As a CrossFit trainer… coach… whatever you want to call me, I see a lot of people working out. Like, a lot! One of the many things I like to watch is people’s facial expressions while doing a workout (please don’t be freaked out!). A face can be very telling of what is going on in the mind. It can show frustration, anger, disinterest, exhaustion, determination, focus, joy… to name a few (yes… even when exercising). I would try to describe to you what each of these expressions looks like, but I think you can probably imagine. As a CrossFit athlete, I know I have felt all of these emotions at one time or another during my workouts… and thank goodness I can’t actually see my own face mid-workout! (Side note: don’t you kind of love how there are no mirrors in our gym?)
Odds are, if you are in the middle of a workout that is especially challenging for you… like, maybe the weight is really heavy for you or you are doing a movement that you aren’t very good at yet… or perhaps you walked through the gym doors with something else weighing on your mind or heart… your face will show it. And by show it, I mean, it will likely get all tight and squished up, or you’ll grit your teeth a little. Maybe you feel tightness in your chest too and your breaths get shorter and quicker. These are things I’ve experienced anyway.
Something I have learned that is still very helpful for me to remember when I start to feel some of these things is to relax my face. I sometimes have to take a step back from whatever it is that is making me so frustrated and tense, take a couple deep breaths, and tell myself just to relax. It is a little mental reset for me. I have no doubt that our facial expressions can affect our mental state, and I’m sure there are some studies out there that have concluded the same thing. I am only sharing with you because telling myself to relax my face helps me, and perhaps it will for you as well.
On another note, a “quick” recap of the first Open workout. It was an emotional week for me. Though I didn’t necessarily feel stressed, I know I must have been because I was grumpy and easily irritated and I felt like crying at random times. Not normal… I don’t think. However, when it came time to do the workout, I felt calm and ready. I felt sure of who I am, what my goals are, and how I wanted to tackle the workout. I knew the third set of snatches at 100 pounds would be heavy for me, and my goal/hope was to get 10 (making 160 reps total for the workout). When I did the workout at noon on Friday, I got 4 snatches at the weight (so, 154 reps). I had lots of time… somewhere between 4 and 5 minutes. I probably took at least 10 attempts in this time, but only ended up standing up with 4 of them. I still felt good. I also knew I would try again. I had so much time to get more reps… how could I not?!
On Sunday morning, I gave it another go. This time around I was pretty sore. For the last 6 weeks, due to my back and shoulder injuries, most of my workouts have been mostly PT and cardio, but virtually no weightlifting, and boy, could I feel it! All that to say, I was so thrilled that my body started to feel better just in time! So the second time around, I used a different strategy. I broke my early sets of snatches up into smaller sets… giving myself less time at the end to get reps at 100 pounds, but hopefully feeling less exhausted. I got 1 more rep… 155! Still not 160, but one rep is worth it, and I will take it. I was so relieved at the end that I hugged/collapsed on my judge and started to cry… thankfully it was just Bobbie
Tonight, the second workout will be released, and I’m thankful to feel much less anxiety over this one. At the end of the day, it’s just a workout… and I love working out.
A year has gone by. A whole year. They say time goes by faster the older you get. Turns out this is true. It’s strange though because I remember this time last year like it was yesterday. The beginning of the CrossFit Open. No matter how hard I try to prepare myself, something about competition seems to bring up the same old feelings and fears for me. It’s not stuff I can measure or explain, but it’s there, lurking beneath the surface… all of the pressure that I put on myself to look and be and perform a certain way.
I was never very athletic growing up and I don’t think anyone, including myself, expected me to do well at anything involving physical fitness. I’m not sensitive about this… it’s true. I just kind of lingered in this weird in-between place, and as far as I know I was just fine there. I remember sometimes wishing I was better at things but didn’t believe I was capable of actually achieving them, so I didn’t try… not really. CrossFit has been life changing for me in this area. It took me a while (longer than most I think) to realize that I could do things like pull ups, handstand push ups, and heavy snatches… that I could push myself to a breaking point and then keep going… and once I got a taste, I wanted more.
