By PJ Cavalli
Why do most people choose CrossFit Hammersmith or CrossFit Shepherd’s Bush to train? Is it to get fit? Make friends? Lose weight? Get bigger? Compete? Have fun? Or any combination of these and more?
To me the key to being successful with any of these is to have fun. If you’re not having fun, then you’re not going to be successful long term with any of those goals, and that includes competing. I hope you smile and laugh at least once each time you come to workout with us, even if only because of the number of accents our coaches have, or because of their “impeccable” taste in music.
We often hear at the end of a workout, “but I only used this weight, or did that movement.” At Tribe we use time caps to help you stick to the desired intensity that the programming guru Eddie plans for each workout. As long as you’re hitting that intensity, it doesn’t matter the weight you used, the number of reps completed, or the exact movement used. The biggest question at the end of a class should be did I enjoy that?
The enjoyment might not necessarily be while doing 20 burpee-over-box jumps (as an aside, Eddie you evil genius, what’s wrong with plain old burpees?), but from the fact you got through it. You’ve turned up, seen what’s on the whiteboard and you’ve overcome it. That is worth celebrating yourself, and with those who’ve just gone through it with you. Hopefully you’ve had a laugh with some guys and girls in the class, and had some fun. If you haven’t enjoyed it, we need to help ensure you do. Everything at the box is better when you do; as life in general will be, for that matter.
In a similar vein weightlifting classes or high skill days are often followed by “I need to do this, or I have to do that.” If you are looking to compete, possibly you do, although again if you’re not enjoying the process why bother? If you’re not, just ask yourself are you getting better, and again, are you having fun? If so, you’re already winning. A bodyweight snatch is a wonderful aim, and being able to MU like Coach Leo would make any of us proud, but is it the be all and end all? Should that get in the way of having fun? No chance.
Are you getting better (if you’re turning up regularly the answer to this is a huge yes), then please just have fun with your training. I’m in no way saying don’t take it seriously, or ignore things that you want to get better at, but don’t judge your success by chasing perfection. Judge it by how much fun you’re having along the way.