I don't know how it happened to me. I always considered myself a pretty versatile guy in all my tastes. I like all kinds of music. I love so many different types of foods (ok, I am a little snobby about my beer). I can go to a movie and watch a drama, an action adventure film, a comedy, even a chick flick. When it comes to training, I was totally into Krav Maga, Muay Thai, boxing, grappling, and ring fighting of any type. From the time I was 18 until the time I was 40 years old, I spent five days a week in a commercial gym lifting weights, and trying different weightlifting programs to get bigger. Over the course of those 22 years in the gym, I never thought there was anything wrong with a treadmill, an elliptical trainer, or reading a magazine on the recumbent cycle.
Then it happened. In 2006, I came across CrossFit. It was totally by chance. I was rolling around with One World's BJJ instructor, Mike Prudencio. You've probably all seen Mike around the gym. He's not a big guy, but don't be fooled! Mike is strong as fuck (not to mention that he is one badass BJJ playa). So I happened to ask him what he did for his strength and conditioning.
- Mike: "I do CrossFit."
- Freddy: "What the hell is CrossFit?"
- Mike: "Ummm.... Go check out the website (crossfit.com)."
It was quite a turning point in my life. I spent a bunch of time on the CrossFit website, and on March 28, 2006, I bought a cheap ass weight set from Sears (a few of those rubber rimmed plates are still at the gym) and built the first pull-up structure at One World. I did my first CrossFit workout that night. After that, I became a full fledged CrossFit zealot. I attended several Crossfit trainer certifications, and I eventually became a member of the CrossFit trainer certification staff. I was head over heels about CrossFit.
There is nothing wrong with digging what you do. The problem was that for the first three years of CrossFitting, I was a CrossFit snob. You can go back in the archives and read my old posts....definitely a snob. Suddenly, those 22 years I spent in the gym prior to Crossfit became a joke. Bicep curls???? Tricep extensions???? Bench press???? Movements I loved to do were "dumb." Everyone that went to a commercial gym was stupid. I began to think that everyone who did any kind of training needed to do CrossFit, and if you weren't a CrossFitter, I needed to convert you. I believed that all athletes in all sports should be doing CrossFit as their strength and conditioning program. If you were just a regular person who liked to do step aerobics, go jogging, or just walk around a commercial gym working on machines, you were an idiot. I honestly thought EVERYONE SHOULD BE DOING CROSSFIT! Wow! What had happened to me??
After about three years of CrossFitting I began to appreciate exercising for what it is: something that should make you happy. Maybe it was CrossFit burnout that made me realize this, or maybe it was the fact that I started to hang out with people that knew a lot more about strength and conditioning than I did. I don't know. I do know that making fun of people for doing something that makes them happy is being a snob. CrossFit isn't for everyone, and for many people, it is definitely something they shouldn't be doing. There is nothing wrong with that.
It seems funny to me that "World Class Fitness in 100 Words" talks about trying new sports, but so many CrossFitters have no problem doggin' people that don't CrossFit. Crossfit is a strength and conditioning program. You have to open up your eyes and put down the Koolaid to learn more about strength and conditioning. Maybe, something else you learn will supplement your CrossFitting, or maybe something you discover and chose to do instead of CrossFit will be supplemented by CrossFit training. Maybe you won't even want to do CrossFit anymore. Either way, for you it's a win-win situation.
We should all be happy that people are exercising and enjoying it. If we make fun of them for it, it's wrong. Want to tell people what CrossFit is? Go for it! Just remember, you don't need to convert everyone, and everyone who is not CrossFitting is not bad. CrossFit is not religion. Don't be hater. Don't be a snob. Enjoy!
BTW- This post does not mean that gymidiots.com is not HILARIOUS!!!!
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WORKOUT 7/23/2011
Complete as many rounds as possible in 12 minutes of:
- 5 power snatches (W:75#/M:115#)
- 10 kettlebell swings (W:35#/M:53#)
- 15 box jumps (W:20"/M:24")
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That reminds me of the ultra runner who can not count. She's not a snob, she is just better than you are and if the numbers don't show it, the numbers are lying!
Posted by: Rabozo | July 22, 2011 at 20:38
Good Post Freddy, and I totally agree. Hopefully I'll be doing residency out your way in the next couple years and can actually see the one world gym.
One thing this post makes me think about though is the games...I can't decide if they are fun to watch because they are a bunch of studs making me feel like I should be working harder in the gym, or they make me want to vomit because its guys who are so in love with crossift/blah blah blah that they do 5 wods a day in a dark gym and forget that life is for living.
Meh, thank god for the NFL.
Posted by: Matt | July 22, 2011 at 23:22
Hey matt, what if life for them is living to do 5 work outs in a day, to each his own. Every pro has to give up our definition of life to get to the big game. So I think the games are fun to watch this year because the girls are sooooo hot and because Freddy is competing. =)
In any case hope you do get your residency our here, so we can train with you.
I was a snob also and try to tone it down, although I still don't get kicking a soccer around for an hour, I know I know.... I still need help.
Posted by: alex | July 23, 2011 at 00:51
We were all snobs at some point... I'm happy there are peeps in Krav and BJJ that bring me back to earth by handing me my ass every now and then.
The new things I've tried since crossfit...
Flag football
Stand up paddling
Volleyball
Biking
A marathon
Will try a basketball league even though I'm short
What I've come to appreciate at One World is that the programming is Safe! Just need to be careful about being a One World Snob.
Posted by: Lancaster | July 23, 2011 at 07:30
CF is the only strength and conditioning program that hasn't given its leader (the original CFer) strength or conditioning.
Posted by: Anon | July 23, 2011 at 08:43
People posting anonymously have sadly missed the point....
Posted by: freddy camacho | July 23, 2011 at 10:19
Well said, I could not agree more.
I have been throwing in a few old school body building workouts lately to mix it up. It was fun and my muscles were damn sore the next day!
Like you said if whatever exercise you are doing makes you happy and a little bit fitter, then its all good.
Posted by: Dan | July 23, 2011 at 16:36
Well said, I could not agree more.
I have been throwing in a few old school body building workouts lately to mix it up. It was fun and my muscles were damn sore the next day!
Like you said if whatever exercise you are doing makes you happy and a little bit fitter, then its all good.
Posted by: Dan | July 23, 2011 at 16:36