general fitness thoughts

by paul, on 06.19.2008

for most of this year I've been semi-obsessed with fitness, for better or for worse. I really started to enjoy being in shape after I started boxing, as the training was really a whole different level from anything I had done previously. in the typical boxing workout there is a lot of variety, and you are also thinking strategically as well as working towards a clearly defined goal (to hit, and not to get hit). I guess this is why people enjoy team sports, which I have always sucked at and never really enjoyed.

after I tore a tendon in my knuckle I was a little depressed that I would have to pause my boxing training, but considering how much I use my hands for music and work it was really the only sane choice. I had heard about crossfit and decided to give it a try on my own, first as a complement to my boxing training. I took a 4 week class at the crossfit affiliate in manhattan, but quickly figured out it wouldn't work for me to attend classes there regularly, as it's not really near work/home and I hate midtown in general. a few weeks ago I started going to crossfit brooklyn. all the instructors and people there are really good folks, and a lot of what I enjoyed about boxing training I get out of going to crossfit. plus, the best way for me to get there is to run 2 miles, so it's an easy way to clock 16 miles/week which is not a bad side effect.

I've really been enjoying learning new stuff all the time, and not getting into any kind of fitness rut which is so easy to do. plus, I've been posting some pretty good times on some workouts lately, which is very satisfying to me since I was so unathletic when I was younger. I feel pretty lucky to be able to say that at 31, I am in by far the best shape of my life. for now, going to crossfit instead of boxing is really working out well for me in terms of staying off the knuckle and still getting a killer workout. it still takes about 2 hours from when I leave til when I get home, which is a lot of time but I really enjoy it. I feel like I'll eventually start boxing again and probably really get back into it, as I still really enjoy the sport and definitely miss it. but for the time being, doing crossfit stuff is really exciting and definitely is giving me what I need in terms of conditioning.

I've also started thinking a lot more about nutrition in general, but that's probably a topic for a separate post altogether.