Now that the CrossFit Games season is behind us for 2018, we’re changing up the wall decor in the front of the gym. What was previously a shout-out of all the CFKI athletes that took on the 2018 CrossFit Open has been repurposed into something we can all contribute to: a “Why Wall”.
What’s your “Why”? Why do you do CrossFit, subjecting yourself to tough, sometimes downright miserable workouts, the aches and pains of recovering from 100 lunges one day and 30 heavy snatches the next? Why do you compete with yourself and others, constantly putting your skills, strength and endurance to the test? This stuff takes dedication, and we all have a reason we do it. Do you know what yours is?
I asked our outstanding team of coaches to answer that question recently, and their responses are below. Maybe one of these resonates with you or helps you find your Why. When you know it, come in and write it on the wall! I think it will inspire you to push harder when you run back into the gym after a mid-WOD 400M lap, and maybe it will inspire others as well!
Alyssa
I love the competitive feeling CrossFit gives me and the desire it provides within myself to always be better, to always be fitter, to always be stronger, to always strive to improve a lift or time on a benchmark workout, to always push myself to, and beyond, my physical and mental limits (outside of my comfort zone), and to always demand more of myself so I can be the best and healthiest version of me! CrossFit fuels my soul and lights a fire within me, but above all else, I love being a part of such an amazing Community of Fitness!
Denee
I have been roughly the same size all of my adult life, but the hours on planes, a high stress job, and raising a family always got in the way of me taking better care of my health. I had some heart issues from the birth of our second son, Oliver, which led to a cardiologist telling me that I shouldn’t have any more children when he was just 5 days old. At first I was devastated, but then realized I was so incredibly lucky to have two healthy little boys and now it was time to start taking better care of myself so I could be around for them for as long as possible. I started doing CrossFit consistently at that point and haven’t looked back.
That hour that I spend doing CrossFit is my sanity. Just grinding through a workout with others takes your mind off of the busy things in life – work, family, etc. – and allows you to focus on your abilities, what you can do, to get a little better every day. There is always something to work on, always something to get better at, and the possibilities are endless.
Lastly, I started CrossFit to ensure I could be around for my kids, and now I keep doing it for the example it sets for them. In a world where everyone gets a trophy for participating, our kids see adults in the gym failing at something – whether it’s a lift, a double-under, or a pushup – every day. And you know what? Those athletes don’t give up. They try again, they adjust slightly, and they keep showing up.
Jason
Many people know I started doing CrossFit after my brother died. This event had a profound effect on how I view my life going forward. I believe that if I’m not doing something to make myself grow, then I’m wasting the time I was given in this life. It may seem grandiose to apply this personal philosophy to a CrossFit class but I know that if I give my all in the gym/workout, then I am less stressed and feel better overall. This, in turn, makes me capable of being a better husband, father, CrossFit coach and person. To digress, I would say my why is simply to be better today than I was yesterday. I’m not saying this always happens but knowing CrossFit helps push me in a positive direction, it’s my reason to get off the couch and into the gym.
Josh
Unlike many fitness programs, Crossfit has the very special ability to keep its followers humble. One day you could be floating on cloud nine after nailing a deadlift PR and the next day be completely demoralized from a soul-crushing hero WOD. This humility is critical to understanding that you have as many weaknesses as you do strengths and that those weaknesses need to be addressed in order to become a better athlete. Humility is my catalyst to self-improvement.
As for community, there is no better environment to workout than with a group of like-minded people who are invested in each other’s well being. It’s no secret that some of the strongest bonds between people are forged during shared trials and tribulations. Crossfit has plenty of those to offer and because of that, most of the closest people in my life are the ones with whom I’ve endured the most grueling WOD’s.
Liz
I was diagnosed with diabetes at age 2. I didn’t take great care of myself as a kid. When I became a teen I rebelled by not exercising, eating junk food and smoking cigarettes (all very terrible things for blood sugar control). When I was 26, my eyes started internally bleeding and I temporarily lost sight in each of my eyes. That was a huge wake up call for me. I started to focus on my health. I started by quitting smoking and eating better. I would exercise in spurts and it wasn’t until I found Crossfit that I became a “regular” anywhere. I do CrossFit because I never grow bored or restless with the program. These days I continue to grow as an athlete, something I wish I had discovered earlier in life, which is helping my blood sugar control tremendously. I enjoy the great company at CFKI. I really use my time at the box as me time.
Lori
Why do I Crossfit? After many years with CFKI, I have seen my “why” change and evolve as I grow. When I first started Crossfit, I was bored with “bootcamp” style classes and wanted to challenge myself outside of my comfort zone (and get a pull-up, duh.). In the beginning of my Crossfit journey, I was extremely competitive with myself. My focus was on hitting those one rep max lifts, mastering all the skills and ALWAYS being RX. Now don’t me wrong, those are all really great things to strive for, especially in Crossfit. The problem that I ran into was when I sustained an injury that derailed my training. I was all of a sudden on the sidelines and when I was finally able to Crossfit again, my approach to training was forced to change. My “why” suddenly became just getting into the box and working hard for myself at the level that my body allowed. Mentally, it was HARD, but I did it, and it changed my “why” all over again. I Crossfit today because CFKI is my family and I love being in the box, surrounded by great people who like to work hard. I’m less concerned about RX vs. Scaled and more focused on just moving my body and having fun. I love introducing new people to Crossfit and watching them grow and hit their PR’s and tackle all those fun “firsts” that come with being a newbie in this sport.
Tristan
Mental and physical strength are key to a positive influence on others. To play that role for my 2 sons is extremely important to me like the majority of fathers out there. Above all my WHY for pushing myself daily is to make myself ‘harder to kill’. Whether it is for my job, to prevent ailments/injuries, an unforeseen circumstance, or just blowing off steam, coming in and being surrounded by positive people who work hard and want you to work hard as well makes all the difference.
And finally, myself:
When I started CrossFit, my “why” was to be a part of this elite community of athletes that would push themselves to the brink with nasty workouts and post their times in the comments on CrossFit.com for everyone else to see. I felt like I was really part of something special, and that pushed me to get better so I could post better comments!
My “why” since opening CrossFit Kent Island has dramatically shifted from being a part of the larger CrossFit community, which I still very much enjoy, to being a part of this amazing community that we have at CFKI. I love what we have created and the special bond that we share from laying our souls bare in hero workouts that shouldn’t be attempted by “normal people”. And I push myself to constantly get better so that I can earn your respect every day and drive you to get better along with me.
Now, what’s your Why?
Ryan
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