MEMBER STORY - #2

Oly’s CrossFit Story

I had never even heard of CrossFit when I found somehow I had entered a competition.  

Not being one to shy away from trying new things, I wasn’t fazed by this.  It was while I was scrolling through Facebook (probably while on the loo, like you do) that I came across this competition.  A fellow double amputee, whose aim is to enable more disabled people to get into fitness by adapting and overcoming any boundaries, was organizing it.  

I turned up at Crossfit Connect gym in Portslade on a Saturday morning having done zero training; I was completely unprepared.  I met Barnaby and Holly, the owners, who were really nice people and very welcoming.  

I looked at the WOD sheet and it was like looking at another language.  After receiving our t-shirts and a quick warm up, we got underway.  

First off was a sled pull - 4 lengths of the astro strip - 80kg if I remember correctly.  What I was most surprised about, was the fact that so many strangers were there cheering me on (my own family were  there too) Next came wall balls, a 10 calorie row and ball slams.  The first round was fine but I’m not proud of what happened next...I threw up!  Luckily I managed to get outside, not like another person who decorated the floor.  

After finishing this competition and making some new friends, I was bitten by the crossfit bug!

The next leg of my journey if you’ll pardon the pun was entering the crossfit open.  Some may call me mad, that after just one crossfit experience I was entering a worldwide competition with some of the fittest people in the world.  

I do like a challenge!

The next part of my journey involves CrossFit Uckfield.  I’m a big social media user and the aforementioned gym popped up on Instagram.  So after some deliberating about whether I wanted to continue with this crazy exercise regime that makes you vomit, I e-mailed Krish.

I explained that I had just entered the Open and would it be possible to join them for the workouts.  I received a reply just a few hours later saying that it would be fine and I should come for a chat and a look around.  So I did.  I visited the gym on a Saturday morning and chatted to Krish and booked straight onto the intro course so we could go through the movements and work on any adaptations necessary.  

I joined their Facebook group and was immediately welcomed by all members; some of them even fighting over me to join their team!  At this point I thought: I’m going to like this Crossfit thing!

The Open was only two weeks away so I booked into a class.  My first ever proper Crossfit WOD was ‘filthy fifty’.  It bloody well nearly killed me! I ached for days after but I’m one of those weird people that enjoy the pain.

So the Open came and went and I really enjoyed it. I managed all the workouts with a few adaptations here and there and I even did workout 17.3 legless!  =)

One thing I really love about Crossfit is the family feeling of it all; you just don’t get that in other gyms.  Everyone cheers you on when you’re doing workouts and there is even beer after (sometimes…)

For anyone who is stuck in a rut at their current gym, I urge you to try Crossfit; you might find that you love it just as I do!