With the 2019 Open almost here, it’s anyone’s guess what Dave Castro and the CrossFit HQ team have in store. This year, we will see the 2019 CrossFit Games Open become the largest qualifier of athletes to the 2019 Games, with the top 20 men and top 20 women receiving invitations directly to Madison. With the five weeks of torture — *ahem* fitness — kicking off on Thursday, February 21st, here are our top seven predictions for this year’s Open.
7 Predictions for the 2019 Open
1. The Year of the Kettlebells
View this post on Instagram
We saw the dumbbell appear in several 2018 Open workouts, often replacing typical barbell movements with new movement standards introduced. So, what will the 2019 iteration be? Will it be the humble kettlebell? We’re not talking about the usual kettlebell swings but rather the likes of kettlebell snatches (single arm or perhaps double), overhead kettlebell lunges, kettlebell pistol squats, or perhaps the classic farmers carry.
2. Which Girl?
18.4 featured a Diane variation. 16.3 drew similarities with Amanda, as did 17.3. 14.3 had a nod to Christine. 14.5 was a spicier version of Fran, as were 13.5, 12.5, and 11.6. 12.4 and 13.3 incorporated Karen. 13.4 took Gwen to the next level. And 12.2 was an intense version of Isabel.
If 18.4 isn’t the repeat workout, we predict a shorter, more intense variation of Mary — 5 handstand push-ups, 10 pistols, and 15 pull-ups as a 20-minute AMRAP.
3. Hello, Handstands!
View this post on Instagram
Handstand walking or handstand push-ups, one or the other, perhaps even both (again!). After the landslide down the leaderboard 18.4 caused for many athletes, it’s safe to say that, one way or the other, handstands will make an appearance to separate those who are truly fit. Especially with the Open being the largest athlete qualifier for the 2019 Games, it’s a guarantee that there will be more advanced movements.
In the words of founder Greg Glassman, “Handstands, hand walking, and pressing to the handstand are critical exercises … and essential components to becoming ‘CrossFit’.”
4. Airdyne or Die
View this post on Instagram
Will 2019 be the year the Airdyne (Assault bike) makes an appearance? Only a few years ago, it was a piece of equipment rarely seen in an affiliate. Now, it’s unlikely that a box doesn’t have one. Yes, we ‘ve mentioned before that there can be discrepancies between brands, but it’s only a matter of time before the Assault bike appears in the Open. Our guess if it does? A spicy mix with barbell thrusters or wall balls.
5. Once a Classic, Always a Classic
View this post on Instagram
There are certain movements fundamental to CrossFit, so to crown the best athletes in the world, it’s imperative that they are masters of these. From 2011 to 2018, certain “bread and butter” movements have appeared each year, so it’s unlikely that 2019 will be an exception.
Don’t think that you can get away not mastering the basics — toes-to-bar, double-unders, chest-to-bar pull-ups, wall balls, muscle-ups (ring or bar or both?), snatching, and thrusters. The real discussion is how, based on past Open workouts, couplet-style WODs are a certainty, and a triplet WOD is very likely.
Fun fact: The couplet workout is usually thrusters. (Sorry to bring bad news, but let’s hope that probability is wrong.)
6. Repeat, Who?
Castro loves to repeat previous years’ workouts. So, what do we know? 17.4 was a repeat of 16.4, 16.5 of 14.5, 15.2 of 14.2, 14.1 of 11.1, 13.3 of 12.4, and 12.5 of 11.6. No WODs from 2013 or 2015 have ever been repeated. However, 2018 was a surprise, as there was no exact workout repeat. Similarities occurred including 18.2a featuring the 1-rep-max clean, similar to the 1-rep-max clean and jerk in 15.a. And 18.5 could be likened to 13.5, 12.5, and 11.6 with the same movements of thrusters and chest-to-bar pull-ups.
Where does that leave us? It’s any guess what mastermind Castro has in store, but there’s a good chance that 2019 will see a repeat. Our pick is 18.4 or an iteration of.
7. And the Winners Are…
View this post on Instagram
Drumroll! Always a tricky one to predict. With the new format of 2019, the stakes are arguably higher for the Open. With the favourites likely to receive 2019 Games invites from sanctioned events, it’s possible we will see some new names at the top. With Tia-Clair Toomey, Patrick Vellner, Sam Briggs and Mat Fraser already qualified for the Games, our prediction to take out the 2019 Games Open is the always consistent Brooke Wells for the women’s category and 2018 CrossFit Games 4th place holder and 2017 CrossFit Games runner-up, Brent Fikowski for the male category.
With so many new things to look forward to and the likelihood of the most challenging Open workouts we’ve ever seen, 2019 is certain to be one exciting Open. So, let the games begin and may the WODs be ever in your favour.
Get #OpenReady and shop the essentials with TWL.
Main image: Brooke Wells/Instagram
