Five. It’s the number of championship rings former NBA champion Kobe Bryant sports on his fingers; it’s also the number of days a week most of us wake up for jobs that we (hopefully) love; and now it also represents the number of CrossFit classes it took for me to become obsessed with the sport.
I know, it’s early in the game and I’m still in the honeymoon phase of what I hope becomes a long-lasting relationship between CrossFit and I, but seriously, I haven’t felt this empowered in a long time and I’m addicted.
Here are five reasons why you should consider signing up for CrossFit Regeneration’s next round of the New You Challenge:
1) You’re not only working out, you’re learning why you’re working out.
Let’s be real, a lot of us try new workouts because we’re trying to find the quickest way to start looking good naked. When I first met with CrossFit Regeneration owner Charlie Sims, he asked why I was there and I’m fairly certain my exact response was, “I want my ‘college athlete’ body back.” While that’s still true, I keep coming back in large part because every session we learn WHY we’re working out the way we do. Before each class begins, our coaches explain a new concept, like virtuosity, and how it pertains to our workout; giving you a purpose for lacing up your sneakers that’s far more relevant than the attempt to look good on the beach this summer—not that that isn’t important too.
2) No repetition
Sure, we do reps—a lot of them, actually, but no workout is ever duplicated. Obviously I’ve only been going to the gym for a short period of time, but I’ve been assured that with CrossFit, you almost never see the same workout twice, and I appreciate that. It gives you something to look forward to, and you can be certain a different set of muscles will hurt each day.
3) Accountability
At CrossFit Regeneration there is a serious sense of community. In just five hour-long classes, I’ve learned a lot about not only the coaches, but also my classmates, and that’s because we all talk before, during, and after class. Intimidation is often the reason why people shy from working out in group settings, but that feeling, at least for me, is non-existent at Regeneration, and that makes me feel accountable to every one at the Box to show up every single day.
4) The best of both worlds
CrossFit seems to be the perfect combination of group exercise and personal training. While you’re obviously in a class with other people, the coaches still take the time to modify and adjust each person’s movements and field questions from everyone. Because of limited mobility in my arm, I usually have a lot of questions and need exercise modifications, and both are always taken care of seamlessly.
5) It’s just badass
Excuse my language, but honestly, every time I leave CrossFit Regeneration I feel like superwoman. There’s something about the combination of the above reasons that come together to make you feel like you could move a mountain if you had the perfect form in your squat. Swinging kettlebells, hanging from rings, or executing a round of wall balls are simply more fun than jumping on an elliptical for 45 minutes. Trust me on this one.