When women first start CrossFit, their bodies change, and they become CAPABLE.
Some women get bigger and some women get smaller. If someone is stick skinny and is unable to squat without her knees collapsing in, she will most likely grow muscle and become slightly larger. If a woman is overweight and unable to run a mile with her excess bodyweight, she will most likely shed some pounds and become smaller. Regardless of which way a woman’s body changes, there is one word to encompass what she becomes, and that is CAPABLE.
Ability feels good; in fact, ability feels better than almost anything, and when a woman feels capable, her confidence soars.
All of a sudden, a formerly heavyweight woman is able to climb stairs without getting out of breath, and a skinny woman isn’t shying away from more physical tasks. The gym becomes less of a place she goes to in order to look good, and becomes a place where she discovers more things she can DO. Often, the desire to be skinny starts to fade away, and becomes less important than the next accomplishment. This we have heard before- women in CrossFit end up embracing a stronger, more capable figure. But a woman’s transformation in CrossFit goes beyond this.
Most women end up loving the way they look even though it does not fit the female archetype… until they go to the mall, open a magazine, or listen to criticizing family members and friends.
So, if these women are anything like me or the women I’ve trained, they stop doing these things. They spend their time on CrossFit websites rather than Cosmopolitan, they shop more at Lululemon than Bloomingdales, and they begin to doubt the society that shaped them and those around them.
This is GREAT, but this is also why sometimes CrossFit women become obsessed. They start to forget that they were told women shouldn’t have calluses. They start to enjoy how strong-willed they feel pushing through a tough WOD. They feel powerful putting hundreds of pounds over their heads. They start to feel beautiful without a product in a magazine. All of a sudden, they see a world that appreciates their strength, will power, and ability versus a world that appreciates their…small pores? No, thank you, I’ll stick to the CrossFit world.
In essence, CrossFit is a gateway to removing the superficial expectations of society. That is CRAZY. We start to live in a different kind of reality, one that we have shaped for ourselves. Character matters more than facebook posts. Hard work is valued more than instant gratification. Getting to the gym matters more than TMZ. The superficial falls away and what we are left with is quality women that are figuring out who they REALLY are, instead of what they thought they should be. The ability to see past societal influences and then, eventually, not succumb to societal influences takes a long time, but is a worthwhile and valuable journey.
The transformation that most women go through upon entering the world of CrossFit specifically is important, meaningful, and deserves attention.
The changes in the confidence levels, attitude, and mental fortitude and clarity are my favorites to witness as a coach, and have made the most impact on my life. Women do not CrossFit just to look good; We CrossFit because it helps unearth that fire inside we squelched as adolescents. Women do CrossFit to give a big middle finger to the meaningless limitations society places on our gender stereotypes and expectations. And that feels really, really good.
If you are a woman that has gone through this or you can feel yourself starting to, i urge you to explore it. Challenge yourself to look closely at what is shaping you, and don't be afraid to turn your back on ideas and lifestyles you once blindly accepted.