Just for you Brad... some inspiration to keep swimming and "actively rest".
P.S- I don't use YouTube very often, but the last few days it has served me well! I heart YouTube! :)
Wednesday, April 30, 2008
Another day in CrossFit paradise...
It was so good to be back today!!! As Jerry said, I was sportin' the Stiller *Steeler* colors today! I have missed my CrossFit friends. Especially Gar, he makes me giggle every morning! :) I heart him! :) So today, I was regaling Gar with stories from this weekend, and I told him all about how I "can't possibly workout" and he told me that that's when I should have whipped out my best Karate pose on the douche that insulted me. I like this idea, and I think I shall try it next time I am insulted. *HIYA!* *Random dance break* Everybody was Kung Fu Fighting! Ya! Those cats were fast as lightning! Ya! Woooooooooo! Wooooooooooo!* Ehem, sorry, hope you enjoyed that. Anyway, then Jerry chimed in and said that I should either do that, or offer him up a big slice o' humble pie and tell him to hit some tabata squats. 3-2-1 and GO! Eat squats jack*ss! Anyhoo... once we got past the morning chats, we did hit a workout... being away for 4 days really hurt me. I felt so out of whack today! But no worries... we still had fun... fun looks a little something like this.
Warm-up
:30 work :10 rotate (3 rounds)
Plank
Bull Whip
Jumping Chins
Wall Ball
WOD 3-5 rounds
Run 400 meters
20 KB Highpull (45)
20 DB Push press (20)
The air outside today was really cold and breathing just flat out hurt today. I felt really really crappy on the runs. Jerry wanted a benchmark on 3 rounds, so I hit 3 in 11:25 and called it quits... sort of. After McCall finished, she inspired me to get up and go do a 4th round. I understand it's sort of cheating since I rested, but dude I was hurtin'. No more 4 day vacas from CrossFit! Still though, I get points for showing up!
On a happier note, I am working on getting a plane ticket for Chicago at the end of May. This is exciting news! My first flight, my first time a little farther away from the East Coast, a 5K if there is one (Tanya? Mr. Mirek?), and my first affiliate! I'm so excited! But, you guys need to quit making fun of me! I can't help it that I've never flown. I'm trying my best to be an adult now and rectify that, so you just have to work with me! :P
Oh and I read Georgia's blog today... apparently Elise is in super duper Law mode and still came in to hit a CF workout today! She's CrossFit LEGIT folks! So I'm dedicating this video to her today. I know she's in the library trolling the internet and waiting for my next blog... so hopefully this will ease her suffering! :)
Tuesday, April 29, 2008
Sometimes ignorance is bliss...
So, I took a personal day on Friday so that I could travel back to PA for a fun weekend and some time away from DC. Mondays in school are pretty hectic since they're short days (kids dismiss at 1245) and I really didn't get to see my teammates at all yesterday. So today at recess I got hit with a bombshell.
Last week the county sent out it's projections for staffing based on it's current situation. For those of you who don't know, my district is in a world of hurt thanks to the housing market crash that occurred here this year. Unlike other districts, we rely HEAVILY on property taxes to fund our education. We have an operating budget that is over the billion (yup I said billion) dollar mark. Well, thanks to the downward spiral, and a screw up by the state last year which left us about 17 million dollars short for our school year last year, our county is making lots of cuts. Naturally, some of these cuts involve employees. (Although ironically of all the staffing cuts I've heard, I haven't heard of any on the administrative level... hmmm... cutting teachers and IA's is a better option eh?)
Well, in our projection last week, the county told us that we need to cut 2.5 positions, which means that two full time teachers, and one half-time teacher were destaffed. Destaffing occurs based on number of years experience within the county.
Let's just say that I didn't dodge the bullet by much. If numbers continue to drop and our district requires more cuts, there is only one person standing between me and the axe. While I don't anticipate that the numbers will drop that drastically, it's still not a nice feeling to have the possibility of losing your job hanging over your head. I just moved my job last year, so I really don't want to have to move again. It was enough of a scare to raise my stress level and my blood pressure a little bit. I really wish today was a day where CrossFit was having an evening class. I could really use some stress relief! Oi! Ignorance really is bliss.....
Last week the county sent out it's projections for staffing based on it's current situation. For those of you who don't know, my district is in a world of hurt thanks to the housing market crash that occurred here this year. Unlike other districts, we rely HEAVILY on property taxes to fund our education. We have an operating budget that is over the billion (yup I said billion) dollar mark. Well, thanks to the downward spiral, and a screw up by the state last year which left us about 17 million dollars short for our school year last year, our county is making lots of cuts. Naturally, some of these cuts involve employees. (Although ironically of all the staffing cuts I've heard, I haven't heard of any on the administrative level... hmmm... cutting teachers and IA's is a better option eh?)
Well, in our projection last week, the county told us that we need to cut 2.5 positions, which means that two full time teachers, and one half-time teacher were destaffed. Destaffing occurs based on number of years experience within the county.
Let's just say that I didn't dodge the bullet by much. If numbers continue to drop and our district requires more cuts, there is only one person standing between me and the axe. While I don't anticipate that the numbers will drop that drastically, it's still not a nice feeling to have the possibility of losing your job hanging over your head. I just moved my job last year, so I really don't want to have to move again. It was enough of a scare to raise my stress level and my blood pressure a little bit. I really wish today was a day where CrossFit was having an evening class. I could really use some stress relief! Oi! Ignorance really is bliss.....
Sunday, April 27, 2008
ARRRR! Go Ruck yourself! A CrossFit/Rugby weekend...
Photo courtesy of Tech Savvy Educator
For those of you who are not rubgy oriented.... warning... hard hitting will ensue...
Raise your hand if you love four hour car trips! OOOh OOOH OOOOH! Pick me! I do, I do! Ok, I don't really love four hour car trips, but I took one this weekend anyway, because it was rugby weekend in Lock Haven. Let me 'splain. A good friend of mine used to play rugby for the Lock Haven women's team when she was in college. Every year they host a spring tournament, and the alumni ruggers enter a team. It's a fun excuse for them to get together. Now, I never played, and in truth only understand about half of the rules of the game. So how did I get involved in all of this? Well, one time I was visiting Lock Haven and wound up dating a rugby player for a short time, but really liked hanging out with everyone. So even though that is over and long gone I continue to go back to hang out. Unfortunately, I got to PA on Friday only to learn that there would be no tournament due to the fact that the women's team got put on probation and was forced to cancel, but there was still going to be a men's alumni game, so fun would still be had by all.
Let me just tell you, if you are not familiar with rugby at all, A.)It's a dangerous sport which frequently involves injuries, and B.)It's a sport that involves quite a bit of drinking, which therefore involves quite a bit of urinating, which usually takes place not in the bathroom like one would think, but off the porch or in the nearest section of the yard. So, I spent my day yesterday watching the men's game, drinking heavily, and seeing more than my fair share of male anatomy. It was interesting for sure. But despite all that, I still had fun, even though my addiction to CrossFit nearly caused me to get into two fights. Let me 'splain again. First off, there is a kid who is now an alumni, who I never liked, even when he was on the team. I always thought there was something off about him and just couldn't stomach him for whatever reason. Well, I had on my CrossFit hoodie (hooah for the hoodie!) and he asked me what it meant. I told him that he shouldn't worry about it, and it would take too long to explain, so I told him not to kill any brain cells trying to figure it out. Now granted, the beer and my dislike of him were partially talking there, but apparently as I walked away to go use the restroom he asked my friend what it was. He told her he knew it couldn't be a gym, because I obviously don't work out. Excuse me? Baking powder? I thought you just said that I couldn't possible workout? I literally wanted to slap the kid across the face. I was raging. I think it's becoming more apparent that I do workout, and I would really like to kick that kid in the you know whats and allow him to try to find/retrieve his male anatomy. Although in all fairness, I'm not 100% sure he had any to begin with.
Well, after this, the party changed venues, so a few hours later, another guy and I nearly threw down over CrossFit. (CrossFit why do you keep getting me in trouble?) It's ironic that he happens to be a former marine, but he was arguing with me and telling me that CrossFit doesn't do enough for your body. He says that if I want clearly defined legs, I need to run when I get home from work after I've already worked out, and then he told me that the Zone isn't something I should be doing because I'll never lose weight. What? Are you retarded? A.) I don't run. Period. The end. Tanya will back me up on this. B.) The Zone doesn't work? Go f'in talk to Cara who's lost 25 pounds since January. I say yes it does. So literally, in the middle of the kitchen, which by this point is covered in beer, we're having an argument about CrossFit. Now the argument never really ended with a clear winner because by this time we were going in circles (being that it was 9 o'clock, we'd been drinking for about 5 hours, and I was definitely leaning towards the drunk side) and we were getting ready to change venues again and head to the bar. So the argument ended with him slapping my butt (which yes left a hand print thank you very much.... and hurt like hell) and then complimenting me on how well CrossFit has been working for me. WHAT?! Are you serious? That's so redonkulous I can't even tell you! So anyway...
Not that we needed to, but we all ended the night at the bars, and I really had a good time throwing darts with Mark, Dusty, and Tubby. Although if you want the fair truth, Tubby carried our team. Thanks Tubby! :) We eventually wandered home sometime around 3, and never got to bed until at least 5. I haven't stayed up that late in... 3 years maybe? Maybe I'm not as old as I think I am... maybe I can still hang with the young gunz! :P
While I was in town for this fun time, I was also recruiting members to the CrossFit cult. I have been working on my friend for about a week. She bought a kettlebell earlier this week after talking to me and spending some time on my site, and the CrossFit sites, and I spent Friday and Saturday showing her some CrossFit basics. We worked our all important air squats, hit some kettlebell high pulls and swings, she has already mastered the form for the TGU, we worked on push presses, thrusters, push ups, lunges, and we worked a little bit on the kip. I will say, doing these things outside a gym makes things much more complicated because you don't always have the proper equipment. Trying to learn how to kip on a playground with paint on the bars is not the way to go. But I taught her to use the heel/toe method from the CrossFit vids, and the bar is actually high enough that she can doing some jumping pullups, so it's actually a good modification for her. To get to the park though, we had to walk a mile, so I carried the 20lb kettlebell in a small bag on my pack. So I guess you could say I sort of did a 2 mile march with a 20 lb ruck sack. ;) All in all, the weekend away was much needed and a lot of fun, even though I woke up today feeling like total CRAP! I guess too much alcohol will do that to you.... imagine that. :P I'm totally bummed that I missed Eva's birthday. Check it out at CrossFit Old Town.
I no doubt deserved my enemies, but I don't believe I deserved my friends.
~Walt Whitman
Don't walk behind me, I may not lead. Don't walk in front of me, I may not follow. Just walk beside me and be my friend. ~Unknown
Friday, April 25, 2008
My New CrossFit Plan...
Photo courtesy of digital topo maps .com
Blog #2 of the day... I think I'm going to have to start telling people that so they know to scroll down... on Wednesday I posted 4 blogs... yikes! :P Anyhoo...
Ok, so I was thinking the other day about how fun it would be to drive cross country and work out at affiliates in all 50 states and then just write about it. How awesome would that be? For your only job to be to go experience our amazing country and do CrossFit workouts?! Hello! Awesome much?! But, I realized that this would be impossible. Nay, not impossible, but very difficult to pull off. So here's my new CrossFit idea...
Kind of like the reserves, I take one weekend a month, and devote it to going to a new CrossFit affiliate and working out, and taking in a new area. Not only will I get to meet lots of new people, but I will also get out of my little shell that I've spent the better part of my 25 (nearly 26 now) years in. This means, yes Georgia, to accomplish this in a weekend, I will have to learn how to fly. Not the airplane you goofs! I will need to learn how to travel. Perhaps that is a better way of stating it. If you were tracking the comment conversation that was taking place on my blog from the first post of this idea, I have wholeheartedly admitted that I have led a sheltered life. The furthest south I have ever been is VA. I have never left the east coast, and I have never flown. So, I really, IMO, need to rectify this. I need to learn how to travel and do all the stuff that other normal folks do. I can't spend my life being afraid of things because I've never done them. If that was my attitude all the time, hell's bells, I never would have done CrossFit!
So, I've decided that first I will buy a camera to document all the insanity that happens to me on my trip. Then, after Georgia, Cara, and I return from our trips (because they said they wanted to go I'm impressing them into service), I will post the pictures and blog about them. Now I've already established a list of the places I would like to go first. I have some very loyal readers, who have quickly become more like friends than readers, and I would like to go visit them. I would like to go to Chicago, Santa Cruz, and Nyc. So, after I buy my camera, I need to put aside a few bucks, and then get started. This is going to be expensive, but man is it going to be fun.
