February has been about momentum across the board. The Open is underway, HYROX prep is ramping up, affiliates are leading from the front, and we’ve continued investing in coaching education and community events around the world.
In this roundup, you’ll find support for athletes in the middle of the competition season, development opportunities for coaches and affiliates, upcoming events to join, and new content from our team to help you train and coach with more intention.
Whether you’re competing, leading a class, or building toward your next goal, this month has been about continuing to raise the standard in our work.
– Mat Fraser
THE OPEN IS IN FULL SWING
AND WE’RE IN IT WITH YOU EACH WEEK
The Open brings a different level of intensity, and how you approach each workout matters. Our goal is to give you clear direction, practical strategies, and the right mindset so you can SHOW UP with confidence each week.
If you’re a member, join the HWPO coaches on Circle for a full breakdown of each workout as they drop. We will cover pacing, warm-up tips, and the best way to tackle the workout for maximum results.
Note: If you’re not a HWPO member, you can still catch the full breakdown on our YOUTUBE shortly after.
If you're throwing down for The Open, be sure to check out these quick tips from the 5x Fittest Man himself, Mat Fraser.
REP THE HARD WORK
WE WANT TO SEE YOU OUT THERE
We encourage you to rock your favorite HWPO gear, dig deep when it gets tough, and show the world what HARD WORK looks like.
Tag us @hwpotraining and use #HWPOINTHEOPEN when you post your stories, sweaty tees, and victory flexes. We want to celebrate your success with the whole community.
HWPO AFFILIATE AND THE CROSSFIT OPEN
WE’RE HERE, EVERY STEP OF THE WAY
With the 2026 CrossFit Open underway, this is when the atmosphere in your gym shifts. There’s a different kind of focus on the floor. Members rally around each other. Effort rises. Community tightens. And your role as a coach matters more than ever.
Whether this is your first Open leading from the front or one of many, we’re right there with you and here to support you through it. Check out our post, where AFFILIATE Head Coach Michele breaks down how we’re supporting you through this.
NOT A HWPO AFFILIATE MEMBER?
Give your gym structure, clarity, and direction with seven proven programs and daily programming built to support real classes. Inside CIRCLE, connect with driven affiliate owners and coaches and get direct guidance from Coach Michele and the HWPO team.
2 WEEKS FREE | MULTIPLE PLATFORMS
HYROX CRUISE, THE ULTIMATE FITNESS BREAK
JOIN HWPO ON THE FIRST EVER HYROX CRUISE
Be part of the first-ever HYROX Cruise – redefining fitness travel at sea.
Train with world-class coaches, connect with the community, fuel with performance-focused nutrition and recover under the sun.
From 21–25 October 2026, we set sail from Palma de Mallorca to Marseille and Barcelona, before returning to Palma.
Sign up using code HYROXCRUISE-HWPO and save 10%
GIRLS GONE RX COMPETITION
A CELEBRATION OF COMMUNITY
Girls Gone RX is built around more than competition. It brings women together through shared effort, support, and a commitment to lifting one another up. Each event supports a breast cancer charity, and collectively the community has raised over $1 million for organisations around the world.
Join an event near you and be part of the movement.
Want to host a GGRX competition at YOUR gym? Apply here.
THE GGRX OLY OPEN
AN ONLINE OLYMPIC WEIGHTLIFTING COMPETITION
Starting March 18, this five-week individual event will test your strength one lift at a time. Each week, a new movement will be announced. Film your lift, submit your score, and see how you stack up.
If you’re following HWPO LIFT, this is a chance to put your training into practice. The structure, progressions, and technical focus inside LIFT are built for moments like this.
Not a HWPO member? Start a free trial of LIFT and follow a structured Olympic weightlifting program built around technical development, smart progressions, and long-term strength.
COACHING DEVELOPMENT IN ACTION
JOIN US FOR COACHES CONGRESS | MADRID
Coaches Congress Madrid is almost here, and we’re proud to continue supporting an event that puts coaching development first. It’s a space for thoughtful discussion, practical takeaways, and learning from coaches who’ve spent years refining their craft on the gym floor.
30% EARLY BIRD DISCOUNT STILL AVAILABLE
Matt O’Keefe breaks down why you should join us in Madrid, what you can expect and who from HWPO will be there to inspire your coaching style. Watch here:
HYROX PREP DONE PROPERLY WITH CONCEPT 2
MACHINE STRATEGY THAT SUPPORTS STRONGER RACING
Mat has been breaking down key machines used in HYROX training and racing, starting with the SkiErg and RowErg. In these videos, he walks through setup, technique, pacing, and the common mistakes that cost athletes time and energy on race day.
He also covers why the BikeErg, while not in the race itself, plays an important role in building aerobic capacity, leg stamina, and sustainable power.
If you’re preparing for your next race, watch the full breakdowns and see how structured, machine-specific work fits into the bigger picture.
Train with intent. Prepare with structure. Explore the 8-week prep HWPO HYROX program.
CATCH UP ON THE LATEST FROM OUR BLOG
Here’s what you missed from our coaches this month. Catch them here:
ADDING ROTATION TO YOUR TRAINING
– Coach Justin Ahrens
Most training programs focus on straight-line movements, but real life rarely works that way. Rotation plays a key role in how we move, stabilize, and generate force, yet it’s often overlooked in training. This blog explores why adding small amounts of rotational work can improve movement quality, joint health, and long-term performance.
BUILDING A STRONG FOUNDATION
– Coach Griffin Roelle
Progress, performance, and results all matter. But none of them last if they’re built on a weak foundation. Before chasing the next goal or outcome, this blog challenges athletes to step back and ask a deeper question: what do you actually believe in, and what standards guide how you show up every day?
GREAT CLASSES START BEFORE YOU ENTER THE GYM
– Coach Justin Sweeney
Great coaching rarely happens by accident. While experience can get you through most classes, consistent preparation is what separates good sessions from truly great ones. This blog outlines a simple, repeatable class prep system designed to help coaches show up confident.
MASTERS MANTRA
– Coach Colette Casey
Getting older in sport is unavoidable. How you respond to it is not. For Masters athletes, progress no longer comes from doing more, but from doing what matters most. This blog explores practical ways to adapt your training, recovery, and mindset so you can continue to thrive, not just survive, as both you and the sport evolve.
PACING IS A SKILL
– Coach Casey Acree
At some point, almost every competitive CrossFit® athlete experiences the same frustration: the workout was within their capacity, but the result didn’t reflect it. This blog breaks down why pacing isn't instinctive, why intensity alone isn’t enough, and how the best athletes train pacing as a skill—not a feeling.
SOURDOUGH SPROUT CHICKEN SANDWICH
SAMMY’S GO-TO LUNCH
This simple sourdough sandwich comes together in about 5 minutes. Sammy Moniz adds a bit of avocado and cream cheese to elevate your everyday chicken sandwich to something that promises to satisfy.
