If you’re not into CrossFit, I’m sure you’re already sick of hearing about the Open but hopefully not because today I want to talk about why I decided to sign up.
I started CrossFit in May of 2014. I’d been following it for awhile, reading blogs of people who did CrossFit and had several friends who were really into it and always talking about it. I had been wanting to try it for awhile and was just too scared but finally I was ready to step outside my comfort zone and see what all the talk and hype was about.
If you remember, I was immediately hooked.
For any one who may not know, the Open is the start of the CrossFit Games season. It’s where everyone who participates in CrossFit can compete with one another. For some this is serious, it’s how they advance to Regionals with hopes of moving on to the Games. But for many (read: most) of us, it’s not about that. We know we’re not the best of the best who will advance to compete on a greater level.
So many may ask then, why participate in the Open?
Since I’m on the road with 50 States In A Year right now, I’m not getting normal programming. I run or write some RV WODs when we don’t have events, but I’m not getting a lot of skill or strength work and I wasn’t sure I would actually be able to complete each WOD strictly because of our schedule. I knew I could complete the workouts without officially signing up for the Open.
So again I’m sure you ask, why sign up?
1 – Accountability – Yes I can do the workouts without signing up but I’m more likely to hold myself to it each workout, giving it everything I have and finding a way to get that workout done, if I’m signed up. Especially living on the road, it can be pretty easy to choose to be lazy versus getting in a workout. I paid $20 to have my name and score accounted for and I hate wasting money so this will keep me accountable to getting those workouts done.
2 – Improvement – They say what gets measured gets improved. Besides for looking for improvements in myself as an athlete through the 5 weeks of the Open this year, I look forward to looking back next year and seeing my improvements. This year I’m participating in the ‘scaled’ division, but what if next year I can compete RX? Improvement, simple as that.
3 – Community – That’s really what it comes down to! The CrossFit community comes together during this time more than ever! Many boxes are doing “Friday Night Lights” or big Saturday morning events for members to come in and complete the WOD. It’s about supporting everyone as they push outside their comfort zones a little more than they do in the everyday classes. It’s about the excitement when you hit a new PR, especially after 4 months on the road!
4 – FUN! – Because that’s exactly it, this is FUN and it’s meant to be fun! Yeah you’re going to work hard and sweat and you’re going to be uncomfortable as you try to push out a few more reps or add another 5 pounds to the bar, but at the end of the day, if you’re not having fun, you’re not doing something right!
I’m sure there are numerous reasons why others in the CrossFit community are competing in the Open but that’s why I signed up. This is an exciting time for those who enjoy CrossFit and I’m feeling so blessed to be a part of this community right now!
Yes, yes, and yes! Accountability is important with signing up. I would DO the workouts regardless, but knowing my name will be on the leaderboard helps push me and helped prod me into doing 15.1 a second time to improve my score because I knew I could! Love coming together as a community and of course having fun amid all the challenges!
I won’t have the ability to do the WODs more than once, but I’ll take what I can get. Part of me is wishing I tried to RX 15.2 to at least get higher reps/weight for the overhead squat. Super disappointed I don’t have my pull-ups but I know I WILL get there someday!