A Picture is worth a thousand words.

So I know everyone who works out thinks that where they get things done is the best place..... Or do they?
Well, ask yourself this, when you go work out, do you sit in your car and check your email to see if there are any that came to your inbox in the last few minutes cause you literally just checked it 3 mins ago. Do you dread getting on the treadmill and tell yourself you have to at least do 20 mins today before you get off and go check your email again. Do you walk into the weight room and turn back around cause you don't really have a plan of what you should be doing. So you slowly walk to the stretching area to see if you can spy someone while you are stretching who looks like they know what they are doing so you can copy their workout. Well these are all things I used to witness at the gym that we belong to.  Notice I said still belong to. (we still belong because my kids love to swim and use the gym to play basketball)
Well this post is about the community that my family has found at Kirkland Crossfit and Kirkland Crossfit North. I will admit, me and my husband had a pretty easy time meeting people since we already knew a few of the members.... Second shout out to my sister and brother in law, Ryan and Lucita Fox. (that's for you Ryan since you wanted more than one) Through them we met a few other couples. BUT I cannot even begin to explain or describe what we walked into when we joined. It is one of the things I try to explain to my friends who don't belong to our Crossfit box. Its like walking into a room full of your own family members.(family members you like)  Really.... that's what it has become for me and my family.

As soon as you walk in the door everyone is either finishing up a WOD, warming up for a WOD or talking about the WOD. "How was it today?" "What did you think?" "What was the hardest part for you?" "How did you approach it?" "What was your time?" These my friends, are the usual questions that we are all talking about before and after the WOD.  Not to mention Michelle (an awesome coach) will sometimes yell at someone to stop talking about what BBQ you went to that night before, and get warmed up. Which by the way is something I'm finding I need to do more and more.  If I want to do well in the workout I need to WARM UP and STRETCH! Well, who says you can't talk while stretching....

OK, so back to the community that will adopt you as one of there own. Crossfit. I was recently talking to Tish after one of the workout. I know I mentioned her name like everyone reading this knows who I'm talking about. Anywho, I was talking to Tish and we agreed that we think that you become so close to the members in your crossfit box because you are always in a constant process of learning and trying your hardest at doing your best and working your ass off. So when you finish you want to share your experience and learn from what someone else did. That builds camaraderie!! For example today was a three person WOD (see below)

100 Med Ball sit ups  (14lb ball for women 20lb ball for men)
200 meter run

100 Med Ball Throw
200 Meter Run

100 Med Ball step ups
200 meter run

200 Med Ball ab pass
200 meter run

600 meter run
everyone has to run with the ball for 200 meters

So to break down this workout for everyone..... NO ONE RESTS. You are always working. If your are not one of the two doing a med ball sit up you are running a 200. When you come in you relieve one of your partners and they go run a 200 and you pick up where they left off..

So needless to say you are not doing a lot of talking during the WOD. So after it seems like we are first and for most cheering on the groups finishing after you, all the while going over what was hard for you, what you found to be a strength.  What you did that helped you mentally to keep pushing.... Other than your partners that were counting on you. I on one of my 200 saw Josh Pratt with his hungry eyes trying to run me down because our all female group was ahead of their all male group. (I had to turn the after burners on) That's when you find the energy somewhere. So all of this seems to bring us all closer together. Coupled with everyone is so friendly, all of our kids are playing together while we are all working out. We have even taken family trips with our crossfit family and had a blast.
Check out photo below.

I really have a hard time explaining this part of crossfit to people because its just something you have to see for yourself. When you become a part of it you just feel it. I had a friend who just joined a couple of weeks ago tell me that she didn't know if all crossfit boxes were like ours, but now she knows and understands what Ive talking about and proceeded to say that we really have something special there! I didn't know what to say other than "I know" and smile.

Everyone Should Try Crossfit!

So its true.... I really think everyone should try crossfit at least once. OK, maybe a few times BEFORE saying the usual comments I hear like "I'm just too competitive and Ill get hurt" (that was MY favorite) or "have you seen the people that do crossfit??? I could never do it" another goodie, "I need to get in shape first then Ill try it." Ill admit its not for everyone, but I guess I'm just one of those "crossfitters" that loves it so much and has seen such great results that I get so excited about it.... I want to tell everyone! Kinda like people who are super religious and like to spread the word.....
Really, it is like that cause I'm sure a lot of my friends tune me out when I start talking about the WOD of the day or what paleo dinner we ate last night. I do have to add that since starting crossfit and doing the whole paleo thing we have converted a good amount of our friends to paleo. Ive also successfully had one or two friends join crossfit. I am always in awe of the individuals I see in our crossfit box that are older or that have a goal of losing lots of pounds. I understand that it can be a little scary to try something new. I was nervous when I started. I think what I would like to get across in this little rant is that a good Ole fashion try is worth it. I understand that its not for everyone. I do. Its just hard to understand why everyone who is looking to reach any health goals wouldn't like it.... You have a program that is pre-programed for your success. You don't have to think about what you are gonna do that day in the gym, you just show up. You basically get one on one training on any movement you would like to work on with the coach who is coaching that day (you just have to get their attention and tell them you need help on something) Not to mention you are walked through all the movements that are in the WOD for the day. That's called personal training sweetheart! (saying that in a french accent)
So I know you are probably wondering why this would be my first post??? Well, I picked it because in thinking about why I wanted to start this blogging thing, it made me think back to when I started crossfit and why. Not to mention all the reasons I thought of on why not to....  My awesome crossfitting sister and her husband had been crossfitting for a year and a half before my husband and I gave it a go. Shout out to Ryan and Lucita Fox.
Now a few words on today's WOD. All I need to say is actually one word:
HELEN
I just took a deep sigh after typing that name. I loved it and dreaded it at the same time. I did OK, I actually think I was putting to much pressure on myself cause my husband had said I would do great.... There's that expectation.
10:42
Ive got a little work to do. :)