It hurts so good

How CrossFit changed my life: This humbling, hunk-making system is no cult, no P90X

In CrossFit, you join a workout group or "Box."

Editor's note: This is the first part of a three-part series on the phenomenon of CrossFit with the road to The CrossFit Games running through Houston.

I hurt. My hamstrings are sore, my lower back is tight, my shoulder is tweaked and my calves tighten up when I walk down my stairs. The palms of my hands are a combination of calluses and blisters.

I love feeling this way. At 38 years old, I am in the best shape of my life.

Two years ago I was introduced to CrossFit. At the time, I thought I was fit. I wasn’t. Now, I know fit. I can define fit and I can recognize fit.

Let me first say that CrossFit is not my life. I am not a trainer. I don’t do this for a living. I have no scientific background or fitness industry experience and no certificate stating that I know anything more than anyone else. I’m simply a guy working to balance a career, family, responsibilities, health, kids, etc ... and my experience with CrossFit has helped me in each of these areas.

So what is CrossFit?

On its website, CrossFit is described as “A strength and conditioning system built on constantly varied, if not randomized, functional movements executed at high intensity.” By definition this is accurate, however it doesn’t begin to cover all that CrossFit is.

For those not familiar with CrossFit, classes take place in “Affiliate” gyms. There are several in Austin and Houston. Training is not one on one. Classes consist of people of all levels.

Elite athletes train right along side soccer moms as each workout is scalable to level and ability. My “box”, as CrossFit affiliates are called, is my third favorite place in town just below my house and my office. OK scratch that, it’s my second favorite place.

Inside there are no excuses, no fancy machines, no mirrors, no BS. We run, we jump, we lift and we sweat. We work ... hard. There is weight. Lots of weight.

You will move it and learn how to move it properly. You will inevitably want to lift more of it. You will want to jump higher. You will want to go faster.

Workouts are called “WODs,” short for Workout of The Day. They have names. Some are named after women: “Cindy,” “Fran” and “Helen”. Others are named after heroes: “Daniel,” “Murph,” “Griff,” soldiers, police officers and firefighters who have been lost in the line of duty. They all consist of a variety of different movements combining time, repetitions, skill and weight.

They are always different. You will never beat them. If you work hard, they will never beat you. You will leave it all on the floor feeling completely drained yet exhilarated.

CrossFit is humbling. There will always be someone who will be better, stronger, faster than you. You will like these people. You will appreciate just how hard they work and what they are achieving. There will be people who are slower and lift less than you. You will like these people even more. They are working even harder than you and in time may catch you and perhaps even pass you.

CrossFit is a community. It is not a cult, despite some amusing Internet chatter to the contrary. CrossFit is not exclusive. It is actually one of the most universally inclusive activities I’ve ever been a part of. CrossFit is not for everyone. Yet anyone who is willing to work hard will be accepted and supported regardless of age, skill level, body type or gender.

CrossFit will not make women look like power lifters. Crossfit will not make men look like power lifters. Crossfit will simply make you look, feel and perform at your best. CrossFit is not P90X and it certainly isn’t a 30-minute poolside stiletto and bikini workout. CrossFit will make you confident, not arrogant.

If you come in confident, you will be humbled. If you come in arrogant, you will really be humbled.

CrossFit is competitive. Workouts are sport. You will consistently strive to be more efficient, more effective and to achieve your personal best. This has helped me more outside “the box” than just about anything else.

I have become better at managing my time, setting goals and believing that with hard work, consistency and determination there will be progress and positive results. There are no shortcuts. I write down my results both good and bad along with my goals.

I make to-do lists and I actually DO them. In the past year I’ve challenged myself to do things I never would’ve tried before CrossFit including 5Ks, 10Ks The MetroDash, Warrior Dash, Tough Mudder and multiple local and regional CrossFit competitions.

And here’s the kicker, CrossFit is fun! I like that it’s become a small part of my identity. I enjoy training at a CrossFit Gym. I feel uncomfortable at “globo-gyms” now. I’ve made CrossFit friends. I visit CrossFit websites.

I’m constantly in search of the best shoes to CrossFit in (Inov-8’s by the way); nutritional advice (Paleo or not?); how to stay mobile and flexible? (check out mobilitywod.com); CrossFit T-shirts to purchase (sicfit.com and lifeasrx.com have some great ones); CrossFit competitions to enter; adventure races to try; and new challenges to “test” my fitness.

CrossFit will continue to grow in popularity. It will have its supporters and its detractors. You know what side I’m on.

