Hmm, what is Matt dreaming of?...
Sitting on the bleachers after our last WOD at Regionals, Jon asked me a question no one at CrossFit surprisingly had ever asked me: “If you started your own CrossFit, what would it be called?” Other friends outside of my CF circle have asked me this question and many others like it all the time, maybe because they’re more aware of how big a presence CF is in my life than those who live a CF lifestyle. To understand my answer to Jon, I’ll first share a personal yet common perspective that most of you may already be familiar with and which many of our newcomers may not yet.
I am fascinated by the difference in perspectives people have on health/fitness/lifestyle in general depending on where in one’s fitness journey they were when they found CF. Many of us that find CF either immediately or eventually want to make it a bigger part of our lives. What most of us have in common is that CF began for us as a fitness program and turned into a lifestyle. I’ve been privileged to have several people confide in me about what CF is doing to their psyches, identities, stations in life.
Some when they find CF are seasoned athletes, others are hobby athletes who had turned over nearly every fitness/’health’ rock before finally discovering CF, and still others took no part in fad fitness or dieting, and eschew the values these industries have so effectively encouraged us to adopt, yet want to be active and healthy for years to come.
Whether or not you spent years wandering in and out of 24Hr/Gold’s, dabbling in bootcamps, P90X, or got roped into juicers, Bowflex, Lean Cuisines, colon cleanses, Shake Weight , or spent thousands of hours ellipticaling or thousands of dollars on bicycles and craft beers before realizing the futility toward the health goal, you can still appreciate that CrossFit and its principles represent a powerful and rather unique movement. However you arrived at CF, I believe it’s still possible to grasp just how special and important CrossFit is–relatively to individuals and absolutely in the big picture of health and human organisms.
Part of the reason I think we can appreciate each other’s varied journeys is because CrossFit helps us all discover what’s most important to us, whatever that is. By clarifying what’s important to us, we can prioritize what we do and enjoy more the time that remains.
I read a piece in the CF Journal recently on the topic of quitting one’s day job to do CF full time by CF Affiliate TJ’s Gym owner Allison Belger. She wrote about a few examples of people in her CF community who decided to make CF their livelihood: a psychologist, a high school vice principle, and a stock broker. One of these individuals captured part of the essence for what attracts many of us to do CF full-time: “We are all people-people, and we all want to help people change their lives. We are giving people the tools to create maximum capacity for life. I am inspired by, and grateful for, the opportunity to wield something that powerful and to change lives for the better every day.” Mariessa and Forrest are also great example of this.
As for me, I don’t have plans to open my own CF, but I have made a similar transition and do have a ‘destination’ in mind for myself that will inevitably involve CrossFit. As some of you know, my dream is to take part in the homesteading movement. I gave my answer to Jon without hesitation: CrossFit Farm. The truer name would be CrossFit Homestead but “Farm” has a better ring to it.
A year ago, I would have blushed at Jon’s question. Yes, blushed. It took me a while to come to terms with how in love I was with ‘just a fitness protocol’ because I hadn’t yet admitted what CrossFit really represented to me: a major opportunity for course-correction which meant my course needed correcting (also hard to admit sometimes). It took a while also to come to terms with what CrossFit was helping me realize: that I wanted to radically change my lifestyle because it was unhealthy, and even tougher was that the unhealthy aspects of my former life—too much work/responsibility, high stress, not enough sleep, poor nutrition—were an embedded part of my identity and culture.
Ever since WOD 1 (one year ago next week Thursday), I began to think about and work CrossFit into the fabric of my life. CF as a movement inspired me to do what was right, and what was right for me. The evolution of my CrossFit Farm dream is an obvious progression for someone who strongly values health, self-reliance, adventure, and has both romantic and realistic ideas about nature, the state of the world and survival.
This dream has evolved as dreams tend to. Last year, I found my career had strayed far from my values. I spent 50+ hrs a week semi-miserable, on the road, doing systems integration consulting for very large companies, I was exhausted most of the time and not very healthy. Now, I coach CrossFit, am very happy, quite healthy, do nutrition consulting and grad studies, am self-teaching myself the ways of the homestead. This summer I’ll be visiting some homesteads, urban, semi-rural, and rural, and none of them have a CrossFit anywhere nearby. While homesteading is labor-intensive in iteslf, the swelling ranks of back-to-the-land-er types are full of potential CrossFit converts. I’m confident I’ll figure out a way to bring the two together.
What has CrossFit inspired you with? What are your CrossFit dreams?…
WOD 5/19/2010
A. Power Snatch 4-4-4
B. 4 Rounds AMRAP
3 minutes work 1 minute of rest
15 Overhead Squats (95/65)
10 Pull-ups
50M Sprint
*Score is total number of rounds. Pick up where you left off on each round.
On-Ramp
Filthy Fifty
50 Box jump
50 Jumping pull-ups
50 Kettlebell swings
50 Walking Lunge
50 Knees to elbows
50 Push press
50 Good Mornings
50 Wall ball
50 Burpees
50 Double unders
Hey are people planning on attending the CF Games at the Home Depot Center?
