CrossFit is crazy. It’s dangerous. You have to be in amazing shape to do it. I could never do half of that stuff. I don’t want to get bulky from lifting weights. I’ve heard it’s a cult. So on and so on and so on……
I’ve heard it all before. I’ve sat silently listening, biting my tongue. I’ve been hesitant, almost ashamed to pipe up about it in the past. I’ve kept my opinions to myself. Head down, move on.
Until now. Why would I keep one of the best things to happen to me in my life to myself? Why would I be ashamed? Now I’m ashamed of being ashamed. Why would I not want to debunk those myths, argue those opinions? Grow up. Stand up. Find my voice.
CrossFit has been an eye opening, spirit awakening, ass kicking experience that has changed my day to day life. Changed me both physically and mentally in ways I never knew possible. I’ve become a better person, made amazing friends, set an example for my kids and done things that years back I would never have dreamt possible.
There. It feels good to say that. Why would I hold that in?
Is it crazy? No. Well, crazy is subjective but working hard and pushing your limits is not crazy. It’s good for the soul. It’s cathartic. Is it crazy to want more? To do more?
Is it dangerous? No. Well, anything is dangerous if not done properly while taking the appropriate precautions, right? Would you sprint into traffic without looking or would you wait at the intersection for the light to change? You don’t start day one snatching hundreds of pounds or doing handstand walks across the gym. All the movements, loads and intensity is scalable to the needs of the athlete. It’s all done under the trained, watchful eye of the coaches.
You have to be in amazing shape to start. Nope. Let’s circle back to everything being scalable to your needs. When you change the load, the movement and the degree of difficulty of a workout but preserve the intended stimulus, you have everyone in the workout facing the same challenges but at their own level, their own pace.
I could never do half that stuff. Maybe. Maybe not your first day. Rome wasn’t built in a day, right? But you’d be surprised at exactly what you can do over time with the proper coaching and the proper progression. And trust me, once you see that progress, get that taste, you’ll want to see how far you can take it.
I’ve heard it’s a cult. Hmm, I guess. I’d prefer to call it a family but hey if a cult is a bunch of people who have forged a special bond as they’ve faced the same challenges day in and day out then sure, hang whatever label you want on it. Friendships, relationships and sometimes even families are born out of this atmosphere. We work hard in the gym and we often play hard out of the gym. It’s a nurturing, supportive environment that you just don’t find in your globo-gym where people often come and go without taking their headphones out or looking up from their station.
People often form their opinions on things without ever trying them out firsthand. Taking what they’ve heard elsewhere and somehow allowing that to become their frame of reference. Their opinion, their view. Don’t do that. Don’t be that person. Come in. Try a free class. Ask questions. Look around, see the smiling encouraging faces. Break a sweat. High five some people. Have fun and then let’s talk.
COACH ROB