CW
The Downfall Of CrossFit & The Future Of Fitness - Will Ahmed
@ Chris Williamson
05/20/25
Takeaways
WA
Will Ahmed
05/20/25
@ Chris Williamson
CrossFit started as a grassroots movement but has faced significant challenges, including leadership issues and controversies, leading to its decline in popularity.
WA
Will Ahmed
05/20/25
@ Chris Williamson
The internal operations of a company can be chaotic, even if it appears successful from the outside, as seen with CrossFit's recent dysfunction.
WA
Will Ahmed
05/20/25
@ Chris Williamson
The rise of new fitness trends like Hyrox and hybrid training is largely due to the gap left by CrossFit's decline, as people seek more accessible fitness options.
WA
Will Ahmed
05/20/25
@ Chris Williamson
Many fitness communities are emerging as people look for new activities, with options like F45, Barry's, and Orange Theory gaining popularity.
WA
Will Ahmed
05/20/25
@ Chris Williamson
Weightlifting can be intimidating for many, which is why boutique fitness communities are thriving, offering a more supportive environment for exercise.
WA
Will Ahmed
05/20/25
@ Chris Williamson
In 2023, pickleball saw a significant increase in popularity, followed by paddle sports, indicating a shift towards racket sports in fitness trends.
WA
Will Ahmed
05/20/25
@ Chris Williamson
Sleep has become a major focus in fitness, with only 22% of Whoop users getting over 7 hours of sleep, highlighting a widespread issue with sleep quality.
WA
Will Ahmed
05/20/25
@ Chris Williamson
Tracking sleep has revealed that many people underestimate how little sleep they actually get, often thinking they sleep more than they do.
WA
Will Ahmed
05/20/25
@ Chris Williamson
Consistency in sleep patterns is crucial for overall health, as irregular sleep schedules can negatively impact circadian rhythms and performance.
WA
Will Ahmed
05/20/25
@ Chris Williamson
Cultural factors influence sleep patterns globally, with some regions, like the Middle East, having significantly later bedtimes due to lifestyle choices.
WA
Will Ahmed
05/20/25
@ Chris Williamson
Self-doubt is a common experience, but building confidence and self-belief is essential for overcoming challenges and achieving goals.
WA
Will Ahmed
05/20/25
@ Chris Williamson
It's important to separate personal identity from business success; a company's performance doesn't define an individual's worth.
WA
Will Ahmed
05/20/25
@ Chris Williamson
Gratitude and drive should coexist; relying solely on achievement for happiness can lead to disappointment, so appreciating the present is vital. Gratitude and ambition are fundamentally different; gratitude is linked to serotonin while ambition is driven by dopamine, and both can contribute to happiness.
WA
Will Ahmed
05/20/25
@ Chris Williamson
My broad operating principle is to be of service, which shifts the focus from what I accumulate to what I contribute to my company and society.
WA
Will Ahmed
05/20/25
@ Chris Williamson
Unlocking human performance and health is my noble mission, aiming to help people perform better and live longer, rather than solely focusing on revenue or company valuation.
WA
Will Ahmed
05/20/25
@ Chris Williamson
Experiencing pain can lead to growth; adopting a growth mindset helps you become comfortable with painful situations, viewing them as opportunities for improvement.
WA
Will Ahmed
05/20/25
@ Chris Williamson
Going through trauma can be challenging, but it often leads to a broader emotional range and personal growth, allowing you to appreciate life more deeply afterward.
WA
Will Ahmed
05/20/25
@ Chris Williamson
When dealing with grief, it's important to process emotions rather than numb them; allowing yourself to feel can lead to healing and growth.
WA
Will Ahmed
05/20/25
@ Chris Williamson
Doing a eulogy can serve as a therapeutic release, allowing you to celebrate the life of someone you loved while processing your emotions.
WA
Will Ahmed
05/20/25
@ Chris Williamson
To define what you want in life, engage in introspection rather than seeking validation from others; it's essential to understand your own desires.
WA
Will Ahmed
05/20/25
@ Chris Williamson
Stating your goals clearly to the world is crucial; hard work and consistency are key differentiators in achieving what you want.
WA
Will Ahmed
05/20/25
@ Chris Williamson
Getting what you want involves a combination of hard work, consistency, and luck, along with a comfort with rejection, as ambition often leads to more rejections.
