5 Rash Trump Quotes that Get Under My Skin as a CrossFitter


Not even two weeks into the new administration and it is IMPOSSIBLE to escape hearing about everything the new “president” is taking away from us. He is, as many say, bad reality television at its finest.  And like so many of us, my heart breaks a little more every time I see or hear some outlandish article or post about him. I personally need a little comic relief from this reality we are in. In an effort to (obviously) poke fun at some of the most incredulous quotes and stupid, irresponsible comments that have come out of his mouth, I want to parallel it to why none of it would ever fly if it was said in respect to CrossFit

*Disclaimer: The quotes I am using in this post are in and of themselves in their intended context completely ridiculous, and I am by no means minimizing the reality we are in. For me, applying it to another subject (CrossFit which is near and dear to my heart) is like my own weird therapy for dealing with this twilight zone we seem to be living in.

  1. “Happy New Year to all, including to my many enemies and those who have fought me and lost so badly they just don’t know what to do. Love!”  (Twitter, 12/31/16).

    Aside from the obvious lack of sportsmanship, CrossFitters do not understand the concept of “enemies” or “lost”.  People who hate on us, sure they are misinformed, but we would never consider them enemies. In fact, we would never turn them away should they one day reconsider and want to try CrossFit. We having nothing but mad respect for everyone whether they CrossFit or not.

    Losing? No such thing in CrossFit. Even those who “lose’ a competition or are not at the top of the white board, they still win. CrossFit is a constant journey and regardless how someone does today, they are better than yesterday.  Not to mention, CrossFitters know what to do if they do feel like they did not quite hit their goals: they work harder. They fight back, not for spite but for themselves.


  1. “When Mexico sends its people, they’re not sending the best. They’re not sending you, they’re sending people that have lots of problems and they’re bringing those problems with us. They’re bringing drugs. They’re bringing crime. They’re rapists… And some, I assume, are good people.” (campaign speech, 6/15/15)

    Well then, I guess I workout alongside drug lords, criminals and rapists. Gosh, I need to go find another place to CrossFit because surely every person who comes to California from Mexico is a criminal. They never inspire, work hard, show humility or any trait of a good humanitarian. Get real, Trump.  For the better, they are every much a part of CrossFit as anyone else.

  1. “That’s one of the nice things. I mean, part of the beauty of me is that I’m very rich. So if I need $600 million, I can put $600 million myself. That’s a huge advantage. I must tell you, that’s a huge advantage over the other candidates.” (ABC news, 3/17/11)

    Does money get people further in life? That is highly debatable.  Is that even what lead to his presidential win?  Perhaps it factored in, but I digress.  When it comes to CrossFit, money definitely has nothing to do with how succesful an athlete is when it comes to hitting a PR or improving your Fran time. Not to mention, the funny thing is nobody gives a crap about what the person next to them squatting does for a living or how much their annual income is. Everyone is equal when they walk into a box. All CrossFitters want to see is hard work and a good a­­ttitude (ok and muscles). That is beauty. Period.


    Ok let’s talk about the woman’s card at CrossFit. Well in actuality it does not apply. CrossFit women hustle in every aspect of their lives, from training to working to being a mother to being a daughter to being a friend and everything in between. We do not come into the box expecting coaches to take it easy on us or train us simply because we are women.  They train us because we give a shit about our health and fitness. CrossFit women do not gain respect simply by setting foot inside a box either. We gain it by working our “women’s card” asses off, not by charity or pity.


  1. “How do you define leadership? I mean, leadership is a very strange word because, you know, some people have it, some people don’t and nobody knows why.” — “Larry King Live,” 1999

    Really, nobody knows why? Leadership is not mythical. It is not hard to grasp. It is not a mystery. There is no formula for leaders. It is not a gene you are born with or not. Leaders are leaders because they display integrity, honesty, transparency, humility, positivity. Leaders have foresight, kindness, compassion. They inspire. The list goes on. In CrossFit, it is no different. Leadership is not an “either you got it or not” kind of a thing. It is actually quite easy to define, emulate and identify. Look for the athletes who give it their all. Look for the ones who are cheering on their boxmates. Look for the coaches telling discouraged athletes, “Yes you can!” Look for the members who come in smiling, ready to face whatever is about to be thrown their way


I am sure if Trump were ever to read this post he would dismiss it as CrossFitters being­­­­­ “bad press”. If being bad press means being able to back squat more than his bodyweight, I will take it. If being bad press means being part of a united community, I will take it. If being bad press means being the best version of ourselves, I will take it. Trump can say whatever ridiculous things he wants to (and I am sure there will be no shortage in the years to come). We all have first amendment rights. The difference between him and a good CrossFit citizen is, we wouldn’t simply because we just do not think at all like him. We chOose to focus on being open to everyone and everything. That is what makes CrossFit so great. It is diverse in every way from the people to the programming to our abilities. We seek to inspire people, not divide them.

