one on one: day twenty-five

So for the past week I have been having issues squatting fully without putting most of my weight onto my left leg. My right ankle hasn't been flexing without discomfort. This became quite apparent today when Joon had me do squat therapy and overhead squats. Not good. So with some mobility work and soon an adjustment, I am hoping we can nip this problem in the butt asap! So what did we do today? Structural work:

Warm-up: 500m Row
Extended Warm-up:
     Squat Therapy
     4 x 30/30 OHS + Hold
     4 x 30/30 Back Extension (GHD) + FLR (Bosu Ball)

Then,
     200m Row (Sprint) R1- 42.5, R2- 41.9, R3- 41.2
     10 KB Bottoms Up  Clean + Press (26#)
     Rest 2:00 Min
     x3
Overall Time: 10:00

Then,
     10 Cal AirFit (Sprint) R1- 16, R2- 14, R3- 15, R4- 16, R5- 15
     20m Farmer Carry (70#)
     Rest 1:00 Min
     x5
Overall Time: 9:12

Even with my ankle causing some issues, I am pretty happy with myself today. The back extensions were hard but felt good and I felt strong, and the FLR on the Bosu Ball went on without complaints. With the row Joon changed the damper each round, I started at 6, then 7, and then 8. I was expecting the 7 and 8 to feel hard but they didn't, I am definitely becoming more efficient with my rowing- YAY! As for the AirFit, I worked hard to make that devil of a machine my bitch, and I came close a couple of times. I am actually surprised at how well I did on it. Could I have done better? Of course but I'll take what I did and smile. Todays session overall felt good, my lungs are feeling better, and I think I kicked that cold in butt! :)

This photo was taken from Pinterest.

one on one: day twenty-four

Fall term began last Monday and my body decided to take on a cold as well. Thankfully all of my classes are on-line this term, with only being required to attend a lab for Geology on Fridays. The majority of the symptoms didn't last very long and I am now just dealing with a cough, that is slowly going away. Unfortunately though I was too ill to have my session with Joon on Tuesday, so I rested. With this new term and having to have a lab on Friday, my work schedule had to shift which meant my sessions had to shift a bit as well. Instead of Tuesday/Thursday sessions, I will now have Tuesday/Friday sessions. I went back to CrossFit on Wednesday night, took Thursday night off, and had my session with Joon on today. He's a gifted one, knows the right amount of push without wiping me out completely. Breathing and energy level aren't 100% but I still feel like I got something done. Here is what was done:

Warm-up: 500m Row
Extended Warm-up:
     4 x 20m Skip
     4 x 20m Butt Kicks
     4 x 20m Jog

Then 2x,
     4 x 30/30 Goblet Squats (35#)
     *During rest period do 4 Lunges

Then,
"Tail Pipe" Ski 3x
     250m SkiErg (Sprint) R1- 1:08, R2- 1:08, R3- 1:03
     1:00 min KB Rack Hold

Ok first of all Joon sent me a text on what to do as he was going to be there at the start of our time together. He informed me to do the warm-up, extended warm-up, and the Goblet Squat. He obviously saved the best part for when he would be there. In the fog of my mind I somehow misread the Goblet Squat being 30/30 and ended up doing a whole round of 30 Goblet Squats when it became clear in my head that he meant 30 seconds on and 30 seconds off. Oops. On top of which I didn't catch that I was to do this twice. So pretty much screwed that all up- see Joon, you HAVE to be there! Anyway, the "Tail Pipe" is usually done with a partner and a rower. While one rows the 250m sprint, the other partner is holding the KB Rack Hold. But since I train alone and because we have a new toy in the gym, he modified it so that we did it on the SkiErg and I would hold the KB for a minute afterwards. It was awful, but most certainly not worse than the Triathlon. I think my times are good but given that I am still sick and put out decent times and even rocked out a better time on my third round, means I can do much better. I hope I don't start hating the SkiErg, cause I kind of was during this session. I think I should be back to normal by next week and hope to kill my WODs!

This photo was taken from Pinterest.

