today i was put in 'time out' by my coach. yes, i was literally forced to sit down (albeit on the rolling bumper plate attached to the bar i was working with), stop talking, and think.
i had just failed at attempting a back squat pr. unfortunately i never recorded the break down of my CFT numbers from the last time i did it (shame on me!). not sure how that happened (probably a thought process like this: "i will DEFINITELY NOT forget THESE numbers, no way!"). i digress.
there i was pissed off and mad, putting all of my training, my progress, my level of fitness into this one lift. i had mentally put so much pressure on PR'ing that i set myself up to fail. at the bottom of the squat i had a brief (very brief!) moment where i panicked that everything was riding on breaking this number. fail.
my coach sat me down and brought me back to my senses. or at least as much of my 'senses' as a crossfitter has! what has my goal been during the last 3-4 months of training? to get stronger? increase my muscle mass? get faster? or 'simply' to be more FIT. be more fit. check.
feeling better, i went for my shoulder press. PR'd by 10#. i had regained confidence, took some of the pressure off and went for my deadlift. PR'd by 30#. coach bill was not out of a job at the end of the day. my CFT went up by 40#.
sometimes we need a time out. some good coaching. a slap in the face. focus, remember not to panick, go for it.
Monday, October 19, 2009
Sunday, October 18, 2009
Sunday night
The weekend is closing in - it was a great one. Some highlights:
• Seeing one of our recent On Ramp grads and paleo challenge participants get psyched about her first 5 rep max push jerk!
• Finishing my god forsaken WOD (Thanks Coach B) despite feeling it was hopeless - everything is possible!
• Spending an entire day with my hubby without our precious kids!
• Sleeping in on a Sunday and then a relaxing trip to get my nails done
• Cooking up a fantastic paleo friendly meal of grass fed steak, organic squash, sauteed mushrooms and a toasted hazelnut salad with my family while a log is on the fire.
• Finally, my mental prep for my CrossFit Total tomorrow. First time in a while and I hope to break all 3 of my PR's. Also psyched about some new PR's for our box's WOD tomorrow (won't ruin it for anyone reading this!)
On this great Sunday I am happy and grateful for a healthy and happy family!
• Seeing one of our recent On Ramp grads and paleo challenge participants get psyched about her first 5 rep max push jerk!
• Finishing my god forsaken WOD (Thanks Coach B) despite feeling it was hopeless - everything is possible!
• Spending an entire day with my hubby without our precious kids!
• Sleeping in on a Sunday and then a relaxing trip to get my nails done
• Cooking up a fantastic paleo friendly meal of grass fed steak, organic squash, sauteed mushrooms and a toasted hazelnut salad with my family while a log is on the fire.
• Finally, my mental prep for my CrossFit Total tomorrow. First time in a while and I hope to break all 3 of my PR's. Also psyched about some new PR's for our box's WOD tomorrow (won't ruin it for anyone reading this!)
On this great Sunday I am happy and grateful for a healthy and happy family!
Wednesday, October 14, 2009
hard work
every 3-day cycle i have my doubts that the workouts will challenge me or that i will do my best to challenge myself within the parameters of the workout. i am happy to report that every 'day 3' i find myself elated to be entering into rest day. it is an exhausting but amazing feeling to be spent.
funny, i've been corresponding with someone new to cf who can't believe the workouts are so short. the length of the wod doesn't even register with me anymore. the time is merely a reflection of goals hit or missed. 5 min brutal, 20 min brutal. today was the 5k run. another reflective moment: thinking back to my initial experiences with crossfit and wondering why someone would 'pay' to run a 5k as a class. duh. i venture to say there is NO WAY i could have run that 5k as fast as i did today without the group. pre-crossfit 5k's were never at that intensity, speed or effort that i put out today either. leisure and simply clocking miles were the name of the game.
today as i ran it was a run for my life. my legs throbbed, my chest was on fire and my mind was screaming to keep going. at 530am all i heard was the sound of my breath and my feet hitting the pavement. it was actually an amazing experience.
