CrossFit is Scary.
I am afraid of getting hurt.
CrossFit isn’t for me.
I cannot tell you how many times I hear this from people. It’s common to fear the unknown, but also very common and courageous to go for it anyway! Give it a try! If you have been standing on the outside, looking in, getting that little nudge to join the CrossFit gym down the street, or listening to your two friends that talk CrossFit all the time, about AMRAPs and Clean & Jerks with an excitement in their voice that you wish you could relate to, or if you have seen us running down the street carrying a medicine ball or flipping tires in the parking lot, wondering if that’s something you could do, YES YOU CAN!!! YOU ARE NOT ALONE!!!
I recently began working with a woman in her 30s who has a background in running and pole, so she is in pretty good shape. She is very apprehensive about CrossFitting. She is afraid of getting hurt or being so sore that she is bedridden for days. First, I commend her for choosing to give it a try anyway. I assured her that she is safe. We will take the time to instruct her on how to perform each of these lifts properly. We focus on good technique and proper form from the first day. Once she is comfortable with these movements, then, and only then, will we add heavier loads or push her to move faster. I told her that we will work at her her level, scaling movements to her ability. I understand the fear. I came in with the same fears.
For example:
First time doing a deadlift? No problem. Let’s use an empty 35 pound barbell and go through the proper way to pull the barbell from the floor to full extension. We will go over this, rep after rep, until you are comfortable deadlifting. You can’t do a pull up? Many can’t. So let’s work on that upper body strength with ring rows until our upper body can pull our bodyweight from a hanging position. Working the same muscles!
This woman survived her first CrossFit workout! She not only survived, but she performed better than she expected she would AND came back the next day for another workout! Was she sore? Hell yes! If she wasn’t, then we didn’t work hard enough! The soreness is good! It’s proof that you worked those muscles. Overtime, your body will recover faster. This story is very common! I am often assuring clients that they are safe. Look around our gym! We have CrossFitters as young as 6 and up to mid- 70s! All doing CrossFit, scaled to their level.
So if I can do CrossFit at 45, and she can do CrossFit at 30, and the kids can do CrossFit, and Seniors can do CrossFit……… then YOU CAN DO CROSSFIT too!!!
If you still aren’t sure, come by and watch a class! Or go ahead and trust that inner voice, or me, and schedule a goal setting session today!
CrossFit is NOT scary! Going through life without having an outlet or without having the proper tools….. that’s scary! CrossFit and the CrossFit community gives you a healthy outlet and prepares you for the world, improving the quality of your life.
Jennifer Adams
General Manager
Personal Trainer
CrossFit Trainer L1