One of the most impressive things that I have found about Crossfit has been the community. Those of you who don’t know anything about my interest in CrossFit then you don’t know that for the longest time I was super hesitant and had a very elitist attitude towards what I believe to be a new fad. Watch 2007 and 2008 videos of the Olympic lifts in Crossfit and you’ll understand where I’m coming from. However, as the sport has developed and grown we have seen that trend become completely reversed. Most of the top games athletes have beautiful technique and are lifting reasonably heavy weights. Thus my involvement and desire to be around the sport.
However the weight that is lifted and the fitness that is exhibited is not the only thing that draws me to CrossFit gyms around the country. I think what I find most impressive is how gyms and competitors will come together to provide for or serve others. Crossfit gyms that are doing it right are using their community and their competition teams as more than just moneymakers. CrossFit gyms around the country are using their community to reach out and help the community that is around them. There are few things more joyful to me then seeing non-faith-based organizations leverage their passion for the good of others.
I have to brag on our competition team from this past weekend. While I was up in the cooler, nicer weather of Denver Colorado our competition team took there Saturday and left the gym. Our competitors took an opportunity to stop training and start serving the city of Dallas. I can’t be more proud of our team for their desire to do something for somebody else. Instead of training on Saturday morning they went out to Thomas Jefferson high school in North Dallas and helped prepare the school, alongside many other people, for the school year coming up. The reaction I heard from our competitors was that the school was in desperate need of Clorox, paint, and a overall makeover. The people who served that school, our competitors included, made that school ready for a bunch of students who may never know their name or who painted their classroom.
I pray that gyms and teams around the world would follow the lead of our competition team. I know I’m bragging but I firmly believe that they did something worth bragging about. I pray that your gyms and teams will leverage their community for the good of others and win at something much bigger than regionals.
