It’s hard to only be “kind of” into CrossFit. You’re either in love with it, or you don’t like it. It’s something that has its calendar, jargon, and class of superstars. Now, the CrossFit community and culture are thriving more than ever before since the new CEO and owner, Eric Roza, took over the company and started calling the shots for all CrossFit gyms to follow.

While the competition season was canceled due to the pandemic, the headquarters still made it possible for the 2020 CrossFit Games to take place.

What Is CrossFit?

CrossFit is a kind of high-intensity interval training that includes both strength and conditioning workouts. It consists of a functional movement that is done at a high-intensity level. These are typical actions that you perform on a day-to-day basis like squatting, pushing, pulling, etc.

Most workouts feature a variation of push-ups, squats, and weight lifting that last a predetermined amount of time to help build muscles.

It’s known that CrossFit workouts are effective due to their emphasis on the elements of distance, load, and speed. This is what helps participants develop high levels of power. Some workouts utilize different equipment, like kettlebells, bikes, rowers, medicine balls, rings, plyo-boxes, and speed ropes.

This sport has become so popular over the years that there are now more than 13,000 affiliated gyms in 120 countries. In the U.S. there are more than 7,000 gyms that offer CrossFit programs. It’s estimated that the total number of CrossFitters in the world is roughly four million, and they’re so devoted to their community.

If you’re new to the sport or want to learn more about some of the best and most famous CrossFit athletes, the culture, and more, make sure to follow some of these Instagram accounts.

1. Samuel Kwant

Samuel made his first rookie appearance in the CrossFit Games of 2016. He’s been a CrossFit athlete since 2011 and is one of the 5 athletes that made the finals for the 2020 Games.

2. Brooke Wells

Wells has been to the CrossFit Games six times since she first started competing back in 2013. This year, she was one of the top five qualifiers for the Games.

3. Rich Froning

Rich Froning is known to be the four-time “Fittest Man on Earth.” He’s also a member of the CrossFit team “Mayhem Freedom.”

4. Chandler Smith

Aside from being one of the top male competitors in CrossFit in the U.S., Chandler Smith is also a Captain in the U.S. Army. He’s Officer In Charge for the Army Warrior Fitness Team.

5. Katrín Tanja Davíðsdóttir

Katrín is from Island and has been a two-time Fittest Woman on Earth earning the title in 2015 and 2016. She’s competing for the title in 2020, too.

With what goes on in the world on a daily basis and what we hear in the news, sometimes it’s refreshing just to slow down and read heartwarming stories about acts of kindness and love. That’s why we’ve put together this list for you. If you’re looking for something to brighten your day, you’ve come to the right place. Keep scrolling to read some feel-good stories…

We don’t know about you guys but we find this post, and image, so inspiring. While there are some older individuals that resort to staying in the comfort of their own home, this sweet grandma has decided that she doesn’t want to let her wisdom or life experience go to waste.

At 100 years old — with seven kids, 16 grandkids, and 24 great-grandchildren — we’d say that this woman knows what she’s talking about. She looks absolutely delighted as she gives these two ladies her “pearls of wisdom.”

Alright, people. If this isn’t true love, we don’t know what is. As much as this wife detests her husband’s soup — it isn’t clear why the soup is so terrible — she would rather eat it every day for dinner than hurt his feelings.

After all, from the sounds of it, he spends ounces of time and effort cooking up a storm for his beloved so she can have something to eat when she gets home after a long day.

How sweet is this story? You wouldn’t expect it to end the way it did, ya know considering that this Reddit user texted the wrong number — and we usually know how that goes.

Instead, though, u/silvergymnasium ultimately made an old acquaintance’s day simply by sending her a photo of a bee playing in a flower. We could almost tear up reading the woman’s response… “Thank you. I needed that today.” Ugh, our hearts.

There’s just something about kids that warms our hearts. Don’t get us wrong — children can also be brutally honest, judgy, and cruel without even meaning to be. But, they can also be so sweet. After all, they haven’t been disappointed or scorned by the world yet.

