One Year of CrossFitting

I looked at the calendar today and realized that it's exactly one year, to the day, that I started CrossFit. And oh, what a year it has been. When we first started, BryGuy and I had signed up for a membership that allowed us to go to classes twice a week. The workouts were posted online so I could see what was in store for me later that day. Honestly, it would give me anxiety. How was I going to make it through that workout? What was that move again? Sometimes, if it was a workout that I was uncomfortable with, I would just decide to go another day that week. (Real talk: I'm scared to try new things. Always have been.)

On the days I was determined to go, a.k.a. BryGuy was making me, I would be thinking about the workout all day long – looking up videos online if I wasn't sure what the movement/exercise was. I would get home from work, change my clothes, and the butterflies in my stomach would start. At that time, our gym was on the fourth floor of a storage unit and while climbing those stairs I was seriously wondering if I should just turn around and go back home. Luckily, BryGuy is fearless in situations like this, and he was always right next to me, dragging my ass up the stairs and telling me, "It's not that bad, you'll be fine." 

And the truth is, I was fine. Yes, many times every time the workouts were challenging, and I would have to scale down the weight or substitute another movement. But I always got through it, and I always felt a sense of accomplishment when it was over. My family and friends will tell you I'm fiercely competitive (some of them might call it a flaw, but I disagree). At times, it was frustrating that I couldn't do the prescribed weight for the workout, or that I was one of the slower people in the room. But that frustration fueled me to keep at it, and push myself to try heavier weights, and practice movements that I was uncomfortable with. 

It's amazing how in 365 days so much can change. My attitude about CrossFit is completely different now. Not only did we bump up our membership last spring – now we are three-times-a-week-ers – I actually look forward to the things I once dreaded. I can officially say that I can do kipping pull-ups without a band (okay, only like 5 at a time, but still!) and I'm within an inch of getting my toes to the bar. I also recently signed up for my first CrossFit competition in which BryGuy and I will be competing as a team in the scaled division; look out for team "Don't Believe Me Just Watch!" You may recall that these were some of my goals for 2013. I didn't share all of the goal details in that post, but the long and short of it is that I hope to be able to do ALL workouts RX by year-end.

One of the best things I've gotten out of CrossFit is a new sense of community. I love seeing those familiar faces at the gym or out and about in Manayunk or Philly. Maybe other CrossFit gyms are like this, but I'm totally biased, and think mine is the best. The coaches are the shiz, and everyone is friendly and encouraging. That's why I'm never moving out of Manayunk. Or at least not so far that I can't get to CrossFit Manayunk. 

If you're considering trying CrossFit, here's a great article to get you mentally prepped (recently shared on our CrossFit Manayunk Facebook group, thanks Leslie): 10 Tips for Success for the CrossFit Newbie

C'mon, how cool is this gym?

CrossFit Manayunk - Photo by Rebecca Schachter

Related to this post:
* Fitting in a Workout During the Holidays
* Attention Women! It's Time to Start Pumping Iron

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