Saturday morning saw me attend my very first ‘Cross Fit’ fitness session with a qualified trainer.

One word sums up my feeling right now:  PAIN

It is Sunday evening in my world and yes  the Personal Trainer is in a world of  HURT…

I new in my mind that my initial session would be a tough initiation. Not really knowing what to expect i made my way to where the session was held. It is 6.02am on a cool wintery Canberra morning, there is fog in the air, it is dark outside and my heart is already beating in anticipation of the fear factor ( good cardiovascular i thought). I have heard about some of these fitness training sessions and wasn’t sure what to expect.

To my surprise i walk  into find only 3 olympic bars set up and one 20kg dumbell in front of each bar. I thought to myself this looks ok….  With 15 years as a Personal Trainer, Bootcamp Fitness Trainer and a vast knowledge of our industry, i am trying to piece together in my mind what it is we might be doing?? From what i could see i thought i should be right here!!!

HA…..

Well i thought too soon, Ben came out and gives me the rundown on the session whilst we are waiting for a third person to arrive in my mate Paul ( who has been doing Cross Fit training for a while now he is in the best shape i have seen him in and he still drinks….). Ben tells me there are ONLY four exercises and we ONLY have to do three sets…

Yep great i thought, i knew this was going to be insane, right then i wanted to walk straight out the door and back to the comfort of my warm bed. Of course Pauly walks in the door ready to rock and role (even after a night on the grog after watching the Bombers cruise to victory over the woeful Blues…), my only chance to get out the door was gone…

All three of us get behind a bar each ( p.s. my heart rate is already at 110bpm standing still) and before i knew it Ben has started the stop watch and we were off. The session was simply to finish the workout as quickly as possible. All sounds well and good, but let me give you a run down on the fitness program: 

Session is named :    

  Xena Session ( all sessions are in girls name, not yet sure why??)

Exercise                          Reps                                 Weight

Thrusters                             15                            40kg

Burpees                                30                            nil

Hand Stand Push Up       15                                    nil

D/B weight swings            30                                   20kg

x 3 sets then carry the olympic out and back the length of the room by any means necessary to finish, then head straight outside to throw up!!!!

Yes that is right for the first time in 12 years a training session has got the better of me. It doesn’t help ( even though you try to say you are not, we were typical males trying to dominate and beat each other) that you are racing against two other blokes and i didn’t want to be embarrassed as i am the Personal Trainer here… I reckon for my first session i made a good account of myself and didn’t feel too out of place.

I have to take my hat off these two guys they are machines and have built up that cardiovascular endurance that they could just keep going and only had a few short rests. I had to stop start quite a bit but i managed to keep up amd we all finished at about the same time ( mind you i did have a variation on the handstand push ups which may have helped me a bit).

Felt like i was up against these two blokes…. and there is me in the picture above

Let me explain the exercises for you:

Thrusters- lifting the bar from the ground up onto your front delt ( shoulders), then straight into a full squat ( bum to your calves - only Ben was doing that), up into shoulder press, then squat etc,etc. Now you could stop as many times as you needed to on any exercise and i did believe me, but you had to finish your reps

Burpees- everyone that attends a Succeed Bootcamp will know about ‘burpees’, but for this that don’t you kick your feet out into push up position, drop chest to floor then jump up and feet must leave the ground ( sounds easy but these really to SUCK…. and i apologise for all my Bootcampers having to do these)

Hand Stand Push Up -  just flip upside down balance your feet on the wall and do a push up till your head hits the ground ( not that easy to control 93kg upside either after the first two exercises my arms & shoulders were on FIRE… Ben nearly knocked himself out but he soldiered on), i was given an easier option as it was my first time to place my feet on a five foot stage but still bloody hard.

D/B Arm Swings - weight between the legs and swing straight arm till the weight extends above your head, very important to use core stability here and control the weight and movement through your hips and you must keep your back flat.

 Session rating : 9/10

Time: 20.22

Calories: 382

Avg HR: 173 ( my max HR is supposed to 184…)

Absolutley awsome fitness/cardiovascular/strength session, i am struggling to walk, go down the stairs, go to the bathroom, yet i find myself already keen for next Saturday with the boys. I will continue with my own sessions during the week and let you know how i go.

Scott  the very sore Personal Trainer

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