Stop Training Like a Psychopath: FitzGerald's Blueprint for Open Success

Let me tell you about the most expensive lesson I ever learned.

It was 2019. I'd been doing CrossFit for three years, following whatever workout my box posted that morning like some kind of caffeinated sheep. I was convinced I was ready to crush the Open.

21.1 dropped. I lasted exactly 8 minutes and 47 seconds before my soul left my body during those wall walks.

My score? Dead last in my division at our gym. Not second to last. Not "close to last." DEAD. LAST.

That's when I realized I'd been training like a complete psychopath.

The Random Workout Epidemic

Here's what nobody wants to admit: most of us are just showing up and doing whatever looks "hard" that day. We're basically fitness tourists, bouncing from one sweaty selfie opportunity to the next.

Sound familiar? You scroll through Instagram, see some Games athlete crushing a brutal workout, and think "Yeah, I'll do that today!" Then you wonder why you're not improving.

It's like trying to learn Spanish by randomly shouting words you heard in Narcos. ¿Comprende?

James FitzGerald - you know, the guy who actually WON the CrossFit Games back when it meant something - has been watching this chaos unfold. And he's got some thoughts.

FitzGerald's Reality Check

Fitz breaks it down like this: you're training 340+ days to perform well in roughly 36 minutes of total work. Let that sink in for a hot second.

Most of us spend more time deciding what to watch on Netflix than the Open actually takes. Yet we train like we're preparing for the Iron Man World Championship.

That's... kind of insane when you think about it.

His approach? Stop being a hero every single day and start thinking like an actual athlete.

The Five-Phase Blueprint (Or: How to Stop Sucking)

Phase 1: Base (200 Days) - The Foundation You've Been Skipping

This is where most of us fail spectacularly. We skip the boring stuff because it doesn't make us feel like warriors.

FitzGerald says spend 200 days - TWO HUNDRED DAYS - just building your foundation. That's logging volume, fixing your wonky overhead position, and addressing the fact that your left shoulder still thinks it's 1987.

I know, I know. It's not sexy. You won't get likes posting videos of your overhead squat progression. But here's the thing: this phase is where champions are quietly built while everyone else is doing hero WODs they can't recover from.

Phase 2: Tough (60 Days) - Time to Test Your Work

Now we get spicy. This is where you take all that boring foundation work and actually put it through hell.

Think of it like this: you've been building a sports car for 200 days. Now you finally get to see how fast it goes.

FitzGerald recommends three full rest days per month during this phase. THREE. Not seven "active recovery" sessions involving yoga and feeling guilty. Actual rest. Your Netflix subscription will thank you.

Phase 3: Pre-Comp (40 Days) - Dress Rehearsal for Glory

This is where you simulate everything. And I mean EVERYTHING.

Not just the workouts, but the timing, your pre-workout meal, your sleep schedule, even what underwear you wear (trust me, this matters more than you think).

Remember 21.1? If I'd practiced high-rep double-unders followed by getting inverted, maybe I wouldn't have looked like a dying fish on those wall walks.

As Fitz says, you're preparing to "chew beads" when the Open hits. Whatever that means, but it sounds intense and I'm here for it.

Phase 4: Comp (21-35 Days) - Showtime

The Open is here. You've done the work. Time to execute and try not to have an existential crisis mid-thruster.

Phase 5: Deload (20 Days) - Please, Just Stop

After the Open, put down the barbell. Go hiking. Play basketball. Remember what it feels like to move your body for fun instead of punishment.

No more thrusters. No more burpees. FitzGerald literally says "anything but more thrusters and pull-ups."

The man gets it.

The IMP=D Formula (Math, But Make It Gains)

FitzGerald's got this formula: Intention + Modality + Person = Design.

Sounds like corporate consultant BS, but hear me out.

Intention: What do you actually want from the Open? Top 10% in your region? Just not last place? Be honest with yourself here.

Modality: The technical stuff. Making your engine sustainable, progressing strength intelligently, and "scaffolding" skills (which is just fancy talk for practicing movement combinations that might show up).

Person: Where you are RIGHT NOW. Not where you wish you were. Not where you were five years ago. Where. You. Are. Now.

Most programming ignores at least two of these factors. Usually all three.

The Hard Truth About "Random" Training

Look, I get it. Random workouts are fun. They keep things interesting. But they're also keeping you mediocre.

It's like trying to improve your deadlift by randomly picking up heavy things you find around the house. Sure, you might get stronger eventually, but you're definitely going to hurt yourself and progress will be painfully slow.

FitzGerald's data from thousands of athletes shows specific Key Performance Indicators that matter for Open success. Following his systematic approach beats random hero WODs every single time.

Real Talk: Why This Is Hard

Here's why most people won't follow this advice: it requires admitting you need structure.

It means saying goodbye to the daily surprise of "what fresh hell awaits me at the gym today?" It means planning. It means being intentional instead of just reacting.

For those of us who got into CrossFit for the chaos and community, this feels like selling out.

But you know what? My ego has recovered from that 2019 humiliation. My Open scores have steadily improved since I started following structured programming. And I actually enjoy training more because I can see the purpose in what I'm doing.

Your Next Move

So here's my challenge to you: pick one thing from FitzGerald's approach and commit to it for the next month.

Maybe it's taking those three legitimate rest days instead of guilt-exercising through active recovery. Maybe it's spending more time on that foundation work you've been avoiding. Maybe it's just admitting that your current "strategy" of randomly crushing yourself isn't actually a strategy at all.

Whatever you choose, share it in the comments. I'll check back in four weeks to see how it's going.

And if you're still doing random WODs this time next year and wondering why your Open scores haven't improved... well, don't say I didn't warn you.

Now excuse me while I go practice some very boring overhead squats. Because apparently that's what champions do.

¿Quieres mejorar en serio? Then stop training like it's 2008 and start thinking like an athlete.