Most of us really want to do our best for our team and ourselves during Friday Night Lights. That being said, in order to perform your best you need to set your body up for success the week/days leading into Friday night Open.

Here is how I would normally attack the week leading into the competition. Monday and Tuesday I would attend class and hit the workouts HARD just like a normal week. Wednesday, I would still take the class but if I’m feeling beat up/sore I would drastically scale back the weights AND my intensity by a solid 60%. The key here is to move with intention but NOT beat your body up. Thursdays can be tricky. I recommend either taking the day off from the gym altogether (but still doing some mobility at home) or coming into the gym and going very very easy on all movements. Some people respond better by moving (even if its just a little) while others benefit from a full rest day (that’s me).

The night before try to drink tons of water before bed and have a BIG breakfast. I would then have a lighter lunch and if I need an extra boost of energy right before the workout, I would eat a piece of candy or pre-workout/caffeine.

That being said, if you know how your body feels after a few days of CrossFit and you already have a normal routine set in place then IGNORE everything you just read. It may sound counter-intuitive but sometimes the best plan is to NOT change your normal routine. If you normally get 4 hours of sleep and eat pasta right before a CrossFit class (we hope you aren’t) continue to do that.

If anyone has played organized sports, most coaches recommend NOT trying something new on gameday. If you never wear grips or knee sleeves while you train then the Open is NOT a time to try them out. Only try new things during practice, NOT during the game.

Hope this helps everyone! See yall at Friday Night Lights! Lets go!

-Zach T.