The Power of Community: Crossfit and the Force of Human Connection [ペーパーバック]

Many times I have wondered why CrossFitters have such an unusual bond. After reading Dr. Allison Wenglin Belger's book, "The Power of Community: CrossFit and The Force of Human Connection," I now have a clear understanding.

Dr. Belger's book explains through clear and concise text, the need of human beings to desire community to get them through many aspects of life. Considering that social media is quickly absorbing the world, the simple fact that people can physically share their struggles and victories through a community like CrossFit, has made an enormous difference in how several people continue to push through adversity and enhance their own lives.

Dr. Belger makes her point by drawing from her extensive education, her personal experience as an athlete, from professional studies and heartwarming stories that drive the point that we need "community" to better ourselves and others. Even though CrossFit is used to make this point, Dr. Belger's vision can easily be translated to other communities, such as the military and religion. Therefore, making this book an easy read for everybody.

Overall, "The Power of Community: CrossFit and The Force of Human Connection," is an inspirational and rewarding read. Though some of us may already feel or understand the "power," it feels great to finally have perspective and know that you are not the only one that has had this phenomenal bond to a good community. Dr. Belger hit the nail on the head with her book. CrossFitter or not, get this book and prepare to be enlightened, educated, and shown "The Power of Community."

I entered Coast Guard Reserve boot camp slightly out of shape and within a few weeks had lost 20 pounds, strengthened my body and found myself more a member of a community than the individual who arrived. 50 years later, reading Dr. Belger's book reminded me of the power of being part of a group.

Over the years, I've lived in apartment buildings that have gyms for our free use. It's amazing how easy it is not to go. It's amazing how many of us hire trainers as much to "encourage" us to show up as to teach and push.

Of course, mine is just the threshold thought.

Dr. Belger's very easy to read book is a wake up call for all of us. She not only tells us the what and why but points the way to a successful solution..........read her book, it's a start.

We have hundreds of friends on Facebook, but maybe no real intimate buddies. Why is that and what are the costs? How can we fix this and what are the huge benefits for our physical and mental well-being in doing so? These are some of the big issues that are explored in this work, all while relating numerous real-life examples of how dissimiliar people have used the power of community, and specifically crossfit, to enrich their lives and improve their human relationships. Drawing from numerous scientific studies, sources as diverse as Francis Fukuyama, Hilary Clinton and Greg Glassman and entertaining and dramatic examples of real-life strength in crisis, this book is best viewed as a roadmap of how to become a better, stronger and more connected version of yourself. All of us face challenges, they vary in scale and type, but everyone who picks up this book will see parallels in their own life. Filled with powerful vignettes of ordinary people finding the strength in community to do extraordinary things, this book reads like a manual of how to stay personally connected to others, and the huge benefits of doing so, in the increasingly unconnected time in which we live. It skips the pandering and whiny tone of so many self-help or psychology books and gets right down to business with a series of discussions of how you can make your life richer, become better prepared to deal with adversity of all kinds and just generally get more out of life by becoming involved in a community. And if it happens to be crossfit, you will get crazy fit, stronger than you ever imagined and able to do things physically you had not dreamed possible. While its packed with useable information, its a quick and entertaining read and some of the stories of battles with cancer, addiction, rough childhoods and physical breakdowns draw the reader in and provide poignant illustration of the main themes of the book. Lifelong lessons for living a better existence are interwoven with raw emotional stories of loss, survival and triumph over adversity. This book is a tour de force for this psychologist, athlete, mother, wife and author who has faced her own sets of challenges and in crossfit and community has told the story of how she became a better version of herself. You can too. Pick up this book and then get over to your neighborhood crossfit box. These two steps will change your life forever, for the better. My guess is we will see more from this author, but this is one of those rare debuts that will set you on a different life trajectory if you read it and absorb the message. Get it now and tell a friend.