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Anyone see scantily-clad photos of their gym friends on social media during the past few weeks? Classmates holding signs proclaiming about how CrossFit makes you look better in your birthday suit?
Sure, our "naked" photoshoot was a marketing ploy, but there's a great deal of truth behind it.
Those signs that your friends were holding could have easily read: "You feel better when you CrossFit, which in turn makes you stand up straighter and exude a confidence that overrides what bulging muscles or a set of six pack abs gives you." (But that wouldn't fit on the sign.)
I have been getting so many questions and funny comments (even a share on instagram from the director of CrossFit HQ's media!)
So here ya go!
Are they really naked?
No they weren't reaaaallly naked. They had skivvys, bathing suits and short shorts on. Believe me, we had many takes where you could see their clothes behind the signs. Move to the left, now up just a tiny bit, now your hand is over the words, now the fans are blowing the signs, can you hold yourself on that rope just 4 minutes longer? :)
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Where do I come up with this stuff?
To be honest, very little of our content on social media is 100% from my brain. I often get inspiration from other places, rework it to turn it into our voice, sprinkle my own ideas along the way, and eventually get to a finished product. I wish I knew the original gym to give credit to, but so much on social media is recycled!
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How I got my athletes to do this?
Tequila!! (I'm only half kidding!) We did an impromptu "test run" photoshoot after a workout a few months ago. We started with a visit to our bar upstairs with our Coach Brian and a few other athletes. The amount of hysterical belly laughter we got out of those pictures on our iPhones was enough to make me sure I HAD to do this with a professional photographer. Casting call went out in our closed FB group page and the encouragement starting pouring in......
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We had age ranges from 17 - 68. Athletes that have been athletes all their lives and athletes who never touched a barbell until they showed up at our doorstep. That was part of the casting call - we wanted ALL walks of life to show you don't have to be ripped to shreds to "look better naked" but that looking better naked starts with FEELING better naked.
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While we had burst of laughter at the ridiculousness of this shoot, I can promise you that there were stone cold serious moments where I sat back and took it all in. Hundreds of pounds have been lost in that group shot, thousands of hours of hard work have been put in, and an immeasurable amount of encouragement, love and support have been given to one another.
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One of my favorite lines that I hear our head coach Tyler tell prospective athletes is "people come here to get fit, but they stay because of our community". Case in point: the conversation one of our "models" had with an apprehensive and nervous athlete. "We both have amazing journeys and we are doing this for ourselves and our gym... I'll see you at the photoshoot at 4'oclock."
Both girls have lost over 70lbs each. To see them with the smiles and true confidence.... THAT is what gets us out of bed every morning. That is why we do what we do!
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