I started crossfitting in February on 2009. There are a lot of things that I appreciate about CrossFit Chicago. It has put me in an environment where I am surrounded by people who are not happy with complacency. It is easy to fall into an exercise rut and make excuses, but when I am surrounded by people who hold themselves to a higher standard it pushes me to do the same. This mentality easily transfers to other areas of my life.
Along the same line of thinking I have realized that a lot of things that I thought were not attainable physically due to age, genetics,experience or whatever can actually be accomplished with a solid plan, a strong desire and focus, and proper guidance. Besides the intense physical exertion, I feel that crossfitting forces me to exercise my will and mental fortitude on a daily basis that has made me a stronger person not only physically but mentally. It has also let me recapture a feeling of athletic competition and focused physical hard work that I hadn’t experienced since my teens. The health benefits and physical aesthetics are great, but it goes way beyond that. It has given my wife and I a blueprint on how to live an active and healthy life now and 40 years from now. The nutritional education and its impact on so many facets of our lives has been amazing.
There is something honest that I find in crossfitting. When I look around at the best athletes, almost without fail I am also looking at the most dedicated and hardest working of the bunch. I find it really easy to get behind people and root for them when I know that they are giving all they have and are doing it out of love and not for ulterior motives.
Last, but not least, it is refreshing to go somewhere where people are all trying to better themselves in an intelligent fashion and are genuinely supportive of each other. I believe that the culture of our community starts at the top and works its way down. It is a credit to all of the coaches that they have fostered such a giving and encouraging environment. Being surrounded by physical beasts is inspiring and motivating, but so is being around truly great and giving people. It forces me to evaluate my decisions and behavior in a way that I think continues to make me a better person.
(May’12)
BrettR was proudly our Member of the Month Dec 2010.