I Thought I Was Fit… Until I Tried CrossFit

I still remember my first CrossFit workout.

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A friend had been trying to get me to come for months. I finally gave in, but I walked through the doors feeling pretty nervous. Everyone looked fit. I'd heard all the stereotypes—that CrossFit was only for elite athletes, that it was a cult, that I'd probably get crushed.

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As it turns out, one of those things was true.

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I got crushed.

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The workout started with a 400-metre run carrying a medicine ball. Nothing crazy. I think it was only about 10 pounds.

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I made it maybe 100 metres before I started questioning my life choices.

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The ball wasn't heavy enough to stop me. It was just awkward. I remember dropping it down to my stomach so I could hug it while I walked for a bit before trying to run again.

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Looking back, what slowed me down wasn't just the med ball. It was the conversation going on in my own head.

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You're not as fit as everyone else.

‍People are probably watching you.

Maybe you don't belong here.

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Those thoughts show up fast when you're uncomfortable, especially when you're trying something new.

Then came Tabata air squats—20 seconds of work, 10 seconds of rest, eight rounds.

I think I managed around 60 squats.

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I also couldn't sit down properly for about a week afterward. Whoever decided to put grab bars beside toilets deserves some sort of humanitarian award.

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At the time, though, I wasn't embarrassed.

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I was surprised.

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I'd always considered myself reasonably fit. I wasn't overweight. I could get through everyday life without much trouble. I figured that meant I was in good shape.

That first workout taught me there was a difference between looking healthy and actually being capable.

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Learning Before Performing

Instead of jumping straight into regular classes, I signed up for foundations.

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That turned out to be one of the best decisions I could have made.

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Working one-on-one with a coach gave me time to learn the movements, ask questions, and build confidence without feeling rushed. By the time I joined classes, I already recognized people, they recognized me, and I didn't feel like I was walking into a room full of strangers anymore.

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Nobody expected me to be good.

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They were just happy I showed up.

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Looking back now as a coach, I realize how important that is. Most beginners aren't afraid of the workout. They're afraid of feeling like they don't belong.

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A good gym takes that fear away.

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The Changes I Never Expected

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I joined because I wanted to get fitter.

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I stayed because everything else started changing too.

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I started drinking less.

Eventually I quit smoking.

I built routines that actually made me feel better instead of just getting through the week.

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Most importantly, I found a community that wasn't built around going out—it was built around showing up for yourself and the people around you.

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None of that happened overnight.

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It happened one class at a time.

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Fitness Is Freedom

Now I'm in my 40s, and one thing stands out whenever I travel.

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Whether it's a hike, a bike tour, or a long day walking through a new city, there are almost always people who sit it out. Not because they don't want to go, but because they're worried they won't be able to keep up.

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That always makes me a little sad.

They're not just missing part of a vacation.

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They're missing part of life.

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To me, that's what fitness really is.

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It's not six-pack abs or lifting the most weight in the room.

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It's having the confidence to say yes when an opportunity comes along.

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It's trusting your body enough to go on the hike, chase your kids, carry your own luggage, learn to paddleboard, or explore a city all day without wondering if you'll make it.

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That's what functional fitness gave me.

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If you'd told the version of me who couldn't finish that first med-ball run that one day I'd become a coach and co-owner of a gym, I would've laughed.

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But I'm really grateful I walked through those doors anyway.

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Sometimes the hardest part isn't the workout.

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It's simply giving yourself the chance to start.

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About the Author

Christine Gatherum is a co-owner and coach at Anchored Athletics, a CrossFit Level 3 Coach, and holds a Bachelor's degree in Kinesiology along with a Diploma in Sport Performance. She believes fitness should make people more capable—not just in the gym, but in everyday life.

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