By Tony

The workout was supposed to last seven minutes. That didn't sound so bad.

After two and a half minutes, Jesse halted my workout because he thought the top of my head was going to blow off. And, here I thought I was doing well.

The truth of the matter was that I knew going into the evening that I was out of shape. I knew that despite my 20-plus years in law enforcement as a Conservation Officer, I had backslid. As much as I didn't want to admit it, life happened and I had allowed my fitness to plummet. The Body Compound is responsible for my comeback.

I hadn't dedicated myself to a consistent workout program in more than a decade. So, I knew CrossFit was different when after my brief, grueling experience and despite the soreness, there was no question – I was coming back. I had no idea what CrossFit was, but I knew that I wanted to be part of it.

When I joined The Body Compound there were three members. To say the classes were small is like saying the desert is dry. But, we were a tight-knit community. Correction, we are a tight-knit community. Going through these workouts together builds unique bonds I never found at a regular gym. Even now, with classes upwards of 15 people, those bonds are still forged. That's a credit to the trainers.

The Body Compound trainers expect more from you. They command your attention. They require maximum effort. That might not sound any different than some personal trainer you've worked with over the years, but I can assure you the gap is gigantic. CrossFit demands more out of you and in turn you begin demanding more from yourself. It makes you pull from within.

Don't be alarmed by the workouts, it doesn't take an elite athlete to complete them. Trust me, I know. I'm 47 years old, I've been married for 16 years and I have two daughters. Does that sound like someone who can bang out 30 push-ups and then run 400 meters? At The Body Compound it does. People just like me are in every class. We're the rule, not the exception.

All walks of life are welcome, in fact the more 'normal' you consider yourself the more at home you'll feel. Everyone is on the same mission and no one will let you quit. The key is not to psych yourself out.

Yes, the workouts are difficult. No, you won't be immediately expected to crank out pull-ups when maybe you can barely lift 20 pounds. The point is to always be working towards getting that pull-up.

The goal isn't to get buff. The point is continually progress.

No one knows that better than me.

In my first month or so at The Body Compound I didn't lose any weight. I was stronger, I felt better and my attitude was more positive. But there was always a large jar of Tootsie Rolls located conveniently in the office that I had no trouble raiding. I'm sure nobody can relate, right?

After talking with Jesse about adjusting my diet, mainly cutting back my sweet tooth, I've dropped 25 pounds, my overall movement is better, and my arthritis has calmed down significantly.

Now when I enjoy a Tootsie Roll, not only do I know I've worked hard for that chocolatey goodness, but I know the next set of burpees will definitely be worth it.

And, I'm certain the top of my head isn't going anywhere.