Tag Archives: crossfit

Don’t Be So Serious

12 Tuesday May 2015

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CrossFit is all about the competition, right?! We set a clock every day, whether it’s counting up or counting down, we are trying to beat the clock. We compete against other athletes in the world, in our town, in our own gym, and most importantly, we compete against ourselves. There is always something or someone to beat. Most CrossFitters love it. We crave that competition. We check the whiteboard before and after each class. We talk to our friends about their performance. We see how we compare. It’s all in good fun. Usually there is not a lot of pressure, but this CrossFit stuff is all about measurable progress. We have to see how we measure up. But, does it always have to be like this? Is it always about progress and personal records? Absolutely not. Sometimes you have to come in to the gym, and get back to the basics of why you began this journey in the first place.

The other day our gym had a Non-Functional Friday. I hear this is not a new idea, but it was something different for us. It was an opportunity for us to get rid of all the “stress” of performing. This day wasn’t about CrossFit. We were going to do a workout, but we were going to have fun, while being safe, of course. We did typical “globo gym” movements like tricep kick backs, and barbell curls. We never set a clock and made sure we spent lots of time chatting, getting water, and checking the mirror for muscle tone. It was hilarious. We had a great time. Were we back at the clock on Saturday? You betcha. Metcon for time. The way we like it. However, for that one day it was so nice to break it up, act silly (ab selfies and all), and have fun with your gym friends.

It is so easy in this world of CrossFit to get caught up in the progress and progression that we forget what this journey is all about. What we know, or should know, is there is not a stopping point. There will never be a moment in this sport that we are “there.” We will always be working on something else. This sport is constantly evolving, so it is so important to break it up every once in a while. I cannot tell you how many conversations I have had with people lately about how they feel “stuck” or like they are getting worse at CrossFit. We can start to break down mentally. That is why we have to take steps back sometimes. We have to let go of the clock, let go of the PR, let go of the whiteboard and just have fun.

This journey of fitness is all about you anyway. It’s your personal progress and times. It’s your body composition and lifting records. It’s not about anyone else, so let it go. Sure, there are times to focus. There are times to hit it hard. But, there are plenty of times we need to step back and laugh. We definitely need to take rest days. We have to allow our body to recover, but we also just need to have fun, even if it’s not programmed that way. Grab a buddy, scale back the weight, and have fun with that WOD. In the words of Ferris Bueller, “Life moves pretty fast. If you don’t stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it.”

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Change Your Mind

02 Monday Mar 2015

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For the last three years I have been working hard at changing my body and my mind. I CrossFit at least four times a week, I eat well (for the most part), and work daily at getting stronger. I have made huge changes in my physical and mental abilities in the last several years. I have written here, and other places, about how women should view their bodies. I have talked endlessly about embracing strength and reminded women countlessly to stop worrying about the scale. I know these things. However, it turns out that practicing it is a lot more difficult that just saying it.

Recently our box completed a nutrition challenge. I love these! It gives me a chance to refocus, and correct any bad habits that have crept in. Well, it turns out this time around I had created a lot of bad habits. I completed my “before” DEXA scan and learned that weight I had gained was not muscle as I had thought, but actually body fat. I had a lot to loose. So, I took my numbers, calculated my zone blocks and started my plan. Here was where I failed, despite speaking with our gym owners and listening to their advice of 11 blocks a day, I went for 10. What was one right? When I did the calculations my total ended up at 10.4. I rounded down. I remember good mathematics (kind of). This was my first mistake. I went through my first two weeks feeling great! I was loosing weight, which was exciting, and really feeling good. However, by the third week I was feeling really weak. I didn’t seem to have a lot of energy during strenuous workouts, but cardio is a weak spot for me anyway, so I trudged along. By the fourth week I felt like I was run over by a bus during each trip to the box. I couldn’t complete 20 wall ball shots without needing to sit down. I was not in good condition. I knew something needed to be switched around with my nutrition. I just wasn’t ready to admit that I had messed up. So, I went for my “after” DEXA scan and was shocked by the numbers. I walked in feeling like I was going to rock this scan. I had lost 8 pounds. Everyone was complimenting how great I looked. I was on top of the world, certain I was about to knock out some serious fat loss! False. While my scan showed a 1% fat loss, I had lost 6 pounds of muscle. Crap.