CrossFit has always been fun for me, despite the physical discomfort and usually draining workouts. It has always been freeing, despite the negative voices that sometimes creep in and try to trap me in a box. And it has always been empowering, despite the many missed lifts and “off days” that I’ve had over the last four years. I have cried and laughed, lost and gained, struggled and grown. I am the same but different… hopefully better… definitely stronger than I ever thought I was capable of (in all areas). I’m grateful for this and I try to remember it, even when it’s hard.
So, the Open. The first workout will be released in less than an hour. These next five weeks are a test of sorts… grading me on how well I trained over the past 10 months since Regionals. On one hand, I feel completely unprepared… like I need just a little more time to get my body and my head right. Yet, on the other, I know I am as ready as I can be. All the work that can be done up to this point is done, and now it’s go time.
If I may be completely honest, the thoughts that often run through my head are that other people (you) will think less of me if I don’t do as well as I should (whatever that means). But somehow just writing this makes me realize how silly I am for letting it worry me, because I know deep down that most people don’t care one way or the other… that no one is as hard on me as I am on myself. I am also fairly confident that what you or anyone else thinks of me won’t change a thing. I don’t compete for anyone but myself, and I didn’t train this year to make anyone else happy. I did it for me. I did it because I like it and because I like my community. I showed up even on the hardest days because it matters to me and because it makes me feel more alive. I don’t have to prove anything to anyone but myself, and in this moment I actually believe it.
So here’s my plan: Breathe. Work hard. Don’t quit. Have fun. Have grace. Repeat.
Yep, I’m ready.
Yesterday was one of those days… the kind where it felt so hard to start my workout… not because I didn’t want to do the work, but because I felt I might break down at any moment. My mind was getting the best of me. Again. I am learning though, and reached out at just the right time to a trusted friend… or two, for a word of encouragement. Anything to remind me to keep going. I took a few deep breaths, put on my shoes, pulled my hair back and got moving.
I am doing what I can to keep working out with the group. It’s fun for me and makes me feel like I am a part of something greater. However, with the back and shoulder still on the mend, I am pretty limited. Yesterday’s “Bear Complex” was definitely a no go for me, so I did something I knew would kick my ass and not aggravate my injuries. I started with a long warm up and all of my PT, then pep talked myself into doing 5 rounds for time of 15 calories on the Airdyne and 15 burpees. I’ve done this before and tried to find my previous time in my old workout journals, but I couldn’t, and I decided I didn’t really want or need to know. At the end of it, I felt proud, and that was all that mattered. Based on how I was feeling going into the whole thing, I really pulled it together. I did what I needed to do and I pushed myself hard. At 8:11 on the clock, I had finished my 5th round on the Airdyne and I dug deep to get the last 15 burpees done before 9 minutes. I finished in 8:59… with a smile on my face. I then did a little circuit of movements… not for time, and capped it all off with a good solid cool down, ice bath, and a chicken breast. Small victories.
Following my workout yesterday, I was reminded of something I believe to be true, but had kind of forgotten about. Here it goes… If we want to become better, we have to be willing to be uncomfortable. If you are content with where you are in something (be it your workouts, your body, your work, your relationships, etc), fine. Don’t change a thing. However, if you are not content (and I think all of us have areas where we aren’t), you may have to make some changes. You may have to do some things in the short term that you don’t feel like doing so that you can get where you want to get. It’s uncomfortable and it’s work. Hard work. And, unfortunately, no one else can do it for you.
