Yay! Today is December 1st! Why am I so excited? First of the month = new challenge!
A few months ago, my now dear friend Heather was tweeting on Twitter about an October Burpees Challenge, which is how I found her on twitter and we've become great friends since! I did this challenge for a few weeks - yes, not all of October, but still, a few weeks in and it has greatly improved my speed and efficiency...just ask the cute guy at my box who I beat last week at a MetCon containing burpees ;)
The challenge: 15 burpees a day + the date. Simple math. (Oh Crossfit, how you've made me a better math student....)
December 1st: 15 + 1
December 2nd: 15 + 2
And so forth, until December 31st, which is 15 + 31 = 46....and then January 1st is the day of rest.
Doing this burpee challenge on your WOD days is not very difficult; it's really not that many burpees. What got me back in October was I would forget on my rest days to do them. And who wants to do 15+x twice for making up a missed day???
My goal for this month's challenge: Do as many as possible unbroken. Leading up to December 15th, I'm going to try to do all unbroken. Then we'll see after that. 30+ burpees is no joke!
One of the things I absolutely LOVE about this month's challenge is that my loud mouth has definitely paid off in support; I posted it in my Facebook status and all over twitter, and now I have seriously 20-30 people saying they will be doing this challenge with me! And these are not all Crossfitters, which is what I love.
#GetSome folks!
January's challenge....maybe Double Unders?? I'm taking suggestions!
Wednesday, December 1, 2010
Thursday, November 18, 2010
Pumpkin Brownies - Paleo style!
Each Fall, me and my girlfriends all have one huge "Girls Night" at our friend Corinne's house. The night consists of 12-15 girls who all bring atleast 2 bottles of wine each, plus a dessert; Corinne has a couple of pizza stones so she provides a variety of exquisite homemade pizzas. The whole night screams "NON" Paleo. So I figured now would be the perfect time to practice my paleo dessert baking skills. Don't get me wrong - I do plan to steal a bite of pizza and try some desserts.....and this girl is bringing 3 bottles of champagne!
But back to our Paleo talk. I love love pumpkin and wanted to do a dessert that incorporates pumpkin puree, since it was already in my cabinet. My girl Kelsey pointed me in the direction of a Pumpkin Brownies recipe found at her box's paleo blog (Found Here).
As I love organization, I first lined up all the ingredients on the counter, ready to be mixed. And then I looked at them with much doubt; I was to make brownies with JUST these ingredients?! I mean, how many times have you baked non-paleo desserts with a shit ton of flour, right?
Well, either way, I needed to give it a try! So according to this recipe, I added all of these ingredients into a bowl and mixed mixed mixed:
1 cup almond butter
3/4 cup mashed pumpkin (from a can)
1 egg
1/3 cup honey
2 tbsp pumpkin pie spice
1 tsp baking soda
2 tsps unsweetened baking cocoa (I added this)
This one is incredibly easy, just combine all ingredients in a bowl. Mix well. Pour into a lightly greased 8 x 8" pan. Top with a handful of pecans and/or walnuts if you prefer. Bake at 350 degrees for 26 minutes.
Of course, I had to taste-test the batter - and it tasted pretty damn tasty. I was starting to gain some hope in my lil baking experiment! The first batch didn't look very big when I put it in a pan so I decided to make a second batch:
For the second patch, I added 1/2 cup of coconut flour; why? Why not! I had the ipod going, the first batch looked promising, and I wanted to experiment! So 1/2 cup of coconut flour and more honey to taste; the batter wasn't tasting as sweet as I want it to be.
The recipe originally called for baking for 26 minutes; after cutting a slice for me and my lucky roommate to try, we decided it was still alittle too gooey so I put it back in for 5 minutes; the 2nd batch was still cooking. After that, I decided on an additional 10 more minutes for both, bringing the baking time up to 40 minutes. I don't want to dry them out and they are tasting good but I also don't want them too gooey.
The verdict....
Definitely a winner! After 40 minutes, they were still a tad mushy, but nothing eating with a fork or even just a napkin won't fix.
After eating so strict for weeks now, I've lost my desire for super sweet desserts. The only thing that really trips my trigger anymore is ice cream - and it always will. My second batch, with the coconut flour, was not very sweet at all and I found it delicious! But anyone making this recipe can taste the batter before baking to add or subtract honey to get the right level of sweetness desired.
I can't wait to serve these up tomorrow night! No one's going to know just how healthy they really are..... ;)
But back to our Paleo talk. I love love pumpkin and wanted to do a dessert that incorporates pumpkin puree, since it was already in my cabinet. My girl Kelsey pointed me in the direction of a Pumpkin Brownies recipe found at her box's paleo blog (Found Here).
As I love organization, I first lined up all the ingredients on the counter, ready to be mixed. And then I looked at them with much doubt; I was to make brownies with JUST these ingredients?! I mean, how many times have you baked non-paleo desserts with a shit ton of flour, right?
Well, either way, I needed to give it a try! So according to this recipe, I added all of these ingredients into a bowl and mixed mixed mixed:
1 cup almond butter
3/4 cup mashed pumpkin (from a can)
1 egg
1/3 cup honey
2 tbsp pumpkin pie spice
1 tsp baking soda
2 tsps unsweetened baking cocoa (I added this)
This one is incredibly easy, just combine all ingredients in a bowl. Mix well. Pour into a lightly greased 8 x 8" pan. Top with a handful of pecans and/or walnuts if you prefer. Bake at 350 degrees for 26 minutes.
Of course, I had to taste-test the batter - and it tasted pretty damn tasty. I was starting to gain some hope in my lil baking experiment! The first batch didn't look very big when I put it in a pan so I decided to make a second batch:
For the second patch, I added 1/2 cup of coconut flour; why? Why not! I had the ipod going, the first batch looked promising, and I wanted to experiment! So 1/2 cup of coconut flour and more honey to taste; the batter wasn't tasting as sweet as I want it to be.
The recipe originally called for baking for 26 minutes; after cutting a slice for me and my lucky roommate to try, we decided it was still alittle too gooey so I put it back in for 5 minutes; the 2nd batch was still cooking. After that, I decided on an additional 10 more minutes for both, bringing the baking time up to 40 minutes. I don't want to dry them out and they are tasting good but I also don't want them too gooey.
The verdict....
Definitely a winner! After 40 minutes, they were still a tad mushy, but nothing eating with a fork or even just a napkin won't fix.
After eating so strict for weeks now, I've lost my desire for super sweet desserts. The only thing that really trips my trigger anymore is ice cream - and it always will. My second batch, with the coconut flour, was not very sweet at all and I found it delicious! But anyone making this recipe can taste the batter before baking to add or subtract honey to get the right level of sweetness desired.
I can't wait to serve these up tomorrow night! No one's going to know just how healthy they really are..... ;)
Tuesday, November 16, 2010
Where does your meat come from?
