Jul 29
The Olympics– From The Eyes Of A Generalist
Every four years when you watch the Olympics, you witness an atonishing display of human dedication, physical prowess, talent, effort, grit, and skill– but above all, specialization. Every day athletes from around the globe spend their lives honing their craft, perfecting every single nuance of their chosen discipline to reach the pinnacle of their sport. Even then, some fall short. There is no denying it is absolutely amazing and an honor to witness for those who are able to step foot on the global stage. However, I would argue there’s something equally remarkable happening in the world of CrossFit that often goes unnoticed. As CrossFitters, we are generalists— a “jack of all trades” if you will. We do not create specialists. We are a unique breed of athlete, who embraces a broad spectrum of physical challenges rather than dedicating ourselves to one singular pursuit. Our sport is LIFE.
Here at JonesN4 CrossFit, we train for life’s challenges both known and unknown. We vary our training in multiple different modalities, time domains, and environmental changes through out the year. From running 400 meter sprints to tackling Coach Candy’s favorite endurance challenges, to Olympic weightlifting and gymnastics– our training methodology encompasses bits and pieces from a multitude of different sports commonly seen at the Olympics! This bird’s eye view gives us a special insight that is frequently lost among people outside our world that allows us to appreciate the depth and nuance of each event and each sport…
But what is it that makes our perspective different?
We understand what hard work is. We know the effort we give inside our four walls every day and can hold such great apprecaition for what these athletes can do. We see the culmination of a life’s amount of work be put on display, sometimes for just a small fraction of time. We know what it is like dedicating ourselves to something bigger than us.. for them its a sport, for us it is being better prepared for life. To be able to show up as the absolute BEST version of ourself for whatever life has to throw our way. As you watch these events unfold on the global stage, remember that your connection to these sports is deeper because you are a CrossFitter. We understand the grind, the effort, and the exhilaration of pushing your body to its limits.
This week, I encourage you to take a moment to reflect on your own CrossFit journey. Remember how hard it was to even squat correctly your first day in the gym? Now look at you! Or maybe when you started simply walking up the stairs without getting out of breath was a challenge… so go push yourself to run a 400M as fast as you can—imagine the thrill of racing against the clock. Record your time in Push Press, and when you watch the Olympic 400M race, consider how your effort compares. It’s not about competing with world-class sprinters but about celebrating the fact that you, too, have embraced the spirit of diverse athleticism and giving YOUR absolute best.
In the end, being a CrossFitter means celebrating the versatility and adaptability of our training. We may not specialize in a single sport, but we relish in our ability to perform statistically well across anything thrown our way. As you enjoy the Olympics and witness the incredible feats of specialized athletes, take pride in your own journey as a generalist. Embrace the challenge, acknowledge the progress, and remember that on the other side of every CrossFit workout, every hard challenge or difficult movement we tackle, is one step closer to our best self.
So go out there and crush that muscle up test this week. Revel in your progress, no matter how it compares to the Olympic elite. Enjoy the Olympics, and take pride in the fact that as a CrossFitter, you embody the true spirit of a generalist—one who excels in a variety of physical challenges and appreciates the beauty of every sport.
All love,
Coach Candy
