Brand Loyalty In CrossFit Is Sometimes Misguided


CrossFit evokes emotion... full stop. If you get it, adopt it, live it you know what I'm talking about. It's many people's precious baby and that often includes the things they choose to endorse, wear and use for their training as well as the affiliate gym they choose.
Any questioning, criticism or opposing view of the things they believe in can cause some touchy situations in the old forums and social media backdrop. The culture around this I'm seeing develop is an overzealous negative attitude towards anything deemed to be critical, questioning feedback. As long as the status quo is focused on the benefits and positives of products, gear, HQ's developments it's all good. We're in danger of becoming a community of back slappers telling each other "you're cool, no you're even cooler than me" CrossFit is in danger of going 'Disneyland' Saccharin sweet and with a falseness that forgets its roots. Nobody wants to upset the apple cart..or maybe they're just scared of not being liked??
CROSSFIT'S COMMUNITY ROOTS ARE BASED IN REBELLING
People seem to forget that CrossFit was not and still isn't based in convention. It was built on some ballsy individuals who thought differently to what the standards of the fitness industry were saying. It was rooted in being a thorn in the side of traditional Strength and Conditioning and the existing definitions of fitness. Questioning deemed authority and reputation and getting it to stand up against the measurable, observable, repeatable scientific method CrossFit encourages.
FLAMERS HAVE THEIR PLACE!
The Americans wipe the floor with us Europeans on this score. Bloggers, commenters and lurkers that fire out barbed, humourous heckling points on all sorts within the culture get the cliched 'haters' tag. You know some of the most famous (Armen Hammer, Drywall, Beastmodal Domains, Pissing Victory) Now for some this is true I admit... they offer nothing more than complaining with no alternative solutions to the problem. They should be treated with the disdain they deserve. However, many are savvy, thought provoking individuals with little respect for blind acceptance of things and in amongst the sarcasm there is an innate desire to make things better for this community, not merely point out what's wrong. They put themselves out there to be shot at because they know debate is healthy and they are not crushed, hurt or angered by opposing views. They also know some things need knocking off their pedestal.
SECURING POSITION
People, coaches, affiliates, businesses are all representing their own brand in essence. They have their own integrity and start out with great ideals and often a pure dream. As they establish themselves and their reputation, success comes and so do opportunities. Be it financial, sponsorship, favours, standing, power. What also comes is the realities, and sometimes the ideal gets tainted and we compromise on that pure dream. Unforeseen factors shake things up..priorities sometimes change. That is fine and happens in life but we don't always want others to know that. We still want to be seen to be closer to the ideal, to be of great integrity. We don't like to show the negatives.
'Power Corrupts' might be taking it a bit far but when you have more to lose it makes you less open to criticism and feedback. The more acquainted you get to positive feedback, the thinner skinned you get to any negatives. We've seen it from the very top at CrossFit HQ with the ex-communication of some very knowledgeable individuals (Greg Everett, Robb Wolf, James Fitzgerald) who gave some opposing views. The GLC2000 debate is another example of some interesting conflicts that have arisen around personal experience over the need for quality scientific evidence. The GLC2000 debate has highlighted some interesting areas from marketing methods, athlete endorsement, clinical trials, the placebo effect, understanding the science, to people's definition of a beneficial product. There's been a lot of upset towards detractors from supporters but what it has led to is more information being put out there to make better decisions.
MIXING BUSINESS AND PLEASURE
Throw into the mix the close ties, history and relationships people have within CrossFit circles with brand owners it can be easy to jump to the defences of these brands. Any criticism can mean a criticism of you because you have bought into that brand, you know the owners from 'back in the day'. You have faith in the products. You have tied your colours to the mast! They are great people and you have only ever had good experiences. There is a danger of the 'halo effect' kicking in. Our own experiences are exactly that. 'OUR' experiences..not necessarily the standard experience across the board for everyone. Yes yours might be the majority experience but that fact will show itself in the long run anyway. Let the CrossFit brands fight their own battles. They can and should take it on the chin and so should we. Nobody gives a passionate testimony when a friend says they don't like Costa Coffee and you do. We need more of that kind of karma and not take things so personally.
CrossFit has a very unique friends/business/criticism/quality merry-go-round and sometimes the objective wheels fall off. I just hope this community continues to welcome passionate debate, feedback and if needed criticism and that no amount of reputation, standing, position or wealth should crush that.
For more information http://spartanstrength.co.uk/
Sean Murray is a Manchester Personal Trainer, BWL Level 1 Olympic Weightlifting Asst. Club Coach, CrossFit Trainer who operates in Castlefield and runs his own bootcamp in Moston. He helps people with their weight/fitness/performance goals.
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