Why The Hell Do You Do This...

   Presley...

Lunden...

"Pizza is a powerful thing...but so is not shopping at Lane Bryant, ya dig?"

A week ago, a local cycled into our bay doors. "I have heard alot about this CrossFit thing, can I watch," he said. "Of course man, I actually recommend it" was my response. Ten minutes, a few torn hands, and many agonizing athletes rolling on the floor later and our local says, "Why the hell do you do this?"

Four years ago, my knee jerk reaction would have been, "Why the hell not," but maturity has set in. Over the years, some of the best lessons are learned through adjusting the vision of a veteran to that of the rookie. Someone getting their first taste of a religion that looks more like a cult. Someone who isn't so much defensive as uneducated. Someone just like I was. 

There are dozens of CrossFit hater sites popping up nowadays. Awesome. Once you're truly despised, you're truly changing things. I think the reason some folks are still resistant is, simply, that they don't get "why". The rest are usually educated enough to know it works, and just pissed off they didn't think of it. Or they brought their ego to the door, and didn't like being a little fish in an ever-growing pond.

Remember your first trip through the doors? What was it like? What was your first thought? What did you think a week later? Four weeks later?

At it's core, CrossFit is different from other fitness programs because of its militaristic ability to bring others closer together. One of the best things the military teaches is that you fight for others, you fight for ideals, you fight for the man beside you. Many fitness programs have delivered good results over the years, but all have failed to make it universally applicable. All have failed because they failed the community they were in. CrossFit creates its own community, and people achieve results because of the beauty to their right, the effort to their left, and the speed directly in front of them.

It's for this reason that we hold CrossFit so dear; it may be what brings us all back day after day. Sure, the "why" may be selfishly motivated in the beginning, but it never seems to stay that way. In fact, the selfish "why" gives way to the community of results. We enter to achieve and test, we are bettered by a community, and then we give back to that community. Selfish becomes selfless.

Even if we have a shitty day and a horrible WOD, it's almost guaranteed someone else hasn't and their inspiration is contagious. Look around your box.  There is someone smiling now because they PRd, because they achieved, because they are different than when they came in. That's "why" we do it. Where else can you see such dramatic changes daily? Where else is it common to overcome fear, and do something new everyday?

It's not for me to explain why the masses CrossFit.  It's for me to observe why more people don't. Is it really because it's "just too hard for most people"?, or is that a cop-out? Is it really that "CrossFitting" was just lying dormant in "CrossFitters" before they knew it, and that all they needed was that first "321 go", or is that an excuse? I suspect one reason more people don't follow God is because Christians are judgemental assholes alot of the time, and turn off non-Christians. As well, they don't sing God's praises from the mountains like they should. 

Maybe the way is as simple as the satisfaction of two basic human principles; self-improvement, and selfless living. 

I simply can't imagine why anyone wouldn't want that...why anyone would leave that...other than, perhaps, that followers aren't CrossFit mature, but CrossFit defensive.

The next time someone rags on CrossFit, or speaks about your particular box like shit and another box like a church, let them. The next time a Doctor tells your friends deadlifting will put you in a wheelchair say, "Thanks for the advice.  See you after my WOD."  The next time your skinny vegetarian friends say meat is killing you, just say, "Please, tell me more."

This behavior is equivalent to "CrossFit turning the other cheek," and this is why Gandhi and everyone loved our Jesus regardless of religion, but hated our Christians. Jesus turned his.  We don't. Defensive is childish, and unconfident. We have the best program in the world, so why do we ever need to be defensive about shit? Our job is to teach without judgement.

Pressing your faith pisses off the faithless. Becoming angry when others believe differently than you starts wars. Speaking to the unfaithful with lingo they don't understand makes them feel stupid. This helps noone, and that is not CrossFit. CrossFit is about teaching everyone "why" so they, too, can be blessed.

Strength:

Rest

For Time

800m-Run

60-Depth Jumps 20/24

50-One Arm DB Thrusters 25/35

40-Toes Through Rings

30-Burpees

20-Wall Ball

400m-Run

Post time to comments. 