So, readers, here's where you can chime in. After my initial list, the floor is open. If you would like me to come visit your city/affiliate, feel free to comment or email me, and we'll get you on the list. :) It may take me a month or two to get this organized, but by the time summer hits and the kids are gone, this is going to be on like Donkey Kong! :) Oooh... I love my idea! :)
Oh, and I'm totally bummed because something seems to be wrong with my Feedjit thingie. I really highly doubt that someone in Montevideo was checking out my blog. Boo, but I think the states are right. So it looks like I have more friends! Yay! Thanks for reading! :)
The vitality of thought is in adventure. Ideas won't keep. Something must be done about them.~ Alfred North Whitehead
Grindy
Don't ask about the picture, I'm really not sure. But the name just made me think of the Grinch when he smiles that evil grin. Get it? "Grin"dy? :P Then I thought for another minute, and you know who else has that evil grin? Mr. Burns... :P Anyhoo...
So, I took a personal day today so that I could travel back to PA for a few days. But since I'm going to miss Sunday (BOO!) I wanted to get in today. Today we hit Grindy. It really is as bad as it sounds. I can't paint this one funny guys, and that's unusual for me. This was hard for me to hit because push ups are one of my nemesis. Or is that nemesi (Mr. Mirek? English teacher over there?) since there are many? Anyhoo... for those of you who haven't hit it yet, it goes a little something like this...
Grindy
3 rounds for time
10 Hang power clean to push press (85 lbs)
4 Rounds of Cindy
So essentially when all is said and done, you wind up doing 30 cleans/presses and 12 rounds of Cindy. Wow that's a bunch of stuff. The push ups for me are just plain killer. I flew through the chins and was really working my speed since it was 5, but the push ups took forever! I've tried altering my push up form, but even after the modification of my form and weeks of work, I just can't seem to have an easy time with push ups. They fry my arms (and my wrists) and I just plain get smoked. I finished though, and sometimes you just get points for that. I finished this in 29:33. I'm glad it was under 30:00. That at least made me feel decent about this. I only modified maybe 10 of the pushups. I just hit my knees for a few and couldn't get back up. But aside from that I did everything else as Rx'd. As bad as this workout felt, I am also having a hard time feeling happy that an 85 lb push press is a new PR for my push press too. School stress combined with not having a day off in 30 days has wiped me out. I'm glad I took today off. After CrossFit I hauled behind back to PA and made it home in time to surprise my dad and have a late lunch at my old restaurant. I'm excited for this weekend though because I'm going to teach my friend a few CrossFit moves and try to help her get started on the Zone. I really hope I don't teach her wrong. She's really interested in CrossFit, I just don't want to tell her the wrong things.... I really should have thought this idea through more! :/
Stay tuned for part two... my new CrossFit idea...
Thursday, April 24, 2008
And the winner is....
So, you've voted... you've waited anxiously, and now the votes are in! :)
According to my latest poll, if CrossFit were a super hero, it's special power would be.....
SUPER HUMAN STRENGTH! YAY! Hooray for being a beefcake CrossFit! :)
See my new poll for next week... ;)
CrossFit Ninja
So you know what's really cool about Ninjas? (Aside from the kickass toys guys...) The fact that they are so totally uber sneaky. They dress in all black, and when you turn around they're not there, but when you turn back around they're standing right behind you. Sneaky I tell you. Well I have to tell you, I kinda felt like a ninja today. Sneaky. I was dressed up all in black today, and let me tell you, I snuck up on everyone today, including myself! No one saw this one comin. :P Let me 'splain... here's what today's fun looked like.
WU 15 min
L-sit chins/negatives/strict chins
Ring dips
WOD
400 meter run
30 weighted sit ups
20 weighted jumping lunges
10 burpees on the med ball
3 rounds for time
Now, here's where the CrossFit Ninja snuck in. I was totally feeling all crappy today. Third day in a row of CrossFit, worked heavy on Tuesday, hit FGB yesterday. I've had my share of fun this week and mixed in with school stress (which I acquired more of today... ****!) I was just runnin on empty. So today during chins, I felt like shit. No lie. I really just wanted to sit on the floor and do nothing.
But then Jerry posted the circuit and I was really mad that we were running. My reason? I had socks that didn't match. To avoid looking like a total goofus, I had worn sandals, and still brought the mismatched pair just in case, but I looked like a total nerd because one sock was way higher than the other and I really didn't want to run. I know, great logic huh? Not only that but you all already know that I really hate running. Anyway, so the whole point of that was that I didn't want to run. LOL. Imagine that.
But anyhoo, Kara with a K went out with me on the first run, and I really felt like I was out too fast, but I hung in there. When we hit the circuit, I don't know what happened but this is where the CrossFit Ninja in me took over. I blew through the thing so fast I don't know what the heck happened. Literally. Before I knew it, I was back in my sneaks and on my way out with Kara again. I'm not a fast runner, or a good sprint circuit person. I really was meant to be a pace car, well or a draft horse :P. But dressed in all black today with my two mismatched socks, something clicked. I was so sneaky, I snuck up on myself! I busted through rounds 2 and 3 and came in at 17:33. For me, that's pretty damned good. Now, compared to the rest of the folks, I suck at life, but 17:33 for me on a circuit that involves running? Dang! ;) I'll take it! You know... I'm so inspired, I think I'll end with a song. ;)
One of the reasons I love this video is cause it makes me laugh since the music and his mouth are totally out of sync! Ha!
When your work speaks for itself, don't interrupt.~Henry J. Kaiser
Wednesday, April 23, 2008
My newest CrossFit goals and my latest book idea...
Dude, I warned you I had a lot of stuff to talk about today. I think since I was so persnickety yesterday, I was doomed to be hit with creativity overload today. Well creativity and some randomness. But come on, my life is one giant PILE of randomness. So try to keep up, k? ;)
So, I stole the idea from Tanya to add the little Feedjit map thinger to my blog, and I love looking at it everyday. It's so fun! (have I used that word enough lately? FUN!) I can see where people are that are reading me, and I think it's awesome. So my new CrossFit goal, is to have at least one CrossFit reader/friend/Kult member in every state. I have already accomplished 21 states, although it might be more now. I just recounted and I think it's 23. :) So, my new goal is to make CrossFit friends. Lots and lots of them. :) Now, to my already CrossFit friends, this does not mean I don't love you. It just means you are going to have lots more friends too. :)
Now, my new idea for a book. So, my job is really starting to stress me out. Parents demanding their kids grades be changed, end of the year tests, me just running on empty and not having had a day off in over 30 days. It's a lot sometimes. So my friend asked me the other day if I could have my dream job, what would I do. I told her I would write. (Gee, imagine that! :P) But then she said about what. And I said, CrossFit and kids' books. And she was the almighty voice of reason saying that I can't blog for a living. Truth, I could, but don't ask me how. But I'm sure I could. But then I thought, but I could write a book about CrossFit, but then I thought, no. I don't know enough to do that. But then I thought... what IF.... I took one GIANT CrossFit road trip and I worked out with an affiliate in every single state? Then I took all the stories, cause oh how I'm sure there would be stories, about my Cross Country CrossFit Road Trip, people I met, dumb things that only happen to me and turn them into a book. But then I realized that this would never happen because I cannot finance it, but oh... if I could. How freakin' awesome would that be?
Just to have to get up and travel and see the country, meet new people, and CrossFit. I already know where my first state would be too, and my first affiliate. Well, New York, and the big bad black box at CrossFit NYC. But alas, unless I hit the lottery, I know it is not possible. But oh how much fun it would be! :)
So, I stole the idea from Tanya to add the little Feedjit map thinger to my blog, and I love looking at it everyday. It's so fun! (have I used that word enough lately? FUN!) I can see where people are that are reading me, and I think it's awesome. So my new CrossFit goal, is to have at least one CrossFit reader/friend/Kult member in every state. I have already accomplished 21 states, although it might be more now. I just recounted and I think it's 23. :) So, my new goal is to make CrossFit friends. Lots and lots of them. :) Now, to my already CrossFit friends, this does not mean I don't love you. It just means you are going to have lots more friends too. :)
Now, my new idea for a book. So, my job is really starting to stress me out. Parents demanding their kids grades be changed, end of the year tests, me just running on empty and not having had a day off in over 30 days. It's a lot sometimes. So my friend asked me the other day if I could have my dream job, what would I do. I told her I would write. (Gee, imagine that! :P) But then she said about what. And I said, CrossFit and kids' books. And she was the almighty voice of reason saying that I can't blog for a living. Truth, I could, but don't ask me how. But I'm sure I could. But then I thought, but I could write a book about CrossFit, but then I thought, no. I don't know enough to do that. But then I thought... what IF.... I took one GIANT CrossFit road trip and I worked out with an affiliate in every single state? Then I took all the stories, cause oh how I'm sure there would be stories, about my Cross Country CrossFit Road Trip, people I met, dumb things that only happen to me and turn them into a book. But then I realized that this would never happen because I cannot finance it, but oh... if I could. How freakin' awesome would that be?
Just to have to get up and travel and see the country, meet new people, and CrossFit. I already know where my first state would be too, and my first affiliate. Well, New York, and the big bad black box at CrossFit NYC. But alas, unless I hit the lottery, I know it is not possible. But oh how much fun it would be! :)
If I should die doing CrossFit...
So during today's workout, a thought occurred to me. The thought went something like this: "I may actually die doing today's workout. And if I die, what a way to go. And if I die, what do I want them to do with me?" But before I explain what I would like to be done with my dead self, or rather, in remembrance of my dead self, let me first explain why I thought I was going to die.
I said yesterday that Jerry has been good at givin' us the gassers lately. And we all know that I never should have said that because Pukie knows, that the second you say something, it has to happen. So guess what Jerry had for us today? One really nice gasser. And here I must pause for one second to do a station break. If you haven't visited Jerry and our site at CFOT you really should. Jerry maintains our blogs with all of our workouts, places for gear, and even has a link to his own blog which is chalk full of vids and tutorials, and other links to great reads. Hands down the best trainer I've ever had/met. He is peerless. He loves what he does and it's obvious. Bobby warned me when I started with Jerry that his love of fitness was contagious, and he was right. I'm drinking, nay, GUZZLING the CrossFit Kool-aid these days.
Anyways, back to my untimely death. So, today I was stretching and saw Jerry get out the rowers, which to me is a sign of torture. I'm not a good cardio person. But then he said load up the bars to 55. My eyebrows went up and I thought, 55? We don't do things that light anymore. So I looked at the rower, the weights, saw him set up box jumps, and I knew what I was in for. Oh yes, you guessed it. Fight Gone Bad. But WAIT! Just like yesterday, Jerry had a little catch up his sleeve. Apparently it is Elizabeth's birthday today. Jerry did this workout once before and she said she loved it, so to honor her, he brought it back. Jerry's catch was, this is a sell out, Tabata, FGB. Today's good time looked like this:
Tabata FGB Sell Out
8 rounds per exercise at one time
:20 work :10 rest
1:00 for rotation
Box Jumps
Jumping Slam Ball (Jerry has a great tutorial on this)(12 lbs)
Push Press (55 lbs)
KB High Pull (50 lbs)
Wall Ball (10 lbs)
Row (for cals)
After yesterday's doozie, I was a hurtin' pup today. I just felt like serious crizzap. But, with some help from Laura and the CFOT crew I made it through. And we saw the return of Leslie today too! Yay! ;) She came right back from completing a half Iron Man into the FGB Sell Out. What fun!
I tried to keep my numbers consistent, but I should have just worked to the clock. I know I probably could have added about 20 more reps to my score, which is frustrating, but I was so darned smoked! This was a doozy. I have never heard the Blue Room so quiet. It wasn't until the last exercises with 3 more rounds to go that we got more vocal. The light at the end of the tunnel was coming... thank God it didn't turn out to be one of Jerry's trains. :P So, this was scored just like FGB, one rep= one point. I hit 363. Not too shabby, but should have been better.
After I dropped my last push press, I dropped to the floor. Literally, and I laid on the mat. The 0645 crew was coming in and I told them it was ok just to do cals overtop of my prone body on the floor. Melanie took me up on my offer and did. It made me laugh which was a good thing, but for a little while there, I was thinking it might be the end.
