Danielle Brandon isn’t just competing — she’s navigating one of the most mentally taxing seasons of her CrossFit career.
The 2025 Games season has brought a wave of pressure, injuries, and uncertainty for many athletes. But for Brandon, who’s already a veteran of six CrossFit Games, this year is about resilience, reinvention, and rediscovering what fuels her.
“I think a lot of athletes — we can handle the physical part,” she says. “But the mental part is going to be the harder part… with all the travel, the ramping up, and the coming back down.”
Despite the chaos, she’s showing up. And not just to compete — but to thrive.
Jump to:
- Why the Open Still Matters — Even If She’s Not Trying to Win
- Leaving Nashville — Reclaiming Joy in a New Training Environment
- Pushing Through Pain — Competing With a Back Flare-Up
- Semi-Final Pressure — The Stress of Earning a Spot
- Games Are the Goal — But With Less Pressure
- Guaranteed Spots — The World Fitness Project
- Managing the Load — 7 to 10 Competitions in a Year
- Less About Strength, More About Staying Fit
- Opening Up — Addiction, Relatability, and Sharing Her Story
- Looking Ahead — One Year at a Time
Why the Open Still Matters — Even If She’s Not Trying to Win
This year’s Open season looked a little different for Brandon. Coming off a significant back injury that sidelined her from lifting for nearly two months, she returned to the competition floor not knowing what to expect.
“I definitely went in with an injury,” she shares. “I was ready but also not ready. Just nervous.”
Still, she chose to compete — in all three workouts — and surprised herself. Open 25.1 and 25.2 both landed her top-five scores. But she didn’t do it for the leaderboard.
“I could give two sh*ts about winning the Open,” she laughs. “I think L [likely referring to fellow athlete Laura Horvath or Emma Lawson] wanted to win it more than I did. So I was like… I’ll do it for L.”
For Brandon, the Open isn’t about proving herself. It’s about engaging with the energy of the community. She fell in love with the Friday Night Lights vibe, feeling fueled by the crowd and support.
“I actually thrive when there’s a lot of people around. I love it,” she says. “The hype makes me feel like I have to put my best foot forward.”
Leaving Nashville — Reclaiming Joy in a New Training Environment
After struggling through a long Nashville winter, Brandon made a significant shift in her training life. The cold and cloudiness left her feeling stuck and drained.
“I was really feeling a case of winter blues… that seasonal depression,” she says. “And I just thought, why am I suffering through this when I don’t have to?”
She moved to a warmer, beachside location and hasn’t looked back. Not only has the sunshine helped her mental state, but the energy around her is different.
“I feel like there are so many fit people around… and everyone’s just training. You don’t know for what — but they’re just training.”
Now, she’s pulling in local gym-goers for impromptu sessions, building a new community around her. It’s a phase she calls the “honeymoon” — a sweet, early stage of training alongside new faces before the real grind sets in.
Pushing Through Pain — Competing With a Back Flare-Up
One of the biggest challenges of her season came just before the Open — a severe back flare-up that stopped her from lifting entirely.
“Probably the worst one I’d had in over a year,” she says. “I was pretty bummed out. I hadn’t had a bad back flare-up in so long.”
She kept the injury mostly to herself. Even her training partners didn’t know — until it slipped out during a car ride.
“Emma was like, ‘My back’s been hurting, I haven’t lifted in two weeks,’ and I was like, ‘Oh my god, me either.’ And Shel’s in the back like… ‘Y’all are injured?!’”
Still, she competed. Day by day. Workout by workout. And it paid off.
Semi-Final Pressure — The Stress of Earning a Spot
Brandon is planning to compete in multiple semi-finals this season, including the online qualifier in May and, if needed, Syndicate in June.
But the qualification process isn’t just about showing up. It’s about winning — or coming in second — at some of the sport’s most competitive events.
“You have to take first or second to qualify… That’s a lot,” she says. “It’s the most stressful way to get to the Games. Every athlete will tell you that.”
What frustrates her most is the uncertainty. Right now, she has to prep for four different semi-finals because there’s no way of knowing which one will be her ticket to Madison.
“I don’t even know how or when I’m going to qualify,” she admits. “It’s actually pissing me off.”
Games Are the Goal — But With Less Pressure
For Brandon, once she makes it to the Games, the pressure shifts.
“The Games are more fun than semi-finals,” she explains. “It’s like — we made it. Now we get to take more risks than we would at semi-finals.”
And after six previous appearances at the CrossFit Games, she knows how to handle it. Even when things go wrong, she adapts.
“Every year, even with big hiccups, it’s turned out alright.”
Guaranteed Spots — The World Fitness Project
Amid all the chaos of the Games season, Brandon has found a bit of stability in the World Fitness Project — a new global competition series she’s officially contracted into.
“It’s nice because the three [events] are kind of locked in. I’m locked in. There’s not a lot of pressure to qualify.”
She’ll compete in Indianapolis (May), Arizona (August), and Copenhagen, where she’s hoping to perform well enough to earn an invite back next year.
Still, she’s not too focused on those events just yet.
“I don’t think I’m excited yet. I will be. But right now my main focus is just the CrossFit Games season… because it’s not locked in.”
Managing the Load — 7 to 10 Competitions in a Year
Brandon estimates she’ll compete in seven to ten events this year. That includes online qualifiers, in-person semi-finals, the Games (if she qualifies), Rogue, and more.
“It’s not a lot of pressure,” she says, “but it’s a lot.”
For her, the challenge isn’t the workouts — it’s the mental reset needed after each one.
“Ramp up, perform, come down… then ramp up again. Mentally, that’s the exhausting part.”
Less About Strength, More About Staying Fit
This season, the focus hasn’t been on maxing lifts or pushing PRs.
Instead, she’s prioritizing fitness — staying lean, fast, and capable through a long, demanding calendar.
“We were focused on trying to put on some lbs,” she says. “But I don’t even keep track of my weight. I don’t really know, actually.”
With so little time between events, there isn’t room for an offseason dedicated just to strength.
“But strength is always a focus,” she adds. “If I’m being honest, always.”
Opening Up — Addiction, Relatability, and Sharing Her Story
Brandon has gradually opened up more about her personal life — including growing up with a parent who struggled with addiction.
But for her, it’s not a label. It’s not something she wears like a badge.
“It makes me who I am today,” she says, “but it’s not this thing that’s like, I am me and also I went through this.”
Still, it’s opened doors to connection.
“I love people’s willingness to reach out and share their stories. It’s a nice way to relate. So many people connect to my mom’s journey — or their own sobriety.”
That connection, that realness — it’s something she doesn’t see enough of in the sport.
“A lot of people think CrossFitters come from this cookie cutter, cheesy upbringing. But that’s not everyone’s story.”
Looking Ahead — One Year at a Time
As for how many more Opens or Games she plans to do?
Brandon’s not setting any timelines.
“One year at a time,” she says. “Honestly, one year at a time. I can’t put a number on it.”
With a demanding season ahead, a new training environment, and a community rooting for her, Danielle Brandon is choosing to stay in the game — on her own terms.
