Fitness Tips & News

Functional fitness training is great for improving your physical health, but the more we know about stress and emotional health, the more we see that the whole darn thing is all connected.

Exercise relieves stress, improves symptoms of depression, promotes emotional well-being, etc.

Which got me thinking... maybe it could work the other way.  Maybe working on my emotional health would help me with my Handstand Push-Ups!

Hear me out, 'cause I know that just sounded all kinds of crazy.

I recently took a pretty amazing personality test that my friends and I have gotten WAY into. 

It's called the Enneagram.

The Enneagram is an eerily accurate test, and it shows you areas of personal development that will allow you to become healthier, as well as directions to stay away from to avoid becoming dysfunctional.

There are lots of tests out there (enough googling will turn up a free one), but I took the RHETI Enneagram test at www.enneagraminstitute.com, and it seems to be well respected.

The result?

I am personality type #3., A.K.A. "The Achiever."

Which means I have this ugly part of my personality that makes me care a whole lot about what others think of me, and that I can get SUPER competitive.

If I'm behaving like an average, or unhealthy 3, I'll skip workouts that I know I won't do well in (particularly HSPU).  I'll feel embarrassed if I have to scale a workout.  I'll criticize the form of others to explain away my shortcomings...etc.

If I'm taking steps to become a healthy 3, I'll be more self accepting, humble, able to laugh at myself, and authentic. 

In short, I'll have the type of attitude that will allow me to show up on HSPU days.  I'll accept that I have a weakness to improve, and humbly heed the trainer's advice on how to scale appropriately, and improve.

...and you thought I was crazy to think a personality test could make my HSPU better :)

Anywho, here is where I stop talking about me, and let you do you.  I'm a 3.  You may not be.  You may have some entirely different emotional hang-up that is affecting your life.

You may take the Enneagram test.  You may have another way of taking steps toward personal development.  The point is this:  IT'S ALL CONNECTED!

We need to remember that showing up and doing work isn't ALL there is to being healthy.  There's nutrition, stress management, spiritual soul care, relationships, work-life balance, etc.

I think we'd all do well to take some time to look at ALL our weaknesses, and put in some work to make our ENTIRE self more functional.

That's all for now.  Shoot us an email if you take the Enneagram!  One of our favorite things is to geek out over our numbers!

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P.S.  We normally try to tie our blog post into the need for fitness gear, but we're having a really hard time here.  We do however sell jump ropes, and other stuff we hope you'll love :)

Click below to shop around, and see what you see!

If the equipment at our box could read.  This is what I would write...

Dear All Black Medicine Ball, 

I like to use you the most because you are the same color as gym grime.  This helps me pretend that you are not covered with all sorts of bodily fluids, and dipped in dirt.

Sorry I used to ignore you and use Smaller All Black Medicine Ball.  It's nothing personal, it's just that Smaller All Black Medicine Ball was easier to carry, and used to leak sand. 

Every time I broke up my wall-balls, Smaller All Black Medicine Ball would leave a bit of sand on the ground upon impact.  Subsequently, it became slightly lighter than all the other medicine balls, and gave me an edge.  It has now been taken out of circulation, so I hope you weren't hurt by my previous indifference to you.

No hard feelings?

Dear Red Steel Ply-box,

You are a jerk. 

I've seen you leave multiple people in a mangled bloody heap after tripping them up during box jumps.  It's honestly hard to tell where your red paint ends, and the blood of your victims starts.  You shouldn't be here.  Nobody likes you.  You are scrap metal at best.

Go home.

Dear 50lb Kettlebell,

You are so close to measuring up to the RX'd weight!  It really is a shame that you get almost no use because of your shortcomings.  What kind of measurement is a "pood" anyway?  Does it really make a difference whether we do 50lb swings, or 53lb swings?

Yes. 

Our egos need to click the RX button, so as much as we'd love to use your wider, and more comfortable handle, you're dead to us.  Don't blame me, blame the Russians for coming up with this random unit of measure, and for adding yet another double entendre to the list of words that go great in functional fitness puns.

Get it?  Pood? Ha!

