Work

I stumbled across this article yesterday that I posted on Facebook because I think the theme is on point. It is absolutely what I needed to read. I cannot become successful overnight. It is going to take a lot of work for me to get where I would like to be. The results are not going to come in 2 weeks, or probably even 4 or 8. It's going to take everything I have to improve my standing and strength. It's going to take early morning wake up calls, long hours at the gym, doing things/movements that frustrate me, and time spent stretching and improving mobility.

I already know what my weaknesses are (gymnastics movements); I just need to nut up and work at them. I feel as though my coach knowing my less than stellar movements will help me because he won't let me not do them. I don't like L sits and so I avoided them like the plague. One of my first workouts with him included L sits. I want a muscle up and that will never happen if I don't get stronger or attempt. I haven't tried (and failed) to get a MU in well over a year. I am fairly certain I'll see muscle up progression in an upcoming workout.

 This is just giving me more room for improvement...right?

Week 2

Monday: 

• Press: up to 5x3 at 60#
• Assistance Work: Parellette Pushups 3x8, KB Bent Row: 3x6 with 1 pood KB
• Conditioning: 3 rds: 30 1 pood swings in 1 minute, rest 1 minute.

Tuesday: 

• Oly: Hang Power Snatch: 4x6 @63#
• Conditioning: AMRAP 7 minutes: 1 rope climb, 15 unbroken wallballs - 4 rds

Wednesday at Aspen, not 402: 

• Deadlift: *did it wrong but* 5x3 @175

Thursday:

• Conditioning:

1. 3x15 seated box jumps from 20" box to 24" box, rest 45 seconds between. Rest 2 minutes. 200 Double unders then 2 minutes to find 1RM Jerk - 113. I failed at 123. (sad face)
2. Mini-Cindy: 10 min AMRAP: 5 pullups, 10 hand release pushups, 15 squats - 6 rds + 4 pullups

• Mobility: a lot

Friday: 

• Squat: 5x3 @125
• Bench: 5x3 @ 73
• Assistance Work: RDL 3x10 @93#, 2x40 situps, 20 hollow rocks, HSPU Negatives, Shrugs 3x10 @93, Banded Shoulder External Rotation 3x10 with purple band

This last week really kicked my ass. I (easily) convinced myself to not go to 6:30am class on Wednesday; this morning was very difficult to muster the strength to roll out of bed. Regardless of my willingness, I still did the lifts I was scheduled to do. Part of my lack of desire to go may have to do with how heavy these weights feel and how sore I have been the last 2 weeks. I know that these things will pass, but it's a hard sell at this point. I don't have more energy, I am not moving more weight, I don't look better in jeans. Moral of the story: I have to work to get what I want. It is not going to be handed to me. There are going to be a lot of temptations. It is going to take a long time. In the end, though, I will see the results and get to the point I am expecting myself to go. End of story. 

Motivation

One of my biggest struggles when working out, training or otherwise, is a lack of motivation. I don't really set goals and I don't have a driving force. I know I am never going to be as strong as Annie T, as fast as Kristan C, or look as good in a sports bra and shorty shorts as Camille L-B. One of the first things Mike asked me was why I wanted to do this; I didn't have an answer. At first, I didn't think that was a big deal. I want to work out to not be fat and want to strive for something. However, the more I think about it, the more concerned I am that I don't have an answer. I don't know why I am putting myself through this (shit) for 12 months.

I am excited about it. I want to not be a fat ass. I want to achieve something I crapped out on previously in my life.  I want to be in fantastic shape (and be 95% Paleo) when I get pregnant, whenever that may be. Those are true, but none are actual motivating factors. Those things are easily overlooked when my alarm is going off at 5am so I can get up, get the dog out, and to the gym by 6.

Somehow, I have overcome that for the last 2 weeks. I know 2 weeks isn't much, but it's more waking up at 5 than I've done, I believe, my whole life. The more strength I do, the more I realize how much room I have for improvement. I realize how much better so many things in my life are when I am active.When I try and "train" on my own, I half ass workouts and end up talking myself out of going 4 days a week, my unearned rest days; when I am in a gym with people expecting me to show up and do relatively well, I go. It's surprising how much better a workout can make a day.

So, Mr. Brownfield, I figured out what my motivational factors are. Unfortunately, they cannot be measured or put on the whiteboard. I want to do this so I continually work out to improve my quality of life, improve the quality of life for those around me, and improve the lives of my future children.

I had the realization that I don't need to be the strongest or the fastest right now. I have plenty of room and time for improvement. If I fall short, at least I tried. This is something I want to do for me.

Little Rusty

Apparently, after not continuously working out for over a year, getting back into the swing of things is not the most enjoyable. I am sore in places I have (on purpose) not been sore for a long time. It is really simple to not do the lifts I don't like when I am doing my own programming. I was stuck in a lunge, DB clean, and double under rut. Luckily, I found a way out of said rut. Mike is ruthless, in a good way. I will mention in passing that I don't like L sits, and guess what is in my next metcon: stupid L Sits. I realized in my first week of training that I need to watch what I say around him...

