Is CrossFit Right For Non-Athletes?

If you’ve never played organized sports or you don’t consider yourself athletic you probably feel like CrossFit isn’t for you. Don’t worry. You’re in good company. Most everyone has had this same feeling.

Where does this come from?

I think there are two things at play here: what you see on the internet and what we tend to see in others.

CrossFit on the Internet

Do you have an  Instagram account? What about Facebook? You know that we tend to post the highlight reel; the top 10 moments of our lives. The stuff that would make Sports Center.

You’d never post a selfie (unless it was an ironic selfie) of yourself at work, working on a spreadsheet with messed up hair from an un-flattering angle. No! You post that perfectly angled picture when you’re dressed to the 9’s  getting ready to hit the dance floor at a wedding.

Fitness is no different. We’re only interested in dramatic feats of strength and skill or a massive transformation story. No one is going to click on a picture or video of a 50-something gym-goer getting their first pull up. That’s not very impressive by internet standards. But it’s really impressive and very common by everyday life standards. 

Remember: the things you Google about CrossFit aren’t real life. It’s the highlight reel of a professional sport. You’re familiar with the NBA. Do you think you’d need to be able to dunk to join a pickup game at the YMCA? You’re familiar with Serena Williams. Do you need to be that good to swing by the courts? Of course not.

CrossFit has only been around for 20 or so years and in southwest Louisiana for much less time. It may be confusing that there is actually a difference between CrossFit the training program and CrossFit the sport.

We think we can’t do CrossFit.

BUT EVERYONE IS GOING TO BE LOOKING AT ME. 

That’s harsh. If it were the case it would be a very sad day for us. Thankfully that’s only true in your own head. In fact, it’s a survival response to new situations. You feel the same thing when you enter a crowded room at a party where you  don’t know anyone. You feel like everyone’s looking at you.

But fitness enthusiasts are much more supportive than you could ever imagine. Most of the “in shape” people you know have found that fitness helps them manage stress, be better parents, and helps with depression. Everyone I know is very excited to share that with others — especially people who are “not in shape.”

I’m going to let you in on a little secret, too. Coaches prefer people who are “out of shape” vs. people who consider themselves “athletes.” We’d much rather start from scratch than to fix bad habits and then start from scratch.

So… if you’re way out of shape, never worked out before, and always got picked last in gym class — that’s the perfect person to coach. If you’re ready to step outside your comfort zone and start to find your better, we’re standing by to assist.