It's that time of year again....

What time of year is the title of this post referring to? GIRL SCOUT COOKIE SEASON!!!!!!   Sorry....nope.......it is OPEN SEASON so you can kiss those Thin Mints in your freezer goodbye!  The CrossFit Games Season is officially underway.  As you know, Open WOD 16.1 was announced on Thursday, February 25th at 8:00pm by a most socially awkward Dave Castro.  Is it me or does that guy just get creepier every year?  Nonetheless, he has the power to command 300,000+ athletes to go forward and complete all the Chest to Bar Pull Ups, Overhead Barbell Lunges and Bar Facing Burpees that their body is capable of in a 20 minute suffer-fest.

If you are signed up for this year's CrossFit Open then I have two pieces of  advice; 1.) Don't take yourself too seriously.  2.) If you can't find a way to make it fun then go do something else.  Seriously.

I have had mixed attitudes in the past regarding this 5 week physical/emotional challenge.  I watched many athletes, myself included, and entire CrossFit Gyms take the Open too seriously.  I've always felt that the Open brings out the best and the worst in all those participating.  For what it's worth, and probably not a whole heck of a lot (I still can't swear...it's Lent), I believe that CrossFit is finally back full circle with why it started in the first place.....for the human race to continually evolve from sickness to wellness to FITNESS, and never in reverse along that continuum.  CrossFit is Fitness.... period.  The hundreds of thousands of athletes competing in the 2016 Open represent a growth segment in Fitness never before seen.  Reason? There exists no other fitness methodology that works in the same way that CrossFit does.  Sure there are little thieves running around that get their piece of the functional fitness pie, and some with good success.  But none hold a candle to what CrossFit has built and none will come close to the infinite "proof of concept" that CrossFit continues to record.

As far as fittest Man or Woman on earth? CrossFit Founder, Greg Glassman leaves that open ended challenge out there.  He challenges any professional athlete in any sport or any walk of life for that matter, to throw their hat in the ring each year.  To date, not one single so-called elite athlete has come forward from outside the CrossFit arena to challenge or claim the prize as Fittest on Earth. FACT.

We have arrived at an age in the CrossFit world where those that choose  to wear the big pants and play on the main stage are truly professionals at the sport of CrossFit.  These athletes are the minority.  Then there is everyone else.  Athletes in the CrossFit pool that exist for the sole purpose of finding  their own evolution....to chase their own fitness and what that optimally can become. These athletes are the majority.  The majority are the athletes who keep the world going around.  It's you and me.  We keep the globe spinning. We, meaning CrossFit Athletes.  We are the ambassadors to the community.

Wow!  That's a lot of CrossFit talk from me.  But it makes me happy to be lucky enough to be part of such a great community.  I hope you have the same spirit.

Remember, you started CrossFit to get fit. Find a way to keep it fun and you'll always have forward progress.

ENJOY THE OPEN!    
and the Girl Scout Cookies....

Be Strong!
-Peace, Johnny