If you have taken the time to read my previous blog post, you saw that I mentioned that I have made some true lifelong friends in my fitness endeavors. If you haven't read that post, then what are you waiting for? Go.Back.Now! Ha! Or just keep reading, I guess. :) Anyway, back to friends. I really think for me, anyway, that the most important part of being involved in a group fitness-style gym is the people in it. Of course, you could pay a monthly fee, go to the gym with your earbuds in, get on the machines, then go home if you wanted. What is the probability that I would actually stick to that? A big, fat 0%. No way, not for me. I would fall off the wagon in a week. In fact, go back and re-read that last blog again; I have tried that. And I have failed. A lot. Maybe some people can handle that sort of thing, but I can say emphatically that it just is not for me. In my own personal case, I thrive off of the people around me. I enjoy being around people and I like to work out, so a combination of the two is right up my alley. Sure, we still get a great workout, lie in the fetal position on the floor after an especially tough WOD, or even go outside to wait for the feeling of vomiting to subside, but it really is something more. It is the laughter. The jokes. The high fives. And truth be told, it is getting a supportive pat on the back when your friends/peers know you didn't get through that workout quite like you wanted to.
The word Community gets thrown around a lot, but I don't know if I’ve really ever stopped to think about what that really means. I am going to attempt to pour my Utopian thoughts onto paper to, hopefully, convey what it really means to me. To me, Community is the intention to build personal relationships, both with strangers and with people already in your circle. Think back to old tv shows where neighbors bring new families an apple pie just to say “welcome.” It’s having a conversation with the sweet lady checking you out at the grocery store. It’s a close friend offering to bring dinner one night because they know you have kids and a husband sick with the flu and you are trying desperately not to catch it. There are at least 3 million more examples of small things people do day in and day out to show they care. But you see, the vibe I experience at the gym is very much the same. It’s a phone call or text (lets be real- I’m texting plus I love emojis and feel they convey exactly how I feel even better than my tone of voice) when someone hasn't seen you around for a while. Making someone feel supported and encouraged when they don't exactly want to hit the gym because of an injury. Celebrating a birthday on a Saturday morning, where everyone eats a piece of cake with their hands because Jourdan forgot forks (insert emoji here…). It is all the cheering and supportive cries amongst friends who just want you to finish that last round before the timer goes off because they know you can. It’s the high fives and sweaty hugs. For me, this is what makes this whole thing worth attaching myself to. I know without the shadow of a doubt that my people, my tribe, my community is there for me not only with a barbell in my hand but also when I am at home just having a shitty day. If I allow too many shitty days, I’m on the receiving end of that phone call or text (text me people - it’s 2019 lol).
I absolutely love a competitive environment. Not the angry ones, but you know what I mean. When it’s 3,2,1 GO, the natural desire to win is there and I love it. But, when the time is up and everything is over, win or lose, all the other stuff is still there. At the end of the day, the group of people I get to see, support, hangout with, laugh with, meet for coffee, etc., is what keeps me coming back for more and more. Amen. Praise Jesus.
Love you current and future people of Rx Sport Fit
Jourdan
