I have to be honest with you. I absolutely hate subways. While some like the convenience, I despise rubbing elbow to elbow with complete strangers. Sweat on sweat; body odors; obnoxious people talking loudly on their cellphones; and the complete lack of personal space to name a few. And because we know that invariably the train will come to an end, we never so much as ask the person sitting next to us their name. Now, to be honest, I am a social butterfly. I love to talk to just about anyone. But it is just this situation that makes everything. . . well. . . .just plan awkward.
We have all, at one point or another, attended a GloboGym. This exact situation is repeated time and time again, with millions of individuals, at tens of thousands of locations. Headphones reduce the fruitless chatter, and also serve as a barrier to starting up a conversation; eye contact is taboo, least you be accused of looking at the guy or gals butt across the room. Having someone “work in” with you is seen as an unthinkable infringement on the lease you have with that particular piece of equipment.
And always, across the room, there is a guy in the mirror with a cut off shirt grunting as if he is a lion attempting to draw a lioness in heat. You see these people workout session after workout session, but you never ask their names. And at a certain point, as time passed, you are “beyond the window” where asking someone’s name comes across as awkward.
Why would anyone choose to put themselves in this environment? The subway may be out of necessity or convenience. The balance between driving a car or being stuck in traffic for hours, outweighs the temporary inconvenience of being on a subway. But in a GloboGym, where you fight for resources, and this lack of interaction can be detrimental to your fitness pursuits, the same cannot be true. Given a choice, human nature dictates that you would much rather prefer to work out among friends who will be supportive, encouraging, and celebratory, as opposed to complete strangers. If that is not the environment you like you can stop reading now. If you are like those of us who enjoy the company of others, CrossFit Prelude is the place for you.
One of our goals at CrossFit Prelude is to build a better community. Aside from how we believe smaller classes enable you to achieve your goals, the other foundational requirement is a strong community. CrossFit Prelude facilitates development of mental fortitude not only because of the amount of effort you put into the workout, but more importantly, it develops friendships, camaraderie, and esprit de corps in a way that is seen in team sports, as well as the Armed Forces. By its very nature, CrossFit is an inspiring and humbling experience. For the beginner, it presents hurdles that seem insurmountable, with the thrill of achievement once they are overcome. These rigors, trials and tribulations, and their associated emotional responses, are what make us grow closer to those who share the experience with us.
We cheer the loudest for others because we remember overcoming a similar obstacle and know the sense of achievement. Their successes become our inspiration and drive us to achieve even more. We move towards a common goal, and objective, as one cohesive unit. We don’t want the subway or the elevator. That is what CrossFit Prelude is, what community is, and what makes us different.