competitions to keep things fresh.
Your coaches and classmates keep
you motivated as if you were a part
of a sports team. The aim is to com-
plete the physical workout, which
often results in taking your atten-
tion away from the stresses of your
9-5. As a bonus, the need to fuel
your recovery and get back at it in
a few days will further motivate you
to make small adjustments (in your
day-to-day activities) that compound
into healthier habits that stick.
CrossFit is inclusive.
Imagine working out alongside a
retired attorney, his grandson visit-
ing from college and woman who is
pregnant (and yes, said pregnant
member is lifting heavier weights
farther and faster than you are,
inspiring you to push past your fa-
tigue). There’s a misconception that
only athletes in tip-top condition can
do CrossFit. While there are some
magnificent athletes in the gym,
CrossFit accommodates all shapes,
sizes, ages, abilities, and physical
conditions. People come in at differ-
ent levels of fitness throughout the
day - no matter what level you come
in at, you leave each day a little
stronger, healthier, and sweatier.
Scaling options.
Another misconception is that
CrossFit is extreme, dangerous and
unsafe. While there is some risk to
physical injury associated with any
physical activity, the quality coaching
and attention to safety keeps the
workouts safe. Each workout has
a scaling option to accommodate
all abilities. The gym is run in such
a way that no one intimidates or
shames another into greater risks.
Last but not least, each member
goes through a thorough foundation
training class where they are ex-
posed to the fundamental CrossFit
movements, scaling options, and
starting points.
Camaraderie and Community.
We enjoy our law practices because
of the people who surround us.
CrossFit is similar (it even has its
own lingo: Wod. Amrap. Emom…
Not that lawyers need more lingo).
People from different walks of life
come in together for an hour, fo-
cused on achieving a collective
goal of improving our health, fitness
and life. When you are working out
with ordinary members overcom-
ing extraordinary personal feats – a
blind woman who pushes herself to
complete her last set, a new mem-
ber who is completing a full set of
pushups for the first time in his life,
or a seasoned athlete completing
the workout at superhuman speed -
you get a sense of who they are as
human beings. You’ll find yourself
fired up to do just a little bit more
than you thought you could.
Remember, if your firm
receives occassional
calls regarding legal
issues that you do not
handle, refer them to
the Lawyer Referral and
Information Service.
And if you need a friend to gently
nudge you to show up, feel free to
reach out and join a fellow Atlanta
Bar member when the gym does a
“bring-a-friend” day.
The Official News Publication of the Atlanta Bar Association THE ATLANTA LAWYER
35