So, I left my scan feeling deflated, literally. I knew I hadn’t eaten enough. I talked with our owners, and knew what I needed to do, but it wasn’t until I spoke with a fellow athlete, who is also a nutritionist, that I really understood. He explained what physiologically happened. My body was in starvation mode. I have worked for the last three years to build muscle and be strong. I had not weighed myself, other than doctors appointments, in a year. (I used to weigh myself daily).I have preached endlessly about embracing strength, no matter your size, and I was starving myself.

Here’s where this turns in to true confessions. It has been two weeks since I have learned this, and I am struggling. I am trying to free myself from the mindset of the world. My 20 year old self keeps screaming in my head, “But you lost weight!!! Isn’t that the point!!! People think you are skinny!!” I am fighting all of my womanly instincts on this. I am eating more, and I feel tremendously better during my workouts. But, my inner society-conforming voice is terrified. What if I gain weight? What if I stop getting compliments? It’s ridiculous and my rational side understands that; nonetheless, I have spent 35 years listening to the magazines. I’ve been told, “don’t get too bulky.” So, here I sit. I’ve just completed dinner. It was healthy, zone portioned correctly, and satisfying, but I’m still concerned.

Women, we have to change our minds. We have to stop worrying about numbers and images. We have to focus on strength and progress. We have to worry about how we feel. Health is most important. Performance is most important. The rest will come. At what point do we stop caring about the Victoria Secrets models? When will we stop saying women with muscles are too “manly”? It’s not about size. It’s about health. So, help me. Join me in changing how we view women. Strength is beautiful, and athleticism is beautiful. When we all change our minds, the world changes with us.

Where Have You Been?

12 Thursday Feb 2015

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Life can be demanding. Most of the population of this world has jobs, family, friends, and a multitude of other obligations that keep us generally busy. Strangely enough, we are not just people who get to spend twenty hours a week at the gym perfecting our movements. We get it. You had to take some time off from CrossFit. Maybe you were injured. Maybe you were tired. Maybe you were on a month long trip to Europe (if that’s the case, we are a little bitter). Whatever the reason for your absence in the gym, it happens. We do, and should, have other things to do besides CrossFit, right? So, now you’ve recovered, rested, or returned from your trip. Great! Now what? Jumping back in can be a little scary, and a little frustrating. Here are some tips on how to jump in with both feet, without breaking your ankles.

Take it Slowly

You do not want to return, only to be sidelined again. Sure, our bodies are pretty capable machines; however, depending on the length of your absences, your endurance, strength, flexibility, or agility may not be at the level it once was. You do not want to walk in to the box on your first day back and attempt to PR Murph. Your coaches don’t want that either. It will take a little bit of time for your body to remember what this CrossFit stuff is all about. Don’t jump on the rig and try to knock out 50 unbroken pull-ups. That’s the quickest way to land you on another month long break, or worse. I’m not saying you have to go all the way to zero on your level of ability, but you need to take it slowly. Knock down the weight on your bar, shorten the number of pull-ups, maybe even knock a round off (make sure you talk to  your coaches about this… you don’t want to be a cheater!).  Muscle atrophy can occur rather quickly. It’s important to remember that while your mind may be ready, your body is not. Be smart.

Don’t Get Frustrated

When you left, you were killing it. Every workout was great. You were smoking the competition left and right. Now  you are back, and taking it slowly, and trying to breathe, and that new kid in the corner is running laps around you, sometimes literally. It can be frustrating. Here’s where that whole mental focus thing comes in. It won’t take years to get your muscle mass back, or your aerobic ability, so just be patient. So, maybe the new people are faster than you. Does it really matter? Nope. We go to the gym to be the best that WE can be, right? Don’t lose your mind, or your focus, on the fact that other’s are faster than you. It doesn’t matter. What matters is that you are improving your ability, doing it safely, doing it the right way, and taking care of you. Injuries happen. Life happens. Just walk back in and don’t worry about the “competition.” There will always be someone faster than you. It’s CrossFit.

