Crossfit Heaven

     Athletes now have something to look forward to after their participation in a sport is complete. As a senior in college and captain of the Women's Basketball Team, my athletic career is slowly coming to an end.
     Working out and staying fit has been a significant part of my life. It has helped me develop a strong work ethic and helped me stay healthy. After doing crossfit over the summer, I've realized that I have something to look forward to after basketball. Every summer for as long as I can remember, I've had a workout packet to help me stay on track. This summer all I had to look forward to was my summer job. It was pretty depressing at first but now after joining the crossfit gym, I can't wait to get back in there with my new workout buddies and continue to develop as an athlete. It's like an inner hunger. Just being in the gym, getting stronger and competing with someone else. Many athletes lose incentive to stay fit because there is no more competition. An athletes first instinct is to compete against their opponent. Their goal is to be victorious and out work the competition.
     Crossfit allows athletes to continue with this mindset. Crossfit is a competitive sport because everyone individually competes for the best workout times and being able to put up the most weight. Their goal is to be stronger and faster than the person next to them. Crossfit doesn't require a team or even specify a certain age group for participation. All previous athletes are welcome to join and already have a head start compared to the normal person because of all their previous knowledge on fitness.
     Once someone's athletic career has deceased, crossfit becomes like the heaven of athletes. Athletes are able to feed the inner hunger and continue to workout and stay in shape.

Let's hit the club

      After consistently participating in Crossfit, athletes usually develop toned bodies. Their level of confidence drastically rises as they begin to shed unwanted weight and gain super strength. My older brother is a prime example of this situation.
      Before Crossfit, my brother was shy and stayed to himself. Whenever a pretty girl was around he would act like a fifth grader who just saw his first crush. After joining Crossfit his body and his mindset went through drastic changes. Not only did his confidence sky rocket, his complete lifestyle changed. My lazy brother, who over slept, was late to work, never cut the grass, and was a complete couch potato turned into a disciplined athlete.

Picture taken by myself

     His complete diet changed. He went from eating junk food all the time to strictly following the Paleolithic diet. He was up before the sun rose either swimming laps next to me or running through rigorous trails. He went from lifting the same weights as me to being one of the strongest guys in the gym. In addition to that, he began helping around the house and even going out! My brother would go out to the club all dressed up, flaunting his physical appeal. I had never seen him so sure of himself.
     Crossfit not only helped him become healthy and strong, but it allowed him to believe in himself. He was able to unlock his hidden potential and bring out a strong confident man. I know there are similar  stories out there and I believe it is important to highlight them. People can  understand that Crossfit is extreme but doable for anyone that shows effort. It is also life changing and brings out strong qualities in individuals.

Crossfit in a Hurricane!?

     Over the summer, I joined a local Crossfit gym. I quickly got used to hearing the members talk about crazy workouts. For example, they loved doing WODs in the rain or even biking up huge slopes. Sometimes they even went hiking at 5 a.m. The more difficult the circumstances were, the more they would get amped about their workouts. The obstacles that came in their way just made them want to work harder and show off their talent and endurance.

     I stay up to date on the workouts by following online posts. During Hurricane Sandy, I expected the gym to be closed. Little did I know, this was just another opportunity to get tough. Not only were the members completely committed to working out, but they also had the hardest workout of the year. The storm didn't stop them from this crazy day ahead of them. 

Skill/Strength: Bench

WOD: “Hurricane Sandy” For Time

50x  Burpees

15x Hang Clean @ 135/95

50x Box Jumps @ 24/20

15x Push Jerk @ 135/95

50x GHD Sit-Ups

15x Handstand Push-Ups

*Alpha: Push Jerk @ 165/115, Box Jumps @ 30/24, Hang Clean @ 165/115*

**Competition Alpha: Push Jerk @ 185/135, Hang Clean @ 185/135, Box Jumps @ 30/24*

     Since the Hurricane would end up keeping people indoors, the trainer figured he would let his members earn their day off. Everybody came in that day. It just shows how committed and driven that these individuals are. They aren't super athletes and they aren't even preparing for any event. Crossfit simply allows these individuals to become disciplined. It gives them a reason to be competitive and persistent. It becomes a lifestyle. 

