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.

Off Your Knees or CrossFit Basic Training, Round 2

Five of us gathered in the lobby before class and we all had the same question: Are you sore?

Two of us were still sore post-yoga and Epsom Salt. Seeing that I was still walking down the stairs sideways, I had no idea how I was going to negotiate round two.

Instead of Leeny and Libbie, it's Leeny and Laurie running things for round two...

Warm-Up

30 seconds of stepping up on a rather industrial-size box

30 seconds of the Russian Step Up (one leg remaining on box while the other touches the ground then knee up)

30 seconds of jumping jacks

30 seconds of Russian Step Up with other leg

30 seconds of criss cross jumping jacks

30 seconds of mountain climbers

shoulder rotations...then super planks

plank jacks

We do pull-ups with human-size rubber bands and we practice on the rings which are not so friendly the second time around; rings dips are crazy.

How do you do a deadlift? Glad you asked. Make sure your shoestrings are under the bar, get the bar next to your shins, butt out, chest out, stare at the logo on the wall and, if you're me, Laurie's gonna correct your sorry form. My problem might have started with the lack of shoestrings.



During swings, I get more of Laurie's attention. I'm gonna get you a towel. She also gets me a 25 pound kettlebell because, apparently, I wildly swung the 20 pound one. She loops the towel through the kettlebell (a technique she uses with men) and I try to practice better form. I swing the 25 pounder and the momentum almost carries me back which prompts one of my classmates to mock cough and say Epsom Salt...

18...15...12...Time Priority

18 Swings

18 Push-Ups

18 Slams

15 Swings

15 Push-Ups

15 Slams

12 Swings

12 Push-Ups

12 Slams

Before we start on 18...15...12, we discuss logistics. A classmate wants to know if we get tired, can we switch to doing knee-style push-ups and Laurie quickly said:

I don't let people do them on their knees. If someone does push-ups on their knees, that means they've been doing it that way their whole life.

Apparently, Laurie wants to free your mind...

I decide to do push-ups on the bar that goes across the weight bench. Laurie corrects me on that one too. Later, she wants me to try doing a push-up with one of those human-size rubber bands attached to the pull-up bar and I actually like this method better.

I feel punch-drunk and I'm the last one to finish 18...15...12. I stagger but I manage not to do a push-up on my knees. Now, if I can just remember all that stuff about proper form...