Crossfit, why it’s so good….

I’m 57 years old, 58 in December 2015 and I’m the oldest guy in town, well okay at the Crossfit box where I’m a member. many call me Papy (granddad in French) as I’m the oldest guy there and I’m loving it.

For almost a year now I been doing Crossfit in a club (here’s where I’m so so lucky) that is underneath my offices on the ground floor.

Sometimes I wish I ‘d never gone there to try it, it’s just to good, far better than my local gym where I’ve been a member for the last three years, before I would work out there three or four times a week (now if it’s once or twice a week ….)

Crossfit is everything that you could wish for, and more, it works just about every muscle in your body and doesn’t just give you bigger muscles that gym workouts tend to do for you. For me it goes far beyond working out at a gym.

Don’t get me wrong I still like going to the gym when I feel the need to work out a particular part of my body, as I can do for instance a hour’s session on my chest or arms, that one doesn’t normally do in Crossfit session.

Its hard work, but so gratifying when at the end of the WOD (workout of the day) you finish, gasping for breath, moaning, ’cause you hurt all over, especially when doing burpees, tractions, wall balls, handstand push ups etc.

Working out often with another members, or as a couple or in a group, this is about comradeship working with other members from the same or opposite sex, stronger or weaker than you, with age differences that can be important. At the gym you tend to be on your own or just with a friend, even if you train with a friend or friends, it’s not quite the same.

Some WODs you do on your own, trying to better the others, heavier weights, faster…, or just to finish in a preset time, normally sessions are limited to about twelve persons, and even when you finished your WOD you encourage the others to finish, (or be encouraged) again comradeship, so rare these days. Its nice and you feel better when helping or being encouraged to finish a session.

Certain movements / exercises in Crossfit I’m unable to do correctly, weightlifting movements such as snatch and clean and jerks are more than difficult, my back and shoulders just not supple enough any more. Kipping and Butterflies (chin ups with a difference) elude me completely, but this is where Crossfit is better than most gyms, the coaches are always there to watch and correct your movements and all know that I’m weaker than others in certain areas and so they adapt some sessions for me (and others if need be).

So here am I, doing two or three sessions per week, Its keeping me fit, even at my age I can and sometimes beat some that are half my age. The other free days are spent at the gym, trail running or biking

So finally : DON’T try Crossfit…, (JOKE) otherwise you may never do anything else, it’s better than : gym, riding or running (I know, I still do some of all) as it’s a mix of everything and more still.

This is the link to my club, here in France where I live : http://crossfitcergy.com/

Please feel free to leave a reply, I welcome them

Papy

49.050966 2.100645