Celebrate Your Success

When we are reconditioning ourselves to the gym, we can quickly forget that we are hitting milestones along the way. Maybe you are not at the level you were when you left, but you are making strides. We love to celebrate our successes when we are starting out. Coming back is no different. No matter what life circumstance took you out of the gym, there are always moments for celebration. Reaching your previous lifting weights, or getting that muscle-up back, or completing unbroken double unders are all causes for excitement. Don’t get bogged down in what you use to be able to accomplish. Enjoy the ride back up.

Life gets in the way. Things cause us to not be the gym rats we once were. It happens. The most important thing is that your walked back into the gym That you reclaimed what was once yours. Now is the time to focus not on what your once had, but what you can be. Take it slowly. You are not going to PR the first day (or week) back, nor should you. Focus on the journey. Focus on improvement. Focus on accomplishments. The rest of the stuff will come on its own.

Why You Shouldn’t be Scared of the Open

13 Tuesday Jan 2015

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It’s the most wonderful time of the year! Oh, you think I’m late? You think I’m referring to the Holidays? False. It’s Open Season! It’s that glorious time of year when we CrossFitters gather around our smartphones, tablets, and laptops, wait with anticipation as the WOD is released, and then marvel at how fast the elite athletes complete it. We make our yearly donation to CrossFit headquarters, sign up, make an athlete profile, and then wonder what in the world we were thinking. Hundreds of thousands of athletes sign up each year, and the tiniest percentage possible actually make it to Regionals. From there, an even tinier amount make it to The Games. But we watch, and participate, and see how we stack up. It’s all in good fun, right? So, why are you so scared to sign up?

We worry about being judged. We worry what our fellow athletes will say. We worry about people watching us. In the gym on a typical day, no one is watching (they are drowning in their own sweat), no one is talking about us, and no one is judging us (we are keeping track of our own reps and our own score). But now it’s official! Right?! Here’s the thing, if you’re doing it correctly and being true to your reps on any given day, the open isn’t any different. Don’t worry about the judge. They are there to help you, motivate you, and give you a break from counting. If it helps, just call them scorers. Feels a little easier to the ego!

Yes, the workouts are harder. There are no modifications in the open! If I can’t do something, I’m stuck there. So what! Chest to bar pull ups are my nemesis. I don’t know what it is, but I struggle greatly with them. Last year, the second workout in had chest to bar pull ups. There were to be several rounds of overhead squats and chest to bar pull ups. I knocked out my squats, and approached the pull up bar. I had somewhere around ten minutes to complete chest to bar pull ups. I got 4. FOUR. I struggled and pulled and failed and screamed and celebrated. I was mad and elated at the same time. That was the most chest to bar pull ups I had ever done. I was so proud of every single one of those, and when time was called, I was still on that bar, fighting for every rep. I didn’t quit or call it a loss. I kept fighting. It taught me so much about myself, and a weakness I had. Each WOD has a story like that for me, and countless other athletes. Am I ever going to make it to The Games? No. But, I’m a better athlete because of them.

The Open enhances the community of CrossFit more than you can imagine. Right now you come in the gym every day at your “usual” time and hang out with the “usual” crew and have a good time. There is nothing wrong with that. I’m a nooner. I love my noon crew. Generally, when you have athletes competing in The Open, there is a different block of time set aside. You come in during that time, with a whole group of athletes, and compete together. It not only allows your to meet new people, but to learn from other athletes, and develop a new bond. Not only do you suffer through daily WODs, but now you’ve survived The Open together. It’s a union that is not quickly forgotten. You get to see how other athletes perform, find out what tricks and tips they have up their sleeves. You get to learn more about how we function as a community, and continue that bond of friendship.

