Belonging
CrossFit has surprisingly exacting resources and tools at its disposal for creating healthy individuals and communities. One of them is the opportunity to work so hard in front of one another that we lose, and witness others losing, some semblance of the death grip on our tidy, protective layers. In the gym, we work hard in front of others to the point where we’re not sure we can do it — finish the workout or not, pick up the weight again, or jump back up on the bar. In our workouts, there’s the chance of failure, but we do it anyway. We humble ourselves and we share that effort and the outcomes with others who have just experienced the same thing.
This is the recipe for creating connection and camaraderie. There is no posturing, just genuine, solid effort — and the willingness to cheer each other on. Through this process, we are reminded of our shared humanity. It breeds connection. It creates a space where we feel more welcome and free to be ourselves — a space where we belong. Some may call it trauma bonding; we like to call it CrossFit.
Camaraderie
It’s been said that CrossFit is not for everyone, but it is for anyone. Not everyone will want to put the work in, but for those who do, the results will follow. This is true for CrossFit Games hopefuls, Olympic-level athletes, and our parents and grandparents alike.
In every “What Is Fitness?” lecture at every Level 1 they say, “The needs of Olympic athletes and our grandparents differ by degree, not kind. One needs functional dominance, and one needs functional competence.” Therefore we do not change programs; we simply adapt the program to meet a person’s physical and psychological tolerances and capabilities. In this way, everyone knows the challenge everyone has faced, albeit relative to the individual, and that shared suffering or striving creates a bond between us.
No one ever told the fittest to go over and cheer on the rest. No one ever told the CrossFit Games fans to be one of the most engaged groups of fans in sport. It just happened. It happened because everyone knows from firsthand experience the effort required to do what you’re doing; they know the dedication, the commitment, the grit.
The camaraderie isn’t manufactured. It’s innate and genuine.
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