1 Year of Crossfit

[Ryan Whipple]

This is a long story of my CrossFit experience. If you want to skip to the hard numbers, they are at the end.

“4. Sprinters can match the cardiovascular performance of endurance athletes even at extended efforts.
5. Endurance athletes are woefully lacking in total physical capacity.” –Coach Glassman

I read these observations and recognized myself in them. I had been running distance since high school…a sport I was convinced I did well in because all the other athletes had sense enough to do something else. I lifted weights off and on together with my marathon training, but I never saw results and or had the energy to keep up both. I would weigh my success in running against my failures in lifting and decide to dump the lifting. In military training exercises I always found some sort of value as a small guy with a lot of endurance, but I knew I was far too weak to help in any task which required strength. I was always amazed that anyone considered me “fit.”

A ski accident and a bruised pelvis took me out of running for a while. I lost my base fitness and running was no longer easy or fun. I had heard friends talk about CrossFit and it’s focus on well-rounded fitness. But as I read through the CrossFit page, inspired by some friends accomplishments and their enthusiasm in the program, I realized that I was this “woefully lacking” endurance athlete. In fact, I wasn’t even an endurance athlete any more. I was highly skeptical that any program would transform my 5’8”, 120 lb body into something that wouldn’t draw concerns of eating disorders during checkups, but it was quickly becoming the cool thing to do at school, so I started experimenting with it.

I began following CrossFit in May of 2007. I was 5’8”, 120 lbs, weak, tired, and entirely unathletic. My first experience was “Nancy.” I took a 65# bar outside to the end of a 400M out-and-back near my home, and began. After struggling out the first round, I dumped the plates off and finished it at 45#. I felt ridiculous, but I also felt that I had been challenged. I liked it. I kept with the workouts, enjoying the variety, the new skills I acquired, and the occasional looks I got in the gym for being “that crazy guy.” During my second CrossFit Total, a friend saw the weight on the bar for my last deadlift attempt and asked me, “Ryan, are you going to lift that?” I don’t think I’ll ever forget both how funny and how great that felt!

So now I’ve been CrossFitting for one year. I have learned new skills, gained confidence in my abilities, and learned to enjoy fitness. My desire to improve my performance has led me to better diet and sleeping habits. I have gained around 15 lbs and seen my fitness improve in every regard. I no longer feel embarrassed about being out of shape, even though I know I have a long way to go. To summarize my accomplishments to date, hopefully as an inspiration to others:

Angie:
11 July 2007: 39:20
24 Apr 2008: 22:23

Cindy:
26 May 2007: 13
26 Jun 2007: 18
26 July 2007: 20
10 Oct 2007: 21
11 Nov 2007: 22

CrossFit Total:
15 Jun 2007: 460
21 July 2007: 505
7 Apr 2008: 530

Death By Pullups:
18 May 2007: 9+3
29 Aug 2007: 12+8
19 Oct 2007: 14+9

Fran:
26 Aug 2007: 65#, 7:29
28 Mar 2008: 65#, 6:26

Grace:
12 Aug 2007: 95#, 5:46
4 Nov 2007: 95#, 4:37

Helen:
12 Oct 2007: 19:33
13 Feb 2008: 10:46

Nancy:
20 May 2007: 45#, 21:00
13 Nov 2007: 65#, 15:35
12 Apr 2008: 75#, 15:21

Thanks to everyone who makes this program and this community what it is!

[Stephen Smith]

Wow, that's some impressive gains... nearly halving your time/doubling your output in anything in 1 year is nothing short of amazing!

[Christin Street]

Very impressive especially Helen and Angie! OMG!

[Casey Raiford]

Wow...nice story!

[Simon Bowley]

Awesome Ryan. Some of that sounds familiar to me.... I'll take inspiration because I'm at the start of my CrossFit journey

[Doug Holland]

Great Job Ryan! Thanks for keeping tabs on your progress. That is inspiring to me.


Doug

[Jeff Dale]

Nice progress Ryan!