WOD Kills

Diaries and motivations of a CrossFit beginner

Tag: wod

October 6, 2013

I joined a 100 Burpees Challenge. What about you?

100 Burpees Challenge (100burpees.rolandoalberti.ch)

100 Burpees Challenge (100burpees.rolandoalberti.ch)

Guess what? Burpees don’t like you either. Many times we read this sentence in Internet memes and, probably, is just the truth. Anyway, it happened last Monday, that we had to face one of those MetCon WODs packed of Burpees. And it literally knocked most of us down. And so my friend Rolando, one of the box managers, had one of his brilliant ideas: lets start a 100 Burpees Challenge!

We started the first of October with 1 Burpee, and we will add one everyday. This until the 100th day on which we will – hopefully – be able to do 100 unbroken Burpees, with 5050 Burpees done in 100 days.

Rolando is covering the challenge on its own blog (100burpees.rolandoalberti.ch), posting some useful tips everyday.

The myth of Milone

Milone is the most famous fighter and an Olympic champion of the ancient Greece, lived in the second half of the VI century, before Christ. A legend says that he trained since his childhood lifting a calf. He did it everyday, and his strength grew together with the calf that was getting heavier, growing day by day. Milone won six ancient Olympic games.

Milone di Crotone, Pierre Puget (Paris, Le Louvre)

Milone di Crotone, Pierre Puget (Paris, Le Louvre)

And now: why don’t you join our challenge?

Probably, you don’t like Burpees. Why don’t you try to start fighting the daemon joining us in our 100 Burpees Challenge? Burpees can be done everywhere: at the box, at home or at office (for the joy of your colleagues) and are a great MetCon exercise which will help you getting better results during the WODs.
You can start today (6th of October) with 6 Burpees and stay with us for the next 94 days.

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September 24, 2013

What I learned from CrossFit (until now)

Me and my friends after a really intense WOD

Me and my friends after a really intense WOD (crossfitlugano.com)

When I joined the CrossFit community, I never thought I could have learned something. I soon realized I was going to workout hard and I was going to give my best, but it took me a while to understand that the experience I’m living is actually more than just fitness. We’re not talking about skills and techniques. What I learned, and I’m learning day by day, WOD by WOD, is something that I think is making me a better, and more complete, person.

CrossFit is a lesson of humility

CrossFit boxes usually have a really heterogeneous customers base. Students, lawyers, traders, workers, sport professionals and more. What I learned, is that doesn’t matter who you are and what you do outside the box: in there you are just like all the other folks. You will give your best, you will sweat and you will suffer. And perhaps, you will find your name at the bottom of the times whiteboard. This way, I’m learning to never give up and to keep challenging myself. Leaving my ego at the door.

I can learn something from everybody

When I first moved my steps in the CrossFit world, there very little I knew about. Of course, my trainers are the first source of knowledge and information. But I’m trying to keep looking at all the people around me. In CrossFit no one is the best in class. And, with humility, I’m sure I can learn something from everybody in there.

I started eating well

I spend about 12 hours a day out of home, in car and at my office. And I’m sure most of you are in my same conditions. Eating well, eating healthy, is difficult. And, to be honest, was never my concern. But joining CrossFit is not just about sport and getting active. It’s more like lifestyles that will make you feel better and more conscious about your body. Soon I started being pickier on my lunches and dinners, trying to choose the best nutrients I could get. Such a change is quite difficult, and requires determination and patience. Most of the time, while eating at self-services or restaurants, is almost impossible to find what your body really need. Nevertheless, I quickly found out that my performances during the workouts and my general feelings during the day were much better while I managed to eat the right amount (and from the right sources) of carbs, proteins and fats.

Less is more!

All my life I looked for fancy fitness clubs with modern machines and cutting edge interior design. That stuff cost me a lot and, guess what? It never worked. We think that being member of a nice gym will give us better chances to go often, but at the end, this rarely works. The ugly truth is that most of us don’t need all that stuff. Less is more: CrossFit boxes are essentials and offers just what you need. You will learn to workout with floor exercises, jump boxes, PVC bars, ropes and few other (heavy) objects. Nevertheless, the rugged look of the box will give you other motivations to work you ass off. No women with fancy gym pants and make up, no guys with expensive watches. Everybody will be sweating and moaning, and you will not be embarrassed to do the same.

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September 13, 2013

My 8 reasons to join CrossFit if you think you are not made for it.

Because you think you can’t do it (and you’re wrong)

If you’re wondering around the Internet trying to understand what CrossFit is, probably you already saw a lot of big guys and fit girls. CrossFit Boxes are usually packed with incredibly prepared athletes, but that does not mean you can’t be part of the game.  The CrossFit training system is scalable and easily accessible for every kind of person. Even for you. You will be surprised by the things you will do and the improvements you will achieve.

Because you will learn to not give up

How many times, following your daily program at your gym, you ended up cutting reps or exercises because you were feeling a bit tired or bored? Doing your CrossFit workouts you will be motivated by your trainers, your mates and your desire to achieve results, to finish up the full program once you started it. You will improve your determination and constancy: two basic skills in the Box and in your everyday life.

Because you need motivations to move your ass

Nowadays people tend to get lazy. The sedentary life deriving from office jobs and daily routines gives us a lot of excuses to not take care of ourselves, cutting down our motivations. The CrossFit community – once again: your trainer, your mates, and you – will be a very efficient driver that will push you to take an hour for your own well being. 

Because you don’t have enough time

Each one of our days is packed by deadlines and stressful tasks. And the daily routine often doesn’t allow us enough time for our social life and physical activity. “Ain’t nobody got time for that”, a popular Internet meme says. But without making big compromises you will find time for CrossFit. You can be sure everything will be done in an hour or less. And after that, you will be tired and satisfied as never before. Cutting down those boring (and time expensive) 30 minutes of warm-up on the treadmill.

