Today’s article is written by my 17 year old daughter Olivia! She has been CrossFitting with us since we opened the gym and last fall she earned her CrossFit Level 1 Trainer Certificate.
You’ve all been a teen, whether just a couple years ago or decades ago, so you know how hard life can be for any teenager. Usually, you’ve got full time school, part time job, homework, after school activities…and now you are at home with a lot of extra time on your hands.
So, is now really a good time to try CrossFit too? Does it have more pros than cons at that age? It’s never too early to infuse CrossFit in your life, but the teen years could be the perfect chance for optimum effects. And now is a great time to keep active and take care of yourself physically and mentally. What else are you going to do with your time?
First, use your brains and think about this: If CrossFit really is all about getting into shape and staying there to help you the live the best life you can (which it is), does it make sense that they would add a teen division to their games if CrossFit had negative effects on them? No. It doesn’t.
The brain undergoes and finishes lots of changes during the teen years. That makes those years perfect for starting CrossFit. If you get into the habit of regularly attending classes, eating healthy, and making good decisions THEN, it’ll be harder to break the habit when life becomes even more hectic. It keeps high schoolers in shape.
Life is crazy and hectic and there never seems to be enough time to make healthy meals or sit down with the family. Not that we’re encouraging you skip the nutritious eating part of a healthy lifestyle, but it’s understandable that you might need to stop at McDonald’s quick before football practice or chess club. In that case it’s even more important that you get in that workout.
Sometimes it’s hard to make friends in a new school, or you’ve been at school long enough that your friends get old. CrossFit gives you community and friends. That can be motivation enough to keep coming back. Even though every CrossFit box has its range of ages and you’re not besties with those people twenty years older than you, you can always go to them for advice. They’ve been there, done that.
Recursive’s motto is “Start where you are. Use what you have. Do what you can.” The third part does not imply to only do what you know you can. Instead, it’s implying you try new things, find out what you can do. How else will you know what you enjoy doing in life, what you can do? If you can’t figure that out in CrossFit, how will you be able to apply that to life?
Test your limits while you’re young and your body’s capable of more. Admit it, you’ve once dreamed of a six pack and thick, visible muscles on your limbs. Maybe that was in your teens, thirties, or fifties. It’s okay to dream, but you won’t achieve that goal if you don’t work for it.
CrossFit is fun and you know it! What’s better than sweating together with your buddies? Deadlifts, clean and jerk, front squat. Nothing beats that!