Modern WisdomDAVE CASTRO | CrossFit Open 18.0 and Fighting Mat Fraser
At a glance
WHAT IT’S REALLY ABOUT
Dave Castro Reveals CrossFit Open Secrets, Athlete Mindset, And 18.0 Origins
- Dave Castro discusses the genesis of CrossFit Open workout 18.0, explaining how a long-held idea for a pre-Open workout was finally realized through a collaboration with Reebok. He outlines the intent behind simple but challenging movements, new standards, and the strategic ambiguity they create for athletes anticipating the Open. Castro also talks about the pressure on athletes during live Open announcements, his own approach to programming inclusive yet demanding tests, and how he personally experiences the workouts. The conversation rounds out with reflections on Reebok’s role in CrossFit’s growth, global affiliate culture, and the competitive mindset that sets champions like Mat Fraser and Rich Froning apart.
IDEAS WORTH REMEMBERING
5 ideas18.0 was designed as a simple, classic CrossFit test with strategic twists.
Castro used two familiar Open movements—dumbbell snatches and burpees—but added new standards to both, creating a straightforward yet novel challenge that also plants speculation about what will appear in the Open.
Live Open announcements place unique pressure on athletes.
Unlike regular participants who can plan, strategize, and repeat workouts, announcement athletes must perform within minutes of hearing the workout, often with no chance to refine technique or pacing.
Programming the Open must balance elite testing with broad accessibility.
Castro aims to identify the fittest on earth while still allowing hundreds of thousands of people to participate, requiring workouts that are scalable yet still technically and physically meaningful.
“Anyone can do it” is true but requires basic CrossFit competence.
Even scaled divisions demand familiarity with foundational movements; total beginners could not meaningfully participate without some prior exposure and instruction.
Castro tests the workouts himself but feels the most anxiety once scores exist.
He’s comfortable doing them in the design phase, but once global benchmarks are set, he feels pressure to meet or exceed mid-pack scores when he re-does them officially during the Open.
WORDS WORTH SAVING
5 quotesThe workout had to be true, core CrossFit—simple, nice bite.
— Dave Castro
I’m thinking more about the test that I have to program being that it’s going to rank the fittest in the world, but also be appropriate for 400 other thousand people.
— Dave Castro
Anyone can do it—that statement is true, but it’s also misleading in the fact that you need to know how to do some basic CrossFit movements.
— Dave Castro
We actively don’t go out and try to promote ourselves. We let the brand promote itself organically.
— Dave Castro
Mat’s not trying to do the best he can. He’s trying to beat the guy to the left and right of him.
— Dave Castro
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