Here is my example. I want to be competitive in CrossFit. For me, this means I cannot just come in to the gym and go through the motions. Sometimes this is acceptable, as life happens and there are days when all I can do is show up. However, most days I have to leave my shit at the door and do my workouts with intention. I have to be mindful of how my body is moving. I have to make some sacrifices outside of the gym walls… sleep enough, eat well, and rest. I have to foam roll, stretch, ice, do PT… all of the boring stuff that will keep me recovered and healthy. I have to do push-ups, handstand walking, and 30″/30″s… the things I don’t like or am not so good at. In my workouts, I have to push myself to go a little faster and give a little more when my body is screaming at me to stop, and my mind is more like a loud whisper telling me that I’m going to fail, that I should slow down, that it’s not worth it (oh, how I hate those whispers). All of this takes choosing to do it. It takes practice. It takes work. It takes falling down many many times only to get back up again.
The things worth having do not come easily, and I hate to break it to you (and me), but it’s going to be uncomfortable. So, remind yourself often of who you are, not who you aren’t. Make small goals. Find support from people you trust. Ask for help and be willing to learn. Practice your weaknesses. Take risks. Have fun. Be hard on yourself, but also have grace. And at the end of the day, if you gave it (whatever “it” is) your best effort (and again, only you can be the judge of this), then there is nothing more that anyone could ask of you.
As I have become accustomed to telling myself… one day at a time.
Yes, one day at a time.
I am learning in many ways this year that pain is an excellent motivator… physically, emotionally… and in all ways really. I’m sure you’re familiar with the phrase, “If it’s not broke. Don’t fix it.” I think I would normally hear this and think, “Yeah. Of course. I agree.” However, I am changing my mind! I’ve decided that if you wait until it’s broke (it being anything from your car, to your body, to a relationship), it can really be challenging, or sometimes too late to fix unfortunately. So, here I am, realizing that “If it’s not broke, you sure as shit better maintain it. And, whatever you do, don’t ignore it!”
I’m going to talk about the physical here for a bit. A little over two weeks ago my right shoulder started bothering me. It hurt to rotate it, to hang from the pull-up bar, to extend it overhead… pretty much all the things I need it for, especially in CrossFit. I had some ART (active release therapy) done and was given some shoulder rehab exercises to do with a set of 2 pounders… the same exercises I’ve done hundreds of times before. This isn’t the first time my shoulder has bothered me. I’m a little embarrassed to say I should have been doing this PT all along, even when my shoulders felt fine, because I knew the exercises were good for them… maintaining them and making all the little muscles stronger. But, I got lazy. So now I’m back at it… motivated by pain… and hopefully this time will learn my lesson and stick to what I know is good for me.
Wait, there’s more! Last week, I hurt my back deadlifting. Let me tell you, 29 is a bitch! My body is getting all creaky and achy. It makes strange popping noises… and it’s way less forgiving when I do dumb stuff. The back thing was a good example of “dumb stuff” and was my fault entirely. I went too heavy too fast, and after 3 reps at my 80%, I knew something was off. I’ve never hurt my back before that I can remember. It’s a whole other can of worms, and as much as I love to workout, I know that the smartest thing for me to do is rest and ice it. Did I mention how hard this is for me to do? On a positive note, it’s feeling a little better each day, but still nowhere near weightlifting ready. With 13 days until the start of the Open, this is making me nervous and antsy and especially hard on myself.
I am one of those suckers who believes that things happen for a reason and that in the end it all seems to work out. I’m not saying that I think bad/hard things are intended to happen or that God wants us to suffer, but that through them we can learn and grow and and become stronger people… if we choose to. All day Monday I struggled with trying to keep myself out of the fearful, shameful, negative place. The place where I don’t perform well in the Open, don’t make it to Regionals, am not as strong as her, or as fast as her, and all around just plain suck at life. I hate being in this place… it’s so not me or how I want to be. However, at the end of the day, I’m only human…a hormonal female one, I might add. All this to say, I don’t have it all together all the time, but I’m learning some good lessons.
Anyway, back to pain being an excellent motivator. It’s true. If I bend over the wrong way then I feel strain in my back, so I’m motivated to stick my ass way out every time I pick something up off the floor. Pain has motivated me to slow down, to be conscious and intentional, do the things that I know are good for my active body like stretch and ice and take time off. I am reminded to be grateful and careful with what I have, even when it’s kind of a challenge right now and things feel a little broken. I am reminded to have grace with myself for feeling the way I feel… sometimes discouraged, overwhelmed and cranky, but mostly hopeful. The hardest part will be to stay motivated when I start feeling good or am seemingly pain and problem free, because that’s when stuff will really sneak up on me, catch me off guard, and sometimes knock me clear off my feet.
