Many people join Friction for multiple reasons. Maybe you’re competitive and this scratches that itch. For some people it’s about losing weight or gaining muscle. Others want the coaching and programming. A lot of folks are looking for a place to belong. What ever the reason is; we all come in with set goals in mind. It draws us in but what happens when we accomplish our goals or have an understanding of working out? Why do people continue to show up to the gym after years of training? In my opinion it comes down to the community and a lifestyle change.
The community is what got me to buy into the programming. Sure there’s a lot of cool things we get to do like olympic lifts, muscle ups, and all the cardio you could ask for, but there’s so much more. Through the years I’ve participated in multiple opens, help run competitions and seen countless PR’s. The common variable amongst all this is the people. The high five after a tough work. The cheers for a PR or to just keep going. All the events where people come to just watch. This encouraging environment breathes a lifestyle of wellness into all that give it a chance. Well you take a week or multiple months off, people still come to it. It’s hard to replicate this in any other style. I look forward to the push of someone next to me or lying on the gym floor after being destroyed. Sounds crazy this environment forges bonds and develops like minded individual. We all come to together with the common goal of fitness and it shows. It doesn’t stop after the workout. We stay to talk to each either other and come to outings to just hangout with all our friends. Sure we talk about the workouts or competition we’ve watched, but after that we learn so much abut each other. Where they work, about their families and what they like to do outside the box. We build friendships that extend out side the box.
The personal growth we establish together continues outside the box. During this time of social distancing, it is more glaring than ever. The people who post about question of the day, post their scores on wodify, or just throw something on the athletes about their workout, shows how we’re in this together. The box is just a place. It’s the people that make up Friction. Its so rewarding to see people post their workouts or how they made an at home gym. It encourages me to stay after it as well. Sure I’m a coach but I can get lazy to. To know everyone is still out taking care of themselves, motivates me to get off the couch and stay with it. We have developed a lifestyle together and together we are all continuing that.
The lifestyle of fitness we have all chosen goes beyond our community as well. Personally I can imagine not continuing functional training no matter where my career takes me. Whether it’s a new city or a different job, I will always look for a new gym. These like minded individuals and the stay of workout have me hooked. They keep me coming back for more no matter how much a workout destroys me. I know it’s important to keep up on my health and then workouts do that plenty. On top of that we talk about nutrition and balancing life. Everyone truly cares about wellness in the Friction community. That’s something I’ve grown to realize I need and want in life. Those that stick with probably feel the same as well. So to everyone struggling at home, remember your community, Friction, is in it with you. Everyone is doing this together whether you realize it or not. I will continue to stay with it through this difficult time and look forward to the day we’re all back at the box together. Until then I encourage everyone to remember why they joined Friction and why they stay. Hopefully that will help you to continue a lifestyle fo fitness and wellness whether you’re at the box or not.
Coach Nick