So this got me to thinking. If I would ever die doing CrossFit, what would I want them to do with me? So, here's the conclusion I came to while driving to work today. When I'm all said and done, I would like them to make a nice statue, perhaps in bronze, of me laying down, shades on, hands behind my head, with one leg up in the air. Now, you may be asking, is Katie completely off her rocker? Well maybe, but here's my explanation of things. Jerry always tells us to "Rest Later" what better time to rest than when I'm dead? This would be a classic "resting" pose. Now, for the foot in the air, I figure it serves as a reminder that even though I might now be around, I can still give someone a good solid kick in the pants if need be. ;) Ah... CrossFit, and Pukie. Where would I be without you?
Nothing’s better than the wind to your back, the sun in front of you, and your friends beside you. ~Aaron Douglas Trimble
(especially if you're a bad runner like me... it helps to speed you along... ;) )
#31 and #32 and some new site features...
Can I just reiterate how much fun writing this blog has become? Today I got my first email from someone looking to submit to the top reasons list. How fun is that? So, one comes from Brian all the way up in Pittsburgh. That's some Stiller (Steeler) country ya'll. ;) I like him already. :) The other one comes courtesy of a CFOT'er, and once you read it, I'm sure you'll guess who it was... ;)
Now, as for some new site features, I have a confession. I'm whoring myself out on the internet. Yes, it's true, in a way. :P I noticed yesterday that someone jumped to my page through something called feedburner.com. When I checked it out, I learned a whole lot more than I ever thought I would about feeds. Well, I registered my blog, and you can now subscribe to me via things like Google Reader, or email. So now, you can get me right in your email box. How sweet is that? Google reader will even let you know that I've updated and you won't have to come to my site. But you certainly still can! :) It feels weird to have done that, but really cool. I just like writing, and if I can say things to entertain or inspire people, well then, the more people I reach, the more fun everything becomes! :) So, feel free to subscribe, and of course, feel free to tell your friends! ;)
Alright, now I know you weren't reading to find out about me whoring myself to the world, so on with the fun stuff shall we? #31 and #32
32. While your students are playing on the playground, you notice that one of your boys on the monkey bars swings really well. You think to yourself that he would be a great candidate for learning a kipping pull up. You debate about teaching him before you realize that he'll probably hit his head on the monkey bars, thus prompting a law suit, and you therefore opt against it. (Hey, school's for learning right? ;) )
and courtesy of Brian,
31. After traveling 500 miles and dropping $$ on a hotel room for an awesome beer festival, you decide to be the DD and not partake, all so you can hit your CrossFit workout in the morning.
Talk about dedication. Woo weeee! Thanks Brian for that one! :)
Now, as for some new site features, I have a confession. I'm whoring myself out on the internet. Yes, it's true, in a way. :P I noticed yesterday that someone jumped to my page through something called feedburner.com. When I checked it out, I learned a whole lot more than I ever thought I would about feeds. Well, I registered my blog, and you can now subscribe to me via things like Google Reader, or email. So now, you can get me right in your email box. How sweet is that? Google reader will even let you know that I've updated and you won't have to come to my site. But you certainly still can! :) It feels weird to have done that, but really cool. I just like writing, and if I can say things to entertain or inspire people, well then, the more people I reach, the more fun everything becomes! :) So, feel free to subscribe, and of course, feel free to tell your friends! ;)
Alright, now I know you weren't reading to find out about me whoring myself to the world, so on with the fun stuff shall we? #31 and #32
32. While your students are playing on the playground, you notice that one of your boys on the monkey bars swings really well. You think to yourself that he would be a great candidate for learning a kipping pull up. You debate about teaching him before you realize that he'll probably hit his head on the monkey bars, thus prompting a law suit, and you therefore opt against it. (Hey, school's for learning right? ;) )
and courtesy of Brian,
31. After traveling 500 miles and dropping $$ on a hotel room for an awesome beer festival, you decide to be the DD and not partake, all so you can hit your CrossFit workout in the morning.
Talk about dedication. Woo weeee! Thanks Brian for that one! :)
What a day!
Lots of great stuff to post up today! My apologies in advance as there will be lots to read! :) But my first post goes out to some new visitors to my site. I noticed today that some PA folks dropped by my page. Woo hoo! For whoever is out in Mifflinburg reading my stuff, I think you out to know I am a local girl. And actually have a friend in Williamsport (works in Lewisburg) who is looking to start CrossFitting. Drop me a line and let me know how you found me, and if you know of any CrossFit stuff in the area. Are you doing it on your own? Wanna buddy?
For whoever is in Manheim, I have a similar story for you. Friend in Lebanon who is a rubgy player and who I am trying to convince to CrossFit and zone. He would benefit a lot. Are you doing CrossFit on your own? Or are there some affiliates in the area? BTW, I went to E-town. It's a small world after all.... ;)
For both, you can use my email me link on my page, or if you feel comfortable enough, feel free to post up to my comments. Let's bring CrossFit to central PA! :)
For whoever is in Manheim, I have a similar story for you. Friend in Lebanon who is a rubgy player and who I am trying to convince to CrossFit and zone. He would benefit a lot. Are you doing CrossFit on your own? Or are there some affiliates in the area? BTW, I went to E-town. It's a small world after all.... ;)
For both, you can use my email me link on my page, or if you feel comfortable enough, feel free to post up to my comments. Let's bring CrossFit to central PA! :)
Tuesday, April 22, 2008
A workout CrossFit Old Town Stylz and some more prolific thoughts from me...
So, today Jerry pulled off another gasser. He's gettin' REALLY good at that. Today started out looking like a day I was really going to enjoy. While stretching out I saw the return of Vivek (YAY! :) ) and Jerry gettin' out the barbells. Now, you must understand, Jerry giving me a barbell is like giving a little kid $100 in a toy store and telling them to go have fun. I live for the days we throw weights around. Well, today Jerry decided we were going to have another work up heavy day. (Double yay!) So I partnered with Terrance (yay for Terrance making the 0600 crew!) and Kaii and got down to some business son.
Now, before we could throw the weights around, Jerry gave us a catch. We weren't just going to do straight up front squats. Oh no no, there was an added bonus. When you get to your rock bottom squat position while holding a buttload of weight on your shoulders, sit there for 3 seconds before you come back up. WHAT?! Holler! Did you say sit with it for 3 seconds? Oh he so did. So, after our surprise announcement, we got busy.
Front Squat WU (15 minutes)
Work up heavy
3 x 3 second rest at bottom of squat
35x3
55x3
75x3
95x3
115x3 (NEW PR!)
And for some video footage....
Now, after the front squats, I knew we couldn't be done. It was too early. So then Jerry said we were going to go do some chins and push ups. He served us some tabata mash up.
Tabata mash up sell out looked like this:
:20 chins
:10 transition
:20 push-ups
:10 transition
8 round sell out
My total number on the sell out mash up wasn't very high at all, but all my push ups were chest to the deck and there was no modifying to my knees. I call this progress.
Now, my prolific ramblings came after what Jerry threw at us for the last part of our workout. When Jerry tells me to get my running shoes, I cringe. But when Jerry tells me to get my running shoes after we've worked heavy on front squats, I think that I might actually die at some point during whatever it is we are about to do. So we get outside, and I knew it. He was making us do 400 meter sprints. Someone asked if it was only once. I laughed and said, hell no. He's making us do tabata 400 meter sprints. When we got back after our first sprint, he told everyone he was being nice and was only going to make us do 3. Well we finished the 3rd one on an all out sprint, and then he told us 4 was optional. Well, I went back to look for Kaii who wasn't in yet, and after I ran in with her. Jerry said 4 wasn't optional, so I jogged. Straight up. I couldn't run for crizzap. My legs... you guessed it! They were JELLO! (Cherry flavored! yum!)
Now on the way inside there was a discussion going about sprinting. I thought for a second, and shot out this little brilliant line: "Maybe some people just aren't meant to be sprinters. Maybe they're supposed to be just like draft horses and just work really hard and work a lot." I think maybe my ehem, country roots, may have shown through just a tad there, but I think I spoke my piece. I can't run fast. (sorry Tanya, but I've given up hope) But I can sure can pace. Round 1, 1:25, Round 2, 1:25, Round 3, 1:28, Round 4 (should not count) 1:53. Either that, or I need to become an Indy pace car. :P
Feels good to be with my CrossFit folks. I'm hanging on by a thread it seems, and my CrossFit folks are helping me hold it together. I'm really burnt out right now, but CrossFit keeps me going! Thanks Pukie!
Now, before we could throw the weights around, Jerry gave us a catch. We weren't just going to do straight up front squats. Oh no no, there was an added bonus. When you get to your rock bottom squat position while holding a buttload of weight on your shoulders, sit there for 3 seconds before you come back up. WHAT?! Holler! Did you say sit with it for 3 seconds? Oh he so did. So, after our surprise announcement, we got busy.
Front Squat WU (15 minutes)
Work up heavy
3 x 3 second rest at bottom of squat
35x3
55x3
75x3
95x3
115x3 (NEW PR!)
And for some video footage....
Now, after the front squats, I knew we couldn't be done. It was too early. So then Jerry said we were going to go do some chins and push ups. He served us some tabata mash up.
Tabata mash up sell out looked like this:
:20 chins
:10 transition
:20 push-ups
:10 transition
8 round sell out
My total number on the sell out mash up wasn't very high at all, but all my push ups were chest to the deck and there was no modifying to my knees. I call this progress.
Now, my prolific ramblings came after what Jerry threw at us for the last part of our workout. When Jerry tells me to get my running shoes, I cringe. But when Jerry tells me to get my running shoes after we've worked heavy on front squats, I think that I might actually die at some point during whatever it is we are about to do. So we get outside, and I knew it. He was making us do 400 meter sprints. Someone asked if it was only once. I laughed and said, hell no. He's making us do tabata 400 meter sprints. When we got back after our first sprint, he told everyone he was being nice and was only going to make us do 3. Well we finished the 3rd one on an all out sprint, and then he told us 4 was optional. Well, I went back to look for Kaii who wasn't in yet, and after I ran in with her. Jerry said 4 wasn't optional, so I jogged. Straight up. I couldn't run for crizzap. My legs... you guessed it! They were JELLO! (Cherry flavored! yum!)
Now on the way inside there was a discussion going about sprinting. I thought for a second, and shot out this little brilliant line: "Maybe some people just aren't meant to be sprinters. Maybe they're supposed to be just like draft horses and just work really hard and work a lot." I think maybe my ehem, country roots, may have shown through just a tad there, but I think I spoke my piece. I can't run fast. (sorry Tanya, but I've given up hope) But I can sure can pace. Round 1, 1:25, Round 2, 1:25, Round 3, 1:28, Round 4 (should not count) 1:53. Either that, or I need to become an Indy pace car. :P
Feels good to be with my CrossFit folks. I'm hanging on by a thread it seems, and my CrossFit folks are helping me hold it together. I'm really burnt out right now, but CrossFit keeps me going! Thanks Pukie!
Monday, April 21, 2008
I can't stop laughing...
Damn weak globo gymers.... can't even press... ;)
I iz escaping to go CrossFit with Jerry. But how will I do jumping slamballs? I haz a big head and little arms! (Tehehehehehehe...)
Yesterday's CrossFit workout and #'s 29 and 30
I heart Sunday CrossFit workouts. Can I just say that right now? Sunday is so relaxed. I don't have to rush out the door to work, I don't have to be up at 5am to hit my workout, there is a great group of people, I love it! So yesterday's Sunday fun was right up my alley, albeit, I was slightly worried about it since it involved hang squat cleans and I'm still bruised from Elizabeth. But nonetheless I was excited. Here's what yesterday's fun looked like:
Warm Up- 35 minutes hang squat clean work
Work up heavy 5 reps
35x5
45x5
55x5
65x5
75x5
85x5
90x5(PR)
95x5(New PR)
100x5(Newer PR)
110x2(Newest PR)
WOD
AMRAP 30 min
9 HSC to PP (65 lbs)
9 chins
9 burpees (EEEEEEWWWW!)
I think you can see how that set worked for me. :) I was pretty psyched. I had a great recovery to hit rep 2 on 110, but bottom line is that by the time I got there, I was just smoked. I think 105 would have been a better jump but we were running low on time, and I just loaded it up and went for it. Hey, no guts, no glory right? Jerry said I was the first woman to squat clean 100 lbs in the class, which is kind of cool, but I don't understand how that's possible. Adrienne, Stacey, Andrea, and Keturah are all wicked strong, and I don't think it's possible that I got there first. But for now, I guess it stands.
