The Open - Part 4

The Open - Part 4
​with Brandon S.

I started CrossFit looking for a different way to stay fit. I was looking for a community where I could be pushed physically and mentally while feeling like I have the support of everyone in the room. 

​When I started CrossFit in May 2018, I was full of anxiety and on top of that still grieving the loss of my brother. The next 9 months were challenging: trying to overcome the anxiety of working out in front of others, having to answer the question of the day every day, and getting my ass kicked over and over again with these new CrossFit workouts and movements.

Fast forward approximately 9 months and a coach asked me if I was going to register for The Open. I quickly replied “no” and left it at that, because the thought of working out in front of someone who is judging my reps, competing against other people in the gym whose fitness was far beyond mine, and the fear of not being able to do a workout or failing during the workout scared me! 

That Friday, February 22nd, 2019 I went to class thinking that I could do a regular class while others participated in The Open. To my surprise, that was not the case! So, that night I participated in my first Open workout, 19.1 and it was one of the best workouts I had done to date. I remember, Erin H. was my judge and she no-repped me on a couple of reps. 

My worst fear was right in front of me, not Erin (lol), but the fact that I was being judged and watched by someone. Erin quickly followed her no-rep with things like “great job, Brandon” and “keep it up, Brandon” which is exactly what I needed to hear. That night I went home, registered for The Open and proudly entered my score online. 

My perception of the Open was so wrong! 

The Open is about pushing each other, not competing against each other. The Open is all about supporting each other, celebrating each other’s accomplishments and seeing what extra effort we can possibly give. 

The Open helps you to set goals for the year to come, gives you a baseline to compare your fitness levels from year to year, and helps you identify both physical and mental weaknesses that you could work on before the next Open.

Ultimately, The Open is about building a stronger community while working on you! I am now entering my third Open with a new skill, the double under, and can’t wait to get started! 

My advice to anyone on the fence as to whether or not to register for the Open is DO IT. This is the time of year to set your goals, build community, come together to show off our fitness and tell 2020-2021 that our community is as strong as ever!

Brandon S.