If you are following the Paleo diet, there's a very good chance the main component in your diet is meat, especially if you also do Crossfit. Protein, protein, protein! Growing up, I had the normal diet that is common in the United States, which is basically meat with every meal. In the winter of 2008, I moved to Chicago to be with my boyfriend, who only ate fish and chicken; no beef, no pork. I quickly adopted his diet, since we lived together and it was just easier when cooking our meals. I had no problems or stress with this diet change, since Chicago is a big city and living here does make it easier when you have 'dietary restrictions', as my coworkers call it.
A couple of months later after the move, I read the book "Skinny Bitch" and it changed my life and my views of the foods I was putting in my body. I quickly changed to a vegetarian, or rather, pescatarian diet, since I was still eating fish. I started buying soy milk instead of dairy, rarely ate cheese, and never bought eggs. After spending the weekend with a vegan in December of 2009, I decided to go all out vegetarian; no fish, no meat, no eggs of any sort. I still didn't drink milk, but I did enjoy cheese. And I had no problems with this diet. You can say the main motivator behind this diet choice for me was the inethical treatment of 'factory farm' animals, which is where most of the US meats come from.
Four months after that: enter Crossfit. Initially I went back right away to eating fish in order to get in my protein. But since I no longer live on the coast, where fresh ocean seafood is plentiful and inexpensive, it became difficult to afford eating fish all day, every day. It got pretty boring. So against my wishes, I started adding chicken back into my diet.
I hated it. I felt guilty with every piece of chicken I ate. But I knew it my body needed it and that my first and foremost concern should be my health. So to ease my guilt, I made it a goal of mine to try to find the best chicken around, in terms of healthiness and humane treatment of the chickens.
Thankfully, I didn't have to look far; Treasure Island in Lakeview/Boystown sells Miller Amish chicken. Although this chicken is much more expensive than your regular brands ($12 for 2lbs, which is roughly 3 large breasts), it is well worth it to me for what you get at that price and it helps ease my guilt.
1) The President's Message specifically talks about their humane treatment of the chickens
2) All of the farms and processing centers are in close proximity to each other in the Midwest and to me, which makes their carbon footprint minimal
3) They are fed an all-vegetable, drug free diet and are hormone and antibiotic free.
So long story short, what's my point? Know where your food comes from. Know how your food is being grown, how it's being processed. You work so hard to achieve great fitness, whether it's marathon training or Crossfit, so you should also work hard to ensure you are giving your body exactly what it needs, and nothing less.
A couple of months later after the move, I read the book "Skinny Bitch" and it changed my life and my views of the foods I was putting in my body. I quickly changed to a vegetarian, or rather, pescatarian diet, since I was still eating fish. I started buying soy milk instead of dairy, rarely ate cheese, and never bought eggs. After spending the weekend with a vegan in December of 2009, I decided to go all out vegetarian; no fish, no meat, no eggs of any sort. I still didn't drink milk, but I did enjoy cheese. And I had no problems with this diet. You can say the main motivator behind this diet choice for me was the inethical treatment of 'factory farm' animals, which is where most of the US meats come from.
Four months after that: enter Crossfit. Initially I went back right away to eating fish in order to get in my protein. But since I no longer live on the coast, where fresh ocean seafood is plentiful and inexpensive, it became difficult to afford eating fish all day, every day. It got pretty boring. So against my wishes, I started adding chicken back into my diet.
I hated it. I felt guilty with every piece of chicken I ate. But I knew it my body needed it and that my first and foremost concern should be my health. So to ease my guilt, I made it a goal of mine to try to find the best chicken around, in terms of healthiness and humane treatment of the chickens.
Thankfully, I didn't have to look far; Treasure Island in Lakeview/Boystown sells Miller Amish chicken. Although this chicken is much more expensive than your regular brands ($12 for 2lbs, which is roughly 3 large breasts), it is well worth it to me for what you get at that price and it helps ease my guilt.
1) The President's Message specifically talks about their humane treatment of the chickens
2) All of the farms and processing centers are in close proximity to each other in the Midwest and to me, which makes their carbon footprint minimal
3) They are fed an all-vegetable, drug free diet and are hormone and antibiotic free.
So long story short, what's my point? Know where your food comes from. Know how your food is being grown, how it's being processed. You work so hard to achieve great fitness, whether it's marathon training or Crossfit, so you should also work hard to ensure you are giving your body exactly what it needs, and nothing less.
Saturday, November 13, 2010
My Kick Ass Crossfit Birthday!
Originally for my birthday weekend, I was going to fly to San Antonio to run the Rock and Roll Half and make a long overdue visit to some friends. A few weeks out, I did a 180 and switched up the plans - I decided to fly to the NC coast to surprise my parents. It was one of the best things I've done all year!
I spent Friday morning (11/12) doing 'Tabata Something' with some Marines on Cherry Point base with the super friendly folks at CrossFit Cherry Point. It was definitely a blast and an honor to work out with them the day after Veterans Day. My only regret was not being able to return on Saturday for their WOD/BBQ.
My pull ups were shit (seriously, only 20?! And with a thin band too) but I was pretty strong on the other movements. Wish I had gotten 3 more pull ups to make it an even 300!
Saturday, 11/13: What better way to spend your birthday than 3 hours in a stellar CrossFit box?! My original plan was to head to CrossFit Coastal because their schedule said they had a ~2 hour OLY training class from 10am - 12pm and I really wanted to do some OLY practice with only 4 weeks left until my meet. Hello to box #29, state #12.
I cannot say enough great things about CrossFit Coastal. They had a pretty spacious, well equiped box and everyone was super friendly! We started the day with a 1030am Team WOD - what better way to get to know people?! I love team WODs and this one was fun! Zeke (owner) really put some thought into writing it on the board! :)
Before the team WOD, a few of the CrossFitters helped me perfect my kipping pull up; I can't do them unbroken yet but I have the techique down and I'm well on my way! (1st accomplishment of the day)
After the team WOD, Jane coached me on how to work my feet and legs to climb ropes, which I have never done before. Let's just say, now you can't keep me off 'em!! (Accomplishment #2)
I had made a "GOALS" list on Thursday night of movements I want to perfect before competing in sectionals in February and rope climbs were one of them - scratch that off the list!
Jane and I cheered each other on during our OLY practice and we both finished with PRs:
Snatch: 85#
Clean & Jerk: 115#
I'm pretty sure I could get a 120# C&J, I was so close!, but after 2.5 hours of CFing....my body was juice-less at this point.
This sign sums up my day; I was hella motivated and I left with 2 new PRs, plus pull ups and rope climbs under my belt. Best birthday ever. :)
I spent Friday morning (11/12) doing 'Tabata Something' with some Marines on Cherry Point base with the super friendly folks at CrossFit Cherry Point. It was definitely a blast and an honor to work out with them the day after Veterans Day. My only regret was not being able to return on Saturday for their WOD/BBQ.
My pull ups were shit (seriously, only 20?! And with a thin band too) but I was pretty strong on the other movements. Wish I had gotten 3 more pull ups to make it an even 300!