Dear 24.5 inch plyo-box, 

Your were created by a high school kid as a shop project.  Unfortunately you came out 1/2 inch taller than all the other boxes.

Your secret is safe with me.  In fact, I'll make sure you get tons of use by "helping" people get set up for their metcons, and strategically placing you next to anyone I'm feeling competitive with.

Keep doin' your thing!

Dear Black Barbell, 

You were purchased because you are sturdy.  You are basically indestructible, and I'm sure you'll serve our gym well for the next decade or two.

However, in your product description it was mentioned that your weight was accurate within 5 pounds, and after weighing you, I've found that you are indeed on the heavy side.  

I know I don't use you, but I'm glad you're here.  I'm always chasing the stronger athletes here at the box so thanks for making it just a little easier to stay even remotely close to the fire-breathers in barbell workouts.

Maybe someday I'll be strong enough to mention your true weight to everyone else, but until then, stay heavy.

Dear Community Weight Belt, 

You used to be mine, but one day I showed up, and it was apparent that you had been working out with someone else.  As generous as I am, I don't love wearing the sweat of a mystery athlete in my workouts.

I'm sure I'm not alone in this.  Don't be surprised if you and the rest of your unfaithful friends get completely ignored someday as people continue to add to their own personal gear.

I honestly don't know what people see in you these days, Community Weight Belt.  

I've moved on.

Sincerely,

Ian

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Nobody likes to wonder where their equipment has been.  Click below to reduce "stranger sweat" with your own personal gear!

Here at Double Under Wonder, you can design a custom speed rope to fit your height, and your style.

Sadly, there are people who (apparently) have never heard of our company, but  desperately need our jump ropes.  Here are some of those people...

#1 - Katy Perry

Does anyone have her contact info?  We can imagine that she's super bummed about losing her jump rope in the crowd.  Also, as much as we love Katy she REALLY needs to work on her double under form. :)

#2 - This guy

You thought it hurt to whack your shins with a speed rope? Imagine missing a double under with molten steel. This guy is playing with fire (literally). He needs one of our ropes yesterday.

#3,4,5,6,7 & 8  -  These girls

Some people will do anything to be able to jump rope, and here we are taking it for granted. If anyone out there knows any of these poor disadvantaged girls who are desperate to jump rope, have them send us an email.

#9 - This Bear/Rodent thing

Our ropes are cut to fit your height, and this rope is obviously too short.  We'd love to hook this mythical creature up with a rope that would have him magically double-undering like a real beast in no time.

#10 - Aquaman

Who knew you could swing a rope under water? We didn't, but since all sorts of things are possible under the sea, Aquaman definitely needs one of our ropes.  He'd probably be able to string quadruple-unders right out of the gate with all that buoyancy. 

#11 - This lady's friend

When you have one of our ropes, you'll notice that everyone at the gym wants to try it out. Eventually, they'll need to get their own, but sometimes they may need a little encouragement. If rope envy is happening to you, we can help (see below).

via GIPHY

If you or someone you know needs a jump rope, you've come to the right place!  Share the link to this blog post, or click below to start designing a custom speed rope for you or a friend!

Happy jumping!

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Photo Credit:  Mat Fraser Instagram @mathewfras

The CrossFit Games recently came to a close, and unless you've been hiding from the internet, you know that Mat Fraser is the Fittest Man On Earth again this year.

As happy as I am for Mat, I have to admit that I'm a little jealous. 

I'd love to be an elite athlete, but if I'm being honest (and sane), I know I will never stand on top of the podium at the CrossFit Games.  Heck, I'll be lucky to win a few more workouts at my local box before I'm old and decrepit.

However, after doing some thinking, I've decided that I'm still a champion.  And not just any champion, a back-to-back champion!  Just like Mat. (sort of)

Here are just a few of my favorite titles.

Back to Back Champion of Most Time Spent in the Principal's Office  1988-1994

This is probably my longest running string of victories.  Not only did I win this championship year, after year, I did it effortlessly.

Did I go to school INTENDING to punch other kids, make (hilarious) jokes about my teachers, and be generally disruptive in class? No.  Did I do it more than anyone else on a consistent basis.  Yes I did.

