5 Excuses Why People Avoid Trying Crossfit (& How to Counter Them)

We have all been there, excited after trying Crossfit for the first time. This new sport we discovered, this thing were we push ourselves to our very limit and feel as good afterwards as we’ve ever felt before, we tell our friends and family about it. Maybe they are a bit overweight, living an unhealthy lifestyle, and could really profit from doing Crossfit twice a week or even more often – at least that’s what you think. They on the other hand don’t. They fob you off with excuses about why they can’t and probably never will even try your new favourite activity, Crossfit.

This article contains the five excuses that I have heard the most from people – and the arguments against those excuses.

Source: Stevie D Photography

You got some of your own I didn’t mention below? Let me and the Boxrox community know in the comment section.

1. It’s too expensive

I’ve heard this one quite a lot from people and under certain circumstances I can relate to that. If you are a single mother of three and live on a waiter’s salary, it sure is much more difficult to come up with money for Crossfit than if you are a bank manager. But the problem here is that most people actually could afford Crossfit if they’d just put their priorities straight.

Once a guy, who was slightly overweight and smoked a pack of cigarettes per day, told me he couldn’t afford Crossfit. Well, you can’t afford caring for your own health but you spend money on cigs? Sorry dude, I totally can’t relate to that. So, next time when somebody is telling you they can’t afford Crossfit, ask them why – and also ask them what price they are willing to put on their health. Maybe you’ve got friends who smoke or spend money on things they don’t really need. Tell them to prioritize their health. Also, if you got a friend who’s skeptical about Crossfit overall and doesn’t want to spent money on it until they see results, consider gifting them with a trial month (for his or her birthday for example).

2. Trying Crossfit: I don’t have time for that!

This excuse kind of falls into the same category as the first one, people not wanting to spend their ressources on their health. But they got time binge-watching their favourite TV-show and hanging around on the couch with a beer in their hand, don’t they?

Yeah, I get it – I like watching TV for hours, too, especially after a stressful workday. We all need some kind of alone-relaxing-time and also time with friends and family. Managing your work and social life is often pretty exhausting.

But this is where Crossfit can step in as it will be right what you need to de-stress yourself. In your own experience, doesn’t it feel so much better to hit a WoD after a really bad day at work when you just want to scream at everybody? To blow some steam off before you get home to your family and before you throw yourself on the couch? Tell people they may have to get up a bit earlier if they want to squeeze in Crossfit into their busy schedule. But also tell them, that it will be totally worth it – and also might keep them from getting a psychotic break.

3. I am not fit enough

Maybe this is one of the most worst excuses one can make – and I for my part can probably relate to it the most out of all excuses. When people see other athletes doing Crossfit, one of the first reactions one will get is: „Oh my gosh are those guys strong. I will never be able to do that, therefore I won’t even try.“

The main problem you have to address when it comes to this excuse is the fact that these people already feel uncomfortable with their own body. Maybe they are a little or much overweight, maybe they are skinny-fat or maybe they look normal but their body image has been ruined by fitness magazines and top model shows. Also, maybe they remember how everybody picked on them at school because they were the nerdy one who was bad at sports.

Getting people who feel like this to try Crossfit can be tough. But if you can get them to at least come to a box with you and do one WoD, they will probably realize, that Crossfit isn’t about comparing yourself to the other people working out with you. Be very eager to show them what kind of community Crossfit is and that they will earn the respect of everybody around them not by lifting the most weight but by trying the hardest and not giving up. Show them videos on Youtube of people older, bigger or otherwise in worth shape than they are to emphasize that Crossfit really is for everybody – and that everybody can learn and do everything.

4. It’s too dangerous / I am afraid about hurting myself

Many people, even individuals within the fitness industry, tend to argue that Crossfit is dangerous. Well, why is that so?

People are afraid of things they don’t know and because Crossfit is a pretty young sport, the normal population doesn’t know it very well. If you got a friend who really doesn’t want to try Crossfit because he is afraid of hurting him-/herself, ask them to specify their fears. Going on from there, tell them about the fact that there is always a coach with them watching like a hawk if they do the excercises correct. Also, do tell them how long you by yourself have been injury free and compare it to a favourite sports of theirs (football for example) to show them that they won’t get hurt more in any way than in other sports activity they might prefer.

5. I don’t know if I should be trying Crossfit, It doesn’t seem like fun

Why does everything have to be fun? Ok, I get it – people will be more motivated to do a certain activity if it feels like fun to them. But this excuse combines certain aspects of the other ones, like prioritizing health and having a wrong conception of what Crossfit is.

Either way there are a few questions you have ask here, if you got a friend who doesn’t think Crossfit is fun. Why don’t they think it’s fun? What would make it fun for them? Does becoming healthy and more active really need to be fun in the first place? Attempt to get them to at least try Crossfit for more than one time. Motivate them. And be careful not to push them.

Show them, that Crossfit can be fun in a lot of ways regarding their specific needs for it to be a fun activity. It can be fun because of the interaction with other people you get there. It can be fun because the WoD changes and you’ll never workout the same way – therefore it’s diversified. It can be fun because due to the many different exercises you will make progress with every WoD, since there is always at least one activity you get better at. And, last but not least, it can be fun because of how great you feel about what you have accomplished.

All these excuses above cater to one very deep-rooted problem, and that is people prioritizing the wrong things in their life. They want to go down the easiest road possible without realizing that real fulfillment in life comes from dedication and hard work – that is why we feel so good after each WoD.

People just don’t realize that they are in charge of their life and their health – and it’s (mostly) nobody else’s fault but their own when they fail living a healthy lifestyle. Of course certain people having a much harder time than others – but by prioritizing the right things, like quitting smoking so you can afford that box membership, anyone can see these excuses as what they are: excuses and nothing more.

I am not saying that Crossfit solves everything that is wrong in our lives. But it certainly will make things a lot better and will be a step in the right direction – tell that to everyone who gives you one of the above mentioned or other excuses about why they can’t do Crossfit. And then carefully drag them to your favourite Box!