Saturday, 11/13: What better way to spend your birthday than 3 hours in a stellar CrossFit box?! My original plan was to head to CrossFit Coastal because their schedule said they had a ~2 hour OLY training class from 10am - 12pm and I really wanted to do some OLY practice with only 4 weeks left until my meet. Hello to box #29, state #12.
I cannot say enough great things about CrossFit Coastal. They had a pretty spacious, well equiped box and everyone was super friendly! We started the day with a 1030am Team WOD - what better way to get to know people?! I love team WODs and this one was fun! Zeke (owner) really put some thought into writing it on the board! :)
Before the team WOD, a few of the CrossFitters helped me perfect my kipping pull up; I can't do them unbroken yet but I have the techique down and I'm well on my way! (1st accomplishment of the day)
After the team WOD, Jane coached me on how to work my feet and legs to climb ropes, which I have never done before. Let's just say, now you can't keep me off 'em!! (Accomplishment #2)
I had made a "GOALS" list on Thursday night of movements I want to perfect before competing in sectionals in February and rope climbs were one of them - scratch that off the list!
Jane and I cheered each other on during our OLY practice and we both finished with PRs:
Snatch: 85#
Clean & Jerk: 115#
I'm pretty sure I could get a 120# C&J, I was so close!, but after 2.5 hours of CFing....my body was juice-less at this point.
This sign sums up my day; I was hella motivated and I left with 2 new PRs, plus pull ups and rope climbs under my belt. Best birthday ever. :)
Friday, November 5, 2010
OLY Meet and Homemade Shakes
I've been doing CrossFit religiously for just over 6 months now and as the result of this dedication, I've met a lot of small goals and have seen myself progress rapidly in some areas. (Remember when you ladies couldn't do even one push up or pull up?!)
As much as I love and appreciate all of these little victories, I am now super excited to have a big goal to work towards - the 2nd Annual WCCF Winter Weightlifting Meet! This OLY Meet is here in Chicago, exactly 5 weeks from tomorrow, and consists of a snatch and then a clean & jerk. This will be my first competition as a CrossFitter and I'm excited that its an OLY competition since that's my favorite part of CrossFit. I am on Day 5 of strict Paleo/no alcohol and plan on keeping that up until the competition.
As of today, my numbers are as follows:
Cleans: 3 Rep Max at 105# on 11/5/2010
Jerks: 1 Rep Max Split Jerk at 115# on 9/15/2010
Snatch: 1 Rep Max at 80# on 8/31/2010
One of my coaches told me last week that I have a pretty solid split jerk, which makes me happy, but as you can see I haven't worked on snatches in months! I'm hoping to drop into a 2 hour OLY class at CrossFit Coastal next Saturday and get in some more practice.
One of my dietary goals for this month is to try to get in more protein. I'm not a big meat eater and tend to only eat meat with lunch and dinner, so it can be hard for me to get in the recommended 120-160g of protein a WOD day that my body needs. If I were to guess, I would say that I am around 80-90g a day, so I am constantly trying to find ways to sneak in more protein when I can.
Even before CrossFit, one of my favorite post workout meals has always been the protein shake. I've always tried to stay away from sugar and processed products so I've always made them homemade, and find them delicious! I'm always looking for ways to switch up my shakes so let me know any suggestions you have.
My shake today:
1 Scoop Chocolate Whey Protein
1 Medium Frozen Banana
1 Raw Egg
1 Cup Unsweetened Almond Milk
4 Fresh Strawberries
I have two canisters of Beverly Protein Powder; Chocolate and Vanilla. I like to switch off between the above recipe and a Vanilla Powder/Frozen Banana/Frozen Blueberries version. I use to love to put peanut butter in my chocolate shakes for the added fat/protein/taste but I'm trying to kick my peanut butter habit so that is forbidden right now. I find that the frozen banana gives the shake the condensity of a milkshake - such a treat after a hard WOD!
As much as I love and appreciate all of these little victories, I am now super excited to have a big goal to work towards - the 2nd Annual WCCF Winter Weightlifting Meet! This OLY Meet is here in Chicago, exactly 5 weeks from tomorrow, and consists of a snatch and then a clean & jerk. This will be my first competition as a CrossFitter and I'm excited that its an OLY competition since that's my favorite part of CrossFit. I am on Day 5 of strict Paleo/no alcohol and plan on keeping that up until the competition.
As of today, my numbers are as follows:
Cleans: 3 Rep Max at 105# on 11/5/2010
Jerks: 1 Rep Max Split Jerk at 115# on 9/15/2010
Snatch: 1 Rep Max at 80# on 8/31/2010
One of my coaches told me last week that I have a pretty solid split jerk, which makes me happy, but as you can see I haven't worked on snatches in months! I'm hoping to drop into a 2 hour OLY class at CrossFit Coastal next Saturday and get in some more practice.
One of my dietary goals for this month is to try to get in more protein. I'm not a big meat eater and tend to only eat meat with lunch and dinner, so it can be hard for me to get in the recommended 120-160g of protein a WOD day that my body needs. If I were to guess, I would say that I am around 80-90g a day, so I am constantly trying to find ways to sneak in more protein when I can.
Even before CrossFit, one of my favorite post workout meals has always been the protein shake. I've always tried to stay away from sugar and processed products so I've always made them homemade, and find them delicious! I'm always looking for ways to switch up my shakes so let me know any suggestions you have.
My shake today:
1 Scoop Chocolate Whey Protein
1 Medium Frozen Banana
1 Raw Egg
1 Cup Unsweetened Almond Milk
4 Fresh Strawberries
I have two canisters of Beverly Protein Powder; Chocolate and Vanilla. I like to switch off between the above recipe and a Vanilla Powder/Frozen Banana/Frozen Blueberries version. I use to love to put peanut butter in my chocolate shakes for the added fat/protein/taste but I'm trying to kick my peanut butter habit so that is forbidden right now. I find that the frozen banana gives the shake the condensity of a milkshake - such a treat after a hard WOD!
Thursday, October 28, 2010
Crossfit Arlington Heights
This past Sunday, we continued our little CrossFit/Wedding weekend road trip with a stop at CrossFit Arlington Heights on our way back to Chicago. The box was pretty awesome but my condition....not so much. Lets just say I got up close and friendly with a bottle of Patron the night before at my crazy family's wedding reception and I was pretty drunkover on Sunday. By the time we got to the box, I was yawning big time.
Box #26:
WOD:
5 RFT:
400m Run
3 Snatches (65#)
12 OH Squats (65#)
I love snatches and overheads!
Before heading back to Chicago, we got to sign their visitor's box. First time for everything! Pretty cool idea.....
Box #26:
WOD:
5 RFT:
400m Run
3 Snatches (65#)
12 OH Squats (65#)
I love snatches and overheads!
Before heading back to Chicago, we got to sign their visitor's box. First time for everything! Pretty cool idea.....
Wednesday, October 27, 2010
Creamy Avocado Dressing
Avocados are definitely in my top 5 favorite foods. I love the texture, the color, the taste, how versatile they can be and of course, I love how healthy they are.
