The Fittest Games at CrossFit Central
My Saturday afternoon was spent watching athletes workout. The Fittest Games is an event that brings CrossFitters from all over Texas to Austin to test their athleticism. I was there rooting on my friends who were representing Fit and Fearless.
Entrance into the event was $20. Steep, yes, but at least CrossFit Central was consistent with their pricing. If you got hungry they had you covered with a $15 plate of "a half an avocado and a bit of bacon," as my friend Aaron put it. Great.
I can assure you this is the first time I have paid to watch other people exercise. I was most certainly not the only one. The place was packed.
Truthfully, it was quite the spectacle. The athletes competing were beasts.
It offered an interesting platform for photography. There is so much brut strength that is associated with CrossFit, but also so much elegance. Capturing both sides was entertaining.
The individuals training to become CrossFit elites have to maximize the fluidity of every movement if they hope to hope to get better.
This setting was one of the first instances where I felt like every girl there could kick my a**. It was humbling, unfortunately.
The event was a fun one to shoot. So much going on, so many people expressing raw emotion. My hat is off to everyone who competed. The amount of training and effort they put in during this event was inspirational. It's been a long time since I have done anything at such a competitive level. Watching this event made me miss it.
As much fun as their event was, it was also riddled with things that I personally cannot stand about some workout communities.
Meatheads.
I am all for bettering yourself as an athlete, but this crowd was littered with individuals who were so high on themselves it was intoxicating. Just being around some of the people and their smug attitudes helped me to realize why CrossFit gets such a bad rap amongst other communities. As much as it pained me to see, it made me appreciate the CrossFit community we have at Fit and Fearless even more.
Fit and Fearless offers a light hearted atmosphere where people encourage one another. Obviously there is a decent amount of competition, but it's fun, and it's what helps you push yourself to become stronger.
I don't know how I would feel about CrossFit if I had never been affiliated with it, but since I have been, I haven't look back. When I'm actively working out, I'm in the best shape of my life. It's the technical workouts that lead to functional strength.
So before you drive down IH 35 and pass judgment on what you see downtown, take a class, join a community and see how it makes you feel.