So, this year, don’t be afraid. Forget about the judges and the WODs. Forget about the skills you aren’t good at, or how slow you may be. This is about achievement, strength, and community. This is about learning who you are as an athlete and learning from other athletes. This is about fellowship and fun, and pushing yourself to limits you didn’t know where possible. So make a donation to CrossFit headquarters and throw your hat in the ring. You won’t be disappointed.

Ready, Set, Goal!

31 Wednesday Dec 2014

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It’s that time of year again! The time we sit down to reflect on what the last year looked like. The time we sit down to wonder what the next year will hold. In the midst of reflection we see our joys and triumphs, but we also see those things that didn’t quite work out for us. We get to decide what things we want to tackle in the upcoming year. In the world of CrossFit, this could be a long list of movements, weights, and times. Whatever it is you are working on, the time is now!

Everyone needs to set a goal. They can be big goals, they can be little goals, but they need to be there. The difference between the exercisers and the athletes are that athletes have goals. We are CrossFitters. We are athletes. So, what are you working on? Have you finally figured out  the form of a clean and jerk, and now it’s time to add some weight? Do you watch butterfly pull-ups with ravenous envy? Is it time to throw your hat into the competition ring? Whatever it is, you need to sit down and make a list of things you want to accomplish. Here’s the catch though, you can’t just make a list. There are certain components to making a goal list. That’s what separates it from a wish list.

When you sit down to decide on your goals, you will have two types: short term and long term. You are going to have some goals that you only need a month to work on them, and others you are going to work all year, or maybe even longer. It is important to break them up into sections, and work on a few things at once. Come in to the gym every day and work on a set skill. Once that is accomplished, move on to the next thing. You want to make sure that you break them up into manageable chunks. The reason most goals are not accomplished is because we get overwhelmed with the process. By distinguishing between short term and long term, you have a more directed focus and a more direct path to accomplishing those goals.

Goals have time limits. In CrossFit, we live and die by the clock. Goal setting is no different. It is really easy to say you want to add 20 pounds to your snatch. What does that mean? Some time in the next twelve months? Put a date on it. By June 30th I will snatch X pounds. This puts some pressure on you to accomplish it. It gives you a point to focus on. It gives you drive. If that goal doesn’t get mastered by the time you set on it, not big deal. Make a better plan, change the date and keep working. Without a time limit or a set date, it makes it really easy to push it back and not work on it. Know that date is looming out there, and crush the goal before time expires.

Accountability is key to tackling a goal list. You can make a list and tuck it in your underwear drawer and move on. If no one knows what your goals are, no one will know if you don’t accomplish them, right? Don’t be that guy. Share your goals with your friends, with your trainers, with the gym! The good news is, 918 CrossFit is bringing back the goal board! In our new space we will have the goals board posted for each month. Write your goal up there, and ask for your gym-mates to hold you accountable. Not only does it give you someone to answer to, but it give you a whole mess of people to celebrate with when that goal gets erased off the board!

As with anything we do in the gym, we want to be effective and efficient. Set goals that are realistic, manageable, and challenging. Push yourself to new levels, and hold yourself accountable. Face your goals with excitement, determination, and honesty. Now, go make that list, and this time next year you will be astounded by what you can do.

Run? I Thought You Said Rum!

26 Tuesday Aug 2014

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Anyone who has worked out with me, near me, or in a five mile radius of me, knows I HATE running. Hate. I’ve never been good at  it. The entire time I run, from a short 200 Meters to 3 miles, my mind repeats a chorus of “This sucks.” Running is my nemesis.

As I type this, many of my friends are running very long distances. I have several friends running the 2014 Hood To Coast in Oregon. It is a very long twelve person relay from Mount Hood to Seaside, Oregon. I also have several friends running the Seawheeze Marathon in Vancouver. I have watched several of them train over the last several months. I have watched them sweat, breathe, and ache into their goals. Through their training, I have been inspired. Now, hold on! I’m not running a marathon, or long distances or anything. I mean, Rome wasn’t built in a day, right?