As far as they’re concerned, life is great and people can do no wrong. And that explains why this little four-year-old girl spent her day walking around town, listening to street music, and dancing with strangers (under the supervision of her father, of course). How adorable!

Technology is a truly incredible thing. Whilst older generations used to pay a fortune just to make a phone call from a landline, we now have access to things like FaceTime and Skype.

This means that even if you’ve moved far away from your loved ones, you can still keep in touch with very little effort for almost no cost. And with that, of course, comes the opportunity to laugh. Take this college student, for instance. She was feeling quite homesick while speaking to her parents on a video call. Luckily, though, her father was there to save the day!

We don’t know about you guys but this story shocked us a bit. Usually, people that don’t have a home to go to at the end of the day are the ones who are forced to ask strangers for money.

In this particular instance, though, a homeless man offered up the only dollar he had in order to help a woman — who was short of cash — buy a train ticket home. This heartwarming narrative just goes to show that good can always be found even in the darkest of places, despite how crazy the world may seem.

In all seriousness, we’d be lying if we said we didn’t cry after reading this post. With that being said, we definitely agree with Emma’s sentiments as this is exactly the kind of news we want to see while scrolling through our Facebook timeline or Instagram feed.

A three-year-old girl survived cancer thanks to a generous woman who donated her bone marrow. To make matters even sweeter, the woman then not only invited the little girl to her wedding but she also made her the flower girl! Ugh! We could melt into a big puddle of mush right now.

Sometimes we get so caught up with our own, fast-paced lives that it’s hard to slow down and notice those around us. At least that’s how this poster felt until one special person, Skye, noticed him.

Whether Skye sensed that he had been through many hardships or was just trying to be nice to a customer who was waiting for his food, there’s no doubt that she impacted this man in more ways than she could ever know.

You know what they say — it’s the smallest gestures that count the most. This post is a prime example of that sentiment.

While it may just look like a little post-it note along with a Life Saver sucking candy, there’s no doubt that these goodies put a smile on the faces of those who found them. And if we’re all being honest here, this is the type of kindness the world could use right about now.

Did your jaws drop, too? We mean, wow – this Oklahoma teen is a real-life superhero if we’ve ever seen one! While he may not have known the two-year-old that was in trouble, 17-year-old Tanner’s instincts kicked in.

He knew what he had to do, and thus, forever changed this little child’s life, not to mention his parents’ lives as well. Safe to say that we would be indebted to this young man’s life for life.

We can only imagine how emotional a moment like this would be. After 41 years of separation, this poster’s mother finally met her biological father.

From the looks of it, this must have been an extremely special albeit tear-jerking moment for both parties — perhaps even for the Reddit poster himself! In any event, we hope that these two have continued to stay in each other’s lives. That would seriously be so wonderful!

Talk about true love! While it’s possible to find a couple so in love after over 50 years of marriage, we can all agree that this kind of scenario is far and few between.

That’s why, when we do see it, we can’t help but get overwhelmed with emotion. And aside from the fact that their love for one another is so pure and true, it’s clear that they know how to keep promises they’ve made as well. They are indeed couple goals.

We’re with the author of this post — this small act of kindness really warmed our hearts.

While it’s important that businesses turn a profit in order to survive and thrive, the food truck owner just knew he couldn’t let this stranger walk away empty-handed in the dead of a cold, winter’s night. And it’s evidently clear, from the man’s reaction, that this little gesture made a huge difference in his life.

While technology can oftentimes be a harmful distraction, it can also bring people together. Take this poster’s experience, for instance. Although he was completely cut off from his friends and family back in France, he managed to meet a lady while playing League of Legends — a multiplayer online battle arena video game.

It was then that this woman’s life would change, and for the better! This Reddit user was able to help her through her worst of times not only with his words, but with his music as well. Beautifully heartwarming…

We’d be lying if we said that this post didn’t make us smile. In fact, it gave us a grin from ear-to-ear. Why? Well, it gave us faith in humanity. There are still good people out there who are willing to help out those around them.

