts for the following week. For example, if 21.1 is thrusters and pull ups and Friday’s workout is front squats and toes to bar, we will provide a modification so that athletes are not duplicating movements.

Competitor Extras

• For athletes who are interested in advancing to and participating in the online Quarterfinals after the Open, our Competitor Extras will focus on preparing athletes to perform their best in the Quarterfinals. Workouts will be slightly more beefed up to prepare athletes for what will likely be 5-7 events over the course of the 4-day weekend. These workouts will increase in intensity over the course of the Phase.

Want to offload your programming for the Open so you can focus on your affiliate? Let’s do it.

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