   

one on one: day twenty-three

I walked into the gym today still feeling pretty beat up from Tuesday's session. The primary area of soreness are my triceps, good lord did (still do) hurt! And let me add that I went back to the gym Tuesday night to join the class in the days WOD and ended up not finishing it. After the first round my shins decided to cramp up, both of them. Have you ever had shin cramps? Holy moly, I think those are worse than calf cramps. Anyway, here is what I did today:

Warm-up: 5 Min Easy Row
Squat Therapy
Then...

Work up to a heavy Sumo Deadlift (1RM 185#)
5 x 2 @ 80% of 1RM
Then...

Three Rounds:
250m Row + 2:00 Min Lateral Step-overs
1- 54.9 / 26
2- 54.1 / 30
3- 52.1 / 33
Then...

100 "Z" Presses (5 Atomic Sit-ups at each stop)

The squat therapy pretty much told me that my hips are still not open, that my ankle mobility sucks, and my knees are not tracking right. Boo! I thought I was getting better, I guess I need to get back to work on those. As for the Sumo Deadlifts, it was fun trying to find my one rep max. I didn't think I'd be able to get that heavy but was happily surprised when I got 185#. I have to admit that I am pretty impressed with myself in the Rowing and Step-overs segment of my session today. Each round I only got better, which still amazes me that it's possible to do when you are feeling out of breathe and tired. The final segment was the "Z" Presses and this was just plain mean of Joon! These are the reason my triceps are a million times more sore now. Thanks Joon!

Overall I felt good in todays session even though I showed up 5 minutes late and frazzled from traffic, as well as tired from not sleeping very well this whole week. I think taking Wednesday off also helped me recover and ready for today. Biggest thing I need to remember is to listen to my body and take time off when needed.

This photo was taken from Pinterest.

one on one: day twenty-two

So Coach Tony, owner of CrossFit Stumptown, went to work on his Gym Jones certification a few weeks ago in Utah (I think that's where). While there, he learned a few things and decided to begin implementing them at his gym. Now I can not remember if I ever mentioned what Gym Jones is, but here's my take on it... it's CrossFit on CRACK! Seriously guys, it's crazy shit! Anyway, Tony came back inspired and ordered a SkiErg to add to his arsenal of torture devices (but in all honesty it's really not that bad) and has turned our Friday WODs into F.Y.F. WODs (F You Friday). His goal was to get all his members to do the Triathlon, which consists of 500m on the SkiErg, 50 calories on the AirFit, and 500m on the Rower. Last Friday was the moment of truth and I didn't show up! Actually, I had been going straight for 2 weeks of working out and was planning on taking a scheduled rest day. Though I knew neither Tony or Joon would allow myself (and Aaron) to sneak by this one. So for today's session with Joon, can you guess what he had me do? Yea. I think he's a tad bit sadistic. So here's the details:

Warm-up: Casual 500m Row
Practice on SkiErg

Triathlon:
500m SkiErg 2:14
50 Calories AirFit 4:13
500m Row 2:10
Overall Time: 9:05

To have an idea of what it looks like, click here to see a Gym Jones demo of the Triathlon. You are timed in each individual machine but as well as a total time. Your final time is total time (which includes transitions). So how did I feel afterwards? Oh man, I don't know if there are actually words to describe it. I had been hearing for the last few days the different experiences from many of my gym mates. Some that barfed, some who couldn't get off of the floor for about 30 minutes, to asthma attacks, and even coughing that lasts a day. This is meant to test you, you are to go as hard as you can without stopping.

I am not going to lie, this was hard. During the AirFit I wanted to give up, and I would've if it weren't for Joon and the ladies there rooting me on. The SkiErg isn't all that bad actually, I think it's just getting the technique down and knowing how and when to slow down. I was controlling my breathing and trying to stay consistent with my speed. (I did use my inhaler prior to starting this.) Moving to the AirFit is when the dread set in, if you haven't already picked up on it I hate that thing. I never look forward to using it and don't think I will ever be accepting of it. You are suppose to go real hard on this but from the get-go I couldn't, my quads were already burning from the SkiErg. The key is to not look at the screen, look down and push yourself. My hair was making me feel suffocated and my quads were yelling at me. By this point I began to get pissed, not at anyone but at this machine and at whomever came up with the Triathlon. I know I began yelling at the machine and swearing at it. The girls around me began laughing, but I was genuinely upset at it. Getting off of it was a bit challenging my I could have easily just collapsed to the floor, but I hurriedly made my way to the Rower and they tied my feet in and got me going. I know I stopped rowing a few times because my legs and arms were burning, and breathing became such a chore for me. But alas, as always I completed it. I literally rolled out of the Rower onto the floor moving about like a fish out of water. I couldn't focus in on any one discomfort, everything was yelling at me. I didn't barf and I didn't cry. It didn't make me sick like others and I am not experiencing any awful coughs. But the thing that it most certainly did was tax my nervous system. My arms and hands took a while to stop shaking. My mind felt foggy and confused for a bit too. I giggled a lot, but not at anything, I think it was like a side effect- like I was drunk.

