7 months of Crossfit and 81 WOD’s later

Welcome to foundations class! Three days of basic movements and a good introduction to what I would be experiencing in “the box” (takes a while to get used to saying). Those three little days allowed me to accomplish my first REAL pushup (form aside), getting a barbell over my head (weight unknown), doing more burpees than I knew was humanly possible and in one round I didn’t come in last. My type A, addictive personality was hooked. I was on a work out high like I had never experienced because I had no idea my body was capable of this kind of work!

After one month it is safe to say, “I drank the Crossfit Kool Aid”. I was learning the lingo, the movements and how to live through the pain, in and out of the box. Some days I felt okay, others I questioned my survival, in and out of a WOD. Although there was soreness, one particular time stands out in my memory. After a rough WOD of thrusters and some other kind of evil, I broke parallel by sitting on the toilet and screamed out in pain. Shooting pain rain through my kneecaps that I had never felt before and not only hurt me, but scared me. Chris had to remind me it was part of the process and reassured me that my knees were not going to explode or stop working (I overworked them, don't be scared). That pain lasted for five grueling days and made bathroom time rather creative.

Two months in, the fear of survival was now a craving and the soreness was dissipating. I couldn't get that kind of work out any where else and I absolutely loved everything I was accomplishing. Three months into Crossfit brought constant PR’s and kindly coupled them with massive muscle gains. Holy Mother of Quads, my thighs grew 3.5” inches in three months. I made Chris remeasure, twice. These gains helped me to understand that I was built to squat heavy and that thigh gaps aren't going to happen on this body type, embrace your quads ladies!

Months four and five focused heavily around proper form and community. I was always working to improve my form but by this point, I was understanding it and how to interpret what others were telling me. I never knew there was so much involved in lifting! One coach would correct me on my breathing, another on my squat depth, a fellow crossfitter on my stance, so on and so on. This is the community that crossfitters talk about. You are never alone when you’re at the box, there is always someone to help you, congratulate you, cheer you on, spot you, coach you and most importantly, they suffer right along with you.

Month six allowed me to see my progress and my gains. My asthma was improving immensely, my stamina was going up, my body was acclimating and my mentality was completely changed. I know Crossfit isn't for everyone and not because their bodies can’t do the work, because anything can be scaled (trust me I have scaled a lot), but because they don’t have the mental strength to get though the WODs or the DOMS (delayed onset muscle soreness). Have you ever been knee deep in a work out and thought, I can’t do this and quit? Before Crossfit, that happened to me a lot. I didn't have the drive to fight through it and finish. Now, I push through “the suck” and no matter if I finish dead last in the ENTIRE box, I finish. On the other hand, have you ever been so sore that you can’t put on your own bra, or sit on a toilet? Welcome to DOMS and be prepared because it’s day two that really makes you question your decisions.

Month seven is where we are today, November of 2014. I am now at the stage of frustration. I want to do more, pull bigger numbers, get better times, PR more and I know what I have to do to make that happen. I am now at the, “I need to train more” stage of Crossfit. Although I do well with lifting (still room for improvement), all gymnastic movements confuse me and kick my ass. Handstands, pull ups, toes to bar, you name it, I suck at it. I am not being negative, I am being honest with myself so I can train those weaknesses and failures and turn them into a success.

As I look back over my WODs I can't believe I did some of them or that I have knocked out 81 of them (if you follow me on twitter, tumblr or Facebook I post them from time to time). My biggest regret is not starting sooner because I have learned so much from just seven months of work. I have grown physically and mentally stronger and continue to do so every day.

My wisdom from seven months of Crossfit looks like this: find a box that suits you, talk to those around you and listen when they have advice, always practice “good form”, embrace stretching before and after your workouts, do not eat two hours before a WOD, hydrate like you wouldn't believe, don’t “cherry pick” your WODs and for the love of God, learn to love Burpees.

#recapof7months