After our work up set, Jerry gave us a short smoker with some cleans to presses, and after those squats man, I was burnt. But nonetheless hit 6 full rounds with our grandfather clause. I was hurtin' and really really smelly after this one. It looks short, but it was a bear. All in all, it was a fun day to hit the blue room. I like throwing weights around. :)
Ah... yes... but let's be honest, you're not reading to hear about my hang squat cleans... you just want to know what #'s 29 and 30 are don't you? Alright... *sniff* fine.... :P Again, these two come courtesy of CFOT... but remember... if you have suggestions... my top 30 is open to new submissions... :)
#30 In an effort to eat healthy so you can nail a few extra reps/pounds at your next workout, you decide to have yogurt for breakfast. In your morning haste, you drop the yogurt in the *ehem* area on your nice black pants. You then walk around the rest of the day with some suspicious looking white stains on the front of your pants in your *ehem* region and are forced to deal with all the suspicious stares of your coworkers. Oh for the love of CrossFit!
#29 While your wife is busy using your car, you are determined to find a way to get your new weights into your CrossFit room for your morning workout. You resort to using a wheelbarrow, only to get pulled over by the cops because you "look suspicious" pushing a wheelbarrow full of weights. (Apparently at 5am weights in a wheelbarrow closely resemble a dead body)
I hope you have enjoyed my Mindless Ramblings! :)
A very special welcome to all my new Kult members!!! :) I seriously think I'm going to have to design a t-shirt... :)
Saturday, April 19, 2008
CrossFit vs. Globo Gym and the Stairmaster Nazis...
In this corner, weighing in at 5'10, 180 pounds, we have the reigning fitness champion, Globo Gym with his Stairmaster Nazis!!! And in the opposing corner, the challenger, weighing in at 6'2, 225 pounds, CROSSFIT! * ding ding ding* "I want a good clean fight. Now let's get it on!"
A little farfetched? Perhaps. But, to me it seems that there is a huge battle raging these days between traditional fitness and the not so traditional. The Post and the Times have picked up the C-word (and by C- word I mean CrossFit... you pervs! :P) a few times in the last weeks, and some of the things it had to say were right on, and some seemed a little undeserving. So, when one of my loyal readers (yay for loyal readers!) brought this up this morning, my mind got to thinking about the CrossFit vs. Globo Gym and the Stairmaster Nazis debate. I think it's time... oh yes. I'm going to weigh in here.
Now before I go any further I must make a terrible confession. I feel in doing so that I am letting down all my loyal fans and readers, but I feel I must cleanse my soul. Here goes nothing... I, was once... a Globo Gymer. Oh God! *hysterical sobbing* Phew, ok. I'm fine now, but it's true. Before moving to VA I was actually the assistant manager of a restaurant (shameless plug for them if you happen to be in PA... Watson Inn). My job allowed me to go into work at 2Pm (SWEET!) so I could roll out of bed and hit the gym. Most workouts took me between 1 and 2 hours, and usually after I left, I didn't feel satisfied with what I had done. I had a trainer who was a lovely woman, really... but I just never felt like I was really pushed. And let's be honest, after my 2 free sessions with her, I was on my own. Additional coaching would have cost me a pretty penny and I barely had two pennies to rub together at the time and was complaining every month about my $34 (ha!) gym membership each month. After extensive work with Jerry, I can tell you, my deadlift form was never right back in the day. And let's be honest, how many Globo Gymbers or stairmaster nazis realize that? Globo Gyming is difficult (easy...listen first) because of the exclusivity of it. You are on your own, and the ownus is on you. If you don't have perfect form, you don't know, unless the trainer tells you. Globo Gyms are more concerned with quantity of people working out than they are with the quality of the workouts people are having. I see it everyday at Jungle's when I look down from above from the almighty CrossFit room. I really do want to smack some of those people. And what's bad is that they don't realize that they are potentially injuring themselves with bad form, or that just because they read in Shape magazine that the exercise gives you a great butt, that it's not necessarily for them.
Now, here are some other issues I have with Globo Gyms. I know far too many "trainers". I'm using air quotes because I feel like these Globo Gym trainers try to sell you some prepackaged mumbo jumbo that really isn't based on you at all. They seemed convinced that a healthy diet of lat raises, kick backs, bench presses, a few squats and a little cardio will keep you in peak condition. Now, this is not to say all trainers are like this, because they are certainly not, but we're going to go on the average here. Remember, think Globo Gym... the Gold's etc of the world, something marketed for the masses. I'm sorry, but some people need a little bit more than this diet to keep their bodies in peak position. Thinking back to my workouts at the old gym, I hated going because it was the same thing all the time. Lat raises, kickbacks, dumbell curls, shoulder presses... blah blah blah. I think that workouts like this, and cardio on a treadmill, stairmaster etc, breed boredom and teach people that working out can't be fun. Hello! It can! Broaden your horizons and stop being bored to tears for thirty minutes while you pretend to walk up a fake hill! Now, I know some Stairmast Nazis right now are having a coniption because the Stairmaster is great for the buns, thighs, and hamstrings. Yeah, well, so are deadlifts, squats, squat cleans, and just about half the stuff we do at CrossFit, and they have a much higher degree of functionality in your everyday life. At some point, you will probably need to pick something up off the floor. Do you honestly expect in your life that you are ever going to walk up so many stairs that you will need to practice in order to make it to the top? Yeah... that's what I thought.
Furthermore, another huge issue that I have with Globo Gyms is that in many cases they encourage spot training. Let me 'splain. Sally Sedentary comes in and complains because she doesn't like her abs. So Tom the Trainer tells Sally to go start doing situps etc. WTF? Dude, for serial, if you want good abs, here's a big clue. It's not all just your abs. The trainers at the Globo Gym, telling you to hit cardio on the treadmill for thiry minutes and do abs, are so off base it's not even funny. Now again, not all Globo trainers are like Tom, but it seems that in my experience, that is the majority of what I run into. Your abs are complex and need to be worked in conjuction with your back. You should be be focusing more on core strength than ab strength. There is a difference... look it up, and get off the damn floor already! Abs in conjunction with other exercises yes are fine, but doing 500 bicycles a day is ridiculous, and tedious. Hello boredom.
Now, my final argument about Globo Gym. I can't tell you how disgusted I used to get with Globo Gym because of this next piece. I would get up to go workout, brush my teeth, throw my hair in a ponytail, and be set for the workout. Well, with clothes of course as well. But I would go workout and would see these women, with make up on and skin tight clothes, who were very obviously NOT at Globo Gym because fitness was important to them. They were there to scope out the guys with the biggest muscles and they would go flirt shamelessly with them. Ugh! When you are at Globo Gym, there is a certain understanding that you will be stared at. Whether you are a guy or girl, someone is going to stare at you and think about you in a way that is not fitness related at all. It's def very creepy, and not to mention, distracting. It's difficult to concentrate on putting your butt out and working your deadlift form when in the back of your mind you know someone is probably critiquing your butt and commenting on how big it is. Yes, theoretically we should have thicker skin about stuff like that, but be honest. How many of us are ok with someone thinking we have a huge ass? Globo Gym has become a meat market. Period, the end and I don't like it at all. In this category, CrossFit takes this hands down. I know damn well when I roll up into CrossFit, no one is judging my butt or thighs, and no one is there to look pretty. We work hard, we sweat, occassionally someone might puke. Attractiveness is not a thought. CrossFit in this respect is much better and allows you to focus on the workout, and not whether or not the creepy dude with his 85 pound bench presses is trying to check out your T&A.
Now, I think it's apparent what I think about Globo Gym and the Stairmaster Nazis. So I think it's clear who my winner should be. Hands down, CrossFit is it. Now, Washington Post says that you should consult with your doctor before attempting CrossFit because of how insane it is. Hello, if you have concerns about your heart/health... you should consult with your doctor about doing a lot of things, not merely CrossFit. Funny, but things like sex are included on that list since it can carry of risk of cardiac arrest. So sweetie... you better stop trying to mack on your spouse until you lose that 15 pounds(hmmmmm, wonder if they thought of that?).
CrossFit is intense, but it is varied and is designed, as Jerry puts it, to help us thrive in the chaos of normal daily life. Our workouts are designed to be tough, but to give us movements that are functional in real life. I can't tell you how many times I've put a tray over the my head at the restaurant and thought to myself silently how that movement mimics the push press EXACTLY. It usually involves head movement too since I'm usually trying to get out of the way if the tray is up that high. CrossFit is "Cross" fit. It crosses into your daily life. It's functional. Can you please tell me when or where tricep pull downs, or lat pull downs will ever help you in real life? They will make those areas stronger sure, but they themselves are not functional movements.
Now, people say CrossFit is too intense and is only for crazy people. No. Retards. Have you read about CrossFit? The beauty of CrossFit is scalability. Until you get the movements, until you can pick up the weights, we're not going to make you go all in. (contrary to what a certain Times reporter may lead you to believe...) But what we'll tell you is that even if you're only doing 5 reps, you should go for a perfect 5 reps. CrossFit can be for anyone, within reason. Obviously, if you are having health issues and have been seeing a doctor, moderate exercise is more the way to go. Obviously other health issues also can bring with them certain complications, so CrossFit may not be for people with those issues. But to the average person with a good bill of health and a good drive, CrossFit is much better for you and much more fulfilling than Globo Gym. Is it hard, yes, but that's what makes it fun.
Which leads me to my last reason that CrossFit simply smashes the crap out of those freakin' Stairmaster Nazis. I said earlier that Globo Gym is hard because the ownus is on you. Many of us have a hard enough time getting out of bed in the morning as is, so to have to get up to get on the treadmill, well that thought right there is enough to keep us in bed, instead of at the gym. With CrossFit though, while the ownus is on you to get out of bed, you know (unless you CrossFit on your own) that once you get to the gym, there are 10 or so other people there and waiting to share your pain. As I said yesterday, CrossFit breeds bonds in these hostile workout environments. Knowing there are people there who you want to talk to and see, and knowing that they will help you get through whatever WOD gets put on that board, is enough to pull you out of bed. Knowing you have a support system (and a fabulous coach) is far more motivating than staring down another day of kickbacks, pull downs, and bench presses. Globo Gym can't say that. You may also know that if you don't make it to the WOD, those same 10 people are going to be on your butt and want to know why you didn't make it today. (In a very loving way of course... ;) )
CrossFit becomes a true team. At Globo gym, no one cares that you just went from 35-40 pounds on an exercise. But at CrossFit, we celebrate PR's and successes everyday, because we know how hard you have to work to get there. As a community we understand. The idea of forming elite fitness, and elite community is true. And that community is supportive, and helps everyone find the best version of themselves. We celebrate success and foster pride and confidence. No Globo Gym can match what CrossFitters have. It's a uniquely dysfunctional yet still functional family. Give me a group of Stairmaster Nazis that have what we have, and maybe I'll quiet a smidge about how CrossFit is so superior (at least in a team sense), but since I know you can't do that I maintain that....
O'Doyle Rules! Er... uh... I mean, CROSSFIT RULES! ;)
PS- As an aside and afterthought... I went back and reread the Times article from March 23rd called "God's Workout." In the article, the author said that it was "disturbing" that on the particular day she looked at the CF site, they were getting ready to do the hero workout for "Valentine." So hero workouts are disturbing huh? Hmm... interesting thought. I think honoring fallen soldiers is a great idea. I now want to kick the author in the head.
Friday, April 18, 2008
The really awesome thing about CrossFit...
You know, the last week or so in my life has been pretty interesting. Through the few short months that I've been doing CrossFit, I've learned a lot about it. But there is one thing in particular that I've learned over the last few weeks about CrossFit that just seems so unbelievably cool to me. CrossFit seems to have this innate ability to bring people together, who may otherwise in life never had had the opportunity to meet or interact. Let me take you back for a minute... (and yes there is a point to this)
The entire reason I found CrossFit was a guy. (I know I know... hush... big bad CrossFit girl pretends to be tough, found CrossFit because of a guy... Yadda yadda yadda) Anyhoo, I found myself in a situation with this amazing person. When he came to visit me in July, he mentioned his friend Jerry who had just opened a CrossFit affiliate in Old Town. At the time, I was doing masters swimming and I was content with that, but after his departure, and a few life changes, swimming just didn't hold the same appeal. I needed something different. So I decided to give CrossFit a try. I started with Jerry two days a week, and instantly knew that there was something about CrossFit that I loved.
