Nov 9, 2018

 by Chris Brown

Friendly competition and the idea of CrossFit go hand-in-hand.  Sometimes it's about competing against one's own self and the simple desire to beat a personal record; other times it's about competing to get the fastest time on the board for a daily workout.

And then there is the Open.  And we can't forget about the Games. 

Somewhere in between, though, lies another level of competition.  These are the competitions that are often hosted at local boxes and draw regional athletes together to compete against their peers in a series of workouts. We've hosted some here at CrossFit Awaken, as well.

But why do athletes sign up for these things?

CrossFitters aren't like your average gym-going athlete and we like a challenge, right?  That's definitely a part of it, but everyone also has their own unique reasons for doing a competition.

Plus, there are many benefits to entering a competition, one of which is giving yourself a large goal to work towards.  In the process, you'll have a chance to find and focus on some of your weaknesses.   This, in turn, will allow you to focus your training on certain movements you may have avoided or neglected in the past.  

If it's a partner-style competition, you'll learn invaluable skills about working with someone towards a common goal.  If it's an individual competition, you'll face a mean head game and learn about pushing yourself out of your comfort zone.

All good things that can greatly benefit a CrossFitter.

On the fence about signing up for a competition?  Here is some inspiration for you from some of our very own CrossFit Awaken athletes and coaches about why they compete and what they personally get out of competitions: 

Chris Brown

To be honest I get really nervous to compete. I have a lot of doubt and start creating scenarios about what could happen. I am very competitive so I want to win and If I don't, I can have a difficult time with it.  

So why do I compete?  Because I need to overcome my fears and put myself out there.  I want to show that I can push through uncomfortable situations. Every time I compete I have a breakthrough.  It's hard for me to go out there in front of the crowd, watching the other athletes compete,  but I do. I do it to show that I can do anything. 

Competing also changes the way you view fitness and your goals. When you know that you're going to be doing a competition with other serious athletes, you are not going to want to fail, so you are going to do your best in your training so that you can be your best on the competition floor. You will start to eat cleaner and healthier food.  You will start to come in and work out on a consistent basis.  You will also start to do extra things outside of the gym, like stretching.

Competing may not be for everybody but you never know if it's for you unless you at least try it.

David Estrada

Competing in CrossFit is a good way for me to test my overall best physical performance. However, the absolute best part is the knowledge I've gained about my weakness as well as my strengths. When I leave a competition learning about a weak area in my fitness I know what to start practicing more.

Lauren Drake

I love to compete because it makes me stronger mentally and physically— I can’t get enough of that high I feel when I’m done!  At the last Femme Royale competition, I competed in the RX division with my rock and partner Channon, and when we were done with the last workout, we hugged and cried together because it was her goal this year to do that comp RX and we kicked butt!  

And if you're still a bit skeptical about this whole competition thing, you can start with other fun activities to ease yourself in.  

Coach Rudy Soriano was one of a handful of Awaken athletes who recently completed a "tough mudder" obstacle course race.

"One of the reasons I wanted to do it — and encouraged others to do it — was to test our fitness; to see how movements we learn and how our strength and skill transfer over," he says of the race.  "After an obstacle, we would talk about how much easier CrossFit made it to get through [the obstacle]. "

Remember, even if you don't get a podium finish when you compete, that doesn't mean you "lost." You've made progress on your goals.