The Crossfit Community
There’s been plenty of debate over the physiological pros and cons of the Crossfit training environment (we may touch on that more on another day); but what about the social or psychological side of being a member of a gym, or box? I wanted to take a few minutes to highlight first some pros and then some cons that I’ve both heard about and witnessed for myself through my 3-4 year (off and on) Crossfit experience. So if you’re considering diving into the Crossfit community, this may also double as a great checklist of ideas that you will want to keep an eye out for as you’re selecting a box! If you’re already a member or owner, it could serve as a gut check of whether or not you’re contributing to a positive atmosphere within your box.
First, let’s touch on some pros…
-Supportive Community
One of the traits that is so invaluable about the boxes that set themselves apart is the ability to build a support network. This typically extends far beyond the gym, and the relationships formed end up becoming solid friendships.
-Competition
Crossfit has been able to fill the competitive void in mine and many others’ daily lives that is present after organized sports are not an option. It provides a unique opportunity to constantly test yourself against a clock, against gravity, and against other members. It is also one of the few sports where you can constantly test yourself against professional athletes (no matter how impossible their clean maxes or fran times may be).
-Confidence (Through a Focus on Growth)
Crossfit inspires its members to test the limits and shatter their previous levels of performance. The atmosphere can be contagious. This outlook often carries over to give fresh perspective in the working world. In a lot of ways, it has brought back some of that blue collar mentality of working hard to achieve your goals (an outlook desperately needed to survive in the real world). I also remember hearing Kelly Starett talk about the impact Crossfit has had on kids in an episode of the docandjock podcast. Kids who don’t always fit in with the generalized stereotypes who figure out they can move some weight then gain a sense of confidence and belonging.
-Breaking the Beauty Mold
In a lot of ways, just like for kids, Crossfit has opened the door for women and the general public to see that strong is beautiful. While there is still a misconception that all girls who do Crossfit put on insane amounts of muscle mass over night, people have begun to recognize and respect women who sweat, work, and bleed for the sake of fitness.
-Networking
Nobody wants to be around the guy or girl that is always trying to make money, but many times Crossfit boxes can be a place to meet people and establish relationships that can be mutually beneficial in the business world. While I’m surely not advocating that you go around and pass out business cards to everyone, I do believe that as you truly invest in people and get to to know the members of your box, opportunities often arise.
-Empowering People to Take Responsibility for Their General Health and Wellness
As a physical therapy student, in my mind this is one of the most exciting psychosocial benefits of Crossfit. Over the last few years, I have seen a shift in the direction of people striving to learn and grow towards more efficient movement and functional health. By teaching and coaching it’s athletes through mobility blocks, strength deficits, and movement pattern flaws (at least in the good boxes) more people have started to better understand the importance of tearing down imbalances and impairments for the sake of long term growth. Coaches and athletes are more readily seeking education and information to improve their knowledge of their anatomy, physiology, and movement technique in order to better compete or progress their members. This accountability often overflows into everyday wellness outside of the gym, and has even started to further impact healthy sleep patterns and daily diet.
-Accountability
Becoming a member of a box will likely land you a login on Wodify and access to the white board. Not only will you be able to see your times, weights, and days of work, but also most other members’ WODs (workouts of the day) as well. Naturally they will be able to see your performances as well. This, and the monthly fee you will be paying, serve as great motivators to hold you accountable to working out each week. I’ve heard many people mention that this is the case. You have to be very disciplined and motivated to establish a workout plan and execute it by yourself weekly; however, your Crossfit box provides you with varied workouts, programming (some boxes MUCH better than others), and accountability each week until you start to enjoy working out each day.
So, in summary, Crossfit has become somewhat of a team atmosphere. Some of the more personal box owners are even trying to rally together their members to give back to the community and host social gatherings. Overall, Crossfit often offers a much more personal experience than a typical gym membership, and introduces opportunities to not only push yourself physically, but also to work together with similar-minded people from all backgrounds to achieve fitness goals. There are plenty more positives than I’ve listed here I’m sure, but these are some of the most clear to me.
Stay tuned as I touch on a few of the negatives within the next few days!
As always, we’d love to hear your questions, comments, or additions! Feel free to contact us!
Tyler Vaughn
SPT, CSCS
Owner, Pathology Apparel