My First CrossFit Experience

 This past Sunday, I ran my longest distance yet with 9 miles. While it is only 1 mile more than my previous record, at the end my legs seriously felt like they were going to crumble underneath me.

I didn't even think it was gunna happen since about 2 miles in I got the most debilitating side cramp of my life. It was seriously crippling, which explains my side hobble while still trying to run. I'm sure I was entertaining to watch.

After a quick walk I was back in the game to see it through. As soon as I stopped running, my knees started to buckle a bit, and I thought I was going to end up crawling back to my house. As much as I know you'd want to see that I'm glad I don't have the pleasure of sharing that with you. Instead you can share my disgust of coconut water.

As if that wasn't enough fit for the weekend, I kicked some major booty with the girls from Blog & Tweet NH for my first real CrossFit class. If you read about my barre class experience, you may recall my disinterest in CrossFit. I always said I didn't want to get 'jacked' and lift heavy things over my pretty little head. Until I saw what real CrossFit is all about.

Our class was held at CrossFit Ad Finem in Bedford with an amazing trainer (and Justin Timberlake stand in) Mat.

 

Mat started by giving us a brief background of CrossFit and how he got to opening up his own CrossFit gym aka "Box".

He started out becoming a certified coach, but has been involved with CrossFit since 2008. He used CrossFit workouts to 'get jacked' but realized it was a workout for lifetime fitness and health rather than a fad just to get fit for the Summer.

After he moved to getting his Level 1 certification, he 'drank the juice' as they say and was hooked on CrossFit 4 lyfe. PS: The true spelling of CrossFit has a capital F for extra oomph, so look out for the imitators and haters with a lowercase F.

What the heck is Ad Finem you say?! It is latin for 'til the very end' which is true for what CrossFit stands for. Mat told us he has members than range from ages 21 to 82. Yeah, 82. Still think you can't do CrossFit? Ha. Nahht.

Now for the good stuff. Mat got down to running us through the exercises that made up the workout of the day or WOD in CrossFanglish. Here's what we were in for:

3 RFT (Rounds For Time)

400 m run

15 Wall Balls

10 Pull-Ups

5 Burpees

I put my game face and burpee pants on to rock this WOD. Since I had the great idea to run 5 miles the morning of, my legs weren't exactly loving the extra runnage, but since it was gorgeous out I suffered delightfully.

Wall balls were probably the hardest thing for me. Squatting and throwing a ball in the air sounds all fine and dandy, except if you're a past basketball player. I tended to throw it like a basketball, if that is even possible with a 10 lb medicine ball..

Look at that form.

Next were pull-ups. I cranked these out Schwarzenagger style.

Except with some help from my little friend elastic band. Basically a giant rubber band to help my wimpy arms feel like they're made of titanium.

Finally the burpees. Oh, burpees. I actually hated these less than I anticipated. Mat showed us to drop completely to the floor on the down-low which made it a lot easier to crank out than the push-up stance I was used to doing before. I guess me & Mr. Burpee have moved up to the next level in our relationship.

After I finished gargling my heart, I realized that I did make this WOD my Fran (One class and I'm already busting out CrossFit jokes).

My name looks so wittle.

Boom goes the dynamite. I don't think I have felt such a workout in 10 minutes since I tried opening a giant jar of pickles. Impossible. But seriously though, I can understand how people get hooked in this stuff. I sipped drank gulped the juice and need more!

I came into CrossFit thinking I wasn't going to be able to do a lot of the exercises, or that the trainers were going to be all BA Jillian Michael's on me. Far from true.

Mat's focus was always about correct form and protecting the back first and foremost and showing how to do each move before we had the chance to try. Sure, you take a class with other people, but it is really about a race with yourself. To see how far you can push yourself and see the results each time you go.

For all you nay sayers, I encourage you to give CrossFit a try. I was one myself, and saw it in a totally different light once I tried it. Everyone was so awesome and encouraging that I would want to go back just because of them! Not to mention how amazing I felt after I was done. Who needs chocolate when you can CrossFit? Okay, I still love chocolate but it was catchy, right?!

Thank you, Thank you to the Blog & Tweet NH gals Sarah & Allie for hosting and of course Mat and the whole CrossFit Ad Finem gang!

[Photos courtesy of Allie]

CrossFit or Chocolate?

Burpees or Slurpees?