One Program to Rule Them All? Not Quite.

Group training like CrossFit, HYROX, and S30 is everywhere right now — and for good reason.

These workouts combine:

• Strength

• Conditioning

• Coaching

• Community

They’re high-energy, full-body, and leave you feeling like you did something.

For busy people? This setup works.

But here’s where people go wrong:

They expect to nail it all in year one.

The Program Isn’t the Problem — It’s the Expectation

You walk into your first class.

You see someone lifting heavy, stringing together toes-to-bar, crushing the metcon.

And you think,

“I want to do that.”

But the truth?

That person has probably been at it for 5, 7, even 10 years.

Progress takes time.

And trying to compress that journey into a few months usually leads to burnout, injuries, or giving up.

“It Takes 10 Years to Become an Overnight Success”

That quote says it all.

You don’t see the early mornings, the scaled workouts, the rehab, the days they almost quit.

You just see the results.

CrossFit and programs like it work — if you give them time to work.

What Progress Actually Looks Like

Year 1: Learn to move well

Bodyweight mechanics. Light barbell work. Building confidence.

Year 2: Build capacity

Add load. Improve technique. Start finding your engine.

Year 3+: Layer on complexity

Olympic lifts. Gymnastics. Heavier barbell work. Real skill expression.

And even then — you’re still just getting started.

You Can’t Hack Strength

You can’t shortcut experience.

• Tendons adapt slower than muscles

• Motor control takes repetition

• Cardio base builds over months, not minutes

You don’t need more volume. You need more patience.

Measure What Matters

In your first year, wins look like:

• ✅ Showing up 3–4x a week

• ✅ Scaling movements with intent

• ✅ Asking for coaching, not avoiding it

• ✅ Sleeping, eating, and recovering like you give a damn

• ✅ Enjoying the process (not just chasing the leaderboard)

The Bottom Line

CrossFit works.

So do other high-output group programs — if your expectations match your timeline.

You’re not behind.

You’re just early in the process.

Strong coffee. Stronger mind.

Keep showing up. Give it time. The results will come.

— Ane