Last week, before a much needed vacation to Salt Lake City, I did my baseline for the strength program. It is the same program I did at UNO a few years ago, so it should be an easy adjustment. Although my numbers weren't huge, it gave me a starting point...and plenty of room for improvement. Mike let me find my 3ish RM instead of 1 rep; I think I complained enough about a 1 rep that he caved. For some reason, I can do roughly 10 reps at 90% of my 1rep, but cannot increase my 1rep. Silliness. My numbers were (please hold your applause till the end of the program):

Press: 73#x3

Deadlift: 185# x3

Squat: 155# x2

Bench: 88# x3

I warned you that they were less than superior. Thank goodness I have no where to go but up. I also have a goal of getting a strict handstand pushup and muscle up (kipping or strict) by the end of this year. 

Week 1 of Training

Tuesday: 

• Press: up to 3x5 at 58#
• Oly: Hang Squat Snatch: 4x8 @43#
• Assistance Work: Parellette Pushups 3x10, KB Bent Row: 3x8 with baby KB
• Conditioning: 3 rds: 30 DU, 15 Burpees - 6:05

Wednesday: 

• Deadlift: up to 150x5
• Assistance Work: Rear Leg Elevated Split Squat 3x8 @43#, GHD 3x15
• Conditioning: 3 rds: 250 row, 150 barbell squat jumps - 7:25

Thursday:

• Conditioning: Ladder of wall walks, Ring L Sits, and per leg pistols - up to 4th rd
• Mobility: crap-ton

Friday: 

• Squat: 3x5 @118
• Bench: 3x5 @ 68
• Assistance Work: RDL 3x10 @83#, GHD 3x15, HSPU Negatives 3x5, Shrugs 3x10 @83, Banded Shoulder External Rotation 3x10 with purple band

Other than a few sore areas, I am pretty happy with how this week went. Most of my lifts felt really strong and I nearly got a kipping HSPU today and am pretty pumped about that. I have been lucky enough to get to the gym at different class times to meet other people. I know to get serious about my training, I will have to get more serious about the foods I am putting in my body. Right now, it's not the biggest concern for me. I'm not going around eating donuts and drinking all kinds of soda; however, it's just not as on point as I know it should or could be. 

One of my greatest allies in training will be my husband. He supports my goal of getting to Regionals next year 100%. It is going to be an adjustment in scheduling for the two of us, but we'll figure out a way around it. We already know it won't always be easy, but he'll be right by my side for this adventure, cheering me on the entire way. No matter what happens in the next 12-24 months, I know he'll be proud of me. 

I am pretty excited to have earned a couple days off this weekend. I am sure I'll end up doing something active, but I mostly want to sit on a couch with ice on my shoulder and in a cocktail for 2 days this weekend. 

Cheers!

Training for 2013

I was lucky enough to stumble in to Crossfit402 towards the end of 2011. Mike Brownfield is a great trainer and I knew I would fit in there well enough. The plan was to do Olympic lifts there a few times a month so I didn't lose that ability when I started doing easy metcons at Aspen Fitness and running with our new puppy in the mornings. I thought I burnt out with Crossfit: the hierarchy, the crazy heavy WODs, and the drama. I have since found out, I was just at the wrong gym.

402 is a great little community of athletes, solely there to make their lives a little healthier. Not many of them will ever see Regionals, let alone the Games. Not one person cares. They may not do main site WODs prescribed or be featured in commercials, but they have fun. That is the basis of all great gyms. That is why I stuck around.  I have fun when I am at that gym. It doesn't matter if/when I am the only girl at an Oly class, the guys treat me as an equal. They cheer just as loud for my 88# as they do for someone else's 188#. It's an atmosphere that promotes personal growth for everyone, not just a select few.

During one of my classes, Mike asked me if I wanted to start training for next year's Open, Regionals, and Games. It took a lot of thought. There are a lot of things I saw myself doing in the next 12 months, not that Crossfit alone will hinder any of those plans. I decided, however, that is was worth a shot; the worst that could happen is I end up in better shape than I am now. We sat down to discuss goals and strategies and worked out a plan. Although this is never where I imagined I would be this stage in my life, I am really excited to see where it takes me.

During the next year (or so), I will be posting on this blog. I want to have documentation that I truly put in 100% effort. I've tried training for regionals before, and ended up giving up about 1 month prior to the competition. I am going to give this my all. I have been around the Crossfit world for long enough that I know I have a long way to go, my strength especially. I have yet to decide if knowing that is a good thing or a bad thing. Either way, I have goals set and will do everything I can to achieve them.

So, sit back, read, and enjoy (and probably judge too).