I like making fun of people, especially people who are so nerdily into something they create a sort of cult. Trekkies, Nascar fans, fantasy role playing gamers, intensive in-line skaters, etc. CrossFitters are no exception...except that they look cool, or so they think. Sure, I'm probably making fun because of my low self-esteem and insecurity, because I can't do 100 pull ups or never puked after a work out, or whatever.
What makes enthusiasts so interesting is the culture they create that, to them, is normal, but to outsiders, is freakish. I still consider myself an outsider in the world of CrossFit, quietly working out and whining about it on my blog, but I've gotten a sneak peak of this elite culture, and it can be funny. CrossFitters aren't dorks, they're just CrossFitters. Nuanced or not, there are several ways to spot one. But don't get caught making fun, because CF'ers could rip your head off and squat thrust your torso and wall ball your head 5 rounds, 100 reps each, for time. Here's my rundown:
CrossFit Fashions
If they're hardcore: tribal tats, an affiliate t-shirt with a bad-ass logo, the Vibram five fingers, knee socks, board shorts and a wallet chain (see the video below), and of course, going shirtless (note, the harder the work out, the more naked you must become). Sure, some of it's functional, but isn't it great that it all happens to look good together and distinguish you as an elite specimen of fitness? By far the coolest CrossFit fashion is war wounds; bruises and scrapes along the shins, blisters on the palms, and abrasions on the collar bones. I'm currently showing three blisters on my palms and a nice bruise on my left shoulder where I allowed a 25 pound dumbbell to come crashing down on me. So yeah, while scrapes and bruises are often signs of dedication and tenacity, in my case they are signs of weakness and stupidity.
Gratuitous Photography
Taking photos of yourself or others doing WODs. I love photography, but sometimes wonder what the point is of having photos of myself looking so utterly tortured. Sure, the process is glorious and I love a good hard workout, but it's not pretty. I find it especially bad if you've had your fitness photos done professionally, and aren't a professional at anything.
Hurling
Maybe some consider it a sign of a truly successful workout. A badge, an initiation, a good story. I think it's gross and have tried to avoid blowing chunks in any way possible.
Ego
The least fashionable and least funny, we all have one, but the trick is keeping it on the down low. Luckily I'm not very strong or tough, so I can totally be above having one.
In all seriousness I'm thankful for a program that is so innovative, challenging, and honorable. Yes, honorable. Now, enjoy another video.
Friday, May 7, 2010
Wednesday, April 7, 2010
Hand Stand Push Ups: A Cool Party Trick.
CrossFit workouts incorporate movements I never would've dreamed of doing at a regular gym. Some of the exercises remind me of something a dude would try at a party after a few drinks just to show off. Whatever their origins or purpose, some CF movements are simply exotic, but nevertheless entirely challenging.
Take hand stand push ups, for example. Not long ago I was struggling just to crank out a few regular push ups, and the idea of doing them upside down with body weight and gravity working against my toothpick arms seemed downright impossible. Ahh but that's what I love about CrossFit. It busts down those barriers in the mind that tell us what is and isn't possible.
I first became intrigued by this exercise when I saw competitors at the Superfit games in Charlottesville struggling to do them. I also saw a girl doing them as a warm up, and she made it look easy. Jealously quickly ensued. My fiance pointed out that her short stature helped, because the shorter your arms are, the less range of motion you have to cover. This girl was doing them with a rubber plate, so she wasn't going down all the way, but none of that mattered. I wanted to learn.
Luckily I'm a natural at doing handstands. All my years of yoga have helped with that, and I actually love being upside down. I used to do a headstand while watching TV to practice my balance (which my family hated). Unfortunately, I'm kind of tall, so when I'm in the hand stand position it seems like I've got miles to go before my head comes anywhere close to the ground. Sooner than that, I inevitably reach the sticking point where toothpick arms go to jelly and I nearly crush my skull.
My approach to this exercise was to first just hang out in the hand stand position, usually for a minute at time. (This helped!). Then, I began to slowly lower myself until I couldn't stand it anymore, and promptly pushed back up. I keep doing it everyday, somewhere around 10-15 attempts after finishing the WOD. I use a thick piece of cushion for safety, and over the past week have been able to touch the crown of my head against the cushion. Woooopty do. It's a small success.
