WOD
3 Rep Hang Squat Clean,
3 Rep Hang Squat Snatch,
Take 12 Minutes To Find One.
AMRAP in 8 Minutes:
8 Hang Squat Cleans 75/55,
20 Double-Unders.
Tuesday Night Musings by Coach Preston.
My CrossFit Journey.
I started my CrossFit Journey 10 years ago, when I came across an article about CrossFit being used to train the actors in the movie 300. Jones and I were recently married and we did not have a lot of money. So I started to do CrossFit on my own at Gold’s. The 300 workout was the first wod I tried (scaled of course), and I loved it. I was hooked. I continued for about a year and a half, but as I watched videos and read more about CrossFit, I really felt like I was not getting the full benefit by doing it on my own. I wanted to join an actual CrossFit box and be able to learn more and workout with other people who enjoyed CrossFit.
At that time, I lived in Riverton and the closest CrossFit box was Crossfit Draper (Kind of crazy to say that, because there are probably 5-6 boxes closer now). So I sold my truck to free up some money and I joined Crossfit Draper. I still remember walking in for my first workout, man I was SO scared ha ha. It didn’t take long for me to become obsessed though.
After a year, I decided to get my CrossFit Level 1 Certification. At the time, my main intent was not to get into coaching, I just loved CrossFit and wanted to learn more. I also had no idea when I signed up for the Certification, that Alecio and Julia would attend the same Cert at Park City CrossFit. I did not know them very well at that time. I was a 5:30 AM-er and they were around later in the day, so I had only seen them a few times. We all took and passed the course and Alecio became a coach at Draper.
I continued working out at Draper, until I tore my ACL for the 2nd time and had to have surgery. I took some time off and then started recovery training as soon as I could. I ended up attacking the recovery process a bit too aggressively, and I developed severe tendonitis in both quads and patella tendons. My knees got really bad. Things as simple as putting my shoes on and sitting on the toilet became excruciating. I had to go upstairs on all 4’s and down stairs on my butt. Doing almost anything, except for not moving, caused pain. I couldn’t workout at all. Even upper body movements were painful. I couldn’t kip; I couldn’t even hold a pushup position. The pain and not being able to work out started to wear on me. My knees just wouldn’t improve, even after an operation I had on both of them. I developed severe depression, gut issues, and an overall shitty attitude towards everyone and everything. All I felt like doing was laying in the dark and thinking of how to check myself out of life. I hadn’t been to CrossFit in what felt like forever, and I started to tell myself I was going to quit and never go back.
One day during this time period, I received a Facebook message from Julia, asking for my phone # so Alecio could call me. Because I had not been into CrossFit for a long time, I had no idea that Alecio had left Draper to start his own CrossFit box. So I was completely caught off guard when he called and told me, and asked me to come coach at Helo. This was perfect timing, and it revived my passion for CrossFit. It gave me the opportunity to focus on learning how to coach movements, rather than stew over not being able to do them myself. Coaching also allowed me to direct my mind towards something positive like helping others, rather than on the pain I was in physically and mentally.
In my 5 years at Helo, I have earned 4 more Certifications, taught almost 100 Powerlifting classes, had 1 more knee surgery, developed tendonitis in my feet and shoulders, torn my labrum,fought many daily battles with depression and severe gut issues, squatted 300+ and got really close to Deadlifting 500lb Oh yeah, and with the pain in my knees and feet starting to subside, I was just able to run my first mile in over 5 years.
I hope I don’t come off as an egotistical dick by sharing this story. I hate attention and I actually feel pretty uncomfortable sharing these things. Though, I wanted to share this story to hopefully motivate any of you that are walking a rough road. I have seen a lot of people come and go from the box for various reasons. Life happens, work happens, money happens, injuries happen, progress stops happening, etc. Some of these things that happen in life, with jobs, with money, and with injuries, may be very terrible situations that no one should ever have to go through. But, are those reasons valid enough to quit something that is not only making you healthier, but happier? To quit something with a supportive community that you’d be hard pressed to find anywhere else?
The answer is no, they are not. Maybe you have had a nagging painful injury that is bringing you down and making you reconsider your fitness journey? Maybe you don’t feel like you are making progress anymore? Maybe life itself has dealt an unimaginable tragedy? Your road could be rough for any number of reasons, but you have to keep going. If you don’t battle back at life and let is stop you from doing positive things, you will be devoured. And I can assure you, your life will not improve by not moving anymore. You have to keep walking this road, and enjoy the times the road smooths out, for it will surely get rough again. But each time it does, you need to get up and get back to it. Don’t quit. Keep CrossFitting.
I will leave you with my favorite quote of all time, which I frequently put on the whiteboard:
Let me tell you something you already know. The world ain’t all sunshine and rainbows. It’s a very mean and nasty place and I don’t care how tough you are it will beat you to your knees and keep you there permanently if you let it. You, me, or nobody is gonna hit as hard as life. But it ain’t about how hard ya hit. It’s about how hard you can get hit and keep moving forward. How much you can take and keep moving forward. That’s how winning is done!
Thanks for reading!
Sincerely,
Coach Preston
