So this is a mash up of Week 3 Elements and Week 1 Beginners. Still doing the 6AM workout as why change when you’ve already gotten into a routine of getting up at a particular time. Though I still see Michael MWF, and have a class filled with many of my Elements classmates, there are quite a few faces I don’t know. Which initially scared me to see these toned, slim attendees wearing bar grips, doing butterfly pull-ups like they invented it, and doing things I’ve convinced myself I would never do.
It’s like when you’re trying out for cheerleading and you’re surrounded by people who have way to much pep for any time of day, so you convince yourself you’re not on their level. You create stereotypes of them in your head, just to make yourself feel better. Until you try out for the squad and though you didn’t execute the toe touch basket or scorpion in the manner they expected, you did it. And not only did you do it, the people you thought were better than you, actually cheered you on at the end and congratulated you on your hard work. Not because they felt sorry for you, but because they genuinely thought you did a good job.
And that’s why I love CrossFit and am slightly upset I’m going to have to try out a new routine in a couple of weeks. It’s like no other place I’ve been to. It’s a warm, misunderstood community of people who know that excuses are just that, don’t judge you when you cry (I cried Thursday), and know the value of commitment.
Enough about me… let’s finish off this interview with Coach Michael.
How many days a week should you do CrossFit?
CrossFit headquarters likes to say, “3 days on. 1 day off. 2 days on. 1 day off.” That sounds great but everybody’s different. So if you want to do 2 on, 1 off, 2 on, 1 off, that’s fine. You have try at least 2 weeks of the 3 on, 1 of. Then a couple weeks of the 2 on, 1 off. And another week of 1 on, 1 off and see what feels best for you. It’s really up to the person. Even some of the highest level athletes that win CrossFit games, some of them do 1 on, 1 off because they need all that recovery.
So what’s something you love about CrossFit?
The way people start to look. Just the way their bodies look after they start. You know that gym body? That guy has a big chest, big triceps and no shoulders. We don’t build freaks, we build really healthy looking men and women. The general crossfitter looks like a regular strong, well-built human being with good posture.
Wait, so does it help with your posture?
Yeah… for sure. Because your erectors, the things that hurt from kettle ball swings, they help with keeping your chest up.
Is there anything else?
I love my job. Like I really love my job.