Finding + Embracing the CrossFit Community: We are CrossFitters

3-2-1 GO! We are CrossFitters.  CrossFit carries a certain respect that can be both welcoming and daunting at the same time. Every CrossFitter’s journey starts with the same united step – to simply (and not always easily) start. To walk in the doors of an affiliate, your neighbor’s garage, a beachfront sand pit, a hotel gym, a concrete jungle – all starts with the desire to connect, try something new + challenging, become a better version of yourself, and be part of a global “cult” -- I mean, community.

But what does that actually mean? We throw around the idea of community in lots of different arenas, both big and small.  Community by definition is a group of people connected by shared interests, location, identity, or purpose, fostering social ties, mutual support, and a sense of belonging or collective identity.

We think that community is what YOU make of it + the people YOU share it with. Everyone’s CrossFit journey is different and they are all worthy.  We are, in fact, all CrossFitters.

Our journey began with one woman’s crazy idea that we would all get CrossFit certified because it was, and she promised, the next big thing.  The year was 2009 and it changed our lives forever. We were in the first two thousand gyms to become an affiliate, and it was the beginning of something undeniably special. We literally had zero idea what we were doing in those early days. We googled words like clean + jerk and AMRAP just to make sure we were doing them right. We couldn’t believe that anyone could even do a workout like Filthy 50 … 50 reps of everything? We scaled, did half, and almost died. But, we were CrossFitters.

Fast-forward to a few years later, we drank the Kool-Aid and built a community. We wore tall socks, found local comps, knew the difference between a hang snatch and squat snatch, and learned to kip.  A few people made muscle-up goals and we participated in the Open (if you haven’t signed up yet for this year, this is your gentle nudge). It became our way of life, our social outlet, it made us better at the things we did outside the gym, and it made us CrossFitters. We had crushes on Annie, Camille, Chris, and Josh.

As the years went on, gym owners came + went, members quit + rejoined, we moved spaces a few times, we dropped into gyms worldwide to grow + learn, we continued to do the Open (nudge #2), we got more certifications but the integrity of what we did and who we were remained solid.

Here, our journey takes a turn – it was time to dig deep to find the true meaning of community without those four walls that we had learned to love so much – no longer at an affiliate, we built a garage gym and, surprise, nothing changed. It was unbelievable that all the WODs, PRs, methodology, and friendships remained intact. We were still CrossFitters. We followed programing, did the Open (nudge #3), found bigger comps and prioritized matching outfits, creative team names, and lots more glitter. We had crushes on Tia, Katrin, Rich, and Matt.

 A few gym changes down the road were still in store yet with each location, each crew, each Murph, each thruster, each Open (nudge #4), we built exactly what had always been there – the foundation of CrossFit (the programming, the methodology, the community). The tall socks were gone, cropped shirts were in, new movements had to be googled – what the hell is a pullover? How many wall walks is too many wall walks? Will we ever see triple-unders? Yet, thrusters somehow always remained (and always will). The global CrossFit community had grown up + been through many organizational changes and ownership – new leaders evolved, we mourned the loss of Lazar, new heroes inspired us.  We had crushes on Danielle, Dani, Justin, and Gui.

We will always celebrate the CrossFit journey especially the ones that come from the most unlikely spaces - from affiliates all over the world to your own backyard. The importance of community, following programming, celebrating PRs, creating the vibe + magic, and being part of the global CrossFit community plus the universal fist bump, no matter what size your space, will continue to be at the heart and bottom of every squat.

One thing always remains the same – the community and how you create it, foster it, and yay it forward. It is still our way of life, our social outlet, it still makes us better at the things we do outside the gym. We are CrossFitters and guess what, CrossFitters sign up for the Open (nudge #5) – we will see you on the leaderboard.