Why we cheer

“Why do we cheer during workouts?”

Every day, we have hundreds of people who walk through our doors at Crossfit Plainfield from all walks of life.  Teachers, doctors, nurses, grandmothers, students, stay-at-home moms and dads, law enforcement officers, firemen, etc.  We all have a few things in common – we want to workout and we want to belong.  In an attempt to connect with others, we often seek out groups of people with similar beliefs and goals.

The CrossFit community is unique.  We welcome newbies, talk to and encourage one another, foster a positive community, cheer each other on and in the end become friends.  In other non-CrossFit type gyms (as we call them “globo gyms”) people don’t communicate, rarely do you know the names of people in your class, high five and cheer each other on, no way!

So why is a CrossFit gym experience so important to us?

First the “why”.  The workout of the day (WOD) is the same for everybody, no matter what skill level.  When you do the same thing as the person next to you, you know how they feel.  Whoever finishes first in the workout knows exactly what everyone is going through and the type of encouragement they will need to get through it.  Being first or last, does not mean one workout was better/different than the other.

Having a coach-led, group class, participation and attention levels are higher.  We don’t put in headphones or zone out.  We pay attention and that leads to awareness of the people around you.

What about the community aspect of CrossFit?  It provides support.  Support during, after, and throughout your entire journey into becoming a healthier human being.  We link fitness to intensity.  Without people cheering you on while you finish a workout, you probably won’t finish the workout as strongly as you started.  Your intensity decreases as you get tired. Trust us, we’ve all been there.

However, having people cheering the “last man standing” in a workout, that’s where we support each other. That’s where the community shows up. After the workout, having people give you a high five and a few encouraging words, reinforces that the push at the end, that intensity where you dug deep, it was all worth it. Cheering someone on can make a person’s day and yours as well.

Feeling a part of the community is satisfying. Fitness isn’t something you can just find (like 6 pack abs), it’s a journey of changing habits to become as healthy as possible and we all need a support system to help us through it.

So here’s your challenge:

1.        Walk into the gym each day, say hi to as many people as possible, especially the new people!  We were all new at one point and scared. Go share some CrossFit stories with someone you don’t know.

2.       If you get done first, you should be the first one cheering everybody else on. (After you catch your breath, of course).  Note of caution: If you don’t know a person well, keep encouragement short and genuine or take cheering cues from the Coach.

3.       Don’t put away your equipment until everybody is done.  You may not realize it while doing it, but think about how deflating that can be to someone still trying to finish the workout.

4.       At the end of class, go give everybody a high five (air high five currently), even the coaches.