Strong is the new beautiful...

     The media has a tremendous influence on the women in our society. Traditionally, it has pressured women into turning thier bodies into thin and petite figures. Women are encouraged to be skinny, no matter what it takes. Some women resort to anorexia, belemia or even cigarettes to keep their appetite down. Others resort to long dreadful hours of cardio, which end up deteriorating muscles. The media depicts these women as flawless individuals. They show them in commercials, movies, runways, and magazines as the perfect women. As time progressed, women began getting involved in athletics. 
     Today, fitness and a healthy lifestyle are highly recommended by the media and society. Well known companies such as Under Armor, Nike and Reebok advertise fit women. For example, Nike's new promotional logo states, "strong is the new beautiful." This statement rejects previous beliefs that being thin is beautiful. Nike even developed specific advertisements that encourage women to be athletic and strong. It encourages them to embrace their bodies and be confident in themselves. 

http://nike-ad-dict.blogspot.com/2009/11/nike-and-women.html

      I believe that this has a significant impact on the women in our society. It also has a high impact on the number of participants in Crossfit. Individuals who participat in Crossfit usually develop muscular and toned bodies. Because fitness and athleticism are being encouraged, women are able to unlock the potential behind their bodies. Women are also able to see how strong they are capable of being. Previously many people assumed women were signicifantly weaker than men. Because of all the new media about fitness, woman are able to fully commit to Crossfit and embrace the lifestyle that comes with it. While I was working out at the crossfit gym this past summer, I got to witness the motivation and dedication that women had. They were motivated to develop their bodies and build muscle. A lot of women used to fear becoming bulky or too muscular. Now that there are beautiful women advertising their muscles, more women are comfortable with becoming strong. They look forward to sculpting their bodies and living a healthy lifestyle.

Team USA vs. Team Europe

     The "Sport of Fitness" is becoming increasingly popular. The first Crossfit Invitational presented by Reebook took place on October 13 and had approximately 2,000 fans in attendance. Team USA vs. Team Europe competed and represented their countries in a battle of fitness. Team USA was represented by Rich Froning (Captain and Crossfit Men's champion), Matt Chan, Jason Khalipa, Rebecca Voigt, Kristan Clever and Julie Foucher. On the other hand, Team Europe was represented by Annie Thorisdottir (Captain and Crossfit Games Women's champion), Samantha Briggs, Katrin Tanja Davidsdottir, Numi Katrinarson, Mikko Aronpaa, and Thomas Vainio. These two teams that consisted of the best athletes were going head to head to claim victory for their country.
     These teams had great Crossfit icons competing against one another. What surprised me was their humility coming into this invitational. Jason Khalipa said, "I feel honored to have been chosen for Team U.S.A. and to be representing my country and a sport that I love with such passion is awesome." Khalipa was the 2008 Men's World Champion, the fittest man in the world. Yet, he was still humble about being chosen. "I have never gone into a competition feeling confident. I always respect the opposition and I know we have all worked hard to be here," he continued. I found this surprising because a lot of individuals make crossfitters sound like a cocky, big headed, self centered species. I believe this invitational was held to increase public awareness of the sport and get more personal with the athletes that were involved. Unlike the Crossfit Games, this invitational only consisted of a few athletes. Fans, could follow up on their progress and get a better understanding of their mindset.
     The event was broken up into four stages. After two events in the first stage it was tied 2-2. Stage two consisted of a battle of strength. It was a close battle but the score ended up being 7 to 6, Team USA. At the end of stage three, Team USA showed its dominance and won the whole stage, leaving Europe with 6 points. Finally in stage 4, Team USA wrapped up the competition by once again, winning the entire stage. The final score ended up being 20 to 6. Even after the defeat, Captain of Team Europe Annie Thoridottir says, "I was immensely proud of our team. We came here as underdogs and put up an amazing performance. We have learned a lot about each other in the short time. I am sure if the even takes place again next year we will come back stronger." This quote clearly defends my earlier statement that Crossfit athletes are humble. They are quite confident in their skills but what professional athlete isn't? As the first invitational, this event was a true success and I can't wait for more upcoming events as the sport keeps increasing in popularity.