What did I learn from this? That I absolutely without a doubt hate the AirFit. That I am capable of pushing myself. That I could have done better. That I am getting better at this stuff. And that I never ever want to do this again, EVER!

This photo was taken from Pinterest.

one on one: day twenty-one

This will be a short and sweet posting. I am feeling a little unmotivated to come up with much detail to share this evening on my session with Joon today. Not that the session wasn't any good, it was fantastic actually. I'm just not feeling it tonight. Today was actually a recovery session, after Tuesday's brutal hour. We worked on teaching me how to rebound, which is something I don't think I have ever practiced before or am good at. It was a slow warm up to it but eventually I got the hang of the movement. I still need a lot of practice and my shins are a little sore. Joon had me rolling the bottom of my feet and my IT Band out often. Essentially there was a lot of jumping. My adductors and hamstrings are still feeling a bit sore but I am managing just fine. Thank you Joon for fun sessions like today, where I learned something new and giggled!

This photo was taken from Pinterest.

one on one: day twenty

Woo hoo I reached TWENTY sessions!! Maybe this is why Joon set up an ass kicker of a workout today- to celebrate. Of all the sessions I have had, todays was by far the worse one yet. Yes yes, I know I always say something similar to that in almost every post but this time, I truly mean it. Today was the first time I have ever, and I mean EVER, felt like crying during a workout/WOD. The coaches always joke about it from time to time saying it's ok if you want to cry, just don't give up. Sometimes these WODs are a mental game and you just have to push through the suck, it makes you mentally tougher or so they say. But today I was breaking, mentally I was struggling and breathing was so erratic. With every movement something in my body was yelling at me and my mind couldn't deal with it, a few times I expressed to Joon I want to cry and he simply said, "don't let it break you." So I fought against the tears, and I promise you I was literally on the verge of shedding tears as I squat yet another squat, but instead I just grunted, moaned, and exhaled loudly. So here is what sent me over the edge:

Warm-up: 500m Row
Extended Warm-up:
     Tabata Russian KB Swings 25#

10 Rounds of:
20 Sec Max Effort on AirFit
3 Min Rest- Perform 10 Back Squats
(5 Rounds @ 105# / 5 Rounds @ 85#)

Results of AirFit (in Calories)
1- 11.3
2- 15.5
3- 9.5
4- 11.8
5- 11.8
6- 10.5
7- 12.3
8- 11.3
9- 11.2
10- 13.4

This is pretty much all I did and it was utterly horrible. My legs, primarily my quads, hated not only Joon but myself. If you have never gone max effort on the AirFit (Airdyne), you've been warned. To do that than have a 3 minute rest period where I had to perform 10 back squats within that time frame was so brutally hard, not just physically but mentally. The end result is that I did do it, I never gave up and I did my best giving my all. Even on a day I walked into the gym and told Joon beforehand that I was feeling quite tired and that I didn't know if I COULD give me best. Under those circumstances I still performed well. Could have I done better? Probably. My body can, but it's the beast of the mind that holds me (us) back. Besides my second round where I got 15.5 calories, I managed to get a big number on my very last round. We can dig deep when we try.

