How CrossFit/functional movement strength training changed my life
I was raised outdoors-hiking, running, biking, Cross Country and playing basketball and doing lots and lots of cardio if I ever went to the gym. I maintained. I was "athletic" so-to speak, but I remember the one summer I saw a picture of myself and realized I needed to make a change. Looking back, it was negative motivation that started me on a fitness journey, which I want to help you avoid, but regardless it was motivation. I wasn't where I wanted to be and mostly, where I KNEW I could be. While those bouts of cardio and sports helped me establish a great aerobic base, I wasn't where I wanted to be strength wise. I had absolutely no upper body strength. I had virtually no muscle tone. I couldn't hold onto the bar for 20 seconds. Or do a single push up. Or pull up. My posture was slouched slightly and my core was extremely weak (although I held the high school sit up record at the time). I could hold a 3 minute plank but I couldn't maintain an upright position when I first began squatting. While I loved running, I found myself constantly having shin splints, stress fractures and everything seemed to hurt all the time. The problem? I hadn't done any strength training.
My family had started CrossFit and my sister was in gymnastics, so I gave in and started with them. I remember thinking my coach was crazy telling me that I could get more abs squatting heavy than 100 sit ups. I laughed. Until I began to realize it was true. It was a few consistent months into it that I really started to see significant changes in my body. While I noticed significant improvements in performance right away, it took a little while to begin to see the muscle tone start to emerge in my legs. I'll take it! I had always been afraid to lift heavy weights because as I'd heard, that makes women big right? Wrong. Instead, I began to shrink wrap. Never in my life did I think I'd be squatting 200+ lbs, doing olympic lifting clear into the 150 range. I didn't think I was coordinated enough to do that stuff. At first, I wasn't. But as I kept going, I saw that I was capable of so much more than I had thought. Most of the limits I put on myself were overcome with just a simple, "yes, I'll try it". My mile times were drastically improving and I was able to help my dad pack a bull elk on our backs several times. My back didn't even hurt the next day. That's a strong core. At work landscaping during the summer, I was able to lift heavy plants, rocks and bags and bags of soil with proper form and for lots and lots of hours. The funniest thing was, the more I ate, more of the right type of foods, the leaner I got. I believe the most significant changes were this:
1) I learned to workout anywhere, with whatever I had and at any time
2) I learned that I could accomplish so much more than I ever thought possible with just a will to achieve and consistently putting in the work
3) Most importantly, I have come to know the importance of being a steward of the body that I've been given and the difference between that and idolizing it. I'd be happy to share more of my story on that another time! :)
My family had started CrossFit and my sister was in gymnastics, so I gave in and started with them. I remember thinking my coach was crazy telling me that I could get more abs squatting heavy than 100 sit ups. I laughed. Until I began to realize it was true. It was a few consistent months into it that I really started to see significant changes in my body. While I noticed significant improvements in performance right away, it took a little while to begin to see the muscle tone start to emerge in my legs. I'll take it! I had always been afraid to lift heavy weights because as I'd heard, that makes women big right? Wrong. Instead, I began to shrink wrap. Never in my life did I think I'd be squatting 200+ lbs, doing olympic lifting clear into the 150 range. I didn't think I was coordinated enough to do that stuff. At first, I wasn't. But as I kept going, I saw that I was capable of so much more than I had thought. Most of the limits I put on myself were overcome with just a simple, "yes, I'll try it". My mile times were drastically improving and I was able to help my dad pack a bull elk on our backs several times. My back didn't even hurt the next day. That's a strong core. At work landscaping during the summer, I was able to lift heavy plants, rocks and bags and bags of soil with proper form and for lots and lots of hours. The funniest thing was, the more I ate, more of the right type of foods, the leaner I got. I believe the most significant changes were this:
1) I learned to workout anywhere, with whatever I had and at any time
2) I learned that I could accomplish so much more than I ever thought possible with just a will to achieve and consistently putting in the work
3) Most importantly, I have come to know the importance of being a steward of the body that I've been given and the difference between that and idolizing it. I'd be happy to share more of my story on that another time! :)
Think young, act young, be young
My grandmother, Kathy Wolf has always been the grandma that would dance all the time from first thing in the morning to late at night. I always had wondered why she had so much energy all the time. While it does contribute to her belief in God and the strength He gives her, she's stewarded her body so well throughout the years that even in her 60's she takes names. Running a business with her husband and raising two very active kids, she found time to workout regularly doing a variety of home workouts and running countless miles. While she developed a healthy aerobic base. She found herself suffering from knee injuries and with her back. Upon recommendation from my grandfather, she began doing a variety of strength training. She's been my inspiration for getting into fitness as I've seen the effects it can have on you. She definitely is one of the healthiest human beings I know. I find it amazing how I've seen her incredible balance putting snow pants on while balancing on a running board, hiking Josie's ridge with me, swimming and more.
I was actually introduced to working out outside of sports through my grandmother. She helped me learn to lunge, squat, and push up properly while incorporating many other movements. She's been an incredible woman of determination to get a good workout anywhere. Sometimes I need to kick my own butt a little bit more to keep up with her;) I guess 100 burpees in a day does the trick right?
I was actually introduced to working out outside of sports through my grandmother. She helped me learn to lunge, squat, and push up properly while incorporating many other movements. She's been an incredible woman of determination to get a good workout anywhere. Sometimes I need to kick my own butt a little bit more to keep up with her;) I guess 100 burpees in a day does the trick right?
HIIT and strength training with functional movement transforms bodies and helps alleviate back pain
Coach, no! You don't understand, I can't do that! Deadlifts are bad for your back!
This was a statement I heard my mom, Jennifer, tell my coach over and over again when she began CrossFit. There was one point she was bedridden due to severe back pain and a ruptured disk between L5 and secrum, in addition to severe lordosis (25 degree curve). After some physical therapy and pelvic floor activation exercises, she was back on her feet and functioning properly. While she began running and working out again (mostly at home and with some light weights at the gym), she would occasionally have severe back pain and flare ups. Since starting CrossFti in 2014, she has noticed a significant difference from lifting the major lifts in overall core strength, has had no major back problems and has decreased her bodyfat percentage by 10%. Moreover, she is stronger and more fit than ever before (just look at her arms:))
This was a statement I heard my mom, Jennifer, tell my coach over and over again when she began CrossFit. There was one point she was bedridden due to severe back pain and a ruptured disk between L5 and secrum, in addition to severe lordosis (25 degree curve). After some physical therapy and pelvic floor activation exercises, she was back on her feet and functioning properly. While she began running and working out again (mostly at home and with some light weights at the gym), she would occasionally have severe back pain and flare ups. Since starting CrossFti in 2014, she has noticed a significant difference from lifting the major lifts in overall core strength, has had no major back problems and has decreased her bodyfat percentage by 10%. Moreover, she is stronger and more fit than ever before (just look at her arms:))