I'm going to start a series that I'm going to call "We the People". Why? Because every time we ask our members what makes them want to be here, without fail "the people" comes up. So rather than try to write some heady, coach interpretation of why "the people" in the gym make such a huge difference, I asked my members to share their stories. So the first installment of "We the People" comes from Ashley. She nails it in the first 4 sentences, but the rest is just as golden.
In the gym everyone has a common mission of being healthy. There is a sense of belonging when we are all there trying to be the healthiest version of ourselves. It helps that we are all going through the workout at the same time. I love that the last person to finish is cheered all the way to the end, like we're all on the same team.
For me, it is incredibly motivating to watch someone push themselves. Whether they fail or succeed they have the courage to push past their comfort zone. Those courageous moments are supported and encouraged at ELM. I had a preconceived notion that only the fastest or strongest athletes would be celebrated, but I was wrong. The celebration is for anyone who reaches an accomplishment no matter the fitness level.
Another huge source of inspiration is seeing people persevere. There are members recovering from injuries or personal hardships, but they keep showing up for themselves. Seeing Bob get a muscle up post-surgery and Heather jump again after breaking her leg is pretty incredible. I was so happy to see Julie back in the gym after her health scare. I often find myself thinking if they can do it, I can do it.
Ultimately, we are just trying to be better than we were yesterday, but there is also some healthy competition. I love a running day with Amy or Lizeth. Those girls are quick and it’s a challenge to try and keep up with them. On a heavy lifting day Annie and Dre blow my mind with their numbers and make me feel like I can lift more. Kurt cracks me up adding change plates just to beat 5am people. If I think I did well on a workout, I check SugarWOD at the end of the day to see how I fared.
It is an energizing environment and that’s because of all the great people and the amazing things they can do!