i am realizing that crossfit intimidates people not because of the workout itself - "can i complete 50 squats or not", it's the fear of yourself and your own potential. once you realize what you are capable of, you can't go back.
monday: row 5k, 22:16
tuesday: 10 x 100m hill sprints (45 sec rest) @ :12 each
today: run 5k, 20:18
finally got on track with zone blocks yesterday
yay. relief.
funny, i've been corresponding with someone new to cf who can't believe the workouts are so short. the length of the wod doesn't even register with me anymore. the time is merely a reflection of goals hit or missed. 5 min brutal, 20 min brutal. today was the 5k run. another reflective moment: thinking back to my initial experiences with crossfit and wondering why someone would 'pay' to run a 5k as a class. duh. i venture to say there is NO WAY i could have run that 5k as fast as i did today without the group. pre-crossfit 5k's were never at that intensity, speed or effort that i put out today either. leisure and simply clocking miles were the name of the game.
today as i ran it was a run for my life. my legs throbbed, my chest was on fire and my mind was screaming to keep going. at 530am all i heard was the sound of my breath and my feet hitting the pavement. it was actually an amazing experience.
i am realizing that crossfit intimidates people not because of the workout itself - "can i complete 50 squats or not", it's the fear of yourself and your own potential. once you realize what you are capable of, you can't go back.
monday: row 5k, 22:16
tuesday: 10 x 100m hill sprints (45 sec rest) @ :12 each
today: run 5k, 20:18
finally got on track with zone blocks yesterday
yay. relief.
Monday, October 12, 2009
a little slack
Day 1: partial failure!
Relatively successful until I blew my fat blocks in the zone. I was dead on with protein and carbs but seemed to go WAY over with fat blocks. This was by no means a slip up. I ate more and more deliberately, enjoying every bite...well, until all of the bites were gone that is.
Tomorrow is another day. I will get up and do it all over again. I have to keep in mind the "why" to stay motivated. My "why" is to be stronger, faster & a better athlete. So, I will continue to push and persevere....
Relatively successful until I blew my fat blocks in the zone. I was dead on with protein and carbs but seemed to go WAY over with fat blocks. This was by no means a slip up. I ate more and more deliberately, enjoying every bite...well, until all of the bites were gone that is.
Tomorrow is another day. I will get up and do it all over again. I have to keep in mind the "why" to stay motivated. My "why" is to be stronger, faster & a better athlete. So, I will continue to push and persevere....
paleo edits
For all of you who seem to be completely misguided in thinking I have 'it all figured out'...here's a good post for you.
I have been working hard on nutrition over these past few months since I returned from the CF games and started my training for next year's qualifiers. I had been doing solid Paleo eating and had that down...I thought. I decided to move onto working on zone portions (quality then quantity!). This proved to be somewhat more challenging.
Working with a spreadsheet and measuring foods, eyeball method mostly, I found that it was challenging to get to my exact "block prescription". However, there is a lesson here. It's a process! It takes time to acclimate both with regard to your physical body and your mind. I am still working towards coming up with that right balance. I started out with a base and have been making tweaks as per how I feel pre/ during/ post workout.
The saga continues this morning when I visited Robb Wolf and John Welbourn's PaleoBrands website (genius concept, btw) only to find the list of acceptable and not favorable paleo foods....whoops. I have been taking quite a few liberties with the not so favorable list.
For example...the preferred meats are lean cuts and game meat. Eggs should be kept under 6 a week, heavy cream is on the NO list etc etc. Clearly I have seen great improvements in my athleticism and my body composition/ energy levels even with these slip ups. For those of you embarking on this season's nutrition challenge, remember that you have to crawl before you can sprint!
I've been in the run mode for quite some time and getting pretty darn comfy there. It's time for some sprinting. So, I am committing today to picking up that pace and challenging myself to adhere to a stricter guideline to see the results it generates.
Many of you may be rationalizing and telling yourself, "this is her JOB, of course she is going to be like this". Everyone needs a challenge. Prove to yourself that you can step it up this month. See just how good you can feel and how close you can get to your optimal body.
