Last night I tried CrossFit for the first time. According to Wikipedia “CrossFit workouts incorporate elements from high-intensity interval training, Olympic weightlifting, plyometrics, powerlifting, gymnastics, calisthenics and other exercises.” When I arrived at Dragons Den Fitness in Walnut Grove I have to say it was an intimidating scene. The gym is located in this random warehouse where inside all I could hear was rock music blaring and ridiculously fit, good looking people lifting the heaviest weights I’ve ever seen! No joke, one guy must’ve been bench pressing 200 pounds with the room packed with ropes, dumbbells, rowers…you name it! I shyly went inside to meet my friend Poonam not sure what I was getting into.
Unlike a group workout class at the gym where you more or less do the same style of moves over and over, CrossFit is all about mixing it up so the body doesn’t know what to expect next. At the start of our class our instructor laid out the night’s workout schedule: Two hard minutes on the rowing machine, 21 lunges, nine kettle bell raises, a run around the block and then repeat.
For half an hour we went through the cycle with no breaks in between, each time harder than the next. While it was cool to shock my body into something new, what I enjoyed the most was the coaching. Again, unlike your basic workout or yoga class where the teacher is too busy or just doesn’t have the knowledge to correct students, these instructors have undergone hours of training to give people the best coaching possible. Throughout the night my coach corrected me constantly (in a good way!) telling me to stick my knees out more when I lunge and to pull harder on the rowing machine in order to get the best results which I really appreciated.
Heaving afterwards my friend asked me if I wanted to take part in an hour-long CrossFit fundraiser this Saturday where people workout as hard as they can to raise money for charities. Honestly, taking part in the beginners class showed me I’m simply not fit enough.
There’s a reason CrossFit enthusiasts are so buff. It truly is mentally and physically gruelling. A reminder I have a long ways to go but a good goal to work up to!
– Vanessa xoxo
– vanessa@pulsefm.ca
@VanessaLYbarra