Originally posted June, 2010

Is it just me, or does the general public avoid anything fitness related like it's the plague? Unless it's an infomercialized, this-thing-does-the-work-for-you kind of contraption, people just don't seem interested. And while I hate to bash on stuff, I just have to say it publicly; shoes with a squishy bottom are NOT a good workout for your butt and legs. And this isn't just my opinion....it's a PROVEN FACT. Know what IS a good workout for your butt and legs? HEAVY FRONT SQUATS. The fact that you walked an extra 10 miles today just to try out your squishy shoes is the reason your butt and legs are sore...not because these shoes are magic.

"Jennie, why are you so mad today? Tell us what set you on this tirade!?"

I can't even tell you how many times people have seen our name - CrossFit Fire - and pronounced it "CrossFire". I've absolutely had it! CrossFIT Fire! The word FIT is sneaky, I realize this, but it is conveniently placed right between the words Cross and Fire. Grrrrr....

SERIOUSLY.

Want to know my theory? It's a wild one, so bear with me. My theory is that since people don't make fitness a part of their lives, their brains just skip right over the word "Fit". It isn't even part of their vocabulary. It's as if they just saw something scribbled in Arabic.

I realize that what we do at the Fort is seen as "extreme". We lift weights, do pull-ups, and lay down on the floor when we're done with our workouts. We drop stuff, jump on stuff, and climb ropes. Our workouts defy logic, in that they are usually less than 15 minutes long, but make you feel like you just did the hardest workout of your life. When it comes down to it, none of that stuff really matters so long as you like what you're doing, and you continue to see results; am I right? My sole purpose for unlocking the doors each morning and flipping on the lights isn't just to get you in shape for your big vacation; it's to make fitness part of your lives permanently.

Here's my big "what if" for the day. What if there were no drive-thru's at fast food restaurants? AND what if you had to park no less than 100 yards away? Do you think the consumption of fast food in the United States would decline significantly? I think it would. Our whole country is so damn comfortable, that they can't even be bothered to get off their fannies long enough to stand in line and order their food. They just sit in their cars, stuffing their faces with breakfast sandwiches, double cheeseburgers and Double Stacks.

"no, no....don't get up....I'll just place your food directly into your mouth for you."

From this day forward, let's all take a CrossFit Fire vow to ALWAYS make fitness part of our lives. I know your friends and family roll their eyes every time you talk about CrossFit, but they'll come around eventually. They only roll their eyes because they don't understand that what we do at the Fort is about so much more than just a workout. It really is about a whole new lifestyle!

Here's the vow:

(raise your chin above the pull-up bar and repeat after me)

I, (state your name), do hereby solemnly swear to always make fitness a part of my life. I will not circle the mall for 27 minutes trying to find the closest parking spot. I will not push around a grocery cart if the only thing I am purchasing is a pound of ground beef and a banana. I will feed my family with food that is good for them, not convenient. I will take the stairs instead of the elevator, and call TIME as I burst out of the stairwell. I will push myself to be faster and stronger. I will not cry when my hands tear, I will not be discouraged when I fail a rep. I will only allow these things to motivate me even more.

All this I swear on a stack of bumper plates.