Beyond the WOD Podcast · February 23, 2026 · 56 min

Episode 14: The Open Is Here — And It's Time For a Reality Check

We’re back. January felt like the fastest… and slowest… month ever. Sickness. Snowmageddon. Travel. Missed coaching. Closed gym days. And now somehow it’s February and the Open is right around the corner. In this episode of Beyond the WOD , we catch up on life, the gym, the strength cycle, and what’s coming with the CrossFit Open. But it turns into something deeper. Matt shares the story of how CrossFit found him at a time when nothing else was working — after coming home from Iraq, struggling, running miles trying to outrun his thoughts, and finally getting wrecked by a hero workout that changed everything. We talk about: 🔥 Why the Open is a reality check (and why that’s a good thing)💪 The difference between intensity and longevity🏋️ How coaching philosophy evolves over time🧠 Why mechanics come before intensity — but intensity still matters👊 How CrossFit can be therapy, identity, community, and growth all at once From “bro gym” dreams to coaching 40-year-old moms, from puke buckets to perspective — this is the evolution of CrossFit through different seasons of life. The Open is coming. Habits matter. Intensity has a place. Longevity does too. If CrossFit has changed you in any way — or you’re just curious what the Open is all about — this one’s for you. #BeyondTheWOD #CrossFitOpen #CrossFitJourney #FitnessForLife #FunctionalFitness #VeteranStrong