I've Got Muscles

Checked the CrossFit schedule and noticed that an open house/open gym overlapped with BodyGo Row. I almost emailed Laurie to see if there was a mix-up but figured that we'd be just about finished with class by the time the open house started and that we didn't warrant that much attention that an open house was an impossibility towards the end of class.


The Mission

Row for 200 Meters

Eight Figure Eight Kettlebell Swings + Eight Push-ups

200 Meters

Eight Figure Eight Kettlebell Swings + Eight Push-ups...

Laurie asked Keri if she was going to use the human-size rubber bands for her push-ups and she set up a bar on the weight bench for me.

I decided, though, that eight push-ups were doable even if I had to do them slow.

The figure eight kettlebell situation stumped me more than the push-ups.

For our next mission, we rowed tabata style and, after that, we rowed for a minute then hopped on and off to do:

Slams (20)
Wall Balls (20 with 12 lb Ball)
Box Jumps (25)
Burpee Pull-Ups
Sit-Ups (35)
Ring Dips (20)
Walking Lunges...

I started with the box jumps because I figured that I wouldn't have the wherewithal to finish them towards the end and I was right. Next, I took on sit-ups then ring dips. While I was on the rower, Leeny (there for the open house) spotted me. Leeny was one of our coaches during basic training.

The last thing that I worked on during that 12 minute session was wall balls and Leeny joined me -- right by my ear -- imploring me to continue. Oh. My. God. I almost fell sideways. And, for the record, it is extremely hard to quit when someone is enthusiastically, loudly and firmly urging you on.

Laurie asked me if I was able to finish with 500 meters. I hopped back on the rower. Leeny got next to Connor pushing him to finish by a certain time. Then she came over to me to cheer me on and moved on to Keri to help her finish.

I wished my classmates a good night and headed toward the rock climbing gym to meet up with Mike, Lisa, Patti and Erin, a newbie climber. For some reason, I feel like I climb better after rowing -- maybe it's an adrenaline thing...


Earlier in the day, I thought about my weight -- how it's going up. I'm pretty sure that some of the gain really is muscle but I also feel the need to count calories again.

Mike, who hadn't seen me in a while, said that I looked smaller. It was really nice to hear that today.

And Laurie is funny. Whenever she introduces me to a new coach or another CrossFitter, she tells them that I'm strong and usually refers to my dubious kettlebell technique as proof. I don't care; I've got muscles.

Hard To Sit Out

Googled " sore...should I...exercise." Surprised that I haven't settled on a definitive answer before now.

My quads and glutes are still sore from boxing class on Monday. You would think that the yoga class that I went to immediately after boxing and the yoga class that I went to yesterday would have helped alleviate the soreness but it didn't.

I took myself to BodyGo Row class and survived but when I saw Laurie write on the board, I groaned (inside) a little. Since I don't go to the regular CrossFit classes, I haven't been lifting weights and it takes me forever a minute or two or three... to get the coordination down.

Agenda:

Two minutes of rowing (damper at four)

10 Deadlifts (40 lbs?)

Two minutes of rowing (damper at six)

10 Hang Cleans (26 lbs, Laurie referred to these as Hand Cleans?)

Two minutes of rowing (damper at eight)

10 Catch Presses

Two minutes of rowing (damper at ten)

20 Swings

Rowing Drills

8 Deadlifts
8 Hang Cleans
8 Catch Presses
8 Swings

Ab Work

I didn't hit myself in the face with a kettlebell while doing catch presses so I'll count tonight as a success. Looking forward to reading while soaking in Epsom Salt. In all honesty, I don't think that I was completely amped to exercise and I was looking for an out when I Googled exercising while sore but it's hard for me to sit out...



Postscript: Tried to do a pull-up but, apparently, the bar at the CrossFit box is much higher than the one at the playground.

Another Day, Another Wound

Saw a new BodyGo Row evening class at CrossFit. The description said that it was rowing mixed with kettlebells and lunges. Perhaps a kinder and gentler way to get back into CrossFit...

Had my eyes on BodyGo Row for days and finally signed up for the class this morning. I was nervous as all get out on the way there. It was a small group so that made me feel better until the board was explained.

Five... three minute intervals:

15 Kettlebell Swings (25 lbs)
5 Toes to Bar
5 Shoot-Throughs

After finishing with the KBs, T2Bs and Push-Throughs, the remainder of the time in each interval was spent rowing.

Thanks to the woman who let me have the higher situations for the Push-Throughs because it made the maneuver easier...

At some point in the program, Laurie (instructor) saw that I was struggling and suggested that I go from kettlebell swings to rowing. It wasn't like I was getting my toes to the bar anyway. As I was working on the intervals, I thought "My God, I need to get in shape just to do CrossFit," a shocking thought when you feel like you're in shape.

After the interval series, we did The Farmer's Walk around the building. I had a 30 pound kettlebell in each hand and I kinda like The Farmer's Walk. We had to hop up on the deck to get back in and that's when my leg hit a bolt. I knew it was there but I was so intent on hopping on the deck that I got beside myself.

Deck Souvenir
After my first attempt, Laurie was like It's like getting out of the pool then You can go through the door. I was like no thanks but I thought hell naw. Did she think a bolt to the leg would deter me? I hopped up on the deck, picked up my kettlebells, strapped my feet in and started rowing again.

I asked the woman that was in class how long she's been doing CrossFit. She's been at it for two months and goes about five times a week. Maybe it really is in the brain.

At one point, we noted our calorie burn for one interval. I burned 36 calories and, as Laurie said, That was a lot of work for 36 calories. And the guy next to me said: Yeah, like six M and M's.