Remember Age Ain’t Nothing But A Number

“I didn’t start doing CrossFit until 2010 – I was 27,” she tells me. “I was a firefighter for West Yorkshire Fire Service, and we did CrossFit-style strength workouts. The boys in the firehouse would pull out a workout page from Men’s Fitness magazine and we’d do that. I was working out in my local Virgin Active and one of the personal trainers told me he thought I’d really enjoy this thing called CrossFit. I’d never heard of it before. He told me to go home, Google it, and, if I liked the sound of it, he’d take me to this CrossFit gym (or ‘box’, as it’s known) he went to.”

Samantha’s immediate reaction upon Googling CrossFit was that “it looked a little bit weird”, but she’d recently moved to Manchester, and thought it could be something fun to do on her days off. “So I went along and did my first class, and I absolutely loved it. I cancelled my Virgin Active membership the next day, and I joined the box straight away.”

But where does this love for putting her body under such unimaginably hard stress come from? “I suppose it’s something that must be ingrained in me,” she says. “I remember when I was younger, my mum and dad separated. My mum was working full time and she’d still take me and my brother to as many different activities as possible, but also then find time to go for a run or do something for herself. It didn’t matter how tired she was, she would still find the energy to keep fit. Watching how hard my mum had to work – she taught me you don’t get anywhere without determination.” At 39, and now living in Ohio, Samantha still trains every day – injury permitting, of course. “It’s my full-time job,” she reminds me – so, no, she doesn’t have any other interests. Well, apart from her dogs.

CrossFit, with its close-knit community and champions, does seem to acquire a devout following. But CrossFit is often described as more cult-like than other sports. “I’m definitely addicted to the sport. I love pushing myself, so it’s quite easy to stay passionate about it. Especially after last year, when all the competitions were online or cancelled. There’s an even greater appreciation of being able to compete in front of a live crowd, against fellow competitors. The buzz of being on that competition floor and everybody screaming for you. There’s nothing else like it. It’s just incredible.”

And to the naysayers who claim weightlifting isn’t for girls? Samantha revels in the challenge of changing the perception of women’s sport and body image. “When people say lifting weights is going to make you manly, I say you would have to do a serious amount of weightlifting to make any drastic changes like that. How fun would it be if you’re in your 70s or 80s and you can still physically look after yourself? You can still pick up your groceries and pick up your grandkids because you started looking after yourself when you were younger?”

So the next time you’re at the gym and start complaining you might not survive your workout, imagine pulling a sled through three sections of a field, then flipping the pig (a heavy six-foot-long box) five times, before performing 12 ring muscle-ups, followed by 12 bar muscle-ups, times two, then flipping the pig another five times, and dragging the sled back across the field. Oh, all while wearing a weighted vest. Think that sounds fun? Then maybe CrossFit is for you.

For further information on CrossFit and to find your nearest gym, click here.