The Zen of CrossFit

When I think about meditation, I think about raked sand gardens and lotus flowers and a bunch of monks chilling out in silence on some mountain in Tibet. I do not think about weight plates clanging around on the concrete floor of an unfinished warehouse while some version of bass-thumping hardcore music blasts from the speakers overhead.

Yet if meditation means that you intently focus on one thing and clear your mind of all the petty chatter, then CrossFit is the most meditative part of my day.

When I started on this journey... first of all, I didn't realize it would become a journey (I know. I drank the kool-aid. shhh) but secondly, I never saw zenlike coming.

The thing is, when you're doing the Workout of the Day there is nothing else. There's no: does Game of Thrones start this weekend or next; how much longer til I pay off that credit card; is quinoa paleo?

None of that.

There is only: chest up; heels down; dig it out; and that's only how many reps so far?!

Nothing else exists. Until you're done of course and you lie down on the floor for a little while catching your breath and grateful to be alive.

I think the obvious difference between meditation and CrossFit is the competitive aspect. Whether you're competing against yourself or other crossfitters, I just don't think you can quantify meditation with a stop watch or reps per minute. And I don't know any monks personally but I doubt they get on facebook and declare how hard they crushed a meditation session.

Which is probably why a lot of crossfitters come off as douchey. I get it. Which is why I refuse to post about CrossFit anywhere except here.

Having said that, I have to get this out. I signed up for a competition. Because it seemed like a great idea at the time and it's just a small, local, women's only thing and they have 3 different levels, so OF COURSE I'll be considered a Novice since I just started all this nonsense last month, and what's the worst, right?

Wrong.

After answering the registration questionnaire I somehow got placed in the Intermediate category and now I'm totally freaking out because I do not feel anywhere near an Intermediate level when it comes to this sport. I have to google what the exercises are most of the time. I can't figure out how to get my grip right during a back squat so the bar doesn't go all crooked. I still tip forward a little coming up from an air squat and I'm barely even ready for banded pull ups at this point. And if that sounds like Intermediate then Beginners must be hobbling around on crutches or something.

I'm pretty competitive is what I'm saying and I signed up for this event to challenge myself not to end up in some America's Funniest Videos epic fail montage.

So I'm going to have to address this when I go for class tonight because I've either got to get out of that category or we have to seriously improve my skills these next 5 weeks because the last time I pulled a sled there was a toddler riding on it and the only time I flipped a tire I was changing a flat on the old minivan. So yeah, we have some work ahead.