In my first post I talked about scaling. I could go on forever about that subject, but I don’t really have to because any fitness topic ultimately comes back to adjusting workouts in some way.
I’m 53 years young, and I’ve been doing this exercise methodology called CrossFit for close to 15 years. When I started, I was still young enough to be called a firebreather. That term came out of early CrossFit to describe athletes who could complete brutal workouts at high intensity, usually as prescribed, and keep going like they had fire in their lungs.
I’ll be honest though – being a firebreather was both fun and not fun at the same time. I got into CrossFit right around the era when the average person could still compete at a high level, just before sponsorships and full-time athletes became the norm. I scaled plenty of workouts along the way, but in those early years my body bounced back quickly…until it didn’t. And when recovery got harder, no one around me could explain why.
The gym I was at back then had a mindset of “breathe fire all the time.” The coaches (most of them half my age) meant well, but they didn’t understand what it was like to be in my body, managing stress, work, recovery, and life all at once. That’s honestly the main reason I opened my own CrossFit gym – because there had to be a better way. Constant high intensity isn’t sustainable, and I knew there needed to be a focus on longevity.
So, what is CrossFit in simple terms? CrossFit helps you get strong, fast, and fit for anything life throws at you. This happens through good programming (meaning smartly designed daily workouts) and really good coaching.
At Chaka CrossFit, our coaches are seasoned in adjusting movements for everyone. A couple of weeks ago, our workout included 400 meter runs. One of our longest-standing members, who just turned 69, usually bikes instead of running. But that day she said, “I think I’m going to run, but just 200 meters instead of 400.” My heart! After years of training with us, she was empowered to make the adjustment herself. To choose the challenge that made sense for her.
That’s exactly why I opened this gym: so people can show up, move, adjust as needed, and still crush their goals. Like me, there was a time when this member would have run the full 400 meters, but now 200 is the right choice. And that’s more than okay.
Because here’s the truth: fitness is not just about today’s workout – it’s about the years ahead of you. Longevity means you can keep training, keep moving, and keep living a full, strong life well into your 60s, 70s, and beyond. At Chaka, we’re not just training for fire-breathing workouts. We’re training for the long game so that no matter your age, you can keep showing up, keep adapting, and keep thriving.