Back to Back Champion of Having the Most Diverse Job History After High School  1999-2003

Here is but a small sampling...

- Health Food Store Clerk

- Supermarket Meat Dept. Cleaner (ewww)

- Newspaper Mailroom Worker

- Ice Delivery Man

- Sales Rep

- Construction Worker

- Tortilla Factory Worker

- Dog Track Video Technician

- Radio DJ

- Freelance Audio Producer

- Waiter

- Ceramic Factory Laborer

Everyone talks about how much millennials job-hop.  It appears I was ahead of my time during my college years.  If only I'd known my true calling as a custom jump rope salesman :)

Back to Back Champion of Misplacing the Most Keys At Once

Every time I break this record, it's my own.

The other day I had to use my spare keys to drive my car to get a new set of keys to get into office #2, so I could get a borrowed set of keys to get into office #3 to get my actual set of keys, and return my old keys to office number #1.

If that was confusing, it's because my key losing skills are on a different level.  It really is mind boggling to wonder how I do it so effectively, and so often.

Back to Back Champ of Having The Most Coffee Mugs On My Desk (daily).

I sure wish I could somehow get rid of this pesky keyboard to have room for more coffee cups on my desk.

Don't even try to compete on this one.  Again, I win this championship every day without any real effort.  I guess I'm just a natural.

Back to Back Champ Of Drinking The Most La Croix.  (also daily) 

What's that?  You think you drink lots of La Croix too?  Sorry, I didn't hear you while I was chugging these 2 cases.  Better make another trip to Costco...Lemme take 1 for the road...Make that 3.

What started as a healthy treat has now replaced that other stuff I used to drink...What was it again?  Oh yeah.  Water.

Anywho...

We could talk about my accolades all day, but my point is this...

We should all celebrate the monumental achievement of Mat Fraser, without losing sight of our own talents. In the words of the Karate Kid theme song...

"You're the best...around...nothin's ever gonna keep you down!"

Just like me, you're probably the back-to-back champion of something.  

Keep up the good work, champ!

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P.S.  Being the back-to-back champion of having your gym's coolest jump rope design is totally a thing.  Click below to get started :)

"CrossFit" is a registered trademark of CrossFit, Inc. This website is independently created and maintained by its owners, without any affiliation, connection, or association with CrossFit, Inc., nor the sponsorship, endorsement or approval of CrossFit, Inc. or any of its parents, subsidiaries, or affiliates.

Dear Valued Gym Member:

It has come to our attention that many of you are concerned about the mountain lion we've recently added to our equipment list.

Some of you have had the nerve to call our training methods into question, and there's even been the threat of a lawsuit from a member who was barely even mauled.

Before things escalate any further, we thought we'd take a moment to explain why the mountain lion is here, and the many benefits we feel she brings to our gym culture.

Increasing Awareness

We deeply desire to train our members for the unknown, and the unknowable. 

We want you in good enough shape to run for help in the event of an accident, strong enough to carry someone to safety if needed, and intuitive enough to avoid being attacked by a large, hungry predator.

We chose to add a mountain lion to the box because we knew it would be a completely unexpected move that would keep our members on their toes.  For this same reason, we don't let the mountain lion attend every workout.  We want people wondering if the mountain lion is perching on top of a pull-up rig, taking a nap in the wall-balls, or crouching behind the trash can in the bathroom.

A large component of functional fitness is spatial awareness, and we knew adding a mountain lion to the mix would heighten everyone's consciousness, and help us practice being more alert, and mentally present in our surroundings.

Motivation

We also feel like the mountain lion will help encourage some of you to pick up the pace in running workouts.  It's common knowledge that predators tend to target the slow, injured, or weak who have strayed from the pack.  The mountain lion's presence should be motivation to push the tempo a little bit, and do your best to finish running WODs with the rest of the group. 

Furthermore, try to avoid looking tired, or sick when you come through the garage door; that's a sure-fire way to get picked off.

Scaling

Many of you have asked if you can "scale" the mountain lion to something smaller, like a bobcat, or even an old grumpy house cat that hisses, and scratches people at random. 

Unfortunately, we only had enough money in our equipment budget for one ferocious and cunning beast of prey. 

