Crossfit open, the beginning of the Crossfit games where the fittest of the fittest will meet up in California in July to compete for the title of the fittest person on earth. The 2015 open just wrapped up another amazing year and I’m so glad I got to be apart of it. I’m not fit, I’m not even close but getting to see how and where I rank with other crossfitters around the world is pretty sweet! I’ve done Crossfit for six years, through those six years I’ve lost weight, I’ve made dumb decisions and gained weight, I’m still making dumb decisions and carrying on bad habits that are preventing me from losing weight but I still Crossfit. Why? Because I love it, I love the environment, I love the people, I have never once met a crossfitter that I simply didn’t like. I can step into any Crossfit gym and feel at home, I’m encouraged and motivated by others to do well and succeed. I’m usually the last to finish which means in the Crosfit world I get the most cheers. This post was brought on after constantly reading comments and blogs on social media and other various places about why Crossfit is so dangerous and people who do it are stupid and are setting themselves up for an injury. Here’s the thing, with ANY physical movement comes the risk of getting injured, it doesn’t matter if it’s Crossfit, running on a treadmill, playing a sport, any physical activity can come with the risk of getting injured. I’ve done Crossfit for six years and recently had my first real injury after dropping a 220# front squat and catching it with my right hand and my left fingers which in turn bent my fingers to where my hand was sore for months. It healed, I’m over it, but it had nothing to do with Crossfit itself, or the trainer, it was my own stupidity to think I could catch a slipping barbell with 220# on it with my hand when it slipped off of my shoulders. I didn’t start lifting until I joined a Crossfit gym and I’ve learned great form from great trainers despite what non crossfitters want to believe about crossfitters who lift. I went six years before I got an injury, I know people who have done Crossfit for longer and still haven’t had an injury, I don’t know the statistics on Crossfit injuries and honestly I doubt a study has ever really been done. Which is why I find it funny that people want to run around and spread false information about Crossfit and act like people are going to die if they attempt it. When doing a physical activity if we use our brains and pace ourselves an injury can almost always be avoided. Stop bashing other people for the physical activity that they choose to do for exercise, if you don’t like Crossfit, don’t think it’s safe, or whatever your reasoning is behind not giving Crossfit a shot then don’t do it, but do not worry about what other people to do to get their asses off the couch, be happy people are doing SOMETHING to exercise, to get moving. I love Crossfit and I probably always will. I encourage anyone and everyone to TRY it, don’t take someone’s word for it when they tell you it’s “dangerous” because it isn’t. It’s addictive and it’s motivating.