The Social Support Network Within the Invictus Masters Program
Written by Nichole Kribs
A social support network has been touted for years by athletes as a key to their success. Yes, they have a drive to be their best, intrinsic motivations, a strong work ethic but all of those things are made possible by a network of individuals who are providing support in numerous ways. Invictus Boston coach, Justin Wright, wrote about the importance of a social support network in achieving your goals, which you can read here, and highlighted how a social support network has numerous mental and physical benefits.
I am sure we have all experienced the power behind having a social support network when working towards reaching a goal versus working towards that same goal but doing so in isolation.
One of our primary goals at Invictus is to bring like-minded individuals together so that they can help support one another in achieving their goals. A great example of this is with the Invictus Masters Program. There are hundreds of Masters athletes who make up this group from around the globe. Not all have the desire to compete in CrossFit but all have the desire to continue to improve and not let age define them. You’ve got some who are working on stringing together ring muscle-ups while others are trying to eliminate shoulder pain so they can pick up their grandkids without wincing. It is with this unique group of people, who all support one another, that make up an incredible social support network.
There are various forms of social support but lets focus on the four major forms as brought out in the article by Justin. These are emotional, instrumental, informational and appraisal support. Now, let’s see how each form of social support is provided within the Invictus Masters Program as related by current Invictus Masters athletes!
Types of Social Support
Emotional Support
Invictus Masters athlete, Miki Shelton, shares about how important the Invictus community and team of coaches have been in building her confidence and allowing her to blossom as an athlete.
Instrumental Support
Invictus Masters athlete, Marianne Flannery, talks about how all the coaching feedback, resources, and access have provided the crucial instrumental support she has needed to continue to progress in the sport of CrossFit.
Informational Support
“The Invictus Masters Program provides informational support to me in multiple ways. The programming itself along with the linked video content and prep notes assist in helping me understand the emphasis or goals of a particular workout or a new cycle which is extremely helpful. The ability to ask questions as well as post videos for feedback takes that support to a higher level and provides context to the programming. Lastly, the support I have received from the Invictus community and coaches on strategy and ways to improve has been invaluable as I continue on my journey as a Masters athlete.” – Robyn Stewart
Appraisal Support
Invictus Masters Athlete, Eric Kieser, talks about how the Invictus Masters Program has provided him appraisal support to improve self-discipline and hitting the workouts as hard as possible.
Invictus Masters Program
Invictus Masters Athlete, Cherianne Benoit, is an example of how the Invictus Masters Program, coaches, and community have helped her reach her goals and to successfully compete at the CrossFit Games.
Invictus Goal Setting Guide
Do you have a goal you could use help mapping out? Download our FREE Goal Setting Workbook that will take you through the step-by-step process of setting and attaining whatever your goal may be!
If you are a Masters athlete and would like to experience the social support network at Invictus but don’t live in San Diego then we invite you to join the amazing community in our Invictus Masters Program!
