Consistency through Adversity

It has been awhile since I've focused enough to write a thoughtful post from the heart to you guys. As you all know, things around the gym have been busy and I have been pulled in a lot of directions that I are unfamiliar to me. These posts have been largely logistical recently. Today though, I'm breaking that streak. It's back to campfire for a little fireside chat. Hopefully there is something in here that helps you on your way. So here goes...

I was talking to a close friend last night who also owns a CrossFit affiliate. We were sharing ideas around how to help our athletes succeed and get the results you want. After much discussion, we returned to a concept that is not new or sexy or magical, but it is tried and true. Consistency is the single greatest predictor of success in ANY workout regimen. At Catacombs, we pride ourselves on our coaching and our programming and our attention to detail around maintaining solid form. These are all important pillars as they keep you safe and healthy, but at the end of the day, they don't matter if you aren't consistently getting in the door. 

Now, I've probably just made a few of you uncomfortable and you are lining up your reasons why you just can't get in the gym 3-4 times per week. Most of us have a myriad of competing agendas between jobs, families, school, volunteer commitments, and the list goes on. I get it. I'm not saying we don't want you here if you can't make it 3-4 times per week and I'm not trying to make you feel bad. We all come here for different reasons and I am happy to see your shining faces at whatever regularity you can pull together. I am merely reminding you that the single greatest predictor of success in any workout regimen is consistency. I might also suggest that the harder it is for you to squeeze your workout in, the more you probably need to be here. 

But there is good news in this story too. If consistency is the greatest indicator, that means that the load on your bar or how fast you run or even how motivated you feel when you walk in the door are NOT the greatest indicators of success. There is HUGE freedom and inspiration in that! It really IS about just showing up sometimes. I've had a lot of those workouts lately where the battle was won just by gathering at the white board with the rest of you and committing to doing some form of the workout. Fast times and heavy loads have not been my jam of late. Consistently showing up, putting in a good effort, and being with my community have kept me centered even when working out was the LAST thing I wanted to do on a given day (yes, I have those days too). To this day, I have never once finished a workout and regretted that I chose working out over sleeping in or working longer. I am convinced that it just doesn't happen that way. I might also suggest that the harder it is for you to squeeze your workout in and the more you think you just don't have the time, the more you probably need to be here. 

Alright guys, that's it for today's food for thought. I hope you are all having a great week. Let us know how we can help. I'll see you at the whiteboard.