December Crossfit Update

I'm really sad to say that this week was my last week at my Crossfit box, I am now boxless and will be trying to find one on the coast soon!

First, I wanted to go over this month.

Achievements
12/4/2018: PR - Clean (squat clean) 55lbs <-- I nearly cried, I've never been able to do one before, read below.
12/9/2018: First ever fireman's carries! I carried people who were about 135-140lbs
12/14/2018: PR - Box Squat 125lbs (I had a spotter last time I did this weight, this time no spot)
12/18/2018: PR - Dumbbell strict press 30lbs (so theoretically I have a 60lb barbell strict press???)

I took my very first break from CrossFit since starting in June after that. I decided it was just easier to use my winter break to stress out over my move and ride my horse rather than try to find a box around here to work out in (and add to my stress with finding the right coach and struggling in front of people I don't know). I go back to this box today through Friday and then I'm officially looking for a new box. Next week is all drop-ins everywhere and hopefully I'll find one that works!

Squats for days, these are old
pictures... 

Before then though, I want to just write a little bit about how life changing this particular box has been for me. This is the third box I've worked out in and it has been amazing.

The people are the most kind and supportive people. I know everyone says their box has the most kind and supportive people, but this one really was the first time where I made genuine friendships. I'd stay after class all the time to hang out, come early to chat, and a bunch of them now follow my instagram, which let's be honest, is mostly horses and they all put up with that well.

The coaching is fantastic. There is one coach in particular that I consider a big catalyst in the way that I think about health and fitness, and life in general. He is always learning and isn't afraid to change his mind on the programming/nutrition/life if he learns something new. Everything we do has a purpose and he has a great balance between being a highly technical coach while also being able to tell me to stop overthinking and start picking up weight.

His wife though, she is the one I have to give quite a lot of credit to. One day she was watching me back squat while everyone else was front squatting. Upon hearing that I'd been to four doctors without anything other than "quit lifting weights" to show for it, she grabbed my forearm and said "I can fix that." And you know what, she did.

My wrist is still messed up, don't get me wrong. But I did a workout with bar over burpees for the first time ever. I can do push-ups without my wrist hurting, and I can do a squat clean now... an actual squat clean.

Because of both of them, I am getting stronger, I am getting more confident, and I am seeing myself as an athlete for the first time ever.

No deadlift PR this month but I still love them

I know I won't ever have coaches like them again. I'm sure there are good coaches all over the place, don't get me wrong. I don't need to have the crossfit equivalent of the trainers I require for dressage or anything. But I've known enough people to know that these kinds of people don't grow on trees.

I'm really glad to have so many good excuses to visit the area though, and I plan on keeping them in my life even if it's less frequent than the 4-5x/week I've been seeing them.