CrossFit: The Fitness Drug of choice

Addiction, it’s a serious thing. Drugs, alcohol, food… in moderation no real problem… and in the case of legal drugs can actually improve your health. Signs of addiction include anxiety or distress when unable to partake in your activity, anger and frustration when something stops you engaging in your ‘addiction’, excitement, happiness or a high when you get to access your chosen indulgence, persistent, consuming thoughts and patterns of behaviour and signs that it is creeping into every aspect of your life. Sound familiar? Well for many the CrossFit ‘lifestyle’ is their drug of choice. CrossFit has become more mainstream, most people now have some understanding of what it is and depending on what they have heard they may have positive or negative opinions (and are often eager to share these). Gone are the days when you say “I CrossFit” and people looked at you like you were from Mars… but as more people take up and embrace the CrossFit lifestyle it’s becoming increasingly common to see it almost comically consume their lives. Here are a few highlights of just what happens when one drinks the CrossFit Cordial (that’s kool-aid for you American folk!)

The WOD

The curious fear/excitement about the WOD fills your head with questions: Will I hit a P.R today? How much will it hurt? Is there running involved? It’s like The Big Bang Theory; you know the basic script but you still tune in every episode because what if the next one is great and you miss it… and end up feeling left out when your friends are talking about it the next day. When you do miss the WOD.. you’re itching to speak to someone from your CrossFit family: “What was the WOD? How’d did you go, what was person X’s time”…. Talking to your CrossFit family involves a language only they will understand, AMRAP, WOD, EMOM, STK.. plus the friendly competitiveness in storytelling is kind of like that infamous movie, American Pie. “This one time at CrossFit.” We love to hate the WOD, as adrenalin junkies we crave that feeling of hurt and the rush that comes after 3,2, 1, go! This and the post WOD high are addictive, leaving you wrecked on the floor but yet still craving next PR.

Looking fresh in your workout gear

Guy or girl we all want to look good in our workout gear. It’s one of the reasons that there are so many apparel brands out there, people like to look good, stand out and rep their own unique style. CrossFitters are no different, and a standard ‘uniform’ has become identifiable.. (this may include bright colored apparel, with suggestive or motivational slogans and graphics, a pair of Nanos, head bands, knee sleeves and wrist wraps) Plus we buy into having to own the latest gear (Nano’s versus Metcons anyone?) and of course our outfit better match, which results in that problem of owning more pairs of fresh kicks then you do socks. If 75% or more of your wardrobe is workout gear than you can be pretty sure you are a true CrossFitter!

Social media

If a tree falls in a forest and no one is around to hear it, does it make a sound? If someone doesn’t post up his or her work out on Facebook or Instagram did the workout really happen? Now I must admit that I’ll post up the occasional workout on Facebook and yes I do like to inform the world when I hit a P.R but we all know that CrossFitter who posts their workout… every… single… day. I say power to you for sharing when you are killing it, making minor improvements and even when you have a totally crap training day. It shows everyone you are proud of your achievements, it can motivate others and most of all it shows appreciation for every chance you can to do something you enjoy… because every day we are alive is a blessing. As long as there are no duck face, well then I’m all for it!

Moving house

It can be exciting to move house, maybe your ‘moving on up to the east side’, getting a bigger place or maybe its ‘s the simple fact that a change is as good as a holiday. We all know it can also be very stressful. There is just so much involved; changing your mailing address, cleaning house, finding a new local watering hole just to name a few. But when you’re a CrossFitter you may have an even bigger dilemma, the nerve wracking question of “Which box will I train at now?” In the last 12 months I moved from the west side of Adelaide (the best side) to the east side of Adelaide (or as it’s commonly known ‘Shelbyville’) but I choose to still train on the west side at CrossFit Adelaide because I refuse to leave my CrossFit family and my box. If this is doable that’s great, but, if you do have to move, be excited, build new CrossFit connections and extend your fitness family… you can always drop back in on your Box for a cheeky WOD (kind of like the child that still drops by for a free dinner with their washing… when they are 35).

Holidays

You finally get time away from the rat race, and for those with kids maybe a bit of child free time. Most people would be planning which sights to see, where to eat, what swimwear to pack… but as a someone hooked on the CrossFit rush what’s the first thing you do? You google ‘CrossFit box and *insert holiday destination here*’. Now I’m not whether I should laugh or cry at this… I’ll admit even I am guilty. I’m no longer surprised by the number of posts I see on Facebook asking where a good place to train is in *insert holiday destination here*… us CrossFitters can’t possibly take a week off… what about the gains?  No training? Deload? Mental break… the look of horror some CrossFit addicts give you at the mere mention of these words would make one think that there are no rest days in CrossFit!

So when you first read the title of this article you were more than likely thinking “Is this guy on drugs?” (No pun intended) but now perhaps you’re considering if you might just be hooked on the CrossFit drug yourself. I don’t see the outbreak of this ‘CrossFit addiction’ to be epidemic or a problem.  It’s interesting how addictive this sport can be and how much it can consume a fair portion of our daily lives, the important thing is to remember that magic word…. balance. I know that I’m hooked, that CrossFit fuels me, that the challenge and community contributes far more good than bad to my life and that I can say proudly “Hi my name is George and I’m a CrossFit-oholic”.

George Moustakas

With a background in Australian Rules Football and as an competitive amateur Muay Thai Boxer George has over 13 years’ experience in the Fitness industry. The last 3 years have seen him develop a passion for CrossFit and he thrives on working out, punishing himself with the daily WOD and sharing in some light hearted banter with the CrossFit Adelaide crew. With a strong belief in positive thinking and that there is no substitute for hard work George has continued to grow and contribute to the local CrossFit community.

“Focus on the positives in your life, focus on what makes you happy, focus on improving yourself spiritually, mentally and physically. Live with no regrets and act as though it’s impossible to fail.”