The CrossFit Open: RX or Scaled?

So you’ve signed up for the CrossFit Open – well done! As the days pass by and the first workout is creeping closer, you may start to think about whether you should do it RX or scaled.

It’s not a decision that you can make depending on the weather or what you had for breakfast – you need to know what you’re capable of and what your limitations are.

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Should you do the CrossFit Open RX or scaled? 5 Questions to help you decide

To help you figure out if you should Rx the CrossFit open, here are 5 questions to ask yourself:

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#1 – Did you do the CrossFit Open RX last year?

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If you did and you had fun then you probably shouldn’t change a thing. If no, continue with the next question:

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#2 – How confident do you feel doing the RX workouts from the last 2 years of the CrossFit Open?

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Again, if you’re confident you could handle the RX workouts from the past then you can give it a go this year. If not, continue with the next question:

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#3 – Have you improved over the past year?

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If you’ve become a lot fitter and stronger since last year and you’re confident in the RX movements, you could try the RX workouts for the Open this year. If not, talk to your coach (you may have improved a lot but not noticed it!) and continue with the next question:

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#4 – Do you generally use RX weights in the class program?

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If yes then RX at the CrossFit Open is definitely for you. If no, continue to the final question:

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#5 – Will doing the Open RX this year make me a happier human being?

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If yes then you’re all set. If no, then it looks like the scaled version of the CrossFit Open is a better fit for your journey right now!

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What variations are available for the CrossFit Open workouts?

For each workout of the CrossFit open, you can choose to complete the RX version (exactly as the workout is written), the scaled version or the foundations version. You can use any combination of these variations – scaled one week then RX’d the next – depending on your current ability.

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If you’re not sure what variation to choose, speak with one of our CrossFit coaches in the gym and they’ll be able to help you out!

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What’s the difference between Rx, Scaled and Foundation CrossFit workouts?

RX – This level is designed for people that have a lot of experience with CrossFit. They are comfortable with all the movements and have a good sense of their current fitness level as a result of doing CrossFit for a long time.

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Scaled – This level is designed for people that have some experience with CrossFit. There are still some movements that they haven’t mastered (yet!) but still want to challenge themselves.

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Foundation – This level is designed for people that have very little experience with CrossFit. They are still learning the building blocks for the main CrossFit movements and finding their feet with CrossFit programming.

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Should I RX the CrossFit Open Workouts if I can only do 1 rep?

A lot of athletes taking part in the CrossFit Open are able to do a muscle-up or travel a short distance with a handstand walk. If you’re really close to achieving these milestones then the atmosphere and energy of the Open might help you finally get your first well-earned rep.

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Whether you choose to RX or scale the CrossFit Open workouts really depends on your goals and what motivates you as an athlete.

If you can manage 1 rep in the RX workouts then you’ll be placed above everyone that did the scaled workouts on the leaderboard. As long as you’re not pushing your body far beyond its limit and risking injury – that’s a milestone achievement!

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Completing the scaled Open workout gives you an incredible sense of accomplishment and is a fantastic building block for mastering the skills required to RX next year’s CrossFit Open!

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The best thing to do is talk to your coaches. At InnerFight, we’ve been doing the CrossFit Open since 2011 so we can answer any questions you have and help you make the best decision for your fitness journey. Get in touch with us at winning@innerfight.com and we’ll be happy to help you.

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Related: 4 Tips to SMASH the CrossFit Open

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Closing thoughts

The CrossFit Open should challenge you, make you a better human being and allow you to have fun with the InnerFight and broader CrossFit community. It should not give you sleepless nights and raise anxiety levels.

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Hopefully you have the answer to your question here. If not reach out to one of the coaches, we would love to support you!

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Fun  - Honesty - Simplicity - SMASH LIFE- Mental Toughness - Hard Work