When it was all done I laid there on the floor for a bit and caught my breathe and whined in discomfort. My first attempt in getting up failed with me just falling right back down, I was experiencing spaghetti legs. After a few more minutes I managed to get myself up and moving around, with a couple of close calls. Once I got to my car though I have to admit that I did get all watery-eyed. This was a very tough workout for me but I am happy I did it and didn't let my mind stop me. Happy Twentieth Session Joon! :)

This photo was taken from Pinterest.

appreciation

I watched a documentary about a 13 year old girl from Holland, who has been sailing since the day she was born, wanted to sail around the world solo. I was instantly hooked to the screen and couldn't stop watching. At a young age she knew she wanted to be the youngest person to do this. She worked little odd jobs to make some money to buy a boat that she and her father fixed up. She set out on her own to find sponsors and to plan her own route. Her father at first didn't think she'd accomplish this, but she did. When she contact the school to have them give her the curriculum she would need for the next two years, that was where she hit her first road bump. Family services were called and for a year they battled with the court. At the end the court said that she is best left with her father and could continue on with her sail. She departed shortly after at the age of 14. Her name is Laura Dekker and she's an inspiration.

After watching the documentary I thought about it and how remarkable it is for such a young person to truly know what they want to do. And not only know, but then not wait until they were older to do it and work for it now. At the age of 13 I was so far from that sort of maturity, I had no clue what I wanted out of life. I am now in my 30's and I have only begun to grasp at what I want. The beauty of this is that there is no set time in life where you need to have it figured out. We all have different journeys that lead us to new and different experiences. Some start early, and others later. There are many times when I wish I knew half the crap I know now at an earlier age. How different my life would most certainly be but what would I have missed out on if I did? There is no point in having regret in life experiences. You take what has happened, you learn from that experience, and than you apply it to your future and move on.

I am feeling a lot of appreciation right now for what I do have, for what I have experienced, and for all those who have and are helping me along in my journey. I feel fortunate to be part of a place I had driven by a million times and never noticed until I looked for it. This place has been my sanctuary, a place where I have experienced a lot of growth and have made some wonderful friendships. It's essentially become my fitness family. I could go down an enormous list of some really exceptional members that continually inspire me but that would require a lot of typing and a lot of reading on your part. I do want to recognize two important people though, and that would be Coaches Tony and Joon. I think the cosmos aligned everything right up to them becoming business partners in order for me to find them. Without them, their chats, their knowledge, the atmosphere they've created and continue to feed, I don't know that I would have ever found my path. You both have opened my eyes, have and continue to teach me what I am capable of, and are so dedicated to your passions. There are no amount of words I could EVER type to share my appreciation for the two of you. But thank you for everything you do for all of us at CFST and beyond.

Feeling appreciation is such a positive energy. You can't appreciate something or someone and be full of anger and hate. If you are surrounded by negative energy and want a change in your life, find something/someone to be appreciative of and focus your energy on that. I promise you that all the people and/or things that are negative will slowly drift away. To my followers and to my random readers, thank you. Even though this blog was started for myself the feedback I get from you who have learned something from me or has been inspired by my experience continually drives me to continue. Your words are always kind and positive, and always appreciated!

This photo was taken from Pinterest.

running clinic: week one

Today was my first running class with Tony at CrossFit Stumptown. Lucky for me he has a four week (at once a week) class to help members who want to learn how to properly run. After warming up, he recorded us running and than showed us what we did right and what we did wrong. Then he had us run through some drills. I wasn't expecting too much from the first day of class but believe it or not I really noticed a difference in how my body felt as I ran. Joon has been helping me work on my endurance and agility, and I think now is a good time to let Tony mold me into a better runner. I have a bad habit of being a heal striker and I am shuffler. The drills today had me landing differently and picking my feet up. My shins are a little sore, but nothing compared to what I have felt before after a CrossFit WOD. At the end of this month I am hoping with practice I will become a more efficient runner and get started in training again for another 5k. I'll keep you posted!

This photo was taken from Pinterest.

one on one: day nineteen

Today's session was probably one of the best ones yet! I really worked through some of the suck and amazed myself with exceeding both my and Joon's expectations, though I am sure mentally he was expecting more from me and got it. He's been really driving home how I need to learn to keep moving when I begin to feel the burn, which is the lactic acid build up in muscles, and utilize it for energy. I have a tendency to stop the moment I feel it and rest, but you never push through that threshold if you don't learn to embrace it and work through it. So I did today, through out the whole session and you know what? I survived and STILL had energy for more. It was crazy how I made myself keep going, what a mental game it is but so absolutely doable. Here's what happened:

Warm-up: 500m Row
Extended Warm-up:
     8 x 20m Skips
     4 x 20m (3) Overhead Walking Lunges + (1) Overhead Squat

