As a collegiate athlete, even a D3 collegiate athlete, it is important to train, lift and condition during the summer so that you stay in shape for next year’s season. As an athlete who plays a fall sport, it is especially important to push yourself and to stay disciplined during the summer months so that, 1) you do not die during preseason, 2) you come into the new season at the peak of your physical abilities and 3) you contribute to the overall success of the team through the hard work you put in.

Before college, I was a member of a popular gym that I will leave unnamed. I had no major problems with this gym. The equipment was well-kept, it had everything I needed and others I knew were also members. However, it was missing something that I could never quite put my finger on until now. After my freshman year of college, I decided to try something different by doing my summer workouts and lifts at somewhere besides my previous gym. This new place was CrossFit. An old volleyball coach of mine was a member of the CrossFit in my area, CrossFit Wilmington. She has even competed in the CrossFit games, so needless to say she is an incredible woman and very impressive. Anyways, she encouraged me to join so that I’d have a place to lift and condition. She even offered to work out with me and train me some days.

I’m not going to lie, I was very nervous and slightly intimidated the days leading up to stepping foot into CrossFit Wilmington for the first time. All I’d ever seen of CrossFit were the Reebok CrossFit Games. Also, I wasn’t participating in one of their many classes or a regular who did the “Workout of the Day.” I was a newbie who was doing the lifts given to her by her coach. However, upon my first day stepping foot into CrossFit, I found what key elements were missing at the old gym I attended the previous year: drive, community and true dedication.

To say that the individuals that I’ve observed at CrossFit have drive would be a gross understatement. I am convinced that some of the most intense individuals at my local CrossFit are superhuman with superhuman genes that I was not blessed to have. Some of the workouts I have seen at CrossFit Wilmington have truly been impressive. What’s even more impressive is that no matter how exhausted or tired or worn out an individual is, they always push to the very end. They push as hard as possible until the timer goes off. They push as hard as possible all the way up to their last rep. One day, for example, I was watching a young woman from afar do something called “muscle-ups.” In between each set of muscle-ups, she would do a power lift and then a 400-meter run. Towards the end of her workout, I wasn’t sure if she’d be able to finish. In my head, I kept thinking, “there is no way she can do another rep, another set”. Yet, she never failed to prove me wrong and I was blown away by her persistence and will to want to push her limits. Everyone around CrossFit Wilmington truly wants to get better and stronger with every workout. Nothing goes to waste. This drive that is shared by every member of CrossFit is contagious… infectious. It creates an energy in the gym that makes you want to work harder yourself. It is an environment that encourages and influences everyone to succeed.

Community is another key aspect that I have found at CrossFit Wilmington. I have noticed that there are many strong connections that have been made around the gym and people are very interested in each other’s progress. I have had many people come up and introduce themselves to me. They would ask me what I’m training for and what my training plan actually looked like. Originally, I was intimidated by what I may find at CrossFit Wilmington. I was nervous that I was going to be significantly inferior and not fit in. However, everyone has been super accepting and interested in my progress. It has become a place that I look forward to going to because I am surrounded by people who have the same motives as I do: to get better and stronger. Not only does everyone have the same motive, but they provide encouragement and instill motivation into every individual who walks through the door. “Stranger” is not a word that can be found at CrossFit Wilmington. If there is an unfamiliar face, no one hesitates to introduce themselves. It is a healthy environment filled with individuals who work to make connections with others in the gym. An environment filled with people who work to include others and help them meet their goals.

The last key aspect that I have found at CrossFit is true dedication. It is one thing to have the drive and the will to achieve, but it is another to truly dedicate yourself and to put that drive into action on a consistent basis. I have found that most of the individuals at CrossFit Wilmington lead very busy lives whether that be juggling work, school, or athletics. However, no matter how busy or chaotic their lives get, they always find a way to train.There are no excuses at CrossFit and none will be accepted. Not only are they all individually dedicated, but they hold each other accountable as well. Everyone holds themselves to the high standards set by those around them.

This summer has been one of the most productive summers for me physically and I owe most of that productivity to CrossFit. For anyone who may be intimidated or unsure about Crossfit: do not be! It is truly a place where everyone is welcomed and everyone is encouraged. I do not even think my words within this article do the program and community justice. I’ve loved every minute of training at CrossFit and I feel that I am at the peak of my physical abilities because of it.