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Deadlifts Killing Me at Crossfit

My ego is going to get me intro trouble. Day two of my On Ramp program with EverProven and I already think I can carry more weight than I should during dead lifts. That’s probably because I felt like a champ after back squatting 85 lbs (which is a funny story all in itself).

I showed up to my On Ramp class a little early and while I was waiting for coach Kate to finish up with someone else, coach Scott took some time to get me warmed up for my session. He’s brutally thorough in his explanations, but I’ve found it’s helped me be the comfortable with knowing what to do during lessons. He’s also one of the reasons I didn’t give up Crossfit entirely since he didn’t make me feel like I couldn’t keep up with everyone. (Not saying anyone did, he just approaches coaching with positive encouragement.)

So we did some squats, some ring rows, and then he introduced me to how I haven’t been doing push-ups correctly my entire life. Yup, me, who can throw down 15 without stopping, can’t even do two in a row now that I learned my elbows are in the wrong position. Tuck those suckers in.

Then Scott released me to Kate for back squats and was given the women’s bar (35 lbs) and 2 10-lb weights (total 55 lbs). And I squatted that like a champ. I forgot to take a video this time, so you’ll have to deal with this YouTube video I found to know what I was doing:

So the 55 pounds was fine, and we added another 5 lbs on either side of my bar, so I was up to 65, that was a little rougher, but still fine. Then Kate asked if I wanted to put on more weight and my ego said yes. So we grabbed some 10 pounds weights to replace the 5 lbs weights, except I didn’t take off the extra 5 lbs weight on my side. And I squatted, and I couldn’t understand why I was leaning to the left. It was heavy, but not that heavy. I felt like I was off center.

When I racked, I told Kate I wanted to go up, so she went to grab some 2.5 lb weights (she calls them cookies), and as she walked by my side of the bar, she saw my side and realized what had happened. I hadn’t back squatted 75 lbs, I had squatted 80 pounds. Whoops.

Realizing what happened, we popped the 5 lb weight on the right side to even out the bar to a total 85 pounds. And I shook a little with the weight, but I got all five reps in like I had with the other weights. So excited!

Then we went to my timed workout: deadlifts and wall balls.

I got cocky and started my 9-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1 rep workout with the 85 pound weight for deadlifts. Yeah, I learned my lesson quickly, only getting the first set of 9 reps in, then bailed, dropping the weight down to 75. Then could only do that for the 8 and 7 reps, and went down to 55 pounds. Light, but do able. By the final single rep round, I was literally crying out for someone to just take me out. So rough, but such a good workout.

I think keeping your form for that many deadlifts is key to not hurting yourself, and it’s super easy to lose form when all you want to do is quit. Finished in just over 10 minutes. Could have been faster if I hadn’t pushed myself on the weight. Lesson learned.

Metcon

Deadlifts and Ball Ball Rounds
Reps 9-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1 (Starting with 9 reps each your first round, then 8 your second, 7 your third, etc.)

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April 1, 2015 by
Fitness

I Got Robbed, Willingly, at Victoria’s Secret

They got me and I never saw it coming. I’ve been getting those “free panty” coupons in the mail for years and I’ve adamant about going in, getting just the panties and leaving.

Well, the other day we got the Victoria’s Secret Sports catalog in. I didn’t think too much of it until Andy threw it at me and stated that I needed to get a new pair of workout pants. I’m not entirely sure if it was because I started Crossfit again and he wanted me to fit in with the other girls, or if it was because there are actual holes in the thigh region of my yoga pants.

So I started flipping through it and kinda wanted to try a pair on. So when I went in to get my free panties, I snagged the only pair of their pants that would fit me, the only other sizes they had in store was XS, so apparently our shop sells out quickly. I send the above photo to Andy to confirm that yes, I could buy a pair of these. I was approved. The problem was, when I was in the fitting room, the sales associate told me if I bought sports bra, too, it was only going to cost me another $5.

So you’re telling me that I’m going to get a $54 sports bra for $5? Seriously? (Clearly I was not going to get one of the cheaper sports bra they had.)

