JUMP!

A few weeks back I posted a comment on a CrossFit blog. The writer of the blog contacted me and asked if I would elaborate on my comment in a guest post. I had no idea what I was doing. I still don't. Anyhow, I wrote the piece and the blogger posted it. I got some positive feedback from facebook. So, I thought I'd give it a try.....so here....we....go!

CrossFit & My Limitations

I've been CrossFitting since August of this year. I. LOVE. IT! I am a total convert. I drank the Kool-aide. Ok, you get the point. Anyhow, I have learned something about myself since I started CF. 

I put too many limitations on myself.

I will look at a WOD (workout of the day) and immediately say "I can't do that!" Now, don't get me wrong. I work out. I'm chunky. But, I run, bike and I have always lifted weights. But, there are somethings that I would never try because I let my fear tell me "I can't".

 Prime example: Box Jumps.

 Box jumps are exactly what they sound like. There's a box. You jump on it. Simple, right? Well, that all depends on just how high the box is that you plan to jump onto. Now, box jumps aren't CrossFit exclusive. I have seen people all my gym life doing them. I have also seen people miss said box and rip the skin from the bottom of their leg to the knee.

 Enter MY FEAR! 

So, one day not so long ago, while at CF I was doing box jumps on the the baby box. Deep down I knew I could go bigger. But, the fear was too much. The box was not my friend. But, by the end of the WOD it really just ate at me that I gave up on myself and didn't at least try a taller box. It irritated the crap out of me that I let a wooden box get the best of me. So I walked over in a fit of bravado and did ONE box jump on the taller box and left the building. 

On my way home I kept thinking about how disturbing it was that I let the fear of a little blood and pain keep me from growing in my fitness endeavours. It annoyed me. A LOT. 

A few days later,  enter another WOD of box jumps. I decided to stare my fear in the face and I grabbed the taller box. I did one full round of jumps. Then, well, I'm sure you can guess. Halfway into the second round IT happened. I came down on the edge of the box. Tore a chunk of skin from my leg. Blood poured. My leg throbbed. And my coach looked at me with a "well, you gonna stop or keep going" stare.

 I kept going. 

After a few minutes the throbbing turned to a dull pain. The blood began to coagulate and the swelling started. It was easy to finish after that. I completed my WOD. Wiped the blood from my leg. Removed the chunk of skin- YES GROSS. And, went home. I cleaned up. Iced my wound. And, realized that was as bad as it was going to get. It hurt. Weeks later, I still have a scab. But, I'm still alive. And, everyone in the class thought I was a beast for finishing. What was I so afraid of? A box? A little blood? Pain? 

After completing the WOD and cleaning up a bit at the gym.

Flash forward to today's WOD. Yikes!! "Lateral Jumps over a weight bench"! My first thought out of my head....."I can't do that". I mean LATERAL JUMPS? Holy Smokes! For the slightest moment panic set in. Then, I saw my fellow classmates jumping. I mean, really, what is the worst thing that could happen? 

1. I jump, don't make it, fall and hurt myself.

2. I jump, don't make it, fall, and look like an idiot.

3. I jump, make it and do it again.

So, I jumped. I made it. I jumped some more. Thirty times more. NEVER ONCE FELL. 

Moral to this long, drawn out story....JUMP. Face your fears. You may fall. It may hurt. You may look like an idiot. But, really, wouldn't you rather hurt or look like an idiot for a little while... or just keep sitting around thinking "I can't do that!"?

Honestly, that box jump fail was the best thing to happen to me in a long while!