Average CrossFit Open Data from the WHOOP Community: Strain, Sleep, Recovery, HRV, Heart Rate & More

With the 2021 CrossFit Open in the books, we take a look at some of the data from our members who participated, including sleep, recovery, strain, HRV, max heart rate, calories burned and more.

The CrossFit community represents a very large subset of our WHOOP community as well. The averages we discuss below are the aggregate data from everyone who logged a CrossFit Training activity in the WHOOP app during the Open (3/12-3/15, 3/19-3/22 and 3/26-3/29).  

Sleep Performance and Recovery During the CrossFit Open

Average sleep performance dropped slightly after the Open began. In the week prior, it was 89%. Spanning all the dates over which the Open took place (3/12-3/29), it dipped to 88%. The average recovery across days of Open competition was 56%. Suspecting it might decrease following athlete’s workouts, we took a look at the days afterwards as well. However, on 3/16, 3/23 and 3/30 (all Tuesdays), the average recovery was 59%. This likely has more to do with the days of the week--Open workouts primarily took place on the weekends, and in general WHOOP members have the highest recoveries early in the week.  

CrossFit Open HRV and Resting Heart Rate

Overall, the average heart rate variability throughout the Open was 65 milliseconds. It was 66 ms in the first week though, and not surprisingly fell as the Open progressed. Resting heart rate averages stayed steady at 56 beats per minute over the three-week period.  

Strain, Heart Rate and Calories Burned for Open Workouts

The average day strain in the CrossFit community was 11.3 during the Open. For workouts logged as CrossFit Training, the average activity strain was 9.8. That number varied somewhat across the different workouts. In the time period of 21.1 (3/12-3/15) it was 9.8, during 21.2 (3/19-3/22) it was 9.7, and for 21.3 and 21.4 (3/26-3/29) it was 10.0.

Across all CrossFit Training activities, the average heart rate was 126 bpm, with an average max heart rate of 170 bpm. Max HR was a bit higher during the 21.1 dates (171 bpm) than it was for the rest of the Open (169 bpm). In terms of calories burned, the average for CrossFit activities during the Open was 346. That total rose throughout, from 335 during 21.1, to 339 in 21.2, to 363 in 21.3/21.4.