Crossfit

Yes, the inevitable Crossfit blog post.  First off, I am in no way shape or form the person who will say Crossfit is the best thing in the world.  It's hard.  It takes a lot of work both in the gym and outside the gym.  Some days you want to give up and scream why did you do this.  I question myself every day I walk in my gym. Now you may ask, why do you do it?  Well there is a long story to this so grab some popcorn, and wine and hang tight. 

Part one of this story is New Years Resolutions.  Everyone always does to lose weight, or become a better person.  Mine was to do something that scared me and continue to do this every year.  

Part two of this story beings in early 2014. I was a small, cardio-only girl.  I could run 10 miles and not care.  I was training for a Nike Woman's Half Marathon and was excited for my Tiffany and Co necklace I would receive after I finished.  One day after a long run, I took off my cold gear and was getting ready for a shower.  I looked at myself in the mirror and then I saw it.  My butt was so flabby.  "How could this be?!?!" I thought.  I am in shape and can do anything.  Well not really.  I looked at things for me to do to give me a less flabby butt. I had no idea where to start or what to do.  I knew I needed to get toned.  I just didn't know how.  Google was only but so helpful.  I learned about workouts to do, but I never truly felt comfortable enough to do it myself.  I came across this thing called Crossfit.  It looked really hard and something I felt I would never be able to do.  Then it hit me.  Why not make this my something that makes me scared.  It was completely different than anything I have ever done.  I have done weight lifting and body pump classes in college, but never went consistent enough to get results or anything.  I looked around for Crossfit gyms near me and my work.  I found one that was really close to my work and decided to try it.  I emailed the owner and got a free trial class.  The moment I walked into that place, I was intimidated.  There were people in there working out already from the earlier class.  They were rope climbing, lifting bars and doing pull ups.  I instantly said to myself, "What did I get myself into?"  The assistant coach got me all signed up for my trial class.  I felt like I signed my life away.  The head coach was leading the class and asked me if I could handle a bit of pain.  I said sure, the cocky high school athlete in me came out.  The class was hard.  They had me deadlifting for the Workout of the Day 65lbs.  I practically was crying near the end.  My legs burned, my hands were rubbed raw from the bar.  But from that moment on, as weird as this sounds, I was hooked.  I wanted to get better.  I started their beginners class, which was initially 3 classes running through the basics.  It was basically this is what we do and here is a bar.  I stayed 6 months at that box.  It was okay.  I loved Crossfit and the workouts we did.  I didn't really click with the coaches though.  They had so many people in the gym, I felt like it didn't matter if I came or not.  I also did not like how I was cast aside from those who could lift more.  It felt awful to feel like you weren't good enough to be told good job after a workout.  Almost a month before my contract was to end, I was looking for a new place to call home.  I found it actually near my house.  I had a few of my husbands friends who worked out there and said it was great.  I emailed the coach and he said that I needed to come in to show him my skills.  If they weren't good enough, then I'd have to take elements.  When I came in, I was instantly in love.  The place was open, clean and bright.  It looked like a great place to do a workout.  The coach there had me demonstrate multiple lifts and jumps.  He critiqued me while I was completing these moves. I wasn't getting open on my snatches, I wasn't getting low on my squats.  I had to lock out my arms.  I loved how he wanted me to get better, even though I had only shown interest in joining, I immediately signed up for a year contract.  I have never looked back since then.  That gym has become my home.  I love it. I have become stronger since I joined there because I have a coach concentrating on my skills due to the small class sizes.  I have become a different athlete.  I more controlled in my movements.  I look at every workout strategically.  It has truly made me happy.  

I'm not going to end this post saying that everyone should do Crossfit.  It is not for everyone.  Some people do not like to be put out of their comfort zone every day working out. Some people also don't need the intensity.  The thing is what you do to become better is up to you and you alone.  After all, its your life, shouldn't you live it how you want to?