The Empower Open Is Back — and It’s All About Community
Every year, something pretty special happens in gyms around the world. Athletes of all ages, abilities, and experience levels come together for three weeks to sweat, laugh, challenge themselves, and feel part of something bigger than their day-to-day workouts. That something is the CrossFit Open — and at Empower, we’ve made it our own.
The CrossFit Open is a global fitness event hosted by CrossFit, where a new workout is released each week and completed by millions of people worldwide. But at its heart, the Open isn’t really about leaderboards or scores. It’s about showing up, trying something hard, and doing it alongside others who are cheering you on.
At Empower, the Open becomes a community experience — one that’s intentionally inclusive, supportive, and fun. You don’t need years of CrossFit experience. You don’t need to register officially with CrossFit. And you definitely don’t need to be “good” at workouts to belong here. What you do need is a willingness to show up as you are, lean into the experience, and maybe tap into a little superhero energy along the way.
Whether you’re curious, excited, or a little nervous (or all three), this post will walk you through what the CrossFit Open is, how Empower’s Superhero Squads work, and why this event has become one of the most energizing and community-building parts of our year. If you’ve been on the fence, consider this your invitation.
You belong here — and we can’t wait to do this together. 💛🦸♀️
What is the CrossFit Open?
The CrossFit Open is a global, three-week fitness event hosted by CrossFit every year.
Each week, a workout is released that can be completed at any CrossFit gym, by athletes of all levels, with options to scale movements as needed.
At its core, the Open is about:
Showing up
Challenging yourself
Being part of something bigger than your regular workouts
Do I need to be an experienced CrossFit athlete to participate?
Not at all.
The Open is designed so everyone can take part, whether you’ve been doing CrossFit for years or just started recently. Every workout includes scaling options, and your coaches will help you choose what’s right for you.
Do I have to register with CrossFit to participate at Empower?
No. This is important:
👉 You do NOT need to register as an official CrossFit Open participant to join the Empower community Open / intramural experience.
If you want to register officially with CrossFit, you can — but it is completely optional.
So what does signing up at Empower mean?
Signing up means you’re joining Empower’s Community Open experience, which runs alongside the CrossFit Open.
When you sign up:
You’ll be randomly assigned to a Superhero Squad
Your squad will include a mix of Empower veterans and newer members
Teams pool their community spirit, participation, and superhero energy
The focus is on fun, connection, and showing up, not winning
What are Superhero Squads?
Superhero squads are groups of Empower members created to:
Encourage each other
Celebrate participation
Bring together people who might not normally work out together
Think support crew, not competition team.
Is this a competition?
Not in the traditional sense.
While the CrossFit Open has leaderboards globally, Empower’s version is about community first:
Participation matters more than performance
Effort and spirit are celebrated
Costumes and cheering are encouraged
Whether you’re here to compete or just have fun — you belong.
When do the workouts happen?
Workouts are released weekly.
You’ll have flexible days to complete them.
Our Saturday Sweat & Socials are the big community day, with workouts, social time, and food.
You can participate in a way that fits your schedule.
What if I’m nervous or not sure I can do the workouts?
That’s completely normal — and honestly, very common.
You’ll never be doing this alone:
Coaches will guide you.
Your squad will support you.
Scaling is always encouraged.
The goal isn’t perfection — it’s participation.
What’s the biggest reason to sign up?
Because it’s:
Fun
Inclusive
Energizing
A great way to connect with the Empower community
And because sometimes, doing something a little outside your comfort zone is exactly how you unleash your inner superhero 💥
Still not sure? That’s okay.
If you’re feeling hesitant, you’re not alone.
Many people who sign up for the Open for the first time feel exactly the same way.
A few things to remember:
You don’t have to be “good” at CrossFit to participate
You don’t have to compete if you don’t want to
You don’t have to do everything perfectly
You do get to:
Show up as you are
Try something new
Be supported by coaches and fellow members
Have fun and feel part of the Empower community
If you’re on the fence, this is your sign.
Join us, bring your superhero energy (in whatever form that takes), and give it a go.
You belong here. 💛🦸♀️
Sign up sheets are available in the gym. Deadline for sign up has been extended to February 9!