We've also had trouble explaining to the mountain lion which members wish to scale the workout, and which members wish to complete the workout as RX'd.  For now, you should assume that you are always at risk of being attacked by the mountain lion while at the gym, in the parking lot, or driving home.

Tips

As with any addition to our equipment, there will likely be a learning curve. 

We're still getting to know the ins-and-outs of large carnivorous felines ourselves, but here are some tips that may help you finish your first mountain lion WOD unscathed.

-Avoid animal prints of all kinds.  Besides being a bit tacky, they tend to pique the mountain lion's curiosity, and can be seen as a challenge (leopard prints) or a tasty treat (zebra print).

-Avoid monopolizing the squat racks, as the mountain lion tends to perch on top of them frequently.

-Do not play dead. As much as you may feel like it after the WOD, mountain lion attacks are best fought off vs. waited out.  

-Leave your Paleo food at home.  As much as we love the Paleo lifestyle, the possession of meat can really lead to some intense aggression.

-Pay all membership fees in full, and on time.  Failure to do so may ensure the mountain lion's presence at your usual class time.

Thanks in advance for your open mind and understanding.

While not everyone has been on board with the mountain lion so far, we hope you'll understand our motivation for making her part of our gym. 

It should also be noted that the mountain lion will not be present at the post-WOD pot-luck this Saturday...or will she?...

Sincerely, 

Your loving coach/mountain lion owner

-Ian

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P.S.  Colorful jump ropes tend to confuse the mountain lion, and repel attacks...Just sayin'.  You might want to design one now. :)

Madison, Wisconsin is about to be infiltrated with a mass of sweaty, heaving bodies - and it has nothing to do with all that beer and cheese.

With the CrossFit Games moving to its new location, there's a refreshed excitement around the Sport of Fitness, and it's addicting. You don't have to be a CrossFit pro to get into the Games. You just need an electronic device and a spark of interest. 

Here are the five types of people who should tune in to the CrossFit Games this year:

Everyday athletes

For how many other sports broadcast on national television can you say, "Hey, I competed against her!"? Let's ignore the fact that tens of thousands of people placed between you and Katrin Davidsdottir - minor detail. If you participated in the CrossFit Open, you performed the same workout as the 40 athletes on the screen, and now you get to watch the best of the best in your sport duke it out for the title. How freaking cool is that? CrossFit puts spectators much closer to their idols than most other sports. And, though it may be a snowball's chance in hell, there is a possibility it could be you out there one day.

Parents

Early August marks the beginning of the fall sports frenzy for many parents. These water bottle warriors need a good warm-up, and the CrossFit Games is a great outlet. Most CrossFit athletes, even at the games level, don't have a huge coaching staff or millions of dollars in sponsorships behind them. They got to Madison by their own grit, mettle and the support of their families. Many are former high school athletes or gymnasts who stumbled into CrossFit and/or weight training and relied on their parents to get them to every competition. Some athletes can't even escape family on the competition floor - look for former Games champion Ben Smith and his rookie younger brother Alec Smith. (And check out their dad pulling 600 pounds from the floor.)

Fantasy sports fanatics

If somehow you can't get excited about the competition, how about a competition about the competition? That's right, this year you can set up a fantasy CrossFit Games bracket. Pick your top 10 men and women and your top five teams. A perfect bracket lands you $1 million. A really good bracket lands you some not-so-bad consolation prizes - like one year's supply of groceries and a home gym. Can't win if you don't play! Plus, think of all the speed ropes you could buy with the prize money (Did the math for you - 50,000 ropes).

Reality TV junkies

The CrossFit Games are different from many other sport championships in that the athletes sometimes walk onto the competition floor not knowing their next challenge. Bachelor fans - think of it like the group date reveal: Where are they going to go? What are they going to do? Who's going to get in a fight? (Most likely with a judge - it's happened!) Plus, in recent years, the TV production has spiced things up with some athlete back stories and personal interviews. By the end of it all, you'll feel like you've met some swolemates. And you'll probably have your heart broken. But isn't that what it's all about?