Unfortunately, the amazing guy and I did not have quite the success story that CrossFit and I did. But I still think the world of him and miss him dearly, and am eternally thankful that he introduced me to CrossFit. As I started to CrossFit more and more, CrossFit became more a part of my life. I met people who inspired me. Not just inside the blue room, but outside as well. People who even without knowing me well, were taking the time to help me, and guide me through a lot of changes in my life. Without CrossFit, I probably never would have met these people, and certainly would not be at the point in my life where I am right now. I have a lot to thank CrossFit for. CrossFit just has this ability to bring together people who may never have met in real life, and it enables them to form a bond. Now, I am not a military person, nor have I ever been, and I have obviously never faced the rigors of combat. But I feel like perhaps the only way I can explain what CrossFit does, is to compare it to the rigors of combat.
In combat (so it has been explained to me) you are in the direst of circumstances, which creates a bond between you and the other members of your unit because you can relate to those around you and understand the hell the man next to you is going through. CrossFit is certainly not by any means the direst of circumstances, but it is designed to test you and push you and make you feel like you are at your limit. When the guy beside you is struggling with the same thing, you feel his pain and understand it, and therefore you encourage him. Through understanding bonds begin to form, and before you know it, a community of CrossFitters has emerged, fighting each workout with everything they have, and defeating them because they refuse to give up. This hostile workout environment fosters something amazing, and something I have never experienced before in my 19 years as an athlete.
And, as crazy as it sounds, CrossFit has also allowed me to form these similar bonds with people all over the United States. I'm not sure how anyone has found me, but I have had readers from Kansas, NYC, Chicago, Alabama, Indianapolis, San Diego, Texas, Alexandria, DC, and many more. Without CrossFit, I never would have had the opportunity to meet or interact with any of these people. I never would have had the opportunity to form this blog and do two things I enjoy; workout and write! I began this blog as a way for me to rant and rave about my workouts (and ocassionally my life). I never in a million years imagined it would spread to other people. People have laughed with me, or at me, and shared my successes, my triumphs, my sicknesses, my injuries, my frustrations, and have even in some cases been inspired by things I have written. I can't describe what that feels like. The feeling is unparallelled. In the last week, two affiliates (NYC and Alamo CrossFit) have somehow managed to find my blog and enjoy it. They have in turn posted things on their site for their CrossFitters to enjoy. To know that people around the country are reading and enjoying, and RELATING to what I'm going through, feels wonderful. I can't tell you how much I enjoy having the ability to entertain (and perhaps encourage) other people.
The really awesome thing about CrossFit is that it is unmatched and unparrallelled in the fitness world. There is simply nothing like it. It enables you to go beyond your limits and bounds everyday. Whether it is in the workout room, or in your daily life, CrossFit pushes you to find the best version of yourself. I wouldn't trade CrossFit, or my team, for anything in this world.
CrossFit; forging bonds through hostile workout environments.
The entire reason I found CrossFit was a guy. (I know I know... hush... big bad CrossFit girl pretends to be tough, found CrossFit because of a guy... Yadda yadda yadda) Anyhoo, I found myself in a situation with this amazing person. When he came to visit me in July, he mentioned his friend Jerry who had just opened a CrossFit affiliate in Old Town. At the time, I was doing masters swimming and I was content with that, but after his departure, and a few life changes, swimming just didn't hold the same appeal. I needed something different. So I decided to give CrossFit a try. I started with Jerry two days a week, and instantly knew that there was something about CrossFit that I loved.
Unfortunately, the amazing guy and I did not have quite the success story that CrossFit and I did. But I still think the world of him and miss him dearly, and am eternally thankful that he introduced me to CrossFit. As I started to CrossFit more and more, CrossFit became more a part of my life. I met people who inspired me. Not just inside the blue room, but outside as well. People who even without knowing me well, were taking the time to help me, and guide me through a lot of changes in my life. Without CrossFit, I probably never would have met these people, and certainly would not be at the point in my life where I am right now. I have a lot to thank CrossFit for. CrossFit just has this ability to bring together people who may never have met in real life, and it enables them to form a bond. Now, I am not a military person, nor have I ever been, and I have obviously never faced the rigors of combat. But I feel like perhaps the only way I can explain what CrossFit does, is to compare it to the rigors of combat.
In combat (so it has been explained to me) you are in the direst of circumstances, which creates a bond between you and the other members of your unit because you can relate to those around you and understand the hell the man next to you is going through. CrossFit is certainly not by any means the direst of circumstances, but it is designed to test you and push you and make you feel like you are at your limit. When the guy beside you is struggling with the same thing, you feel his pain and understand it, and therefore you encourage him. Through understanding bonds begin to form, and before you know it, a community of CrossFitters has emerged, fighting each workout with everything they have, and defeating them because they refuse to give up. This hostile workout environment fosters something amazing, and something I have never experienced before in my 19 years as an athlete.
And, as crazy as it sounds, CrossFit has also allowed me to form these similar bonds with people all over the United States. I'm not sure how anyone has found me, but I have had readers from Kansas, NYC, Chicago, Alabama, Indianapolis, San Diego, Texas, Alexandria, DC, and many more. Without CrossFit, I never would have had the opportunity to meet or interact with any of these people. I never would have had the opportunity to form this blog and do two things I enjoy; workout and write! I began this blog as a way for me to rant and rave about my workouts (and ocassionally my life). I never in a million years imagined it would spread to other people. People have laughed with me, or at me, and shared my successes, my triumphs, my sicknesses, my injuries, my frustrations, and have even in some cases been inspired by things I have written. I can't describe what that feels like. The feeling is unparallelled. In the last week, two affiliates (NYC and Alamo CrossFit) have somehow managed to find my blog and enjoy it. They have in turn posted things on their site for their CrossFitters to enjoy. To know that people around the country are reading and enjoying, and RELATING to what I'm going through, feels wonderful. I can't tell you how much I enjoy having the ability to entertain (and perhaps encourage) other people.
The really awesome thing about CrossFit is that it is unmatched and unparrallelled in the fitness world. There is simply nothing like it. It enables you to go beyond your limits and bounds everyday. Whether it is in the workout room, or in your daily life, CrossFit pushes you to find the best version of yourself. I wouldn't trade CrossFit, or my team, for anything in this world.
CrossFit; forging bonds through hostile workout environments.
Another short little gasser...
Jerry is a sneaky son of a gun. I have to hand him that. Today we got out bars and started out with some strict presses, and I thought today was going to be a fun day of throwing around heavy weights. Nope. Damnit. We did start with some strict presses though, and today's fun looked like this.
Warm-up
Work up heavy strict presses
Aiming for 3 rep max
WOD
4 rounds
5 minutes each
AMRAP
4 Push
4 Chins
4 Push
12 Squats
I was a bit worried about hitting strict presses today. My traps were still really tight from hitting Elizabeth. Heavy squat cleans do me in everytime. But nonetheless I was stoked. I worked up and tried to hit 85 (a new pr) but missed. I just didn't have it in me today. So I backed off back to 75 and then hit 77 (ANOTHER NEW PR!) and then hit 80 (ANOTHER NEW PR!). I was really bummed about my form though. I'm not sure why, but lately my form on a lot of exercises has gone to pot. I don't like it, but I was happy to get 80 up. 2 new pr's in one week, hell, I'll take it!
We then went into today's WOD which looks short, but is a gasser, especially with all those push ups after the strict presses. I think during the strict presses I pinched a nerve (could I please get fully healthy!!!!!!??!?!) cause when I jumped on the chin up bar, something was out of whack. After only 3.5 round in the first 5 minutes, Laura gave me a quick fix of a message in the back and shoulder, and things loosened a bit. I still felt the pinch for the next 3, but was able to grunt through with 4, 4.5, and 3.5 rounds. The chins felt great today. Very explosive and lots of Dannyesque height if I do say so myself.... :P The calluses hurt, but the form on those felt good. Squats are still off. I don't know why I keep poppin up on my toes. I have NEVER done that before in all my years of lifting. Frustrating. So a good gasser, but a nice set for today. Hey, with four days in this week, and 2 of those being heroes or benchmarks, plus 2 new PR's, I'll call it a good week! :) (But of course, there is always room for improvement!!!)
Warm-up
Work up heavy strict presses
Aiming for 3 rep max
WOD
4 rounds
5 minutes each
AMRAP
4 Push
4 Chins
4 Push
12 Squats
I was a bit worried about hitting strict presses today. My traps were still really tight from hitting Elizabeth. Heavy squat cleans do me in everytime. But nonetheless I was stoked. I worked up and tried to hit 85 (a new pr) but missed. I just didn't have it in me today. So I backed off back to 75 and then hit 77 (ANOTHER NEW PR!) and then hit 80 (ANOTHER NEW PR!). I was really bummed about my form though. I'm not sure why, but lately my form on a lot of exercises has gone to pot. I don't like it, but I was happy to get 80 up. 2 new pr's in one week, hell, I'll take it!
We then went into today's WOD which looks short, but is a gasser, especially with all those push ups after the strict presses. I think during the strict presses I pinched a nerve (could I please get fully healthy!!!!!!??!?!) cause when I jumped on the chin up bar, something was out of whack. After only 3.5 round in the first 5 minutes, Laura gave me a quick fix of a message in the back and shoulder, and things loosened a bit. I still felt the pinch for the next 3, but was able to grunt through with 4, 4.5, and 3.5 rounds. The chins felt great today. Very explosive and lots of Dannyesque height if I do say so myself.... :P The calluses hurt, but the form on those felt good. Squats are still off. I don't know why I keep poppin up on my toes. I have NEVER done that before in all my years of lifting. Frustrating. So a good gasser, but a nice set for today. Hey, with four days in this week, and 2 of those being heroes or benchmarks, plus 2 new PR's, I'll call it a good week! :) (But of course, there is always room for improvement!!!)
Thursday, April 17, 2008
Curses!... and #28
So if you haven't noticed yet, I've started running little polls on the side of my page this week. Unfortunately, it resulted in a tie this week! Curse you people! Why couldn't you have voted more? If you would have made more votes for the person you would most like to see in the X-Fit room any of the guys from Stop Loss, I would have had the absolute PERFECT excuse to invite them to a CF workout. I'm 100% positive that they would have accepted the invitation too. ;)
Now... #28....
28. When you hear T-pain sing about zoning, you assume he is on the same diet plan that you are.
After looking at the picture... I'm thinkin' maybe not... ;)
My prolific CrossFit self, adding #26 and #27, and a workout (I'll bet you didn't think I did those anymore... :P)!
Ok, so you know how lots of people say that they always think of their best ideas or have their most random thoughts in the shower? (Ok, well I know people that say that...) I'm not sure what it is about the shower that makes it conducive to good thinking, but apparently it is. Well, for me, CrossFit has become my shower time. And no, I don't mean because I CrossFit naked. I would never subject anyone to that. :P My pale self would probably blind a few people. Anyway, CrossFit has been home to some of my most wonderful thoughts, or bursts of prolific insight lately, so I thought I would share some of it with you. Do you think you're ready for this amazing wisdom? I hope so.
Ehem, while hanging out later than I should have and trying to support others through Elizabeth yesterday, this little burst of wisdom shot out:
"If you get into a staring contest with that bar, it's going to win. Eventually you'll have to give up. Apparently inanimate objects don't blink."
Now, I meant this in jest, but it really is true. I am not sure who started the Rest Later idea. I think it may have come from Ray, but perhaps it was Jerry. Regardless, there is a theory on resting (which was cited on the affiliate blog this fall) that goes something like this. If you must, drop the bar/kb whatever. Take 3-5 quick deep breaths, pick it back up, and crank out some reps. You know, honestly, at first it sounds a little hokey, honestly what can 3-5 breaths do for me, but it really does make a difference. If you drop the bar and sit there, and wait until you feel ok to go, A) you're going to waste time and add time to your circuit or lose reps, and B) the chances of the bar winning the staredown that you've started increase drastically. Those feelings of "I can't finish this" start to sneak in. But when you are going and moving and just banging out reps, whether it's 1, 2, or 5, you know you are getting closer to being finished and it gives you the motivation to finish. CrossFitters seem to be a particularly stubborn and determined crowd. No matter what we have put in front of us, we want to finish it. And not only finish it, we want to finish it fast and with a lot of weight. Resting Later is a great way to get you to that finish line faster while feeling stronger.
In a staredown, the bar will win if you let it. So practice resting smarter, and REST LATER! :)
Now, on a more exciting note, I have to go back to the top 25 list. Seriously, I had no idea when I started that thing last week that it was going to become so massive. I did it for fun (as I do all my blogs), but apparently it's growing! After this week, here's what I've decided. If you have something you think should be added to the top 25 list... or whatever top # it becomes (after today it will officially be 27) feel free to send it along, and I will continue to add to our growing list of CrossFit attributes. I can't repost each time cause the thing is getting ginormous, but I'll just keep posting the new numbers to keep everyone laughing. Now, numbers #26 and #27 are courtesy of us here at CF Old Town.... and they are great!
