I don't Wanna!

      This week on the whole has been fantastic.  I have achieved several personal bests.  Tuesday I ran a complete mile.  And understand, I was the kid in PE during the physical fitness test that never actually completed all four laps around the track and just said I was finished.  And 3 laps still took me around 20 minutes.  I finished a full mile in 13 minutes.  And the whole thing, not just the "ok I'm done" mile.  Wednesday was great as well.  I did most of my work out on the actual bar doing pullups.  They have these great bands that can help, but even so I was off the gymnastic rings and really doing pullups for the first time in my life.  
     This morning was hard.  I woke up in a precocious mood.  I toiled for the first hour I was up about whether I was actually going to go to class today.  I didn't WANNA!  I have yet to skip a class that I planned on attending.  At 10:30 I literally drug myself off of the couch and changed into my workout clothes.  I got in the car, drove to the box, and walked in the door 5 minutes late.  I just was not in the mood if you get my drift! 
     Once I got there, I tried to put all of the "worldly baggage" down.  It was like running on the beach in the soft sand.  I felt every step, every rep, every struggle.  Today was especially hard.  We did an outside workout that consisted of the following:

1 minute each of Tire Flips, Kettle Bell Sumo Deadlifts, Overhead Squats, Sledge Hammer Swings, and Rope Sand Bag Pulls.  Oh and we repeated all of this four times with 1 minute rest in between.  

    I struggled through this whole workout more so than any other the whole time I have been on this adventure.  And trust me, it wasn't a physical struggle, it was mental.  I had a great partner, as we took turns at stations to not get in each others way.  Her name was Jessica.  She was an experienced crossfitter, but from what I gathered, this was her first time at our "box".  She was so encouraging and helped me keep pace with her.  My trainers were also awesome as always.  The three of them offer a different dynamic which compliment each other perfectly.  

  The point is I finished.  I didn't cave.  And now I am completing the second part of my day.  I didn't want to blog today.  I didn't want to talk about a struggle that was mental.  I have always prided myself on being a "strong woman".  Things don't affect me.  So admitting that I have struggles, especially mental ones, is really hard.  But that's when it's most important.  It is often hard for us to admit when we need help.  Need to be pushed a little extra, need a little extra support.  I needed that today, and it came to me without even having to ask for it.  It is the reason I love this program, group of people, family if you will so much.  They have taken the time to get to know me.  Physically, mentally, emotionally.  And when I was at the end of my "rope", they were there to push me, help me, lift me up.  Even when "I didn't wanna" they helped me through it.  Another day down. Another step closer.  


Sometimes even when you "don't wanna", you "haveta".  One foot in front of the other keeps you moving forward.  Thanks CrossFit Amplitude Family for that push.

Big Girl Box Jump

A month ago today I walked into CrossFit Amplitude to get a feel for whether or not this was something I thought I could do.  I left there sweaty and thinking, "Well, I will give it a month."  Today as I made my way to class I thought of all of the changes this program has offered me in just this short time.  I can walk up a flight of stairs now without becoming winded.  I am no longer haunted by back pain and joint pain, as my muscles are getting stronger to actually support my bones, not the other way around.  But the biggest change is my outlook.  "I can't do that" is simply not in my vocabulary.  Today I had a personal victory.  I did actual box jumps.  Not modified ones.  The real ones, on the actual box.  It felt great.  Justin, one of my trainers, took a video if you would like to watch.  

 It may look easy, but my first week of class, I could barely jump 8 inches off the ground.  It is just one more victory.  


Our WOD today was also particularly challenging.  It was as follows:

5 Rounds of the following exercises for time:
10 Power Snatch I was using 35lbs
10 Box Jumps
10 Pullups (Still on the rings with these, I mean have you tried a pullup lately?!)

I was able to complete this workout in 12 minutes 46 seconds.

I think my favorite aspect of my new lifestyle is my lack of complacency in the box.  I am willing to push myself harder than I ever have in my whole life, and yet I still keep coming back for more!  I have started the recommended eating plan called the Paleo Diet.  As I follow it, I will blog on my progress. 

I feel great!!!

21 days to make a Habit

I have read on several occasions that it takes 21 days to make or break a habit.  I am almost there.  This begins my third week of WODS with CrossFit Amplitude.  I think my favorite thing thus far has been that I haven't done the same thing twice.  Well other than run!  I still am not a fan of the running, but I understand its necessity and do it because it will make me better, stronger.  And stronger is really all its about. 

Today's workout I will have to say may have been my favorite so far.  We started of with a 400m run as well as bear and spider crawls (its exactly what it sounds like) and of course fundamental movements which would lead into our WOD.  

Today's WOD was as follows:
 

3 Deadlift

6 Ground to Overhead

9 Overhead Squats

7 Minutes AMRAP

It was my first day using the bar with actual weights on it.  It was fun to put into actual use all of the movements I have been learning in the last two weeks.  And even though I knew my quads were going to be killing me later, I went after this workout.  I never thought of myself as someone who would enjoy lifting weights, but it makes you feel really powerful.  I can actually feel a difference in the way my body feels after a day of lifting cases of wine at work.  It's like I am a car, and I just got a new set of tires.  I can feel the strength in my legs improving and it just makes me want to keep working, harder and harder every day.  

So I will be up at 5am tomorrow.  To get ready for the day, the month, the rest of my life, fighting to make it to my 21st day.  To make this great new feeling a habit.