Two years ago a persistently occurring pain took up residence as a permanent injury. A congenitally defective bone gradually wore down all the cartilage in one of my hips leaving me with consistent pain and greatly hindered mobility. The only true solution to the problem is its own problem as getting a hip replacement before being eligible for social security is generally ill advised. As a result, training dropped way down as other stressors ramped way up. In the end, I found myself 30lbs heavier and really feeling the physical, mental, and emotional weight of it. From being a fat kid growing up embarrassed to go to the beach, to a fit kid with abs, and full circle back to the start has been truly defeating. I can’t do all the things I used to be able to, I don’t have as much time to do the things I can, and a lot of days finding the will to do anything at all is tough.
CrossFit Founder Greg Glassman once said, “CrossFit is not for everyone, but it is for anyone.” I’ve been doing it for eighteen years now, and I know by now it is in fact “for me”. What Glassman meant by this is that anyone regardless of ability, agility, mobility, strength, speed, size, age, or experience can do CrossFit so long as they have the will. There is no injury that closes the door to CrossFit. Infinitely scalable is a reality not just a catch phrase. That being said it is not for everyone in that you have to be built for it, mentally. You have to be driven because it never gets easier, for anyone. A first time CrossFitter and the fittest on earth can do the same workout side by side and both finish exhausted and accomplished. Our needs vary by degree not kind. The satisfaction is in the struggle, and the drive to push yourself beyond your comfort zone is what truly defines a CrossFitter.
Nobody cares what weights you use.
Nobody cares how fast you are.
Nobody cares if you scale the workout.
Nobody cares what you wear.
Nobody cares if you’re big or small.
Those are the things you care about because you think everyone else is judging you when they’re not. Not inside these walls.
What DOES everyone care about? They care about you beating yourself down and not showing up.
Some days will be better than others, but the real victory is in walking through the door. Maybe you don’t have an hour for a class some days, come use the time you do have to get some movement in. I’ve come in knowing I had only eight minutes but it was better than not coming at all. Some days your social battery may be running low, come during an open gym window or anytime if you’re 24/7 and just do your thing. We still see you. We know you won’t and can’t be all in every day, but we also know that you’ll never walk out after a workout regretting investing in yourself.
We know it can be hard to get out of your own head when you feel like you’ll never achieve your goals, but that’s when we hope you remember you’re not alone. You have a community behind you that wants to see you win. A community that will be there to pick you up, cheer you on, and keep walking the road with you. Community is the real secret ingredient CrossFit offers you.
So see you around, whether you have an hour or eight minutes, just keep showing up because while nobody cares how you show up, everyone cares that you do.
