Double Unders

Have you ever thrown your jump rope across the room? Have you ever done 20 double unders in a row and then the next day couldn't get one? Have you ever curled up in a ball and cried after whipping yourself with your jump rope? Have you somehow misplaced your rope so somehow you couldn't do double unders? Have double unders made you want to quit CrossFit more than once?

Yup, this pretty much explains my frustration with double unders in the past. When I first was introduced to them, I was in disbelief that they wanted me to have to rope go twice under my feet in one jump. WTF?! I barely can get it to go once! Though I thought to myself this is one of the skills that just really require strength, more core, agility, timing, endurance, ahhh damn a lot.

So first thing first, GET YOUR OWN ROPE!! I tell this to everyone. It makes such a difference to have your own rope to swear at and throw across the room. I use an RX rope RX Jump Ropes and love it. Though you can get a rope from Again Faster, Rogue, and a few other places. Next step is practice, practice, practice. This is what led to all of my swears, me quitting CrossFit numerous times, and just feeling hopeless that I'll never get them. Low and behold though I finally figured them out. (I'm still no pro though, throwing of the jump rope still happens!)

I decided that I needed to not freak out when I could get any, to relax, and focus on getting them done. I got my timing and learned I needed to jump a little higher. After a long grueling couple of months, I finally could do a 100 double unders (NOT IN A ROW CRAZIES!) in less than 2 minutes. How you ask? EVERYDAY, I picked up that rope, before, during, after the WODs. SomeDays I would only get 1-2 double unders and then quit, but next day I would try again and again and again. Practice and persistance pays off and it will for you too if you can believe that you can do them and just keep at it. Its so encouraging to see how many people in our gym have got double unders now. Even if its just 10, its so much better than 0. And you will too, and just know its going to hurt...a lot, and when people ask you why you have whip marks all over you, you can be proud in saying you were practicing your CrossFit double unders. (Or that your significant other whips you, but some people can't take a joke!)

Now get out that rope and start practicing!

Doing things you don't like...lifting weights!

So I come to write this post after being at CrossFit this morning and listening to people knock on lifting days...and it reminded me of when I first started CrossFit...I'd cherrypick the workouts ALL the time. I since learned that every workout has a purpose and if I come into that workout with a bad attitude I'm not going to get anything from it. I'm not going to like every workout, actually I really hate some of them. Usually because I can't do a lot of the movements, but I used to hate some of the workouts because it was lifting and lifting made me 'big' and I needed Cardio to get a good workout. Oh man, has this every happened to you?

Soooo you skipped a workout because all that was on the WOD board was lifting. I hear this all the time..."I don't want to get big", "I need more cardio." I actually heard it today! Ahhh please! I get frustrated, but then realize that is exactly how I was about a year ago. Little did I know you are going to get stronger and leaner, not bigger! Trust me! You want to look lean and defined..lift heavy weights. The more you weight train the easier it is to maintain your weight and look good! With a regular strength training program, you can reduce your body fat, increase your lean muscle mass and burn calories more efficiently. So cherry picking that weight day actually is not helping you reach your goals. Seems girls(more than men) always have that thought, I need more cardio so I can lose weight. Yes cardio is great, but if you do too much you are going to be burning your muscle. If you just do “more cardio”, you will lose more fat, but you would also lose muscle because without anaerobic and strength training, your body burns muscle as well as fat. Then, once you stop doing “more cardio” you will gain fat even faster since you don’t have the muscle to burn the extra calories. Muscle is what burns those extra calories and gets rid of the excess fat, which is most women's goals, LOSE FAT! You want to lose Fat? Lift weights and get your body to burn more fat by following the Paleo Diet (that discussion will happen later)

Here is an awesome article on 'skinny fat' Showing that lifting weights is going to get you strong and lean, hands down! So you can stop being soft and can start being STRONG! "Skinny Fat"

So next time you decide to cherry pick a weight workout, you should think again. Since that weight day could be more beneficial for you to reach your goals. Don't believe me? Do some research and get into that gym and start lifting weights, you will be surprised after some hardwork and time how many more goals you can reach, not to mention improving your self-confidence and doing things you never thought you would be able to do!

