What is it about CrossFitters that we just can’t stop talking about CrossFit? Why exactly do we think we are so cool (other than my obvious badassery as shown below). Ha ha ha. I kid.
I myself would have straight up mocked me, blocked me and said guh-byeeee due to the annoying “I don’t care how fit you are” posts. Jeez. I’m mocking me now because I am now totally THOSE PEOPLE.
So mockers, you have permission to mock. Roll your eyes. Get it all out.
I know the exact moment we became THOSE PEOPLE. I was horrified. What had happened to us?? Mike and I were in Colorado hiking in the Rockies. We did an 8 mile hike in the mountains that day and we decided that we wanted to fit in a WOD (workout of the day) at CrossFit Estes Park later in the day. I whispered to Mike…”dude,” I was embarrassed for us.
Gross.
We were officially “THOSE PEOPLE.”
So what really is the difference between Mike and I doing the Couch-Potato-Drive-Through Marathon vs. our 2nd CrossFit Open? What makes crazy CrossFit people crazy??
Imma have to think about this one…
OK. Here goes.
I love the complexity of CrossFit. I hate working out. I love learning new complicated things (as long as its not math…sorry Mike). And I LOVE the quest of becoming stronger than I ever thought possible.
Mike has this shirt that sums it up perfectly.
I spent decades on treadmills, elliptical with zero result. A little Zumba. Even Bootcamp. Maybe some cardio pounds shed, but nothing ever changed the way I looked or the way I felt. You walk in to a CrossFit box (gym) and people often wonder where all the equipment is.
Guess what…we ARE the machines. How effing cool is that?
Our coach calls us athletes.
We don’t workout, we TRAIN.
And usually the people that finish last get the biggest cheers. In fact, I was last to finish during a WOD (workout of the day) once (well, often) and I still had 200M to run. A few of the younger stud guys who were long finished came out to run the last leg with me. Encouraged me all the way. Where else can a 46 year old woman find some sweaty young dudes to surround her (oh, sorry – wrong blog).
ANYWHO. CrossFit is about getting better every day and the only person you compete against is yourself. You write down how you perform every day and watch yourself grow. Small things, huge things. Its really amazing. I literally show up thinking – how will I surprise myself today?
We use our own bodyweight for much of our movement. CrossFit also brings in movement principles from gymnastics (strong AF) and Olympic weightlifting for crying out loud.
CrossFit teaches respect for your body. You honor it and the things you can be capable of if you just put your mind to it and start slow. Mike and I learned the weightlifting movements with a PVC pipe. Sometimes when I’m having a bad lifting day (which is often), Coach DJ will take the bar out of my hand and put me back on the PVC.
Mike couldn’t get down to do a burpee when we started due to some back and joint isses. And earlier this week, he finally plopped down without having to step…18 months later. I almost had a tear in my eye it was so cool to see!
We learn technique and safety and mobility.
CrossFit shares nutrition in one sentence, “eat meat and vegetables, nuts and seeds, some fruit, little starch and no sugar.”
And to make me love it that much more, founder Greg Glassman is a fellow Libertarian.
I’m freaking stronger than I’ve ever been. Mind, body, spirit. This from a girl who 90 pounds ago couldn’t even fathom doing something like the CrossFit Open.
Just remember, if you ever need help opening the pickle jar, I’m your girl.
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| Jen doing CrossFit Open Workout 18.2 on 3.2.18 |
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