19.3, an owner’s ignorance, and a culture of cheating

[will8764]

I’m a part time coach at a gym, so I have a key to the place. I walked in yesterday and saw a 50’ course marked out on the floor. Supposing someone might have used this 50’ course to do 19.3, which is prohibited, I texted the coach who was overseeing Open Gym, and he confirmed my suspicions.

I then texted our owner and pointed him to the part of the standards that says a 25’ down and back course is the maximum length allowed. His response was very uninterested and he said he would have to look into the standards himself. There are cameras in the gym, so he could easily check the tape to confirm if people were using this 50’ course or not.

Now I know that no one in our gym is going to the games, but for me this is an integrity issue. There are standards for these workouts for a reason, and seeing people ignore those standards pisses me off.

I should mention that this isn’t the first related issue like this. This Open alone I have seen missed wallballs being counted as good reps in 19.1, power cleans being counted as squat cleans in 19.2, and people not getting their whole foot over the line during the lunges this week. I’m worried that these simple acts of cutting corners is permeating the culture of our gym.

What do y’all think? Am I being too sensitive? Should I get a life and stop being a bitch? Affiliate owners, how do you feel about this and how is it handled in your gym?

 

[tawnigraham]

@will8764 There are many many gym owners who have lost belief in crossfit as a concept and are now just trying to fill the gym and pay their bills.

 

[mrjobosco]

@tawnigraham What does “belief in Crossfit” have to do with “fill the gym and pay their bills”?

These are not mutually exclusive.

Edit: I’m dumb, a word

 

[epicpaymentsny]

@mrjobosco I don't think you understand what mutually exclusive means.

 

[mrjobosco]

@epicpaymentsny Haha. You’re correct, I meant “not mutually exclusive”.

Meaning, they have no influence on one another.

 

[toserve]

@mrjobosco

Meaning, they have no influence on one another.

I don't think you understand what mutually exclusive means.

 

[puttincomputers]

@mrjobosco You're right that they're not mutually exclusive, but I think what was meant was that a lot of gym owners are just trying to fill the gym without regard to the good practices CF tries to implement and to the detriment of good culture. However, this isn't something new. I remember seeing shitty gyms with shitty standards and movement quality since I started doing CF over 8 years ago.

 

[mrjobosco]

@puttincomputers Right. Good boxes will be around, shitty ones will fail. This isn’t even close to a new situation and I would argue is less common today that 5 yrs ago during the massive expansion of the brand.

 

[sabirghfg]

@will8764 I understand your point. I also think a lot of owners are balancing the excitement of the open with a population that is just there to workout...

 

[will8764]

@sabirghfg I tend to agree with you, but the folks not getting their foot across the line and using the 50’ course are coaches and more competitive athletes.

 

[abbagirl2017]

@will8764 Your coaches and competitive athletes should definitely be held to the standards set for the Open. Especially the coaches, they set the bar for how the rest of your gym should hold themselves during the workout. If they're cheating or don't care, then why would anyone else?

 

[dawn16]

@will8764 What sport do they play?

 

[rlneub]

@dawn16 This was funny.

 

[sanyu]

@will8764

1. If you are submitting your scores then you need to follow standards.
2. If you are not submitting your scores then you need to do whatever is going to give you the best workout possible.

 

[colodeck]

@sanyu 3, If you want bragging rights, you better follow the standard.

I don't mind you bro-repping. But please don't go and put your score on the board if you did.

 

[dawn16]

@will8764 As an 8 year CrossFit vet, I've seen my share of rep-shavers, non-depth hitters, chin-under-bar butterfly pull-up ninjas, wallball-pushpressers, and anything else I may have not mentioned (feel free to add to the list!). For the most part I try not to let it bother me, but it's the cheaters that get away with it and then strut around the box like their hot shit that pisses me off. Fortunately, the Open comes around and A) These "firebreathers" are nowhere to be seen or B) They seem to suddenly fall behind athletes they regularly "beat" in class WODs. The Open is the ONE time of year ALL athletes need to be held accountable to the standards given.

 

[highway2heaven]

@dawn16 We had this one guy who always finished ahead of me. Talking like mins ahead in some metcons. Everyone knew he cheated but we all just kind of laughed it off. When the ‘17 open rolled around, I smoked him in 17.1 and crushed him in 17.2. Very satisfying.

 

[dawn16]

@highway2heaven Well done!

 

[malgosia63]

@dawn16 lol at the butterfly ninjas..... it looks so ridiculous when they're eye level with the bar at best.

 

[dawn16]

@malgosia63 They make it look so easy!