Now I want everyone to know that I am and have always been grateful for what I have, it is so much more then what a lot of people have. I want to let it be known that simplicity is key in competition. I'd always prefer to win in champion shorts, and busted old nikes.
I think its very valuable to not be weighed down by the negative though and to look for the positive its important to understand other competitors. To understand the other crossfitters and the competitors in competitions that you may face, you have to remember that crossfit is a new sport and that the people that up to this point who have been exposed to it, have had the money to workout at a gym that charges anywhere from 100 - 150 dollars a month just for a membership. So these demographics have the disposable income to afford the new shoes, shorts, gear, and all the newest hippest supplements.
But most importantly everyone wants to be unique, and with the numerous new clothing companies and millions of new shoes, everyone believes they can distinguish themselves with the newest gear. When in reality if there were an individual who wore all of his old school cotton gear he would be the hipster of the group and although he would catch all the shit talking, he would be remembered and isn't that the point of being unique?
As for me I did pay 100 dollars a month for a year to my SanShou/MMA gym but I was learning a skill I did not have. Where as a membership to CrossFit didn't make sense to me I knew all of the movements (obviously not the best form) but I couldn't rationalize it in my mind. Obviously you can always find a way to do what you're truly passionate about and when I started that wasn't CrossFit for me. Even when I started I was going to a subpar free Functional fitness gym, they only asked 20.00 donations a month if you planned on coming regularly. I did a local competition and did pretty well and the gym owners took notice, but when they affiliated they were only going to charge me 40 a month which I accepted. Then once the 2014 open came around and I qualified for regionals while representing their new gym, they gave me my membership for free. Since then I've been blessed that my friends and companies recognize my abilities and drive, and they've rewarded me with free memberships and gear. I tell you all of this to let you know that I still wear 1 pair of shoes for most workouts and i'll wear those even while people tease me and talk shit, I'll wear these till they've begun to fall apart and still people will ridicule me. I will wear these until i'm given a new pair or these shoes are no longer functionally feasible. I still occasionally wod in my favorite pair of cotton Champion brand shorts. Don't get me started on supplements, I used to think they were invaluable but now that some companies send me a months worth of supplements at a time and I don't hardly take those. Because in reality the only thing that matters in CrossFit is the work you put in and the intensity you apply to that work.
I tell you all this to let you know that it's not the gear that makes the athlete, in reality Rich Froning will beat me in most wods wearing a halloween costume. So take comfort in the fact that you don't have all the gear that other athletes do, just do your best and dominate every wod. I still keep all my old gear there's something comforting in having all the gear I started in.
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