I don't remember how I happened upon this recipe but I will thank CrossFit Central Relentless Bootcamp for posting it. Normally my week day lunches consist of a big salad with tuna fish and some kind of Paleo dressing; today I decided to give this dressing a try since it basically contains all of the things I normally put in my salad anyways.
Recipe of the Week-- Creamy Avocado Dressing
1 avocado
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon lemon juice
½ cup water
¼ teaspoon celtic sea salt
¼ teaspoon black pepper
Place avocado, olive oil, lemon juice and water in a blender
Puree until smooth then blend in salt and pepper
Serve over green or chopped salad
Simple, fast and inexpensive. I already had all of the ingredients in my kitchen. This recipe made enough so I can store some in the refrigerator for tomorrow's salad. I also think this is the type of recipe that could be 'open to interpretation'; maybe add a little salsa or chipotle seasoning to it. Let me know if anyone comes up with a variation!
I don't remember how I happened upon this recipe but I will thank CrossFit Central Relentless Bootcamp for posting it. Normally my week day lunches consist of a big salad with tuna fish and some kind of Paleo dressing; today I decided to give this dressing a try since it basically contains all of the things I normally put in my salad anyways.
Recipe of the Week-- Creamy Avocado Dressing
1 avocado
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon lemon juice
½ cup water
¼ teaspoon celtic sea salt
¼ teaspoon black pepper
Place avocado, olive oil, lemon juice and water in a blender
Puree until smooth then blend in salt and pepper
Serve over green or chopped salad
Simple, fast and inexpensive. I already had all of the ingredients in my kitchen. This recipe made enough so I can store some in the refrigerator for tomorrow's salad. I also think this is the type of recipe that could be 'open to interpretation'; maybe add a little salsa or chipotle seasoning to it. Let me know if anyone comes up with a variation!
Tuesday, October 26, 2010
Lambeau Handstands & CrossFit Green Bay
One of the most common CrossFit photos that you will these days are of people doing handstands in various places all over the world. Saturday's trip took us up to Green Bay, WI and what's a CrossFit girl to do but to take a handstand picture at her favorite place on earth - Lambeau Field! This was definitely the highlight of my weekend.
After showing Vince Lombardi a little CrossFit love, we had some time before the wedding to drop into CrossFit Green Bay, a newly opened box owned by Grant Soletski. Every piece of equipment in this box was brand spankin' new, and we had lots of fun breaking some of it in.
WOD:
1 15′ rope climb/800 m run
2 15′ rope climbs/400 m run
3 15′ rope climbs/200 m run
This was my very first rope work, which I was excited for but also frustrated with. Thankfully, Mike knew a progression so I was able to do the WOD. Since I was doing a modification, my rope climbs were multiplied by 3. (3, 6, 9)
Fun fun fun! Thanks again Grant and I look forward to dropping in before the Packers game in December. And thanks for letting me wrestle around with Sam. :)
After showing Vince Lombardi a little CrossFit love, we had some time before the wedding to drop into CrossFit Green Bay, a newly opened box owned by Grant Soletski. Every piece of equipment in this box was brand spankin' new, and we had lots of fun breaking some of it in.
WOD:
1 15′ rope climb/800 m run
2 15′ rope climbs/400 m run
3 15′ rope climbs/200 m run
This was my very first rope work, which I was excited for but also frustrated with. Thankfully, Mike knew a progression so I was able to do the WOD. Since I was doing a modification, my rope climbs were multiplied by 3. (3, 6, 9)
Fun fun fun! Thanks again Grant and I look forward to dropping in before the Packers game in December. And thanks for letting me wrestle around with Sam. :)
Quad City CrossFit & CrossFit Progression
What started off as a 3 hour drive to Kaukauna, WI for a wedding turned into a nice little CrossFit road trip! The final count was 6 boxes/WODs in four days.
The first stop on our trip was to Quad City CrossFit in Davenport, IA for some 'Jump Your Wall Balls Off!' action.
10 RFT:
10 Wall Ball 20/10
Standing Broad Jump Across Mat (15') Touch both hands after you land
10 Box Jumps 24/18
Standing Broad Jump Across Mat (15') Touch both hands after you land
Thanks to Austin for coaching us through this WOD and letting us drop by.
After QCCF, our trip led us north to Rochester, Minnesota for CF Box #2. To be honest, I really wish we could have switched these WODs around that day, because WOD #2 was the Lumberjack 20! I was really hoping to do this Rx but no dice.
"The very first CFP Boot Camp"
Lumberjack 20 for time:
20 deadlifts @ (275lb/185lb)
400m Run
20 KB swings @ (70lbs/53lbs)
400m Run
20 Overhead Squats (115lb/85lb)
400m Run
20 burpees
400m Run
20 Chest to bar pull ups
400m Run
20 Box jumps @ 24inch/20inch
400m Run
20 DB Squat Cleans @ 45lb/25lb
400m Run
Although this was definitely one of the harder WODs that I've done, I did have a great time with the CrossFit Progression crew; everyone was super friendly and supportive throughout the WOD. This picture sums up the mess of weights that were left Post-WOD.
The first stop on our trip was to Quad City CrossFit in Davenport, IA for some 'Jump Your Wall Balls Off!' action.
10 RFT:
10 Wall Ball 20/10
Standing Broad Jump Across Mat (15') Touch both hands after you land
10 Box Jumps 24/18
Standing Broad Jump Across Mat (15') Touch both hands after you land
Thanks to Austin for coaching us through this WOD and letting us drop by.
After QCCF, our trip led us north to Rochester, Minnesota for CF Box #2. To be honest, I really wish we could have switched these WODs around that day, because WOD #2 was the Lumberjack 20! I was really hoping to do this Rx but no dice.
"The very first CFP Boot Camp"
Lumberjack 20 for time:
20 deadlifts @ (275lb/185lb)
400m Run
20 KB swings @ (70lbs/53lbs)
400m Run
20 Overhead Squats (115lb/85lb)
400m Run
20 burpees
400m Run
20 Chest to bar pull ups
400m Run
20 Box jumps @ 24inch/20inch
400m Run
20 DB Squat Cleans @ 45lb/25lb
400m Run
Although this was definitely one of the harder WODs that I've done, I did have a great time with the CrossFit Progression crew; everyone was super friendly and supportive throughout the WOD. This picture sums up the mess of weights that were left Post-WOD.
Wednesday, October 20, 2010
Day 10, Shoes, Road Trip & Shout Outs!
I've finally hit Day 10 of my 10 Day Advocare Herbal Cleanse Challenge. The results?
Weight: Started at 158.5#, ended today at 155#, although my lowest was 154#. I'm not too discouraged because I have been lifting heavy this week and as CrossFitters, we all know the scale doesn't always reflect our true measurements.
How do I feel and how hard was it? I feel fabulous. It really wasn't as hard as I thought it would be; I thought missing coffee would be the hardest part and it wasn't, thanks to Spark. I've been eating paleo on and off for months now so the clean eatting wasn't hard at all. Yeah, sitting in the bar with my friends over the weekend, watching football and not drinking wasn't my idea of a great time but being 100% sober actually let me put all my focus on the games, so I didn't miss a play. And I definitely didn't miss being hung over.
