Written by: Coach Vic
One of the most alluring things about a CrossFit box is the competitive atmosphere in which it takes place.
That competitive atmosphere bring many positives, but also an opportunity for some negatives. Within competitive environments, you might have the mindset that focuses on others. This done in a positive light can bring inspiration, motivation, and admiration for the others surrounding us. On the other hand, in the darkness of negatives, come feelings of insecurities, lack of accomplishments, and can decrease overall self worth.
Where the oxymoron lies is in the moments where you are constantly reminded to only focus on yourself and your own capabilities.
This is obviously contradicting. So how do we find the perfect balance between the two ideologies? What’s important to understand, first, is we all don’t start at the same point.
Two individuals can start Elements together at the same. One of these individuals may be able to quickly grasp the majority of the movements and progress in other areas faster.
What we don’t see is this person’s collegiate athletic background, or lifetime of gymnastic experience they’ve acquired. The second individual, possibly on the opposite end of the spectrum, could be transitioning from their sedentary lifestyle to an active one. I can guarantee if this person bases their accomplishments off the other, they will eventually ruin their experience. We have to give ourselves a level playing field when competing. We can’t ignore our past experiences, genetics, our responsibilities in our every day life. Those things matter. We have to account for those things when rating our performance or making decisions for our future self.
CrossFit is about having fun, so if it’s not, you’re fucking up. Yes, there will be people whose light shines bright at times in fitness, but that doesn’t mean ours is now dim or irrelevant. They’re just different. I believe we all should embrace the competitive nature of the box, and it’s ok if you aspire to be one of the top members in the box. We just need to be sure that it doesn’t come at the cost of our own gym experience.