This guy, for instance, chose not to cross the road because he saw an older lady approaching. Rather than crossing the street and simply getting on with his day, he took the time out to help his elderly friend. They walked down the crosswalk hand-in-hand before exchanging smiles with each other.

Imagine buying a home from someone and upon move-in day, you find this sweet note in the corner of the basement.

While this gesture wasn’t meant for you specifically, there’s no doubt that this ‘I love you, mom’ note written on the wooden panel would put a huge smile on your face and warm your heart. Now, we can’t help but wonder if u/Mckooldude left the note as is or painted over it.

While this poster made a gesture that anyone should on a public bus, we still couldn’t help but smile at the reaction of the strangers. A very kind gesture, this post author got up from her seat to offer it up to a mother and her kids.

Sure — she thought that she was simply doing the right thing but the little girl and her mom were utterly grateful. So grateful, in fact, that they had to comment on it. This, in turn, warmed this Reddit user’s heart.

We don’t know about you guys but this story seriously gave us chills.

After all, it could have transpired into a series of extremely scary events but luckily, one biker dude was there to save the day — and we’re sure that the little girl’s father would have been super thankful had he known what went down while he was in the bathroom. In any event, we’re just happy that this didn’t go any further…

As kids, there are moments in our lives in which we don’t understand why we’re getting a lecture from our parents. As we get older, though, and we begin having children of our own, we start to relate and sympathize with our parents more.

As a 14-year-old teen, all this poster ever wanted to do was roll his eyes as his old man would scold him. As a dad himself, he found that history repeated itself with his own son. Instead of a lecture, however, he just smiled and shed a tear in memory of his dear father.

How awesome is this story?! u/Merman_Mike is a known diver that scuba dives in the local lakes and rivers around Sacramento, California. Not only does he clean up trash along the way but he also searches for lost treasures.

In other words, this isn’t the first time that Mike here has retrieved misplaced valuables. Still, this one post stands out to us purely because of the enthusiasm and joy that each person in this photo is exuberating. So wholesome!

We have to agree with Reddit user u/barryleonson here — this security guard is an absolute legend. Rather than using the umbrella to keep himself dry in the pouring rain, he decided to shelter the dog chilling next to him.

Whether or not the Golden Retriever belongs to this man makes no difference. Whatever the case may be, it’s pretty clear that this guy has a heart as gold as the pup sitting next to him. We can’t stop smiling.

It’s no secret that times are tough right now. With being in the midst of a global pandemic and mandatory lockdowns being put in place, many restaurants and businesses have suffered greatly. Despite the challenges we’re currently facing, though, there’s still a sense of hope.

And that’s all thanks to the kindness of people like the Dollar General store owner in this story. He may have only offered up a balloon but it was that small gesture that put a smile on this poster’s face.

If we’re being honest here, we don’t know whether to smile or cry after reading this post. Sure — it’s totally adorable that this user’s dog here would come into her room every morning for a warm greeting.

Still, we can’t help a wee bit sad seeing this doggo waiting for his friend on her bed even though she moved to a different country to go to school. We can only assume that their reunion will be quite emotional.

What is it about notes that make them so endearing? Whether it was written by a stranger, or someone you know and love, notes have a special significance that you can’t find in many places nowadays.

Clearly a friendly guy, Manny here wanted to introduce himself to his new neighbor and warn her that he’s a little hard of hearing. Don’t worry, though, he included his number so that Megan can call and tell him if his TV volume is too loud.

We’re not crying — you’re crying! Okay, so are we. We mean, how can you not tear up after seeing a post like this one? We can only imagine what it must feel like for a parent to find out that their child needs an organ transplant and has to go on an endless waiting list until they find a good match.

Thanks to a true hero named Willie, though, the daughter in question was given a new lease on life. Great. Now, we’re crying again.