Comments

[jb]

Just in case...a depth jump is performing a regular box jump immediatly followed by jumping off then rebounding onto the box directly in front of it...this counts as 1 rep

[runmelrun]

24:35

[holly]

28:24 m

[franchise]

20:21

[k]

24:03
should it really take this long to heal a simple charley horse? deezus

mo...hope youre ok???

colleen...no quittin. wont let it happen. great fight.

[terra kennett]

24:48 M small box and 20in for jumps

[ASH]

Great blog Josh.

My first day impression was, "holy shit this is fantastic!" I will never forget Melissa Mitchell and Whitney taking me under their wing directly post-wod to show me the almightly kipping pull-up...1 minute later I was doing my first pull-up thanks to complete strangers (now great friends).

[runmelrun]

LOL Dang Ash! Thanks for the reminder that what took me 6 months took you 1 minute!

[chastity]

Good times, Ash.
My first impression of Crossfit...thankfulness and excitment. My good friend Terra kept calling me throughout the months between January and July to get me to come in to Practice with her. She and Josh had worked together for years at Total Fitness, so after Fitness Layne closed his familiar name and the awesome things he was doing lured her to Practice. She was loving it and new I would if I would come with her at least once. I actually came in for the first time on a Sunday in July. I worked out with Chad Liette, Witney, three people no longer with us, Melissa and her husband Jason and Matt, and Josh. We did a partner WOD with Double Unders, Pull ups, Overhead Squats, Box Jumps and Run. I watched Melissa and Witney get 10 pull ups in a row each time and I did one strick pull attempt every time my turn was up. I remember thinking these girls hate having me as their partner. They were in fierce competition with the guys and I was definitely slowing them down. I tried to do my best on overhead squats and box jumps that was the only thing i could help with in a significant way. But even then they were a stickler on form, Chad kept yelling at someone to stand the hell up all the way on the box. It took me about 20 in before I realized he was yelling at me. LOL I was kill it before they made me stand up all the way. I remember thinking, WHY? You could go so much faster if you didn't. Oh yeah, we didn't win. Josh and Matt won and Whitney was verbally pissed off and I thought she will never want me on her "team" again.
But I definitely wanted to try again. I thought there's something about this I can be good at, I just know it! As we sat down outside to catch our breath, I didn't know any of them and they were talking about meeting up at Whitney's house later that day and I marveled at what a tight knit group they were. To be calling each other PU**Y's and Mother **CKERs one minute then cracking up laughing and spending time together the next was so outrageously fun. I came back.

[NP]

Wow Chas.. that's the first time I've heard you cuss.. even if it is in type and is censored!!

[Lori]

28:28

[franchise]

My sentiments exactly chas, p@#%us and mutha@#$%&*es lol too funny!

[jen w]

27:14

[Sammy]

23:45ish, Good WOD, I was $&CHING gased, that took forever! Who was the A$$ that made up that WOD, and what was that PU**Y'S time?
LOL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Great share Chas! You are even classy when you cuss girl.

[chastity]

Thats funny

[Cindy Lou]

Great blog...and loved hearing your story Chas...I enjoy hearing everyones "first time" :)

Loved this WOD even with the "death jumps"

I got 32:34 M+ or 36 (I think)
(m) for depth jumps
+ 14 lb Wall Ball
But first WOD with my being able to do Toes Through Rings...tired a few after Burpeess...wasnt gonna happen...so went for the last 400m run and then finished up with the rings...took a bit but I finished! I love WODs like this, the feeling of being done and so proud is priceless...
And I am loving my new shoes!!!

[Nikki J]

28:43

That kicked my butt!!!! Whew- great workout!

[Dave]

33:23 m 25# thrusters

medic! My shoulders are so rocked. Angie beat me down and tonight kicked me...repeatedly. Glad tomorrow is a rest day. Friday will most likely have a BIG gold star too. Despite the beat-down, I liked the wod.

Where's the ice pack?! :)

[kara MIKOLAJEWSKI]

26:23...i am still catching my breath!

[Mindy]

29:35m...12lb thrusters and 60 box step ups. Got all 40 toe to rings!!!