Here is the realization I have come to recently. It was after a week’s worth of endurance WODs at my CrossFit box. After each ridiculously slow performance, I was laying on the floor, trying to catch my breath, talking to my friends who had finished minutes ahead of me. I was frustrated. I was tired. I felt old. I was screaming in my head, “I work out four days a week minimum. Why on Earth am I struggling so badly?!” As I came home on a Thursday afternoon, feeling really sorry for myself, I had an epiphany.

The epiphany started  as I was thinking about my lifting. I was proud of how far had come. There was a time, when I started, that the bar was just fine. No plates, just the bar. Then I started adding a little weight, but my goal on my power clean was 65#. That was the weight that was programed most of the time, and I was dying to achieve that pretty little RX next to my name on the whiteboard. So I worked, and I worked, and one day, I was able to clean 65#. Here I am, at least two years removed from that moment. I can clean 65# very quickly and easily. It’s not even a thought in my mind. So, how did I get to that point? Work. I did the programming at the box, of course, but I also worked on my lifts on my own, after class or on a rest day. I worked on it.

Why do I think running is going to be any different? Now, I am a much better runner than I was 3 years ago when I first walked in to the CrossFit box. I couldn’t even run the 400 meter warm up run back then. That has obviously changed; however, I am still super slow. So, that’s where I am now. Time to work on my running. Several days a week, before or after a WOD, I’m going to be running.

I’ve learned through my three year CrossFit journey, if you want to get better at something, you have to do the work. Success is never going to fall in your lap. I’ve designed a schedule for me, and will follow the CrossFit endurance program (thanks to our awesome trainers at 918 CrossFit) and I’m going to run. A lot. If anyone wants to run with me, come on (you just better be slow) or at least be there to provide oxygen when I finish.

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My Inner Voice is a Wh*re, and Yours is Too

23 Monday Jun 2014

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This was a day that my inner voice was winning.

This was a day that my inner voice was winning.

Photo Credit: 918 Crossfit
 

Sorry for the expletive in the title, but it’s true. Seriously, mom, I’m sorry. Don’t text me how inappropriate it was. There was no other word that was correct.

I have known that my inner voice was a big fat liar (see, it doesn’t quite have the same impact) for a very long time. The only problem is that this voice is very convincing. You know the one. It’s the voice that begins to scream maniacally during your workout. Sometimes the screaming begins at the start of the workout, sometimes it begins in the middle of the workout; nevertheless, it always happens. As most of you know, I have been doing CrossFit for three years (my anniversary was just last weekend). I really thought by this point the inner voice would become more quiet or subdued, but she keeps getting louder. I have searched often for articles about mental toughness. I have sought tips on how to improve my mental game. I have even joked with my coaches about needing a sports psychologist, an idea I still haven’t ruled out. The mental part of my game is the absolute weakest part.

I have talked often on here about letting the opinion of others get to me, and only recently discussed that with my age, that pull is loosening it’s grip on me, and that’s true. But that voice keeps screaming at me during my WODs. You know the one. It’s the voice who tells you to quit, the one who tells you that you can’t do any more pull ups or  your hands are going to rip off. The one who tells you that three rounds are fine, and there is no real reason to do five. Just quit. You’re tired. You’re never going to beat____ (fill in the blank with the name of the person you are chasing).  Does anyone else have this voice?  Surely it can’t just be me.

So, why am I writing this? To lament? To complain? No, along with my new found social freedom, I am losing the ability to listen to my inner voice. I have simply stopped caring what she says. I have realized that she is, in fact, a whore. When she begins to tell me I’m not good enough, I tell her it’s how I learn. When she tells me I’m not strong enough, I push out a few more reps. When she tells me that rep was good enough, I “no rep” myself and try again.

Just today I did a WOD that kicked my rear. It is full of my weaknesses, but things I am trying to improve, so I work on them. To those familiar with CrossFit, I completed Mary: 20 minutes AMRAP of 5 Handstand Push ups; 10 Pistols (1 legged squats) and 15 pull ups. I was slow. I got stuck in the bottom of my right leg pistols most of the time, and had to redo them. I got stuck on my strict pull ups. And, instead of saying “close enough” or moving on to the next rep, I redid that rep. My inner voice was screaming at me to call it done. To move on. But I didn’t. My score was low. It was not impressive, but it was mine. It was reflective of the work I have put in on some of my weakest skills. It shows me where I am and where I need to go.

