Why I started CrossFit waaay back in 2008.
I started working out at 14 years old. I had no idea what I was doing, but I’d make a circuit of the machines, try to do a pull up, and run a mile on a treadmill a few times a week. Then weightlifting classes in high school where I’d try to sneak out and play basketball instead of crushing my workouts when possible. Then basketball conditioning and weightlifting after running miles and miles after school. I was blessed to grow up in sports and learned the value of hard work and commitment to preparation then.
In college, I had the opportunity to learn from some of the Strength and Conditioning staff at Clemson University. I knew some people who grew up with Coach Joey Batson, the head strength and conditioning coach at Clemson University and they reached out to him and he let me hang out with a grad assistant some to learn more about training. I took what I learned there, from the brand new internet forums, and muscle mags on the racks at the grocery store and cobbled together some workouts. A lot of them were so over the top that I’m surprised I stuck with it.
Then once I was out of school, lost the support network of roommates and training partners, I got a little slack. At the ripe old age of 24 I was getting a little pudgy riding a desk, eating too much ice cream, and not having much motivation to get to the gym. I had a few brushes online with the world of CrossFit, but even for a fitness enthusiast, the workouts looked too tough and I was probably a little afraid of them. I finally jumped in, and here’s why I did it:
- The message resonated with me. The program seemed to be really well thought out. If we can turn workouts into games, require work on the things we need to improve, and keep it fresh by varying what we do on a daily basis, my workouts would never be boring and repetitive.
- I really don’t like not being able to do things. I couldn’t do a lot of the things that were being programmed on the mainsite. I learned to squat properly for the first time. I learned to use the olympic lifts, which are super fun, in my workouts. I learned how to do a muscle up, which I thought was only for gymnasts and youtube superhumans.
- I really love learning. The CrossFit Journal published the why behind the what and learning about all the things that were going on in the gym motivated me to keep training. I finally learned quality information about nutrition and was able to lose 40 lbs and get to a very lean 205 over the course of my first year of training.
- I could go on, but this is too long already.
I’ve been involved with CrossFit for the last 12 years, and haven’t gotten bored yet! When I started, I couldn’t do 5 good pull ups, now I can do muscle ups. I could barely do a handstand, now I can do handstand push ups. I’m comfortable in my skin, and I get to have fun with an awesome community every workout.
If you’re waiting to get started, I’ll write a post about that soon, but suffice it to say, if you can make it to the gym, you’re ready to start. With expert coaches and an awesome facility, you can start your own journey.
Hope to see you there!