When painful things happen, be it physical or something else in life, we have a choice to make. We can choose to let it get the best of us or we can choose to pick ourselves up, keep going and do what we need to do. It can seem so much easier to play the victim, to give up, to take the easy way out, but I’m thinking and hoping that if we choose instead to press on through the painful stuff and to keep working our asses off, then things will turn out ok. They may not turn out how we expected or originally hoped, but ok… and maybe even better. All I know is, at the end of the day, I want to be someone who chooses to press on.
I have a little time this morning, so I thought I would write. I hope you haven’t given up on me by now!
It’s always in December that I find myself reflecting back on the past year. Of course Facebook has some fancy little app where you can view your “20 biggest moments of 2012″. By the looks of it, I’m assuming this is based on the number of photos posted or comments on some random status. As I glance over my 20 things again, I can’t say that they are all that accurate. There might be two of the 20 that I would include in my own list. I guess it just goes to show that what we put out there on the interwebs for all to see does not necessarily represent what is actually going on in our lives… or at least what is significant. Maybe this is a good thing… because who really wants to see the unflattering, messy stuff anyway? On the other hand, if you are anything like me, it leaves us feeling like everyone else has their lives together and we must be the only one who doesn’t… the only one who makes mistakes, who has bad hair days, who says the wrong things, or who could possibly feel this way.
The truth is 2012 was a hard year for me… one of the hardest that I can remember. Things are not always how they seem to be on the outside… and I am no exception. When I look back, I honestly don’t know where the time went and sometimes I feel like I was a stranger in my body… disconnected and going through the motions. I am more than aware of how imperfect and how capable of sin I am. I am also incredibly humbled by the grace of God and of those who know me better than Facebook.
“A certain darkness is needed to see the stars.”
I love this quote and I believe it’s true that dark times have a way of allowing us to see light. They have a way of making us desperate for the things that matter, and of showing us the people in our lives who are truly there. It is only by falling that we can learn to get up. So, even as I think about how hard 2012 has been, I can’t help but be grateful. I can’t help but see the ways that God has been there, even when I have not reached out or felt his presence, or the ways in which he is redeeming things in my life.
For me and many others I’m sure, it is very common to make resolutions this time of year. While I am not at all against making goals, I know from experience that we often set ourselves up for failure… we get discouraged when things don’t go exactly as we hoped or planned, and instead of trying again, we give up. I read a blog post this morning that really resonated with me and gave me peace on this topic and going into the new year. The author gave only one bit of advice, “Begin, again.”
Because she says it better than I could, I’m just going to quote her and I hope you’ll stay with me, as I know this is getting long…
“We are not locked into our maniacal craziness. We are not bound to our small ways. We are actually, through the grace of God, free. So we can stop. Our minds. Our mouths. Our hand-wringing. And we can decide to begin again . . .
In our marriages In our parenting In our sobriety In our creating In our forgiveness In our attitude In our thankfulness In our meditation In our anger management In our health pursuits In our time outdoors In our desire to read more In our hopes to cook a real meal every now and again.
If today, if this hour, if this year has not been what you had hoped, you can begin again. And, in fact, if today, if this hour, if this year was perfect. You still—must—begin again. We must wake up and choose to live in each minute, each day, each year. Moment by moment. Beginning again.
We must choose to love, to create, to breathe, to return, to quiet down, to believe. Over and over again. So, if I can gently suggest, perhaps don’t bite off the entire year in one overly-ambitious, shame-inducing list. Perhaps, commit to one thing: Beginning again.” -Leeana Tankersley
It is so good, I’m stealing it for myself! Beginning again. This is what I am doing in 2013… perhaps every day, and being ok with it. Starting over isn’t for sissies, and having grace with yourself and others is often times much harder than quitting or giving up on someone. I don’t know about you, but I don’t want to take the easy way. So come at me 2013… I’m ready for you!
