New to Nerd Fitness not new to being a nerd

[Sam Nero]

Hi everyone, I have been reading NF for awhile now and I really enjoy all the posts, tips, etc. I thought it was time to post on here and see what the Rebellion is all about.

So some vitals about me. I am 30 years old, current weight is 265. Two years ago I was 295 and was determined to never hit the 300 mark. I worked hard and got as low as 250 a year ago, but since then has slowly crept up to the current level. Now I am trying to figure out how to turn that course back around again and get back down to 250 or lower.

My Journey.

About two years ago I joined Anytime Fitness. This worked well with my schedule because I tend to work out late at night. I would do some various lifts and 45 minutes on the eliptical machine. This worked wonders for awhile... then boredom set in.

Sure it was great while the easy pounds melted off and the motivation flowed, but once the weight equalized with my workouts I started wondering what I could do next. I tried loud motivating music, but that got old quickly. I would start to memorize how long each song was and then the math of how long the workout took drove me crazy.

I switched to listening to audiobooks and this worked great. But after JJ Martin's books ran out and re listening to some classics, getting through the slow parts of books was even tougher than the mathematics of music.

Two months ago I quit the gym and joined our local CrossFit location. Have any of you tried Crossfit? It seems to coincide with a lot of what NF talks about. Plus, as a gamer it is a lot more fun. You do the craziest workouts sometimes, helps keep the imagination a part of the workout.

So far CrossFit hasnt helped me lose any additional weight, but it has gotten me in better shape. What it taught me was that I was one of those "machine" guys. I could go to the gym and sit down at any machine and max out the weight available. I thought I was strong. The problem with machines though is that they only work specific muscle groups, they don't work out the counter muscles. What this means is that when you actually go to real world applications for your strength you find out you are a wimp.

The other day at CrossFit I was doing some Jerks, which I was in the process of learning how to do, when this little asian lady came up and asked if she could do a set. Yep, this 110 lbs lady Jerked the same amount of weight as me, it made me want to go get a membership at Curves. The thing was though, she did them perfectly and was able to achieve a lot more. And so even though I could, at a gym, easily lift that weight on a machine, the real world situation of actually lifting the weight made me feel like a wimp.

I now realize what was missing from my workouts at Anytime Fitness. It was the hurting afterwards. I used to think this pain was just the pain you got after the first couple of days of working out, now I realize you should really have these pains ALL THE TIME. If you aren't a little sore the day after working out, you aren't doing it right! I don't mean intense pain, but your muscles should ache. If they don't, try switching up the workout. Crossfit has helped me do this as it's a rotating pain. Every day my body does something new. So far, it's really helped me, I am hoping as I get better with the form on the lifts that I will start to impress myself even more.

I hope I can keep updating my story with good news, sorry for my long rambling post that I didnt edit. Sometimes it just helps to get the words out. Thanks for reading... and for writing, I enjoy everyone's posts.

[ETFnerd]

You picked a great day to join up! Welcome!

[ebm1224]

i'm sorry the welcome wagon is so scary looking. glad you're here! congrats on all you've achieved so far. there are alot of crossfitters here it seems so youre in good company.

[Sloth the Enduring]

Welcome Sam. I haven't tried it, but I like what I've seen of CrossFit. Curves might not be too bad for you, my mother-in-law loves it

[scott82962]

Hi Sam. Here's what keeps me at it, but first a digression. I bought a motorcycle 3 years ago because of my interminable commute to work. I figured I'd save a few bucks on gas and have a lot more fun riding 2.5 hours per day than driving 2.5 hours per day. And at that time motorcycles were just calling to me. I realized then that "I am a motorcyclist" and started immersing myself in it. Part of my immersion was embracing being a motorcyclist and accepting that I was by far not the most talented, or committed, or knowledgeable motorcyclist.

It then occurred to me that, having lifted weights mostly on, sometimes off, over 30 years that I was also a "strongman". Not the strongest, again by far, but strength training was not a labor to me, it was just who I was (am). (I'm also a guitarist - and by the farthest most! am not a great, or even good guitarist. But anytime I've got 15 minutes at home I'll have a guitar on my lap.)

Your intro reads to me like you're pretty committed to being a strongman. You embrace the "pain" of lifting hard and didn't shrink away from the talent and strength of the 110 lb. lady. Very cool. Just keep lifting and finding new ways to challenge yourself.