Check out this very excellent video from CrossFit kids that is both ego-crushing and inspiring. There is much to learn from and love about this video; the clever progressions, Duncan's dedication and tenacity, his little pair of high top chuck tailors, the dogs, and his early success. (I also LOVE that he's working out in what looks like a climbing gym. Very cool).
The video has inspired me to put myself on a 6 week program, and to try some of the progressions Duncan demonstrated. Right now I'm technically in week 2, which means I should be able to do a hand stand push up by about May 3rd. I'll keep you posted, and if successful, will be a happy CrossFit girl with a very cool party trick.
Take hand stand push ups, for example. Not long ago I was struggling just to crank out a few regular push ups, and the idea of doing them upside down with body weight and gravity working against my toothpick arms seemed downright impossible. Ahh but that's what I love about CrossFit. It busts down those barriers in the mind that tell us what is and isn't possible.
I first became intrigued by this exercise when I saw competitors at the Superfit games in Charlottesville struggling to do them. I also saw a girl doing them as a warm up, and she made it look easy. Jealously quickly ensued. My fiance pointed out that her short stature helped, because the shorter your arms are, the less range of motion you have to cover. This girl was doing them with a rubber plate, so she wasn't going down all the way, but none of that mattered. I wanted to learn.
Luckily I'm a natural at doing handstands. All my years of yoga have helped with that, and I actually love being upside down. I used to do a headstand while watching TV to practice my balance (which my family hated). Unfortunately, I'm kind of tall, so when I'm in the hand stand position it seems like I've got miles to go before my head comes anywhere close to the ground. Sooner than that, I inevitably reach the sticking point where toothpick arms go to jelly and I nearly crush my skull.
My approach to this exercise was to first just hang out in the hand stand position, usually for a minute at time. (This helped!). Then, I began to slowly lower myself until I couldn't stand it anymore, and promptly pushed back up. I keep doing it everyday, somewhere around 10-15 attempts after finishing the WOD. I use a thick piece of cushion for safety, and over the past week have been able to touch the crown of my head against the cushion. Woooopty do. It's a small success.
Check out this very excellent video from CrossFit kids that is both ego-crushing and inspiring. There is much to learn from and love about this video; the clever progressions, Duncan's dedication and tenacity, his little pair of high top chuck tailors, the dogs, and his early success. (I also LOVE that he's working out in what looks like a climbing gym. Very cool).
The video has inspired me to put myself on a 6 week program, and to try some of the progressions Duncan demonstrated. Right now I'm technically in week 2, which means I should be able to do a hand stand push up by about May 3rd. I'll keep you posted, and if successful, will be a happy CrossFit girl with a very cool party trick.
Wednesday, March 24, 2010
Playing Outside
The hard core winter weather has broken and it's now possible to go outside without huddling against the cold. No huddling! Hoorah for that. The grass is a lovely shade of green, and temperatures have been lingering in the 50s and 60s.
Spring in a small mountain town is intoxicating. There's so much to do outside that one can't help but become distracted. Even from doing WODs? Yes, even from that.
This time of year I find myself wanting more out of my workouts, like, the added dimension of play. I admit that if I had the choice right now to either go for a bike ride or do a WOD, I'd chose the bike ride. In fact, this past weekend I chose the bike ride three days in a row, and did not do CrossFit on any of those days.
I wanted to share an honest confession, that even though working out and getting strong is important to me, so is playing. CrossFit seems like a program that captures the essence of play. Although it's a finely-tuned, disciplined program, it's also "broad and inclusive". Sometimes learning a new CF movement feels like playing, and that's what attracted me to it in the beginning.
I encourage all CF girls to run around outside as much as possible during this sexy time of spring fever. It's healthy in so many ways and part of what makes us happy balanced human beings. As much as I believe in discipline, I also believe in breaking the routine just to exercise the power of choice. Feeling free feels good.
