Stick-to-it-ness!!!

Since January,  I have been participating a new workout regimen/program called CrossFit.  The main reason for doing it was because it was local, convenient, and had the perfect times for me to workout (right after school).   To my surprise, several of my friends (mostly church friends) had joined at the same time or just shortly after.  It has been an absolute blast working out with these ladies.  But it has also made me so proud to be a part of an amazing "team". 
Crossfit is a competitive workout, but it is really a competition against yourself.  You are constantly timing yourself in hopes to see improvement each time you do a specific workout.  The results in everyone's progress is amazing if you have the "stick-to-it-ness" attitude and approach.  The encouragement and the push from your teammates is amazing and super fun to be a part of.

About six weeks into this class, the women's minstry leader for our church walked in to "TRY" the class out.  Her name is Tinna.  She had no idea, from my understanding, what crossfit was or what to expect.  That day our WOD (workout for the day) included running a mile for time! I immediatly felt discouraged for her.  But she ran a mile that day! She was hurting! I think she wanted to cry!  I bet she wanted to quit! But she didn't.  I remember finishing my mile and running back to her, as I so badly wanted her to stick to it and not quite.  I wanted to cheer and push her along!  Tinna struggled to keep at a trot, but she ran a mile!!

Knowing that this was a "trial" day for her, I didn't know if she would come back.  Not too many people will after day one's workout being a mile run (plus more workout after that).  But she came back! She is improving everyday!  She has the "stick-to-it-ness" attitude and she is kicking booty!!

Tinna hasn't always believed she could do these exercises.  There are times she has to modify a exercise to make sure she can complete the WOD.  But I can't count how many times I have seen her face light up when she does something she had no idea she could do.

This past Friday, I took our Gunter team up to Sherman for a team workout called The Murph.  I could see the look on her face as we walked into the Sherman gym, aka The Box.  The gym is big!!!--- with barbells, pullup racks, rowing machines and can be intimidating.  I think I even heard her say "I can't believe I am doing this!!" under her breath.

Our team workout included running 1 mile, doing 100 pull ups, 200 pushups, 300 squats and finish with another mile.  Tinna ran her portions of the mile, she did her portion of the pullups, but when it came to pushups......she did them on the wall (this is the proper way to learn form first).  She completed her first round of pushups on the wall.  But the second round she came over to the our group on the floor and said to me, "I am just gonna try to do two".  She did two beautiful pushups on the floor.....almost with ease.  She looked up at us and giggled.  She just realized she just did something she had no idea she could do nor could she do just a couple of months ago!!   Her third round of pushups she did 8+!!!!  And the look of determination was in Tinna! SHE WAS DOING IT!

Top L-R (Coach Jamey, Connie)  Bottom L-R (Staci, TINNA, me)

"Stick-to-it-ness" is a very hard attitude to have and to even keep.  But it is one of the most crucial keys to health.   This is also true not only for exercise but for our diets, as well! (and our spiritual lives too--but that's another post, another time)

"Stick-to-it-ness" is a reason I love being a part of a team!  It is always such a reward to see the "stick-to-it-ness" pay off! 

Gunter Gals on the right side of pic:-).