The list of excuses not to try CrossFit are never-ending. Trust me….we have heard them all! Allow us to share some of the most common ones we have heard and see if you have been telling yourself any of these over and over. We arm ourselves with excuses anytime we feel the need to explore outside our comfort zone. Trust me…I am the queen of talking myself out of anything. I hate unfamiliar or uncomfortable situations. I talked myself out of getting my blood drawn six days in a row. I’m basically a 46-year-old, grown ass baby. But looking back, it is in all of those uncomfortable situations, that I learned and grew the most. You have all heard it before – Your comfort zone is holding you back!
Excuse #1: This is the one we hear most often…”I need to lose weight first before I start CrossFit.” Guys (and girls) you are missing the point. Millions of people just like you all over the world have used CrossFit to get fit, lose weight, reduce stress, and gain a healthier lifestyle. I get it – we are all self conscious about the way we look. We have athletes of all shapes and sizes at our gym and you will find that it is probably the most inviting and welcoming group of people you will encounter in your day. It is a judge-free zone! Not only that, but these people will support you, encourage you, and cheer you on each and every day. People like this are hard to find!
Excuse #2: “It’s too expensive.” But is it? CrossFit averages out to be about $5 a day. That is less than a trip through the drive-thru, or even a mocha-choca-whatever at your favorite coffee shop. I can think of a lot of things that I spend more than $5 a day on that aren’t nearly as good for me as CrossFit is. What is one thing you could give up that would cover the cost of CrossFit?
Excuse #3: (Females) “I don’t want big manly muscles like I see on those CrossFit Games athletes.” Listen closely….lifting heavy won’t cause you to grow big, huge, “man” muscles. Games Athletes train for years to look like that and follow a very specific nutrition and workout plan. You and I and all of the other “average athletes” out there will not grow man muscles…I promise! Lifting heavy will do a number of other things though…It will increase your bone density as you age; it will add lean muscles mass, lower body fat, decrease stress and anxiety, and increase self confidence!
Excuse #4: “No way could I do that!” Yes you can. Maybe not today and maybe not next week. But you can and you will. The beautiful thing about CrossFit is that every WOD (workout of the day) can be modified and scaled to the abilities of each individual athlete. So a new member of our gym may use a lighter weight, or do fewer reps, or do a different movement until they have mastered the mechanics of that skill. Mechanics, Consistency, Intensity….in that order. Always.
Excuse #5 “I don’t have time.” None of us do. We all make time. Someone told me once, “If it is important to you, you will make it a priority. If it isn’t, you will find an excuse.” Truer words have never been spoken. All of us can give you a list a mile long of all of the things we need to get done in our day. If you tell me you don’t waste an hour on T.V, social media, or procrastinating….I won’t believe you. Because I did that for years. Breaking old habits and building new ones is hard. But just start with one day and build from there. Soon, it will be harder not to go because you don’t want to lose that momentum!
There are more excuses…but at the end of the day that is all they are – excuses! If you asked our members what the hardest part about CrossFit is, they will tell you time and time again the hardest part was walking through the door for the first time. Now is the time. We have lots of new members who have started in the last few weeks – you won’t be alone! Just make that first step – reach out and meet us halfway. We will help with all the rest!