I attempted this. I think I deserve a medal. And a hug.
Breaking News: For the first time, after my warm-up and some review on my form, I was able to participate in the group exercise for the day at Crossfit last night! It wasn’t the most complex of workouts, but it was all stuff I had covered and could do.
Last night’s workout was called “Diane”. Some workouts throughout the process are named after people (see a list here) who were significant to Crossfit, or were heroes in the military or other aspects of life. For each of these, there is a prescribed number of reps or time and the weights you should use (if they require weights). Diane consists of deadlifting 155 lbs for girls (more for guys) and doing handstand pushups (which are illustrated to the right). Each exercise has to be done in reps of 21, 15 then 9; 21 deadlifts, 21 push ups…then 15 deadlifts, and so on. If you just have started like me or are just not to the prescribed weight yet, you do what is a challenge to you but still in the reps. Whatever you can do is timed. Diane, as with other named workouts, are benchmark workouts, where you can keep a journal of what you’ve done so after a few months, you can come back, try again and see if you have improved.
For me, this was my third visit, so I did 83 lbs on the deadlift and a modified handstand push up for my slowly strengthening rotator cuff. For those who aren’t familiar with deadlifting, which I’m still not great at, it’s the same idea as doing leg presses on a circuit machine. You use your legs almost exclusively to lift weight off the ground; that’s why I could deadlift over 80 lbs on my first day – it’s all leg strength. It’s a unique movement that’s for sure. No one deadlifts anything in real life. Maybe someone does, but I sure don’t. Without a nice, plush seat to sit in and kick up from, you have to pay very close attention to your back and your arms while doing it, but you still just use your legs.
The push ups I had to do modified because I just can’t quite get the range of motion I want with my shoulder yet. They showed me that I would put my feet up on a parallel bar to alleviate the weight of my legs on my arms and do them with my torso straight up and down, but my legs piked. So just like the crazy, hardcore dude in the picture, but folded at the waist. Yeah…JUST like him.
So I started with the group. I struggled and focused as best I could on my form. I was huffing and puffing but I did my 21-15-9, although modified, in six minutes and fifteen seconds.
The board read: Ashleigh – 6:15. 83/pike.
I did it! My first group Crossfit success! I was so stoked that I jumped rope for a little while afterwards too, just to do it because I’m a bad mo-fo. I feel stronger and better everyday. I know what I’m doing is making me stronger and breaking through this stigma that I’d never lose weight or get toned up…and that at 30, I have to succumb to Mom Body…or Graphic Designer Body. I don’t. I can do this!
Yesterday, my dieting was thwarted slightly by a meeting we had with chicken wings and candy. Despite the less healthier options, I had only 3 wings (when I wanted 20), and a half of a turkey wrap with a diet coke, just a few tortilla chips with salsa and a few celery sticks…and a Jolly Rancher. And a “fun size” Twix. But that was it. For dinner, I had steamed veggies with brown rice and water. I had half a bag of 100 Calorie Popcorn as my snack while we watched TV. As they say, its not about the falling, but how you get back up on that horse, and I did that well yesterday. I was presented with some delicious, fattening food, but I was smart and chose healthier options, had a little treat, but got right back on the wagon with the next meal. That’s what it’s all about.
Today, I am locked down at work with the food I packed until the F gets back from Augusta later this evening. That’s good and bad. I can’t really go get anything else to eat, but I can’t go back to Crossfit tonight either. But I am going to be well under my caloric intake for the day as well…so if I can’t get in the gym, I don’t feel as bad. I’ll be back tomorrow though!