Hey guys! So, I was thinking this week about intensity, and thought I’d write a few of my thoughts on it.
First, the definition (from the online dictionary): in·ten·si·ty (n-tns-t)
n. pl. in·ten·si·ties
1. Exceptionally great concentration, power, or force.
We throw around the word “intense” in CrossFit a lot. In fact, I’d say most people’s perception when I talk with them for the first time about CrossFit is that it is super intense and they are going to puke, faint, and/or die. Apparently these are common markers of intensity! Sounds fun… sign me up! CrossFit does feel intense for most people at the beginning, because it is usually very different from what they are used to (if they are used to anything at all). Even those who consider themselves in pretty decent shape often end up collapsing on the floor after their first go at “Fight Gone Bad”. There is no doubt the workouts are challenging.
As with most things in life, the newness does start of wear off at some point. Even with the constant variance of CrossFit, we can begin to get comfortable… fall into a routine or get stuck in patterns or habits that are keeping us from reaching our full potential. We mindlessly squat because we’ve done thousands of them by now. Or maybe we don’t quite get our chin over the bar on our pull-ups, or chest to the ground on our push-ups because no one is really watching and it’s all about finishing first, right? We may find ourselves at the end of a workout saying “Is that it?… That wasn’t very hard.” Not always, but in some instances, this may be due to a lack of intensity.
I don’t believe intensity is dependent upon the task you are doing necessarily, but on your mindset in that task. There is a big difference between going through the motions of a workout and working out with intention and focus.
The definition above says first, before power or force, “exceptionally great concentration”. I like this. Concentration takes place in the mind, and mind and body are connected. To work with intensity, you have to be mentally present. No one can do this part for you. You have to choose it and practice it… sometimes every day, over and over. For me, this can be as simple as reminding myself before a workout, “Ok Linds, you are going to workout now… don’t just go through the motions. Be aware of what your body is doing and how you are feeling.” Even on days where I’m sore or unmotivated, I start with my warm-up and I make sure that I’m not getting sloppy with my form. Maybe today will be a light day or maybe I feel good and I’m going to really go for it. Either way, I try to stay aware. At the end, I may ask myself, “Did I give my best effort? Could I do something different or better next time?”
I want to be clear that I wouldn’t expect someone to be 100% focused or go “all out” all the time. I definitely know that there are just some days where it takes everything in you to get your ass in the gym and just move. Totally fine. On those days, I would say to you, do what you can do and for goodness sakes have grace with yourself, because you are not likely to be at the top of your game. However, on the days that you are feeling good, push into that, challenge yourself to get full range of motion, go a little faster, lift a little heavier, do one more rep before dropping the bar. See how far you go into that uncomfortable space, and then go a little further. This is what will make you strong, confident, better… badass, even
“Because I presume awareness and competence I often fail to point out that, going through the motions, without presence, intensity or commitment does not produce positive psychological effects. To be transformed by effort, one must dig deep, surpass one’s expectations or self-imposed limitations, risk failure, blow up, and as cycling guru Keith Bontrager aptly described, ‘get the full dose.’” -Mark Twight, Gym Jones
I just started asking myself this question again recently. It had been a while, and honestly, it’s still a hard one for me to answer. I think this is because sometimes I just don’t know. Yet other times, I think it is because I want so many things and I’m not sure how to make them all work together… or pick which ones will take priority. However, I am thankful to be in a place where I am at least asking myself again and trying to really figure it out. I know from experience, that it can be all too easy to start going down a path, get in a rhythm, and forget to look up every once in a while to make sure you haven’t veered off course or missed your turn or maybe just hopped onto someone else’s path. You following?
