So, come the day of the first crossfit session, I presented myself tall and proud, still not knowing what crossfit was, as I did not bother to google it (living la vida loca, you see?... erm... ok, ok, fine, it wasn't about la vida loca, actually knowing Ger I also knew I'd be in safe hands).

Back to the first session, Ger explained the workout to us and we started it.
I discovered I was hardly able to do even a bad squat, let alone 10 proper ones. Jumping 10 times on the step left me wobbling and thinking that running 400 m, the last leg of the workout, might kill me.  It didn’t, and – no prize for guessing – it made me stronger, the saying is true…
I was exhausted but already hooked on crossfit and looking forward to the next session.

Now I realise that first session was simple and Ger adapted it to pose a light challenge to my fitness level back then. Little by little he stepped up the level and I got to do more serious workouts, pushing my limits a bit at a time. I became a big fan of correct form in exercises and got to like working with barbells. I love the satisfaction it gives me to finish a good workout, the confidence I get from breaking yet another personal record and from succeeding at my goals. I am now doing decent squats, getting to squat with weights and jumping easily on a 24’’ box. That memory of myself struggling to jump on a simple step makes me smile and I am sure in a couple of weeks I will be smiling recollecting how I am trying right now to hold 'support' in the rings.
All this is probably not a big deal for a very fit person but it is a steady progress for myself and at the end of the day that is what matters most.

Nowadays I am not obsessing anymore over losing weight and it was about time. I’ve been losing a pound or so every 1 or 2 weeks since starting crossfit but I see it now as a collateral effect. Feeling fitter and stronger than ever before, going easily through the day without feeling already tired at 6pm as a result of this type of training made me shift the focus from weight loss to wellbeing.

I’ve been with Crossfit Mallow for more than 2 months now. I enjoy training together with other people, men and women, younger or older, well built or still building up their basic strength, but all like-minded when it comes to taking the best out of themselves. The support I get from them during workouts is tremendous as is Ger’s guidance and dedication.
I also like to watch the seasoned athletes Crossfit Mallow invites over for demonstrations, it is inspiring and makes me want to catch up with them.

At Crossfit Mallow, training stopped being a boring routine performed out of some sense of duty for my health. It means now new workouts every week, developing different kinds of abilities and making efforts to get where I want to be fitness wise in 2 months, 1 year or in the long run. And equally important, it often feels like I am back on the playground, busy to skip the rope, slamming the ball against the ground and hanging from bars and rings.