Remember that weighing and measuring food sends people over the edge - don't do it if you know you fall into this category! My goal for the majority of you is simply QUALITY! Those of you still lying to yourself about oatmeal, wine and whole wheat...STOP! Trust me....please!
I'll keep you posted...
I have been working hard on nutrition over these past few months since I returned from the CF games and started my training for next year's qualifiers. I had been doing solid Paleo eating and had that down...I thought. I decided to move onto working on zone portions (quality then quantity!). This proved to be somewhat more challenging.
Working with a spreadsheet and measuring foods, eyeball method mostly, I found that it was challenging to get to my exact "block prescription". However, there is a lesson here. It's a process! It takes time to acclimate both with regard to your physical body and your mind. I am still working towards coming up with that right balance. I started out with a base and have been making tweaks as per how I feel pre/ during/ post workout.
The saga continues this morning when I visited Robb Wolf and John Welbourn's PaleoBrands website (genius concept, btw) only to find the list of acceptable and not favorable paleo foods....whoops. I have been taking quite a few liberties with the not so favorable list.
For example...the preferred meats are lean cuts and game meat. Eggs should be kept under 6 a week, heavy cream is on the NO list etc etc. Clearly I have seen great improvements in my athleticism and my body composition/ energy levels even with these slip ups. For those of you embarking on this season's nutrition challenge, remember that you have to crawl before you can sprint!
I've been in the run mode for quite some time and getting pretty darn comfy there. It's time for some sprinting. So, I am committing today to picking up that pace and challenging myself to adhere to a stricter guideline to see the results it generates.
Many of you may be rationalizing and telling yourself, "this is her JOB, of course she is going to be like this". Everyone needs a challenge. Prove to yourself that you can step it up this month. See just how good you can feel and how close you can get to your optimal body.
Remember that weighing and measuring food sends people over the edge - don't do it if you know you fall into this category! My goal for the majority of you is simply QUALITY! Those of you still lying to yourself about oatmeal, wine and whole wheat...STOP! Trust me....please!
I'll keep you posted...
Wednesday, October 7, 2009
Far too long!
My commitment from today on is consistency in posting to my blog. Funny that I haven't posted here in so long and now that here again the floodgates are open and I have so much to say! Where to begin.
Tomorrow is a big day in our personal business in CF. I will officially post on it Friday...stay tuned. There is much excitement in store and big steps ahead.
I am making big strides in more than the business these days. My training has been extremely focused and my commitment to paleo/ zone has been better than ever. Since returning from the CF games in Aromas in July I have been fortunate enough to have Level 2 Coach Bill Shockley programming and coaching me. We have been working my weaknesses, getting me stronger, breaking me down and building me back up. Whatever coach tells me, I do it...often with a few complaints, but nevertheless, I do it.
My mental strength and fortitude have certainly strengthened. I use my CF mentality in so many aspects of life - kids, business, being a wife...I will continue to post my journey - both celebrations and struggles.
I am sitting on my couch reveling in the fact that tomorrow is the first day I don't have to get up before 7! I will force myself to WOD after my last morning class tomorrow. Mentally it kills me to wait, but my body performs much better after a few hours of mobility. Plus, sleep is crucial and I am screaming for it right now. Today was rest day - Rest days are sacred, good nutrition and plenty of recovery methods are paramount.
I'm getting my mind wrapped around the WOD for tomorrow:
30 OverHead Squats @75#
30 Pushups
30 pullups
30 OverHead Squats @75#
and downloading some new tunes for motivation.
More to come....
Tomorrow is a big day in our personal business in CF. I will officially post on it Friday...stay tuned. There is much excitement in store and big steps ahead.
I am making big strides in more than the business these days. My training has been extremely focused and my commitment to paleo/ zone has been better than ever. Since returning from the CF games in Aromas in July I have been fortunate enough to have Level 2 Coach Bill Shockley programming and coaching me. We have been working my weaknesses, getting me stronger, breaking me down and building me back up. Whatever coach tells me, I do it...often with a few complaints, but nevertheless, I do it.
