There’s a strange phenomenon wherein people are very good at looking directly past an answer to a problem -- a very clear answer that is staring them dead in the eyes -- to instead continue their search for some other solution to their problem.

At times, folks who are not particularly interested in fitness find their way through our doors -- at the bequest of friends or family, out of pure curiosity, on accident, to try to sell us tickets to an Angel’s game, etc. In our conversations with these individuals, fitness inevitably comes up. They ask about the gym, about fitness, what we’re about, how CrossFit works, and we talk to them about their experience, their thoughts on fitness, their goals, etc. This conversation has, on numerous occasions, yielded the exact phenomenon mentioned above. When the offer is extended to get in on some fitness and work out in one of our classes, or even when the topic of their exercise habits is mentioned, I have seen individuals refuse with great conviction, to pull out all recipes of reasons why they can’t, shouldn’t, won’t, only to immediately turn to our shelf of protein powders and fish oil and the like and ask, “what’s that stuff? Is it good for you?”

Now I certainly have nothing against protein powder or fish oil. These supplements can be a great tool for conveniently optimizing recovery. What’s rather remarkable, though, is the almost reflexive response of refusing to involve oneself in movement as a means to greater health and fitness, and immediately directing attention towards a supplement to solve the problem.
“Yeah, I get it, you’re a gym and coaches and whatever; but shut up for a minute and tell me about how that magic powder can make me fit.”

Underlying this phenomenon is likely some degree of fear and an unwillingness to commit oneself to the challenge and discomfort of exercise. And let me make it clear: I get it. This stuff is hard. It takes work, sometimes it feels kind of awful, and it is always challenging. That’s the point.
This phenomenon, though, of overlooking the clear (but challenging) answer only to latch onto something else as the solution, is indicative of how so many people navigate health and fitness. They operate with the assumption that there’s no way that the best answer involves discomfort and challenge, there must be an easier way out there that’ll get me my results. I’m not particularly interested in blaming the media or commercials or the medical community or an entitled generation or anything else, because ultimately, this blame game doesn’t help, and really doesn’t matter. The real issue is people’s relation to challenges and struggle. There’s a widespread assumption that life should be easy and pain-free, and that anything that doesn’t abide by these standards just can’t be worth it. This is why our growing obesity rates and preventable illnesses are what they are today.

We owe it to ourselves to have the honest conversation about the way fitness works. It’s gonna be hard, and that’s okay. It’s worth it.

- Preston Sprimont

1/25/17

• 
  

  20 min AMRAP

  
  




• 
  

  800m run

  
  


• 
  

  20 wallballs (20/14)

  
  


• 
  

  15 C2B pull-ups

  
  


• 
  

  20 KB snatch (10/arm) (53/35)