When I was at the midwest regionals last weekend I met a lot of cool people. I met other affiliate owners, trainers, competitors and their spouses and children. I like to talk and meet new people and since everybody there was nice this was pretty easy.
One of the things I noticed was that I found myself talking a lot about our “athletes” at Motor City CrossFit. I was just proud I guess to talk about everybody and all they’ve accomplished. I don’t know when I started doing that (referring to everybody as athletes) or how it happened – but everybody at MCCF is, in my eyes, an athlete. And that got me thinkin’. You aren’t cops, firefighters, soccer moms or project managers. You are athletes.
Why is this important? It’s important because people need to understand why they are training so hard. Athletes train hard because they want to win. Or get better. Or get faster. Is CrossFit any different? Is there anybody out there that prefers to lose? I hope not!
Athletes compete, and they are usually part of a team. I look at Motor City CrossFit as a team and when you walk through that door you need to realize you aren’t there to work out – you’re there to train as an athlete and will be treated that way. You will be pushed as hard as you need to be pushed and you will work on your technique until you get it right. When you walk through that door you need to flip the switch. You are no longer a firefighter or stay at home mom. You’re an athlete – be prepared to be trained as such.
Have a great holiday weekend!!
Jason
Post thoughts to comments:
Oh…and just so everybody knows. Writing is not my best quality and sometimes things don’t come exactly as I hoped, or as they sound in my head before I write them down. I’m going to do my best though and participation is highly encouraged.
I loved this blog… and I needed to hear it. I am one that compares myself quite often to others and I just need to remember that I AM an athlete and that I’m training to better myself! Thanks JD! You rock!
Thanks Carey! That also reminds me of a quote I read on the message board courtesy of Melissa Byers. Here is a link to her blog (which is awesome) http://byerscrossfit.blogspot.com/ just copy and paste into your browser for hours of reading enjoyment.
The quote I’m talking about is in her signature and it says “our fun is not fun”. This is soo true, I mean. Does anybody really enjoy what they are doing in the middle of ‘Fran’ or ‘Cindy’?
Get in! Train hard! Get out!
JD
Jason,
Thanks for the blog love. “Our fun is not fun” is the official tag line of our affiliate, CrossFit 603. And it’s true… it takes a special kind of person to subjects themselves to the kind of work that we put ourselves through day in and day out.
I really like the tone of this post – our clients are all athletes, and putting them into that frame of mind helps them to see what Dallas and I can see as their coaches… that they are capable of so much more than they give themselves credit for when they first walk in our door. After just a few weeks, that label – “athlete” – really starts to mean something to them. You can see it in their self-confidence, their intensity and in their performance as well.
Great write-up, Motor City CF.
Melissa
Jason,
This is a great article! Your oppinion expressed in this write-up really corresponds to the way you coach us. You expect and demand a lot – often more than we think we can do. And then, we suprise ourselves. I remember when you came in one morning a wrote MARY as the WOD. We thought you were joking at first. Based on your confidence in us, we gave it a try. I would have never tried it without your encoragement. I was shocked at what I was able to do. Thanks.
Hopefully, we will see more of these kinds of articles. They really help!
Jim
Thanks Jim!