I am trying to figure out whether or not to come back to LA for that so I can visit everybody!
Remy, this was so awesome to read first thing in the morning. You are an amazing crossfitter, and are one of the most focused, dedicated, driven people I know. The passion you bring to the gym, seems to be the same passion and focus you generate in your life. It’s inspirational. I don’t know all about the farm thing (if it involves cooking- that’s probably why:)— but it sounds awesome and like with every thing else- there is no doubt you will excel. Thanks for the killer perspective. andrea
When I asked Remy this question I really had no point intended other than just the curiosity to see what she thought. It had been a long weekend, I’ll admit I was freaking exhausted from the WODs that day and the day before and I was staring at the thousands of different gyms t-shirts at Regionals.
When she told me the name “CrossFit Farm” it made me realize how integrated the CrossFit life style was in her personal life style. I see the same drive and desire in both Forrest and Mariessa and I think that’s what makes CFSB an awesome gym (I’m not trying to say that Forrest or Mariessa want to leave Hermosa and move onto a farm and milk cows or anything haha.)
I think CrossFit’s definitely inspired all of us to become better. Not just in the gym but in eating, living, and other walks of life. It’s funny listening to people share their newest paleo-friendly recipe or even a great hike/run they went on. Chris you know I’m going to The Games, if you need a place to stay my door’s always open, so is the fridge for the beer that’ll be consumed that weekend.
I think the next CrossFit I open will be focused on recovery, sleep and eating.
great post, remy. thanks for sharing your story with us. it takes a great deal of courage to open yourself up and let people known your dreams and aspirations. your post is truly inspirational. thank you.
Remy this is great. I think it’s important to continue remind yourself of your own goals and why you are doing the things you do.
It got me thinking, I love my job. I really am that fortunate. If I didn’t , I wouldn’t still live in California. My family is all back in Michigan and more or less live within a 5 mile radius of each other. At times, it’s hard to be so far away, not in the winter so much, but rather each time my sister takes my grandmother to lunch or my dad has the whole family over to celebrate a good fishing trip I am a little sad that I can’t partake. But I stay here because really, I love my job. It’s a 50/50 split between having an amazing group of coworkers that I absolutely love talking to and hanging out with and then there’s the kids. For each time I have to deal with a student who may not have made a good decision (like drinking on campus, how is that fun? Really?), I have a 100 more who have exceeded any expectations. They bring me to tears of pride often.
Up until recently, I didn’t think that I would find that kind of joy in anything else I did. But it happened. Just Monday I was talking with a coworker where she said that she’s noticed in the last 4 or so months a big change in me. That I am really happy. Not that I wasn’t happy before, but now I’m REALLY happy. Hmmm, a little over 4 months ago…I joined CrossFit. Remy, I remember talking with you at Regionals about really wanting to the gym all the time. How you get a little sad when you can’t make it in. Most people outside of CrossFit just don’t understand, but that is exactly how I feel. IThere’s a 50/50 split of why I love going to the gym….half because you just feel so good after a workout (well maybe not right after) and the other half is the amazing people that workout with you and train you.
Now I’m not going to quit my job to open a CrossFit (although I think that would be awesome). I just couldn’t leave my school. But I am starting to believe that I can lift the weights that Forrest and Mariessa always tell me I am strong enough to do (and starting to do it too!). As I go back to work (oops, don’t tell the boss) I will be just a little sad that today is a rest day for me and I won’t be coming in to workout. But I’ll see you tomorrow and I can’t wait!
it’s true. cheli used to be mean to me on the daily. now she shoots rays of sunshine out of her butt. thank you, crossfit…
I’m dreaming of one word..starts with a “V” and ends with a “inny”..
all kidding aside, great post Remy, very inspirational.
is anyone else impressed by the definition in andrea’s shoulder?! yea, that was my attempt to change the subject…fail
So many jokes just trying to break free….they’ve been locked in the closet for so long….sort of like some people’s sexuality…
PS: Love the post Rem! And I love the picture too! Cowgirl Pippi strikes again!
I like Andrea’s shoulders in that state, not the twisted upside down popping out of the socket but not quite state.
I feel the LOVE, inspiration, inappropriateness, confusion, and well LOVE for CFSB.
GREAT post Remy, you have outdone yourself once again!!!
And Andrea you seriously got some mad definition going!!! Wowzers
“By clarifying what’s important to us, we can prioritize what we do and enjoy more the time that remains.”
Damn. Wise beyond your years.
Haha! Sorry, I am just getting back to read these…too funny…
Thanks John and Nicole- John, I will try to refrain from the “Cirque De Soleil” version of “skin the cat” from now on:)
Thanks Vinny–yeah, I am trying to do what I can to compete for Matt’s affection…but he sure seems to have his eyes on you;)
Remy–back to the intent of the blog–thanks again, and I am going to start killing my own chickens. I hope at that point I will be under consideration for employment at Crossfit Farmville:)