In my defense, I'm back on track this week, following the program via the internet and visiting the garage gym. Today will be my third WOD in a row and I'm getting more sore with each workout. I'm ready for a rest day, and then, more bike rides.
Spring in a small mountain town is intoxicating. There's so much to do outside that one can't help but become distracted. Even from doing WODs? Yes, even from that.
Rolling down a hill: a new CrossFit workout? These kids are on to something.
I wanted to share an honest confession, that even though working out and getting strong is important to me, so is playing. CrossFit seems like a program that captures the essence of play. Although it's a finely-tuned, disciplined program, it's also "broad and inclusive". Sometimes learning a new CF movement feels like playing, and that's what attracted me to it in the beginning.
I encourage all CF girls to run around outside as much as possible during this sexy time of spring fever. It's healthy in so many ways and part of what makes us happy balanced human beings. As much as I believe in discipline, I also believe in breaking the routine just to exercise the power of choice. Feeling free feels good.
In my defense, I'm back on track this week, following the program via the internet and visiting the garage gym. Today will be my third WOD in a row and I'm getting more sore with each workout. I'm ready for a rest day, and then, more bike rides.
Friday, February 26, 2010
Working Out While Sick
Just after feeling all inspired to sharpen my focus, set goals, lift heavier, dominate the world, etc., I got a sore throat. Then came the aches and fatigue. I shook that off only to be visited by the same symptoms a few days later, but worse. Then I developed a wretched cough and entered phlegm town U.S.A.
Being sick for over a week has been frustrating, to say the least. At night I'm a miserable mess and have been missing out on valuable rest. Several days I've been hopeful enough to pack my gym bag, hoping to hit the garage for some kind of CrossFit action, only to retreat home at the end of the day feeling tired and defeated.
One thing that has managed to make me feel like I'm still on track, fitness-wise, is yoga. When healthy, I try to do yoga at least once a week. When sick, it seems to be my go-to workout (if I have the energy). It's not because I think it's too easy and doesn't count as a real workout, it's just not what I prefer right now in an everyday exercise program. Since discovering CF, I've come to love short aggressive workouts and lifting heavy things. This past week I've been in need of something gentler, and I've been able to do yoga when I haven't been able to do much else. I admit, if I had a full blown illness I would not recommend doing Yoga or any kind of workout, but for cold-like symptoms that tease at normal health, it's just right.
I took my first yoga class at age 12 while in ballet camp from a group of Russian instructors who couldn't speak English. It was an awkward and mind blowing experience. We did breathing exercises and head stands, and had permission to stick our butts out and let our feet turn in. It was the greatest departure from ballet that I'd ever experienced and it felt radical and liberating.
Over the years I've tried all kinds of yoga and have developed my own snobbery about it. I don't prefer to mix it into a cocktail with other exercises, but to keep it pure, and keep it in a studio (as opposed to a gym). My favorite is Ashtanga. Less static than Hatha, Ashtanga focuses on the flow from one position to the other. It always begins with sun salutation, then moves on to various levels of difficulty and can include back bends and inverted poses, my favorites. It's great fun. More info from Wikipedia.
I could write an entire blog about the benefits of yoga. For CrossFitters, yoga can be used as "active rest" and in turn prevent injuries. While yoga won't have the same aggressive demands as a WOD, it will compliment a CF regimen by improving flexibility and softening muscles. It's a perfect low-key, I'm-so-sore-I-can't-walk, rest day workout. There are many videos available and one can learn and practice at home, which is a great way to get started.
To me, CrossFit is the ideal way to achieve fitness while yoga is the ideal way to achieve lifelong vitality. Anyway, next time you visit phlegm town U.S.A. you may not be able to attack a hard WOD, but you can drag out your yoga mat and breathe your way back to health.
Being sick for over a week has been frustrating, to say the least. At night I'm a miserable mess and have been missing out on valuable rest. Several days I've been hopeful enough to pack my gym bag, hoping to hit the garage for some kind of CrossFit action, only to retreat home at the end of the day feeling tired and defeated.
