Are you familiar with that feeling of excitement and nervousness that comes moments before the starting whistle of a competition? It’s a bit uncomfortable: butterflies in the stomach, elevated heart-rate, laser-like focus, a pulsing energy. Perhaps it’s a feeling you haven’t had since your days in high school sports, or perhaps it’s a feeling you’ve only recently experienced for the first time. In the context of practice or training, we rarely find ourselves in such an elevated state.

Competition creates a level of accountability and positive stress we don’t find in other contexts. The stakes are higher, the standards are unwavering, and there is a pressure to express the culmination of your training. In the last few weeks I’ve had a handful of distinct conversations with students experiencing this uncomfortable feeling as they participate in this year’s CrossFit Open, and it reminds me why we believe in competition as an integral part of training and development. We understand that there is no goal that creates the pressure-chamber for growth at the level that competition does, and that there is no better way to challenge and test your capacities and training. It’s a powerful thing, it is valuable and accessible to athletes of all levels, and we think everyone could benefit from finding opportunities to compete.

Looking forward, CrossFit No Boundaries is developing more opportunities for competition and more ways to highlight our students who already find chances to compete. Keep your eyes peeled!

- PS

3/13/18

• For time:

• 10-9-8...3-2-1 deadlifts (275/205)

• 200m run