#168 - 2026 Open Programming

#168 - 2026 Open Programming

From Legion Strength & Conditioning Podcast by Legion Strength & Conditioning

April 14, 2026 · 27 min

About this episode

This episode discusses the challenges and considerations of the CrossFit Games Open programming and its impact on participants.

This year's CrossFit Games Open workouts ruffled some feathers. The constraints of having only three tests mean that overdoing certain movement patterns, time domains, or workout styles can significantly skew the testing. This can really impact the enjoyment of your average CrossFit box member, who is not overly invested in their results but genuinely enjoys taking part. Ultimately, these situations raise the question of who the Open is for, what the main goal of this competition is, and whether the programming is aligned with these factors. In this week's episode, we talk all about the Open, the tests, and what it could look like if there were some level of standardisation or predictability to make it more engaging for every CrossFit box member. If you're not already subscribed to our newsletter, head over to www.legionsc.com to get a weekly selection of training tips and our favorite articles. We run online workshops for coaches as well. Find out when our next workshop is here: https://legionsc.com/program-design-workshops These podcasts are posted in video format on YouTube as well. Show Notes: [1:30] Unbalanced testing with the CrossFit Open workouts [5:00] Making the Open…

People in this episode

Host: Legion Strength & Conditioning

Topics covered

  • CrossFit Games Open
  • workout programming
  • fitness competition
  • engagement
  • standardization

Keywords

  • CrossFit
  • Open workouts
  • fitness
  • programming
  • engagement
  • standardization
  • competition

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: CrossFit

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