I am a strong person and do not usually quit something unless there is a good reason.

A couple days ago I quit cross fit.

There I said it.

My conscious just won't let go of the guilt. There is nothing wrong with the concept of cross fit nor the people I worked out with daily for a year. We sweat, cursed, bled a little, got sore and collapses on the mat in a heap together. As a team. I never did sports in high school and this was a close to a team as I have been.

I loved every moment of it. Except when I got injured. And I got injured often, almost chronically in my back and my shoulders. It was to the point I had trouble making progress in strength and, well, it was just not as much fun. I did not look forward to certain workouts because I knew it would either lead to disappointment or to unnecessary body ache. And not the good ache like sore muscles, but structural ache. However in the back of my mind, I knew if I stuck with something long enough, I would eventually get good at it.

I didn't improve on certain Olympic lifts nor did my pain diminish.

I got tired of constantly hurting so I made a decision to walk away from it. It was partly my fault as I went to long without taking adequate rest (would run 10k on my 1 non cross fit day while doing a highh intensity met con 6 days a week).

I focused a lot on form and spent countless hours practicing good mobility, but I still struggled to have good form on some of the more technically challenging things like Olympic lifts. Just was not mobile enough in my hips and shoulders. However, I kicked ass at the things I could do like running, rowing, pull ups, pushups, double unders, box jumps, squats, etc.

I feel so guilty. I am not a quitter in anything I put my mind to. It is hard breaking up with cross fit, with the coaches with my friends there.

I had to walk away even though cross fit has done so much for me in terms of overall fitness. Sigh. I feel so guilty. I hope to return to it again someday when the fun is back in it for me. And I am better about not injuring myself.

Now I am going to try something else that will help me go after my fitness goals, but not be so prone to injury.

This last week I did something completely different. It was strength workout, but off a DVD. Not only did I feel better after each workout, I got stronger day by day. The DVD is designed to do on a daily basis without leading to overtraining and / or burn out.

I am going to start a new program at home (p90x) and see where that takes me. There is certainly a lot that can be done with this program and programs like it.

In the meanwhile, if you have any suggestions to ease this guilt, please share. Sorry for the long post, but I had to get it out. Part of the grieving process I suppose. I feel like part of me has died.

Edited February 26, 201412 yr by Fiddleman

CBT- I was going to respond yesterday to your post, but I wanted to reflect on it some more. Let it sink in and simmer. It is downright philosophical. What a great response and it sure had me internally reflecting on questions about my core values. I think your beautiful prose has just described what it means to truly be authentic and to live an authentic life in a very logical manner. Duality is something very difficult to live with, especially when it comes to values. In an authentic life, there cannot and must not exist any duality. This is deep stuff.

I know, CBT kind of blew my mind, and I have been ruminating on it ever since....

I know, CBT kind of blew my mind, and I have been ruminating on it ever since....

I hope I didn't stress you out! Sorry to delay responding. We've had stomach flu. Good times. In opposite world.

Mind blowing is great for resetting

CBT- I was going to respond yesterday to your post, but I wanted to reflect on it some more. Let it sink in and simmer. It is downright philosophical. What a great response and it sure had me internally reflecting on questions about my core values. I think your beautiful prose has just described what it means to truly be authentic and to live an authentic life in a very logical manner. Duality is something very difficult to live with, especially when it comes to values. In an authentic life, there cannot and must not exist any duality. This is deep stuff.

Authenticity. There is a book chapter! Striving for congruency between the public and private self. Yes. Heady stuff. We all have blind spots. Sometimes it helps to have some provocation into reflection. I hope in this case, it helped.

So, my first thought is that Cross Fit is a means to an end... not the goal itself. When it was useful great, when it is no longer useful... kick it to the curb. no guilt, no regrets, lick your wounds and move on. I kinda think Globe may have a point. one of the challenges that I suspect many of us face is "all or nothing" thinking. I remember last summer when I regained about 5# - my clothes still fit, it was not a calamity but there was this little part of my brain that thought "5 pounds, 100 pounds - all the same... FAILURE". That is completely ridiculous of course, but you can see how your thoughts mirror that a bit. Couple of other thoughts. We, the formerly obese, may look fit, may have outstanding cardio fitness and can kinda "fool" standard ways of looking at fitness. Truth is some of us have joint damage, cartiledge gone, etc etc. Most of us were NOT lifelong athletes. I was hurt at my local gym working with a personal trainer and I am still ticked off about it. I am rehabbing with a different one and this lady was a star athlete in college and has played soccer for 30 years. i don't know her age, but probably in my ballpark. I will NEVER EVER EVER be her. We have decades of difference that can only be slightly amended by my current actions. I personally HATE the biggest loser TV show because it glamourizes obese people being physically pushed beyond any reasonable limits. Now, we are no longer obese and it is tempting to think... "hey, I can do it if so and so can" As it relates to me, I am just mad. I did a lot better with my Julian Michaels DVDs combined with spinning. I was fit, felt good and somehow managed to avoid hurting myself because I listened to my own body. I have spent the last month in constant pain because some so called expert decided I needed to be pushed beyond my body's limits and now I can hardly do the things in life I enjoy (my horseback riding, cycling - heck I even walk with a limp now!) Anyway - walk away guilt free. Find a new way to stay fit... and if that doesn't work, find something else. All these "methods" are just tools... they are not the goal in and of themselves.