One thing that has managed to make me feel like I'm still on track, fitness-wise, is yoga. When healthy, I try to do yoga at least once a week. When sick, it seems to be my go-to workout (if I have the energy). It's not because I think it's too easy and doesn't count as a real workout, it's just not what I prefer right now in an everyday exercise program. Since discovering CF, I've come to love short aggressive workouts and lifting heavy things. This past week I've been in need of something gentler, and I've been able to do yoga when I haven't been able to do much else. I admit, if I had a full blown illness I would not recommend doing Yoga or any kind of workout, but for cold-like symptoms that tease at normal health, it's just right.
I took my first yoga class at age 12 while in ballet camp from a group of Russian instructors who couldn't speak English. It was an awkward and mind blowing experience. We did breathing exercises and head stands, and had permission to stick our butts out and let our feet turn in. It was the greatest departure from ballet that I'd ever experienced and it felt radical and liberating.
A happy place.
I could write an entire blog about the benefits of yoga. For CrossFitters, yoga can be used as "active rest" and in turn prevent injuries. While yoga won't have the same aggressive demands as a WOD, it will compliment a CF regimen by improving flexibility and softening muscles. It's a perfect low-key, I'm-so-sore-I-can't-walk, rest day workout. There are many videos available and one can learn and practice at home, which is a great way to get started.
To me, CrossFit is the ideal way to achieve fitness while yoga is the ideal way to achieve lifelong vitality. Anyway, next time you visit phlegm town U.S.A. you may not be able to attack a hard WOD, but you can drag out your yoga mat and breathe your way back to health.
Tuesday, February 9, 2010
In Search of Salad
We can do better than this.
Let's talk about salad! The leafy stuff is integral to a paleo eater's diet, and it's important to become excellent at preparing them. Too many times I've wandered the produce section aimlessly, clueless about where to start.
Why not hit the salad bar?? Unfortunately our local store doesn't have one. Salad bars are great in a pinch, but most are filled with pre-made salads, dressings, and toppings that are questionable in terms of salt and sugar. Eating well is about control, and I always feel best when I know exactly what's going on.
In this entry I've formulated an arsenal of go-to salad recipes that I can, 1) remember, and 2) easily create. These are my personal favorites, and are inspired by great salads I've had at restaurants over the years. The ingredients are simple and easy to remember. Another bonus: I'm not a big fan of recipes so there's no measuring involved. Yay!
Caveats: these recipes, like me, are not 100% paleo (but darn close). Also, the list does not include a "garden salad". I have come to shiver at them, or what restaurants have made them into: iceberg lettuce, cucumber slices, tomato wedges, and ranch dressing. Of course even this pile of blah can be modified into something better but it still kind of bores me.
Shrimp or Salmon Caesar. The easiest to make in a hurry because shrimp and salmon can be purchased unfrozen and take only take minutes to cook. I prefer to saute the shrimp, and to broil the salmon. I know it's not paleo but I sprinkle a tad bit of Old Bay on the fish/shrimp. I'm from Maryland. I can't help it!
Shrimp Stuffed Tomatoes (Salad). Inspired by Rachael Ray but modified to be healthier. Take a big ripe summer tomato (preferably from you or your friend's garden), core it and slice it 8 times from the top down without cutting the whole way through. This gives you a tomato flower of sorts. Chop the shrimp and mix it with celery, a hard boiled egg, steamed cauliflower, olive oil, and season with Old Bay. Pile that onto the tomato flower, serve over greens, and enjoy.
Simple Salad with Apples: chicken, apples, walnuts, dried cranberries, and homemade honey mustard dressing (equal parts honey and mustard).
Simple Salad with Grapes. Just like the aforementioned but slightly different: chicken, grapes, walnuts, and homemade honey mustard dressing.
Roasted Veggie Salad: inspired by Donna's in Baltimore, this is incredible (especially during winter) and can be prepared with your choice of veggies. It seems to me the vegetables were always a little brown and crunchy, so you can experiment with leaving them in the oven a little longer if you like the crispy texture. I prefer onions, cauliflower, broccoli, and sweet potatoes. I think Donna's used to serve it with tuna, which was great, but many sources of protein would compliment this perfectly.
