The CrossFit Open is a worldwide CrossFit competition. We do it every year. This year, it kicks off on February 17th.
(New to Helix and CrossFit? Click HERE first to read about what the Open is all about.)
The Open is an opportunity to assess your fitness capabilities in a fun, slightly different environment than you are used to. For three weeks, you will get to do workouts alongside your peers. It is not a reason to be scared, put pressure on yourselves or have an anxiety attack. Nor should a workout score affect your self-esteem. These are just workouts.
This year will be the 13th iteration of the CrossFit Games Open, so we actually know quite a bit about what to expect and how to best prepare you.
At Helix, we do the CrossFit Open a little bit differently. This is the Helix Intramural Open.
Every year during the Open, many Helix’ers PR their lifts and get movements like chest-to-bar pull-ups or toes-to-bar for the first time. This year, we expect even more fun and PRs. There are Rx, Scaled, Foundations, Bodyweight, Masters, Teens, and adaptive. Basically, everyone at every level will be able to participate with loads of different modification options available.
THE OPEN IS OPEN TO ALL!
We’re going to have two in-house Helix intramural teams competing, led by two hand-picked Team Captains; Shannan Hardenburger and Samantha Lester. And you’re going to be on one of the teams!
Shannan and Sam’s job is to get you to show up for each Open workout on Friday, and experience the benefit of annual group competition.
Shannan and Sam are basically recruiting you to have fun because simple participation matters more than actual scores. We want you to sign up this year! Are you really going to say no to one of them? I don’t think so.
REGISTRATION
Registration for the Helix Intramural Open is FREE — in fact, if you’re a Helix member, you’re going to be on a team. After 11 years as a CrossFit affiliate, participating in the worldwide Open is in our blood now; it draws our gym community closer together and creates many fond memories.
You can also choose to “officially” register for the Open at open.crossfit.com, and choose CrossFit Helix as your Affiliate. The cost is $25 and this is completely optional. Participating with Helix for fun on Fridays during our Intramural Open is free.
CROSSFIT KIDS DIVISION!
- Each Friday night at 5:00pm, we’ll run a special heat just for kids! Any Helix athlete may bring their child to participate in the kid version of the weekly Open workout so they can be just like Mom and/or Dad!
RECRUITMENT
Everyone will be recruited onto an Intramural team by a Captain. Once either Shannan or Sam has persuaded you to be on their team, they’ll add you to their teams roster on the sign-up sheet at the gym so we can see who is on who’s team! Our membership base will be divided into 2 equal numbers, and the Captains will recruit their teammates until they have reached their teams max allotted members. (For instance, if we have 80 Helix members by February 16th, then each team will consist of 40 athletes).
TEAMS
Team Captain: Shannan Hardenburger
Team Name: Need for Speed
Team Captain: Sam Lester
Team Name: Average Mavericks
This year we’re going with a Top Gun theme, so get out your aviators and leather jackets!
SCORING
+1 Point – Attendance: every member of a team that completes an Open workout at Helix on each week earns (1) point. Maximum (1) point per athlete per workout. The Open WOD will be the Workout of the Day each Friday (workout dates are February 17th, February 24th and March 3rd). As long as you come to class each Friday for 3-weeks during the Open, you will earn your team 1 point.
+1 Extra Point – Completing the workout during Friday Night Lights (4:30pm-6:30pm ish)! (You can still come at 5:30am or 8:30am, you just won’t earn your team an extra point).
+10 Team Points – Each week, we will announce a team challenge where your team can earn bonus points for winning the weekly challenge.
+10 Team Points – Winning the Bonus 4th WOD “Nerf Gun Biathlon”
BONUS 4TH WOD
- You and your team will compete against the other teams in a “Nerf Gun Biathlon” on Saturday, March 4th at 8:30am at Helix. Mark your calendars! We’ll announce more details later, but for now, just know that rowers, Nerf Guns and burpees will be involved.
WORKOUTS: WHEN AND WHERE?
Once again we’ll be hosting Friday Night Lights during the Open, so we highly encourage everyone to do the workout on Friday evenings (4:30pm-6:00pmish), as this will be that days workout for everyone anyway, but the Friday 5:30am and 8:30am classes will still be the days Open workout if you cannot attend in the evening. The workout will be different each week and will be announced on Thursday night (the night prior) by CrossFIt HQ. We’re love the electric energy that comes with coming together as a group to do the Open workout!
But most importantly, we want you to know that our focus is on FUN. We want participation because it will make you fitter, and it will get you high-fives and you’ll be happy and love life more and glow and stuff.
CUSTOM OPEN APPAREL
- We will have the opportunity for you to order custom CrossFit Helix branded Open-themed shirts on our Online Store!
In the past years, many of the Team Captains have organized team shirts for their teammates to purchase (optional) so if your Team Captain does this, then you will hear from them on ordering one!
