SUE

SUE AT 56 YEARS OF AGE

I had been active in running since my late 20s and have competed in 5Ks and 10K’s and completed several half and full marathons during the past 30 years. I have had gym memberships at one time or another during most of that time and really didn’t have measurable gains until my daughter; a personal trainer began training me in my early 50s.

I sustained some level of fitness and weight control during my 30’s and 40’s and most of my 50’s until the age of 55 when I think somehow, my get up and go, got up and went.

By 56 I was gaining weight and on Blood Pressure medication. By 57 years of age, I was the heaviest I had been since my last pregnancy, 155#, and both my health and weight were spiraling out of control. By 58, I could no longer run or participate in any workouts without either getting hurt or being too exhausted to finish.

But the final straw was when I was barely able to safely lift and carry my then 22# grandson without straining and getting a backache. I could hardly get up off the floor when I’d sit down with him, and having to tell him “No, Grammy can’t carry you”, was just heartbreaking.

SUE AT 60 YEARS OF AGE

My weakness was no longer acceptable as it was negatively affecting my enjoyment of my grandchildren and life in general. So once again I joined a gym and started reassessing my habits and deciding what was needed to accomplish good health and gain strength. Nutrition became a focus again, and after a few months of rejoining the gym, I realized I needed constant instruction and motivation to make any workout successful and the classes were just not that motivating for me. A friend then introduced me to Crossfit.

I eased into it by joining a small All Women’s Crossfit box, and after a few months and 35# weight loss, I felt that I was ready to take it further, and thankfully I found Crossfit Infernal.

Those first months were grueling and when I came to Infernal, there were still many days during the WOD I would feel nauseous, or like I just couldn’t do this. But I was seeing measurable progress in strength and within a few months of being at Infernal I was off my Blood pressure medication and tossing my little grandchildren up like feathers.

I love the feeling of accomplishment I feel after having finished every challenging WOD or when I can lift heavier or do exercises that take more strength and endurance than I ever thought I had.

The instructors are thorough in the review of movement and form and diligent in observing to be sure everyone is safe and maintaining good technique. I find the community camaraderie during the WODs motivating, as everyone knows what you are going through, whether you are lifting 45 # or 145 #, and the encouragement doesn’t stop until the last one is done.

You can’t get that at any gym and unless you can afford a personal trainer, you won’t get the instruction and correction needed to progress safely like you do with Crossfit.

Recently I become a Certified Level 1 Crossfit instructor and I focus on individuals over 50. Every grandparent should be able to squat down and play on the floor with a grandchild and hear them giggle with glee as you lift and swing them overhead! Safely and effortlessly. Crossfit gave me that gift and now I hope to pay it forward.

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