I have to admit, although I call SJ friend, we’ve never actually met. In fact I’m equal parts excited and nervous about teaching SJ her Foundations course next week after reading about her own apprehensions. Will she be impressed? Will we scare her off? Already she has so many insightful comments about how to get the most out of her CrossFit “practice.” I think it best if I take a page out of her book and focus on the process rather than the outcome. In either case, she is going to be sharing snippets of her experience at CrossFit Ironstone here on our Blog for you all to follow along. So, without further ado, here is SJ – Patrick
Received last night from @balancewithsj:
So…I’m facing my fears and going for it!! Yes, I’m an avid yogi and have decided to take a step into the unknown world of CrossFit. The closest I’ve ever come to CrossFit is dabbling in some paleo baking and hearing from friends raving about the effectiveness of the workout. Admittedly, I was always more interested learning more about paleo baking as part of my healthy eating habits than I was learning about the workouts.
Not unlike before stepping into my first yoga studio, I have a lot of misconceptions about what CrossFit is, as it seems to speak a whole other language. I only just started going to a gym regularly this time last year, and have learned to enjoy weights, but this to me, seems like a whole other level, and I’ve felt so many emotions after taking this leap of faith.
I’ve been following the progress of CrossFit Ironstone since its inception and kept wondering if I should try it. With a space this beautiful, I thought, maybe now is the time to finally give it a try?
I was chatting about it with a friend this week and within a few hours, we were signing up for the Foundations class. Our texts back and forth included things like “ahhhhhhh!!!” “We’re doing this!! Lol”. So excited and scared all at the same time. While the initial account sign up was a breeze, the hardest part for me was clicking that payment button. I literally took a moment before pressing it and asked myself “what the hell am I thinking?”
After years of regular yoga and meditation practice, I’ve learned a lot about myself. The first thing is, I need variety and fun in my life in order to feel balanced, and centered. Secondly, practicing non-attachment to any outcome just makes life easier, so keeping an open, relaxed mind is key. Thirdly, it is important not to compare myself to others. And, lastly, but most importantly, I have learned time and time again that change and facing fear of change always leads to more personal and spiritual growth. Going into this head on, while scary, I know it will be fun and I’ll learn something valuable about myself.
Through yoga, I have also learned the value of community, and CrossFit is not unlike yoga in that sense. Community, which is called “sangha” in yoga philosophy is essential to a healthy, and balanced Self. So, with that, I am excited to see how this journey into CrossFit will enrich my life, and complement and enhance my yoga practice.
Through this, I am keeping an open mind, and compassionate heart as I venture into this unknown world. It’s always been about treating my body well, within the capacity of what it can do, and so it is with this that I go into my first Foundations class as my security blanket.
It is my hope that the decision to share my experiences with the Foundations class at Ironstone will help others who, like me, have been contemplating this for years, and who are also afraid of giving CrossFit a try. I’m already feeling so much support from the community here, and I look forward to the challenge of trying something new and demystifying this unknown territory. What’s the worst that could happen? Meet some like-minded people and get physically and mentally stronger? I’m in!