It is February… and that means it's Open Season.
For many of our new athletes, The Open may seem confusing, intimidating or even unnecessary! And for those who do not possess any knowledge of what The Open actual is, you can click here to get some information and understanding.
In addition, you can click here to watch Coach Glassman discuss his vision coming to fruition.
If you can look past the scruffy and unkempt… make it to 4:50 in the video and LISTEN… and then from 7:20 to the end, his words are relevant and actually meaningful.
The Open can be a lot of different things to a lot of different people… and here's my 2 cents…
The world is made up of all kinds of people from all walks of life… and it's not too different in any given CrossFit Affiliate. You will those who are gifted; some who share their gifts and others who do not. You will have those who are competitive. You will have those who are happy-go-lucky and supportive. You will have the calculated and serious alongside the reckless and care-free. From 20-somethings to senior citizens… PhD's to GED's… First Responders to stay-at-home Moms and Dads… everyone together, training within the same 4 walls, generally working and moving in the same direction.
As the owner of an Affiliate, The Open can be a bit overwhelming to consider. Participation? Among all of the different personalities in the gym, how the hell can you get everyone to feel good about The Open, or even care for that matter? Especially when there are 10-20 new people who have never even thought about using fitness as a form of competition, nor should they…? And as Coach Glassman says in the last minute of the video, "a gym with no contenders".
Well, The Open is not a competition… it's an opportunity.
The opportunity for our community to come together in support of our fitness goals as we continue along our individual journeys towards wellness in Mind, Body and Spirit. An opportunity to meet once a week to test yourself against skills and workloads that create fear and doubt. An opportunity to overcome those fears, squash those doubts and witness the fitness you have worked so hard to create over the past year (or more!). An opportunity to feel joy and celebration for what and who you are, and what you can accomplish (not what you couldn't). Just as we would come together for a cause like Jani-Ro… this too is an opportunity to come together in support of each other, to encourage and congratulate efforts, and exhibit the love that we all share for the magic that happens in the shed.
Shut down all that negative talk, and keep your mind OPEN to an opportunity that could be fun and fulfilling… it's your choice! You have the power to choose how to approach The Open, or even to approach it at all… and the beautiful part is that it's YOUR CHOICE!
As crazy as CrossFit seems to be, and for as much as it has changed over the years… there is one thing about it that I still love… and that is the community piece. I truly believe that it is my responsibility to let you know that The Open can be fun and fulfilling, as long as you can take responsibility to make is so for you!
I registered… and I look forward to participating alongside my fellow shedheads and offering up the love and support each of you need to have a Happy and Successful Open Season!
-if anyone reading this blog would like to share their opinion, or a story about how The Open created an opportunity for them, please share in the comments!
~cpj