I will try to be more specific. I’m going to talk about my CrossFit training a bit, because you all know that it has been a big part of my life these past few years… and this is a blog on a CrossFit website after all, so hopefully I have some like-minded people out there who “get it”.
A couple of years ago, I watched a friend compete and I said “I want to do that.” I felt it and I just knew I wanted to do it. So, I started training with a purpose… to compete. And compete I have done. I’m sure I’ve bored you all enough with how far I’ve come, so I won’t go there again, but I do have several competitions under my belt now, and this year even made it to Regionals as an individual. This was a goal of mine and a huge accomplishment for me. I love this stuff. I love being able to work toward something and it is fun for me. I’m not just saying this… I mean, I really like it.
Anyway, time goes by and things change, as they tend to do. I feel myself getting to a point where my priorities are shifting… like I am coming into a new phase of life. When I started training to compete, I had big goals of winning competitions and making it to the CrossFit Games. While these are perfectly acceptable goals, I’m not sure they are mine any longer. CrossFit and competing are a part of me, but not all of me. Before, making changes to my fitness goals and routine scared me, so I ignored and resisted them… but now, I just feel grateful for the growth and good things that come from change, even if it is a little (or a lot) uncomfortable at times. I am learning to let go of some things, so as to let others in.
Don’t hear me wrong… I am still planning to train and intend to continue competing (and hopefully kicking ass), because I still love to do it. I would be stoked to make it to Regionals again this year, but I am just not in a place where I want to commit most of my energy to doing whatever it takes to get there. And I’m perfectly fine with this, because there are other things that are more important to me.
That being said, my goal is to make the most of the time that I do have (in all areas)… in my training, to be focused, consistent, and to work with intensity; in my work, to keep my eyes open, to learn from those around me and to coach to the best of my ability and with passion; in my relationships, to be present… to listen, to be respectful, and to treat others as I would want to be treated; and with myself, to have grace, to rest, to breathe, and to take one day at a time.
I realize these things are much easier said than done, and I have days when I just don’t care at all… when I want to be selfish and lazy, or give up because it’s hard work. Who doesn’t?
So what do I want?… really want?
It is not to be perfect, because I’m not, or to have everything together, because I don’t. What I want is to really live my life… to take advantage of opportunities to learn, to face challenges with patience and trust in God, to enjoy the things and people that I have been blessed with, to ask the hard questions, to take responsibility for my actions and my place in this little corner of the universe without shame, to trust my instincts and be honest with others and with myself.
I want to see life, not as something that I have to accomplish or conquer, but as a journey of ups and downs, hellos and goodbyes, tears and laughter, and lessons learned, to see the good and not so good as all part of the bigger picture. I want to participate in it, not simply sit and watch it pass me by, or be in a constant state of striving to get someplace else and in turn miss what is right in front of me.
I’ll try to keep you all posted on how it’s going.
And lastly, in the words of Marcus Mumford, who I will hear live at the Hollywood Bowl in less than 48 hours (!!!)…
“Keep the earth below my feet
For all my sweat, my blood runs weak
Let me learn from where I have been
Keep my eyes to serve and hands to learn.”
This week is “test week” for me, which is mostly fun, but today I had to do a 1 rep max bench press and 2k row for time. The bench press went well. It was ugly, but I hit 115#, a 10# PR. I hope this is a trend! The 2k row has never been one of my favorite workouts, which would explain why my last time doing it was December 31st, 2010… nearly two years ago! I remember that morning well and the excitement and satisfaction I felt when I hit 7:47 (about a 1:57 avg pace). It was a good day.
My goal today was to hold a 1:55 average, which would have put me at about 7:40. However, 500 meters in, I knew today would not be a PR day for me. Actually, I probably knew this as I was warming up based on how my body felt, but my mind was still determined. This is a hard enough workout even when you feel mentally strong, but as soon as my mind tells me it’s not going to happen… it’s not very likely that it will. I thought about stopping and trying another day when my body felt more ready, but I had started, and I am not one to stop in the middle of workouts. So I finished it out and gave it my best effort, which resulted in 7:59.