WA
Will Ahmed
05/20/25
@ Chris Williamson
Commitment is essential in pursuing your goals; being deeply committed to your aspirations can significantly impact your success.
WA
Will Ahmed
05/20/25
@ Chris Williamson
Failure is often romanticized, but I personally dislike failing; it indicates that I may be playing it too safe and not pushing myself enough. Failure porn aims to reassure people that it's okay to fail and encourages them to take risks without being paralyzed by fear.
WA
Will Ahmed
05/20/25
@ Chris Williamson
I've learned more from successful endeavors than from failures, and I believe failure is largely overrated.
WA
Will Ahmed
05/20/25
@ Chris Williamson
Many startups fail for common reasons like not finding product-market fit or burning cash too quickly, but successful companies often have unique qualities that set them apart.
WA
Will Ahmed
05/20/25
@ Chris Williamson
The journey of pursuing what you want often involves learning from both successes and failures, but it's crucial to understand what you truly desire.
WA
Will Ahmed
05/20/25
@ Chris Williamson
Avoiding red flags in business and personal life is essential to expedite finding green flags, which represent positive opportunities.
WA
Will Ahmed
05/20/25
@ Chris Williamson
People often learn more from their unique successes than from failures, and understanding what you're trying to achieve is key to growth.
WA
Will Ahmed
05/20/25
@ Chris Williamson
It's important to take meaning from both successes and failures, as this reflection fosters personal growth and a growth mindset.
WA
Will Ahmed
05/20/25
@ Chris Williamson
The world's best athletes share common themes of intensity and drive, which are often accompanied by unseen sacrifices and challenges.
WA
Will Ahmed
05/20/25
@ Chris Williamson
Athletes like Rory McIlroy demonstrate a level of obsession and drive that can be both inspiring and daunting, highlighting the costs of success.
WA
Will Ahmed
05/20/25
@ Chris Williamson
The price of being someone admired often includes significant personal sacrifices and challenges that are not visible to the public.
WA
Will Ahmed
05/20/25
@ Chris Williamson
Athletes are increasingly introspective, often engaging in practices like visualization and meditation to enhance their performance and self-discovery.
WA
Will Ahmed
05/20/25
@ Chris Williamson
The design of Whoop aims to be a tool for health improvement rather than a taskmaster, allowing users to benefit from data without feeling controlled by it.
WA
Will Ahmed
05/20/25
@ Chris Williamson
Whoop is designed to be unobtrusive, providing health data without overwhelming users with constant notifications or alerts.
WA
Will Ahmed
05/20/25
@ Chris Williamson
Some athletes prefer to hide their recovery and sleep scores to focus on their training without the pressure of daily metrics.
WA
Will Ahmed
05/20/25
@ Chris Williamson
It's important to enjoy activities for their own sake, rather than obsessing over improvement or competition.
WA
Will Ahmed
05/20/25
@ Chris Williamson
I believe that progress in activities like yoga or weightlifting is valuable, even if you don't aim to become an expert.
WA
Will Ahmed
05/20/25
@ Chris Williamson
You need to be careful about how many desires you pursue at once, as it can lead to unhappiness until you achieve them.
WA
Will Ahmed
05/20/25
@ Chris Williamson
You should focus on one or two main pursuits to avoid spreading yourself too thin and not excelling at anything.
WA
Will Ahmed
05/20/25
@ Chris Williamson
I believe that if you desire the outcome but are not prepared to do what it takes to achieve it, you are guaranteed disappointment.
WA
Will Ahmed
05/20/25
@ Chris Williamson
I find that spending time with my newborn has a similar physiological effect to meditating, helping me manage stress and chaos.
WA
Will Ahmed
05/20/25
@ Chris Williamson
I think it's essential to have a solid morning routine to set the tone for the rest of the day.
WA
Will Ahmed
05/20/25
@ Chris Williamson
I try to avoid eating on planes and drink a lot of hydrogen water to combat jet lag.
WA
Will Ahmed
05/20/25
@ Chris Williamson
Hydrogen water is becoming more mainstream, and I believe it has unique health benefits that should be more widely recognized.
WA
Will Ahmed
05/20/25
@ Chris Williamson
I think a lot of jet lag is psychological; if you approach it positively, you can mitigate its effects.
WA
Will Ahmed
05/20/25
@ Chris Williamson
The WHOOP 5.0 features longer battery life and new health span metrics, including a heart screening feature that is medically cleared.