Last night, a member left what is written below near my stuff as I coached. The member who left this piece, The Ugly Side Of CrossFit, is one of Buffalo Nickel CrossFit’s founding members.
Becki and I met years ago, and when I opened Buffalo Nickel CrossFit she was there to support us. She has always been a friend and a great member. She always keeps the gym laughing with her good mood and hilarious sense of humor.
Everyone has an image in their heads of a person that does CrossFit. Most times this image is highly exaggerated. Most people that enjoy CrossFit are just normal people. CrossFit is not a sport to them, it is how they get and or stay in shape.
Becki does a much more artful telling than me, and she has given me permission to share what she wrote, so I will just let you read it for yourself.
The Ugly Side of CrossFit
Every time you think or look up CrossFit, you see beautiful bodies, that’s the beautiful side of CrossFit.
Now let’s look at the other side. To me, CrossFit means strength, courage, friendship, sweat & confidence. Not all CrossFit athletes are in their 20s with beautiful bodies. A lot of us are older, overweight, depressed, lost in who/what we are. Desperate to find something to save us from our broken-ness. That’s where CrossFit found me.
We walk in terrified, feeling stupid, ugly, fat, incompetent, out of place. Then you do your first warm up. Almost die, but you keep going.
You’re seeing these “amazing athletes” with all their beauty and strength doing these lifts and movements. All the time you’re standing with a piece of PVC. Lost as ever. Not realizing these people started just like us!
Now the hard work starts.
You’re learning, trying.
Pulling, pushing yourself further than you ever imagined you could.
The whole time pulling your shirt down trying to cover your fat.
Shame, sweat, read faced, and out of breath.
But then it’s over. You did it! It sucked and hurt. You know you won’t be able to move tomorrow. But you don’t care, because you did it!
You faced your fear and embarrassment, and did it.
So when I hear CrossFit, that’s what I think about. Not the beautiful looking finished product. I think about the beautifully broken men and women desperately looking for a place to fit in.
No shame.
No judgement. Just a group of broken people. Trying to better themselves together.
So yes, CrossFit can be confusing and overwhelming. But trust the process and know, we won’t all turn out to be these amazing beautiful athletes.
And I am perfectly okay with that.
-Becki