A] 10 Front Squats @ 85# (Unbroken)
      2 Min Explosive Step-ups >20      Did: 35/43/47
      Rest 3 minutes between sets

Rest 5 Minutes

Then,
B] 30/30 KB Clean + Press 18#
     100 Total Reps / Timed: 14:09

Ok, for starters the skips are getting easier in one way as I am moving quicker but they are sucking when I get tired. Joon calls it quicksand and that is exactly how it feels. I start off explosive and high and by the time I reach the end of the 20 meters I am barely coming off the ground. The overhead lunges/squat were a tad challenging, breathing wise, but I felt good. My knees didn't bother me at all and I was able to get low. It's almost unbelievable that I am doing lunges with no knee issues. I did, however, begin to feel the lateral sides of my feet, more like a cramping feeling.

In part A I was pretty impressed with myself for doing 10 unbroken front squats three times with 85#. Just to think a week ago this WAS my 1RM weight. How do I do this? Over and over again I keep outdoing myself and Joon says I'll hit a point where these increases will slow down but when? I love hitting new PR's. Anyway, by the third set of front squats I was battling the suck big time. My quads were burning for sure but that was the least of my problems, I could feel myself wanting to panic breathe. When I recognized the feeling and fought back with myself mentally and said "NO!" I took a deep breathe and did another squat, slowly I was counting down but not before the panic breathing tried manifesting into something else. Having the bar right up against my throat is not a comfortable feeling, as anyone who is familiar with front squats are aware of, but try having a mind that tries to convince you that it's not a bar and rather someones hands around your neck. I literally started feeling like someone was trying to choke me. What I am proud of is that I didn't let that feeling take over, I took another deep breathe did my last two squats and dropped the bar. I didn't let the feeling win over me, I took control. I took a moment to gather my thoughts and take a few more breathes before moving on.

The explosive step-ups were definitely challenging and I focused hard on just working through the leg burn. Joon has a way of knowing when to say something, and what to say to keep myself focused and moving. When I could feel myself wanting to stop because my legs are burning or tired, I would push on to do at least 2 more before stopping to catch my breathe. With each round he would tell me to increase it by one but I went beyond that each time. I wanted to do more than one, I wanted to prove it to him but also to myself.

Part B was probably the hardest part of todays session, physically. We attempted to do 25# KB but I couldn't control the movement of two of them at the same time. So we opted down to 18# where I felt I had better control. But don't be fooled by the weight, after just a couple of rounds they began to feel extremely heavy. I now have bruises on my shoulders and wrists from this very movement. I call them Joon's twisted humor 1, 2, 3, and 4.

I'd say all in all it was a good session where I think I am finally seeing and believing my progresses!

This photo was taken from Pinterest.

confidence

There are moments in our lives where we have a negative conversation with ourselves, even when you don't realize you are doing it. We think we aren't strong enough, brave enough, pretty enough, smart enough, you fill in the blank. We self-doubt and then compare ourselves to others. We all do it whether you want to admit to it or not. The key is recognizing when you are doing it, acknowledge it, and then move on and/or change your tone. Experience has taught me that building confidence helps deter those negative conversations I would have. I would easily find myself envious of others accomplishments, relationships, experiences, you name it and I was probably wishing I were them. At CrossFit I would see some of the other ladies lift heavy or do movements that I couldn't even imagine ever doing, and sometimes still think that way. I couldn't see myself getting that dream job, or experiencing that once in a lifetime trip, or doing a push-up. But something has changed, I am changing, the way I think is changing.

The change is happening because I am becoming more confident in my abilities. I stopped looking to others for my happiness and began looking within. This has been an ongoing project with myself for a while now but recently I seem to have taken an enormous step towards gaining more confidence. I don't know if it's any one singular moment or a culmination of many, but I don't feel envious of anyone anymore. I realize that what others have and experience is an outcome of their own stories and I need to write my own that is of me. I am working towards my Bachelors in something that I am most certainly passionate about. I have many different relationships that I am very proud of and cherish. And even though nothing in my life is quite perfect I am happy with how everything is.

