Crossfit
‘This place will change you if you let it.’
I read this sign when I showed up for my first ‘No Sweat Intro’ with Ashley. First, let me say, ‘No Sweat’ is a lie. You will sweat your ass off, but strangely, you love it. You can’t wait to do it again. At least I couldn’t. I remember asking Ashley, ‘Am I too old to do this?’. I’m pretty sure she laughed (I think we are the same age, but she looks amazing. I want her thighs and Coach Emily’s booty, but that’s another blog topic). I remember thinking – thank god I wore sneakers and work out clothes, because I literally thought it was NO SWEAT. (I almost wore flip flops, and that would have been embarrassing!)
From that first hour of sweat, racing heart beat, and lifting a barbell that I was sure I couldn’t, I was ready to commit. I was so tired of spending hours every week at the Y, waiting for my body to change. Waiting to be stronger. Waiting for the goals I set to become reality. Waiting for the cycling and the step classes and the free weighs to change my body. Waiting for something that wasn’t happening. I told Ashley – ‘I’m tired of all this work and nothing changing.’ As crazy as it sounds, I read that sign, ‘this place will change you’, and thought, maybe this is it. Maybe this time it will change. Maybe this time I can reach my fitness/body goals. Maybe. And guess what? I am.
I jumped on a box that is a tad higher than my knees. I deadlifted 165. I front squatted 105. I back squatted 125. I did a DUB. I felt like I was dying but didn’t die, instead I felt amazing. I wanted to do it again. And again. And after 6 weeks, it finally happened. I saw measurable progress. I lost 5.5 inches. My arms looked better. My thighs looked slimmer. I wanted to eat better. I bought a pair of cross training sneakers. I was a Nika and I had no plans to stop being a Nika.
(Side note: My hubby smacked my butt one day and said – “whoa, that didn’t jiggle, it’s getting firm – way to go babe!” YES!!)
Have you ever worked out in a gym where people cheer you on to finish your last reps? Where your name goes on a board for every new accomplishment? Where you get to play dodgeball to warm up? Where a coach sends you a ‘Congrats’ postcard for doing something new in class? Me neither, until Crossfit Nika.
It’s amazing what happened when I let that place change me.