Workout hard, don't look back!! Happy Friday :-)

The Diet today

Alright so I'm going to try and make this short, but oh man its hard. I'm really frustrated with how many people are un-educated on nutrition and what they should be eating. Many people think they are eating healthy, but in reality they aren't. Before I found CrossFit, my nutrition and what I ate was based off what other people said, what I thought was healthy, calories, and fat. I never was getting the result I wanted and I thought it was just because I wasn't working out enough. Really it was because my nutrition sucked and I wasn't putting any intensity into my workouts everyday.

I'll go through a typical day...Wake up at 5:30, head to global and either run 5-6miles or do a spin class. Head to work, have coffee, 3/4 cup oatmeal and blueberries (yea probably around 250 cals!), then I would snack through out the day on carrots, 100cal packs, nuts, fiber bar, and fruit. Then for lunch I'd have a small turkey sandwich, carrots, maybe some snack that was in the lunch room or a lean cuisine. Then sometimes I would go to the gym during lunch and either do the elliptical or lift weights using the machines. Then before I left I would maybe have another granola bar, popcorn, and peanut butter with apple. Then I would sometimes head back to the gym and do some more cardio before heading home and heading out to eat or having a lean cuisine or whole-wheat pasta. Ok yes, I know now that I was working out WAY to much and was obsessed, but I didn't lose any weight, actually I GAINED! WTF! I was snacking a lot at work, but I would work out a ton to try and offset. Wish I knew what I know now....

So I have had numerous conversations with people on how they could NEVER give up grains, there body needs it and it would be impossible. I then ask if they are an endurance athlete(marathons, triathlons, etc) and most of the time its no. Though of course you think 'whole' grains are good that is what commercials say and a lot of doctors to, though there is no real evidence that its good for you. Most of them contain Gluten..BAD Here is a great article, just read a few points: GLUTEN IS BAD I'm not going to go into a lot of things, you'll have to do your research on it, but I always take questions. Here is another article Grains=Bad

I got frustrated because walking through the grocery store, I rarely go into the aisles, but had to for a few things and it was crazy seeing all of the processed food!! Why would you put that in your body. Just because a wheat thin is whole grain people think its ok..it has so much crap in it. Don't get me wrong, I like my fair share of crap, but I have learned what it can do to my body and have tried to keep it 98% out of my body. I'm human...

I really want the US to be healthy, I just saw a commercial that 1 in every 2 adults is overweight if not obese. OMG! I'm a strong believer of the paleo diet and have seen the amazing results with friends and my own results. So I went from above, to getting rid of all gluten and working out with CrossFit 4 times a week, plus was running. I finally hit that AH HA moment. I lost 8 pounds eating the paleo diet and working hard. I'm a small person to begin with so 8 lbs is a lot on my frame, but I'm gaining muscle while losing the fat!

I really believe in the paleo diet, but I know its not for everyone. I just get mad when are society has so much junk food everywhere and people have this thought that Vegetarians are healthy?! NO NO NO!! Unless they eat fish, then yes, but they aren't getting nearly enough protein and are eating way to many carbs. YES your body needs carbs, but get them from fruits, vegetables, and sweet potatoes...not wheat thins or pasta! I hope to find out even more information so that the paleo diet can become more mainstream and so many people aren't against it. There was ways to modify it so you don't get TONS of fat and you get some good carbs, just trust it. You only have one body for the rest of your life. You mine as well take care of it...

WATCH THIS:

CrossFit Open....oh vay!

So I decided to sign up for the CrossFit Open. I am super excited to try these workouts no matter the difficulty or how I will have to scale, but I am a completely different athlete than last year at time, which might be where you are at.

So last year it cost 10 dollars to sign up. Someone told me I should do it, so I did. I had no idea why I was paying 10 dollars or what I was spending 10 dollars on. NO CLUE! Once the open finally started, I wondered why I threw away ten dollars. I didn't complete a single workout, NOPE not one. I'm going to make an excuse and say it was because I was skiing and was laid off from my job at the beginning of it, but in reality I was way to scared to compete.

