At the turn of the millennium, a new revolution in fitness was discovered that would truly change the standards at which we hold the modern day athlete. CrossFit is commonly defined as, “constantly varied functional movements performed at relatively high intensity.” I began my journey in CrossFit a year and a half ago, knowing I loved to workout but never finding something that I wanted to stick with. As soon as I found CrossFit, I knew I had found the workout regimen for me. It is a common joke in society that CrossFitters are cocky, jerks, and never shut up about the fact that they do the sport. The negative stereotypes this sport portrays hurt to see, because it has had nothing but a positive impact on my life. I know there are people out there wondering if the sport is right for them, wanting to give it a try. There are also others out there wondering why CrossFit athletes choose to suffer regularly in order to be fit. So if you’re wondering why I put my body through hell on a daily basis in the name of fitness, here is why I do CrossFit, and why you should too.

1. CONFIDENCE

It shouldn’t come as a shock that most people choose not to exercise because they aren’t confident enough to walk into a gym and being a work out routine. Lack of knowledge and lack of assurance can make it difficult to know which exercises are right to do, and whether or not they are even being done right at all. I know that because I used to be that person, until I started CrossFit. Each CrossFit class is done with a certified coach showing each participant how to do the movements correctly to maximize results and avoid injury. Also, my confidence as an athlete has soared as well! As a woman, it is easy to go into a traditional gym and play the comparison game or get intimidated by those who look as though they are in better shape. In CrossFit looks are merely an accessory to the real celebration, what your body can actually do. Elisabeth Akinwale says is best by stating, “CrossFit has created one of the strongest platforms so that girls and women are proud of not simply what their body looks like, but what their body can do.”

2. COMMUNITY

The CrossFit community is one like no other. At Planet Fitness, if you’re struggling through a workout, no one next to you is going to take their head phones out and push you to keep going. In CrossFit, everyone is cheering you on to finish your workout, even if you are struggling beyond belief. No one is judging, no one is eye rolling, everyone is on your side wanting you to become the best athlete you can be. More than that, outside of the gym there is a strong community too. My Florida town just recently had a hurricane, and after the storm, the owner of my CrossFit gym made it a point to make sure everyone was okay and accounted for. I don’t recall that happening at Planet Fitness either.

3. CAPABILITY

This one is huge. CrossFit is becoming more and more popular because anyone can do it, literally anyone. Every workout can be scaled down to what you personally are able to do, and even the most out of shape people are able to complete a CrossFit workout (i.e. me when I first started). If you have some time on your hands, look up the official CrossFit Instagram page. You’ll see a video of an Army veteran with no legs doing a CrossFit workout. Yes, you read that right, NO LEGS. The fact of the matter is that no matter how bad you think are you at exercising, or how long it has been since you’ve been to the gym, you can do a CrossFit workout. Scaling exercises to a specific individual’s ability gives virtually anybody the opportunity to participate.

4. CONSTANTLY VARIED

A major part of CrossFit is that the workouts are constantly different everyday. For people who work out in a traditional gym, the joke is always “oh, did you skip leg day?” When CrossFitters hear that we just laugh to ourselves because we know that everyday when we come to the gym we are getting a full body workout. It isn’t a routine of bis and tris, legs, chest and back, repeat. Instead, it is a routine of intense workouts that are different everyday, but always challenging. The results? Other than being in good physical shape, CrossFit athletes never get bored, because something new and exciting is coming everyday. Everyday is a new workout, which means a new mindset and a new mental breakthrough waiting to happen.

5. COMMENDATION

This one is easily my favorite part of why I do this sport, the way it commends those who serve. Not only does every CrossFit gym across the country have the American flag hung in honor, most also have the flag of every military branch as well. More than that, every Memorial Day the CrossFit community gets together to do the infamous “Murph,” a grueling workout dedicated to Navy Lieutenant Michael Murphy, who was killed in Afghanistan on June 28th, 2005. But that is just the tip of the iceberg. CrossFit has hundreds of workouts dedicated to military, law enforcement, and those who are serving our great nation. We call them “Hero WODs.” These workouts dedicated to the men and women who have served our country always make you dig a little deeper and push a little harder. I love that CrossFit gives me the opportunity to push my body to limits I didn’t know I had, and honor those serving my country while doing it.