Another Objectivist CrossFit noob...

Inspired by the success of Diana Hsieh, Jenn Casey, and other Objectivists who've tried CrossFit and found that it's improved their strength and overall fitness, I decided to make giving CrossFit a try one of my goals for 2011. I have plenty of endurance, as the four marathons I've completed will attest -- but I've never in my life been able to do a single unassisted pull-up. I'm also so inflexible that I can barely force my legs to a 90-degree angle for a floor sit. This, I've decided, needs to change.

I'm coming at CrossFit from a different starting point than many other Objectivists: Although I've tried a few fitness fads in the past (spinning, kickboxing), I never found anything I could stick with until I started to run. I huffed and puffed through my first five-mile race, with a time well above 45 minutes (I can torch that now!), but kept at it. Nearly five years later, I've now completed four marathons (beating my personal record each time), am at the lowest weight I've ever maintained as an adult, and have had no injuries beyond a brief bout with plantar fasciitis a couple of years ago, which strength and stretching exercises seem to have permanently cured. I don't want to stop running; I love it, even on the days when I have to convince myself to do it (like when it's 26 degrees out, as it was on Saturday!). I was a bit apprehensive of CrossFit because of my commitment to running; would I be able to fit such an intense type of workout into the high-mileage work I already do?

With this apprehension in mind, I approached the CrossFit South Brooklyn gym and asked some questions. The owners assured me that, in addition to dedicated CrossFitters, they also have many members who integrate CrossFit workouts into training for running, triathlons, or boxing. They also invited me to come to a free teaser class, which I was finally able to do this past Saturday.

The workout, although challenging, was not nearly as hard as I've gotten the impression CrossFit can be; I suspect that the gym makes the teaser classes easy so as not to scare newbies away. On the other hand, I was tantalized by the potential of this type of workout to make me fitter. The range-of-motion exercises with which we opened the workout really helped me loosen up, and when we jumped into what I would call a "WOD-lite" (as many rounds as possible in 10 minutes of 10 push presses, 10 air squats, and 10 sit-ups), although I did very well relative to the other newbies, I could see where practice would improve me tremendously. (For example, our instructor dropped off squats with his butt below parallel with his knees, seemingly as easily as breathing; I could consistently hit parallel, but could go no lower.)

So, I enjoyed the class very much, and have signed up for private instruction to complete the gym's mandatory Foundations training (learning the basic moves so you don't hold back others in a group setting). I'm hoping to get my first lesson scheduled this week, and to be finished with Foundations work by the middle of next month.

Here's to a fitter and stronger New Year!