People often guffaw at CrossFit, poke fun at it, or just don’t grasp the concept. This is completely understandable. Why would people voluntarily put themselves through that?
In 2011 I was an outsider looking in and was hesitant to try CrossFit. The imagery at the time was rather hardcore, the fitness program didn’ t look overly inviting to the average gym monkey, and I was being lazy. I had my doubts about the program and was very hesitant to buy in for a multitude of reasons. I am just like anyone else.
I couldn’t have been more wrong about CrossFit.
At the beginning of our classes at Anchored we ask a question of the day. Yesterday, the question of the day was “Why do you do CrossFit?” The answers were honest and motivating.
“To be able to play with my Grandkids.”
“Because I am naturally lazy. Accomplishing something hard sets me up for success.”
“To lose weight.”
“Working out in a group is way more fun.”
“To keep up with my kids.”
All of the answers were powerful “why’s” in their own way. The beauty of the answers was that everyone in the room understands that hard work is necessary in order to stay on track. The “why” can not be achieved by avoiding discomfort.
This is where my “why” comes in. I along with a few others fall into the “naturally lazy” category. I LOVE comfort and would prefer it if I could eat candy, sit beside a fire, and do mindless things like watching rugby games for the rest of my life. But what sense of fulfillment would I get from that?
I use CrossFit as a vehicle for change in my own life. Each time I step outside my comfort zone and into the workout of the day I know I am accomplishing something amazing. I strive to bask in the discomfort half-way through a thirty-minute workout. I actively battle my brain as it tells me to not show up, slow down, or to quit. I achieve physical feats that I never in my wildest dreams thought I could do. Choosing to put myself in an uncomfortable situation gives me the DRIVE to achieve so much more in a day.
“Okay, so I just did Fran (a nasty workout). Why not study for an hour today, complete ALL of my work-related tasks, take the dogs for a walk when I get home and do yoga before bed?” I am now doing all of those things plus some, more often than not. Being a naturally lazy person this is a huge step towards achieving my biggest dreams. You know the type of dreams that require A LOT of action and a lot less “lazy time”? Those ones.
CrossFit can be used in your life as a vehicle for success, regardless of what success looks like to you. You accomplish a hard task with others, you congratulate one another, and you move into your day knowing you are capable of the impossible. CrossFit did seem impossible at first, right?
The momentum you create in the gym carries over into your life outside and if you use it wisely can change your life. It certainly has changed mine.
The next time you want to skip a class, rest when you don’t need to, or when you want to quit think about your “why”. Let that propel you forward in all that you do. Don’t shy away from hard work, embrace it.
“Aim for the highest cloud so that if you miss it, you will hit a lofty mountain.” – Maori Proverb
All the best,
