If you’re looking for a good reason to sign up for the CrossFit Open this year, we’ve got 7.

The CrossFit Open is upon us! In this annual worldwide (online) event, thousands of athletes of every skill level come together to compete in 5 weekly workouts that test your fitness and your limits.

Registration is now open for the 2016 season and here are 7 great reasons to join this year.

1. You are capable

I often hear people say “Not this year, I’m not ready for the Open.” Come on! What is the first rule of CrossFit? It’s for EVERYONE, regardless of their skill level. Saying you’re not strong or fit enough to participate in the Open is like saying you’re not capable of doing CrossFit in the first place. The beauty of CrossFit is in its adaptability to anyone’s skill level and there’s a scaled version of every workout, just like any other CrossFit WOD you perform.

2. The thrill of putting it all on the line is like no other.

Competing is nerve-wracking, exciting and empowering. It elicits so many mixed feelings that we otherwise lose touch with as we grow older. As adults, we often miss out on the thrills that present themselves with physical challenges. We tend to stray away from things that test us because we’re afraid to fail. The growth you experience by putting yourself out there with your fellow competitors is incredible. The CrossFit Open isn’t about winning, it’s about getting out of your comfort zone and pushing yourself beyond the limits you’ve placed on yourself.

3. Reality check: For better or worse, you’re not where you thought you’d be.

The CrossFit Open is a test and your performance will be a direct reflection of your training, nutrition, recovery efforts and mindset from the past few months. You might be pleasantly surprised and find that you’re a lot stronger, faster and mentally capable than you thought you were. Or it could be the reality check you need to get your butt in gear. So you thought you could get away with cherry picking workouts? Eating like crap on the weekends? Maybe you didn’t pay enough attention to you mobility and recovery. Both your weaknesses and strengths will be revealed but see it as a learning opportunity. Face the music and see where you stand.

4. The Open brings focus to your training with short-term goals.

Yes, I know it’s coming up soon. You may not master a muscle-up between now and February 25th but that doesn’t mean you can’t use these next 7 weeks (2 leading up to and 5 during the Open) to take on habits that will lead you to success. Buckle down, iron out your training schedule and commit to taking better care of yourself. Short-term goals are crucial to your success. Remember, S.M.A.R.T. goals are what you need to focus on. That means they need to be Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Results-focused and Time-bound. The CrossFit Open provides the perfect timeline for such goals.

5. It’s a blast.

If you’re doing the Open the right way, it will feel like you’re exercising with your best buddies and celebrating afterwards. You’ll be cheered on and supported and you’ll grow closer to your fellow gym mates. At my gym, we team up with other local affiliates to bring our city’s CrossFit community together. Every workout turns into a Friday night party! We do the workouts in heats and then dive into some food and throw back a few drinks to celebrate our victories. The energy is electric. If you’ve never experienced the Open before, you’ll discover a newfound love for CrossFit. We rotate locations to mix up the atmosphere and get out of our comfort zones a bit. It’s a great chance to meet more like-minded people in your city and celebrate the spirit of CrossFit.

6. You will perform the WODs anyways.

Whether you register for the CrossFit Open or not, it’s more than likely that you’ll have the WODs programmed at your affiliate—we do. And I guarantee that when you do them, you’ll check to see where you would “hypothetically” be ranked in the world and your region. Every year people who thought they wouldn’t care end up disappointed that they didn’t just pay the $20 registration fee. Just sign up already!

7. You’ll do things you never thought possible.

Each day, many of us unintentionally place limitations on ourselves by way of our conditioned mindset. Henry Ford said “Whether you think you can or think you can’t, you’re right,” and his words resonates profoundly here. It’s easy to look at a workout and think “there is no way I can do this,” but then you attack it anyway and prove to yourself that you actually CAN. There are a lot of firsts in the CrossFit Open. There is something magical about the competition setting that uncovers abilities that your mind may have limited in the past. It is not uncommon to get your first toes-to-bar, pull-up, double-under or muscle-up in the Open. You will overcome that little voice in the back of your head that says “Stop, my lungs are burning! Drop the wall ball, just rest a few seconds.” You will do this with the support of your peers and coaches. You will do this by proving to yourself that you CAN do this.

Ready to start training for the Open? Read on:

Quitter or Fitter? Tips To Stay CrossFit Committed

10 Minute Yoga WOD for CrossFitters

Q & A | CrossFit Athletes Talayna Fortunato & Lauren Brooks