From July 1st to July 10th, my physically active friend and I had the opportunity to travel to Norway. The highlight of the trip was spending five days hiking through Jotunheimen National Park. If you’ve never heard of it, imagine endless mountains, steep climbs, rocky terrain, glacier-fed lakes, and views that honestly don’t seem real until you’re standing there.
It was one of the most physically demanding things I’ve ever done which says a lot. Just to give you an idea, I’ve walked 860km across all Spain in the Camino of Santiago, I’ve also completed the entire Annapurna Circuit in Nepal over 21 days.
As a coach, I spend a lot of time talking about fitness. We squat, deadlift, row, run, and work hard in the gym every week. But it’s experiences like this that remind me why we train in the first place.
We don’t train just to get a faster workout time or lift a heavier barbell.
We train so our bodies are capable of saying “yes” when life presents incredible opportunities.
The Mountains Didn’t Care
One thing that stood out immediately was that the mountains didn’t care how fit you thought you were.
Every day brought thousands of feet of climbing, uneven rocks, slippery sections, long descents, and terrain that often required scrambling on all fours. There were moments where every step required concentration. A small mistake could have deep consequences.
The physical challenge was obvious.
The mental challenge surprised me even more.
I’ve always had a fear of heights. There were sections where the trail hugged steep cliffs or crossed exposed ridges, and I’ll admit there were moments where my heart rate had nothing to do with the climb.
But every single time I reminded myself to take one step at a time.
Don’t think about tomorrow’s hike.
Don’t think about the next mountain.
Just focus on the next few feet in front of you. Also, don’t forget to look up because the view is spectacular.
Funny enough, that’s exactly how we approach fitness.
Consistency Is Key
At CrossFit Actus, our first rule is simple:
Consistency is key.
I wasn’t able to complete this hike because I trained for Norway specifically.
I completed it because I’ve spent years showing up consistently at the gym.
One workout doesn’t change your life.
One healthy meal doesn’t change your health.
One hike doesn’t prepare you for five days in the mountains.
But years of consistent training absolutely do.
The mountains were simply collecting on the investment I had been making for years.
Something Is Better Than Nothing
There are days when motivation is high. Especially when you first embark on the journey.
There are also days when you’re tired, busy, stressed, or simply don’t feel like exercising. We all have those feeling. Myself included.
That’s exactly why our second rule exists.
Something is better than nothing.
Looking back, I don’t remember every perfect workout I’ve ever completed.
I remember the hundreds of ordinary ones.
The workouts squeezed in before work.
The short sessions when I wasn’t feeling 100%.
The days where I simply showed up.
Those workouts built the foundation that carried me through Norway.
Fitness isn’t built on perfect weeks.
It’s built by refusing to let one missed day become a missed month.
Progress Over Perfection
Our third rule is one of my favourites.
Progress over perfection.
There were plenty of moments on the trail where I wasn’t moving quickly.
Sometimes I was climbing carefully because of my fear of heights.
Sometimes the terrain forced everyone to slow down.
The goal wasn’t to be the fastest person on the mountain.
The goal was simply to keep moving forward.
That’s true in the gym too.
You don’t need to be the strongest person.
You don’t need the fastest time.
You don’t need perfect nutrition every day.
You simply need to keep making progress.
One step.
One workout.
One week.
One year.
Eventually those small improvements become something remarkable.
A Body That Lets You Experience Life
One thing I’ll never forget was seeing Norwegian families hiking together. It’s really inspirational.
Young children.
Teenagers.
Parents.
Grandparents.
Everyone was outside enjoying the mountains together.
It was inspiring and you can tell its really a way of life.
Their culture seems to place a tremendous value on being active, not because exercise is a punishment, but because fitness opens the door to experiences like these.
That’s exactly what we want for our members.
We don’t want you to be fit just for one hour inside our gym.
We want you to be fit enough to chase your kids.
To ski.
To travel.
To climb mountains.
To play sports.
To garden.
To carry groceries without thinking twice.
To say “yes” when adventure calls.
Fitness gives you the options.
I’m Grateful
Aside from a few blisters between my toes, my body held up incredibly well. We felt strong throughout the hike and were even able to pass many other hikers along the way. I finished feeling tired, but never doubting whether my body could handle the challenge.
I’m incredibly proud that I pushed through my fear of heights. I believe in challenging yourself. Doing hard things is great for your mental state.
I’m grateful for what years of consistent training have allowed me to do.
Most of all, I’m grateful for the experience itself.
Norway was absolutely breathtaking, and ten days went by far too quickly.
The trip reminded me that fitness isn’t about looking a certain way.
It’s about building a body that allows you to experience everything this world has to offer.
So the next time you’re debating whether to come to class, remember this:
You may not be training for Norway.
You may not even have a big adventure planned.
But one day an opportunity will come along.
And when it does, you’ll be incredibly thankful that you chose to keep showing up.
Consistency is key.
Something is better than nothing.
Progress over perfection.
Those aren’t just rules for CrossFit.
They’re rules for living a life that’s ready for adventure. If you thinking about getting fit. Come check us out here.