Ugh, look how proud this grandpa is! We can tell not only due to the fact that he has a hat for every university each of his grandchildren attended, but also because of that huge smile plastered on his face.

And we can understand why — he has a lot to be proud of! Speaking of, congratulations on graduating from AAMU, Jordan! We’re sure there was no better feeling than handing your gramps a hat from your university.

Sometimes this is all you need to see in order to crack a smile — a child’s pure joy and happiness. Ya know, before they’re scorned by the world and the cynicism begins to kick in.

We’re only (half) kidding. In all seriousness, though, this is a really heartwarming photo; two kids playing without a care in the world. And who knows? Perhaps they’ll grow up to be real-life superheroes. Sisters unite!

Some people are afraid of spiders, others of heights, and those who have a fear of flying. Whether or not you have it, it’s safe to say that a fear of flying is no joke.

It’s this Reddit user’s biggest fear. Thanks to one kind gesture from a fellow passenger, however, this woman was able to get through minor turbulence without having a full-blown panic attack. Dare we say it again? It’s the smallest gestures that count the most.

Well, that’s really sweet! While you’d expect this kind of thing from your significant other or a parent, it’s hard to imagine that a roommate could be this kind unless they’re a good friend.

Perhaps that’s the case. Even so, we’d say this Reddit user lucked out in terms of who he has to share a living space with. He clearly thinks so too considering he posted his roommate’s act of kindness on r/heartwarming.

We love, love, love this — the couple and the sign! The holiday season is known to be a time in which people rejoice and come together as one. With that, we can all agree that no one should spend the holidays alone.

Clearly, this sweet couple share that same sentiment with us. Out of the goodness of their hearts, these two invited strangers into their shop for a hug and mince pie because, in their words, “we are family!” Now, that’s adorable.

We’d like to expand on what Reddit user u/heythereyouareok said and assume that these penguins are pretty happy about their tiny sweaters, as well as the people! There are few people like this man, known as Alfred “Alfie” Date.

He put his sharp mind and nimble hands to good use by knitting sweaters that helped the birds stay warm while they waited to be cleaned up after an oil spill. These tiny sweaters also prevented penguins from picking at their feathers and accidentally consuming toxic oil.

Dubbed the “world’s loneliest elephant” by his supporters, 37-year-old Kaavan has spent most of his life at a zoo in the Pakistani capital of Islamabad.

After losing his partner in 2012 and slowly deteriorating, the elephant has finally been given medical approval to travel — it’s about time! It is reported that he’ll most likely travel to Cambodia, where he can find companionship and better conditions! And while it may be a long road to recovery, we can only hope it goes up from here…

Sometimes it’s hard to remember that despite all the craziness that is life, there is still good in the world. According to the original poster, a beloved tenant in her building passed away unexpectedly.

He’d always read a book and sit in the lobby of the building, handing out dog treats to her pups as she came and went. So, when she put this sign up with a dozen roses to honor him after his passing, everyone joined in. By the third day, someone had put out a dog bowl with treats. Our hearts…

Life can be so beautiful but it’s not always just. Sometimes it’s the situation you find yourself in or the people you interact with. Of course, those people are there for a reason — whether they’re meant to stay in your life or here to teach you something.

Unfortunately, though, these types of relationships can be totally toxic as this Reddit user can attest to. Fortunately, she has since learned who she wants in a friend and ultimately gravitated towards some really awesome people; people that care for her so much, they threw her a surprise graduation party…

There’s very little as heartbreaking as seeing an animal in need. Rather than letting Ori here suffer on the street, Reddit user u/Joyous_Mochi took this sweet pup in when no one else would.

Then again, we really can’t blame her — just look at his face! It’s pretty hard to resist a face that looks like this. And although we haven’t gotten an update as to how Ori is doing since his rescue, we can only assume that life is good for this doggo.

