About Kings of Grit

Behind the name.

“Kings of Grit” was the name that the first young men in the program came up with, and it’s stuck ever since. To possess grit is to possess determination, to have courage. For the young men spending every minute in the Shelby County prison system, this is especially relevant. Every day, they dig deep to find what it is that will get them through their day-to-day realities, and focus on the man who each wants to become when they’re released. 

How it works.

Kings of Grit currently meets once a week for 1 1/2 hours. Weekly exercises are based on the Crossfit methodology, which operates under the mantra: Constantly varied, functional movement, performed at a high intensity.

Depending on which phase of the program they're in, inmates break up into teams of four and compete in team challenges for prizes and the opportunity to display their name on a plaque. Sometimes, an inmate will coach a class that they themselves have programmed beforehand, and get evaluated by a Kings of Grit trainer based on their performance at the conclusion of the class.  

Core values.

These core values form the basis of everything we do, and drive us to perform at our very best. 

1. Be Relentless. Giving up is not an option.
2. If he doesn’t know, teach him!
3. Show some grace.
4. Unity. We’re all in this together.

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