That’s when all logic went out the window and I pulled out my Angels Card (yes, I have one and it sadly has the VIP logo on it). And somehow I ordered a pair of the Knockout Crops in a bright pink (I think, I can’t remember it was a blur). So in about a week we’ll see what color I actually ordered since the girl at the register could only show me a swatch of color and not what the entire pant would look like.

On the bright side, I’ll be one snazzy dressed Crossfitter at Everproven next week!

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March 30, 2015 by
Fitness

Crossfit | Back at it and the Clean

So I’m back to going to Crossfit at EverProven. I’m still scared, but I’m committing to it.

In February, I had started going to group classes after I passed (OK, rocked) the intro class. I liked it, for the most part. The reason I stopped going, though, was the weights. I was scared and really didn’t feel like I was doing the movements right and was afraid I was going to hurt myself.

I found I loved mentally competing with the others in my class, but when it came to the weights, I didn’t want to be there. Put me on the rower, give me box jumps, heck, I’ll even take you on with burpees. But don’t give me weights. Which unfortunately, is a HUGE part of Crossfit. One that I think many will find is the reason they don’t do Crossfit.

My new coach Katie said it perfectly, I was over thinking it. Every moment felt like a lifetime: the pull, the shrug, the flip of the wrists. I couldn’t just do even the clean without thinking that I was muscling up the weight and going to pull something.

So this morning I took my first On Ramp class: a one-on-one with a Crossfit coach. I’m not ashamed. Many look at the On Ramp program as if it’s only for those who can’t get through the intro, for those that are too “weak” to keep up with the rest of a full class. It’s not. All the basics are covered, and you get all of the attention of the coach. That was one of the things I struggled with during the group classes. While the coaches are great about trying to help everyone in the class, I still felt like I needed someone to work with just me during all the weight training.

So today we rowed (500 meters), stretched, then reviewed my enemy: the clean. And I learned something I never learned in class, I can actually do it. And I can do it with some weight on, enough that I won’t need the training bar during On Ramp program.

Katie started me with just 10 pounds added to the trainer bar. Did it without flinching, even kept the bar close to my body. Then she added on another 10 pounds. I did it again, focused on my form, the start, and the finish, letting my body do the motions without over thinking it. And I worked my way up, all the way to doing a clean with 55 lbs of weight (that includes the weight of the trainer bar). Huzzah!

I even had Katie tape one of my sets (the second to last one I did). And I finally saw what I wasn’t expecting. I thought I was flailing around, but clearly I’m not. I’ll have to get out of my head and I really think the On Ramp program will help me with that.

To top it off, I did my baseline Metcon in 10:26. Kinda set myself a slightly high bar and worried I pushed through too quickly just because my competitive side came out.  I have to do this again on my last day of the On Ramp program, so let’s hope I get quicker. Eekkk!

Metcon

Row 400 meters
21 reps of each (front squats, push-ups, ring rows)
15 reps of each (front squats, push-ups, ring rows)
9 reps of each (front squats, push-ups, ring rows)
Row 400 meters

Wish me luck for the rest of the On Ramp program and me getting back into class confidently!

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March 28, 2015 by
Fitness

Seeking Sunshine & Morning Yoga

Sunshine

 

Today’s random thoughts.

I am so excited to finally see some sunshine. Now that my body has finally had a week to adjust to the time change, I’ve had a few moments to finally appreciate the extra sunlight we’re getting.

Now when I leave my office at night, the sky isn’t pitch black and I’m no longer using my cellphone as a flashlight to get to my car. The other amazing thing is the morning sunlight, when it peeks through the bedroom window shades and greets us in the morning.

Motivation has been hard to come by lately in our house. No one wants to workout, no one wants to go to the gym or take a walk even. But this morning was different. When my earliest of morning alarms* went off I didn’t go back to sleep. I stayed up and made a decision, Andy and I were going to get up and workout.

Lately, there has been no motivation in the morning to crawl out from under the covers. But today, we changed that, and I hope we continue to change our morning routine as spring starts. We cleared out all the clutter from the foot of our bed so there was room for both of us to stretch out on the carpet, then turned on the television, and I casted a 15-minute morning yoga routine. It was simple, but just that simple early morning stretching was something I had been missing for a very long time.

*To put it into perspective, I have six morning alarms total, including the last one that is a get-out-of-the-house-now alarm.
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March 18, 2015 by