Reluctant Fitness Training

I have been nearly obsessed with overall fitness since I discovered how quickly I became old and decrepit with a sedentary lifestyle. Shortly after starting my desk job I saw an extra 45 pounds and a series of joint problems to go with it. I went to the traditional body building routine; where my upper body, mid-section, and lower body all resembled different people. With my new found "fitness" level, I had the urge to compete in some way, so I began attending an excellent local judo dojo. With in three months I had placed second in a tournament and dislocated my patella. The tournament was the hardest physical thing I had ever done in my life, this coupled with my knee injury (obviously from a dramatic physical imbalance) showed me how unbelievably out of shape I truly was. I began searching for a different method of training. I discovered it like many people do, with a simple search on functional fitness and viola, crossfit. I spent the next couple months researching, obsessing, and experimenting with everything crossfit. I didn't completely buy in to it until I tried a WOD (workout of the day).

Before this becomes an ode to crossfit, I will allow you all to fast forward to today. Almost 1 year later, 45 pounds lighter, and a whole lot stronger and faster, I am turning to my re-occuring true passion to teach. At work on my lunch hour I have gathered a group of initially reluctant co-workers to allow me to train them. This has been a struggle on occasion, but most importantly a blessing. I truly enjoy the impact 30 min a day can make on the lives of those who are willing to step out of their comfort zone. Of the group, those athletes that do the best are the ones who have a slightly competitive streak coupled with a team mentality. Those that havent bought into the ideas I teach are using it as a "better than nothing" and "only what I am comfortable with" way to approach looking better. Even the most reluctant cant help but see results. And the most inspiring occurance as of yet is seeing my students spread the word to other reluctant individuals. When I first began my journey of achieving fitness I spoke to the masses about this thing called crossfit, performed unfamiliar moves in a crowded company provided gym, and attempted to find someone to join me in my endeavor. All the while looking like an overly energetic and naive kid in the eyes of a workforce littered with tired, drained, and most dramatically stuborn individuals. To have built a small team of these people, who have left their sedentary and maybe slightly ignorant lifestyles behind, and are now focused on not only improving their level of fitness but also dragging their fellow teammates along with them truly gives me the feeling of empowerment. Having built a successful, yet small community, of fitness fanatics (all over the age of 45) has given me the motivation and morale to continue my quest to spread my knowledge of fitness to those interested in partaking. Which has led me to my latest venture, blogging.... something I never thought I would venture to do.