Today, we are gonna air some grievances. No, it’s not Festivus but fuck it, we do what we want. Let’s talk about some of the things we’ve seen lately on social media that’s been grinding our gears. 

WEAR WHATEVER THE FUCK YOU WANT TO WORK OUT

1. There can be reasons to wear tighter fitting clothing, to make sure you aren’t gonna get caught on equipment, etc… but if that’s not a concern for you, wear whatever the hell you waaaaaaant. 
   • If you rock a crop top, a bra, or go shirtless at the gym tho… please wipe your sweat off of the benches, nobody cares if you’re not wearing a shirt, but we def don’t wanna bench press in your back sweat. 🙂
2. Are you a femme that is tired of having dudes look at you while you lift because you wore shorts and a tank to the gym like a normal person? Turn those fuckers in to the front desk. 
   • The gym exists for you and everyone else to get strong in a safe controlled environment, not for them to window shop at the meat market. 
   • We also exist for ourselves. The way we change things is by doing the damn thing in what we want despite shitty people. Turn them in, every time.
3. Wearing what you’re comfortable in, is for you. Just like everything you’re doing in the gym is. No one should be ashamed of the meatsuit they inhabit and I think it’s important to stress that wearing what your comfortable in is important in accepting that flesh suit. It’s an act of love to yourself, to wear what you feel comfortable working out in.

WORK OUT HOWEVER YOU LIKE

You aren’t training the same way as that person on TikTok, so what? 

1. Your goals =/= their goals. 
   • We’ve mentioned this before but CONTEXT IS IMPORTANT. 
   • A person training for a marathon and a person training for a powerlifting meet aren’t going to prep the same way, and they shouldn’t.
2. Stay in your lane pls. 
   • It can be hard but that’s what they’re and block buttons are for. 
3. Everyone has different skill sets, ability levels, and interests — play to yours. You’ll be much happier in the long run. 

GIVE IT WHAT YOU’VE GOT AND MOVE ON

I’m calling myself out here. I had a subpar gym session this morning and it got me thinking about how a lot of us don’t talk about it enough. Does this come back to social media again? Sure does. I had to remind myself this morning that it’s a rarity to see not great workout sessions. Often you see carefully edited and curated sessions. And we all have shitty days in and out of the gym.

1. Everyone experiences this. Get through the workout the best you can, and give it what you have on that given day. Just because you are low on energy, or aren’t moving things the way you normally do does not mean that you have backslid or aren’t making progress.
2. We covered this in the grit episode, but perfection isn’t what we should be striving for. Showing up and doing work through your frustration is striving for excellence winky face emoji.
3. Leave your frustration at the gym, and go on with your day with your head up because you got through that workout and you know you’re going to show up again tomorrow.

STOP GATEKEEPING

Once again I saw some dumb shit on Instagram that made me want to chuck my phone across the room. A well-known crossfitter and coach posted something not too long ago that said “You don’t need a water break during a ten minute AMRAP.” Uh, sorry, but last I checked not all of us are Games athletes like you, nor do we wanna be. We’re all adults here. If I want a drink of water, I’m getting a fucking drink of water. End of discussion. 

1. As coaches we have the responsibility of helping people better themselves through fitness and/or nutrition. People are trusting us with helping them take a huge step in taking control of their health, that shit is sacred. Gatekeeping ain’t the fuckin’ move
2. Gatekeeping is: the activity of controlling, and usually limiting, general access to something.
   • You see it a lot these days. It’s getting tired. 
3. I’m so fucking sick of this elitist bullshit that runs rampant in health and fitness spaces. 
   • To the OP it’s a snarky innocuous comment to make some money by putting it on a sticker, but to a newcomer that shit can be a HUGE turnoff. 
   • Crossfit culture gets a bad enough rap as it is, don’t feed into it by being a gatekeeping shithead. 
   • Why would someone want to hire you as a coach when you love to talk shit on people who you view as lesser than you cuz they aren’t as fit? If you’re brave enough to post that shit on social media for the whole world to see, what do you say about your clients behind their backs when they leave?

We’re all tired.