Kids

The beauty of CrossFit is the functional aspect of the sport that we don't see in many other fitness regimens. Jumping, throwing, skipping, swinging from bars - all movements most of us tucked neatly into our "childhood" days and hadn't touched until we walked into a box one day. Especially with the obstacle course announced this year, what's not to love for a kid? They can watch real people doing kid stuff - and probably laugh as maniacally as Dave Castro as they fall from ropes, slide across finish lines and attempt to flip something called a "pig." Plus, if your kid wants to get more active after watching a TV program, how bad is that, really?

Happy Games watching!

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P.S.  Commercial breaks are a great time to design a custom speed rope :)  Click below to browse our products, and get the gear you need!

"CrossFit" is a registered trademark of CrossFit, Inc. This website is independently created and maintained by its owners, without any affiliation, connection, or association with CrossFit, Inc., nor the sponsorship, endorsement or approval of CrossFit, Inc. or any of its parents, subsidiaries, or affiliates.

We spend a lot of time encouraging people to do CrossFit. Unfortunately, some people have missed the boat, and will never know the joy of reaching their genetic potential.

Case and point? Famous historical figures.

I'm not sure why we started wondering which movements our forefathers/foremothers would have been great at, but here are 5 of our favorite pairings...

1.  Abraham Lincoln - Wall-Balls

At 6'4" Abraham Lincoln would have absolutely crushed "Karen." 150 wall-balls for time is no picnic for anyone, but it helps when simply standing up with your arms extended overhead has you mighty close to your target.

Plus, Abraham often spoke of wrastlin' folks around his hometown, so he was probably used to high intensity workouts that lasted about 5 minutes.

Abe was born to wall-ball, and his honest reputation has us believing that each squat would have been below parallel, that he'd no-rep himself if he missed his target, and that he'd always report an accurate time.

2. Joan of Arc - Anything with a weighted vest

Medieval armor weighed anywhere between 20-60 lbs depending on how in-depth it was, so I can imagine her absolutely killing any WOD that requires a weighted vest.

Joan spent a couple years with the singular focus of kicking the English out of France, so kicking your butt at CrossFit in a lighter-than-armor vest would likely be a walk in the park. Plus she'd be carrying a sword, so you probably wouldn't argue with her about standards or scores.

3.  Thomas Edison - Snatch

Thomas Edison doesn't necessarily have the perfect body type for Olympic Lifting, but when it comes to CrossFit's most technical, and mysterious movement, you can bet Thomas Edison would have spent hours dissecting, and analyzing the snatch. You can also bet he would have kept at it until he nailed it.

Thomas Edison was a super-fan of hard work as evidenced by one of his most famous quotes:

"Our greatest weakness lies in giving up. The most certain way to succeed is always to try just one more time."

If you've got that sort of mindset, you'll eventually conquer the Snatch (and pretty much anything else).

Side note: Thomas Edison also filed for a patent that helped preserve fruits and vegetables through the use of vacuum tubes, so we're pretty sure he would have been all about eating Paleo.

4.  Sacajawea - Medicine Ball Carry

You know who's cooler than Lewis and Clark? The lady who did everything they did while either pregnant or carrying a baby.

We're pretty sure she'd be stoked about carrying 14lbs around, having had a few hundred miles of practice and all. :)

Sacajawea also spoke many native languages, and was an interpreter for Lewis and Clark, so she'd probably be really awesome at explaining WODs to people when the whiteboard is all sorts of cryptic and weird.

5.  George Washington - Soft Ball Throw

At the 2012 CrossFit Games, Spencer Hendel won the softball throw with a distance of 258' 9" which would have been laughable to good ol' George.

We all remember the story of George Washington throwing a silver dollar over the Potomac, right? Wait, what? The Potomac is a mile wide? And silver dollars didn't exist at the time?

Looks like we've been duped with an early version of embellished WOD results.

Anywho, George was a big guy, and stood 6'2" (same as Spencer Hendel) and myths tend to start from somewhere, so I'm sure it would be pretty awesome to watch the two compete in some sort of throw for distance.

Unfortunately, we'll likely never know how good these historical figures would have been at these movements, but we're crossing our fingers for some advancement in cloning, and a drop-in from this CrossFit dream team someday. If we're REALLY lucky, maybe we could set up a wrastlin' match with ol' Abe Lincoln, and The Rock. Never underestimate those tall wiry guys from Illinois.