My inner voice does not know me at all. She does not want me to succeed. She’s too weak to keep up with me, and she needs to learn to shut her mouth. When I shut her out of my head, I can go further. I become better. The only way to be better in this crazy sport is to train your weaknesses. Confronting the skills that hold us back, slow us down, and make us write crappy scores on the whiteboard. Does it suck? Sure. Can I make a million excuses? Yes, and some days I try. But, every day I walk into the gym, remind myself my inner voice is a whore, and workout. I have no problem telling her she sucks. Maybe one day she will just give up. Personally, I hope she does.

You’ve Got Some Kool-Aid on Your Shirt.

28 Wednesday May 2014

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I have seen four articles today about CrossFit. Two of them were very con and two of them were in response to those. I’ve seen my friends’ social media sites blow up in response to these articles. As you can guess, I’m friends with a lot of Crossfitters. I’m also friends with a lot of people who do not do CrossFit. Strangely enough, I do not discriminate.

So, the gist of these anti-CrossFit articles are as follows: “It’s really unsafe and those who do CrossFit are just going to get hurt and are in some sort of cult.” Ok, so I may be paraphrasing, so ignore the quotation marks… but still. That is the point. For the sake of being fair to my readers here is one of the articles. I have decided to throw my hat in the ring of “those who blog to defend CrossFit.” Enjoy.

Many of the points of this article is that it is dangerous and people can get hurt. And to that I say, yes. Yes they can. I agree with you Erin. CrossFit can be dangerous IF you don’t know what you are doing. IF you don’t listen to your body. IF you don’t listen to your coaches. IF you don’t have a good coach. There are easy ways to remedy these situations. I’ll start at the back and work my way forward.

Is your coach in the room when you are working out? If the answer is no, you don’t have a good coach. Is your coach paying attention to the athletes while they are working out? If the answer is no, you don’t have a good coach. Is your coach correcting form and range of motion for athletes as they are working out? If the answer is no, you don’t have a good coach. Surely, you get the drift at this point.

Are you listening to your coach? Did they tell you to start light and work your way up? Did they tell you to focus on form first before you try to max out the lift/move/weight? If they did, and you didn’t listen, that my friends is on you. Have you ever worked out before, but think you will try to do 25 kipping pull-ups even though you can’t do one strict one, then that, my friend, is on you. Coaches are there for a reason. Don’t cry foul for an injury you caused.

Are you listening to your body? Is your shoulder pulsing with pain every time you put it over your head? Is your knee burning every time you squat? Are you just plain tired? Then stop. Rest. Quit. Do whatever you need to do to make the pain stop. There is always going to be pain in athletics. You are always going to be tired and have some muscle fatigue. That is part of pushing yourself, but only YOU know your body and what it can handle. If you get to the end and realize you could have pushed through that a little harder, then next time do it, but you have to do what is best for you. We watch the Games competitors on our iPads and T.V.s and know they are pushing through the pain, and think “I can do that,” but see, I can’t. You know why? Because, I don’t train 8 hours a day everyday. If I did, I would be more aware of my limits and thresholds. I don’t try to overhead squat 135lbs because I can’t even jerk 135lbs. I know my limits. If you don’t, again, that, my friend, is on you.

Another point to Ms. Erin’s story is that CrossFit is some kind of cult. You’re right. It is. Here’s the deal. You can’t do what we do every day, sweat, bleed, and cry next to each other without some bonding. We stare at the whiteboard together and feel the same fears, anxieties, excitements, and pain. We know how awful 100 burpees are, and we cry through them together. We make eye contact with our fellow athletes, shake our heads, and keep going, because they are. We applaud those super fast scores, as well as the super slow scores, because we did it. Sure, there are some athletes that come in, “do” a workout, crap out on range of motion or reps, and post incorrect scores or reps, but that’s on them. That’s not the sport’s problem. That’s the athlete’s problem. We are a cult because we know. We have been in the trenches with each other and faced our weaknesses. We talk about it all the time because it’s what we do. It’s alive inside of us.