#27 When told two days in advance what your workout will be, it causes you to have nightmares about people breaking limbs and doing ring dips over a moat full of alligators.
#26 In order not to miss a regularly scheduled workout, you make sure that when you drop your car off at the garage that they schedule a loaner for you. You then spend the next few days driving around in a busted up, brokedown, baby blue, 1988 Buick hooptie all so you can CrossFit.
Ah... so now on to the workout today. So guess what happened?! Well I rolled into CrossFit in my beautiful baby blue hooptie unsure of what today would bring after a hard day with Elizabeth. Well I found out soon enough. One of my least favorite exercises, running, mixed with one of my stronger exercises, chins. My first thought with the running, was man this blows. My second thought was, well I haven't hit a set of max chins in awhile, so even with a busted up hand, today would be a good day to hit some chins.
So the workout officially looked like this.
WOD AMRAP in 30 minutes
800 meter run (first round only)
Max chins
400 meter run
max chins
Etc etc etc
During the first run, I felt uber slow and super tight, so when I hopped on the chip up bar, I only hit 7. I was disappointed with that because I used to be able to tie together so many more, but was encouraged because that's still higher than I've been able to hit lately. One the 400 meters, for me, I felt pretty speedy, which of course means I wasn't breaking any real land speed records. But I went back in and on my second set hit 12 chins. That's a NEW PR! :) :) :) I was a little bummed because I felt like I should have held on for 13 or 14, but in the middle of a set after some running, I took it. I then dropped to 7, then 8, then back up to 10. Chins are starting to feel strong again. I think I lost a lot of range of motion for some reason after the bubonic plague, but it's starting to come back. Maybe it was those two days of 60 and 100 chins that helped me along? After my last set of 10, Jerry was all but pushing me out the door to get another run in. I would have been content to stop there, but Jerry was hollering at me as I went out the door telling me I had 2:05 to get 400 meters in.
Well I was trying to book it but on round 6 of the run, I was feeling less than speedy now. But I tried to keep the pace going. I was trying really hard to make it and I wasn't sure how I did. As I opened the door to head back in the building all I heard was Jerry yell.... and his watch beep. I had made the final run in under 2:05. I have to say I was surprised to see Jerry standing there when there was a room of people upstairs waiting for his toutalage. But, I think it's here that I have to stop and say what an amazing person I think Jerry is. Jerry works hard to make sure that each person at CFOT meets with success. No matter how big or small the success, Jerry strives to get them there. To quote Bobby (the reason I found CrossFit) "Jerry in my opinion is peerless as a friend, coach, and trainer."
Jerry said he was just coming to look for me, but regardless, it was nice to know he was pulling for me to hit that last run in. Now, what he did to me when I walked back upstairs wasn't very nice, because everyone else was waiting to hit Tabbatta situps, while I meanwhile had just all but gassed myself. Jerry said he wanted triple digits on the sits, so I was going balls to the wall. Guess what I hit? 100 on the nose. :) How's that for triple digits? :) All in all, it's been a great week with CrossFit and I feel amazingly blessed everyday that I have the opportunity to see and spend time with the people I've met there. CFOT is like no other. No doubt. We are LEGIT CrossFit.
You always pass failure on the way to success.- Mickey Rooney
Ehem, while hanging out later than I should have and trying to support others through Elizabeth yesterday, this little burst of wisdom shot out:
"If you get into a staring contest with that bar, it's going to win. Eventually you'll have to give up. Apparently inanimate objects don't blink."
Now, I meant this in jest, but it really is true. I am not sure who started the Rest Later idea. I think it may have come from Ray, but perhaps it was Jerry. Regardless, there is a theory on resting (which was cited on the affiliate blog this fall) that goes something like this. If you must, drop the bar/kb whatever. Take 3-5 quick deep breaths, pick it back up, and crank out some reps. You know, honestly, at first it sounds a little hokey, honestly what can 3-5 breaths do for me, but it really does make a difference. If you drop the bar and sit there, and wait until you feel ok to go, A) you're going to waste time and add time to your circuit or lose reps, and B) the chances of the bar winning the staredown that you've started increase drastically. Those feelings of "I can't finish this" start to sneak in. But when you are going and moving and just banging out reps, whether it's 1, 2, or 5, you know you are getting closer to being finished and it gives you the motivation to finish. CrossFitters seem to be a particularly stubborn and determined crowd. No matter what we have put in front of us, we want to finish it. And not only finish it, we want to finish it fast and with a lot of weight. Resting Later is a great way to get you to that finish line faster while feeling stronger.
In a staredown, the bar will win if you let it. So practice resting smarter, and REST LATER! :)
Now, on a more exciting note, I have to go back to the top 25 list. Seriously, I had no idea when I started that thing last week that it was going to become so massive. I did it for fun (as I do all my blogs), but apparently it's growing! After this week, here's what I've decided. If you have something you think should be added to the top 25 list... or whatever top # it becomes (after today it will officially be 27) feel free to send it along, and I will continue to add to our growing list of CrossFit attributes. I can't repost each time cause the thing is getting ginormous, but I'll just keep posting the new numbers to keep everyone laughing. Now, numbers #26 and #27 are courtesy of us here at CF Old Town.... and they are great!
#27 When told two days in advance what your workout will be, it causes you to have nightmares about people breaking limbs and doing ring dips over a moat full of alligators.
#26 In order not to miss a regularly scheduled workout, you make sure that when you drop your car off at the garage that they schedule a loaner for you. You then spend the next few days driving around in a busted up, brokedown, baby blue, 1988 Buick hooptie all so you can CrossFit.
Ah... so now on to the workout today. So guess what happened?! Well I rolled into CrossFit in my beautiful baby blue hooptie unsure of what today would bring after a hard day with Elizabeth. Well I found out soon enough. One of my least favorite exercises, running, mixed with one of my stronger exercises, chins. My first thought with the running, was man this blows. My second thought was, well I haven't hit a set of max chins in awhile, so even with a busted up hand, today would be a good day to hit some chins.
So the workout officially looked like this.
WOD AMRAP in 30 minutes
800 meter run (first round only)
Max chins
400 meter run
max chins
Etc etc etc
During the first run, I felt uber slow and super tight, so when I hopped on the chip up bar, I only hit 7. I was disappointed with that because I used to be able to tie together so many more, but was encouraged because that's still higher than I've been able to hit lately. One the 400 meters, for me, I felt pretty speedy, which of course means I wasn't breaking any real land speed records. But I went back in and on my second set hit 12 chins. That's a NEW PR! :) :) :) I was a little bummed because I felt like I should have held on for 13 or 14, but in the middle of a set after some running, I took it. I then dropped to 7, then 8, then back up to 10. Chins are starting to feel strong again. I think I lost a lot of range of motion for some reason after the bubonic plague, but it's starting to come back. Maybe it was those two days of 60 and 100 chins that helped me along? After my last set of 10, Jerry was all but pushing me out the door to get another run in. I would have been content to stop there, but Jerry was hollering at me as I went out the door telling me I had 2:05 to get 400 meters in.
Well I was trying to book it but on round 6 of the run, I was feeling less than speedy now. But I tried to keep the pace going. I was trying really hard to make it and I wasn't sure how I did. As I opened the door to head back in the building all I heard was Jerry yell.... and his watch beep. I had made the final run in under 2:05. I have to say I was surprised to see Jerry standing there when there was a room of people upstairs waiting for his toutalage. But, I think it's here that I have to stop and say what an amazing person I think Jerry is. Jerry works hard to make sure that each person at CFOT meets with success. No matter how big or small the success, Jerry strives to get them there. To quote Bobby (the reason I found CrossFit) "Jerry in my opinion is peerless as a friend, coach, and trainer."
Jerry said he was just coming to look for me, but regardless, it was nice to know he was pulling for me to hit that last run in. Now, what he did to me when I walked back upstairs wasn't very nice, because everyone else was waiting to hit Tabbatta situps, while I meanwhile had just all but gassed myself. Jerry said he wanted triple digits on the sits, so I was going balls to the wall. Guess what I hit? 100 on the nose. :) How's that for triple digits? :) All in all, it's been a great week with CrossFit and I feel amazingly blessed everyday that I have the opportunity to see and spend time with the people I've met there. CFOT is like no other. No doubt. We are LEGIT CrossFit.
You always pass failure on the way to success.- Mickey Rooney
Wednesday, April 16, 2008
The Top 25 Ways You Know If You Are LEGIT CrossFit...
Alright, so I posted this the other day, and I was up to 20. But I can't help it. Things just keep happening to me and I just need to keep adding to the list. I don't think #1 will change at all. THAT still cracks me up, but I have one that might take the #2 spot so we'll have to see. If you're having a look for the first time, enjoy. If this is your second time visiting, welcome back... enjoy the added madness.
So per my c*ck block blog, we now all know that there are faux CrossFitters among us. Oh yes, they walk among us, talk like us, might look like us, perhaps even work out with us. But they are not true CrossFitters. Oh no. They boast, they brag, they claim to "kill" workouts. But they are not true CrossFitters. They are not LEGIT. They are content with their things the way they are... never striving to push themselves to that ultimate limit. So, in case you think that you may have spotted an imposter moving amongst you... here are some sure fire ways that you can tell them apart. A REAL CrossFitter will probably answer yes to many, if not all of these. A faux CrossFitter... well, need I say more? If you suspect someone is not fo' real... first contact the proper local CrossFit authorities and let them know that they have a CrossFit impersonator on their hands...then, if you know that they can't answer yes to any of these... feel free to kick them in the head and then duct tape some weights to their hands. Then tell 'em I said, "PONY UP!"
So here we go... the new and improved top 25 ways you know you are legit CrossFit.
25. Due to all your CrossFit bruises, you find yourself making comments like, "It's a good thing I don't have a boyfriend 'cause he'd swear I was cheating on him."
24. You know how many CrossFitters it takes to screw in a light bulb. (3...1 to screw it in, 1 to count their reps, and 1 to photograph it.)
23. You come up with random questions like, "If CrossFit were a superhero, what super power would it have?"
22. You find yourself speaking about CrossFit as if it were a real person.
21. You understand what WOD, AMRAP, and all the other CrossFit acronyms mean.
20. You're boyfriend/girlfriend/spouse refuses to hold your hand because of your calluses. Your boyfriend/girlfriend/spouse may also at some other point have asked you to stop rubbing their arm, back, shoulder, etc. because your calluses were scratching them.
19. While looking online to buy CrossFit toys for home, you burst into laughter when you find that the site you are looking at recommends that a women start with a "challenging" 15lb kettlebell, while men work with a 35.
18. You are on a first name basis and regularly hang out with Angie, Fran, Helen, Grace, Nancy, Elizabeth, Cindy, Karen, and all the other ladies.
17. After listening to you describe your workouts, your family and friends have suggested that you seek psychiatric treatment.
16. The laundry pile in your room is so rank it could probably stand up and walk out on its own.
15. After being injured doing your workout, you recruit people to CrossFit while they exmine you in the ER.
14. You talk about CrossFit so much that your friends and family are not 100% sure you have not joined a mysterious new occult.
13. You don't count reps if you don't get your chest to the deck, or your chin over the bar.
12. You're so beefed up that your instructor has to buy heavier kettlebells just for you.
11. The Zone requires you to hit the grocery store so often that all the cashiers know you by first name.
10. You've kipped yourself off a bar.
9. You've called in sick to work because you busted through an epic the day before and now can't walk/lift your arms/move.
8. You can no longer attend church because it interferes with your Sunday workouts. (not to mention CrossFit and Pukie are your gods now)
7. You get upset if the WOD DOESN'T make you sweat so much that you are forced to change your shirt halfway through your workout. (Visit Rick at Crossfit Alamo for more on this one... ;) )
6. To you, the "Filthy Fifty" does not carry any sexual innuendo or reference someone's age.
5. You use CrossFit for dating advice.
4. You have been caught telling eight year olds (spouses, your own children, or fellow coworkers) to "Rest Later" and get their work done NOW. There's plenty of time for rest when it's finished!
3. While at the bar with your friends you debate whether or not you should take your next shot because you don't have a string cheese in your pocket for the block of protein you need to balance with the block of carbs in your shot of tequila/JD/Hennesey/Hypnotiq. (But let's be honest, some of these choices should probably be more carefully considered anyway....)
