Aly Willier, one of the Orange Coast CrossFit top trainers knocks out a 110# overhead squat for 13 reps!!
Can women do CrossFit? Sure they can!!
WE ARE MAKING A DIFFERENCE!
Now, more than ever our lives are pulled in so many directions. Its hard to find time to make a difference in our own lives, let alone someone else’s. Work, or lack of work, stress, money, family, friends, commitments, responsibilities, and all those things that make up our daily lives take up most of our time. We find ourselves saying “I would do that if I didn’t have <<insert excuse here>>” as reason why we just dont have time to get in shape, or to change the lackluster training routine that we are in now. Getting healthy is sometimes the hardest choice for people to make. As if things couldn’t get any harder…. Now lets add being a woman to the mix. Lets face it fitness and exercise is still a mans world. I will speak for myself just so you understand. Last time I did a triathlon there were 5 women compared to 33 men, my bicycling group consists of 75% men, when I used to go to 24 Hour Fitness there would maybe be 2-3 women lifting weights. There are some exceptions to the rule (yoga, aerobics, etc.) but I know how you feel when you walk into the gym with the plan to lift some weights and do some leg extensions but end up on the tread mill because there were too many guys in the weight area and you didn’t feel like looking like a dork. Those machines are the comfort zone for most women as well as the wheelchair. Machines as you will find our so inferior to using and moving your own bodyweight through space. Balance, coordination, agility, accuracy are all skills improved through calistenthics and using free wieghts. In addition most women find working out with weights by themselves daunting. Before I found CrossFit I would read about a wokout routine in SHAPE and then do it for weeks and weeks at the gym until it became ineffective and boring. In CrossFit we do a new workout every day. WE NEVER REPEAT A WORKOUT! Every day is something new that not only keeps the body from hitting a dreaded plateau but also keeps things fun. Keeping up with an exericise routine is hard enough. Keeping it enjoyable is key. That is a huge reason why CrossFit is so popular with the women in our gym.
CrossFit IS making a difference. But don’t take my word for it, we asked a few of the girls from Orange Coast CrossFit what their definition of CrossFit was and just by reading their definitions you can see the difference it has made for them.
Melanie: Been with OCC for 11 months
I am seeing muscles in places I never thought I could have muscles; I am physically stronger and happier than I have ever been. When I first began Crossfit the more challenging exercises intimidated me, now I look forward to the more difficult WOD′s. Crossfit is both a mental and physical game and I truly believe that is what makes the workouts so enjoyable. Justin Flynn and CrossFit have taught me that a positive mind can push your body far beyond everyday limits and I have recently removed the phrase “I can′t from my workout vocabulary.
Lindsay: Been doing CrossFit for 10 months
“Within these brief 10 months I have seen a dramatic change in myself. I have never been more physically and mentally fit in all my life. It has been an amazing tool to help set goals for myself and stick to it. Crossfit to me means STRENGH both in mind and body!”
Jen: Been doing CrossFit for 10 months
Left: Aug 1st 2009 Right: Oct 3rd 2009
“Crossfit is a community of athletes with the common goal of pushing ourselves personally and collectively to our highest potential. We measure our physical improvements, build on our failures and support each other through the grueling workouts. And for some sick reason, we love every second of it. Justin Flynn and OCC have showed me what real fitness is. These guys are good.”
Pinky: Been doing CrossFit for 1 year
“CrossFit makes you feel like you are a part of something special. You are amongst people who push themselves to their limits, and people who have the ability to finish something strong and never quit. Justin Flynn and his group of trainers are as professional as they come.”
Paula: Been doing CrossFit for 8 months
“I like making friends with people who have like minds about working out and living healthy and get the same pumped up feeling that I get from CrossFit. Justin Flynn has helped me become a more balanced athlete. I have seen big improvement in all aspects of my fitness thanks to all my girlfriends and each day I look forward to the next WOD.”
Olga: Been doing CrossFit for 8 months
“What is CF to me: A place where it’s ok to get really sweaty and make less than attractive faces during the workout. A very honest sport: what you get out of it is directly proportional to the effort that you put into each and every workout. My family away from my home in Florida. Justin is an awesome trainer and I cannot imagine working out anywhere else. Best gym in the OC without a doubt.”
MacKenzie: Been doing CrossFit for 1 year
“I think CrossFit is a high-intensity workout designed to help me achieve my highest level of fitness possible. It is the best way for me to stay in shape and be healthy! It challenges me not only physically, but mentally as well and that is what I love about CrossFit. Thanks to OCC and Coach Justin for creating an incredible atmosphere here. We are like one big really fit family!”
Jill: Been with OCC for 6 months
Our gym is full of intelligent, funny, beautiful, encouraging, and helpful women. Oh ya, I should also mention that they are all incredibly STRONG and could take down most of the men you know. Check out my blog about CrossFit and all around well being. http://uncomfortablemuch.blogspot.com/
THE MYTHS OF CROSSFIT
I’ve heard it all: “I don’t want to try it cause I will get big and bulky”, “CrossFit looks hard core”, “I can’t lift those heavy barbells”…..
I’m here to clear some of those myths up for you. I don’t have to tell you that CrossFit won’t make you big and bulky because I can show you. Just look at the testimonies on this site, look through some of the blog posts, and scan through some of the pictures in the gallery, you will see story after story and picture after picture of people losing weight and getting in shape and none of the women look like American Gladiators. Even I’ve lost over 30 lbs., so if anything we are getting smaller. When people tell me something seems hard core it translates into “I’ve never done that before”. There are elements of CrossFit that might be new to you but I am sure most of it is not. We run, we jump on boxes, we do pushups, we throw balls in the air, we do some pull-ups, we row on a rowing machine, and we do lunges too. These are all things you probably did on the playground in elementary school and the last time I checked elementary school was not hard core. Lifting heavy bar bells may be hard core to you and you may not be able to lift a 45lb bar right when you come to the gym but you’re not alone. Even the fittest women you know can’t do a pull-up. At Orange Coast CrossFit we have several bars that don’t weigh that much so you can start at your own level. We have rubber bands that you put under your feet to assist you in doing pull-ups and you gradually work to a lighter band at your own pace. Everything that we do at the gym can be modified to your fitness level and you have a team of people there to help you through the entire process.
The first time I came to the gym within 2 minutes of being there several people came over and introduced themselves to me and struck up conversations. For my first work out I had 2 coaches and an entire team of people cheering me on and giving me tips. We record all of our results and keep track of our workouts so we can see our improvements over time. And everyday is a different workout. Now that is really different from 24 Hour Fitness. I can’t tell you how many years I went to the gym and worked out on the machines for 30 minutes and got on the treadmill for another 30 minutes. I would spice it up a bit and throw in 30 minutes on the bicycle, woooo!
So when are you going to make a difference in your life? Who knows, it might be fun! Stop by the gym and spice up your workout!
Check out these videos of some awesome women doing CrossFit.
