8 Reasons You Should Compete in a Crossfit Competition

With an individual Crossfit competition and a team Crossfit competition coming up within the next month, I am trying to balance my kinda-half-marathon-training with extra competition training. It may not be that obvious (ha) but my heart is really in one place..

After only doing Crossfit for two months, competing in the Crossfit Games Open was one of the best things I could have done for my self-confidence and competitive drive. When a local competition came up two months later, I was very hesitant to register since I consider myself one of the weakest, and slowest people in my box, but decided to give it a try anyway and despite the extreme difficulty, pressure, and stress, I do not regret it for one minute!

If you have thought about doing a competition before but have reservations, stop over-thinking it and just do it.

You will learn to be organized.

Packing meals for 8+ hours of sporadic activities is quite an experience. You want to make sure that you are properly fueling yourself in between events but also not eating too much to make yourself visit Pukie.

It is important to plan for all sorts of weather- our competition was showered with cold rain where a hoodie was an almost necessity. However, for the indoor events, a tank top and shorts would have been ideal. Pack more than you ever think you could eat or wear. (I love my “lunch suitcase“!)

Discover how your body works under pressure.

Remember those kipping pull-ups that you never could “get”? When the clock is running and you have 4 minutes to do as many as you can. You’ll do one. Or 12.

Remember that 95lb Clean and Jerk that you had a mental struggle with anytime you walked up to the bar? When you have one minute to do two burpees and a clean and jerk, not only will you hit your max, but you will also continue to PR on the next weight.

Your body is capable of doing so much more than you think, and in the weeks prepping for the competition or during the competition itself, you will be amazed at what you will accomplish.

There will be men there.

And halfway during their workouts they will take their shirts off. And they will have abs. #motivation

The atmosphere is less scary than it seems.

You will be surrounded by more fit people than you ever could imagine; take your typical WOD class and multiply it tenfold. Everyone is there for the same reason, and even though it is a competition there is so much love and support in one room. Coaches and athletes from other boxes will encourage you, give you tips, and you may even develop some new friendships.

People will think you are a bad-a**.

If you tell any of your non-Crossfitting friends and family that you willingly woke up at 6am on a Sunday morning to put yourself through multiple, intense, torturous events, they will likely think you are crazy.

When you tell someone that you attempted 150 14# wall-balls in 12 minutes, more than once, they may not understand, but will silently be jealous of your dedication.

Special bond with other competing athletes.

Everyone competing is doing the same workouts as you. During the Open, thousands of people across the world were doing the same WODs. You could Google any workout and find hundreds talking about their strategies, tips, tricks, suggestions. Everyone has the same moans and groans about the workouts and those outside just don’t understand.

You will develop closer relationships with those within your box as you prep for the competition together, and even closer relationships when you spend more time together outside of the normal classes.

Strangers aren’t strangers.

I took a pickle from a stranger. Only at Crossfit could this be acceptable. People leave their purses, cell phones, food, etc., lying around. Everyone respects everyone else’s property and has even more respect for one another.

You will think you are a bad-a**.

You’re doing a competition; you are one. It wasn’t until I competed in the Open that I truly recognized myself as an athlete.

Your turn..
Have you competed in a competition before?
What is your best advice for someone who is hesitant to sign up?
Did you hit any big milestones while training for, or competing in a competition?