2. When your boss pulls a surprise added shift to your schedule that requires you to work a double and would require you to miss a planned CrossFit hero workout, you immediately plan to show up late so you can hit the workout anyway. You hit the workout and pay a $15 shower fee at the gym before going to work, all so you can hit Daniel. In the hurry to shower and get to work, you realize in your rush out of the house, you forgot a towel, so you are forced to drip dry/dry yourself with your sweat drenched clothes so you can manage to only be a half hour late to work. All for the love of Daniel.
And the number one way you know you are CrossFit LEGIT....
1. You chose your vacation desitinations based on their proximity to a CrossFit affiliate. You also actively plan your vacation activities around their workout schedule so you can still hit four workouts per week.
Well there you have it... are YOU LEGIT? ;)
CrossFit OT hits Elizabeth...
Wooo boy. Jerry let us know two days in advance that this was coming, and I had some reservations about this one. The highest weight I had ever squat cleaned was 75 pounds. RX for Elizabeth is 85. I was nervous that I wouldn't be able to hit 85 this morning and nearly psyched myself out.
Before I go any further, I just would like to point out that the first 6 people through Elizabeth this morning were all ladies. WORD! The ladies of CFOT were rockin' out Elizabeth this am. They are LEGIT! Anyway, I did decide to do Elizabeth with the prescribed weight, and a pink band for ring dips. My triceps are my nemesis which is why things like push ups, handstand push ups, ring dips, and muscle ups all seem insanely hard for me.
I have to admit, I missed a time or two on the clean. It just wasn't all the way in the rack and I had to let it go. I dropped the bar a few times, which I am sure at a CF cert is probably a no no. But you know what? I dug in, and Elizabeth was my biotch this morning. It was no land speed record but, for the first time doing Elizabeth, not bad. The only thing I would change from this am, well, ok I lied, two things. I would have made more of an effort to hang on to the bar, and tried to do the ring dips with floss. Only way to get ripped up tris is to work 'em right? Amen sista'!
Great work to everyone who hit Elizabeth this am. I would have loved to stay and play, but damn that whole job thing! :P
A strong positive mental attitude will create more miracles than any wonder drug.
~Patricia Neal
Before I go any further, I just would like to point out that the first 6 people through Elizabeth this morning were all ladies. WORD! The ladies of CFOT were rockin' out Elizabeth this am. They are LEGIT! Anyway, I did decide to do Elizabeth with the prescribed weight, and a pink band for ring dips. My triceps are my nemesis which is why things like push ups, handstand push ups, ring dips, and muscle ups all seem insanely hard for me.
I have to admit, I missed a time or two on the clean. It just wasn't all the way in the rack and I had to let it go. I dropped the bar a few times, which I am sure at a CF cert is probably a no no. But you know what? I dug in, and Elizabeth was my biotch this morning. It was no land speed record but, for the first time doing Elizabeth, not bad. The only thing I would change from this am, well, ok I lied, two things. I would have made more of an effort to hang on to the bar, and tried to do the ring dips with floss. Only way to get ripped up tris is to work 'em right? Amen sista'!
Great work to everyone who hit Elizabeth this am. I would have loved to stay and play, but damn that whole job thing! :P
A strong positive mental attitude will create more miracles than any wonder drug.
~Patricia Neal
Tuesday, April 15, 2008
If I'm at CrossFit....
You know... everyday I come up with all these ideas that have to do with CrossFit. Sometimes I chuckle... sometimes I guffaw. Sometimes my ideas make me snort milk out my nose. Or, well, they would if I drank milk. So here is a mish mash of CrossFit related thoughts... that just never quite turned themselves into full fledged blogs. (What? You thought all my blog writing was just spur of the moment? Damn... I had you that fooled? :P)
- If I'm here at CrossFit this morning, who's busy running hell?
- If I do a keg stand, how many blocks of carbs is that? If I then turn around and eat a lot of cheese, does that negate the carbs? Let's say I puke and rally, does that then basically reset me back to zero?
- If I promise to do my runs backwards, can I cut them in half since they have a higher degree of difficulty?
- If a CrossFitter is doing a workout in the forest and they fall, does anyone hear?
- How many CrossFitters does it take to screw in a lightbulb? 3- 1 to screw in the lightbulb, 1 to keep track of how many rounds he does, and 1 to take pictures of it.
- If CrossFit were a car, what kind would it be?
- If CrossFit was a superhero, what would its super power be?
- Why can't I eat an entire box of twinkies after a hero workout? I think I should be allowed, guilt free.
- If I CrossFit 4 days a week, think about CrossFit the other 3, talk/read about it for at least 10 hours a week... does this qualify me as a CrossFit addict? Can I seek treatment for this addiction under my current healthcare plan?
- If I'm here at CrossFit this morning, who's busy running hell?
- If I do a keg stand, how many blocks of carbs is that? If I then turn around and eat a lot of cheese, does that negate the carbs? Let's say I puke and rally, does that then basically reset me back to zero?
- If I promise to do my runs backwards, can I cut them in half since they have a higher degree of difficulty?
- If a CrossFitter is doing a workout in the forest and they fall, does anyone hear?
- How many CrossFitters does it take to screw in a lightbulb? 3- 1 to screw in the lightbulb, 1 to keep track of how many rounds he does, and 1 to take pictures of it.
- If CrossFit were a car, what kind would it be?
- If CrossFit was a superhero, what would its super power be?
- Why can't I eat an entire box of twinkies after a hero workout? I think I should be allowed, guilt free.
- If I CrossFit 4 days a week, think about CrossFit the other 3, talk/read about it for at least 10 hours a week... does this qualify me as a CrossFit addict? Can I seek treatment for this addiction under my current healthcare plan?
Daniel
What a ball buster... well, it would be if I had those, but regardless, Daniel is another tough hero workout. I know I'm behind. We hit this on Sunday. I felt good about the time I posted on Daniel, but I didn't feel good about my form. The thrusters in this workout did not feel right. They felt off the whole time. Jerry forwarded me a picture, and I realized all my weight was up on my toes. Why? I have not a freakin' clue. I can't ever remember having a problem with being on my toes and I've been doing squats for a long time. If you're feeling particularly frisky, give this one a go.
Daniel
50 chins
400 meter run
21 thrusters
800 meter run
21 thrusters
400 meter run
50 chins
It doesn't look like a whole whole lot up there, but trust me, it feels like it when you're doing it. :P I posted this one in 33:13. No land speed record. I def need to up my run time.
Daniel
50 chins
400 meter run
21 thrusters
800 meter run
21 thrusters
400 meter run
50 chins
It doesn't look like a whole whole lot up there, but trust me, it feels like it when you're doing it. :P I posted this one in 33:13. No land speed record. I def need to up my run time.
Friday, April 11, 2008
The Top 20 Ways You Know You Are CrossFit LEGIT!
So per my c*ck block blog, we now all know that there are faux CrossFitters among us. Oh yes, they walk among us, talk like us, might look like us, perhaps even work out with us. But they are not true CrossFitters. Oh no. They boast, they brag, they claim to "kill" workouts. But they are not true CrossFitters. They are not LEGIT. They are content with their things the way they are... never striving to push themselves to that ultimate limit. So, in case you think that you may have spotted an imposter moving amongst you... here are some sure fire ways that you can tell them apart. A REAL CrossFitter will probably answer yes to many, if not all of these. A faux CrossFitter... well, need I say more? If you suspect someone is not fo' real... first contact the proper local CrossFit authorities and let them know that they have a CrossFit impersonator on their hands...then, if you know that they can't answer yes to any of these... feel free to kick them in the head and then duct tape some weights to their hands. Then tell 'em I said, "PONY UP!"
I wrote a top ten list a while back, but I've had so much new info lately... 10 just wasn't enough anymore... ;) So....
Here are the Top 20 Ways You Know You Are CrossFit LEGIT!
20. You understand what WOD, AMRAP, and all the other CrossFit acronyms mean.
19. You're boyfriend/girlfriend/spouse refuses to hold your hand because of your calluses. Your boyfriend/girlfriend/spouse may also at some other point have asked you to stop rubbing their arm, back, shoulder, etc. because your calluses were scratching them.
18. While looking online to buy CrossFit toys for home, you burst into laughter when you find that the site you are looking at recommends that a women start with a "challenging" 15lb kettlebell, while men work with a 35.
17. You are on a first name basis and regularly hang out with Angie, Fran, Helen, Grace, Nancy, Elizabeth, Cindy, Karen, and all the other ladies.
16. After listening to you describe your workouts, your family and friends have suggested that you seek psychiatric treatment.
15. The laundry pile in your room is so rank it could probably stand up and walk out on its own.
14. After being injured doing your workout, you recruit people to CrossFit while they exmine you in the ER.
13. You talk about CrossFit so much that your friends and family are not 100% sure you have not joined a mysterious new occult.
12. You don't count reps if you don't get your chest to the deck, or your chin over the bar.
11. You're so beefed up that your instructor has to buy heavier kettlebells just for you.
10. The Zone requires you to hit the grocery store so often that all the cashiers know you by first name.
9. You've kipped yourself off a bar.
8. You've called in sick to work because you busted through an epic the day before and now can't walk/lift your arms/move.
7. You can no longer attend church because it interferes with your Sunday workouts. (not to mention CrossFit and Pukie are your gods now)
6. You get upset if the WOD DOESN'T make you sweat so much that you are forced to change your shirt halfway through your workout. (Visit Rick at Crossfit Alamo for more on this one... ;) )
5. To you, the "Filthy Fifty" does not carry any sexual innuendo or reference someone's age.
4. You stopped dating someone because they were a faux CrossFitter.
3. You have been caught telling eight year olds (spouses, your own children, or fellow coworkers) to "Rest Later" and get their work done NOW. There's plenty of time for rest when it's finished!
2. While at the bar with your friends you debate whether or not you should take your next shot because you don't have a string cheese in your pocket for the block of protein you need to balance with the block of carbs in your shot of tequila/JD/Hennesey/Hypnotiq. (But let's be honest, some of these choices should probably be more carefully considered anyway....)
And the number one way you know you are CrossFit LEGIT....
1. You chose your vacation desitinations based on their proximity to a CrossFit affiliate. You also actively plan your vacation activities around their workout schedule so you can still hit four workouts per week.
Well there you have it... are YOU LEGIT? ;)
I wrote a top ten list a while back, but I've had so much new info lately... 10 just wasn't enough anymore... ;) So....
Here are the Top 20 Ways You Know You Are CrossFit LEGIT!
20. You understand what WOD, AMRAP, and all the other CrossFit acronyms mean.
19. You're boyfriend/girlfriend/spouse refuses to hold your hand because of your calluses. Your boyfriend/girlfriend/spouse may also at some other point have asked you to stop rubbing their arm, back, shoulder, etc. because your calluses were scratching them.
18. While looking online to buy CrossFit toys for home, you burst into laughter when you find that the site you are looking at recommends that a women start with a "challenging" 15lb kettlebell, while men work with a 35.
17. You are on a first name basis and regularly hang out with Angie, Fran, Helen, Grace, Nancy, Elizabeth, Cindy, Karen, and all the other ladies.
16. After listening to you describe your workouts, your family and friends have suggested that you seek psychiatric treatment.
15. The laundry pile in your room is so rank it could probably stand up and walk out on its own.
14. After being injured doing your workout, you recruit people to CrossFit while they exmine you in the ER.
13. You talk about CrossFit so much that your friends and family are not 100% sure you have not joined a mysterious new occult.
12. You don't count reps if you don't get your chest to the deck, or your chin over the bar.
11. You're so beefed up that your instructor has to buy heavier kettlebells just for you.
10. The Zone requires you to hit the grocery store so often that all the cashiers know you by first name.
9. You've kipped yourself off a bar.
8. You've called in sick to work because you busted through an epic the day before and now can't walk/lift your arms/move.
7. You can no longer attend church because it interferes with your Sunday workouts. (not to mention CrossFit and Pukie are your gods now)
6. You get upset if the WOD DOESN'T make you sweat so much that you are forced to change your shirt halfway through your workout. (Visit Rick at Crossfit Alamo for more on this one... ;) )
5. To you, the "Filthy Fifty" does not carry any sexual innuendo or reference someone's age.
4. You stopped dating someone because they were a faux CrossFitter.
3. You have been caught telling eight year olds (spouses, your own children, or fellow coworkers) to "Rest Later" and get their work done NOW. There's plenty of time for rest when it's finished!
2. While at the bar with your friends you debate whether or not you should take your next shot because you don't have a string cheese in your pocket for the block of protein you need to balance with the block of carbs in your shot of tequila/JD/Hennesey/Hypnotiq. (But let's be honest, some of these choices should probably be more carefully considered anyway....)