I looked at the weights, the skills, the movements...I couldn't even do a pull-up and they want me to do chest to bar pullups, why embarrass myself? I wish I knew then what I know now. Before you start the open you have to make some feasible goals for yourself. Short-term, Long-term, etc. All I did was say. I can't do that..bad attitude, because actually I could have. Just because you are scaling doesn't mean you aren't getting a good workout or achieving a goal. Looking back I wish I could have done a few workouts, scaled them as necessary, but still been in the atmosphere of competing and going as hard as I can. Sure you are supposed to do that day in and out, but I feel like the adrenaline you have when your score REALLY counts is different and somehow you have extra power.

This year I have a complete different attitude. I want to give each workout my best effort, even if I have to scale, when I'm done I want to know I gave it my all because next time that workout might show up, I could be able to do it RX. I was watching The Biggest Loser the other night (yea i don't really watch TV, but I heard that Bob Harper, the main trainer on the show really loves CrossFit) and I saw them doing FRAN!!! You are probably thinking, "how are morbidly obese people doing Fran?" Great example how you can scale for anyone! They did jumping pullups and decreased the weight on the thrusters and all of them got an amazing work out.

Great motivations video:
I guess in the short run, don't be afraid to start CrossFit, be confident and realize that if you can't do the workout RX'd (required), don't get down on yourself. Scale the workout by asking your coach what is best for you and then give it everything you got! That is the beauty of CrossFit, anyone can do it, you just have to have the attitude that you can. If you do this every workout, you'll be surprised how much faster you learn movements and skills. Don't be afraid to challenge yourself, CrossFit doesn't just help you in your fitness level, but in life too! Good luck on your WODs!

Another Crossfit Blog?! Gees!!

Well, today is the day I dive into the Blog craziness and start blogging! This time though it is about something I'm super passionate about and feel as though I can share my experiences of being an 'average joe' crossfitter so I can get more people to try out this wonderful exercise regiment. Especially the few of you that are new to it, intimidated by it, or aren't really sure what you are getting into. It will change your life...trust me! (Ok you just met me that is a lot to ask, but go with it)

I started CrossFit almost 2 years ago and I've been so happy with how it has changed my life and my outlook on life that I want other people to feel the same. Ok enough of that junk...

CrossFit is something most people have never done before. I was that typical global gym rat that would head to 24 hour fitness 2-3 times a day. Though I never could figure out why my body composition never changed. I always stayed the same. Really it was because I wasn't educated on exercising nor diet. Whoa! Does this sound like you? Do you DREAD heading to the gym? I know I did and would fall off the wagon a lot because I hated getting on the treadmill, elliptical (FAIL!), or the stairstepper. What was I doing wrong? So much and I didn't even know it until I stumbled upon CrossFit one day, and I immediately saw it and went "That is what I want to do!"

Yea I was super intimidated by all the fit people and the friend circles that were already formed, so I dragged one of my friends to go with me, but I know I could have done it on my own too. This was the first day of a new outlook on what being 'fit' and 'strong' meant. Have I grabbed your attention yet? Still have NO idea what CrossFit is...keep reading and check out Wikipedia, they have a good explanation.

I had no idea that going to a gym could be SO much fun! I was part of the 6am crowd and getting up at 5:35 never was easier since I was excited to see what the workout was for the day and what I'd be pushing myself through. This started my struggle as a new CrossFitter, in which most all people that start CrossFit, its going to happen too. I started with 0 pullups, a squat that looked like a pooping dog, and no idea what a barbell even was. Yup, I was going to be a lot of work...but I want to put hope in the people that are starting CrossFit and are discouraged that the can't do certain WOD's or techniques. YOU WILL BE ABLE WITH HARDWORK AND DETERMINATION! Hence, why I have the blog, going over everything from pullups to paleo...and explaining it in an easy way to understand because when I first started CrossFit, I googled everything from What the hell is 'WOD' to why people hate 'FRAN.'

Enjoy...