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This past weekend brought a vast celebration to the town of Austin.

The city celebrated the arts, which are incredibly important and relevant in town, but it was a different celebration that caught my eye.

I took some time to stop by Summer Slam IV at Rotary Park to take a peak at a world I had never really observed before. No, Summer Slam IV is not a professional wrestling event, it is a Crossfit event that is held by HUSH Performance and Nutrition.

At first glimpse, Crossfit looks like a bunch of insane people pushing their bodies to the limit for no apparent reason. You’ll see grueling rope climbs, intense rowing machine sessions and plenty of heavy lifting.

It was a tad exhausting just to watch.

But after hanging out for awhile, I discovered there is much more to Crossfit than just staying fit. Summer Slam looked more like a party or even concert where the main event is exercise.

The bonds that are created within the community run much deeper than how much somebody can lift or how many reps they can do.
There is a true camaraderie amongst the competitors and you’d be hard pressed to find a more supportive environment in sports. There were moms, dads, former athletes, current athletes, children, and beginners who were all out there giving it their best.

Everyone drawn to consistent exercise and physical fitness finds it for a different reason. Some are escaping personal trauma, some are training for a specific sport and some are just looking to shed a few pounds.

No matter the cause or ailment, everybody at Crossfit has found the same cure and it is a beautiful medicine. They push themselves and each other to the limit, while cheering each other on and staying encouraging.

I’ve been told by more than a few Crossfit competitors that it is addictive. If that is the case, I can’t think of a healthier addiction than exercise. The alternative forms of addiction are much worse and much more damaging.

I don’t know if I’m brave enough to ever give Crossfit a shot myself, but I did find watching it truly inspiring. I had a little extra pep in my step on my run on Sunday and I’ll try to carry a little bit of that Crossfit confidence into my own daily workouts moving forward.

For those who are involved in Crossfit, I tip my hat to you all. You are doing something that is incredibly hard, while staying unbelievably positive.

On a final note, I just wanted to let you know I wrote this column will listening to Jock Jams, volume 1. Judge me if you will, but I love nostalgia.