Haterade

I made the mistake of indicating on Facebook that I wasn't going to a WOD yesterday because my knee was sore. And my knee, I really mean the point at which my IT band connects to the outside of my knee, which has been taking a beating since I started CF. My right leg is fine (because it's my dominant leg, I'm sure) and therefore, I am not terribly worried about being hurt, just recognizing that I need to take a day or two away. This is a good step for me as I will die before I give up on something once I've put my mind to it, which is why I often suffer from exercise burn out.

I posted this mostly because I have made some friends in my Elements class who were pondering going. I also get a lot of "what was your WOD" questions and I didn't feel like telling all who asked individually. Sue me.

I got a few positive tips from people (KT tape apparently is amazing and I should use it until my tendons and ligaments catch up with the muscles they are connected to), but I got a few messages about "Told you Cross Fit causes injuries." This made me LIVID.

Bad form and weakness causes injuries. Being blind to when your body is hurting and continuing on anyway is what causes injuries. An activity in and of itself does not cause injuries, unless you're talking about beating your own head into a concrete wall or something.

There are a lot of CF haters out there, and I didn't realize it til I started doing it. Maybe its because its seen as an expensive, elitist activity. Maybe its because people think that you do those crazy Cross Fit games activities in your every day workout (like launching medicine balls across a football field) and are like "no wonder you can't walk."

But I'm pretty sure its that people are scared to give you kudos for putting yourself out there and doing something that is REALLY hard, but with the right mind set and prep, doable. And making a financial and mental commitment to doing something that makes you sore, and tired, and gives you calloused hands isn't in their plan right now.

In reality, I am sore. Pretty damn sore in some areas, but these are areas that, in my normal pretty friggin' intense workouts, I don't touch. How often do your hip flexors hurt? Or are your rhomboids sore? Your teres major/minors? Or your upper abs (what I call the under boob area)? Probably not often. This is why I started doing this. Left to my own devices, I'd have amazing delts, hams, glutes and calves but I would be able to hold a plank for 3 seconds, and not be able to climb out of a hole to save my life. I was not doing enough. Not enough intensity, variety, consistency, none of it.

Keep your haterade to yourself. I'm over here trying to work.