Surviving the Crossfit Plunge
CrossFit definition:
A high-intensity fitness program incorporating elements from several sports and types of exercise.
Googling CrossFit before going to your first class is probably one of the worst things you can do. It also happens to be exactly what I did. All I saw was a picture of the “Lebron James” of CrossFit sporting huge muscles, lifting heavy weights, and well, looking, nothing like me or anyone I know.
In reality, the most common Crossfitter you’ll see is a middle-aged mom laying her all on the line every workout. A real Crossfitter is an everyday person: your coworker with the desk across from yours, your grandma suffering from cancer, your wheelchair-bound bagger at the store. They are all Crossfitters. They are all capable of doing the same workout and moving the needle closer to health and away from sickness.
To survive the CrossFit plunge, you just need to show up.
It sounds simple enough, but there is a lot of fear to commit. We are all scared of change.
Secondly, embrace the suck.
This is commonly heard throughout the world of CrossFit, and it means exactly what it says: You go to the gym put in work and think “my god this is terrible, I’ll be back tomorrow at six.” Now you may think “That’s not me I hate hard work,” and that’s totally fine. Ask any crossfitter if they ever thought they’d see themselves enjoying this, and I promise you they’d tell you never in a million years, but yet they all still come.
Next, stop thinking you’ll be judged.
The Crossfit community is one built off of this “we’re-in-it-together” idea. There isn’t a me vs. you aspect of it. So if you’re worried you aren’t “fit” enough, that’s okay! Everyone is at different levels. No one is there to judge and we all have each others backs because we were all once just starting out.
And finally, listen to your body.
Know that you are going to be sore, especially after your first week. How to help that is by getting ample rest. Sleep is the best natural recovery tool we have, so use it to your advantage. Eat better. Eating healthy not only helps you reach your goals faster but also fuels and restores your body. Acknowledge you aren’t a superhero and your body needs to recharge before asking more out of it so sometimes a rest day is good.
Picture this.
It’s April 8th, 2030, 6 am. You step inside the door of the chalk-covered gym with music blasting in the background. Greetings flood your ears with good mornings from you some of your best friends and a high five from your favorite coach. You grab a foam roller and plop yourself down with the group and invest some time rolling out your quad that got worked yesterday during front squats. Glancing at the whiteboard brings a smirk to your face. The board reads “Karen” 150 wall balls for time. Your favorite workout.
The class moves along, and it’s time to start “Karen,” You grab your wall ball and wait for the timer to start. The mantra you live by plays in your head “I do today what others won’t, so tomorrow I can do what others can’t.” For you, this came true. The clock starts counting down from 10 and time seems to slow. Looking around, you remember where you started.
Years ago this workout scared the crap out of you, mostly because squatting was near to impossible then but now the only concern is to beat your previous time. Catching a glimpse of yourself in the mirror makes you beam with pride. You kept showing up, embracing the suck, knew you weren’t being judged and listened to your body and it leads you to today. A happier and healthier version of your best self staring back you in the mirror. The clock beeping to tell you to start brings you back to reality. You pick up the wall ball and your off. Make your dreams a reality.
