Day 1 of CrossFit

I finished my first day of "Foundations" with CrossFit, which covers the fundamental workouts that build all CrossFit routines. For the actual WOD, we did "Cindy":

• 5 pullups (assisted with bands)
• 10 CrossFit pushups (chin and chest both touch the ground)
• 15 bodyweight squats

By round 3 I had to start cheating on the pushups as my arms were giving out. I thought by the fifth series I would be done, but with 60 seconds remaining I pushed as fast as I could to complete my sixth series. So my score for the day was 6. Not bad for a newbie!

I wrote this message to a buddy who was inquiring as to how CrossFit turned out for me:

After my first workout I can say I'm a big fan of CrossFit. By the end I was shaking, had problems walking straight, and was feeling a bit dizzy (which is a bad thing for drivers but thankfully I'm only a mile away). In short, it rocked.

They emphasize lots of high-intensity workouts and a workout routine that is never the same thing twice. They are also big proponents of the Paleo diet, which works out well for me. As I said in my last message, what I also dig is the competitive component. Our actual workout of the day (WOD) today was given 15 minutes and each series we completed earned us a single point, so we were driven to push harder against the folks around us. I've been a huge fan of high-intensity workouts for a while, but I've never experienced such friendly competition.

They also emphasize that CrossFit is about functional gains that improve overall athletic performance, not just bulking up a particular muscle group. They claim this will help in all athletic endeavors, which is on top of their CrossFit pyramid (the basis of the pyramid being nutrition). I think I will still work some specific exercises (chest, arms) on the side along with some kettlebell routines I love, but CrossFit can only enhance those.

Now I must excuse myself as I ice down my sore legs.