After finishing my row, I was thinking about strength and speed. I remember being asked a while ago if I would give up a little bit of speed to be stronger? It is a hard question to answer. Is it too much to ask to have strength AND speed?… can’t a girl have both?! There is no doubt that I am getting stronger, and in many ways faster I suppose… especially on the workouts that require more strength. However, on today’s 2k, I was definitely not faster. The fact that I was really sore from a workout that I probably should not have done last night, may have played a part, but I don’t like thinking that makes a difference (I know… I know…). Anyway, I’m not really sure where I’m going with this other than to say that it was on my mind, and I think I’d be fine with compromising some speed for strength. Especially these days, when the CrossFit workouts are getting heavier and heavier. If I can’t even lift the weight, what’s the point of being fast, right?
So, I am where I am, and I’ve been pretty ok with this. Some days are better than others, but in general I’d say I’m improving, and that’s all I could hope for as a result of hard work. Most days, I just come in to the gym thankful that I’m able to move and that I’m still doing it. Some days I’m super pumped and others, I just go through the motions. Such is life. And I will fully celebrate the PR’s and good moments with big smiles and silly dances, and on the less than good days, I will accept them as such… maybe say a bad word or two, maybe get a little tight in the chest, but keep my head up and keep moving forward. And hopefully getting stronger AND faster! I’m an optimist
Hey guys! Since I have recieved more than one comment about my lack of blogging, I thought I’d try to get back on the horse! For whatever reason, I feel weird about just starting with today, so I’ll give you a little recap on some of what I have been up to lately (in no particular order)…
Texas! I spent four days doing things like floating around in Canyon Lake (quite possibly with a “paleo” beer margarita in hand), playing dominoes, watching the olympics and singing karaoke. It was great to get away for a few days and just relax. It was also great coming back to the gym with a few days of rest… no soreness! My body felt great… for a day
Coaching. I love what I do, and I’m so thankful that I was encouraged to do it despite my insecurities about it at first. Every week, I get to watch Onboarders do “Fight Gone Bad” for the first time and start their CrossFit journey. I get to high five and fist bump a lot of people… usually leaving my hand really sweaty. I get to laugh with people, sweat with people, and encourage them to be the best they can in that moment. There is nothing else I’d rather do. This weekend, I’m super pumped to coach a few girls who I convinced to compete in their first individual CF competition. Competing has been pretty important to me for several reasons, and I am so proud of these girls for putting themselves out there and working so hard. I know it isn’t always easy.
Eating paleo. Kinda sorta. So this month, Jeff and I decided to be a little more strict with our paleo diet for 30 days with 1 cheat day a week. To me, this was going to mean black coffee (instantly failed on this one… I need some form of cream… yes, I need it), no sweet potato chips (but really… that’s kind of paleo. Right?), no chocolate covered almonds (I only ate 7 on Tuesday… not too bad, and Bobbie gave me the ok. Thanks friend.), no alcohol (2 glasses of wine on Wednesday. Yeah, no excuse.) So obviously this is harder than I anticipated. I’m still ok with it. My goal is basically to clean things up a bit and be more mindful of what I am eating/drinking. I was just getting pretty lazy. I am doing much better about preparing food so that it is ready for me when I’m hungry and I don’t resort to eating what is convenient or not eating at all.
No Facebook. This is both as hard as I thought it would be and not as hard at the same time. The biggest thing has been deleting the app off my phone. I would just mindlessly check it and found it challenging to be present with the people I was actually with. I was feeling convicted to take a little break and in a moment of strength, I went for it. In the last 3 weeks or so since I have been “off” FB, I’ve checked it a few times. It turns out I can get caught up pretty quickly! The most difficult part is that everyone else has it and it has become one of the biggest/easiest ways of communication with others. I actually had to go on a couple times just to check details of an event that was only on Facebook, and I do feel a little guilty if I miss someone’s birthday. Other than that… I’m surviving, so that is a good sign. Also… I’m posting this blog on FB… because how else would anyone know about it? Know what I mean?
