They have started, The competition to find the fittest person in the world has begun! It all began Wednesday with a grueling triathlon that no one could have predicted. These athletes have to be prepared for ANYTHING..........
And as THESE competitive athletes prepare their bodies for these competitions, We have to remember that NOT all of us are looking to compete in the games, hence the reason for this post.
What you will see over the course of the next three days is the most elite of the elite, the Superbowl of Fitness if you will. And this will do one of two things for you.. It will either get you so amped up that you can't wait to find your local CrossFit Affiliate, or it will scare the shit out of you as to what we do at a CrossFit affiliate.
SO I felt as a coach, it was time to take a moment in the midst of all the excitement (even I am sitting here IN Carson getting prepared to go watch these athletes do battle in the arena) to step back for a moment and really let you know what it's all about.
You see, we get SUPER pumped up about not only our SPORT (because let's face it, it's a sport) but our daily fitness regimen. You see, CrossFit is not JUST a sport. It becomes a lifestyle, a way of life, a path towards health and wellness. It changes something inside of you. You show up at the average box and you are NOT just a number, you are an individual looking to accomplish great things.
So here's something to think about while you are watching the events on ESPN over the next few days or hear your friends talking about how awesome CrossFit is to a point hwere you want to roll your eyes and poke your eardrums out with Q-tips (why do I say this, because my friends have told me I do the same to them... )
When you set foot into a CrossFit affiliate, you must imagine a vacuum that takes all of the daily bullshit and puts it in a bag and sets it outside the door for you. Part of the beauty of a CrossFit affiliate is the community. When you set foot in that door, you become not just a member, but a friend, an athlete, an inspiration, somebody's coach, student, someones mentor. You become a part of something greater. You enter a zone where UNCOMFORTABLE is the norm. Each and every person in the box as we call them is there for maybe a different goal, but for the same purpose.. to push to the next level or the next challenge. The community will push you, drive you and make you go beyond what you ever thought possible for you. You will find yourself challenging each other because you can.
CrossFit is SCALABLE. I say this because the thoughts going through your head after watching the games is, like I said, one of two directions.. either "Fuck Yeah" or... "I could never do that" and THIS is where I want those of you whom might be intimidated by CrossFit to REALLY PAY ATTENTION.
We as coaches are VERY passionate about what we do. We understand however that everyone is an individual. Each and every one of us is at a different point in our FITNESS JOURNEY. What this means is that we will meet you at your point in the journey, wherever that is (whether you haven't ever worked out, or you just deadlifted at a powerlifting meet with a 600 lb deadlift). It matters not to us, because we will bring the program to your level. We believe that the movements, if programmed in a natural unique range of motion of the body in such a manner where they are FUNCTIONAL can be SCALED to every fitness level. Because our belief is that FITNESS VARIES BY DEGREE NOT FUNCTION. We can take EVERY movement and make it fit you. If you have injury, we can work around it. If you have flexibility issues, we can work with it. We can work with the human body to make it achieve great things. We just need you to be willing to trust us.
Having said that, does that mean we will be easy on you... Really? Do I even need to answer that? Yeah.. i didn't think so. We are coaches.. we are here to push you beyond wht YOU think you can do, because it goes WAY beyond what you give yourself credit for... trust me on this one. We will make sure you are safe and injury free along the way of course... HOWEVER we want you to get a lot out of your comfort zone so you MAKE PROGRESS!!
Your first blush with "the box" might be a little interesting depending on the box and the coach. The best part of the first day is the unknowing of what is going to happen. In our box, your first day, we like to take you through a squat clinic after we talk to you about your goals and see how we can assist you in getting there. We also like to teach a few fundamental movements so you can get a 3-8 minute workout in on that first day... nothing hard, but just to see how you move. We need to analyze how you move so we can make an appropriate exercise prescription. It may be different at the box you visit.
Then you will find you typically go through some sort of introductory program introducing the movements. We will want to ensure you can safely and effectively develop the movement patterns based on your biomechanics. We want to ensure you are instructed on the movements before you actually get into the group coaching setting (which is AWESOME by the way). Once you get through the introductory program, THEN you will be introduced to the world of Group classes... which is a WHOLE new experience in itself. This is where your friendships become stronger, your bonds become greater and the community is built. You are cheered on the whole time not just by the coach, but by the person next to you whom is pushinghard as well. It becomes a home away from home, a place of sanctity and serenity. For some it becomes so much of a part of their life, they stop by JUST to visit on their off WOD days.
So now come the excuses...right? Well I have a long day at work, or I don't have any time. Or it costs too much, or I have kids, or How do i fit it into my day?
Alright, but "Excuse ME" but excuses are like... well.. you know the saying and truly how bad do you want to make a change in YOUR life? It's about you. So here's the deal. 3 days a week for an initial program is enough to instigate the changes. The workouts in a typical CrossFit program take anywhere between 2 and 40 mintues with the average being between 10 and 15 minutes plus warm-up cool down, and depending on how that particular "Box" programs, some other components. But you see, 3 times a week and you start making changes in your life... So.. that's let's just say 3 hours out of 168 in a week. You following me? There are ways around this excuse... you just have to figure out what YOU need to do to make YOU a priority.
OK.. on to the next excuse... It costs too much.... did you say that when you bought the alcohol last weekend, or the starbuck's this morning that really cost 5 bucks (5x30=$150 per month) or even when you splurged on that iPhone App?? Did you say that when it came down to going out to eat when we know that eating out costs probably 2-3 the same amount as eating at home. Do you see where I'm going with all of this.... YOU make choices and YOU make the decision as to where your priorities are.. not us. We just provide the resources and tools to help you get after it when you're ready. We WANT you to succeed and more often than not, MORE than you do... SO what am I saying here...
In all reality, what you see on TV this weekend or if you are actually lucky enough to be one of the many who got their tickets early enough to go.. these are the ELITE of the elite. You MUST realize we can work with you on YOUR fitness goals and where YOU are at, but only if you let us. It's probably a little scary at first, but once you're in.. MAN.. what a life changing experience it will be. You never know what can happen until you give it a shot right?
So stop making excuses, and get down to one of the local affiliate and ask them how they can SCALE the workout to your level. And shit.. if you're already an advanced athlete... ask them what they can do to advance you further.. because they can! GET IN AND GET ON IT!
