Guy With A Blog: I Must Be A Masochist

Saturday, April 14, 2012

I Must Be A Masochist

That's the only logical reason I would agree to doing a Crossfit session on a Saturday, time I could have spent snoozing or lazing around.

Even my shoes were exhausted after Crossfit.

And I'm glad I did it, hence the title of this post.

I am in pain right now. The good kind, the one where you ache in places you never knew could ache so badly. Let me be clear, this is the kind of pain where you tax your muscular and respiratory systems in an attempt to improve your fitness level, and not the pain where a crazed killer comes at you with a hacksaw and chops you up for dinner.

I thought I had better than average cardiovascular fitness, but the exercises and movements that a Crossfit session squeezes in a half hour challenges both aerobic and anaerobic pathways. In layman's terms, it will test your body in terms of bursts and explosions of power, as well as endurance. It is a workout that incorporates high intensity movements that are functional, scalable (can be adjusted to your fitness level), drawing on Cardio, Track and Field, Plyometrics, Rowing, Gymnastics, and Weightlifting, among other modalities.

Checking out Crossfit Manila's website, you will certainly come across the acronym WOD. It stands for Workout Of The Day. The person guiding us first timers into this circle of pain...I mean, our Crossfit "trial" workout, was Byron. I felt a little better seeing the faces of my co-participants, they were anxious, mixed with a lttle nervousness.

Our WOD consisted of wall squats, pushups, box jumps and "burpees". I won't spoil the surprise of revealing what a "burpee" is, except to say that after the three preceding exercises, you may find the need to clobber the trainer for asking you to do one. (Fun fact: Latecomers are punished with burpees. Hint, hint.)

I've never seen so many people hunched over forward, hands on thighs and knees, gasping for every spare oxygen molecule available. I tried to finish a "set" quickly so I could rest longer, but that only signaled Byron to start the clock all over again for "another set!"

I swear, that timer of theirs is broken, it didn't seem to count down faster or nearer to zero.

Loved it.

If you are a longtime exerciser and need to "shake things up", a Crossfit routine will definitely shock you into realizing that your body may be capable of so much more than what you give it credit for. I envy those who have never exercised at all, in the sense that they will be approaching this as "virgins" and everything will seem new and fresh.

I highly recommend this new exercise modality, especially to people who are regulars of the "gym circuit", who may be facing boredom or stagnation in their fitness goals as a result of doing the same thing day in and day out. The WOD ensures that everyday will be a different workout experience, and in a time like today, where there is an emphasis to keep things simple so people can get on board the fitness bus, this is an "off the beaten track" car, definitely an adventure to ride out into places unknown.

And now, I must stagger home, lest the heat finishes off whatever vestiges of strength I have left after that exhilirating, excruciating workout.

Until the next session.