CrossFit + Me = Sore for days

When I first heard about CrossFit a couple years ago I wanted to do it... but it never really seemed to work out... location wise, time wise, money wise. Once we moved to Costa Mesa I was determined to try it, so I did a little research on CrossFit gyms in our area and found a "garage gym" about a mile from our new house... perfect! For those of you who have no idea what I'm talking about, CrossFit is "a strength and conditioning system built on constantly varied, if not randomized movements at high intensity." Pretty much you lift super heavy weights, squat, lunge, push and pull as fast and as hard as you can until you feel like dying... or at least throwing up. Okay, its not that bad... but it can be pretty intense.

My first workout was the typical one for first-timers, called the "baseline workout". I was instructed to row 500 meters, do 40 squats, 30 sit ups, 20 push ups, and 10 pull ups as fast as I could... "Okay, good, got it.... Wait a minute, did you say pull ups? uh... I can't do pull ups... not one... definitely not 10!" "No problem," says Alec, who runs the gym out of his garage. "You can use this box to jump up to the bar each time." "Awesome" I say, somewhat sarcastically. "Great! Lets do it!" he says. So I start my first workout, all the while being cheered on by Alec and the others, who were once in my shoes. To my surprise, I did fine... even the pull-ups, which were a little embarrassing. Not as bad as I thought it would be. I felt good actually... tired, yet energized... I can do this!

Since then, I have gone to CrossFit about 6 more times... each time is a little different, and quite a bit harder than my baseline workout. I have experienced soreness beyond what I have felt in a long time...the kind where sitting on the toilet is painful... but I love it. I love that every time I go, I am welcomed by friendly faces; people who are suffering through these crazy workouts together and at the same time cheering one another on. I love that it kicks my butt and pushes me beyond what I think I can do.

Who knows, one of these days I might actually be able to do a pull-up...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QQXtMz5hZE0&feature=channel