2025 CrossFit Open Kicks Off with Intense Workout 25.1 Analysis

COOKEVILLE, Tenn. — The 2025 CrossFit Open commenced with the debut of Workout 25.1 on March 5, showcasing a challenging triplet of movements: lateral burpees over dumbbells, dumbbell hang clean-to-overheads, and walking lunges. Athletes had 15 minutes to complete as many rounds and reps as possible, with the first two movements increasing by three reps each round.

This year’s workout featured a new twist compared to its predecessor, Open Workout 24.1, which had a descending-rep format. Notably, 25.1 allowed athletes to switch arms at will during the hang clean-to-overheads, marking a departure from previous high-skill concentrative workouts. This inclusive nature of the workout was aimed at maximizing Rx’d participation, enabling broader athlete engagement.

“The absence of high-skill or advanced load movements in 25.1 ensured participants of various skill levels could compete effectively,” said Jonathan Kinnick of btwb. “Ultimately, placements on the leaderboard reflect athletes’ endurance and determination.”

This year’s competition has seen significant global participation. The United States retained its dominant position, capturing 42% of the total Open field with a 2.25% increase from 2024, while France moved back into second place. Brazil fell from fourth to sixth, and for the first time, the Netherlands secured a spot in the top 10, displacing Germany.

“Each week, we will closely monitor performance metrics from these top ten countries,” Kinnick explained. “Particularly impressive is South Korea, which boasts a staggering Rx’d participation rate of 91%, followed closely by Australia at 88%.”

To gauge competitiveness for Workout 25.1, Kinnick emphasized the metric of athletes achieving over 232 reps, which equates to completing eight full rounds. In this demographic, South Korea excelled with 20% of participants reaching this mark, followed by Spain and Australia at 15% and 14%, respectively.

Age demographics also revealed interesting trends, as 57% of participants fell within the masters divisions, those over 34 years old, while individuals aged 18 to 34 comprised 41%. Notably, men aged 18-34 performed the workout as Rx’d at a markedly higher rate than women in the same category, recording 90% versus 70% participation, respectively.

“The diversity in scores indicates a healthy spread of results, with men primarily finishing the first half of round eight while women clustered in the latter half of round seven,” Kinnick shared. “However, only 13% of all participants progressed to round nine, showcasing the workout’s challenging nature.”

Post-Open, athletes can anticipate the new Community Cup, a tiered stage of competition held in local affiliates. Participants will be divided into five tiers—Pro, Advanced, Intermediate, Novice, and Rookie—according to their Open performance, enabling tailored competition.

Percentile tables detailing individual, masters, and teenage divisions will also inform athletes about their performance levels based on workout scores. For example, women aged 35-39 required 233 reps to reach the 90th percentile.

The official 25.2 workout announcement is scheduled for March 7, with anticipation building among CrossFit enthusiasts. Speculation surrounds a possible seven-round workout amid various guessed formats and movements.

“No one truly knows what’s coming, but that keeps the excitement alive,” Kinnick concluded. “We look forward to seeing how predictions align with the reality of workout 25.2.”