Last week I wrote about my favorite subset of people, as I search out the best way to prepare for an upcoming MudRun.  I have 2 1/2 months until the race so any interest I have in a gym is short term.  If I join anywhere, I will likely do a single month to give me a bit of a boost in my training, but with 4 kids, any long-term commitment to working out at a gym is not very practical.  So when I hear back from one CrossFit gym with the information that they offer a week free to try it out, it was a no-brainer to give it a go.

At the very least, I can get a week of training.  At best, I can get a full 5 weeks for the price of a 1 month membership, and depending on how that goes, maybe I’ll spring for a second month.

But as quickly as I pressed SEND on the email to say “I’ll be there for their 5:15am class on Monday,” doubts flooded my mind.

What I wrote last week still stands.  (When I am in the right mindset to deal with it) I love the approach of fitness professionals, however the question still remains, do I want to challenge?

I don’t mean the challenge of a hard workout, I mean the challenge of adapting workouts to work for me.

CrossFit is a different kind of gym.  I don’t show up and pick out the machines I want to use and go at it.  CrossFit uses some rather unique approaches, and often relying on one’s own body weight for the workouts.

Pull Ups
Hang Clean
Deadlifts
Anything will dumb bells
Working with ropes

All of these exercises, and many others, I cannot do.  My right hand simply will not grip what needs to be gripped and my muscular system on my affected side prevents me from having proper form on these and many other exercises.

It’s frustrating.  It truly is.

And on top of that I wonder if my challenges are going to create a problem for the class as a whole.  Will I be holding up the schedule?  Will I be create a nuisance for the trainer, who is unprepared for me to show up for a class?  Do I really want to be the center of attention, as I will to some degree and for some length of time while the trainer figures out what to do with me and for me?

I don’t know the answer to that.  I’ve committed to being there on Monday and I will keep that commitment.  While I am very tempted to change my mind and back out, that is the easy and wimpy way out.

Instead, I will force myself to do what I do not want to do for the sake of personal growth.  I will force myself out of my comfort zone and give it a go.

I may finish the workout completely pumped up and eager to be back on Tuesday.  Or I may finish the workout and say, “Nah, this is not for me.”  But either way, I will seek to save that judgement until after I experience the class.

So, until Monday…