Hip, Hip, Horray

 In Stuff We Say

 

Coach Glassman built a brilliant fitness program that has exploded across America. He built this program using 9 fundamental movements that were to be completed at high intensity and the programming scheme of these movements were to be constantly varied. Anytime you see someone doing CrossFit you know what they are doing before you even ask. However, there is a built in “X-factor” that you can’t see or can’t replicate anywhere else except at a CrossFit box. What I am talking about has to do with the brain and your Mirror Neurons.

Inside your brain you have billions of cells, some of these cells help you move, thus they have been termed motor neurons. When you are attempting to pick-up a barbell or jump over a box these little guys are firing faster than lightning. What’s interesting is scientist have discovered that these exact same neurons will fire when you watch someone lift that barbell, thus terming them “mirror neurons.”  What does this mean? Well, when you finish your WOD earlier than someone else or you arrive early for your class and you see someone struggling through a WOD. You empathize with this athlete and your mirror neurons are firing while they are attempting those last few reps.

This shared success or shared failure typically has an entire class screaming and cheering for that last person to finish. In most sports, the crowd cheers for whoever is going to finish first, but CrossFit built this X-factor that cheers for the last person to finish! With their mirror neurons firing and emotions attached to the suffering, CrossFitters unconsciously find themselves invested in other people’s fitness. They transform from an enemy and competitor, into an ally and spectator!

Recent Posts

Start typing and press Enter to search