How is Gate 14 different from a CrossFit gym?

Gate 14 is a coached barbell strength and conditioning gym — not a CrossFit affiliate. The programming focuses on foundational strength movements (squat, deadlift, press, pull) with coached technique and progressive overload. Athletes who want to compete in the CrossFit Open use Gate 14 to build the barbell strength base that underlies CrossFit performance — then apply that base in their CrossFit programming.

What CrossFit Open movements require strength training?

Virtually all of them. Thrusters, deadlifts, overhead squats, clean and jerks, snatches, bar muscle-ups — these are barbell and gymnastics movements where strength is the limiting factor for most competitors. The Open tests fitness, but it rewards athletes who have spent years building a strength base.

When should I start Open prep?

The Open typically runs in February-March. Starting a structured strength phase in October-November gives you 4-5 months of progressive strength development before the Open begins. That's enough time to make a meaningful difference in barbell-heavy movements.

Can I combine Gate 14 with my CrossFit gym training?

Yes, and this is a common combination. Athletes use Gate 14 2x/week for focused barbell strength work, continue their CrossFit programming at their affiliate, and see improvement in both. The strength foundation from Gate 14 shows up in every Open workout that includes a barbell.

CrossFit Open Prep: Building Your Base Before the Open

The CrossFit Open runs for five weeks every February and March. For South Bay athletes who compete — whether they're chasing Quarterfinals qualification or just trying to beat last year's score — the difference between this year's performance and last year's is almost always traceable to what happened in the fall training block.

Gate 14 at 130 E. Grand Ave, El Segundo builds the barbell strength base that CrossFit performance requires.

What the Open actually tests

The CrossFit Open tests a broad range of physical capacities — but the athletes who perform best at any level have one common characteristic: a strong foundation in barbell movements.

Analysis of Open workouts from 2015-2024 shows consistent movement patterns:

Category	Frequency	Gate 14 training that develops it
Barbell cycling (thrusters, cleans, snatches)	Very high	Squat, press, hip hinge progressions
Gymnastics (pull-ups, muscle-ups, HSPU)	High	Pulling strength, overhead pressing
Barbell deadlifts	Moderate-high	Deadlift progressions
Dumbbell work	Increasing	General strength expression
Monostructural (running, rowing)	Lower	Conditioning carries over

The barbell and gymnastics categories are where the Open is won and lost. Both require a strength foundation that takes months to build.

Gate 14 is not a CrossFit gym — here's why that matters for Open prep

CrossFit programming emphasizes broad work capacity — constantly varied movements at high intensity. This is effective for general fitness but not optimal for building a strength base. The squat and deadlift require progressive overload over time: the same movements, more weight, tracked over weeks and months.

Gate 14's coached class format delivers exactly this. Barbell movements are coached for technique, loaded progressively, and periodized across training cycles. Athletes who use Gate 14 to build their barbell foundation — separate from their CrossFit volume — show up to the Open with higher 1-rep maxes, better mechanics under fatigue, and more capacity in every workout with a barbell.

The pre-Open strength block

October-January prep for a February Open:

Phase	Focus	Gate 14 sessions
October-November	Build: squat, deadlift, press	3x/week
December	Develop: heavier loads, lower reps	2-3x/week
January	Peak: sport-specific barbell work	2x/week
Open weeks	Maintain: don't add fatigue	1x/week very light

Four months of this produces athletes who arrive at Open Week 1 physically ahead of where they were in November.

The combination approach

Many South Bay athletes use Gate 14 two days per week alongside their CrossFit affiliate programming. The barbell strength work from Gate 14 supplements — not replaces — the broader conditioning developed in CrossFit. This combination produces athletes who are strong enough to cycle barbell movements efficiently and have the conditioning to express it under time pressure.

See Gate 14 vs. CrossFit: what's different for the full comparison. See Gate 14 membership options or contact Gate 14.