My mental strength and fortitude have certainly strengthened. I use my CF mentality in so many aspects of life - kids, business, being a wife...I will continue to post my journey - both celebrations and struggles.
I am sitting on my couch reveling in the fact that tomorrow is the first day I don't have to get up before 7! I will force myself to WOD after my last morning class tomorrow. Mentally it kills me to wait, but my body performs much better after a few hours of mobility. Plus, sleep is crucial and I am screaming for it right now. Today was rest day - Rest days are sacred, good nutrition and plenty of recovery methods are paramount.
I'm getting my mind wrapped around the WOD for tomorrow:
30 OverHead Squats @75#
30 Pushups
30 pullups
30 OverHead Squats @75#
and downloading some new tunes for motivation.
More to come....
Tuesday, May 5, 2009
PROGRESS
There is nothing like progress. I expect it, yet every time I experience it, I am caught by surprise.
I was looking at some pictures from 4 years ago, very much pre-CrossFit and it had me thinking about how much progress I have made as an athlete. It can be easy to get hung up on all of the areas in which I am falling short, be it my diet, strength, mental toughness etc. However, stepping back and looking at the big picture captures so much of the progress that has been made.
This past week was a window of so much improvement at Mpower. Squats that I worried would take years to correct, kipping pull-ups that people had written off as impossible at one time, rockin' times that had people going beyond what they knew as their limits. It was all more than amazing.
Of course, all of this progress begs the question, "What's next?" Once we start to see what is possible, it's only natural to look to even bigger and better things that might not have been on our radar previously. Progress is not only something we measure in weight, time and form. One of the biggest areas of our lives that we must be sure to make progress on is our attitudes and our willingness to become 'better'.
I challenge you to take a step back and look at the progress you've made, not only at CrossFit, but as a human in your life. On a personal note, here are some of my observations of my own journey:
- Coaching: I no longer refer to myself as a trainer. Coaching is an art that I have been developing for 10 years and will never perfect. Progress is knowing movements, form, corrections, faults, cues and motivation like it is an extension of the fibers of my being. Being a coach is not a hat you wear for an hour or two and then return to your other roles in life. It is a part of you and your personality that is woven in with the rest of what makes you you. Time, experience and a constant eagerness to learn is what accomplishes this integration. Over 10 years ago I had my first 'Personal Trainer' job at Bally's on Rt. 18 in East Brunswick, NJ. I would roam the floors of that place praying that no one asked me a question: "Look busy" was my mantra. Progress...
- Food: My first Starbucks drink was a "Grande Skim 6-pump Chai Tea Latte". For those of you who don't know what this is I'll indulge you. Chai is an extremely sweet concentrate of sugar (and some tea, I suspect) that is black and syrupy, it is then combined with the added sweetness of milk to create a drink that resembles something like liquid potpourri. However, the usual sweetness of 4 pumps of chai was not enough for me, so I would order 2 extra pumps in my drink of choice. "Sugar" you ask? You BET! I was as 'No-fat/ low fat' as they come and the less calories the better type of girl. Hunger pains equated to accomplishment. Thin was in. Happy? Energetic? Strong? Of course not! I was none of these things, just dazed and confused. This is perhaps my most proud category of Progress. Becoming focused on whole foods, eating to support strength and health is my current state. Balance and serving the body is paramount. Perhaps my current Starbucks drink will be a reflection of how far I've come: Tall Americano with a splash of cream. Fueling performance and health - what better progress could their be?!
- Athleticism: Where to begin???! If you assumed that no-fat/low-fat girl was a 60-min cardio type of gal too, you'd be right. I reveled in the fact that I taught, and participated in over 20 aerobics classes a week! Spinning, kickboxing, total body conditioning...you name it! Longer was better and strength was determined by the day of the week (back and bi's on Monday!). I will give myself credit that I was always seeking what was cutting edge and what would make me a better athlete. The progress was a journey to higher intensity, shorter bouts of workout, and more focus on strength. Finally, enter CrossFit. Mental toughness and unexplainable strength have been my progression. Perhaps the most progress I've made is the awareness that there is never a point at which you are 'strong enough' whether it be physically or mentally.
