By: Wes Winter

Last year in 2017 I embarked on my first Welded Open as a Double Edge member. It challenged me physically, giving me new goals to work towards for the following year. It challenged me mentally, going into that ‘dark place’ that we all know so well. It challenged me emotionally, learning to do the best that I can do aside from what others do. It was an awesome experience.

Fast forward exactly one year and now the 2018 Welded Open has just ended. This time around I was able to experience it from the other side. Now coaching at Double Edge the 2018 Welded Open has been all that more meaningful. All the PR’s, fails, ups, and downs that come along with the Open I experienced tenfold through DE members every Friday. More importantly, spending the last few months everyday with members in class coaching and watching them work on their weaknesses and fine tuning their skills has been such a blessing. Sharing five weeks that meant so much to me with so many hard working members has been the best experience I could ask for. As Mat Fraser says, “Hard Work Pays Off.”

As coaches we are your biggest fans. We love being there to celebrate a first pull up, first muscle up, ‘doing RX’, and a single double-under. We also want to be there for the hard learning lessons the Open brings every year and game planning of next year’s goals. The Welded Open is a special time. People push themselves to do extraordinary and unforgettable things. From the members side to now the coaches side, it’s been an awesome community to be a part of.