Spokane, WA

I’ve always been more of a sports competitor than a fitness junkie. However, recently, I noticed I wasn’t exactly metabolizing food the way I used to in high school and college. In short, I was getting fatter. This not only affects the way I perform when I play sports, but (like everyone else) it affects how I feel about myself. Since I enjoy outdoor and athletic activities, I realized I needed to do something consistent to keep my body in athletic shape as I get older. I’ve tried running a few times a week, but it gets boring. I’ve lifted on my own at the gym, and then stopped going, but kept paying the bill out of guilt. This time, I knew I needed something revolutionary.

I called my good friend Dan Staton, who has more masters degrees in excercise physiology and nutrition than I even knew existed, not to mention various other fitness certifications and tons of experience. He works with professional athletes, specializes in outdoors-oriented fitness, and even writes a column in Spokane Coeur d’ Alene Living Magazine. This guy is legit: sort of like the national guard you call in when it’s a fitness emergency. As always, Dan delivered.

He told me to join him for a free workout at his brand new CrossFit franchise, located inside the Global Fitness on East Sprague in the Spokane Valley. I agreed to meet him there, and had no idea what to expect. That’s part of the fun of CrossFit. Every time I go in, I get an adrenaline rush like I’m showing up for the first day of tryouts for a sports team: I don’t know what’s going to happen, but I do know it’s going to be hard, and that I’ll feel a sense of accomplishment afterward.

The first workout was free, but I got my metaphorical money’s worth: all I could handle. When the coaches explained the workout, it seemed reasonable. Fifteen minutes later, I was grinning at my foolishness, gasping for breath, and asking Dan if he was trying to kill me. He just smiled and said, “We get the best results because we work the hardest.”

Even though many of the individual excercises are things I’ve done before, the unique dynamic warmup, emphasis on form, and the innovative rest-to-work ratio makes old movements new. CrossFit’s goal seems to be to make all of your body tougher and more capable, including your mind. Fighting through the sets alongside other tired athletes (from high school kids to middle-aged moms) is a test of mental and physical toughness. In the middle of the workout, CrossFitters often encourage one another, urging out those last few reps. In this way, the difficulty of the workouts leads to an excercise in teamwork and empathy, in addition to the individual physical benefits.

I thought I might visit once for my free workout, but Dan and his co-coaches (Kenton Clairmont and Alicia Mills) have a way of inspiring people to live healthier, whether they continue with CrossFit or not. I’ve been back enough to get over the initial soreness, and I’ll continue simply because I feel like an athlete again.

As the winter months approach, checking out CrossFit Spokane Valley is a great idea for anyone who wants to be active and athletic even when outdoor activities are limited. Check the schedule (www.crossfitspokanevalley.com) and show up for a workout at Global Fitness, in the back west gym. Just make sure you don’t eat right before you come. I made that mistake the first time… only the first time.