Forest Chillin. 

Cross Fit has certainly been the fad that quickly evolved into a fitness staple. I really thought it would go the way of the fad of Sweating to the Oldies, or the fad of Jazzercise.

Maybe it will in time, but for now: it is here to stay.

I am not really one for exercising. I should be. I need to be. But it is just so boring. And hard. But mostly boring.

So, when a gym is using an oversized tractor tire covered in sawdust and placed on a 6 foot tall step for starting out…heaven knows my puny arms can’t lift that thing. I have trouble with my overstuffed kitchen trashbag. And my reach of box jumping is limited to small Amazon boxes we’ve left on the porch in front of the door, because we’ll get to it later.

Now, fortunately, I have found tons of things around me that I am sure…I am certain…is the equivalent of CrossFit training.

Let me introduce you to the new exercise trend: Forest Cross Fit!

Arm Day: 

Wash forest cat in the bathtub. Make sure to comb the moss out!

Extra! Wash Cocker Spaniel, who has the love of rolling in every patch of dirt, moss, branches, dirt, fleas, dirt and leaf piles in the forest and has a long winter coat with the absorbency of an industrial sponge. Make sure you squeegee the tub after, or you are going to grow an ecosystem overnight.

Calories Burned: 1500

Leg Day:

Dragging 2 overfilled trash bins downhill along the gravel driveway, and 1/4mile down a gravel road to the pick up spot.

Extra! It just rained, so there is very squishy mud and potholes in the dirt road.

Calories Burned: 5,000

Cardio:

This is what I call “Hey, let’s go for a hike!”

This one is where you think you are going through a walk in the forest on some trail that begins as clearly marked, and turns into a Nickelodeon obstacle course. The trail might be easy to see at first, but there was a small storm yesterday so now there are 3 fallen trees, a small ravine, 2 rock cliffs to climb down, and 3 slippery logs your Bogs Boots are going to slide right off, leaving you slightly impaled by cedar branches.

And then you have to turn around and go back.

Calories Burned: 1,000,000…minus 500, for the make-up ice cream afterwards.

So, you see? Exercise can be fun, and painful! You just have to find the fun 🙂