Stretching Out





Note: This is the fourth and final article in a series documenting a month spent with CrossFit, by "Stretching Out" columnist Zachary Lewis.

BEACHWOOD, Ohio - I knew it the moment I went to the shoe store: I'm into CrossFit for the long haul.

When I made a special trip to the store to buy shoes for load-bearing stability, I realized this was no passing fancy. The beast that is CrossFit has sunk its teeth into me deeply, maybe permanently.

Mind you, this was not an unpleasant discovery. If my month-long experiment at CrossFit Distinction hadn't delivered on its promises and then some, as it did, I wouldn't have felt moved to invest in CrossFit gear or pony up for a six-month membership. I would have walked out of there and never looked back.

But these are results I can't ignore. These are results I want to continue seeing. To abandon CrossFit now would be to fritter away not only a month of intense effort but also the potential I now have for serious improvement.

No way to cite the benefits without sounding boastful. Here in my fifth week of CrossFit, I can squat for real, touch my toes, do decent numbers of push-ups and pull-ups, and lift more than I ever have in my life. My physique, too, is changing. Already I'm seeing definition in my shoulders, biceps, and pectoral muscles, and a trimmer waist.

I'm even regaining ground as a runner. I may be spending less time pounding the pavement, but when I do go out, I'm running faster and longer than I have in years. Ditto when I hop on my bike.

To be fair, I can't give CrossFit all the credit. Many days, I supplement my CrossFit workouts with more, albeit lighter weight-lifting at home, some miniature version of whatever I did that morning or afternoon at the gym. I've also kept up my beloved cardio and maintained a more-or-less clean diet of fruits, veggies, and healthy protein.

Allow me now to dispel a few misconceptions, to clear away some of the myths and stereotypes that surround CrossFit like a cloud.

No denying it: CrossFit is indeed intense, and may not be for everyone. Certain workouts are easier than others, but I've never gone home anything less than fully taxed and soaked in sweat.

Still, far more people could and probably should be in there. I can't lift the half the weights many of my CrossFit peers do, or even execute certain of their regular moves, but I've never been left out. The instructors have always found a weight or alternative exercise suitable to me.

The vibe is also crazy encouraging. CrossFit may be humbling but never yet in my experience has it been humiliating. Everyone in the classes I've taken treats genuine effort, at whatever level, with respect, and recognizes that we all indeed start somewhere.

One of the great things about CrossFit, too, is that it always plays to different strengths. Like the weather in Cleveland, the focus at CrossFit changes daily. If one workout caters to strong shoulders, just wait five minutes. The next victory may go to the runners.

It's that variety, in fact, that I find the most appealing. I truly enjoy never knowing what I'm in for and then having to summon the strength to endure it. Whatever it is, I know it will be good for me, and target at least one of my many weaknesses. Every workout I can feel myself getting a little bit stronger.

You naysayers will have to go elsewhere. I won't even attempt to knowledgably refute those who take issue with the science or philosophy behind CrossFit, who regard certain of its methods as unsound.

All I can say is that I remain 100-percent injury-free, and feel better than ever. I've had soreness, to be sure, but I haven't felt so much as a twinge in my back or the slightest hint of pain anywhere in my body. At every step, my instructors have taken care to ensure I lift safely and properly, and never push myself beyond my natural limits.

Which leaves me facing my new future. What began as an experiment is now a significant part of my life. I bought these shoes not knowing how useful they'd be. Now I know I'll be wearing them for at least the next six months.