Did I cheat at all? I will admit, last night, Day 9, I did have two beers, two cookies and some chocolate at a celebration. How did I feel after? Like total shit. Was not worth it. I don't think it effected me too much but to be extra cautious, I may throw in a second WOD for today (just a run).
So my next steps? I'm going to continue on the Spark and Catalyst and I'm now officially an Advocare distributor. I may try some of the performance supplements but that won't be for a few weeks.
In the meantime....my new CrossFit "Toy"...my new INOV-8 F Lites 195s!! I'm so stoked to have a pair, as I was watching the AgainFaster.com website every day for a few weeks now. My Coach bought the same pair as well. So far, we love them. I did a big happy dance on my front porch when the post master dropped them off last week; he found it entertaining. :)
I got the shoes just in time for my big weekend road trip! Me and Navy Mike are starting in Davenport, IA on Friday morning to WOD at Quad City CrossFit, then shoot up to Rochester, MN to WOD at CrossFit Progression. Then on Saturday morning, it's Handstands in front of Lambeau (aka...Heaven on Earth < 3) and then to check out the new CrossFit Green Bay box. But I think the hardest part of the trip will be getting through my cousin's wedding that afternoon....after all that WODing, it will be interesting to see if I can stay awake during the ceremony.
And lastly today, I wanted to give a couple of shout outs! My buddy Khristian Moore was just interview on CrossFit Radio last week; it's an inspiring yet entertaining interview so I recommend everyone listen to it:
http://journal.crossfit.com/2010/10/crossfit-radio-episode-141.tpl
For those that haven't heard mine & Navy Mike's interview yet, you can find it here:
http://journal.crossfit.com/2010/09/crossfit-radio-episode-137.tpl
Also, my buddy Ric Stokes just started a Paleo challenge, on his way to a healthier CrossFit body and has started a blog to document with photos how his progress is going. I know he'll do great! :)
Weight: Started at 158.5#, ended today at 155#, although my lowest was 154#. I'm not too discouraged because I have been lifting heavy this week and as CrossFitters, we all know the scale doesn't always reflect our true measurements.
How do I feel and how hard was it? I feel fabulous. It really wasn't as hard as I thought it would be; I thought missing coffee would be the hardest part and it wasn't, thanks to Spark. I've been eating paleo on and off for months now so the clean eatting wasn't hard at all. Yeah, sitting in the bar with my friends over the weekend, watching football and not drinking wasn't my idea of a great time but being 100% sober actually let me put all my focus on the games, so I didn't miss a play. And I definitely didn't miss being hung over.
Did I cheat at all? I will admit, last night, Day 9, I did have two beers, two cookies and some chocolate at a celebration. How did I feel after? Like total shit. Was not worth it. I don't think it effected me too much but to be extra cautious, I may throw in a second WOD for today (just a run).
So my next steps? I'm going to continue on the Spark and Catalyst and I'm now officially an Advocare distributor. I may try some of the performance supplements but that won't be for a few weeks.
In the meantime....my new CrossFit "Toy"...my new INOV-8 F Lites 195s!! I'm so stoked to have a pair, as I was watching the AgainFaster.com website every day for a few weeks now. My Coach bought the same pair as well. So far, we love them. I did a big happy dance on my front porch when the post master dropped them off last week; he found it entertaining. :)
I got the shoes just in time for my big weekend road trip! Me and Navy Mike are starting in Davenport, IA on Friday morning to WOD at Quad City CrossFit, then shoot up to Rochester, MN to WOD at CrossFit Progression. Then on Saturday morning, it's Handstands in front of Lambeau (aka...Heaven on Earth < 3) and then to check out the new CrossFit Green Bay box. But I think the hardest part of the trip will be getting through my cousin's wedding that afternoon....after all that WODing, it will be interesting to see if I can stay awake during the ceremony.
And lastly today, I wanted to give a couple of shout outs! My buddy Khristian Moore was just interview on CrossFit Radio last week; it's an inspiring yet entertaining interview so I recommend everyone listen to it:
http://journal.crossfit.com/2010/10/crossfit-radio-episode-141.tpl
For those that haven't heard mine & Navy Mike's interview yet, you can find it here:
http://journal.crossfit.com/2010/09/crossfit-radio-episode-137.tpl
Also, my buddy Ric Stokes just started a Paleo challenge, on his way to a healthier CrossFit body and has started a blog to document with photos how his progress is going. I know he'll do great! :)
Thursday, October 14, 2010
Sleep : Quality over Quantity
Day #4 - Still Rockstar
Weight - 156#
Most "diets" are different; some are low cal, some are low fat, some are low carb, some are all three, etc. But the one thing that every diet or every personal trainer will agree on is that sleep is a very big key to anyone's fitness, whether you are trying to lose weight or just be healthy.
Sleep has always been a horrible thing for me; I've had sleeping disorders since I started sleep walking at the age of 3. Most of the disorders have subsided by now but anyone that has been following me on twitter over the last 6 months knows that sleep walking to the kitchen for a snack has pretty much been every night over the last 6 months. It's hard to lose weight and stay positive when your sleep quality is horrible and you are consuming an extra 200-500 calories at 2am.
I went to the doctor and got tests done; his only suggestion was to switch from a Paleo diet to a more rounded Zone diet due to a carb deficiency. I started eating oatmeal for breakfast and I was able to sleep 3 or 4 nights without sleep walking.
I've been talking to a couple of girls this week that I know who are doing the same Advocare cleanse that I'm doing and one of the first comments I made was that I wonder how I will sleep while taking these supplements; the smallest things can effect my sleep so I didn't know if I would be sensitive to the supplements or not. Sherris reassured me that she has never slept better.
And I have to agree! I'm on Day 4, and with each day, I'm feeling more and more rockstar. I know there is no one key reason to why I feel this way; but I do feel like all of the reasons are all fitting together in a way that makes me feel the best I have in months. This cleanse, the supplements and this diet are doing my body good, which is making me get fantastic sleep at night (whether it's 5 hours or 8 hours), which in turn is definitely showing improvement in my MetCons at the box. How could you not feel rockstar?
This picture is for my girl Kelsey :) Thanks to my influence, she has discovered the power of the knee high socks during her WODs and she's hooked. Get some, girl! <3
Weight - 156#
Most "diets" are different; some are low cal, some are low fat, some are low carb, some are all three, etc. But the one thing that every diet or every personal trainer will agree on is that sleep is a very big key to anyone's fitness, whether you are trying to lose weight or just be healthy.
Sleep has always been a horrible thing for me; I've had sleeping disorders since I started sleep walking at the age of 3. Most of the disorders have subsided by now but anyone that has been following me on twitter over the last 6 months knows that sleep walking to the kitchen for a snack has pretty much been every night over the last 6 months. It's hard to lose weight and stay positive when your sleep quality is horrible and you are consuming an extra 200-500 calories at 2am.
