October 29, 2011 Roadblocks, detours, traffic jams….
..and On Ramp….http://www.cathletics.com/articles/article.php?articleID=54
*On Ramp is a beginners intro to CrossFit designed by Nicki Violetti, wife of Paleo pro and former CrossFit Nutrition lecturer Robb Wolf.
I started CrossFit July 6th, 2009. By Feb. of 2010 I was competing in the Rx’d (advanced) class. My last competition was June of this year, and just as in the other competitions, I was able to place in the top three.
There’s no doubt that CrossFit is an amazing sport to say the least, and most people who start up jump in with two feet, forcing the pedal to the floor and accelerating onto the freeway of intensity just as soon as their little motors will let them. But what happens in the fast lane after a significant period of time? Aren’t we all bound for obstacles which may slow us down? Like running out of fuel, or even worse, the inevitable crash of a careless driver.
Well most people who know anything about CrossFit know about “drinking the Kool-Aid,” and we can all probably attest, then, to a little drunk driving. I’m talking about the high you get during your first 6 months to a year of CrossFit; the amazing results in all areas of wellness, especially in how you look, feel, and perform. And the competitions, whew….they take it to another level. Pretty soon the carelessness and recklessness of the pursuit for greater intensity overwhelm any chance of being safe or effective in the gym, and that’s when injuries occur.
But more and more, and I’ve written about this before, I’m starting to have conversations with people who’ve hit a wall, plateaued, or just simply realized that CrossFit is not life, but rather, should fit into your life and not the other way around. I’ve seen gym owners close down and move on. I’ve watched former competitors and CrossFit enthusiasts find new interests. And I’ve read countless articles about the burnout that seems to happen right around year 2 mark.
Unlike other workouts, CrossFit is very much a community-based regimen with a cult-like following. I don’t mean that in a derogatory sense, I mean that in a Big-Lebowski-cult-following sense. Since I started a few years ago, I’ve met people all over MT involved with CrossFit, and the relationships I’ve formed with them are stronger than many other friendships. It’s strange how the competition and the sheer suck-factor of most CrossFit workouts brings people together…but then again, you know what they say–”misery loves company.”
My journey took a bit of a turn at the beginning of the year when I started a new job on a different career path. Nothing’s been the same since. The firmly established routine I had of decent nutrition and working out turned into a totally sporadic at best attempt to stave off gaining everything I lost (fat!).
After my temporary job through the winter, I returned to Choteau and got back on track. I fought in another 4th of July exhibition boxing match, and competed again in a CrossFit competition. Then…another road trip.
The last three months have been sheer chaos, and I’m officially living out of my car and couch surfing as I await the next “big advance” at work. Needless to say, working out has taken a back seat…along with, quite literally, the rest of my favorite things.
But it was beginning to drive me crazy not to have what keeps me sane; a regular routine of ass kicking workouts available at my fingertips. So I changed that. A couple of runs through the new town I’ve been hanging out in and I knew what I had to do. I bit the bullet and got a new gym membership at probably one of the coolest gyms I’ve seen in a long time. All weights, plates, and heavy bags open 24/7. A true CrossFit-wannabe-boxer’s dream come true. All the (dumb/bar/kettle) bells and whistles needed for just about any CrossFit workout and then some.
God if felt good getting back on track this morning after a sloppy sabbatical of apathy and laziness. Sure…my workout was probably more On Ramp than Hero WOD, but I was soaked in sweat and am guaranteed to be (good)sore, so that’s something to be proud of. I realize how off I am when I don’t get to workout, and even though things change, I realize I have to make working out a priority, no matter where I am, what’s available, or who I’m with.
Life’s a rollercoaster, so it should be no surprise to me that my workout routine may be too. I can tell you I always perform better when I’m regular with my workouts…and I don’t just mean in the gym. When we look good and feel good we perform well in all areas–work included. There’s nothing like blowing off steam with some heavy lifting, or better yet, railin’ on a heavy bag… talk about stress relief.
So….it continues. I’ll keep plugging along, always returning to this idea that physical wellness breeds mental, emotional, and even professional wellness.
A new gym, a new job, a new journey.
And though I’m prone to hit it full speed ahead, I’ve learned my limits the hard way and finally tuned up a bit. Limits exist for good reason-but it’s ok to push them a bit from time to time.
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