The Value Of Community In CrossFit

The Value Of Community In CrossFit

I saw something online the other day that was mocking the ‘Community’ aspect of CrossFit, saying how it was just a pun. It really got me thinking about the importance of it, why it matters and how CrossFit is much more than being physically fit.

When I first moved to Dundee I went to a more traditional gym, headphones in, no eye contact with anyone, simply just going through the motions with no real goal and certainly not making any friends. As someone working remotely, and at that point travelling down to London on a weekly basis as well, it simply meant that I knew that same amount of people in my new home city (other than my now Fiancee) that I did when I first moved… 0.

My first day at a CrossFit gym I met and talked to more people in that new city than I had in the 6 months previous. From there I have made genuine friends, people I have had drinks with, spend more time with than anyone, know detail about their lives and goals both inside and outside the gym. It was both a great and a sad morning recently when someone I consider a friend, who I met through CrossFit and spent many a morning working out with over the last 18 months or so, had his last workout at the gym before leaving for Australia.  A workout designed by one of the coaches at our gym based around some of their favourite movements. A really nice touch and I think something that epitomises the importance and the greatness of community in CrossFit. You can't tell me that, that happens in a traditional gym. I think it is more than fair to say that if I didn’t have CrossFit I would be pretty lonely outside of my relationship. With CrossFit I feel genuinely fulfilled and that has only been added to more since I have started coaching.

I saw one CrossFit Affiliate owner go as far as to say that when they started focusing their efforts and then their advertising on the community aspect, rather than the fitness aspect (leaving their coaches to manage the fitness), that they had a lot more success. So I get that CrossFit isn't to everyone's taste and not everyone enjoys that style of training. But if being part of a community makes exercise and a healthy lifestyle more appealing to people, helping them keep on track with healthy habits for an extended of period of time, then how on earth can that be a bad thing?

Andy