If it’s not your thing, that’s fine. It doesn’t have to be. There are plenty of ways to be active in this world. You can run, do yoga, go to a barre class, go to a globo gym, or walk in your neighborhood. There is no wrong or right way to do something, but don’t hate on us because it’s what we like to do. I’ve generally learned that when someone is hating on something else it is generally out of jealousy. So, I’m sorry Erin Simmons that you are jealous of what we can do. I hope you find fitness success elsewhere. Do us all a favor, and stay out of our box.

The pic above is some of the members of my cult. The awesome athletes of 918 CrossFit. Photo Credit to 918 CrossFit.

Size Doesn’t Matter

01 Tuesday Apr 2014

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From the time I was 10 years old I have been aware of my size. I have always known how much I weigh and what size I am wearing. Sometimes it has been a bit of obsessive (read: all of the time it has been a bit obsessive). I have always worked out, watched what I ate (or at the very least was aware of what I was eating). I can tell you the caloric content of almost anything. Go on, test me… bag of M&Ms? 250 calories. Arby’s Roast Beef… 350 calories. A piece of wheat bread… 60 calories. I’ll stop. It’s annoying. 

It was this obsession that led me to CrossFit. I have done about every other workout regimen. A friend of mine dabbled in it a bit, and her in-laws opened a box. Sure, why not. I’ll bite. So, I’ve already talked about that first workout. I won’t go down that path again. But, I will say again, CrossFit has changed my life. One of the main ways it has changed my life is how I view food. I LOVE to eat. Seriously, it is my favorite thing to do, but I do not let it control me. I am not obsessed with the caloric content of anything. I eat real food. I stay away from some things, have some glorious cheat meals, and indulge from time to time. I’m in the best shape of my life. Here’s the issue: while I am  the same size as far as measurements, I am the heaviest I have ever been (excepting my two pregnancies, of course).

The inner obsessive girl struggles with this. I went to the doctor today to have my back readjusted after the hellish 5 weeks that was the CrossFit Open, but of course, before I could go into the room, they had to weigh me. Lovely. I stared at the number in disbelief. It’s tough to see, but my inner dialogue immediately began the diatribe of “it’s mostly muscle,” and “think about your body fat percentage not your weight.” And I did, but as you see from this blog, it still bothers me. I have 32 years of thinking this way, and have been wrestling the last two with changing this. I think this is a common struggle with a lot of CrossFit girls. Some of us have spent years in search of the thigh gap and a protruding collar bone. Now we are combating quads for days, a big butt from squats, and the shoulders that would make the shoulder pad fad of the 80’s really easy. 

Don’t get me wrong, I am in love with what my body can do. I can squat thirty pounds more than my body weight, deadlift my body weight and a half, and can ALMOST clean my body weight (I need to work on that). I have not reached my goals yet, but I’m getting closer. But, I digress. I’m strong and I love it, but with that strength comes a mass I’m not used to, and that society is not used to. We talk about being “bulky” and “manly” and worry about how other’s view us. We need to start focusing on what our bodies can do, not how well our bodies fit with society.

If we began to do this, we would stop worrying about the size of the clothes we wear, because frankly no one has any idea what size your clothes are. Once they are on we can no longer see the tag, so wear what fits, right? It’s much better to wear  clothes that fit our bodies, than squeeze into clothes that don’t, simply so we can say, “I’m a size X”. Pointless, right? Not to mention it’s not cute. Psst, you actually look bigger in close that are too small. Again, I digress. If you live in a world where you have to tell people what size you wear, you need to find a new place to live. Sometimes you have to size up because your quads are too big, or you have to size down because your chest is too small. It doesn’t matter if  you are in a size 2 or a size 10, if your thighs touch or your cleavage doesn’t. What matters is what your body can accomplish. How well you perform at the tasks you wish to perform.

