Man Stuff

I've had this overwhelming desire to... stop sucking. I've been out of shape, in pain, and generally not felt very good. We all know when we feel like this we pass on our feelings in all of our communication. I've gotten sick of feeling rotten. The first thing I did was agree to get a YMCA membership for my wife and I. Access to the classes and the free training sessions made the monthly cost easily worth it. Next, I started researching working out on my own. I get bored easy, and the same routine will last about 2 weeks, especially if I don't think I know what I'm doing. I've tried various workout schemes with videos and spreadsheets to mark my progress, and I've not been able to stick with ANY of them.
Next, I have sought out people who are PASSIONATE about physical fitness. ArtofManliness.com had some guess posts by Chad Howse (How to Catch a Purse Snatcher) on Heroic Skill Workouts. I was enthralled; here was a TOUGH workout that had a marked purpose and a measurable goal to achieve: I should be faster and "ready to go" all the time. I nearly threw up the first two times I tried to do the workout. But I kept trying. Then, I realized I didn't know how to do all the exercises, so I started finding videos on "dead lifts" and "cleans" and "jerks." Surprisingly the last one is not the guy at the gym who stays on the same machine for 2 hours...
This led me to http://www.crossfit.com/. For those of you who are crazy AND physically fit, this website is like a drug. It's a style and method of working out that a lot of athletic coaches and military folks use because it's intense, and the goal is "increasing work capacity," not just look pretty. I would love to have a workout make me muscular, AND I can accomplish more, last longer, and enjoy the work rather than dread going to a gym for another routine. This is the place that get me started on INTENSE. They suggest in their FAQ that you learn the exercises slowly, focusing on getting the form right over jumping in head first. It's a great idea, because doing squats with a 45lb bar above your head, or walking through a gym with 80lbs of dumbbells above your head can be dangerous if you're trying to show off. But, it's a TON of fun to have big muscular guys look at me like I'm crazy when I do Burpee Pullups at the Y (look em up if you have no idea what I mean).
So, I've decided to Go Big or Stay Home, and I'm sick of staying "at home" on the couch. Can I inspire you to get inspired? Learn something new, find a friend to wake you up or stay up late and get some jumprope or dumbbell carries into your life!!!