Author: Matt Steinheider
Story Type: Changes
Home Gym: Bayou City CrossFit
When I first started CrossFit in August 2009, after six years of not working out at all, I needed a week to recover from my first basic WOD of something like 10 box jumps, 15 pushups and 20 sit-ups. My first tabada pushup total was one, and that was only because I cheated on the last couple intervals. My first real WOD came on October 1, 2009, at 4:00 PM. There were about six of us there, me being the only newbie. The WOD: 2 rounds of 50 box pushups, 40 SDHP with 53# KB, 30 box dips, 20 air squats, 10 burpees, and an 800m run.
55 minutes later, I finished (kind of: I had a few range of motion issues on, well, everything (piece removed)). What I remember most is that as each person got finished, they individually offered little bits of encouragement as I was struggling. I must admit this seemed very weird. I was obviously new, struggling, and thought that everyone just sitting there enjoyed watching me suffer. I suspect that CrossFit in general loses a lot of brand new clients who don’t like being watched; as it wasn’t until I had been a few times that I realized that nobody cared what my time was. They just wanted me to do my best and finish no matter how long it took.
It’s that kind of camaraderie that has helped my fitness improve so much. It’s not only doing extra pull-ups after class, lifting with stronger guys, or chasing faster guys (the competition certainly helps though), its knowing that while I am doing a WOD, Vic (owner of Bayou City CrossFit), Katie (my coach) and everyone in the class expects me to do my best and to push myself. People see your times and know when you had a great day or when you were dogging it.
I’m confident that someone could walk into the box, insult someone’s mother, and eventually be forgiven. If that someone shows up though, and gives less than his or her best that day, people will remember. I didn’t know that was the stimulus I needed to get my butt into shape, but it works for me. I think it works for everyone who has ever measured themselves against a clock.
Whether one person does a WOD in 9:41 and thought they could have done it in 9:25, or another does the same WOD in 16:10 and thought they could have done it in 15-something, everyone is expected to do their best, and that is why I love CrossFit. I hate to admit this, but I think I used to be one of those people who had a lot of “quit” in them. Try to do 20 pushups and the 15th is hard? Shoot, do 15 then. Want to run five miles but you’re tired after two? Eh, go home. Two miles is a lot to run. Fortunately I think that person is on his way out of my psychological makeup. I don’t know if he is all the way out yet, but I know he’s most of the way.
After four months of learning the movements and getting to where I was regularly finishing WOD’s (albeit slowly), Bayou City CrossFit started its 2010 Paleo Challenge. On January 9, 2010, I, along with many others, was measured and did Helen: 3 rounds of a 400m run, 21 53# kettlebell swings, and 12 pull-ups. I don’t remember all my measurements, but I do remember that I was 42″ around my belly button, and even though I wasn’t weighed, I know I was 238 that day (down from 248 and 43″ around on October 1, 2009). My Helen time that day was 13:40.
Over the next 3 months, I ate well, became a regular at the 6AM, and practiced the hell out of my kipping pull-up (quick side note on eating well: I always thought that you should eat well just for body composition reasons. It never occurred to me that eating well would also help to improve your fitness. I’m definitely a fan of the paleo diet now).
When the Paleo Challenge ended on April 3, 2010, I was 39.25″ around, weighed 218, and know I lost more than 20 lbs of fat. My Helen time was 10:08, a time that I am both totally proud of, and a little ticked at that I didn’t break 10 minutes. I know for a fact that 10:08 was as fast as I could have gone that day; I pushed myself harder than I ever had before. That is what CrossFit is for me now, a way to measure myself against myself. A way to test my limits even at 36 years old. I only wish I had found CrossFit earlier in my life.
Author: Johana Pat
Story Type: Changes
Home Gym: CrossFit 310
Johana Pat - Before and After
As a child I was fairly thin but once puberty hit I no longer was ever really thin again. I had never been greatly overweight during my teenage years but I definitely was not comfortable in my weight and appearance. After graduating high school I would go through spurts of working out, lose a little weight, then get bored of the routine of it all and go back to how things were before. This cycle lasted for years, and hit the worst after a break up with a boyfriend that affected me in the worst way. I had gained weight while with him and a bit more after the break up. I was unhappy with myself and what I had let happen.
Come January of this year I was fed up. I knew very well that it is all in my control and that I need to quit half-assing my efforts. I made a promise to myself that this time I will do a ton of research, ask questions, and keep to a fitness plan to lose weight the healthy way. And I did, and I did well. I was eating healthy and doing circuit training on my own up until March.
