I remember when I first learned about CrossFit. My husband had recently had a myocardial infarction, aka a heart attack, with a 100% blockage of the widowmaker artery. He was a young 44-year-old who was physically active. In fact, he was on a 5k run when he experienced his first symptoms. After the stents were placed, he was given a prescription to go to cardiac rehab through the hospital. Of course, he followed the prescription. However, he was discouraged by the exercises he was shown during these sessions because they didn’t help him to learn to trust his body again. About a year later, in 2008, he “discovered” CrossFit, and, as was typical of him, he dove into it completely. He read the CrossFit Journal, he watched videos by Greg Glassman (founder of CF), studied the movements, and, of course, he did the workouts prescribed on CrossFit’s website.
He would come home very sore, but he was always eager to share what his workout of the day (WOD) had been. He was so excited about this methodology, and he was seeing results in his strength and endurance and in so many other facets of his fitness. I, however, was not a quick adaptor to this methodology. It sounded extreme and dangerous to me. Afterall, it involved higher intensity workouts with heavier weights than anything I had done in all my years of exercising. It sounded risky.
Fast forward a few years, and my daughter, who is now co-owner of CrossFit Dwell with me, decided to join a CrossFit gym. Surprisingly, she loved this methodology, too. She was learning new skills, gaining new strength and endurance, building a new community of friends, and she was hooked! She and her dad discussed the WODs, and they were eager to share their stories about their successes and failures. I was excited to see her find HER sport.
I remember the evening in January of 2017 that I decided I would give this sport a try. The owner of the gym where Lauren was a member put a post on Facebook, and I replied that one day I would gain the courage to try CrossFit. He replied, “How about tomorrow?” Ha! I actually said yes! The very next day, I went to my first introductory class, and I signed up immediately. It has been a part of my life ever since.
What was it that drew all three of us to CrossFit and kept us there? I would say it was the methodology of CrossFit. Nicole Carroll, the GM of CrossFit Education began her January 16, 2023 blog post with these two paragraphs:
The CrossFit methodology is the driver of our unparalleled efficacy. What I mean by this is:
Not only does CrossFit make people fit, but arguably we make them fitter faster and more safely than any other program out there. Our results are universal, predictable, and repeatable. Our methodology works for everyone, can be scaled for anyone, and the results accrue over the long term.
The results our methodology drives are what pulls people into CrossFit and gets them hooked. It’s not magic; it’s just what happens when you put in the work — results follow. And once you experience it, you want more of it. This is how we revolutionized an industry and changed millions of lives — and will change millions more. (source: Unparalleled Efficacy: Understanding the CrossFit Methodology)
The fact that this methodology “works for everyone, can be scaled for anyone, and the results accrue over the long term” pulled all three of us into CrossFit AND got us hooked. We all saw results, and we all wanted to keep going!
In a world saturated with fitness fads and gimmicks, the CrossFit methodology stands as a beacon of efficacy and authenticity. It’s more than just a workout; it’s a philosophy, a community, and a catalyst for change. As I reflect on the profound impact of the CrossFit methodology on my family, I want to share the power of CrossFit with as many other people in our community as possible. Because in the end, it’s not about the workout; it’s about the lives we change and the legacies we leave behind. And this work matters.