And the number one way you know you are CrossFit LEGIT....
1. You chose your vacation desitinations based on their proximity to a CrossFit affiliate. You also actively plan your vacation activities around their workout schedule so you can still hit four workouts per week.
Well there you have it... are YOU LEGIT? ;)
The Filthy Fifty: CrossFit Old Town Stylz
So, we here down at CrossFit Old Town have our own way of doing things... Jerry's way. Jerry always has this ability to put a little extra spin on something. It makes you walk in the blue room all hyped up, take one look at the board and then think "Oh Sh*t!" Today was kind of one of those days. After already hitting two pretty solid workouts this week, I was a bit sore, and when I was stretching and saw the board, I almost cried. Well, not really, but I certainly swore a lot and thought to myself how freakin long it was going to take me to complete it.
I'm so over this whole hip flexer thing, that I was bound and determined not to scale anything. So the reps and the weights stayed higher than they have been lately. See if this one makes you cringe.
Filthy Fifty: CrossFit Old Town Stylz (yeah the z just makes it sound that much cooler)
50 row (for calories)
50 jumping ring dips
50 wall ball
50 jumping pull ups
50 kettle bell swings
50 knees-toes-wall (basically a version of knees to elbows on your back and your toes have to touch the wall, but knees come to chest first)
50 db push press
50 kettle bell high pulls
50 "Iron Mikes"
50 wall ball sit ups
Ouch.... brought this in in 37:09. Killer. Used a 45lb kb to swing and high pull. Should have done a 50lb on the high pull, but there's always next time for us true CrossFitters... :P
I'm so over this whole hip flexer thing, that I was bound and determined not to scale anything. So the reps and the weights stayed higher than they have been lately. See if this one makes you cringe.
Filthy Fifty: CrossFit Old Town Stylz (yeah the z just makes it sound that much cooler)
50 row (for calories)
50 jumping ring dips
50 wall ball
50 jumping pull ups
50 kettle bell swings
50 knees-toes-wall (basically a version of knees to elbows on your back and your toes have to touch the wall, but knees come to chest first)
50 db push press
50 kettle bell high pulls
50 "Iron Mikes"
50 wall ball sit ups
Ouch.... brought this in in 37:09. Killer. Used a 45lb kb to swing and high pull. Should have done a 50lb on the high pull, but there's always next time for us true CrossFitters... :P
Thursday, April 10, 2008
We won't talk about yesterday.... because today I hit a PR!
So... you know how teachers always yell at students when they don't follow directions? Well, yesterday was a classic case of teacher being a hypocrite. Needless to say, I only half listened to Jerry as he was explaining Angie, and therefore feel the need to kick my own ass because I screwed up the workout, so we're just not going to talk about it...especially since today was way more exciting. Now, I really don't think I write anything better than the c*ck block blog right now because it's Thursday, the kids were hyper today, and I'm tired.... so I'm going to settle for being happy (not content... oh no... I did not KILL the workout today) but happy for the PR I posted. Now, in keeping with the true CrossFit mentality... I'm thinking maybe I could have done more... but before I digress, which so easily happens with me, let's get to the fun...
Warm Up
Work up heavy TGU x 15 minutes
WOD
Mod deadlifts x 20 work up
Dropped bar = end of set... you start over
Teamwork
Round 1
90 Jumping slamballs
120 box jumps
Round 2
15 reps = 1 point
Jumping Slamballs
Box jumps
AMRAP in 5 minutes
My mod deadlifts weren't so hot today. We haven't done them in awhile and I definitely felt weak. But today it didn't matter because I was pretty psyched about the TGU. I got up a 50lb barbell TGU this morning. Yay me. It went up super easy on the right side, but trying to get it on the left took three tries. I was going to try for 55 today, but ran out of time because of the extra tries on the left side. I was stoked about the PR, but in true CrossFit fashion, I'm already plotting my next weight. I'm thinking that I can easily hit 55. A good challenge for me will be 60. Unlike some people, (who shall remain nameless... ah hell, let's just name him "no balls") I'm not content to do something well. I'm always wanting to step up to the next challenge. Sometimes my competitive nature gets me in trouble and I shouldn't always step up, but I'm always willing. (Well, almost always. Sometimes there is a little bit of nudging from our local CrossFit guru... ;) )
So overall today was a good day. And a big shoutout to CrossFit NYC who posted a link to the c*ck block blog for many to enjoy. You guys rock! :) It was quite possibly the highlight of my year.... :)
If your success is not on your own terms, if it looks good to the world but does not feel good in your heart, it is not success at all. -Anna Quindlen
Tuesday, April 8, 2008
CrossFit pulls a c*ck block...
Ok, so I'm not going to lie. I didn't get up and work out today. After 90 chins, and 90 squat cleans on Sunday, Badger def put a whoopin on me. Or at least my delts, or are those my traps? Or is it a combination of everything? Honestly, I haven't been able to completely raise my arms for two days, which for a person like me who talks excessively with their hands, is somewhat problematic. Anyhoo... so... good old CrossFit.
Let me take you back for a minute in a walk down memory lane. When I first started CrossFit at Bobby's suggestion, CrossFit and I weren't real tight. We had our share of disagreements, and we were acquaintances at best. We certainly weren't BFF. But over the last three months of so, I have to admit that CrossFit and I have gotten to be pretty tight.
It's there for me, I'm not usually there for it, but you know... it works. We're pretty close these days. We hang out four, sometimes five days a week. It's pretty nice. We have a great understanding of one another. Well, I've never asked CrossFit for relationship, or well, I'm getting ahead of myself. Let's say "dating" advice but of course, CrossFit was ready to offer it up.
Well the other day, I met someone who said that they do CrossFit three days a week. And their quote, per my Badger blog, was that they can and do regularly "kill CrossFit workouts." Now first off, what CrossFitter do you know who regularly brags about their workouts? Secondly, what CrossFitter do you know who is content with "killing" their workouts? No true CrossFitter is content with that. They always say, yeah today was ok, but NEXT time... I'm going to wear a weight vest, or NEXT time, I'm going to use more weight... or NEXT time, I'll step up to pro... or I should have added/done/ changed something today. CrossFit is designed to push you. No true CrossFitter is content with "killing" a workout. It's just not in us.
So thus, from the previous statement about killing CrossFit workouts the only thing that I could assume... is that this guy is a faux CrossFitter and not a true CrossFitter... and that he must also lift girlie weights, and is not someone that I want to waste my time on. Therefore, I deleted him from my gmail and my phone, and will not attempt to message him again... So, CrossFit has officially offered me dating advice and has officially given me its first c*ck block.
Thank you CrossFit for sparing me the drama and aggravation of what I'm sure would have been a horrific situation had you not intervened, seeing as how the man only uses a 26 pound kettlebell... fo' sho!
Let me take you back for a minute in a walk down memory lane. When I first started CrossFit at Bobby's suggestion, CrossFit and I weren't real tight. We had our share of disagreements, and we were acquaintances at best. We certainly weren't BFF. But over the last three months of so, I have to admit that CrossFit and I have gotten to be pretty tight.
It's there for me, I'm not usually there for it, but you know... it works. We're pretty close these days. We hang out four, sometimes five days a week. It's pretty nice. We have a great understanding of one another. Well, I've never asked CrossFit for relationship, or well, I'm getting ahead of myself. Let's say "dating" advice but of course, CrossFit was ready to offer it up.
Well the other day, I met someone who said that they do CrossFit three days a week. And their quote, per my Badger blog, was that they can and do regularly "kill CrossFit workouts." Now first off, what CrossFitter do you know who regularly brags about their workouts? Secondly, what CrossFitter do you know who is content with "killing" their workouts? No true CrossFitter is content with that. They always say, yeah today was ok, but NEXT time... I'm going to wear a weight vest, or NEXT time, I'm going to use more weight... or NEXT time, I'll step up to pro... or I should have added/done/ changed something today. CrossFit is designed to push you. No true CrossFitter is content with "killing" a workout. It's just not in us.
So thus, from the previous statement about killing CrossFit workouts the only thing that I could assume... is that this guy is a faux CrossFitter and not a true CrossFitter... and that he must also lift girlie weights, and is not someone that I want to waste my time on. Therefore, I deleted him from my gmail and my phone, and will not attempt to message him again... So, CrossFit has officially offered me dating advice and has officially given me its first c*ck block.
Thank you CrossFit for sparing me the drama and aggravation of what I'm sure would have been a horrific situation had you not intervened, seeing as how the man only uses a 26 pound kettlebell... fo' sho!
Sunday, April 6, 2008
I don't mean to "Badger" you...
Oooooh boy. Here we go. Jerry has decided to switch our Saturday workouts to Sundays so that we can play more. Because we share our space, Saturdays get a little hectic. So we're going to start hitting more epics on Sundays and really go to town. Today we hit Badger. Now let me tell you something. Someone said today that they could smoke CrossFit workouts. My response to them was that they're not working hard enough. If Badger is easy for you, choose heavier weights, or put on a weight vest and pony up. CrossFit is designed to push us to our limits, and today in the blue room I saw people pushed to their limits.
I saw people sit down, ready to give up, but you know what else I saw? I saw people stand back up, pick back up that weight for a squat clean, and finish out their reps. I saw people leaning back against the wall, ready to give up on their thirty chins, but I saw them get back on the bar. THIS is why I CrossFit. No matter your level, your expertise, CrossFit will challenge you. It will push you to the point where you think you have broken. But you haven't. The people who were in that room are amazing and they rose to that challenge. Regardless of whether they were done, almost done, not done, or still seemingly so far from being done, they were cheering for everyone else. Encouraging them to pick up the bar again. CrossFit has the ability to tear you apart, only to build you back up to something else, something greater than you thought you could be. CrossFit is about your physical ability, but it's also about having faith and confidence in yourself and your teammates. It's about finding in yourself what you thought you didn't have. The ability to continue. The ability to go on. I'm extremely proud to be a part of CrossFit Old Town, and I can't think of a group of 30-50 people I would rather spend my mornings and weekends with. You are amazing.
Now having said that... here is what we all faced. And I would just like to add, that every single person in that blue room defeated this challenge today. Whether it took them 30 minutes or 50 minutes, every single person who walked into that room called time today. Today seems like a good day to test yourself. Despite the cold and the rain, we did it today. You should too.
WOD
"Badger"
800 Meter run
30 Squat Cleans 65, 55, or dumbbells for women 95, 75, or dumbbells for men
30 Chins
3 rounds for time
I brought this one in in 44:46. My running was not a land speed record by any means, but I was able to move through the squat cleans without too much trouble and the chins are starting to feel good again. I tore another callus, but this one actually felt good today. Still kicked my butt but it felt good.
Courage is doing what you're afraid to do. There can be no courage unless you're scared.- Eddie Rickenbacker
I saw people sit down, ready to give up, but you know what else I saw? I saw people stand back up, pick back up that weight for a squat clean, and finish out their reps. I saw people leaning back against the wall, ready to give up on their thirty chins, but I saw them get back on the bar. THIS is why I CrossFit. No matter your level, your expertise, CrossFit will challenge you. It will push you to the point where you think you have broken. But you haven't. The people who were in that room are amazing and they rose to that challenge. Regardless of whether they were done, almost done, not done, or still seemingly so far from being done, they were cheering for everyone else. Encouraging them to pick up the bar again. CrossFit has the ability to tear you apart, only to build you back up to something else, something greater than you thought you could be. CrossFit is about your physical ability, but it's also about having faith and confidence in yourself and your teammates. It's about finding in yourself what you thought you didn't have. The ability to continue. The ability to go on. I'm extremely proud to be a part of CrossFit Old Town, and I can't think of a group of 30-50 people I would rather spend my mornings and weekends with. You are amazing.
Now having said that... here is what we all faced. And I would just like to add, that every single person in that blue room defeated this challenge today. Whether it took them 30 minutes or 50 minutes, every single person who walked into that room called time today. Today seems like a good day to test yourself. Despite the cold and the rain, we did it today. You should too.
WOD
"Badger"
800 Meter run
30 Squat Cleans 65, 55, or dumbbells for women 95, 75, or dumbbells for men
30 Chins
3 rounds for time
I brought this one in in 44:46. My running was not a land speed record by any means, but I was able to move through the squat cleans without too much trouble and the chins are starting to feel good again. I tore another callus, but this one actually felt good today. Still kicked my butt but it felt good.
Courage is doing what you're afraid to do. There can be no courage unless you're scared.- Eddie Rickenbacker
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