Why your Teen needs CrossFit
I know I needed it. Being a teenager is tough. At least it was for me 10+ years ago. I can't imagine what it's like to be a teen in today's world.
My story: By Coach Syd
As a teen, confidence can be hard to come by but CrossFit helped me find it. I was a typical teenager. I played sports, refused to listen to my parents, and planned my life around sleep & hanging out with friends. I struggled to find confidence in who I was and who I was becoming. Being a girl in high school I had spent a fair share of days hating what I looked like and wishing I could be a little more of this and a little less of that.
Then I started CrossFit.
I had some experience with exercise. I ran almost everyday regardless of what sport I was playing. I would spend my evenings doing 1 or 2 of my Mom's Jillian Michaels DVD's labeled "No More Trouble Zones" or "30 Day Shred". At the time exercise to me was for the sole purpose of "being smaller or getting shredded".
Then at the age of 14 my Dad brought me to a CrossFit gym. It was an old garage with no mirrors, lots of weights, and some very strong hard working people. There was no talk of toning or shredding, just education and encouragement. We didn't talk about what we looked like. We talked about how to move and what weight we were lifting.
I loved it and in a short amount of time I also learned to love myself. My view of exercise completely changed. Today I view exercise as a way to maintain my mental and physical health, to challenge myself daily so I am better equipped to handle life's challenges, and to spend quality time connecting with positive human beings.
In the end CrossFit made me stronger, faster, and fitter and continues to today. But what it really gave me is confidence. It gave me the confidence to show up for myself. It gave me the confidence to show up even if I might fail and to show up again after failure. Truthfully, it gave me the confidence to open York County CrossFit.
I started our CrossFit Teens program to give to them what CrossFit gave to me.
Our CrossFit Teens program has so much to offer:
- Learn functional movements and how to move safely. Safety is paramount. We follow mechanics - consistency - intensity. We get teens moving well consistently before upping the intensity.
- Gain muscle mass and improve aerobic capacity. Research shows that muscle mass and aerobic capacity are correlated with longevity. Now is the time to start building that!
- Develop a life long appreciation for fitness and a positive relationship with the gym. We want your teens to have FUN at the gym. Our goal is to create that positive association with fitness that will continue throughout their lifetime.
- Accept failure as a learning opportunity. School teaches us that failure = bad. CrossFit teaches us that failure = opportunity. Opportunity to learn something about ourselves, to change our strategy, and opportunity to try again.
Let us help your teen gain confidence and resiliency by doing hard things in a supportive group of fellow teens.
Class times: Tuesday & Thursday 6:00pm - 7:00pm