Thinking About Walking Into a CrossFit Gym? Here’s Why You Should Go For It.
Walk up to any person at a CrossFit Gym and ask them why they keep showing up. You’ll get a myriad of answers. You will hear anything from, ‘It helps me stay fit’ to “It keeps me strong,” to “It helps me blow off steam.” For new athletes, walking into a CrossFit gym might seem intimidating. Here’s why that’s fake news.
A CrossFit gym—also known as a box— is a place that welcomes those that seek a new challenge, regardless of level.
Everyday, two people walk into a gym. One goes to Planet Fitness and wanders aimlessly between treadmill and weight machines. The other attends a CrossFit class, where the programming has intention and a progression arc, diversity, and encompasses various fitness domains. Are both athletes fit? Which one is healthier? Which one is fitter? If we consider the biological definition of fitness, which one is better prepared to survive?
Let’s take a look.
The Evolution of CrossFit as Training Method
Since its early days, CrossFit has seen incredible strides in programming and approach. Relatively speaking, it’s still a very “young sport” and gyms across the country make modifications in how they coach their athletes.
The term ‘sport’ is contended in the CrossFit community. Most coaches prefer the term ‘training methodology.’ This approach to fitness has had its growing pains and—to the disgrace of the movement as a whole— has learned of significant screw-ups that it is now trying to rectify. For example, founder Greg Glassman himself has admitted to the mistake of over-emphasizing kipping pull-ups on athletes that had not yet the ability to perform one strict pull-up. This has changed, as gyms encourage mobility and strength-building before the ‘just go hard and fast’ model. Gyms today tend to push for strict gymnastics (or modifications) movements first.
Twenty-one years after the original gym opened, CrossFit is standing strong—political controversy over its founder notwithstanding— with more than 13,000 affiliate gyms in the United States. Remnants of the old CrossFit models remain but are slowly dying out.
So why should you walk into a CrossFit gym?
Reason #1 CrossFit was Not Designed as a Competitive Sport
If you think that you’ll walk in and immediately be in competition with others, you’re wrong. CrossFit was not designed as a competitive sport. People forget this. Greg Glassman’s original lectures and meanderings about the definition of ‘fitness’ began as a way to enhance an athlete's performance so that they could then transfer it to real life, their jobs, military missions, or preferred sports. This training method began as a way to optimize fitness for making more reliable, confident, and competent humans. In CrossFit:
The competition is against yourself first
You start at your level and move your way up
Regardless of age, background, athletic activity, or physical limitations, there is a place for you to start.
That CrossFit developed a commercial and competitive aspect is a natural evolution, but those god-like figures and figuresses at the CrossFit games walking on their hands and performing impeccable movements does not define the CrossFit movement— it is an extreme version of it. And sure, competing with athletes in your gym is healthy and a great way to push yourself and progress, but that’s not why you’re there.
Reason #2 Modifications Exist For Everything— They are the Path to Improvement
Modifications are your friend. Newcomers to CrossFit training often worry about their inability to perform movements. Everyone starts somewhere. Some people walk into a gym and have been athletes their whole lives. Movements come easier to them. Others begin from scratch, getting their first handstand push-up at age 40 or learning how to do Olympic Cleans at age 45. That’s awesome too! The beauty of training is that inherent in the word is the idea that you are moving towards something. So if you can’t do a push-up, you don’t walk away from the workout, you get as close as possible so that you build the necessary musculature to perform it in the future. And as you reach for it, you improve.
Here’s what you need to know about modifications:
Can’t perform a movement? Modify and work your way up.
Don’t know the modification? Don’t worry, that’s why the coaches are there.
Everyone modifies. It doesn’t take away from your workout if scaled correctly.
For injuries or days when you’re just not feeling it, modifications are great options too!
Stare your weaknesses in the eye and walk towards them. Better yet, run towards them.
Reason #3 The Way You Look Is Secondary, How Well You Move Comes First
Most people’s idea of working out is connected to having an attractive physique. No one denies that we are biologically predisposed to want to look a certain way, Michelangelo’s David set the bar pretty high early on. And yet, you shouldn’t want to go to the gym simply to look hot. When people begin CrossFit programming and truly adopt the philosophy they experience a change that is far more profound. It’s not about how you look, it’s about what you can do and how beautifully you can execute it. It’s about grace. It’s about teaching the body a new language or new vocabulary.
The human anatomy is complex and it begs to be challenged and explored. And people are different, some require more training in certain movements because we’re all built differently. So you will find something that comes easier to you and you build on it. And through the pursuit of better movement and true functional strength, might come a slightly more toned body, but when sh*%# hits the fan, that doesn’t matter. What will save you is your ability to move, to respond, the strength of your heartbeat, the resistance of your muscles, and the endurance of your cardiovascular system.
When something happens in life that demands your full undivided attention, you will be ready.
Don’t Perish With the Weaklings. Transform Yourself. Be Ready.
We know you’ve thought about it. Maybe you tried it once and walked away because you felt too awkward or out of place or saw too many new movements and skills to learn. Start somewhere. Start now. Surprise yourself.
For a limited time we are giving away 2 extra free sessions with promo code “Rush Fam". Come by Rush Fitness Gym for your Five Free Sessions and begin your journey towards fitness today.