Blitz: Inside Stories - Julian
Every month we share a background story about one of our members with a story to tell - uncovering into their what, why and how when it came to CrossFit and joining Blitz. Remember these are designed to be longer reads, so grab a cuppa and read on for Julian’s full inside story….
What initially motivated you to start doing CrossFit at Blitz and how has that motivation evolved over time?
What was wrong with me? Two thirds of the way into a 500m ski touring climb on a calm, sunny day and I could take only ten steps before having to rest. Hyperventilating, heatstroke, heartrate not slowing. I wasn't overweight, did yoga regularly and was generally active, this kind of activity was usually doable.
That evening my buddies gently walked me through the effects of aging. We're guys in their 50s and 60s, doing the boy's annual ski trip each year for the last ten years, and I'm the youngest. Each of them dedicates time to cardio and weights, which they explained were both necessary at our age just to maintain aerobic fitness, muscle mass and bone density. Translation - yeah, you could get away with it ten years ago but from now, it'll get harder unless you start doing serious exercise. I realised that having never been in a gym in my life, I was saving up trouble.
I'm not the kind of person who happily settles into miles of cycling or running, even before the motorbike accident 20 years ago which trashed an ankle and stopped me running. I'd heard of CrossFit which had varied workouts, so I googled the nearest box - Blitz. Coach Tim met me for my intro session, listened to my story, and told me about how every exercise has scaling options to suit you. Which he showed me by walking me through a box jump, the first two-footed jump I'd done in 20 years. That six inch jump off a stack of plates was an eye opener on what I could do with the right coaching and environment.
How does your gym routine fit into your overall daily schedule, and what adjustments have you made to prioritise it?
I run my own business with flexible hours so fitting in sessions is less of a challenge. Even if I was more time limited, Blitz's scheduling makes it possible to start early at 6am, or as late as 7:30pm, to fit any lifestyle.
The mental shift to prioritising exercise was the bigger task. Coach Tim gently explained to me that to maintain fitness, three sessions a week were enough. To make improvements, I'd need to commit to four or five sessions. I learned I prefer to work out in the mornings so the 8 am and 9:30 am slots are my usual spots. After three months of CF101 classes, I started doing full-fat CrossFit classes and now after six months I'm finding the Barbell and Strength classes as enjoyable as a sweat session!
What physical or mental benefits have you noticed since you began consistently going to the gym?
My body is tighter and leaner, which is nice to have. However the real change is how quickly a lifelong non-gym goer could get excited about doing exercise for its own sake. I enjoy the challenge of tracking what I have achieved in calories/weight/time and doing my best to smash those, whether it turns out better or worse than before. I also enjoy working on new skills, even when the road to achieving Rx will sometimes be a long one - looking at you, hand stand push ups!
What challenges do you face in maintaining a consistent gym routine, and how do you overcome them?
A last minute work call, family priorities, or even a cold, can all interfere with the gym schedule. I make myself immediately book a replacement and shift the future sessions to get back on track for the four to five a week. When on holiday, I find a local box and keep on track. The quality of coaching Blitz has given me, helps to calm the nervousness of walking into a new gym!
What makes Blitz so amazingly lovely is that this isn't a solo trip. The support of the coaches and members is like a warm hug. Walking into the gym and saying hi to familiar faces, groaning at the excess of burpees in the WOD, and congratulating each other afterwards, makes the decision to get up and get there so much easier.
How has going to the gym impacted other areas of your life, such as work, relationships, or personal growth?
The motorbike accident I mentioned? A few weeks ago for the first time in twenty years I ran instead of cycling for a running WOD, I'm doing my first comp at Winter Turf Games next month… And I'm retackling that ski touring climb in March!
