We always hear about the physical benefits of physical fitness: the strength, the stamina, the aesthetic goals of "ripped abs" or those "toned legs" we've been looking for. But what about our "mental fitness"? This mental fitness is not only mental strength (the ability to be strong through adversity), but general mental awareness and ability. Anybody that has ever been through a Crossfit workout knows that it is as much a mental battle as it is physical. Whether it is holding onto that pull up bar for those last couple of reps, or holding on to a snatch lift when your whole body is telling you to drop it, the mind is constantly fighting both itself and the body. Like any adverse circumstances, Crossfit conditions the mind to go against everything it has previously been trained to do. When your old mindset says “Ow this hurts, we really shouldn’t be lifting this weight this many times, your legs can’t handle it”, Crossfit teaches a new dialogue that may sound closer to “this hurts, but this is a pain I have felt before and I know I can push through it despite what my legs are telling me.” So what does this do for us in every day life? This makes us better humans. Not only does Crossfit develop a group of hyper-motivated, happy, and fit individuals, but we see a re-invigorated zest of life, for achievement, and for overcoming adversity. All of a sudden, that stack of reports on your desk doesn’t seem so big after you have done Fran (21-15-9 thrusters/pull ups for time). Juggling the kids all day and organizing the birthday party and making dinner seems like a piece of cake compared to Helen, and lifting that man out of the window of a smashed up truck to resuscitate him is only a fraction of you 1RM deadlift. What I am trying to say is that mentally, Crossfit makes life easier because it pushes people to a place that they would otherwise stay away from.