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P.S.  Knowing his affinity for electricity, we're pretty sure Thomas Edison would have chosen lightning bolts for his handles if he were to design one of our custom speed ropes. What will yours look like? Click below to find out :)

"CrossFit" is a registered trademark of CrossFit, Inc. This website is independently created and maintained by its owners, without any affiliation, connection, or association with CrossFit, Inc., nor the sponsorship, endorsement or approval of CrossFit, Inc. or any of its parents, subsidiaries, or affiliates.

What movement makes you cringe when you see it on the whiteboard?

Well, it's time to face the music.  Figuratively, and literally.

We've been working our digital audio workstation like a rented mule all day to bring you a brand new Tabata track :)

Here's how it works.

1.  Pick out an exercise you stink at.

2.  Push Play.

3. Go when the track says go.  Rest when the track says rest.

4.  Keep track of your WORST round.

5.  Try to beat your score next time.

Repeat steps 1-5 as needed until you've become proficient at wall-balls, push-ups, pull-ups, or whatever it is you stink at.

Enjoy!

(choose listen in browser on mobile, and click the little arrow next to the heart to download the actual file for later use)

P.S.  Tabatas are a great way to improve your double-unders too!  And with a fancy new rope like this, you'll want to break it out whenever you get the chance :)

Hello, and welcome!

Rumor has it you're ready to almost do CrossFit?  Well, get ready to almost completely change your life!

Follow me, and I'll show you around the box.

First things first, let's talk about nutrition. Many Crossfitters adhere to the paleo diet.  This is something that you should definitely almost follow if you're going to almost do CrossFit.  The most important thing to note here is that there is a paleo version of any non-paleo food you can imagine. 

While you may not be able to eat Oreos anymore, you can totally have paleo cookies that have about 1/2 pound of honey in each batch.  Also, while you're almost following paleo, make sure you eat TONS of fruit, and aim for things like paleo-funnel cake, paleo-brownies, and paleo-ice cream whenever possible.  Furthermore, you should always remember to "stay balanced" by making sure you get in a couple of cheat days per week if you're expecting to almost see any results at all.

Now, to your left, you'll see a whiteboard with the "WOD," or "Workout Of the Day" written on it. The idea here is that every day, we all show up and undergo a workout consisting of constantly varied, functional movements.  However, most CrossFit gyms post the workout the night before.  If you expect to almost get incredibly fit, you'll need to watch the blog, facebook page, or Wodify account to avoid attending workouts that are even slightly out of your comfort zone.

At the front of the class, you'll see a trainer.  Do not listen to anything this person says.  

If your doctor told you to eat lots of whole grains at a checkup 15 years ago, then by golly you'd better believe he was right. If your high school P.E. teacher told you never to squat below parallel, then you should ignore any other opinion, along with most of human history.

Oops, it looks like the trainer is now gathering everyone together to start the warm up, so this is the perfect time to avoid eye contact and head to the bathroom.  Stay there for 10-15 minutes, so the rest of the class is mostly done warming up by the time you get back.  This will help you avoid almost all of those pesky drills aimed at helping you maintain proper form in the actual WOD.

You're doing great so far, now stay with me 'cause things are about to get tricky.

It's time to pick out a weight for the workout, and there are two ways to go here...

1. If you have ANY weightlifting experience at all, make sure you pick a weight you have no business using in a high intensity workout.  When the trainer asks you to scale back, make sure you roll your eyes, and act super annoyed.  Also, try to sneak more weight onto your barbell while nobody is watching.  Continue this non-coachable attitude, and keep pushing the envelope until you eventually hurt yourself, or formally decide that everyone here is an idiot, and walk out.

2.  If you're used to long sessions of cardio in an effort to be rail-thin, you'll want avoid heavy weights.  As you begin to safely perform movements, continue to scale down to ridiculously low weights to make sure you don't ever "get bulky."  Also, look at the workouts ahead of time as I mentioned earlier, and replace any heavy weightlifting workouts with some sort of 2 hour session on an elliptical, or a long, slow run. These actions will help you avoid getting super-fit, while simultaneously sparing you the embarrassment of looking strong enough to carry anything heavier than a handbag.

