why crossfit?

image via revie jane of crossfit babes

I know.. I know... It goes without saying. Peeps who do Crossfit talk about it all. the. time. *le sigh* 'Tis true. I'm addicted, and anytime I get a chance to proclaim my love for crushing weights... I gladly do so at the top of my lungs. No shame. 

So you ask... why? Why the hell do you put yourself through that?

How do you do it? // Aren't you scared? // Does it hurt? // Why do you do that to yourself?

Honestly, I don't know. There's so many factors. YES, I'm scared. Absolutely terrified. Right before every workout, I feel a crazy adrenaline rush and my heart goes pitter-patter at 10 billion miles a second as I wait for the clock to start. Even though my ass is handed to me after every class, and I'm sweating/sore/hurting like hell - I just come back for more. Maybe it's my personality, my strive for perfecting a certain lift or the desire to be better - that's fueling my passion. 

photo courtesy of coach lincoln

It's beyond the fact that I feel stronger, faster and better than I've ever felt in my life before. It's not just the fact that I can actually measure my performance, set benchmarks/goals and/or work towards achieving, as well as surpassing what I never thought my body could do. 

For me, Crossfit is about the community. Ehhh, you could argue it's semi-cult like... but it's a good cult, right? I admit - we all talk about how excited we are to go to the gym each day, complain when the next day's WOD isn't posted yet, and relish in the moment when we get to indulge in a cheat meal. 

But what's most important is that the sport is about supporting each other. It doesn't matter if the person next to you lifts 5x more weight and just finished his/her WOD. He/She is your cheerleader - motivating you to complete just one more rep or that extra burpee. No matter the caliber of the athlete - from a newbie to a Crossfit Games pro, the camaraderie and support has been overwhelming. I will never forget my first WOD during a Crossfit Basics class at CFBT, and I had 15 more box jumps to go. The cheering, clapping and "you go, girl" was what got me through it and had me coming back for more. 

Am I drinking the kool-aid? Maybe. But hey, don't judge it before you try it. Yes, it may be intimidating at first... but give it a go for a month, then try and tell me you don't love it.