I had been a runner – on and off – since high school cross country. Five years ago, I was looking for something new to do that I could stick with and that would give me a full body workout. My best friend owns Nasty Habit CrossFit in Holyoke, Massachusetts and I enjoyed the variety of exercises when I tried it out on a visit. Upon returning to Baltimore, I got in touch with Geo and signed up for CFH.
Scaling made CrossFit approachable, sustainable, and allowed me to get in a challenging workout and improve over time. When I was new, I had to scale nearly everything. As a result of an old running injury, I had limited hip mobility. I could barely squat and I couldn’t lunge at all. The coaches suggested mobility exercises and squatting to a box. I also didn’t have the grip strength to hang onto the rig, so I’d substitute with sit-ups and ring rows. The coaches taught me how to lift a barbell with the correct form, which I never did in a conventional gym because I didn’t know how. I’m now at a point where I practice technical Olympic lifts on my own. I also couldn’t imagine crossFitting more than twice a week when I first started because of how sore I would get. Now I work out five days a week! Cleans, snatches, and overhead squats require mobility that I didn’t even know I needed to have! Thanks to ongoing strength gains and Coach Laura’s Olympic lifting class, I’m far more comfortable getting under the bar. I am lifting weight that I couldn’t imagine when I started this sport five years ago. CrossFit is one of the best investments I’ve made in myself. I’ve never been stronger or faster, and there’s still so much to learn and get better at.
I feel better and stronger – physically and mentally – when I consistently exercise. What helped me make CrossFit a habit is that all I have to do is show up. I don’t have to plan a routine, which is a time saver. I don’t get bored because every day is different. Thanks to IA’s thoughtful programming and hands on coaching, I’m confident that I’ll get in a quality workout. When I’m in the gym, I don’t think of anything else I have going on, so it helps clear out mental cobwebs and relieves stress.