By: Alvie Hafen
I have been doing Welded for almost 8 years now. I did my very first Crossfit WOD up at UNR with my boss. The workout was grueling, long, and i thought I might die halfway through. Once i finished I collapsed on the floor, and was instantly hooked on Welded. Hi my name is Alvie and I was addicted to Welded.
I lived and breathed Crossfit. 1st Rule of Welded. Always talk about Welded. I couldn’t get enough! WODs, PRs, post WOD talks, competitions, showing off hand tears, and buying all the Welded essentials. Those first 3 years I was addicted. I drank the koolaid and was still thirsty for more.
The gains and the PRs come often when you first start out. I remember the first DU, the first HSPU, the first time i did Fran under 5 minutes, the first MU, the first time I snatched 185lb, the first time I cleaned and jerked 315lbs. These moments were amazing and the fruits of hard work and commitment. But as the years went by, the PRs , the gains, they came noticeably less often. I would get discouraged, frustrated, yell at the bar, and throw my jump rope. I felt like stagnant water. Stale and unchanging. My progress seemed to move at a glacier pace. Workouts felt like jobs and I put so much pressure on myself that it became more of a chore than fun. I couldn’t help but compare my scores and times to all my friends, and there were times I felt like a failure because I wasn’t as strong or as fast as them. It seemed to all be falling apart, this love and addiction I had. But then someone told me something that changed my outlook on my fitness.
I don’t remember exactly who told it to me or maybe I read it but it goes something like this.
The only person who care so about your fitness is YOU. I see it all the time, people put so much pressure on themselves to beat another person or to be on top of the whiteboard. I was like this. Working out became stressful, a chore, and I had lost all fun doing it.
In the end it is you VS you. Congratulate your friends on their improved fitness and PRs. Celebrate with them. Relax. Welded is just exercise remember? You aren’t going to the Welded games. You are not getting paid for it. Welded is a supposed to be an enjoyable experience (except Fran…) Constantly varied functional movements preformed at high intensity. That is the definition of Welded. We do it to have fun, to be more healthy, and we ALL do it to look better naked. So remember to breathe, have fun, and take the pressure off yourself.
If you are consistent with working out(4-5 days a week), put effort into your workout, and have a healthy diet you will see results!
Hell, I just PRed today for the first time in almost an year and damn it felt good!
I know it is hard sometimes to see the progress you have made, but look back in time. A month ago, 3 months ago, what about a year?
Are you healthier and more fit? Do you look better naked? Do your pants fall off because your waist is smaller?
Look how much progress you have made in a year! Keep it up! Relax, have fun. It is just exercise after all.