Johana Pat - KB Snatch
In March, after consulting with Your Nutrionista on healthy eating habits, she asked if she could add me as a trial client for nutrition consulting and I agreed. She is the one that introduced me to the Primal Blueprint (Mark’s Daily Apple). I was very hesitant and anticipated it to be much harder than I ever imagined – I mean, come on, no bread, pasta, rice, beans, artificial sugars, AND keep it low carb? But she insisted that I try it for 2 weeks and see how I adjust and if I like it. I was game and decided to dive in headfirst. Surprisingly, it was not as hard as I anticipated and always felt energized and was never hungry.
As I did research on other blogs that eat primal or paleo, I noticed that most (if not all) people that eat this way also do CrossFit. I wondered to myself, what is this CrossFit that they speak so highly of? Did more research again. I was very intrigued at the intensity. So what did I do? More research of course! I browsed for CrossFit gyms in my area and came across more than I ever expected but I decided to contact the one that was closest to me, CrossFit 310 in Redondo Beach, CA.
By this point in April, I had lost about 30lbs on my own already. Then I contacted Kris, the affiliate’s owner, and we set up a time for me to come try it out with the free introductory class. Since I had been doing circuit training I wasn’t too worried about keeping up, but I also had no idea what to expect and I knew it’d be so different than what I’m used to.
I’ll never forget my first experience walking into CrossFit 310. First of all, it’s basically a warehouse, with a huge garage door opening, but I walked through the lobby doors. No treadmills, no ellipticals, no step machines, no weight machines, and no mirrors. All I saw was bars, hanging rings (what, is this gymnastics or what?), barbells, plates, a rope (is this the military or what?), row machines, a punching bag laying on the floor (how are you supposed to kickbox with it on the floor?), and all this scribbling on white boards.
Then Kris came to greet me, asked me some questions about my physical health and I gave him a quick recap, I signed a release form (in case of injury), and genuinely said he’s excited to have me try it. Did a WOD with the rest of the group, which on that day were all ladies who were very welcoming and guided me through the warm up. After the WOD? Felt like I couldn’t walk, but I felt amazing.
Following the WOD, he stated, “I’ve never been a great salesman, ever, which is why I wanted you to try it for yourself as opposed to me telling you what it is and selling it to you…if you liked what you experienced, come back for another WOD in a couple days.” And I did just that. After a few more times, we discussed rates and I joined officially.
That was in April of this year, and the transformation my body has taken from then to now is nothing short of amazing. Beyond the physical transformation, I am immensely stronger. Which completely debunks the myth that you’ll get bulky if you lift heavy weights. I fell in love with CrossFit back then and I am still utterly in love with it. Isn’t that what most people strive for? To have a fitness regimen that you wholeheartedly have a passion for and look forward to? Well, I have found that, and would recommend it to everyone and anyone.
Author: Stephanie Vincent
Story Type: Changes
Home Gym: Crossfit King of Prussia
Triumph and Change
I have never been able to run, jump, hold my body on a bar and so much more. I was an overweight kid, an obese teenager, and a super obese adult. At age 24 at 420lbs I had a gastric bypass surgery. I lost 160lbs, but in the 3 years following that loss I gained back 60lbs of it. Gaining weight after that surgery was like hitting rock bottom. Like they say, sometimes you need to hit rock bottom to change.
What I discovered at the bottom was how much I used my weight issues to devalue myself. I decided to finally accept myself as I was. Acceptance gave way to a self-love that was never possible before. I naturally began to eat and move in accordance with that love. It makes perfect sense to me that soon after I began truly caring for myself I found Crossfit.
I walked into my local affiliate and immediately knew it felt right. After my first couple of metcons, I felt like I was home. Home in my body. I have always been connected in mind and spirit but the body was the missing link. The way I felt after a metcon reminded me of a handful of experiences in my life, where I was pushed to my limits physically. Those experiences were the most exhilarating of my life, I just didn’t know why until I found CrossFit.
Now I know that I love intensity. Now I know that I enjoy physical activity. Now I know what I am capable of.
Since starting Crossfit in September 2009, less than a year later I have lost over 80lbs. I am now the lightest, healthiest, fittest, and strongest of my life at 30 years old. I don’t think of workout as a chore, in fact I have to impose REST days on myself. But like many others in Crossfit boxes around the country, I am starting from scratch. Every movement I develop is new. My body & my muscles are like a baby taking their first steps. Every WOD is practice walking in my new body.
I am proud of my first steps:
- Never not finishing a WOD
- Not being able to do a push-up on my knees to 1 RX’d push-up
- Not being able to get through 400m without walking to a 2:00m 400m sprint
- Jumping Pull-ups to kipping pull-ups with a 1 inch assistance band
- A 7-inch box jump to a 19-inch box jump
- A #75 1RM shoulder press to a #95 1RM shoulder press
- A #205 1RM deadlift to a #300 1RM deadlift
- A 2:23s 500m row to a 1:49s 500m row
- Never touching a barbell to winning a novice strongwomen competition
