Crossfit post #1 can be read here.
It has officially been 6-weeks since I started Crossfit so I wanted to write up a little review for any of you all interested.
Above is one of many pictures I have taken after one of my Crossfit workouts. My girlfriend and I like to compete at who’s face gets redder. I’m pretty sure I always win. So far almost every time I have left totally soaked in sweat, magenta-faced and my hair drenched. It surprisingly feels really good to sweat like that.
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I remember when I played competitive soccer I could barely walk after we had full weekends filled with back-to-back games. My mom would rub me down with Icy Hot and I’d soak my weary self in a hot bath. I’d take ibuprofen and move a heating pad from one sore muscle group to the next. I quit soccer as a freshman in highschool so I haven’t felt that kind of sore for a very long time. Until now that is.
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For the first solid month I was sooooo sore. I soaked my weary bones in a hot bath almost every night. I popped ibuprofen religiously and I winced every time I had to sit down to pee. Crossfit is not easy, but honestly I feel like the workouts are very reasonable (minus a few and those are days I sometimes intentionally sit out … at least for now). Being that sore was only proof that I had really neglected my body. With every hot bath I took I was becoming more and more passionate to get fit again.
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Today, I went to Crossfit and as I was on my way I had the same butterflies I’ve had since day 1. I don’t know what it is, but I get nervous every time I go. Just at the very beginning. Then, I (or we) start to warm up and I feel strong and I get a really good sweat going and I feel so good. And, we work out and many of times I ask myself, “and, why are you doing this again?” and then it’s over and I feel energized and refreshed and I work better during the day and sleep harder at night. And, I want to go back. And, then I ask myself, “why are you doing this again?!” and the cycle repeats.
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Today, 6-weeks in, during my warm-up where I typically do girl push-ups it dawned on me that I should attempt real push-ups. 6-weeks ago I attempted to do one one day at home with my husband and couldn’t. Today I did 3. Is that laughable? To some absolutely! To me I feel really proud. 3 is not many, but it is a huge improvement and I know that in another month I’ll be able to do 6 or 7 and then 10 and then if I stick with it, I’ll be able to do 25. 25 real pushups = strong and awesome! And, that’s what I want to be.
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I don’t want to be ripped. I don’t care to compete. I only want to have more energy, feel better in my clothes and feel strong and confident in my body’s abilities.
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One more thing – I’m 6-weeks in and I still suck at almost everything. I am almost always the one given or lifting the lightest weight. Many of the portions of the exercises (ring dips, walking handstands, double-unders) I am given an alternative exercise since I’m not strong enough to do the other. It’s insanely humbling. Like so humbling I’ve left twice, called my husband and cried. So, why do I do it? Because the people there are awesome and everyone is at a different level and everyone is so encouraging. I look around the room and I see people who are committed to giving their body the attention it deserves and the results are beautiful. I am okay being humbled – it’s not always easy, but I think it’s good for me and it challenges me to stick with it and not give up.
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It has given me this fresh new perspective with my photography students who are learning material that is tough stuff and my husband who has started his fellowship in pulmonary/critical care and is learning ridiculously hard things every day and my daughter who is working so diligently to learn how to walk. Honestly, Crossfit has grown me in more ways than I could have ever imagined.
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I am really really really loving Crossfit. Like really loving it.
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If you’re at all interested in trying out Crossfit yourself I would strongly encourage you to do so. Almost all CF gyms have foundational classes so that when you first start you have even more individual attention to help you get started right. My gym had 2-weeks of this and it was so helpful and made everything so much less intimidating. And, although it’s expensive, I would still strongly encourage you to try it for at least one month. Just one.
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Leaving you with a video I found on Youtube that shows what CF is. So many things that advertise CF show these girls and guys that are in tip-top shape with ripped bodies. Although CF does ultimately take you there that is not what all CF gyms are filled with. My CF gym literally has people – men and women – of all walks of life. Not everyone is skinny and not everyone is in great shape. Yet we are all there to encourage each other on and that is one of my favorite parts about it all.
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Comments, questions? Talk to me!
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xoxo.
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jc