CrossFit is So Much More than Workouts and Meatheads

You all know I love CrossFit. Many of you think I am a bit coo coo for cocoa puffs about it. Many of you are intrigued by it. Many of you wish I would stop writing and posting about it. Many of you share my obsession with it. Many of you wish I would stop obsessing about it. The thing is though, CrossFit does so much for me beyond a workout. It is a mentality both in and out of the box. I did a Google search for “CrossFit inspiration” and so many memes popped up that immediately resonated with me. I want to share some of these with you as they really speak to why I, and so many others, CrossFit.

“I want to inspire people. I want someone to look at me and say ‘because of you I didn’t give up.’” There is something about working out in the company of others. I know when I used to do my own solo thing at a gym, I often would cheat myself out of really pushing my limits. I did not even know what I was capable of as I worked out in a bubble.  I doubt I ever would have attempted even doing a pull-up or back squat more than 100 pounds. I had no inspiration to do it. I wanted to be fit and healthy, but I never really appreciated all the awesome, motivating shit fit people do. I got a taste of it when I had personal trainers and found running groups to hit the pavement with. Being around CrossFitters has turned me onto fitness on a whole other level. I have mad respect for athletes of all shapes and sizes because I now truly appreciate how hard it could be. I push myself now so much more than I ever have because of this community who motivate me to work hard. I also would like to think I do the same for other people. Think of how easy it is for someone who goes to a global gym or somewhere that they do not know anyone else working out. Think of how easy and how often it happens that people get discouraged and never go back. With CrossFit, we all have the potential to say a few inspiring, encouraging words to someone to make them want to come back. Working out does not have to be only a self-fulfilling kind of thing.  Make it about others too and what you can do for them.


“Act like a lady. Lift like a boss.” For someone like myself who is petite, I never want to be perceived as fragile. Sure I appreciate chivalry and manners when it comes to things like holding the door open for me, but I sure as hell never want assistance getting my luggage off the carousel or down from the overhead because someone perceives it to be too heavy for me. There is a balance for me between being feminine (I do love make-up, nails and dresses) and not being delicate or helpless.


CrossFit has made it cool for women to be able to lift heavy and not feel the need to hide it. CrossFit has become an accepted outlet for women to lift like a boss, and more importantly, has enabled us to feel proud of all the muscles we have to show for it. There is so much more acceptance for different body types, and I truly believe CrossFit has played a part in that. Fitness is not just about aspiring to be skinny anymore (and nothing against anyone who is). CrossFit is a showcase for strength (strong is the new sexy as we all know). I know I work damn hard for every muscle I have and so when I see that in anyone else, I have such respect for them. Gains require so much discipline, tenacity and an appetite for constant improvement.muscles.jpg


“It always seems impossible until it’s done.” CrossFit brings accountability to everyone who sets foot in the box. (Yeah there are some who sandbag but then they wouldn’t fall into this category of doing the seemingly impossible). For most of us, it means doing those last few reps even if we feel like we have nothing left to give. It may mean it takes a few minutes longer than everyone else to finish the WOD. It may mean throwing a few extra pounds onto the barbell even if it causes us intense anxiety. CrossFit is a constant battle between doing what is comfortable and what sucks. Personally, I am elated and humbled every time I do something that seems scary to me (which is almost every day). 95 pound thrusters in a workout is not something I ever expected or strove to do. It sounds scary and impossible, yet I have done it many times. Doing the “impossible” is what keeps so many of us going. It has taught to us to expect the unexpected. It teaches us to not underestimate ourselves, and that is something that extends far beyond the box.


CrossFit has taught me so much about myself and others, and I truly believe it has helped me in my personal life as well as professional. ( I have to refrain in meetings to not make CrossFit analogies  to my team as relevant as they are!) Think about your interactions, outside of a box or a gym even. How many times do you  witness people giving up before trying? Or how many times do you see people underestimate themselves? Or perhaps you watch a colleague get steamrolled because they have allowed others to perceive them as weak?  I swear, if people treated countless scenarios the same way they would tackle a hard workout, they may see different results. So whether or not CrossFit is your thing, please, embrace the mentality it offers as it translates in all we do in life. CrossFit builds strength, resolve, and courage in us not just at the box, but in all that we do. Crush life the same way you crush a workout. And on that note, I truly wish you a happy new year. Now, go get it 2017.