The Barbell Hates Skinny

What if you're not what society calls sexy?

What if you're chubby?

What if you're fat, or uncoordinated, or a fashion victim, or you're not very athletic?

What then? Should you even do CrossFit? It's called "Forging Elite Fitness" and you're not an elite athlete. Heck, you barely feel like a functioning adult most days, let alone someone who could get "fit." (I think we've all felt like this some days.)

Why should you CrossFit, or do any kind of lifting or edgy fitness?

• Because it's made for you. 

• Because the barbell is your friend, whether you know it yet or not.

• Because the barbell doesn't discriminate—it makes life rougher for everyone, at least for a little while.

But here's the real irony: the barbell hates skinny.

Yup. You read that right. I'll say it again: The barbell hates skinny. (Sorry, skinny friends!)

The barbell likes fit, the barbell likes strong, and the barbell tolerates pudgy and fat.

The barbell doesn't care what you look like or what size pants you wear.

The barbell cares what you can do.

Kind of like most of your fellow athletes. They don't care what you look like or what you wear. They care about what you can do—or, more precisely, what you're willing to do, where you're willing to go, how hard you're willing to try.

Does this mean you can CrossFit and remain fat or uncoordinated? I guess. If you don't try very hard, or you don't CrossFit very often. But if you try, and you commit, and you get your eating dialed in also—and you hit the strength and the conditioning, then you're going to get results.

And the barbell might still hate skinny, but you won't have to worry about that, because you won't even think about skinny, you'll be so focused on strong.

And the barbell LOVES strong.