In Sept 2009 I found myself at a big crossroads in my life and with a big decision to make. I told myself “if I am willing to sign up to be on the biggest loser, why am I not willing to try Crossfit.” My sister in law had been trying to get me to join for sometime. I had even gone to one of their membership drives at the park over the summer. But, I felt out of place and didn’t think that there was any way a girl like me could do a workout like crossfit. But, Becky had been certified to be a trainer in Aug and for some reason the time just felt right. I had to do something and as crazy as it sounds crossfit was the most extreme thing i could think of to do.

A little background on me.. I am 30 years old I have been married for six years and am the mother of two wonderfull little boys. When I was younger I was very athletic but had a tough time in my teen years and all that energy slipped away. After the birth of my second child I was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis. You hear those words and people start planning your transportation needs and asking you if you know where you are going to get your wheelchair. It wasn’t scary until other people started scaring me, and then it was crippling. The idea of finding a new exciting physical challenge seemed like a useless dream. But, I tried crossfit. And oh my God was it hard. I wanted to quit I wanted to cry, I wanted to walk out. I didn’t I finished I didn’t cry and I even stayed around for a few minutes afterward (mostly because I couldn’t walk in a straight line). And when morning came I was so sore that I could barely stand up. Every step I took hurt, but when the next workout day came I showed up, and the next and the next………… And now I can’t really imagine my life without crossfit.

Crossfit utilizes our bodies in a way I have never experienced before. The best term is one we use when warming up “DROM” or dynamic range of motion. Every part of our bodies are being used, every muscle is being utilized. My range of motion has improved ten fold since I started crossfit. We push our bodies to the breaking point and then when we come back for our next workout we push past it. Our own body weight serves as our device of torture as we pull up, sit up, and push up our way to greater fitness. Every workout is different and a new challenge. You aren’t competing against the person next to you. Your only competition is yourself. The only one judging you, is you. It’s intimate training with professionals in a dynamic atmosphere. You want to try harder and do better because thats what it is all about. Being the best you can be, not the best you think you can be. And when you feel like your body has been chewed up and spit out you pull yourself up one more time and try even harder. I walk out of crossfit every day feeling proud, not defeated.

I recently ran around the building in warm up…. unbelievable. Not so unbelievable when you consider all the amazing things we do every day at crossfit.

Cynthia Greenberg