MY CROSSFIT EXPERIENCE AT FITNESS ACADEMY HK

with a fellow CrossFitter and Anthony,
one of the main inspirations
of the academy.

Being a mom can be compared to being a juggler, always putting up a smiling face for everybody no matter how much circumstance she's tossing up and juggling in the air as she fulfills what is expected of her. Besides the will to live up to the responsibility, and the huge love we have for our families, most especially the kids, it is important to keep a healthy body to literally be present and able.

Our society has a typical definition of a mom, they are mostly at home, doing the dishes, the bills and the kids. They are expected to sport the baseball mom hair, wear baggy pants and to just carry the laundry basket. People jump into conclusions that they are always preoccupied. The worst part is that, people tend to judge when mothers are considering their own time and/or working to be bad ones or lacking in becoming a mom. But it is important to preserve time for ourselves to keep us in fine balance and shape.

Last week was mother's day and I got the most heartfelt greetings coming from fellow moms that understand the depth of such label. I feel beyond "honoured" to belong to a worldwide club called "MOMS". But I do feel that it doesn't mean, we should lose consideration for ourselves.

I love being extraordinary. I believe I own one of the coolest jobs in the world but this comes with a price. Keeping yourself in shape and maintaining your skills is the name of the game. Besides having the looks and the whole package for an investment, you have to maintain a certain standard for yourself. You should keep yourself healthy and empowered from within. You should not just look good on the outside as the passion is the basis of it all. Otherwise, it's hard to go on being good-looking if it's all superficial. On top of that, aesthetically, we could be good looking but it's the "how we got there" that helps us sustain it. Meaning, anything you achieve in an instant matter usually doesn't last. Unlike if you had worked hard for it, you are more inclined to keeping it that way because you understand its value.

a BOX is what you call a CrossFit gym

FITNESS ACADEMY HK holds a ground for health buffs who choose to get committed with an extraordinary lifestyle. For many, they think dieting alone is the solution to owning a great body. But that's not usually the case. It comes with great effort of finding a suitable workout for you. And the idea is to eat accordingly to how you consume your energy. There goes a cliche, "you are what you eat" and there's nothing more fulfilling than applying this to our own selves. If you only take supplements to give you the necessary nutrients, where's the satisfaction in that? If you only take steroids and not have enough protein intake, then your muscles are a joke. If you only want to lose weight by doing crash diet, you're in for a suicide. So why not embrace a lifestyle that doesn't stop you from eating yet allows it to be burned efficiently? FITNESS ACADEMY HK suggests crossfit.

As people from Facebook saturates my posts regarding workouts, I got an ad regarding this incredible place. It offers 3 free crossfit sessions as for your own trials. All you have to do is sign in. So I did.

Now, the struggle is real. I've written ways on how to counter that. But undeniably, moms, being in their comfort zones of "just being moms" tend to choose staying so when fitness is being talked about. With all honesty, I had excuses of my own but I would love to write about this experience in pursuit of being an inspiration to all the moms out there.

At first, I thought it was going to be such an unbearable routine. As I researched thru what I should expect in a crossfit training, weightlifting, running even though it rains (Fitness Academy HK's own mantra) and kettle bells, it gave me cold feet the night before. I am probably obsessive compulsive when it comes to reproductive health that weightlifting may lead to prolapse in whichever part of my body that it prompted me to emailing the Fitness Academy HK crew that I'm a mom of a 1 year old (emphasis on the age since I want to be reconsidered in terms of healing up from giving birth, hahaha!). But for the sake of learning, I got up in the morning and went for it. I am well rested and I basically do the parade twice a day, I'm sure it's not that bad. Located in Shop D, King's View Court, 901-907 King's Road, Quarry Bay, Hong Kong. On my way, there, I continuously convinced myself that there's nothing to fear.

Getting to the box from my place is approximately an hour and a half. It was my first time to find the place. Apparently, my 10 minutes to spare in looking for it was not enough distance wise per se. Needless to say, I was late and I had missed good 10 minutes of warm up. And not having enough warm up is actually a big deal.

I was added as the last participant at the WOD board.

So, I got there and was on time for the WOD (Workout of the Day) being explained by the Coach. All that I read about CrossFit was coming to life in terms of the huge clock staring at me, personal board to mark your completed routines with, and boom, our names on the board and beside it would be the weights assigned as per kettle bell and the medicine ball for the wall ball shots. Hurmen, one of the HK Fitness Academy crew gave me a lighter one compared to everybody else's since I'm the only one who's a newbie. He wanted to test first if I could actually keep up.

The WOD that I did goes:

* Do as many reps as you can of the following in 15 minutes.

1. 20 Wall Ball Shots
2. 15 swings using an 8 KG kettlebell
3. 200m run outside

this marks 4 reps of the WOD that I made.

I was able to do 4 reps but I finished it around 17minutes. In all actuality, it should have been just counted as 3 but it was just the 200m run left so I just chose to finish the entire series. Some had paddled using the rowing machine instead of running. I asked why and one of them said, it's because they are part of a rowing club and they had asked if they could concentrate in making their upper body stronger for an upcoming race.

The good thing with Fitness Academy HK is that they will push your expectations to exceed what you thought you couldn't do. They surround you with alike minds establishing a sense of community that is committed to aiming for self improvement. They aid you by allowing you to get familiar with the training and then immersing you to a progressive intensity. They also make sure that you are safe and that you would know what to expect. They encourage full theoretical education before going further the introductory exercises. Whatever you fulfill, they would acknowledge and in the end, you gain friends and that amazing feeling that you were better than yesterday in terms of the exercise you were able to do and endure today.

One of the greatest benefits of exercise is the release of endorphins right after. I call it the natural glow. In line with this, you have that sense of empowerment and you get inspired all over again as you are reminded of the things you could do already that you didn't even imagine doing. I have never thought in my entire life that I would go for CrossFit. But, it surely was worth it to have another option for my daily exercise routine.

I admire these people for their dedication, determination and commitment to fitness.
Fitness Academy HK is the largest CrossFit facility in the Island East.

Visit the box for a free trial, have an amazing feel of its great energy and know the gentlemen who had started this last November. Fitness Academy HK believes that fitness is a lifestyle built in a community and I think that is the exact way of looking at it. Little steps in transforming your little habits could do wonders.

Now, it's your turn to do the unthinkable. 

Click here for you own free trial!

Additional information:

1. Wesley, one of the gentlemen that had put up Fitness Academy HK was very accommodating during the trial. He was carefully gauging what I can do and what I was having a challenge with. He made sure I was safe and made sure that I'm not pushing myself too much. He acknowledged me right after the training and gave me a two thumbs up that I can do CrossFit.

2. I instantly got so relaxed after I took a good hot shower right after the CrossFit trial and my mind was crying out for rest. Because of this, I forgot my make up kit at Fitness Academy HK. One of the guys whose name was Hurmen did me a favour by checking it out in the changing room and when he saw it was there, he had made sure that it is safe by letting me know I can just go back for it anytime. Same spot where I left it, untouched.

3. I was so tired that I forgot to leave the payment for the water available for purchase. They didn't pressure me nor judge regarding this one. I just made sure that I had paid it when I went back to get the make up kit and walked away with no judgement from them. Instead, they asked when I would want to come back again. They're all such gentlemen.

Related posts:

1. HOW TO BE CONSISTENT IN GOING TO THE GYM - Everytime I have a struggle within me if I should go to the gym or not, I always read this.

2. MAGIC OF SHOES - There's always a good pair that goes for every occasion. 

3. MOTHER'S DAY TRIBUTE - Here's to all the moms out there.