Greek Salad: romaine, a variety of olives, tomatoes, and onions. Easy.
Pepper Salad: inspired by an old friend who served this at sandwich shop in Ocean City, Maryland. Green and red peppers, avocado, fresh ground pepper. Mixed greens are preferable. If you want to be bad, add some fancy croutons and a small scoop of bleu cheese dressing. Either way, amazing.
Baked Potato Salad: inspired by the Princess Restaurant in Frostburg, Maryland.The Princess makes this with a regular white potato, but sweet potatoes are more nutritious. Bake a potato, then split it open vertically and horizontally. Assemble a basic salad and pile it onto the potato. They used something with cucumbers, tomatoes, broccoli, and cheese. Use whatever suits your taste. The warm and cool temperatures and the contrasting textures of the soft potato and the crunchy vegetables is delightful!
Oh how I miss spending hungover mornings here...
Thursday, February 4, 2010
The Gun Show
Sometimes laughter is the best workout...
The Gun Show: A Winter Workout Mix
By Robin Hilton
From NPR
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=122962691&sc=fb&cc=fp
Thanks for sharing, Anna.
The Gun Show: A Winter Workout Mix
By Robin Hilton
From NPR
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=122962691&sc=fb&cc=fp
Thanks for sharing, Anna.
Wednesday, February 3, 2010
Defeated and Inspired
So the Superfit games in Charlottesville games happened this weekend, and in true CrossFit fashion, it was a test of extremities. The workouts were hard as hell and left us exhausted. The snow storm gave us freezing temperatures and left everyone buried in 10 inches of snow. The CrossFitters were seriously tough and talented in a variety of ways. No one dominated the entire event, and there were many unassuming strong men and women who pulled out all the stops and showed amazing strength and determination. This made it an incredibly fun and eventful day.
As for me, I did not finish last in any of the events. Woopty doooooerr. Kind of pathetic, I know, but it was very possible I was going to finish last all around, so that is a small victory of sorts. In the dead lift competition I pulled 35 reps at 133lbs in 3 minutes, which is a personal record. In rowing, I placed 23rd out of 29 women (and shaved 13 seconds off my time for 1500 meters). Nothing dazzling, but still better than I expected.
As for the the last event, I chose not to compete, and I have mixed feelings about it. I'm not happy with the fact that I didn't do it, but I also think I made the best choice. The final WOD was too hard for me and I was not willing to possibly injure myself trying to do it (with an audience nonetheless). It was:
50 burpees *later scaled to 25
25 thrusters, 77lbs
15 hand stand push ups (with a 15kg plate)*later scaled to 5 reps
The burpees are the only thing in this WOD I could have done. The thrusters were too heavy with too many reps and I've never done a hand stand push up. I decided to opt out for my own good, and I admit I was already taxed from the first two events.
I was surprised by the design of the final WOD, and I know I'm not the only one. The hand stand push ups were unexpected and I think it's safe to say that most people struggle with this exercise and it happens to be one that can easily cause injury. Not that any of that matters in a CrossFit competition...
This brings me to my main beef with how the competition was conducted. The final WOD was so hard that the strongest male competitors couldn't do it. The judges had to scale it twice, while the competition was happening. We saw the strongest men in the competition banging their heads against the ground when they attempted their first rep. We later learned that no one at Crossfit Charlottesville had tested the WOD before hand. Also, the judges were very strict about some movements, and not others. For thrusters, competitors were allowed to do a front squat and a jerk, but hand stand push ups were judged strictly. Now this is my first competition experience, ever, so I don't know how judging is normally conducted. Maybe these things are normal, something to be expected. I don't know, but it seemed sloppy and preventable.
All that aside, it was well organized and my favorite part of the day was watching my fiance compete, who did an amazing job. He placed 6th overall in rowing, and in the final WOD was the only guy in his heat who did the hand stand push ups. I'm totally proud.
