As some of you may know, the CEO of CrossFit, Greg Glassman, recently made some insensitive and distasteful comments on twitter about the tragic murder of George Floyd. Like many other affiliate owners, I was dismayed and shocked. As members of the CrossFit community, we should expect better.
CROSSFIT AFFILIATIONS
CrossFit gyms are independently owned/operated, and simply “affiliated” with CrossFit HQ in a licensing agreement. Gyms and other fitness facilities, including Locomotion Fitness, pay an annual fee to use the word “CrossFit,” and that’s literally as far as the relationship goes most of the time. There is no other support or even communication beyond that transaction.
LOCOMOTION FITNESS AND CROSSFIT
As for Locomotion Fitness, CrossFit has been a huge part of our lives for over 12 years. I (Coach Jay) started coaching CrossFit in the Marine Corps, where being fit literally saved one’s life. The only thing that mattered at that military affiliate was having fun with friends and working hard. Rank, race, or religion didn’t matter; the barbell humbled all of us.
Over the years, I coached at a few other CrossFit gyms and saw the same problem arise over and over. Cliques form, and one group of people starts to think they’re better than another group. These groups are not usually created based on race, but instead centered around the person’s level of fitness.
In 2016, I realized I had the opportunity to create something special. Something where everyone could feel accepted, not just those “elite-level athletes”. So, I put my head down and started carving out that space. In the words of many of our clients, “It has truly been life-changing.”
At Locomotion Fitness, our main goal is to save people from the ravages of chronic disease. This means creating a welcoming place for everyone. Take, for example, someone who is 400 pounds and desperate for help. It’s obvious that they are going to have a hard enough time convincing themselves to walk through our doors for the first time. I’ll be damned if we do ANYTHING that could potentially turn this person, and others like them, away from our help.
We’re so passionate about our mission and able to work so hard because we wholeheartedly believe we’re saving lives. We’ll help anyone who’s willing to set their ego aside and do the work, regardless of race, socio-economic background, orientation, or any other factor.
BLACK LIVES MATTER
In current times, the focus is on black lives because of the YEARS of injustice against their community, and we are here to remind you- Black Lives Matter.
Now is the time for CrossFit HQ to step up to the plate. We are keeping a very close eye on their response, and have every intention of holding them accountable to taking action as it pertains to racism and black lives. If their response is not broad and aggressive, we will drop our affiliation without hesitation.
In the meantime, the Locomotion Fitness staff members are brainstorming ways to create change specific to our community. Dropping the CrossFit name does nothing if we don’t also take action to improve the inequalities in our culture. We’ll let you know what we come up with, and if you have any ideas, PLEASE let us know.
FOR NOW
For the time being, we will remain affiliated with CrossFit. There are many reasons, things that have been the driving force to allow us to help thousands of people change their fitness and their lives for the better (e.g., the methodology, the commitment to challenging the status quo of fitness, the desire to revolutionize training, the role of nutrition to health, and the focus on community). Additionally, there is still a great number of people of whom we respect within the CrossFit community. Some of these people are at CrossFit HQ, and these are people we expect to lead. We, like many others, believe that CrossFit is bigger than a single person.
Our goal is to empower, energize, educate, and elevate our members…that has not changed. We desire to create a safe place for everyone to reach their health goals, in an atmosphere of acceptance and accountability. Our members are our family, and we believe that ALL people should be seen, heard, valued, and supported.
In Health,
Coach Jay
