CrossFit. We swear by it for getting us in the best shape of our lives. But it’s not just the rippled muscles that make us stand out from the crowd. Like any community, we have our own language and our own distinctive style. For example, quick glance at the footwear is a good initial signal of whether this is a CrossFit brother or sister.
And the footwear is just the beginning. The compression tights, the long sock, the spaghetti strap sports bra, the no slip head band – all essential to complete the look. I’d hazard to propose that women are more guilty of going whole hog for the ‘look’, but at my box there are certainly a few men who also look like they’ve been shot out a of a cannon through the Reebok or Rouge shop.
As part of a community, we want to fit in. It’s natural, but if you found CrossFit leaves you bleeding from your bank account, it is worth asking if we need all this stuff. Can we WOD it up without the specialist footwear? The fancy long socks? The super pricey CrossFit shorts? Short answer is, of course we can.
As much as I love the fancy gear, I’m always in admiration of those brave souls who take on their WOD in an old pair of shoes and raggedy shorts. And certainly, simply dressing like the Reebok poster child won’t get you to the Games. Like members of any community, we model ourselves after our own pillars of greatness. So if Sam Briggs is rocking the orange Nanos, dammit, we want those, too! But you don’t need these to be great. If your pay cheque won’t stretch to what essentially amounts to luxury items, take heart. You can come to the WOD as you are. In fact, some would argue that if CrossFit is preparing us for the unexpected in life, we might benefit from occasionally doing a WOD in our uniforms, normal clothes or workwear. After all, we are only prepared for what we have trained for.
Even though we don’t NEED the stuff, it doesn’t mean it can’t help. The right equipment can make movements more comfortable, possibly helping us to get out that extra rep. And let’s not neglect the ‘new shoe effect’! Remember getting those new shoes as a kid and really believing you could run like lightening? Of course, didn’t make us faster, but they did make us run. And now it’s no different. If getting that fancy gear gets you to the box, that’s a benefit. For some, that’s the biggest hurdle! So if it makes you feel good, gets you moving and motivated, why not? At least that’s the line I’m towing as I head to browse for some new bits online now; a Christmas pressie for me, from me!
jess johns-green 