How to master Open 23.1: practical tips from one of South America's best coaches

The well-known Venezuelan coach, Fran Gutiérrez , provided important advice and recommendations so that the athletes can perform in the Open 23.1 in the best possible way.

Gutiérrez is the founder of BLM Athletes, and has been in the world of Functional Fitness for 13 years.

Among his greatest achievements are:

• x 7 CrossFit Games Athletes Qualified
• × 4 CrossFit Games Coach 17"18"19"21"
• x25 Regionals / Semis / AGOQ Athletes Qualified

Tips and recommendations provided by Fran:

Open Workout:

23.1: (14.4 REPEAT)
Complete as many reps as possible in 14 minutes of:
60-calorie row
50 toes-to-bars
40 wall-ball shots
30 cleans
20 ring muscle-ups

Rx:
♀ 14-lb ball to 9-ft target, 95-lb cleans
♂ 20-lb ball to 10-ft target, 135-lb cleans

It's rare for the first open training session to be repeated, but 2023 looks set to be a big year for change at CFHQ. The good news is that there's plenty to learn from past mistakes—both your own and others'—by looking back at the scores and strategies in 2014.

Warm-up: A good warm-up will be crucial for this event. You don't want to overdo it before starting, but you do want to ensure your system is ready for both heavy breathing and advanced skills.

Early rest: This is a dominant workout; once fatigue sets in, those higher-level skills will become more difficult. Stay fresh and break early so that speed and efficiency can be maintained at their peak.

Short rest intervals: Break sets often if necessary, but don't lengthen the transitions; this is only to prevent fatigue from building up. However, you'll need to be disciplined with your rest periods to keep moving throughout the workout. Strive to ensure a good #TIEBREAK and use the remaining time to achieve your first RMU performance.

If you're aiming for the quarterfinals... the female athletes must battle it out in the ring muscle-ups. A solid goal for the men is to aim for at least +10 or more to make a difference, and if you're preparing for the semifinals, you understand very well that your challenge lies in how much you can do in the second round, where your closest rivals will be.