By Katie Copple– Working at a fitness center, I’ve always been intrigued by different workout regimens and routines. From Tabata to HIIT to group classes, staying active is both important for my health and also for my sanity. So, when a friend of mine offered me the chance to try CrossFit, I jumped at the chance.
For those who have never heard of CrossFit or maybe don’t know exactly what it is, CrossFit is made up of “functional movements that are constantly varied at high intensity,” according to crossfit.com. It was developed by Coach Gregg Glassman over many years.
Stepping into Four Seasons’s Crossfit facility for the first time was intimidating to say the least. I attended my first session on Veterans Day to sit and observe. It didn’t take long to notice that everyone at the facility acted like a family. Right away they were welcoming to anyone who walked into the door, whether they were a regular at the gym or not.
The Veterans Day workout was intense and almost turned me away from actually trying it out for myself. I was promised that this workout was much harder than what they normally do, and I found myself putting my workout shoes on the very next week.
My first official workout was an eye-opening experience. I had mixed feelings going into the workout, after hearing negative stories about people getting seriously injured doing a Crossfit workout because they were not doing the moves correctly.
Not long after walking into the gym, I was greeted by one of the trainers who took me aside and made sure I stretched correctly for the workout that lay ahead. We walked over to the workout board, and he talked me through each set of the workout then walked me through each individual exercise to make sure I knew the correct positioning and form. It didn’t take long for me to relax, and I could tell I was in for a treat: a very painful one as I would come to find out.
My first workout was intense, and I came to realize that I have a love/hate relationship with squats. As the resident “newbie” in the gym, the workout was modified to both give me a great workout and also teach me how to properly do each exercise. With well over 100 squats in my first workout, by the end, I could barely walk, and it felt fantastic. After completing my first CrossFit workout, I felt both empowered and exhausted and couldn’t wait to return.
I have visited the CrossFit gym just a handful of times, and each time brings new experiences. I am learning more and more each visit and even conquered my fear of box jumps. I recently went and watched my friend compete in a local CrossFit competition; watching her along with all of the other competitors made me want to set a goal to someday compete in one myself. Will I ever achieve that goal? I don’t know, but just having the opportunity to try CrossFit has been a blast. No matter what shape or size you are or physical condition you are in, CrossFit can be for you. Don’t be afraid to jump in and give it a try because you’ll never know what you’re capable of doing until you just do it.
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