How I Found CrossFit and Community During Lockdown
Embracing Adaptability: A Journey from Jiu - Jitsu to CrossFit
Over the past decade, having been a dedicated jiu - jitsu practitioner, I have inherently cultivated a mindset focused on maintaining composure and seizing opportunities. Nevertheless, the challenge lies in the inability to practice this martial art as consistently as desired. When regularity is compromised, one inevitably experiences a decline in muscle memory, rhythm, and technical accuracy.
Consequently, I was compelled to seek out an alternative sport. This new pursuit needed to instill the same level of discipline while simultaneously pushing me beyond my comfort zone.
Discovering CrossFit Firefly
Enter CrossFit Firefly, a box gym I chanced upon on Facebook. Notably, it lacked a website, had minimal online presence, and did not possess a Yelp account. This discovery promised to be an intriguing venture.
The Power of Effective Coaching Cues
My initial session at CrossFit Firefly was instructed by Ferdinand Thieriot, a former glass - blower who now co - owns the gym and serves as a trainer. During the AMRAP exercises, he astutely pointed out my incorrect form. With eloquence, he expounded on the minute details that rectified my curved back and improved my overall form.
It was not merely the content of his words, but rather the manner in which he conveyed them that made the concepts click. Engaging with him was akin to interacting with an idiosyncratic fitness connoisseur, wholly committed to perfecting the art of training individuals.
His concise guidance opened up a novel perspective that deeply resonated with me. As I reinforced the habit of distributing weight evenly across my feet, rather than concentrating it solely on the balls of my feet, my neurons and nerves were activated. Within a span of three weeks, I was able to execute a set of cleans with flawless form during the AMRAP WODs.
Fostering a CrossFit Community
Ferdinand, along with his wife Tracy Thieriot, runs and co - owns CrossFit Firefly, which was established in 2015. Both are avid readers of Breaking Muscle and attribute Chris Holder's kettlebell instructional materials as one of their premier resources for proper form and movement.
Ferdinand has built his career in the fitness industry through meticulous attention to detail, acute self - awareness, and a clear sense of direction. In contrast, Tracy, a dance communication and ethnic studies major, draws on her vibrant creativity and sense of adventure. She subscribes to the belief that entropy is her default state. Her background in modern dance and contact improvisation led her to discover CrossFit and explore other disciplines such as Capoeira and Brazilian jiu - jitsu.
Our shared experiences in dance and mobility instantly forged a connection. Tracy asserts that engaging in WODs enhances her ability to manage her center of gravity while exploring mobility and movement within her artistic practice. As a 5’11” competitive athlete with an ectomorph body type, this conversation struck a chord with me.
For practitioners specializing in other art forms, CrossFit serves as an exceptional mode of training for physical conditioning and overall fitness.
The Circle Concept of Energy Transference
If you have perused this far, you may have discerned that Tracy and Ferd are purists,坚信 in the therapeutic effects of exercise and its profound impact on the community.
They expound on the concept of circle technology, specifically the transfer of energy through support, shared hardships, cheering, and the abandonment of all pretense. It is an unfiltered and authentic concept.
We have witnessed both the best and the worst of one another, thus it is only fitting that we engage in genuine, meaningful work.
One could say that the circumstances have been fortuitous for this CrossFit - owning couple, enabling them to serve the community through their box gym. When all of your members implore you to remain open during a lockdown, it is impossible not to be inspired to fight for the right to keep your doors open.
