Constantly varied, functional movements performed at a high intensity. That’s CrossFit.
Constantly varied and functional is what EVERYONE in the room is doing. The high-intensity part is where the YOU VERSUS YOU comes into play. What is high intensity to Tony Schultz is imma die to Cate Schultz and that’s ok. My high intensity is still high intensity to ME. Many athletes confuse the idea of high-intensity as your intensity should be the same as everybody else’s in the room and that is where failure and injury happen.
CrossFit was created to build healthy humans. Not overly competitive, full of comparison meatheads. Some people who CrossFit portray that image but please, don’t be confused. Greg Glassman did not create CrossFit for the CrossFit Games, (even though it’s super cool) he created CrossFit so you can carry in your groceries when you are 80. CrossFit ELC is with Greg Glassman and his image. I hope when you come to class and learn deadlift form, you take that form and apply it to your everyday life. Next time you go to put equipment away after a workout, pay attention to how you pick up that equipment. Do you only use proper form and technique during the WOD and then let it all fall apart after? Or did you deadlift that plate off the floor?
When you get up from your chair every day, are your driving through your heels and keeping your chest up like you do in a back squat or are you leaning forward, rocking into your toes and applying extra pressure to the knees? We do not teach you these skills to only use them in the gym, we use the gym as a way to practice and then apply over and over in our life.
Mental, physical and emotional health is what we are after and how fast you move, how heavy you lift, how many pull-ups you can do in a row does not define health, no matter what you saw on Youtube. Focus on how good you feel, the daily victories that add up and the amazing community of people you get to build health alongside!
Your challenge this week, pay attention to how you are using what you learned at CrossFit ELC in your everyday life. I hope you are living an empowered life through all the things you have gained from your CrossFit ELC experience!
Coach Cate
Photo Credit: http://haileyannephotography.com/