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When the new girl tried CrossFit…THEN and NOW
If I knew a year and half ago that CrossFit Vernon would make me feel the way I do today, shifting my focus from what my body looks like to what it can do, I wouldn’t have wasted so much time thinking about joining.
THEN:
I remember listening to my coworker talk about her daily CrossFit experiences, and how lit up she’d be from the challenging classes when she’d get to work. I was so envious and inspired by her strength- I would have done anything to go a year ago, and now it was time to just get my feet inside the door, and take it from there. CrossFit Lite, here I come!
What an AWESOME way to initiate yourself into CrossFit. For those who are too afraid to try it, READ THIS: Some reading this might remember their first day of CF and how it felt walking in. I went by myself, terrified and intimidated. So, honestly, it was not love at first site at all, but it WAS love at-about 10 minutes in. When I walked in, of course I felt vulnerable and intimidated. I had my own issues going on and it basically had taken the last year to build the confidence and back strength to try CrossFit. And no one knows my struggles but me. So when I walked in, this is what I remember seeing: super fit chicks and dude without shirts doing burpee pullups and hand stand pushups, and theres no freakin way I could do any of that! So I blocked the rest of what they were doing out. haha I don’t remember what they did after that:) But at least the loud music was awesome! So I sat there watching the previous class finish up their WOD before the CrossFit Lite class started, and damn this looked instense! Everyone looked so strong, so focused, so sweaty, and so tired..and then there was me and my lack of group activity for the last year. BUT when they were done, they looked so proud writing in their journals :). I wanted to feel the rewards that they were experiencing, and I already had my foot in the door as the first step, so I needed to suck it up and change my focus; instead of comparing myself to them and feeling like I can’t do what they’re doing, I felt inspired to get to where they are. This moment is where everything, and my outlook on fitness, would change for me. That did NOT mean lifting as heavy weights as everyone else, finishing a WOD faster than everyone else, or being as fit as the girls beside me. But it DID mean finding the same strength that everyone else can find, pushing myself as hard as everyone else has the courage to do, thriving off motivation from my CF friends when I want to stop, living a healthy life and having a fitness family to keep me in routine. It meant finding that community, so that on the days I don’t show up, someone holds me accountable and says, (kindly of course), “where were you yesterday? slacker..”. So, before I could even find time to be scared standing in the CrossFit doorway, Deanna greeted me at the door with this BIG smile and my nervousness turned to an excited eagerness to start, while everyone in the class assured me I was about to fall in love with Crossfit. I will NEVER forget that welcoming feeling from her and the “CF liters” on my first class – How we are treated on that first day really can honestly make or break someones experience. We all have our struggles and no one knew mine, but they didn’t need to and it didn’t matter- and I think that was the best part for me, because I could stop letting them hold me back 🙂 I couldn’t imagine my life right now if I had turned around and walked out that day. I will always do the same for other newbies that walk in the door. The rewards definitely outweighed the fear of starting something new. It didn’t take long before I wanted to become a 5:30am-er and upgrade to the regular crossfit class.
NOW:
1) I have come closer to doing a pullup than I ever have in my ENTIRE life, and can’t wait for the day I do it. I know it’s coming, Dee told me so haha. I am definitely stronger than I have ever been with any other activity, and love that daily I progress a little more. I’ve learned there is no hurry to get to the heavy weights, so focus on form. And there is no limit to how far I can go, so don’t place any goal out of site.
2) I have gone down 4 sizes. I’ve been trying to do that since I moved here 4 years ago, and have had quite a journey trying. All it took was a few months at CrossFit. But regardless, I don’t even feel like that matters to me anymore. That feeling all on its own of weight doesn’t matter, means so much to someone who was at the time feeling insecure. Strength and fitness, now, is what I value more than my weight and clothing size. Crossfit just seems to take care of it all. I think every female at CrossFit Vernon remembers that first moment when someone first comments on your new back muscles, and inside you’re squealing with joy! ..even if you have to flex reaaaaally hard to show them.
3) HOCKEY! Never in my last 3 seasons of being a goalie have I ever felt my legs so strong, my back hurt the least, had improved posture and stance, been able to get up and down quickly (and with waaay less grunting), and been able to easily endure a full game (because it’s way easier than an hour of crossfit). It’s been SO amazing to see what CrossFit has done for me outside the gym setting.
4) This one means the most to me- I have community. I love the 5:30 am people, especially when they yell at me to keep going. And if one of us isn’t there, we notice. The kickboxing business I owned and shut down had a really close group of women, so when it closed I lost a large sense of community that I cared a lot for, along with many other things, my fitness goals included. CrossFit Vernon is the only place that has allowed me to gain that back. And I honestly don’t think you can find that at any gym; this one is special. The environment here is a unique community, and that’s what I love about it. It started with Jeremy and Dee, and then the other coaches, and how they treat all of us, and then how all of us treat the people coming in. CFV is a place where your coaches love it just as much as you do and never stop inspiring you. It’s a community where you just don’t and won’t give up (unless you puke), where everyone stays a little late after class to cheer you on because you’re the last one finished (and it’s happened to me many times haha), where you’re constantly setting goals for yourself and ACTUALLY accomplishing them, where you feel progress and see progress. People say CrossFit is addictive, and they’re right. Feeling strong and empowered should be addictive. Living healthy and being fit should be addictive.
5) Now, my back injury is improving. Being right in the middle of recovering from this injury, lifting weights was something I was told would make it worse. I don’t need to start yapping about all of this, but I have a strong point; If only I knew then that going to CrossFit Vernon would be the FIRST activity that actually improved my back, I’d have come long ago. At some point, you just have to say “fuck it!” and stop spending so much time guarding yourself and letting an injury hold you back. I have my theories why CFV was the answer. The coaches are so knowledgeable, thorough, passionate, and attentive that in my first few months I don’t think I could have hurt myself even if I tried to. Being a nurse and former kickboxing instructor, I thought I knew a lot about muscle groups and how the body works. Clearly not. I’ve learned more now about my body, form, and posture just from thorough coaching at CFV. EVERY day I learn something. I’m more engaged with my core during a class than I am vacuuming at home or standing at work, so each CF session for me is also a training/rehab session for my core to keep shit where it needs to be..(that’s my medical term for it.).
THANK YOU GUYS!
Crossfit Vernon isn’t about being better than anyone else, it’s about being better than your yesterday self. The minute you walk through the CFV doors, your goals become the coaches goals. Thank you Dee, Jeremy, Cody (for teaching me to lift heavy shit), and the whole gang for accepting me and being patient with me (I know I still have bad habits). For teaching me not just the skills, lifts and WODS, but a whole new appreciation for fitness and sense of confidence. I know you see a lot of physical change in the people you teach, but might not always see the change in how they feel about themselves. You have such an amazing gift you’re giving to others, thank you for sharing it! You run this place fabulously!