Get Primal with CrossFit

I often want to do crossfit like I try to climb: “…like a ballet dancer, with effortless panache in the movements, a totally straight face and not a sound coming from your lips.”

I wish I was that cool… Doesn’t work out very well when trying to pull off the 45th handstand pushup in Diane…

Ryan C. posted this to the comments yesterday.  I love thinking about this juxtaposition-in fact, this is perfect for us seeing as how we have a ballet school for neighbors.  This just reminds me what I love fiercely about CrossFit.  It is all about digging so deep that you look as little like a ballet dancer as possible.  Some of us are so well suited to this that meeting CrossFit was like falling in love.  I, for one, did ballet when I was little…until I met gymnastics.  What a blessed relief.  Still, I was the girl with the leotard that never stayed where it was supposed to and hair that never stayed in the ponytail.  But I could tumble.  My first work was as a geologist, surrounded by other people who like to stay out too long in the bush, not take showers and never never wear makeup.  Also great.  Then when I first ventured into fitness there was running – a lot of very thin people who don’t mind being bored to death.  Then there was yoga.  So controlled, so vegetarian, so quiet, such expensive outfits, so flaky sometimes.  Yoga was so incredibly good as a discipline for me.  I really had to reach hard and get outside my natural comfort zone.  I deeply appreciate all my yoga teachers and how much they taught me about my body and breathing.  But I sure as hell didn’t feel at home in a yoga studio.  Then I met CrossFit.  Plenty of red meat and down and dirty hard work.  Not for everyone.  For some of you, meeting CrossFit was like it was for me, falling in love.  But for others, maybe like Ryan C. it goes against your nature.  As important as studying yoga was for me, doing CrossFit might be for you.  You go outside your comfort zone.  You behave in ways you normally wouldn’t.  You make funny faces, get sweaty and dirty and smell bad and surely it isn’t often graceful.  You learn how to yell and grunt (and boy is it hard to get some of you to do this!).  You will never need Primal Scream therapy.  In short, you have to give up control.  Scary and yet thrilling too.  I love love love to see you all get Primal.  But I am also very much looking forward to a potential climbing experience with Ryan (where I will try to find some panache) or maybe I’ll just head next door to the ballet school…