My One Year Anniversary With Octane CrossFit

A year has passed since I joined Octane CrossFit. In the beginning I couldn’t finish most of the workouts within the time caps and many of the elements were obscure because of mobility issues in my shoulders. The first time I tried a front squat with an empty bar I fell over on my face and the snatch is still a just a concept but I have made a lot of progress over the course of the last year.

I can’t over emphasize how important I think CrossFit is for baby boomers. The main reason has to do with the functional aspects of the movements and the high level of overall fitness that I have obtained in one year and I am 59 years old. After the last twelve months here are a few words of wisdom about baby boomer CrossFit:

• Do CrossFit. There’s nothing better for functional movement and overall fitness. You will see major changes in your mobility, heart rate, and body weight in a short amount of time because CrossFit is intense and gets results.

• Fitness hurts and so does CrossFit. Pace yourself and rest your body as needed but maintain a schedule. Consistency matters but use common sense. I have taken days off in order to heal but I maintained a stretching-mobility routine every day. If you’ve been inactive for a long time-years in some cases–don’t expect your body to respond like it did when you were twenty years old.

  

• Bring a towel and plenty of water to the workout because you are going to sweat and you need to hydrate continuously.

  

• Purchase a set of knee sleeves, elbow sleeves, and a weight belt. The knee sleeves have been amazing for my knees which take a pounding from the running and squatting and your knees will love you for this. The elbow sleeves will keep your elbows warm during the pull-ups, pushups and and wall walks. The weight belt will support your lower back during the dead lifts and other back intensive elements.

• Minimize the amount of pain reliever that you take. You will need to take pain relievers from time-to-time because CrossFit is hard and this type of high intensity activity comes with a price. But for the 50+ crowd you need to listen to your body and you can’t do that if you are masking the pain in general. The main issue is recognizing the difference between muscle soreness and soreness due to tendon or ligament injuries.

  

• Don’t worry if you can’t manage a particular element–scale it baby! Just do what you can and keep moving. I am inspired by the younger crowd. I love to watch them toss the weights around as if the plates are full of feathers. My advice: grab the empty bar and give it all you got!

  

• CrossFit has made a huge difference in my cave diving. It has made me a more powerful swimmer, decreased my gas consumption, increased my endurance and stamina, and made it possible to dive up to five days in a row with no rest. CrossFit will change your life and improve your experience in other types of activities.

  

• CrossFit has introduced me to a community of like-minded individuals that gather throughout the week to work hard together, suffer together, and ultimately share a special bond–we are a family of warriors seeking the gift of fitness and having fun while we do it.