blog

One of the greatest moments of 2014.[/caption] It’s that time of year when people regularly ask me, “Should I do the Open?” My answer in almost all cases is yes. Here’s the reason: Open workouts are neither more nor less difficult than any of the workouts you normally do at Functional Fitness 204. They’re just workouts, much like the ones you do every day. Some people, of course, feel as though being judged changes something, but our coaches constantly watch you and hold you to high standards of movement, so there’s really nothing new there either. If you’re in a class, we’re going to remind you to get your chin over the bar on a pull-up, just the same way a judge would do so in the Open. And in most cases, Open judges are the coaches who work with you every day. A few people don’t enjoy competing, but I’d remind you that the Open isn’t a competition for most of us. Sure, the top athletes are in a no-holds-barred battle, but the rest of us are just being fit and having fun as a group. We do that every single day anyway. The great thing about the Open is being part of global fitness movement—something that’s never been seen before. For a few dollars, you get to be one of about 300,000 people doing the same workout for five weeks, and you essentially get to “compete” against the best in the world, including Rich Froning and Camille Leblanc-Bazinet. Ever dreamed of trying to hit a fastball from Nolan Ryan or trying to score on Patrick Roy? You actually have that chance in the Open. Joining the Functional Fitness 204 team in the Open is also a wonderful thing for our community. You get to support and share in the success of all our athletes, and you get to be part of our crew of pirates. Watching the leaderboard and cheering for our athletes is a lot of fun. This is my sole reason for entering the Open. I have no personal competition goals of any kind, and I just want to be on the team. Of course, I have no problem at all with those who aren’t interested in entering the Open. You’ve already fulfilled your end of the deal by showing up every day, and our competitors always appreciate your support. If you’re in this group, feel no pressure whatsoever. Just come to the gym, cheer for your friends and take pride in their accomplishments. They’ll do the same for you. But if you are thinking of entering and need some advice, consider this your encouragement. Also keep in mind that the 2015 Open will feature a scaled division for the first time, allowing even more people to participate. Overall, the Open isn’t really about competition at all. It’s actually about everything you see in the picture above. If you take a look at it, you’ll see a bunch of fantastic people being fit and having a great time as a community–which is why we opened the gym in the first place. Be sure to check out our ever-growing team here.