After hanging around people with matching t-shirts who cheered each other on, I started to long for an affiliate. Although I love the homespun approach to CF, I don't have the support of trainers to help construct and pursue specific goals. In a way, that's why I signed up: I needed a goal. Last week when I was trying to train I felt overwhelmed, directionless, stressed, and alone. It's truly challenging to push yourself and learn new things without the comradery of an affiliate. However, there's no CrossFit gym in our little town, so I'm thankful for what I DO have: my fiance and a few friends who care about trying, learning something new, helping each other out, occasionally running up a mountain with a few homemade sandbags just for the hell of it, and a glorious private space to work in (the beloved garage gym) that is full of possibilities.
In conclusion...
I thought I would finish last in the events. I didn't. I thought I would compete in all three events. I didn't. I thought I would want to quit doing CrossFit and stop eating paleo after the thing was finally over. I don't. I'm really inspired by what I saw on Saturday and even though I'm a tad disappointed (in myself) and frustrated (with the lack of organization), I want to keep working. Now that I know what other CrossFit girls are capable of, I'd like to aspire to their strength, or something close to it. That alone would make me feel like a winner.
As for me, I did not finish last in any of the events. Woopty doooooerr. Kind of pathetic, I know, but it was very possible I was going to finish last all around, so that is a small victory of sorts. In the dead lift competition I pulled 35 reps at 133lbs in 3 minutes, which is a personal record. In rowing, I placed 23rd out of 29 women (and shaved 13 seconds off my time for 1500 meters). Nothing dazzling, but still better than I expected.
As for the the last event, I chose not to compete, and I have mixed feelings about it. I'm not happy with the fact that I didn't do it, but I also think I made the best choice. The final WOD was too hard for me and I was not willing to possibly injure myself trying to do it (with an audience nonetheless). It was:
50 burpees *later scaled to 25
25 thrusters, 77lbs
15 hand stand push ups (with a 15kg plate)*later scaled to 5 reps
The burpees are the only thing in this WOD I could have done. The thrusters were too heavy with too many reps and I've never done a hand stand push up. I decided to opt out for my own good, and I admit I was already taxed from the first two events.
I was surprised by the design of the final WOD, and I know I'm not the only one. The hand stand push ups were unexpected and I think it's safe to say that most people struggle with this exercise and it happens to be one that can easily cause injury. Not that any of that matters in a CrossFit competition...
This brings me to my main beef with how the competition was conducted. The final WOD was so hard that the strongest male competitors couldn't do it. The judges had to scale it twice, while the competition was happening. We saw the strongest men in the competition banging their heads against the ground when they attempted their first rep. We later learned that no one at Crossfit Charlottesville had tested the WOD before hand. Also, the judges were very strict about some movements, and not others. For thrusters, competitors were allowed to do a front squat and a jerk, but hand stand push ups were judged strictly. Now this is my first competition experience, ever, so I don't know how judging is normally conducted. Maybe these things are normal, something to be expected. I don't know, but it seemed sloppy and preventable.
All that aside, it was well organized and my favorite part of the day was watching my fiance compete, who did an amazing job. He placed 6th overall in rowing, and in the final WOD was the only guy in his heat who did the hand stand push ups. I'm totally proud.
After hanging around people with matching t-shirts who cheered each other on, I started to long for an affiliate. Although I love the homespun approach to CF, I don't have the support of trainers to help construct and pursue specific goals. In a way, that's why I signed up: I needed a goal. Last week when I was trying to train I felt overwhelmed, directionless, stressed, and alone. It's truly challenging to push yourself and learn new things without the comradery of an affiliate. However, there's no CrossFit gym in our little town, so I'm thankful for what I DO have: my fiance and a few friends who care about trying, learning something new, helping each other out, occasionally running up a mountain with a few homemade sandbags just for the hell of it, and a glorious private space to work in (the beloved garage gym) that is full of possibilities.
In conclusion...
I thought I would finish last in the events. I didn't. I thought I would compete in all three events. I didn't. I thought I would want to quit doing CrossFit and stop eating paleo after the thing was finally over. I don't. I'm really inspired by what I saw on Saturday and even though I'm a tad disappointed (in myself) and frustrated (with the lack of organization), I want to keep working. Now that I know what other CrossFit girls are capable of, I'd like to aspire to their strength, or something close to it. That alone would make me feel like a winner.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)