Dirt in your skirt blog

We Can All Change Our Mind

Posted on November 13, 2012 by Margaret Schlachter

One of the qualities of a writer is having an opinion but what happens when that opinion changes? In life often when a new idea, career path, workout, or otherwise is introduced to us we push back but why? Is it fear of the unknown, or stubbornness and our own close mindedness that keeps us from branching out. What’s wrong with what we have been doing? If it worked in the past doesn’t it mean it should just keep working? Life is a constantly evolving around us from the clothing we wear to the technology we use, everything is evolving. Fads are all around us, some stay and turn into norms and others fad away.

The hardest thing to do is to admit a change in perception and thinking and even harder to do it publicly. On August 18, 2011 I wrote a blog post called Air Force & Pandora, in this post I talk about my perception of the “cult of CrossFit”. Well here I am over a year later working out three to four days a week at Ute CrossFit here in Salt Lake City. Times change, we change, and it’s important to note these changes in life. Here is what I have learned:

CrossFit still has a very cultish following, but so does Obstacle Course Racing and really any sport for that matter. We sit around the water cooler talking about our favorite sports teams and players. We even have multiple channels on television devoted to those beloved sports. Whenever you find a group of people passionate about a topic from the outside looking in, it looks like a cult some are just more widely accepted. I realized what CrossFit has done and what turned me off initially was it’s created it’s own language…

Box = Gym

WOD = Workout of the Day

AMRAP = As Many Rounds As Possible

Workouts named: Fran, Cindy, Fight Gone Bad, Grace, Nasty Girls, Bear Complex, etc…

The naming of workout’s turned me off at first, it’s a workout, it doesn’t need a fancy name! Once I started to see the workouts for what they were I saw many of them were the same thing I had been doing for years just with names. Part of the aversion to any new workout or group is not understanding the language and or the culture. Once I learned both, got over the cultish aspect and got into the workouts, I learned they are actually pretty fun. If you are a person motivated by competition the group classes can be a great way to get yourself into shape. The one thing I do really like is you are pretty easily able to gauge progress. With that said my workouts are a little different I tend to workout in-between class times and my CrossFit box is filled with people who not only have a passion for CrossFit but also for running, obstacle course races, and more.

As with anything finding the right fit is the key to any workout programs success. For me I found my fit at Ute CrossFit. I love the WOD’s and variety, I often fail when the workouts become too repetitious. I like the challenges, and CrossFit really has me working on my weaknesses. So I can admit that I was wrong, I do like CrossFit, a lot.

As with everything in life I think it’s about finding a balance and I especially like the people at my box. That is really the key, the people. For me CrossFit has become an important part of my training but it remains still only part of it. I still have strict strength workouts, and I firmly believe in time on feet and my long runs. As good as it is if you want to be a runner, you have to run.

When we get caught up in our routine and stop looking at all the options that’s the day we stop progressing and evolving. For me CrossFit has become the next evolution in my progression in sport. Many people ask what I do to train it’s pretty simple; trail run, hike, CrossFit, yoga, agility, balance, and sport specific obstacle training. It’s variety that keeps me engaged. I try to go into things these days with a more open mind and open heart to new ideas, it’s a constant work in progress an exploration in self discovery. It took Ute CrossFit for me to change my mind on CrossFit and now I love going to the gym (I mean box) each day and stoked when I walk in the door.