Working out. I mean, this probably goes without saying, but yeah, I’m still doing my thing. I definitely won’t recap you on all my workouts, but a few memorable highlights off the top of my head were my 107# snatch and 141# clean and jerk PR (clean is up to 150#). I am now doing bicep curls on a weekly basis thanks to Punky… definitely a highlight! I one arm snatched 53# 80 times in one workout (this weight definitely used to be pretty tough for me). I PR’d on “Fran”… 4:49 (post “Elizabeth”). So, things are going pretty well in the gym. Of course I just gave you the good stuff… not every day is a PR obviously, but knowing that it’s going to be like this makes it more OK on the tough days.
Today was probably one of those tough days. The workout was just difficult and too heavy for me so I had to scale down. Scaling is always such a bummer. That, and not finishing a workout in the time cap. I succeeded at both of these things today. The workout was named “T” after Talayna Fortunado, who placed 3rd at the Games. She’s pretty beastly, so I don’t feel so bad. Anyway, here was today’s W.O.D…
Conditioning
“T”
3 rounds for time of:
8 Hang Snatch (full squat) 155/105# (I did 88#)
23 C2B Pullups
32 Single Arm BB OH Walking Lunges 75/55# (I did 33# BB)
*There is a 15 minute time cap.
2 Rounds + 1 hang snatch
Midline
1a) 3X10 “Strict” Weighted GH Raise – heaviest possible, rest 60 sec. (no swing, start from a position parallel to the floor) (12# DB)
1b) 3X20 UB GHD Situps – rest 60 sec.
I guess that’s it for me.
Over and out!
“We cannot become what we really want by remaining what we are.” -Max DePree
So… I watched my first Rocky movie all the way through last night… Rocky Balboa. For all the crap I give Jeff for watching these movies whenever they are on TV, I actually enjoyed it. Like my mom, I’m a sucker for inspirational sports themed movies (if that’s what you call them). I love the underdog story. Since Rocky was kind of an old man in this last movie, he was definitely the underdog, and I loved watching him fight for a comeback… not for anyone else, but for himself. It was a good reminder and something I try to keep in mind for myself.
Me being me, I loved some of the inspirational lines that came out of this movie. I had heard this one before, but honestly had no idea that it was a Rocky line…
“When things got hard, you started looking for something to blame. Like a big shadow. Let me tell you something you already know. The worlds not all sunshine and rainbows. It’s a very mean and nasty place and I don’t care how tough you are it will beat you to your knees and keep you there permanently if you let it…
You’ve gotta hit as hard as life. It isn’t about how hard you hit, it’s about how hard you can get hit and keep moving forward. How much can you take and keep moving forward. That’s how winning is done.
If you know what you’re worth, Go out and get what you’re worth. But you gotta be willing to take the hits. And not pointing fingers saying you aren’t where you wanna be because of him or her or anybody. Cowards do that and that isn’t you. You’re better than that.”
So good.
As for the update on my workouts… they’re goin’. I’m getting more sore and achy than I am used to, despite my efforts to frequently roll out, warm up well, cool down and ice bath. Maybe I’m getting old Still, when I need to push hard, I’m still able to alright. It is hard sometimes if it is just me working out by myself because I have no one to push me or to compare myself to… so I don’t know how well I did necessarily. I’m pretty sure my strength is improving, but I’m not sure if my conditioning is, as I am doing a lot less interval and steady state training.
This weekend is the CrossFit Games, as most of you know, so I’m looking forward to watching other people workout… as silly as that sounds. I’m just so thankful again that I got a little taste of this and got to compete alongside some of the best athletes at Regionals this year.
Still, when I need to push hard, I’m still able to alright. It is hard sometimes if it is just me working out by myself because I have no one to push me or to compare myself to… so I don’t know how well I did necessarily. I’m pretty sure my strength is improving, but I’m not sure if my conditioning is, as I am doing a lot less interval and steady state training.
