The Difference One Year Can Make - Pt.1

Today's blog post is a little different from our regular posts: we call these love letters - anonymously written about and/or dedicated to the people that come through our doors or have made an impact in our lives.

When you reflect on a choice you made that result in a positive consequence, it is very easy to think “oh that wasn’t so bad” or “why did I not do ‘xyz’ sooner?” The ‘xyz’ we refer to can be anything: taking on a new hobby, going back to school, adopting a lifestyle change; whatever the 'xyz' is, you will typically question “if I had made that change sooner, how much further ahead would I be now?” Whenever using hindsight, it is easy to re-evaluate past decisions and actions because the consequence has already been experienced. That is why hindsight is a luxury.

Many people who start training using CrossFit have never touched a barbell, let alone attempted an Olympic lift prior to entering a gym. There will be times when we have a new athlete learning to snatch but they are not quite getting it or the movement doesn’t yet feel natural; we will see them look around the class and a deflated expression will wash over their face because they think they are the only person in class who isn’t getting it. What they don’t realize is that every single person in that class has been through and experienced the exact same thing when they started.

Very seldom will we meet someone who is just innately gifted with the talent of the performing the more complex movements seamlessly. What your proficiency in these movements are when you start does not matter; what does matter is that you are consistent with your attendance. If you are consistent, we have no doubt you will become proficient.

At times athletes will assume that their coaches are just athletic, hopped on a bar one day and started executing flawless toe-to-bars or that they are naturally strong when they hit a new personal record (PR). That couldn’t be further from the truth. Your coaches are you, just 2, 3, 4, 5 years down the road. At the end of the day, there is never a perfect time to start, there will always be a reason for you to delay committing to a change. Know that the idea of getting started is more daunting than the actual act so if you know you are ready for a change, just do it.