This year, Houston will host the South Central Regional Qualifier for the CrossFit Games. The qualifier will be held June 17 to 19 at the Oakland Farm & Ranch. Three men, three women and three teams (of three men and three women) will qualify to go to the CrossFit Games where they will compete for the title of Fittest On Earth at the Home Depot Center in LA in July with $1 million in prize money on the line, courtesy of Reebok.

Greg Scheinman is a writer, host of PROFILE with Greg Scheinman, which ran on PBS, and an associate at Insgroup , Inc, where he specializes in risk management and insurance services for middle market businesses.

CrossFit has me in the best shape of my life.

unspecified

High Score

Austin named the nation's pickleball capital in industry report

Photo by Henry Selis Photo

Other Racquet Social Club is back after city woes.

It's no secret that Austinites love pickleball. A new study proves just how much by ranking Austin the No. 1 city for pickleball in the whole country. Dallas and Houston also made the top 10 at Nos. 3 and 8, respectively.

The report was published by TeachMe.To, an online marketplace for learning sports (and sometimes music) from private instructors. It used data from its own platform, USA Pickleball, Places2Play, local pickleball associations, and more. It also referred to the Sports and Fitness Industry Association (SFIA), which named pickleball the fastest-growing sport in America, with a growth rate of 223.5 percent over three years.

Similarly, TeachMe.To ranked Austin as the fastest-growing city for pickleball, and citing this as the main reason for the overall title of "the nation's pickleball capital."

It name-checked the Austin Metro Pickleball Association (AMPA) — with approximately 3,000-3,500 members — and the Austin Pickleball League (APL), estimating that overall, "15,000-20,000 people play pickleball at least occasionally in the greater Austin area." About half of those players — about 8,000-10,000 people — play at least twice a month.

The report did not include gender data on Austin, specifically, but it did note that not only are two-thirds of pickleball players female; women's involvement in the sport is also growing 50 percent faster than men's.

New courts everywhere
This probably isn't a surprise to people who have noticed the number of courts opened around Austin in recent years. By 2024, TeachMe.To's data shows 32 dedicated courts in Austin, and thanks to with a utility rate of 92 percent it doesn't look like that'll be slowing down.

In the summer of 2023, the online booking platform Swimply noticed how many pickleball courts there were in Austin compared to such great demand, and added courts to its service. In fall 2023 and summer 2024, at least two important developments expanded that availability: Other Racquet Social Club opened as a friendly, country club-like neighborhood option, and national chain The Picklr announced it's bringing five locations to Austin and Round Rock.

Perhaps because Austin is such a food-obsessed city, there seems to be some growing opportunity for food and beverage hospitality around pickleball, too. Other Racquet recently started hosting the Bill's Dips food truck, a spinoff of the popular downtown restaurant Bill's Oyster; and a pair of bars with pickleball courts, Drifters Social Coffee & Cocktails and The Pickle Pub, also opened in South Austin this year, with strong online ratings already.

The trend has even reached into real estate (see this cute house with its own pickleball court) and inspired athletes to introduce similar sports to the local market, as in the case of the padel club Paddle39. TeachMe.To's report also mentioned tech companies adding pickleball to their campuses.

Aside from growth, the study also considered lesson activity (including information about teacher availability and diversity of clinic offerings), infrastructure, community vitality, the tournament scene.

Austin had the highest concentration of all the cities of players under 40 (65 percent), as well as the highest share of national lesson bookings. At 16.90 percent, that means about one in six of the pickleball lessons contracted through this platform were in Austin. Lesson demand, the report says, is growing 125 percent year-over-year.

Elsewhere in Texas
Dallas was No. 3 thanks in part to its "central location" according to the report.

"The city's 45 dedicated courts and 85 [percent] public accessibility rate have fostered one of the most active competitive scenes in the country, with 8,500 registered league players," it says. "The combination of strong tournament presence, extensive infrastructure, and a 112% growth in lesson bookings solidifies Dallas as a powerhouse in the national pickleball landscape."

Houston made No. 8 with an emphasis on integrating pickleball with other sports.

"The city's 22 dedicated courts have seen a 92% increase in lesson bookings, driven by innovative programming that includes the nation's first corporate league system," it says. "Houston's success in integrating pickleball into existing sports infrastructure while maintaining 72% year-round utilization demonstrates a sustainable model for rapid growth."

Overall predictions
After laying out data about the top cities in pickleball, the report made some predictions. As the Austin newcomer mentioned above believes, the report also thinks padel is the next big thing. It also guesses more cities will act like Houston by focusing on hybrid facilities.

It also expects to see an expanded professional circuit and mainstream coverage, more technology used on the court, a rise in the prevalence of young players, and more opportunities in corporate wellness and real estate. "Dedicated pickleball facilities will become as common as swimming pools in luxury developments," it says. Texans will be the judge of that one.

pickleball lists