This isn’t the first time on the list that doctors have been thanked in some way for their tirelessly hard work and endless effort that we’ve all seen this year especially.

Still, we couldn’t help but smile after we saw these police officers saluting a doctor on call. There’s no denying that this year has been a rough one and many have suffered but there are those who have prevailed as well, and it’s all thanks to doctors like this man here.

With a limited amount of things to do during quarantine and lockdown, people have picked up different hobbies to keep themselves busy and distracted. And while most choose to read a book or follow a whole new workout regiment, others rescue baby owls. Take this Reddit user, for instance.

A veterinarian in training, this man found an endangered baby owl that was completely lost. Luckily, he knew what to do — convince a certified vet to come and take the owl. He saved the day, made the news, and was called a hero in meme form. Not a bad day…

According to Twitter user @supatmiaa, her father is color blind. Since the day she can remember, he has talked about getting glasses that could help him see color but never invested in them because they’re extremely expensive.

So, for Father’s Day, Texas native Mariah knew exactly what she wanted to do for him — give him the gift of color. And judging from the tears that we saw in the video, this dad couldn’t have asked for anything better.

Alright, people. Let’s be real here — dogs are intelligent creatures. After all, this isn’t the first time we’ve heard of a dog saving the day. Anyway, this stray dog helped save the life of a baby boy who was found abandoned at a garbage dumpsite on Christmas Eve.

The dog was able to get the attention of a passerby by barking and chasing after him. He then led the man to the spot that he found the newborn in, and the baby was brought to the hospital. So sad yet so heartwarming.

What a beautiful act of love and compassion! While most people would just drive by transport trucks stranded on the side of the road, this community decided that they had to do something.

They couldn’t just let these men suffer, of course. So, they cooked up 800 hot meals in just a few hours not only to make the truckers smile, but to also fill their tummies with yummy food. And we’re sure they were extremely thankful for that kind gesture.

Reddit user u/IM_Ogden found a man’s drone while he was flyfishing and rather than taking it for himself, he knew it needed to be returned to its rightful owner. While other people would simply take the drone for themselves — ya know, ‘finders keepers, losers weepers’ type of thing — this poster did a bit of research in order to find the drone owner.

It turns out that his name is Luca, he’s a high school teacher, and he lives four states away from u/IM_Ogden. Luckily, though, this poster returned the drone to Luca on Thanksgiving. And a Happy Thanksgiving it was!

As children, we don’t really realize how much of an impact we might have on someone’s life. This Reddit user certainly didn’t know just how much she meant to her aunt — not until she got a little older, that is.

In fact, she was always under the impression that she was just a replacement for her cousin, as her aunt became an empty-nester once her own children moved out of the house. Evidently, that wasn’t the case at all. Despite many years passing and several miles between them, this poster’s aunt still calls to check up on her niece.

Did your hearts not melt after reading this post? What a beautiful story — a stray dog was seeking shelter from the rain so he walked into a church. In order to dry himself off and keep warm, he decided to make himself cozy atop a bride’s veil. For any bridezilla, this wouldn’t have been okay.

For this woman, though, she was more than happy to share her special day with the pup. In fact, she was more than happy to share her life with the pup considering that she and her husband adopted him after their big day!

This next story seriously warms our hearts, and we’ll bet that it did yours too. This couple may have not had a lot of money for their wedding, but the kindness of those around them certainly made it a memorable occasion nonetheless.

And to think that the restaurant staff most likely had to pay out of their own pockets to reach a sum that the groom’s mother would willingly pay for — that’s what really blows our minds.

We don’t know about you guys but we automatically thought of Mr. Feeny from Boy Meets World after reading this post. Now, although we find that teachers can be quite underappreciated, there’s no denying that they’re an integral part of a kid’s life. One bad teacher can break you while a good one can make you.

According to this Reddit user, she had the latter. Rather than treating his class of students as one, Mr. D. made sure to treat them as individuals. He was always there to lend a helping hand to anyone that was suffering or having a bad day.