oh...that was easier...

Three times in four days. Can you believe it? Believe it...doubters.

Yesterday was a break day. Wednesdays there is no 7.15 class, because Mike apparently needs one day a week to sleep in. Pansy. Thursdays is open gym. Come when you want, do what you want...well...kind of.

I left my house earlier than usual, just because I was up. And when I'm up...I'm up. If I sit or lay back down...I'm down. I must choose. Today I chose up. On my way to the gym, my handy little iPhone notifies me that I've been tagged in CrossFit Zeal's album. Oh...joy. As we all well know, I'm BEAUTIFUL when I work out. I know...I know...be jealous...it's a gift. Well the first picture I see of myself is when I'm doing deadlifts. I had no idea he was taking pictures yesterday until after the workout. Yes...that's focus...winning!

So he posts these pictures, and there's one that's really great of me doing a deadlift. I look strong. But then I see my mouth. Well...I see my braces...then I notice my mouth. I make some seriously funny faces in the gym. Let's just say I'll never meet and date someone from the gym. They all think I have problems. Which I do...different story...different day. But the pictures kind of make me laugh. I walk in, and Mike is in the office, Paul is working out. I sit down in the office, and Paul walks in to show us a video. He achieved a PR in front squat. Awesome.

Once in the box, Paul is cleaning up, and he reminds Mike of his recent PR. He tells Mike, "that's more than I weigh, not more than you weigh, but more than I weigh." Oh...the quips he throws on Mike...I love.

Time to roll it out. I roll...Mike rolls a little too. And then I realize...I'm alone. Grrrrrreat. Having Mike's full attention in the box is one of the most unnerving things. When he can focus all his energy and attention on one person, you're in for it. So I start to stretch my hamstrings...he decides to help...again. Faaaaaaaantastic. This hurts...like hold your breath hurts. Makes my feet tingle hurts...so he lets up.

First thing to do today is one power clean plus one hang power clean plus one push jerk. This is one movement for today's sake. This is to be done every thirty seconds for ten minutes. Let me be clear about something...I can do these. Also...they are not pretty. For some reason, I can think about the form and what I'm supposed to do, but my body doesn't follow my minds instructions. My body kind of does its own thing. When I think about what I'm supposed to do, my body says, "oh screw that, here's how you do it". Fail.

So all the way through this ten minutes Mike and I are talking and trying to figure out how to get me to be better. He keeps me light at fifty eight pounds. He also yells at me to drop the weight. I have the worst habit of using more energy to set the bar down all nice and lady-like. Duh...I am a lady.

Before I tell you about the rest of the workout, I'll mention that I peeked at it last night. I saw inverted burpees on the list. I had no idea what that was, but Mike so kindly posted a video. I'll explain. You start facing the wall standing. You then squat, sit on the floor, roll on your back and bring your legs over your head to where they are either touching the floor or nearly touching the floor behind your head. You then roll back up onto your feet, and immediately do a handstand against the wall in front of you. That's one. Exactly. One.

The workout today is:

AMRAP 12

10 inverted burpees

10 toes to bar (seriously?!?)

10 db thrusters

The most dreaded part of this to me is toes to bar. Ugh. Whatever. You must work at what you're weakest at...*rolls eyes*. He has me try out each movement a few times to make sure I'm capable.

3...2...1...

Inverted burpees go alright on the first set. Then toes to bar. Toes to bar just mentally defeats me. I allow it, I know, but it just gets me. The first two my toes don't hit the bar. So naturally, I don't count them. Mike then tells me to get my feet as high as I can. He also tells me not to be so negative on the blog as to how I couldn't get my toes to the bar. He also mentions that if I mastered kipping this would be easier. Funny, I was trying not to swing. Damn.

Then db thrusters. These hurt by now. They shouldn't because I'm only using fifteen pound dumbells. But they do nevertheless.

On the second set of inverted burpees, I hit my head on the floor once pretty hard. I didn't like it. That's when Mike starts picking on how I get up. Wonderful. Now I have head trauma and I look funny. Again, the joys of being the only one in the gym with Mike.

As twelve minutes come around, I've done three rounds, and get in twelve extra reps. Sheesh. I'll have you know that a wall, a pull up bar, and a set of fifteen pound dumbells kicked my ass today. That's it. No fancy equipment, no treadmill, no pretty wall colors, no tv. Just a wall, a pull up bar, and a set of fifteen pound dumbells. It's the simplest things in CrossFit that will test your drive.

After the workout, Mike tries to teach me kipping. I'm not bad at it. Then I try toes to bar while kipping. It was like the sky parted and Mike bestowed a secret unto me. Kipping is awesome. So...now that I have kipping down...why not try a pull up with my body weight. I've accomplished one big goal earlier this week when I squatted my body weight, why not try the other one.

Almost.

Kipping helps, and Mike says I'm close. But I can't get to the top today without his help. No worries...I'll try again when I'm fresh.

Today was a good day.