I went to the doctor and got tests done; his only suggestion was to switch from a Paleo diet to a more rounded Zone diet due to a carb deficiency. I started eating oatmeal for breakfast and I was able to sleep 3 or 4 nights without sleep walking.
I've been talking to a couple of girls this week that I know who are doing the same Advocare cleanse that I'm doing and one of the first comments I made was that I wonder how I will sleep while taking these supplements; the smallest things can effect my sleep so I didn't know if I would be sensitive to the supplements or not. Sherris reassured me that she has never slept better.
And I have to agree! I'm on Day 4, and with each day, I'm feeling more and more rockstar. I know there is no one key reason to why I feel this way; but I do feel like all of the reasons are all fitting together in a way that makes me feel the best I have in months. This cleanse, the supplements and this diet are doing my body good, which is making me get fantastic sleep at night (whether it's 5 hours or 8 hours), which in turn is definitely showing improvement in my MetCons at the box. How could you not feel rockstar?
This picture is for my girl Kelsey :) Thanks to my influence, she has discovered the power of the knee high socks during her WODs and she's hooked. Get some, girl! <3
Wednesday, October 13, 2010
Coffee vs Spark
Rockstar Day #3!
Weight: 157#
I decided that I needed some sleep, as it's essential to all things health with me, so I skipped my 0630 WOD and sleep until 0730. It was a pretty good 8 hours of sleep and it totally paid off. I got up, had my morning Spark and Catalyst and within 30 minutes, I was so ready to go on a 4 mile run. It was definitely the best run I've had in weeks!....until the trenchal downpour with lightening and thunder. :)
I use to joke right before Lent that you can take away my alcohol, take away my facebook...even taking away my texting for 30 days but don't even think about touching my morning cup of coffee. Both my Dad and StepDad were Marines so every single morning, even to this day, a full pot of coffee is awaiting every morning. So it's safe to say I've been hooked on the black elixir since a very early age.
But, I stayed open minded and decided to give this 10 day, no coffee, cleanse a try. The first two days, although were great, were alittle rough at times. On Day #1, by noon, I was tired and had a headache. Yesterday, Day #2, I started experiencing the same symptoms, but they were alittle less in severity and they didn't show up until 1pm. I am happy to say that each day is getting better and better; I know that 8 hours of sleep did have a hand in helping but I have felt fabulous all day and didn't get tired until almost 230pm today. (And no headaches)
So where do I stand now on the topic of coffee? I will definitely not say I will never drink it again; however, I did order a new canister of Spark (Pink Lemonade!) so for now, I have decided to make that my daily drink instead of coffee. Coffee has never let me down, but there's no way I can drink a full serving of coffee and then go for a run 30 minutes later; coffee is just too heavy for me and well, makes me have to pee right away :) I will definitely enjoy a Starbucks drink here and there, and maybe a nice cup of Joe on a rest day or some cold afternoon. But I'm just happy I've found a great alternative that fits my needs right now.
When I tell people what my diet restrictions are, people tend to look at me like I'm crazy. Paleo?! No bread?! I can't live without my cheese! You must really hate being on this diet.
Well, please see above picture of my most delicious lunch. Baked salmon, with nothing but sprinkled BBQ spices, baked spaghetti squash, with nothing but pepper, garlic powder and alittle salt (thanks Michael for introducing me to this awesome vegetable), and a couple of strawberries to cleanse the palette afterwards. Oh yes, my friends, how I suffer on this diet. :)
Weight: 157#
I decided that I needed some sleep, as it's essential to all things health with me, so I skipped my 0630 WOD and sleep until 0730. It was a pretty good 8 hours of sleep and it totally paid off. I got up, had my morning Spark and Catalyst and within 30 minutes, I was so ready to go on a 4 mile run. It was definitely the best run I've had in weeks!....until the trenchal downpour with lightening and thunder. :)
I use to joke right before Lent that you can take away my alcohol, take away my facebook...even taking away my texting for 30 days but don't even think about touching my morning cup of coffee. Both my Dad and StepDad were Marines so every single morning, even to this day, a full pot of coffee is awaiting every morning. So it's safe to say I've been hooked on the black elixir since a very early age.
But, I stayed open minded and decided to give this 10 day, no coffee, cleanse a try. The first two days, although were great, were alittle rough at times. On Day #1, by noon, I was tired and had a headache. Yesterday, Day #2, I started experiencing the same symptoms, but they were alittle less in severity and they didn't show up until 1pm. I am happy to say that each day is getting better and better; I know that 8 hours of sleep did have a hand in helping but I have felt fabulous all day and didn't get tired until almost 230pm today. (And no headaches)
So where do I stand now on the topic of coffee? I will definitely not say I will never drink it again; however, I did order a new canister of Spark (Pink Lemonade!) so for now, I have decided to make that my daily drink instead of coffee. Coffee has never let me down, but there's no way I can drink a full serving of coffee and then go for a run 30 minutes later; coffee is just too heavy for me and well, makes me have to pee right away :) I will definitely enjoy a Starbucks drink here and there, and maybe a nice cup of Joe on a rest day or some cold afternoon. But I'm just happy I've found a great alternative that fits my needs right now.
When I tell people what my diet restrictions are, people tend to look at me like I'm crazy. Paleo?! No bread?! I can't live without my cheese! You must really hate being on this diet.
Well, please see above picture of my most delicious lunch. Baked salmon, with nothing but sprinkled BBQ spices, baked spaghetti squash, with nothing but pepper, garlic powder and alittle salt (thanks Michael for introducing me to this awesome vegetable), and a couple of strawberries to cleanse the palette afterwards. Oh yes, my friends, how I suffer on this diet. :)
Tuesday, October 12, 2010
Day 2!
Weight: 157#
I can't believe I'm saying this but thanks to Spark, I'm not having a hard time not drinking coffee. Sometimes I miss the taste of it but I am definitely not depending on it for energy. Work up at my normal 5:30am this morning and was feeling super duper tired (more so than normal). I think a fell asleep around 11pm last night and pretty much slept through the night so I don't know why I was so tired this morning. (I don't want to place blame on the Advocare supplements I took before bed just yet). So I took my Spark and took my Catalyst and within minutes, I was ready to go.
Today's Lincoln Park CrossFit WOD:
Bench 5x5
95# (4 sets), 105# (1 set)
MetCon: 15 mins AMRAP (Got 4 rounds)
200m Run
20 Ring Body Row
40 Stick Jumps
20 Ring Push Ups
Even though I was still somewhat tired, I did great on both! I actually wished the MetCon was 20 mins versus 15. (Not very often I'll say that, ha)
So I don't know exactly yet how much the Advocare 'Catalyst' supplement helps with toning and muscle development, but I can tell you that it kicks ass with curbing my monster appetite. I am definitely staying safe and within my appropriate calorie range; I'm just not starving or overeating anymore. Since I usually work out in the a.m., I'm starving by afternoon, no matter how much I eat between my workout and lunch time. My afternoon, between lunch and dinner, is when I normally consume the most of my calories.
