You're capable of much more than you think. The mind quits before the body does.
"I can't" just means "I don't want to." Know the difference.
Ryan and I have been pretty invested in our fitness for the past 2+ years and have made good progress, ups and downs included.
Ryan has always been better about sticking to a routine and pushing himself. He loves lifting, and seeing his progression in strength.
I, on the other hand, struggled more.
Lifting heavy was ok, but I didn't love it, Running was fun for awhile, but I would get easily discouraged when I'd have a less than stellar pace.
I could never seem to find something that called to me. Something that kept me motivated to keep going.
I've done lifting routines, I've done running... but regarding either of those, I would
get bored, lose my motivation with lack of results, and find it to be a chore more than
something that made me feel good.
Then I discovered this crazy thing called CROSSFIT, which I shared with Ryan. He basically
told me I was insane. Ryan likes to lift. I like to do something that has variety and keeps my heart rate up.
BINGO!
Something that works for both of us! (now I just needed to convince him!)
We watched videos, we researched, we learned... and are still learning.
These folks are true Athletes! Functionally strong and healthy people that maintain a positive attitude and push each other to do their very best!
When Ryan and I sold the house, we decided we would invest in some equipment and take our next steps in figuring out this Crossfit thing!
And it has proved to be a fantastic decision for us!
It is something BOTH of us really REALLY enjoy, and we can do together!
We are seeing some great results and watching each other progress is really motivating!
Our girls even get into it and will be next to us doing Burpees, or crunches, or their
version of pull-ups ! I've caught Ellie on multiple occasions doing her lifts!! ;)
(by the way... watching a tiny 4 year old do dumbbell snatches is about the cutest thing in the world!)
I'm learning more and more that makes me believe that THIS is the perfect fit for me!
I have begun to use it almost like therapy... it's so relaxing for me! I get all the other crap out
of my head, and can sweat away the frustrations plaguing me that day.
And the results...
I will admit, I've gained 10lbs. I weigh a sturdy 167lbs, but I have lost inches on my waist, arms, and legs, and have defined abs that I'm proud of.
I've also officially achieved my first unassisted pull-up with a kip, can do a solid set of strict push-ups, and watch my times improve as I go through various workouts!
When I'm finished, I'm usually soaked and sweaty, dirty, sore hands, wobbly legs, and happy!
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| I realize I look pissed off, but I was just concentrating! |
~ Now I'm gonna let Ryan share his perspective and give you his take on what this is all about ~
This is the video first CrossFit video I watched and subsequently told Ana she was nuts, those workouts would kill me.
I feared those workouts, each and every one I saw, they were beyond intimidating. Probably because I knew I couldn't do them well or at all.
The more videos I watched, the more I became motivated and driven. Those athletes are incredible women and men alike. They are exceptional in everything they do. I hadn’t pushed myself to a level even close in comparison. Physically, I don’t think I looked bad when I first looked at CrossFit, I was fairly strong. I wanted a more toned look and who doesn’t coming into summer. I realized I was strong, I was NOT fit.
I wanted to be FIT!!
What good is strength if it only lasts 20 seconds? It was then that I decided I wanted my strength to be functional, to have the stamina to move from one task to the next without rest. To make everything physical in life a little easier, I now train to be stronger/faster/better than I was yesterday.
My first attempt at
CrossFit was a workout called Fran, Pull-ups and Thrusters in sets of 21-15-9 for time. How tough could it be to do a thruster (full front squat to barbell overhead) with 95
lbs? Just
like I feared it would, it punished me. When you push yourself for time you are your own worst enemy, pushing to go faster made it hurt that much worse. I was gasping for air before finishing the first 21 pull-ups and
wasn’t even 25% done.
I kept pushing, I knew how long it was taking and I'd watched girls do it sub 3 minutes after a 4 event competition as a tie breaker. ( http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b1pas269hoA ) My pride kept me going but my body was throwing in the towel. Ten minutes
later I finished, was a bent over in exhaustion and covered in sweat. 4 months
later I’ve shaved 4 minutes off of that first time and can go about my day after catching my breath.
Training for strength and size, I rarely would find myself short of breath. Now I don't feel like I've done a workout unless I have been winded. Metabolic conditioning now shares equal importance to overall strength.
CrossFit is a lifestyle that suits Ana and I quite well. Almost all of our workouts can be done in 20 minutes or less from home. This gives us more time for other things in our life. No longer do we have separate 45-60 min trips to the gym eroding our evenings away. And we both look and feel better than ever as a result.
At this point, if you want to stop reading that's fine... otherwise, I'm going to
share some of what we've learned and a bit about our views on this.
What is Crossfit?
Well, I'll let a pro explain it...:
"The CrossFit program is wholly unique in its aims, prescriptions, methodologies, and implementation, writes Coach Greg Glassman in “Understanding CrossFit.” We sought to build a program that would best prepare trainees for any physical contingency—prepare them not only for the unknown but for the unknowable as well. The CrossFit prescription is “constantly varied, high-intensity, functional movement.” No aspect of functional movements is more important than their capacity to move large loads over long distances, and to do so quickly"
"Our program delivers a fitness that is, by design, broad, general, and inclusive.
Our specialty is not specializing"- crossfit.com
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| The Rack - I love having a garage gym more than I could have ever imagined!!! |
The Games that define the Fittest on Earth begin July 25th
You want some motivation... watch and be amazed!!!