Because you will feel healthier

You will feel healthier and fit. And this will happen very soon. Your body will be surprised by all the new things you will be doing, and you will end up with a strange, addicting sense of well being. This will motivate you to carry on a healthier lifestyle, taking care of your alimentation and your sleep quality. Simple actions like climbing stairs, or carrying shopping bags will become surprisingly easier.

Because you will make new friends

One of the distinctive signs of CrossFit is its community. People going to the same Box tend to become friends. During the daily workouts, athletes are driven to bond, helping and motivating each other out. You will socialize with your mates and, perhaps, you will build up new friendships.

Because you will feel more confident with your body

You will be trained to do things and movements that you thought were reserved to a small number of people. And you will be surprised by how powerful your body is and how more powerful it can become. This will turn up in a renewed confidence in your body and your physical possibilities.

Because you will never get bored

A daily/weekly workout program of a regular gym bores us all. And in a short time, we tend to loose our motivations. CrossFit WOD changes every day, and you will rarely end up doing the same thing two times. Plus, the intensity of the training will keep you excited about what you are doing.

May you always do what you are afraid to do

May you always do what you are afraid to do (julianbialowas.com)

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September 12, 2013

Feelings of a beginner

And so it seems that I arrived at the end of my On-Ramp training.

When I decided to join the CrossFit community, pushed by a friend, I didn’t know what I was going to face exactly. Surely I knew that my physical condition wasn’t great, and I had to do something about.

As I often say talking with my new friends at the Box, I’m usually the best customer for regular fitness centres. I pay a full year subscription, driven by an irrational enthusiasm, and I never go. That happened more than once in my life: I could never stand staying closed in a gym, lifting heavy stuff and running like a hamster in its wheel.

I was scared this time I was going to have the same feelings. Especially because my expectations about the CrossFit training philosophy and its community where not great. Or better: I was sure I couldn’t fit in there with ultra-fit people lifting barbells, hanging on bars, running, rowing and shit. I’m a tall and skinny guy, 185cm tall (6’1” fts) for 69Kg (149.6 lbs) and I never liked any kind of strength training. All the time I felt embarrassed in gyms, next to huge guys growling and panting while fighting with bench presses or huge dumbbells. And I think, this may be a common feeling for people like me. For these reasons, before applying for my On-Ramp training, I decided to attend a Free Trial offered by my local Box, trying to understand what was really happening during a CrossFit WOD. And that warm Saturday, everything changed.

Every accomplishment begins with the decision to try

Every accomplishment begins with the decision to try.

What I will remember for a long time is the deep sense of fatigue after the 15-20 minutes of the trial workout. I realised that I never had such intensity of physical activity before. While resting on the floor, trying to slow down my heart, getting my breath back, and control a strange nausea, the only thing in my mind thinking was: “I’m not made for this stuff”.

Once back home, after a refreshing shower, something started to change in my mind. And that little voice saying: “Hey, be reasonable, you’re not made for working out…” shut up. And suddenly I was attracted by that intensity, that sense of fatigue, those sore muscles. I started considering the chance to apply for the On-Ramp training.

I wasn’t convinced until the Monday after. That morning I woke up early as usual. Checking my emails while having breakfast, something caught my attention. An email from Rolando, the Box manager, saying that there was a free place for the On-Ramp training starting that same day. In that moment a bell rang. I took my phone and I made the call: my adventure started that evening.

A lot has been written in blogs and fitness related websites about CrossFit and the On-Ramp program. What really impressed me is the level of attention and preparation of the trainers I found. I immediately felt comfortable with the situation as I never felt in any of the gyms I went (or at least tried to go). I started learning movements and skills that I thought I could never perform and get. And, for the first time, I started being confident about my potentialities.

I read a lot about the “CrossFit Community” and I thought was just a bunch of nice motivational words, part of a clever marketing operation. Well, I had to change my mind. What really helped me was being with other people, each one of them giving its best to learn something that was new for all of us, with our ego out of the Box. That sense of embarrassment I had in other gyms totally disappeared: I was for the first time happy to be working out with a group of people I barely knew.

And yes, I started seeing (or better: feeling) results. Of course each person starting a new physical activity does it for two main reasons: feeling better and looking better.

The “looking better” part is hard to achieve and requires a long, long (longer) time. The “feeling better” part is almost sudden and really satisfying. And yesterday during our last On-Ramp lesson, I had a clear confirmation of this. We repeated the same WOD we had during our first On-Ramp lesson.

400m run
21-15-9
Squat
Push-up
Jumping Pull-up

400m run

And these, are my registered times:

19/08/2013: 14’11”
11/09/2013: 9’14”

The improvement, for all of us, was great. And at least for me, unexpected.

The bottom line: no matter how fit you are CrossFit will change your life. You will improve your weaknesses, and will teach you keep motivations high. Your pals and your trainers will help you to not give up. And this last thing is the one I feel the most important. Learning the feeling to have all the instruments to achieve ambitious results. During your workouts, and especially, in your life out there.

My special thanks:

My friend Gianandrea, for having pushed me in this adventure.

My wife Adriana, for the patience she paid for my late dinners.

My trainers Niccolò, Filippo and Rolando for the motivations they gave me, their professionalism and capacity to transmit skills and concepts.

My On-Ramp classmates, for the time spent together sweating and learning.

All the other CrossFit Lugano members I had the chance to talk with, for their advices and moral support.

CrossFit Lugano on-Ramp 001

CrossFit Lugano on-Ramp 001. I’m the guy with the yellow t-shirt. Picture courtesy of CrossFit Lugano

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