So, let’s embrace our quads, hams, glutes, biceps, triceps, and lats. Let’s enjoy what we do, and look good coming and going, no matter what size your shorts are, or which way the scale tips. Be happy with who you are and what you can do, and go kick some ass.

Photo Credit: Olivia Fortin Crossfit girl. Via Lorri Anne

Open For Business

07 Friday Mar 2014

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As many of you may know, last week was the beginning of the CrossFit Open. The Open is a 5 week worldwide competition. Anyone who does CrossFit, no matter where you do CrossFit, can compete in the open. The workouts are posted online, in quite a dramatic fashion, and then you have about 5 days to complete the workout, scored by a certified judge. I saw an infographic yesterday stating that over 209,000 people participated last week in the competition. All of these people are vying for 20 spots in the CrossFit Games, held this summer. It’s really pretty amazing.

So, I’ve been CrossFitting for a couple of years. I started as a 31 year old who thought she was in shape, and I am now a 34 year old who is in better shape, but is very aware of her weaknesses! My gym, the amazing 918 Crossfit, has about 50 people competing in the Open. I am one of them. I’m not last, but I’m certainly not first.

The day our gym had chosen to complete the open workout came, and it was snowing and icing. My family came first that day. I couldn’t make it to the gym. So, I went in on Monday and completed it that day. I grabbed a friend to score (not judge) me, grabbed my rope, and set up my barbell. One of the elements of this workout is certainly one of my weaknesses. Double Unders…. they hate me. Honestly, it’s mutual. So, for those who may not know, a double under is jumping rope. Basically, you are swinging the rope twice and jumping once. It involves a lot of cardio. Not one of my strongest aspects. So, 3, 2 1… Go. I’m in. Double unders all the way to 25. Sweet! I can’t breathe, but I got there. Four more, done. Now on to the barbell. This part is good. I can do this. 15 snatches done. I went slowly, trying to strategize. Fail. Round 2 came, 30 more double unders. I tripped over the rope 750 times, and finally got my 30 reps. Crap. Barbell, faster this time. Better. Round 3 and 30 more double unders. Slow, but we got there. Barbell, again. Wait, I only have 30 seconds left. Ok. Fast. Last rep completed as the time expired. Done. Sweet.

Those of you who do CrossFit understand that moment the workout ends. Exhaustion and pain flow through your body. So tired you don’t know what to do with your legs or your arms. So, as I laid on the ground, trying to breathe, the doubt began to come. Crap, I only got 135 reps. That’s not great. It’s not awful, but it’s not great. I begin to ask some of the other competitors around me what their scores were. 200’s and 300’s. Super. Defeat. More pain. But, wait. I did it. Not everyone did. I’m not great, no. I’m never, ever, ever going to make it to the games. This is know. For a fact. So, I’m going to bask in the glory of completing the workout.

That’s the beauty of the Open. As I stated earlier, I saw that over 209,000 people participated. Only .1 percent actually get in the games. The average reps for women who entered scores worldwide was 180. The girl who won the event got 472. We are comparing ourselves to superhuman athletes. These people who do nothing but train for the games, all the time. That’s not what I do, nor is it what I want to do. It’s great for them, not for me.

So, now what? We move on to 14.2. Chest to bar pull ups (pull ups where your chest touches the bar instead of simply getting your chin over the bar) and overhead squats. Overhead squats, sure! Chest to bar pull ups, nope. If anyone has some big boobs I could borrow, I would greatly appreciate it. I may as well be a man. True story. Unfortunately, I don’t have the arm strength they do. So, boo. But, I’ll do it. As many as I can. That’s the point of the Open. Only a handful of people will achieve the goal of the games. I am cheering so loudly for them. My goal is to do the best I can, and work on my weaknesses (there is a LONG list). I’m going to complete 14.2, be happy with the minimal reps I get, and cheer on my friends, one of who is ranked 9th in our region!

This is the beauty of the Open. It’s not to win, not even to win in your gym, it’s to push yourself past your comfort zone. Hell, let’s face it, that’s the point of CrossFit.