How I Found CrossFit and What It Means to Me

How I Found CrossFit and What It Means to Me
Written by Brittany Pullman

(Editor’s Note – Brittany is one of our newest employees at Invictus. If you haven’t already met her working the front desk at Invictus Point Loma, please make an effort to say hello to her and introduce yourself the next time you are in. She is always smiling and eager to help our members, and is a great addition to the Invictus family.)

In the spirit of the upcoming holidays, I sat down to think about the many things I am thankful for. And as cheesy as it sounds, CrossFit is one of them.

Through our lives, we are constantly presented with challenges; challenges that help shape our character. Through my 21 years, I have been lucky enough to be challenged a lot. And yes I said lucky. I feel without the challenges I have faced, I would not find myself to be who I am today, and I only hope to continued to be challenged to push me to be an even better person, athlete, friend, relative and daughter. This theory of mental toughness is constantly tested, especially in the sport of CrossFit.

To sum up my story of ” How I found CrossFit?”

I was always athletic throughout my younger years and all through high school. However, I was never the fastest, I could never lift the most weight and could never jump the highest.

This being the case, I felt the only thing that set me apart was that I always worked the hardest. I attended extra practices, asked for extra coaching time, questioned everything and anything I could. And although I was never a star athlete in high school, I pushed on and did something some of my coaches never thought I could do; I became a collegiate track athlete. I ran two years at Santa Monica Community College, became the women’s team captain my second year and lived some of what I feel were the best two years of my life so far.

As my days of  eligibility as a community college athlete slowly came to an end and school required another year from me, I became lost. What was I to do now?

I think you can guess what happened here. I found CrossFit – or rather, maybe CrossFit found me. Either way, I am so happy I did. My first workout was 100 thrusters with 5 burpees at the top of every minute. It nearly knocked me to my feet and I fell in love.

I do not know if it was the fact that I was so torn up by it that I could not think straight or if, in a way, I felt I resonated with it so well, it yet again challenged me, and got that feeling again, the fire had been lit. Prior to this experience, I had barely set foot in a gym, only going to weight room when it was required. Never being able to clean more than 55lbs., I was terrified of it. After my first CrossFit workout, I was hooked and spent every minute learning everything I could. I continued to fail and relearn movements I thought I had mastered.

I love CrossFit because it constantly challenges me and has pushed me to surpass goals in fitness I never thought possible. However, the one thing about CrossFit I feel resonates with me the most is that it forges mental toughness.

During my last semester of  community college, I was working three jobs, going to school full-time and training whenever I got the chance. Although I was never guaranteed where I would end up, I was never unsure of myself.  For most of us, we work or go to school or have extremely busy schedules. We don’t always get that 8 hours of sleep or eat absolutely optimally, but we still train and still work toward a same common goal to be better.

So what am I getting at here?

What I’m saying is, be thankful for all you have, whatever it may be. And even the days when things seem to be this barricade of impossibles, we have to just remind ourselves “How bad do you want it?”

If you can, take the time to watch this inspirational video; if you have seen it already, maybe watch it again. It may help to remind you and inspire you that anything is possible if you’re mentally prepared to make it happen.

http://youtu.be/lsSC2vx7zFQ

“Full Effort is Full Victory”

Happy Holidays to all!