Why I think you should do the Open

By Rob Kim

Before I begin, I need to disclaim that Auxiliary doesn’t financially benefit from you registering for the Open. The most we benefit from your registration, and sometimes relish in, are the bragging rights. Think 2018 and 2019 seasons where over 100 members registered, respectively. These were the most attended Open seasons at Aux, and the energy was spectacular. Our Friday Night Lights were quite the spectacle and our end-of-the-Open party was off-the-hook (yeah, I said that). 

A lot has changed over the last two years. Pre-pandemic, we saw our athletes achieve incredible progress in their skills, strength, and abilities. We expected an even bigger and better turnout in 2020. The world, on the other hand, had other plans. Literally, overnight, our lives came to a screeching halt. No more gyms. No more social gatherings. No more fun. Things got serious. 

Despair not. This story is not about doom and gloom. Our members rallied behind our community. Our team pivoted where we could. Equipment rentals. Zoom classes. Outdoor workouts rain, snow, or shine. We kept this community alive and were able to keep the doors open. We did this together. 

So here we are. Where do we go from here? You can choose to be either discouraged by “what you used to be able to do,” or you can choose to be motivated by the process of getting fit again. That’s why we’ve attached a theme to this year’s Open. It’s about rebuilding your strength, skills, and mobility. 

So, here’s why the Open is even more important this year. 

It’s an excellent way to see where you are in your fitness. To see “where you are at,” we often use metrics to determine where you land in relation to others. That goes for many things we like to measure, like body mass index. As unscientific as The Open might be, measuring your result is still informative because it gives you one snapshot of where you are in your fitness journey. What you choose to do with that “data” is up to you.

Competitions serve a critical function: They are forums that can motivate you to make your very best effort - not just good enough. I think competition can teach us a lot about losing. When we figure out what we need to do to “not lose” the next time - we’ve learned to lose well. 

In the context of this open, finding the strength to see where you are at is the first step to knowing where you can go. That’ll be my last bumper sticker statement. 

I will say that I most look forward to seeing all the athletes, coaches, friends, and family come together. What’s more infectious about these gatherings than any variant, are the cheers and applause that occur when the first-place finisher completes the workout. What’s even more exciting, though, is the even louder cheers and applause that erupt to rally behind the last athlete finishing their final rep. 

If you have any questions about the Open, please feel free to email me robert@auxfit.com