CrossFit evokes emotion … period. If you get it, embrace it, live it, you know what I’m talking about. He’s many people’s precious baby and that often includes the things they choose to endorse, wear, and wear for their workout, as well as the affiliate gym they choose.
Any questioning, criticism, or opposing point of view of the things they believe in can cause some tricky situations in the old forums and social media backdrop. The culture around this that I am seeing develop is an overly enthusiastic negative attitude towards any comment that is deemed critical and questioning. As long as the status quo focuses on the benefits and positives of HQ’s products, equipment, and developments, all is well. We are in danger of becoming a community of boos who say “you’re cool, no, you’re even cooler than me” CrossFit is in danger of turning sweet as the saccharin of ‘Disneyland’ and with a falsehood that forgets its roots. Nobody wants to upset the apple cart … or maybe they’re just afraid they don’t like them?
CROSSFIT’S COMMUNITY ROOTS ARE BASED ON REBEL
People seem to forget that CrossFit was not and still is not based on convention. It was based on some brave people who thought differently than the fitness industry standards say. It had its roots in being a thorn in the side of traditional strength and conditioning and existing definitions of fitness. Challenge considered authority and reputation and have it stand up to the measurable, observable, and repeatable scientific method that CrossFit encourages.
FLAMERS HAVE THEIR PLACE!
Americans clean the floor with us Europeans in this regard. Bloggers, commentators, and marauders who make humorous and humorous comments about all kinds of culture are given the cliché label of “haters.” You know some of the most famous ones (Armen Hammer, Drywall, Beastmodal Domains, Pissing Victory). Now for some, this is true, I admit it … they offer nothing more than to complain with no alternative solutions to the problem. They must be treated with the disdain they deserve. However, many are smart, thought-provoking people with little regard for blind acceptance of things, and amid the sarcasm is an innate desire to make things better for this community, not just to point out what’s wrong. They risk being shot because they know the debate is healthy and they don’t feel crushed, hurt, or angered by opposing points of view. They also know that some things need to be knocked off their pedestal.
INSURANCE POSITION
People, coaches, affiliates, and companies essentially represent their own brand. They have their own integrity and start with great ideals and often a pure dream. As they establish themselves and their reputations, success comes and so does opportunity. Be it financial, patronage, favors, position, power. What also comes are the realities, and sometimes the ideal is stained and we give in to that pure dream. Unforeseen factors shake things up … priorities sometimes change. That’s okay and it happens in life, but we don’t always want others to know about it. We still want to be seen closer to the ideal, to be of great integrity. We don’t like to show the negatives.
‘Power Corrupts’ may take it a bit far, but when you have the most to lose, it makes you less open to criticism and comment. The more you become familiar with positive feedback, the thinner you will become with negatives. We have seen it from the top in CrossFit HQ with the excommunication of some very knowledgeable people (Greg Everett, Robb Wolf, James Fitzgerald) who gave some opposing points of view. The GLC2000 debate is another example of some interesting conflicts that have arisen around personal experience about the need for quality scientific evidence. The GLC2000 debate has highlighted some interesting areas, from marketing methods, athlete endorsement, clinical trials, the placebo effect, understanding science, to people’s definition of a beneficial product. There has been a lot of anger towards the detractors of the supporters, but what has led to more information being published to make better decisions.
MIX OF BUSINESS AND PLEASURE
Add to the mix the close ties, history and relationships that people have within CrossFit circles with brand owners, it can be easy to jump on the defenses of these brands. Any criticism can mean a criticism of you because you have bought that brand, you know the owners from “the past”. You have faith in the products. You have tied your colors to the mast! They are great people and you’ve only had good experiences. There is a danger of the ‘halo effect’ occurring. Our own experiences are exactly that. “OUR” experiences … not necessarily the standard experience across the board for everyone. Yes, yours may be the majority experience, but that fact will show up in the long run anyway. Let CrossFit brands fight their own battles. They can and should take it on the chin and so do we. No one gives a passionate testimonial when a friend says they don’t like Costa Coffee and you do. We need more of that kind of karma and not take things so personally.
CrossFit has a unique merry-go-round of friends / business / reviews / quality and objective wheels sometimes fall off. I just hope that this community continues to welcome passionate debate, feedback, and if need be, criticism, and that no amount of reputation, position, position, or wealth should crush that.