Now, if I take a Spark and some Catalyst around noon and wait 30 minutes to eat lunch, I'm now consistently full throughout the whole afternoon until dinner. I actually have to make myself have a snack half way through the afternoon! All of this has also been cutting back on overeating at dinner as well.
The verdict thus far, through Day #2 of 10 - so far, so good. :)
I can't believe I'm saying this but thanks to Spark, I'm not having a hard time not drinking coffee. Sometimes I miss the taste of it but I am definitely not depending on it for energy. Work up at my normal 5:30am this morning and was feeling super duper tired (more so than normal). I think a fell asleep around 11pm last night and pretty much slept through the night so I don't know why I was so tired this morning. (I don't want to place blame on the Advocare supplements I took before bed just yet). So I took my Spark and took my Catalyst and within minutes, I was ready to go.
Today's Lincoln Park CrossFit WOD:
Bench 5x5
95# (4 sets), 105# (1 set)
MetCon: 15 mins AMRAP (Got 4 rounds)
200m Run
20 Ring Body Row
40 Stick Jumps
20 Ring Push Ups
Even though I was still somewhat tired, I did great on both! I actually wished the MetCon was 20 mins versus 15. (Not very often I'll say that, ha)
So I don't know exactly yet how much the Advocare 'Catalyst' supplement helps with toning and muscle development, but I can tell you that it kicks ass with curbing my monster appetite. I am definitely staying safe and within my appropriate calorie range; I'm just not starving or overeating anymore. Since I usually work out in the a.m., I'm starving by afternoon, no matter how much I eat between my workout and lunch time. My afternoon, between lunch and dinner, is when I normally consume the most of my calories.
Now, if I take a Spark and some Catalyst around noon and wait 30 minutes to eat lunch, I'm now consistently full throughout the whole afternoon until dinner. I actually have to make myself have a snack half way through the afternoon! All of this has also been cutting back on overeating at dinner as well.
The verdict thus far, through Day #2 of 10 - so far, so good. :)
Monday, October 11, 2010
CrossFit + Friends = Awesomeness
One of the awesome things about visiting all of these various CrossFit boxes is meeting new people and making new friends. Of course, I don't make a new friend at every single box I visit but as long as the WOD is good, I consider mission accomplished. And with all of my work travel and lack of Chicago presence lately, I feel like I never get to grab a WOD with a friend or with my regulars.
Tonight was all kinds of awesomeness. I got to hit a box here in Chicago I have yet to visit - CrossFit Chicago West Loop, #22 - AND I got to WOD with my girl Kelsey. Not only did we know each other awhile before CrossFit, but she claims that my tweets about CrossFit in the beginning are what got her into CrossFitting in the first place. Me = huge smile. We had a great time; she counted for me and yelled when I was slackin and vice versa. Team work baby, team work!
Thanks to CrossFit Chicago West Loop for being a great host; I know I'll be back!
Tonight was all kinds of awesomeness. I got to hit a box here in Chicago I have yet to visit - CrossFit Chicago West Loop, #22 - AND I got to WOD with my girl Kelsey. Not only did we know each other awhile before CrossFit, but she claims that my tweets about CrossFit in the beginning are what got her into CrossFitting in the first place. Me = huge smile. We had a great time; she counted for me and yelled when I was slackin and vice versa. Team work baby, team work!
Thanks to CrossFit Chicago West Loop for being a great host; I know I'll be back!
Day 1!
Today starts the first day of new beginnings!
I've never been one to take supplements; call me a non-believer. I usually go for the 'clean diet for all you need' sort of way. But I also will try almost anything once. So when a friend on twitter told me that she did a 10 day Advocare cleanse that rid her of her belly fat, I was definitely intrigued. My belly fat is still my most troubled area, even with doing paleo pretty much most of the week. So I looked into it, ordered what I needed to order, and now I'm giving it a try!
The rules, for 10 days:
No coffee
No alcohol
Strict clean eatting, every 2-2.5 hours
The supplements from Advocare are Spark (for energy, and it's instant!), Catalyst and the 10 day Herbal Cleanse.
Continue my WODing as usual.
I think the hardest part is going to be giving up coffee. I drink a lot of coffee, every day, since atleast high school, if not earlier. But it's only for 10 days, right?
Day 1: 158.5#
I will say that I haven't been advertising all of this to the people I know, other than the no coffee/no alcohol part. Hey, I had to warn people that me and coffee were taking a break; we are talking about a serious thing here. :) The reason for most of my hush hush-ness is because I'm finding that physical fitness is becoming like the politics and religion of debates. Everyone has their opinion on which type of exercise is the right kind, which diet is the most effective, etc. Although I might not agree with everyone's opinions, I do love hearing about the different methods and diets that people try and what results they are getting.
Upon telling a friend this morning about my new venture, he said for me to read Kate Rawlings's blog and good luck. I had actually already read her blog concerning her use of Advocare products a few days back. She use to be a big user of Advocare and although she is taking a break from using all Advocare (or any other supplements for that matter), she also said that she is "not saying (she) would never use their products, just not right now".
Again, great insight from someone who has actually gone out there and given them a try. Her blog makes it sound like she has had success with Advocare in the past but right now, it's not what she needs.
Did I let this blog influence my thoughts on Advocare? Definitely not, because it's just one opinion. And although her opinion is great, I can't imagine where I'd be in life right now if I let just one (or even two or three) opinion influence my actions. Give me 10 days and I'll give you my Advocare opinion....if you ask for it :)
I've never been one to take supplements; call me a non-believer. I usually go for the 'clean diet for all you need' sort of way. But I also will try almost anything once. So when a friend on twitter told me that she did a 10 day Advocare cleanse that rid her of her belly fat, I was definitely intrigued. My belly fat is still my most troubled area, even with doing paleo pretty much most of the week. So I looked into it, ordered what I needed to order, and now I'm giving it a try!
The rules, for 10 days:
No coffee
No alcohol
Strict clean eatting, every 2-2.5 hours
The supplements from Advocare are Spark (for energy, and it's instant!), Catalyst and the 10 day Herbal Cleanse.
Continue my WODing as usual.
I think the hardest part is going to be giving up coffee. I drink a lot of coffee, every day, since atleast high school, if not earlier. But it's only for 10 days, right?
Day 1: 158.5#
I will say that I haven't been advertising all of this to the people I know, other than the no coffee/no alcohol part. Hey, I had to warn people that me and coffee were taking a break; we are talking about a serious thing here. :) The reason for most of my hush hush-ness is because I'm finding that physical fitness is becoming like the politics and religion of debates. Everyone has their opinion on which type of exercise is the right kind, which diet is the most effective, etc. Although I might not agree with everyone's opinions, I do love hearing about the different methods and diets that people try and what results they are getting.
Upon telling a friend this morning about my new venture, he said for me to read Kate Rawlings's blog and good luck. I had actually already read her blog concerning her use of Advocare products a few days back. She use to be a big user of Advocare and although she is taking a break from using all Advocare (or any other supplements for that matter), she also said that she is "not saying (she) would never use their products, just not right now".
