For the past three weeks I have experienced Crossfit and I am hooked. There are several different types of work outs to chose from but I can honestly say this has been my biggest challenge in many years. As a power lifter my workout routine involved training for specific movemnets and achieving a maximum weight on a single lift. The skill set was not only to lift as much weight but to maintain strict form while completing the lift. For example if you watch a bench press in a typical gym setting you will see many different types of lifting styles and these will involve using a bouncing off the chest or thrusting the hips toward the ceiling or moving the feet even wiggling on the bench. A strict lift is maintaining 2 contacts with the bench (shoulder and butt) and keeping the feet flat on the floor. You can arch your back but you cannot change that arch during the lift. The lifter can be assisted to remove the bar from the rack but cannot receive help while the bar is in motion. The bar must come to a complete stop on the chest and when the coomand to lif is given the lifter must push up and back until the elbows are locked out. After this is completed the judge will tell the lifter to rack it. So having said this, how many times have you actually witnessed this type of lift at your neighborhood gym? Probably not many…
My passion for competing was filled by training for power lifting events. Without this purpose the drive to get to the gym would have been a difficult one and the longevity of training would have been short lived. Normal people do not punish their bodies day in and day out for no reason. And trust me if the only motivation you have to work out is to look good when you are at the beach that will be short lived too!!!
Crossfit is the closest workout to competing that I have found. You are competing against yourself and sometimes against the person next to you (even though you shouldnt be we are only human). My body has taken a beating, my pride has taken a beating, but I keep going back. Every morning I read the board and cringe but I tell myself I can do it and when I am ready to quit I hear the voice in my head screaming “YOU WILL NOT QUIT!!!! YOU WILL NOT DEFEAT ME!!!! I WILL NOT BE DENIED!!!!” Good stuff….
You see I am not competing any longer and I am not an elite athlete but I can train like one and I have that motivation to keep the dream alive. I also have the support of all the other Crossfit members and trainers. They correct my bad form and have shown me the right way to complete these lifts. My cardio has improved greatly and I can see a diffrence in my daily routine. From being able to play a full day of beach volleyball to chasing my 13 year old son around to putting on my socks in the morning without feeling like a cripple. These things have greatly improved my quality of life. Since my journey has started I have encouraged several of my friends to give Crossfit a try, so far none have accepted my invitation but I know if they did they too would be hooked and be part of the Crossfit family.
Nick
The Sand Between My Toes 