- Life: Here is the overlap. Life and CrossFit. Becoming more relaxed, able to handle what comes my way, up for a challenge, stronger. All progress in my life as a mother, wife, friend and business owner.
Take some time, revel in the progress you have made. What's next?
I was looking at some pictures from 4 years ago, very much pre-CrossFit and it had me thinking about how much progress I have made as an athlete. It can be easy to get hung up on all of the areas in which I am falling short, be it my diet, strength, mental toughness etc. However, stepping back and looking at the big picture captures so much of the progress that has been made.
This past week was a window of so much improvement at Mpower. Squats that I worried would take years to correct, kipping pull-ups that people had written off as impossible at one time, rockin' times that had people going beyond what they knew as their limits. It was all more than amazing.
Of course, all of this progress begs the question, "What's next?" Once we start to see what is possible, it's only natural to look to even bigger and better things that might not have been on our radar previously. Progress is not only something we measure in weight, time and form. One of the biggest areas of our lives that we must be sure to make progress on is our attitudes and our willingness to become 'better'.
I challenge you to take a step back and look at the progress you've made, not only at CrossFit, but as a human in your life. On a personal note, here are some of my observations of my own journey:
- Coaching: I no longer refer to myself as a trainer. Coaching is an art that I have been developing for 10 years and will never perfect. Progress is knowing movements, form, corrections, faults, cues and motivation like it is an extension of the fibers of my being. Being a coach is not a hat you wear for an hour or two and then return to your other roles in life. It is a part of you and your personality that is woven in with the rest of what makes you you. Time, experience and a constant eagerness to learn is what accomplishes this integration. Over 10 years ago I had my first 'Personal Trainer' job at Bally's on Rt. 18 in East Brunswick, NJ. I would roam the floors of that place praying that no one asked me a question: "Look busy" was my mantra. Progress...
- Food: My first Starbucks drink was a "Grande Skim 6-pump Chai Tea Latte". For those of you who don't know what this is I'll indulge you. Chai is an extremely sweet concentrate of sugar (and some tea, I suspect) that is black and syrupy, it is then combined with the added sweetness of milk to create a drink that resembles something like liquid potpourri. However, the usual sweetness of 4 pumps of chai was not enough for me, so I would order 2 extra pumps in my drink of choice. "Sugar" you ask? You BET! I was as 'No-fat/ low fat' as they come and the less calories the better type of girl. Hunger pains equated to accomplishment. Thin was in. Happy? Energetic? Strong? Of course not! I was none of these things, just dazed and confused. This is perhaps my most proud category of Progress. Becoming focused on whole foods, eating to support strength and health is my current state. Balance and serving the body is paramount. Perhaps my current Starbucks drink will be a reflection of how far I've come: Tall Americano with a splash of cream. Fueling performance and health - what better progress could their be?!
- Athleticism: Where to begin???! If you assumed that no-fat/low-fat girl was a 60-min cardio type of gal too, you'd be right. I reveled in the fact that I taught, and participated in over 20 aerobics classes a week! Spinning, kickboxing, total body conditioning...you name it! Longer was better and strength was determined by the day of the week (back and bi's on Monday!). I will give myself credit that I was always seeking what was cutting edge and what would make me a better athlete. The progress was a journey to higher intensity, shorter bouts of workout, and more focus on strength. Finally, enter CrossFit. Mental toughness and unexplainable strength have been my progression. Perhaps the most progress I've made is the awareness that there is never a point at which you are 'strong enough' whether it be physically or mentally.
- Life: Here is the overlap. Life and CrossFit. Becoming more relaxed, able to handle what comes my way, up for a challenge, stronger. All progress in my life as a mother, wife, friend and business owner.
Take some time, revel in the progress you have made. What's next?
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