Again, great insight from someone who has actually gone out there and given them a try. Her blog makes it sound like she has had success with Advocare in the past but right now, it's not what she needs.
Did I let this blog influence my thoughts on Advocare? Definitely not, because it's just one opinion. And although her opinion is great, I can't imagine where I'd be in life right now if I let just one (or even two or three) opinion influence my actions. Give me 10 days and I'll give you my Advocare opinion....if you ask for it :)
Wednesday, October 6, 2010
A Date with "Josh" at Cactus CrossFit
I had the joy of visiting Cactus Crossfit in Scottsdale this morning for their 6am 'Express' class. (Warm Up/MetCon only, 30 mins) This is box #20 for me in the past 6 months and I'm finally glad I got to stop in! Started the morning with meeting Coach Jason and we immediately went into some banter about the Vikings and their acquiring of Randy Moss. (He's from Minnesota and I'm from Green Bay) Talking football is one of my favorite things. :)
Warm Up: 500m Row easy, then 500m Row for Time (1:55)
MetCon: "Josh" in 9:40
21 OHS, 42 Pull Ups
15 OHS, 30 Pull Ups
9 OHS, 18 Pull Ups
Did the OHS at Rx of 65# but haven't really been practicing my kipping pull ups much while on the road so those were shit today :( Ended up with jumping pulls and some extremely sore forearms. It was my first time doing "Josh" and I loved it.
Although I'm a few days late, I finally started the 'October Burpees Challenge' after my Cactus CrossFit WODs today. 15 + date = Burpee Count, from now until the last day of October, so today I got in 21 burpees. Actually wasn't that bad; I like burpees and will use this challenge to work on getting my maximum number of unbroken burpees. (Today was 15 unbroken) Since I'm late on this challenge, I may add those 5 missed days on to the end....haven't decided! :) (That's 51 burpees on the last day!) 
Thanks again Cactus CrossFit and Coach Jason; I hope to be back soon!
Tuesday, October 5, 2010
Amazing "Grace".....
Today I learned a big lesson in doubting myself and tuning out my surroundings.
I'm back in Phoenix for work this week and since I have to be at the office by 8-830am, I have no choice but to take a super early CrossFit class. I've been to three boxes in the Phoenix area over the past few weeks and all three have been amazing boxes (thanks again for hosting me!) but so far, Core CrossFit in Downtown Phoenix has been the most convenient in terms of location and class time (530am WODs).
Today was my 3rd time visiting Core CrossFit over the past 3 weeks and I do believe that I'm becoming a familiar face with the 530am crew. I was really excited when I checked out the website this morning to see we were doing "Grace" as our WOD for today. I love cleans and I love jerks and I know I can lift alot so I was looking for total domination today.
For those who have never had the pleasure of meeting 'Grace', it is 30 Clean & Jerks, for time, with the RX for Men being 135# and 95# for Women. (Scabable, of course, as all of CrossFit is)
As we were setting up our bars for the WOD, I thought the RX for Women was 85#, so I loaded up my bar for 85# and did a couple of practice clean & jerks to test out the weight. It felt heavy. I wouldn't say REALLY heavy but it was still slightly heavy. Thinking back now, it's kind of a 'Duh!' moment; of course it was heavy. It's supposed to be. Its not supposed to be easy.
I wouldn't say that at that moment I was intimidated. But I made two mistakes; I underestimated my abilities and I got 'uncomfortable' with my surroundings. Don't get me wrong; Core CrossFit is an awesome facility, I obviously love it there as I keep going back, and everyone has been super nice/friendly. But I do tend to go more 'All Out' at my own box versus when I visit other boxes. I really don't know why.
I bumped the weight on my bar down to 65#, Coach Tom said 3-2-1-GO! and bam! I flew through Grace with great time; I finished in 2:28 minutes. 30 C&J at 65# in under 2.5. Within 15 seconds of finishing, after catching my breath, I was instantly dissatisified. There is no doubt in my mind that I could have and should have gone heavier. There are definitely occasions in CrossFit where going heavier could actually be harmful for me; in this occasion, I believe the opposite to be true. NOT going heavier this morning was more harmful for me.
But hey, that's what I love about CrossFit, versus alot of the other workouts out there today. For me, it can be such a humbling and motivating experience and it always leaves me wanting more. Sure, I wasn't happy with my efforts this morning; but I've identified what I wasn't happy with, and I just plan another date with Ms. "Grace" for sometime in the near future. And I know for damn sure that next time, I'll go 'All Out', no matter which box I'm at.
You can't get that from doing bicep curls in the mirror.....
I'm back in Phoenix for work this week and since I have to be at the office by 8-830am, I have no choice but to take a super early CrossFit class. I've been to three boxes in the Phoenix area over the past few weeks and all three have been amazing boxes (thanks again for hosting me!) but so far, Core CrossFit in Downtown Phoenix has been the most convenient in terms of location and class time (530am WODs).
Today was my 3rd time visiting Core CrossFit over the past 3 weeks and I do believe that I'm becoming a familiar face with the 530am crew. I was really excited when I checked out the website this morning to see we were doing "Grace" as our WOD for today. I love cleans and I love jerks and I know I can lift alot so I was looking for total domination today.
For those who have never had the pleasure of meeting 'Grace', it is 30 Clean & Jerks, for time, with the RX for Men being 135# and 95# for Women. (Scabable, of course, as all of CrossFit is)
As we were setting up our bars for the WOD, I thought the RX for Women was 85#, so I loaded up my bar for 85# and did a couple of practice clean & jerks to test out the weight. It felt heavy. I wouldn't say REALLY heavy but it was still slightly heavy. Thinking back now, it's kind of a 'Duh!' moment; of course it was heavy. It's supposed to be. Its not supposed to be easy.
I wouldn't say that at that moment I was intimidated. But I made two mistakes; I underestimated my abilities and I got 'uncomfortable' with my surroundings. Don't get me wrong; Core CrossFit is an awesome facility, I obviously love it there as I keep going back, and everyone has been super nice/friendly. But I do tend to go more 'All Out' at my own box versus when I visit other boxes. I really don't know why.
I bumped the weight on my bar down to 65#, Coach Tom said 3-2-1-GO! and bam! I flew through Grace with great time; I finished in 2:28 minutes. 30 C&J at 65# in under 2.5. Within 15 seconds of finishing, after catching my breath, I was instantly dissatisified. There is no doubt in my mind that I could have and should have gone heavier. There are definitely occasions in CrossFit where going heavier could actually be harmful for me; in this occasion, I believe the opposite to be true. NOT going heavier this morning was more harmful for me.
But hey, that's what I love about CrossFit, versus alot of the other workouts out there today. For me, it can be such a humbling and motivating experience and it always leaves me wanting more. Sure, I wasn't happy with my efforts this morning; but I've identified what I wasn't happy with, and I just plan another date with Ms. "Grace" for sometime in the near future. And I know for damn sure that next time, I'll go 'All Out', no matter which box I'm at.
You can't get that from doing bicep curls in the mirror.....
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