Now, after the workout is over, you'll want to avoid posting your score on the whiteboard, or taking note of it at all.  This way you'll never really know whether you're gaining fitness or not.  With no obvious evidence of advancement, you'll have some latitude if you ever want to claim that "CrossFit doesn't work."

How ya doin'? I've given you a lot to think about so far, so I'll stop here for today.

I hope this information has been useful.  There are LOTS of ways to almost do CrossFit, so if you keep it up, and get creative, I have no doubt you'll avoid getting incredibly fit and adding years upon years of high quality life to your time here on earth.

Good Luck!

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P.S.  If you're sick of ALMOST nailing your double-unders, you might be interested in one of these :)

"CrossFit" is a registered trademark of CrossFit, Inc. This website is independently created and maintained by its owners, without any affiliation, connection, or association with CrossFit, Inc., nor the sponsorship, endorsement or approval of CrossFit, Inc. or any of its parents, subsidiaries, or affiliates.

Oh, how we love to make fun of arm curls. What joy we take in scoffing at tricep extensions. How lovely it is to point and laugh at calf raises.

It's so easy for those of us who have found the functional fitness lifestyle to poke fun at our bodybuilding brothers and sisters.

Why?

What's so wrong with wanting to work on glamor muscles? What's so horrible about caring about your 6-pack abs?

After all, if you've been to the local Walmart, you know that there are worse things than being a gym rat who cares solely about aesthetics. By way of necessity these faithful physique fans are avoiding obesity with their diets, and moving around enough to forego the use of electric scooters much longer than the average American.

After thinking about it, my major concern with bodybuilders and fitness competitors is that many of them are fighting a losing game. I fear that they'll wrap their self-worth up in their appearance, that they'll live a life of discontent as they pursue the perfect physique, or that they'll end up doing something dangerous or unhealthy for short-term goals.

So what's the answer? To chase performance, right? To train in a way that allows you to have an enormous work capacity, right? Well, not so fast.

I do think training for performance vs. aesthetics is a step in the right direction, but can we take too many steps in the right direction?...Can we take so many steps toward the right direction that we blow past it?

I think we can.

I have concerns about the vanity-consumed gym rat, but I have concerns about those who work out SOLELY for performance as well.

I fear that they'll wrap their self-worth up in their WOD results. That they'll live a life of discontent as they pursue PR after PR, or that they'll end up doing something dangerous or unhealthy for short-term goals.

As King Solomon wrote...

"And I saw that all toil and all achievement spring from one person’s envy of another. This too is meaningless, a chasing after the wind."

Whether you've got a goal to be the hottest fitness model to ever strut across the stage in her teeny-bikini, or you've got a goal to stand on top of the podium at a competition, your attractive appearance, AND your level of functional fitness will both eventually be laughable.

So what is left to do? Is it all worthless? Should we all just throw in the towel, and spend the rest of our lives languishing on the couch in a pile of empty Nutella jars and chocolate donettes?

Of course not. (Sadly)

I think we have an obligation to ourselves, and the world around us to use the bodies we've been given in a healthy way.

I'd be lying if I told you that I've found all the answers, or that I've mastered the art of navigating these pride-filled waters, but I can say this...

If I'm ever feeling ungrateful for the way I look, or discontent after a performance where I know I've done my very best...I'm wrong.

Our bodies are beautiful. They are wonderfully made. We should marvel at their design, and their function. To be ungrateful for the shape of our body, or dissatisfied with our body's performance after we've given our best effort, is to follow a soul-sucking path to misery.

So should we workout to improve performance, or aesthetics?  Well, if either are of the utmost importance, I would say neither.

We should exercise to take care of ourselves, and recognize that doing physical work is meant to be part of a full and abundant life.

Whether you land on the aesthetics side, or on the side of function, I hope you'll join me in fighting our urge to be unsatisfied, and work to be grateful and content with whatever is reflected in the mirror or scrawled on the whiteboard.

Have a WONDERFUL day!

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