When it comes to CrossFit I have realized that my confidence level has gone far and beyond anything I could have ever imagined. I'm no longer afraid to try to do a movement or to lift a heavy bar. I may have a moment of doubt but I continuously prove to myself that I am fully capable. Those ladies I use to look at with envious eyes are now inspirational to me. Because not only do they give me a sense of awe, I know that with hard work and a willingness to not give up, I can reach their level. The more I keep proving to myself that I can do this or that, the more my confidence builds.

Anyone can build confidence, it just takes you willing to try and to keep trying even when you fail. We don't learn from sitting back and watching others succeed, we learn from doing for ourselves. So whatever your goal/dream/aspiration/etc is, get out there and try. Write your own story, don't live your life through someone else's.

This photo was taken from Pinterest.

one on one: day eighteen

I think Coach Joon is trying to kill me, no seriously guys he is! Ok, he's not but today I really felt like I was literally moments from death, more than once. But hey I survived to live another day and probably another session of evil torture. LOL. I do actually appreciate being pushed even when at the moment I am feeling utterly miserable. I am exceeding the boundaries I thought I could never pass and I am always surprising myself. Joon always states he knows I have it in me, and slowly I am believing him but sometimes I just don't feel that confident until I actually prove it to myself. This is what I did today:

Warm-up: 500m Row

4 x 30/30 Row [2 Blocks <130m]
First Block: 145, 141, 138, 138
4 Min Rest
Second Block: 147, 133, 108, 135

6 Min Rest

KB Ladder @ 35# (5 - 10 - 15 - 10 - 5):
Swing
Goblet Squat

4 Min Rest

4 x 30/30 DB Push Press + "Hell" Rest

25 Raised Push-ups

Cool Down:
100 Calories AirFit (Easy/Moderate)
Finished in 15:04

Ok, so with the rowing 30 seconds on and 30 seconds off going all out was the first part of my death! I had to go full capacity and give everything I had and in the the first block I did. By the time I had to do the second block I did my best to give my all but I was seeing stars, getting side stitches, and breathing heavily. I was learning to push through my threshold, this shit is no joke! After my 6 minute rest I had to do the KB ladder and that proved to be difficult as well. I didn't feel completely ready or rested, I ended up taking far too many breaks but I pushed on through. The next malicious, I mean movement Joon had me do was dumbbell presses. I started with just 10# weights and quickly had to move to 5# weights. For 30 seconds I had to do presses than for 30 seconds hold the damn weight up above my head. Listen, there is NO exaggeration with it being called "Hell" Rest because it truly is. I absolutely sucked at this and kept dropping my arms down and whined the entire time. Sorry Joon, and thanks for putting up with me. The push-ups weren't so bad but still hard and then the AirFit I took it easy on.

All in all it was a good session, pushed through some uncomfortable moments and I know I am capable but I still play the mental game. I am amazed at how good at rowing I am getting, I am curious to see how long I can go before I can't take it anymore. I may have to try that some day.

This photo was taken from Pinterest.

labor day wod

Today I took part in the Labor Day WOD at CrossFit Stumptown. I walked into the box with a headache trying to take over and not feeling very motivated. But since I missed Sunday's WOD and it had been 3 days since I worked out I had to make myself get and go, and do it! And now I can say I am glad I did. It wasn't a crazy tough one but definitely one for endurance and to mentally keep you going. Here is what we did:

Teams of 4:
AMRAP (reps) for 30 minutes of:
400m Run
Box Jumpovers
Burpee Pull-ups
Wall Walks

Each member of the team will be doing one of the movements. While the one is out on the 400m run, the rest of us had to count our reps, when the runner comes back than we rotate until the next runner comes back, so on and so forth. In my team there was Candace, Amy, and Zoey. These women were awesome, we were all strong in at least one of the movements and maybe not so much in another. We all kept moving and doing our best. Amy even did 53 box jumpovers in one of the rounds, happened to be when I was running. Candace was pretty proud of herself for running the entire 400m without stopping- right on girl! And Zoey never stopped moving, every time I looked her way she was pushing through it and that was awesome. My proud moment was that I did the box jumpovers without doing step-ups, not even once. I had two mishaps in my first round that caused Tony to come and check on me. Happy to say my shins didn't suffer at all, though I think I stubbed my big toe pretty hard. At the end of the WOD we tallied up our reps and our team got 576 reps in 30 minutes. I am going to say I am pretty proud of us. Good job ladies!

Labor Day 2014- Post WOD