I’m about seven months into my Cross Fit “challenge” and it has become a major part of my lifestyle. Yes, I drank the Kool-Aid and I am a convert. But I have absolutely no regrets about joining this fitness cult.
As I mentioned in past posts, I started out seven months ago doing Cross Fit-style bootcamp workouts at my local Cross Fit gym. But about three months ago I decided to take it up a notch and add in traditional Cross Fit classes once per week. Many people have asked about the difference so let me break it down in the easiest way I can explain it:
Cross Fit classes are broken into three parts:
– Skilled Warmup: About 10 minutes of skill-practice, involving kettle bells, barbells, or gymnastics
– Strength Work: About 15 minutes. Usually olympic lifting but sometimes weighted gymnastic movements
– Conditioning Workout of the Day or WOD: CrossFit conditioning workouts are often shorter at higher intensity – generally between 10-20 minutes. They will kick your ass. Beginners and intermediates have a variety of scaling options, with the ultimate long term goal being doing the WODS as “prescribed” or Rx.
Bootcamp classes are much more focused on cardio and endurance. We do a cardio warm up and then anywhere from one-three WODs based on how long they take. The WODs are all Cross Fit interval style, but somewhat modified replacing barbells with dumbbells. Many of the workouts are partner or team-based, which I find fun and have become more competitive. (Remember, I was last picked in gym. It took a bit for me to start killing these WODs!) After class, you will collapse with fatigue. And then you will feel awesome for the rest of the day.
In my humble opinion, bootcamp classes will help you burn fat quicker and Cross Fit classes will help you build muscle faster. This is just based on my own observations so don’t get mad at me if you are a Cross Fit only chick with a slammin’ bod!
Anyway, I try to do 3 bootcamps per week and one Cross Fit class. The only problem with this schedule is that Cross Fit strength training varies so much that I don’t get to work on specific skills as long as I like. So I might work on push presses one day and not see them again for three months. But overall, I find that the differing workout styles build off each other and I get stronger and more confidant across the board.
Accomplishing things I never thought I could do is a tremendous rush. I could barely sleep the night I got my first Double Under and it’s pretty insane to see my name on the Whiteboard go from the bottom to the top. I’ve already accomplished one of my goals – competing in a Cross Fit competition. I modified the workout in several ways, but I got through it with a decent score and even snuck my way into the finals, replacing someone who dropped out.
In the meantime, my body has never been better – if I do say so myself. I still have a bit of post-pregnancy pouch, but I can almost see ab muscles pushing through. As far as I’m concerned, my arms are ripped and you could flip a quarter off my ass. All my clothes from last year are way too big. And I haven’t changed my diet one bit (possibly to the chagrin of my Paleo trainers). And I can toot my own horn because I am a 32-year-old weight-genetically-challenged mom and I always said that if I was as thin as I wanted to be I would run around in a bikini all day. But I won’t do that – again, because I am a 32-year-old mother. So bragging on my blog it will be.
Stay tuned for more fitness-related updates from me and my fellow green bloggers with the Go Green Get Fit challenge throughout the summer.
Goals for the Go Green Get Fit Challenge this summer are as follows:
1) Consecutive double unders
2) Move up to a 20 inch box for jumps
3) Improve banded pull-ups by at least two levels (5 rep max)
4) Move up to A-frame push ups as scaling for handstand push ups
5) Move up to 14 lb wall ball
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