I so understand your anger. Totally. THIS IS NOT REALITY TV ALL YOU PERSONAL TRAINERS OUT THERE! I was so depressed after my injury, I fell completely off the weight loss wagon (2 years ago, before surgery). I still have trust issues. I walk into the gym now and refuse to ask for help even though I should. I've said it on other threads, a see a new cottage industry - personal trainers who have had WLS. The damage to joints - just doesn't go away with weight loss. Not at 45. I'm just inspired by all of you who become so active (even "athletic") after massive weight loss. I hope it's me some day. Hard to imagine preop.....

Hey, honestly though. Can't you still crossfit as you seem to really enjoy it and just back off a bit. The met cons are doable, just lay off the heavy stuff and go strictly for fitness and form. I get the go big or go home but the stress on the body is tremendous as you have learned through pain and discomfort. Also, wouldn't you eventually work your body through a good chunk of that and be past it? How long have you been cross fitting?

I have been cross fitting for about one year. For me, the price does not justify my involvement unless I am committed 5 days a week. It is fairly expensive compared to traditional gyms. I am going to do some @home fitness for a while and will come back to crossfit once my body is ready for it. It is not going anywhere.

That is a great idea. Have you also thought about some kind of participation at the gym, coaching or training so you can stay involved with that community? It seems important in your life.

http://www.marksdailyapple.com/primal-blueprint-fitness/

This will help. You are not a quitter. You are a deep thinker. Thanks for the example of balance verses / over exuberance. Exercise feels awesome. Pain not so much. Mark's Daily Apple is an informative and encouraging website for people who are serious about taking responsibility for the fitness of their human container, no matter what your starting level is. I even bought the Vibram Five Finger Barefoot Shoes that he recommends, but since they are expensive, I got them on clearance from the Travel Country website. Go you!

Over exuberance for sure got me yesterday; I had a painful illiac psoas last week and rolled it out and babied it and it got better, then yesterday I did cardio which included running on the treadmill. I was doing well and feeling good, until the treadmill, within 5 minutes the iliac crest was on fire and I have been in pain ever since

<p>Over exuberance for sure got me yesterday; I had a painful illiac psoas last week and rolled it out and babied it and it got better, then yesterday I did cardio which included running on the treadmill. I was doing well and feeling good, until the treadmill, within 5 minutes the iliac crest was on fire and I have been in pain ever since </p>

Oh I get this condition also (although haven't attempted to get a diagnosis). I didn't know it was formerly classified as a medical condition. Mine came after running for long distances on my tread mill and doing cross fit. I found rolling and lacross ball mashing helps temporarily and is required almost every day. What really helps though is when I purchased the following reactivator shorts from Intelliskin:

http://www.intelliskin.net/products-men.php

I do not know if there are woman versions of these, but I think they might be unisex. It is designed to align and correct hip alignment and other flexor issues. The difference in how I feel when sitting all day or after working out where hips reflectors are used (eg running, squats, wall ball throws, Olympic lifts, kettle bell swings, etc) is night and day. As a bonus, my athletic agility and explosive performance is also way up because I am not constantly dealing with SI or psoa pain. Instead the hips function as they are supposed to. They are great. Kind of pricy though. Doing air squats with these on is awesome and they allow me to go really deep. Doing the deep air squats actually helps a lot in managing the symptoms. Plus they feel really good to do in a sensual way (endorphin release).

Edited March 5, 201412 yr by Fiddleman

Holy pricetag Batman!! $350.00!!!! I will have to figure something else out. I agree with your assessment, rolling out with a lacrosse ball helps in the moment, but not long term. The medic injected me with Toredol yesterday which is basically liquid Tylenol and not only did it not help but it made me nauseous as well. I can't take NSAIDS, as we sleevers should avoid them, but I don't want to lose the gains I've made in strength and muscle tissue, while I recuperate,it could be weeks. Ideas?

Actually, a topical nsaid might help you in this case. You probably know about voltaren gel (diclofenac) that can be obtained by prescription. It really does help. While a small amount does enter the blood stream, none of it goes through the digestive tract. I used it as needed. The relief is temporary, just like an nsaid taken orally, but it can provide relief in targeted areas.

Edited March 6, 201412 yr by Fiddleman

Can you get turmeric capsules? Turmeric is a great anti inflammatory. (It doesn't work well for acute inflammation if you haven't been on it.) these neuro-muscular things are such a bummer. If rolling and proper form aren't working, I get acupuncture. If you can't get acupuncture, you can google the points for acupressure. Not ideal but not all situations are.

I used to have a hip-I.t band issue. I'd roll and get massage and chiro and PT for about 2 years. Most of the time I'd get up off the table and the correction would slip and fail. The pathway was just really strong. It was a repetitive use injury. Acupuncture and foam rolling fixed it. All gone. Happy dancer

Hope you find relief.

oh, trainer rolls out my pain too. It sounds like it is very similiar to yours globe... and I am going on about a month or so and it is only a little bit better...