http://games.crossfit.com/article/team-usa-wins-first-crossfit-invitational

It's a love hate relationship...

http://girlswhodocrossfit.tumblr.com/post/27300606587/julie-foucher

   

   Many people believe that Crossfit is similar to a cult. They think that these athletes separate themselves from the rest of the world and create one of their own. Sometimes, I think we forget that these athletes have a life away from the rusted bars, ripped calluses, unique language and insane workouts. We see them with their chiseled bodies and muscular appeal and forget that they are just like you and me.

http://cwru-daily.com/news/?p=4929

      Crossfit athlete, Julie Foucher, is not only the fifth fittest woman on Earth, but also a medical student who is enrolled in a five year program at Cleveland Clinic Lerner, College of Medicine. Her daily routines consist of a rigorous diet, class, and training. An outline of her day would be breakfast, school, study, train and sleep. In between these she eats well planned out meals that follow the Paleolithic diet. Foucher makes tremendous sacrifices in order to stay on top of her game but she believes that it is all worth it. "After the Games last year, when all that energy is gone, I asked myself why am I doing this," she says. "Then I remember how much fun I have, how rewarding the challenges are and how much better it all is the more difficult you make it. I just love Crossfit." This statement displays how much dedication, passion and commitment Foucher has for herself and the sport. 

     Her lifestyle appealed to me because it reminded me of one that I am familiar to as well. Being a student athlete at the University of New Haven requires the same concepts. As a player on the Women's basketball team, it is important to stay healthy, train regularly, and do well in class. Crossfit is becoming popular and is finally being recognized as a sport instead of just a way to train. The love-hate relationship that Foucher infers in her quote is one that can be used with any athlete and their sport. The blood, sweat, tears and passion of the sport are sometimes questioned. Why do we do it to ourselves? Why push your body to such hard limits? The answer is always confident. It's because it is what we do. It's what we know and what we love. Crossfit isn't a cult. It's just another sport, where athletes can give everything they've got, be disciplined in every aspect of their life in order to become successful. 

She's back...

     Sam Briggs, who took fourth place in the 2011 Reebok Crossfit Games, had high hopes when preparing for this years competition. She was heartbroken when her physical therapist and coach told her that she wouldn't be competing. She had suffered a knee injury last November and never fully recovered from it. After withdrawing from the 2012 Crossfit Reebok Games, Briggs discovered that her knee cap had been fractured. She spent her time focusing on recovery and rehab instead of sulking. Everyone had high hopes for her but instead of quitting, Briggs said, "my times were for me to judge my rehab rather than how I would have compared." 

     Injury can break an athlete's confidence and sometimes even cause depression. As an athlete, tearing my ACL was detrimental. Sitting out for an entire season of basketball was heartbreaking because it was difficult watching my teammates play without me. After sometime, athletes come to the realization that there is nothing you can do about it but get better. Take the time you have off to focus on becoming a better athlete and hard worker. Briggs' determination to keep fighting is truly inspirational. Instead of waiting for the 2013 Rebook Crossfit Games, her strong work ethic created a pathway for her. Briggs made Team Europe and will be participating in the first Crossfit Invitational, presented by Reebok. On October 13, Team USA will go against Team Europe. Briggs will be accompanied by Crossfit's finest, Katrin Davidsdottir, Annie Thorisdottir, Mikko Aronpaa, Frederik Aegidius, and Numi Saner Katrinarson. On the other team we have, Kristian Clever, Rebecca Voigt, Julie Foucher, Matt Chan, Jason Khalipa and Rich Froning. I can't wait to check the results of the competition on October 13 and watch how Briggs bounces back from her injury. 

      Some people say that the only people that do Crossfit have to be crazy enough to endure the workouts. If that's the case, Briggs continuing her passion after such an injury in absolutely insane. She is a mentally strong and motivated individual and I'm sure she will do amazing. Sitting out for a period of time makes athletes anxious and hungry for their return on the field and Briggs is ready to show it.