The power of the CrossFit community goes a long way for many people.
The sense of community at Fern Creek CrossFit is unique; everyone knows one another, there is always someone to help with technique, you compare WOD results, discuss competitions etc. This doesn’t happen in regular gyms, no one speaks to one another except to occasional ask “are you using this?” At FCCF you know names, life stories … you know the people, they are yours. But why is this community so important?
Social Support
The community at Fern Creek CrossFit always provides support. How often have you encouraged others that haven’t finished the WOD yet or even been cheered on yourself? Often people stay behind after they have finished their workout just to provide moral and verbal support to another Athlete.
The importance of social support is that it provides motivation. When we’re tired and are struggling to complete a workout we begin to doubt our ability to finish, having people encourage us gives us the belief that we can do it!
Without that encouragement, most probably wouldn’t put so much effort in. CrossFitters always come together when facing tough workouts, we push each other to perform better and faster than ever before.
The support of the CrossFit community even affects us physiologically, changing the hormones in our bodies. Research at Oxford University found that working out in a group resulted in a greater release of endorphins than when working out alone, even when the same amount of work was done. Endorphins are chemicals in the brain that create a sense of excitement, exhilaration and happiness. The release of endorphins is what causes that high you feel when you finish a workout; sometimes known as a “runners high”.
Social Liberation – Power of the CrossFit Community
The Fern Creek CrossFit community is also special because it is full of like-minded people who think it is acceptable to give an all-out effort and train as hard as you want. In a traditional gym, if you carry out a 2k row with 20 air squats EMOM, you would get a lot of funny looks as you jump on and off the rower. Especially when you collapse to the floor afterwards trying to gulp in the air for 5 minutes after you complete your workout!
At Fern Creek CrossFit the community welcomes and encourages you to really test your ability to go all out! We can scream and grunt as we lift heavy weights, we can fall to the floor in a sweaty heap after using the Assault Bike, we can cry with frustration, even laugh at disasters.
This is a special environment filled with incredible people who think it’s ok to do what you want and will even try and help you achieve your goals.
