Crossfit Games 2014

Mr. Roosevelt's "Man in the Arena" is very fitting to celebrate the 2014 Crossfit Games' warriors. What a celebration of human spirit!

  

A really smart Crossfit Coach said to a really smart business man, "Sure I'll look at your business but you have to look at mine too...Crossfit."

What this coach really meant is one cannot understand this sport until you are "in it". 

Why does one willingly put themselves into great physical pain, intense psychological trials, and for extended periods of time...5 days per week or more for many?

Read "Man in the Arena".  It's the answer to that question. It's hard to explain but once you've "entered" you will understand. 

4 time consecutive Crossft Games Champ, Rich Froning, said this, 

"You can be really good at something and look like an idiot doing another movement. (CrossFit's) a nasty thing, but it makes it a little more fun.”

So now we can look like an idiot too!  That would be me and box jumps...I'm just not "springy". AND me at pull-ups...remember my daughter's window analogy?  I'm just not "swingy". 

BUT none of it matters!!  WHY? 

Because I witnessed rising above negative head space in Rich Froning.  Because I witnessed consistent and calm from Camille Leblanc-Bazinet,  Michelle Letendre, Annie Thorisdottir, none of whom won many events, but demonstrated fittest in so many ways!

I watched Chris Spealler, Jason Khalipa compete for the last year as individuals...winners in ALL ways.  I witnessed rookies and young kids like Lauren Fisher, Cory Anderson, Noah Ohlsen perform beyond believable. 

I watched every Master's event. So great to see Amy Mandelbaum on the podium.  Susan Habbe back it!! And Mary Beth Litshelm performing SO steady and awesome!

Did I say, "Oh crap, handstand walks!" And "How would I have done at that??" YUP, for 30 seconds I thought those thoughts... and then answered "The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena..."  I'm in the arena with a great team of coaches and team mates.  Let the dust, sweat & blood accumulate. Let me look like an idiot as I embrace & dote on my weaknesses "because there is no effort without error and shortcoming".  

Weighted pistols were on the whiteboard this week - 30 at 16kg for the gals. Thanks Matt B. for looking so strong at your 30 and saying, "Good" at my smaller sets until I knew my butt had it in me for a set of 10. AND of course calling me on a little or big swing back of the foot.  So smart my friend Matt, as he says right up close to me "How would Rich do them, how would Camille do them?"  What ya gonna do when you want back to the Games deep in your soul and you're asked that???  You're gonna tighten up your core and straighten that front let, that's what!!

Thanks to my friend Nicole who sent me an article. I took a clip from it. I crossfit because God gifted me with the love of being physical and it makes Him smile to see me "in the arena". Below is another reason I crossfit and I will wager that the athletes we watched this weekend feel the same. It's kinda an ode to Crossfit :)

"It means you can run, jump, swim, play, bend, walk and lift with all parts of your body from joints, muscles and bones to hands and feet, all body parts working in unison. It means that if you had to run 5K to get away from danger, (Chad Benko, this means running!!) if you had to swim for 20 minutes to save yourself in a flood (Just keep swimming, C-Unit), if you had to lift a heavy weight out of the way to free yourself, something or someone else, you could do it.

The new fitness trend is not about prostituting yourself but about doing the hard work measured in reps, sets and sweat to create a body, an entire organism engineered to sustain itself in this brave new world. It means you can help yourself -- not be dependent on someone else. It means you train differently, think intelligently, respect powerfully, sensing a new strength in yourself that comes not from the desire to have a cutie booty but a strong one that can move when it has to, along with the rest of the magnificent machine called YOU."

Let's close with a salute to Rich Froning and his spirit to faithfully abide in The Infinite One:

May I never boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world. - Galations 6:14

Test day II

Perform, perform, perform!  Is there more and more to add into your training? Does the idea of performing, doing more make you tired, drain your energy? Or excite you, raise the level of your drive to be GREAT?

The amazing thing about this is, we all have the choice to decide how we react. Be excited or be turned off.  It's right because you make it so.

My very good friend and mentor suggested I read "The Prayer of Jabez" and "The Secret of the Vine" by Bruce Wilkinson.  It's fascinating, exhilarating and scary all at once.  This is the Prayer of Jabez:

"Oh, that you would bless me and enlarge my territory! Let your hand be with me, and keep me from harm so that I will be free from pain." And God granted his request.
- 1 Chronicles 4:10

What's this got to to with Test Day? Well the answer to that is another quote from the greatest book every written:

He replied, “Because you have so little faith. Truly I tell you, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you.”

- Matthew 17:20

First, we must ask for MORE to be given to us. Second, we must have faith it is already done. Yes, I'm talking about TEST days.  AND guess what?  EVERY DAY is a test day for EVERYTHING we do. Be bold. Ask, have faith and it will be done. 

So did I PR on this Test Day? Nope :)  Did I learn something? OH yes.  Thanks to another outstanding coach,  Jason Trihn.   

On this test day, I caught a 2kg PR snatch but couldn't stand up with it. Butt down, chest up! And I did exactly the opposite. 

But I went back the next day and Jason talked me through each position of the snatch coming up with cues that worked for me.  Here's the results.  Feels so good when that bar seems to float to that overhead position.  

What gives you purpose to be your best?  AT MINIMUM... BELIEVE in yourself and talk only positive self talk. What we think and feel plays out on the screen of our life.  What do you want playing out on the screen of your life?

I want a 60kg snatch and a 85kg Clean & Jerk. To do this I have to go back to the beginning and get it right. Take weight off, repeat, repeat until every lift looks and feels the same.  And I'm excited to get to it.  Thanks to all my great coaches at Synergy Strength who will get me there.  Let's get into the arena!

Test Day

Test days are a regular occurrence at Synergy Strength so what's the big deal? It's a big deal.

It's our proving ground that we did the work, that we committed to showing up everyday to do battle.  The human spirit is designed to grow, to learn, to mature and become a richer, darker, super moister, chocolatier cake :).  We have to be able to measure that growth...so bring on the test days.

Front squat and snatch were on the board for testing on Friday.

Front squat - 85 kg - 5 kg PR

87 kg attempt - thinking I will skip 85 next time and go straight here

50 kg snatch - old PR

52 kg attempt - I've learned I have NO high pull.

We have just completed one round of testing on our Train to Win program.  I'm excited for the 2nd round.  Some thoughts on this particular test day.  I PR'ed my front squat. It's good to PR on squats.  I remember going to my first Crossfit Regional event and saying to coach Benko, "Man I need bigger legs and a bigger butt."

PR's on squats should in theory lead to PR's in the Olympic lifts.  I have been snatching 50 kg for well, let's just say years.  Some of you might be saying, "That's disappointing." And I might go there for 30 seconds but quickly rephrase that to, "What great opportunity and potential."  I just need to get in and re-work my technique.

The picture of Leonidas represented the battle attitude when I started this post.  TODAY I was fortunate to witness a great training lesson.  Olympic lifter and Synergy coach, David Spurr, must have done 300 70% snatches today, analyzing each lift, tweaking, & training his mind and muscles to focus under fatigue. Of course sessions like that are not regular because the high volume may lead to various issues.  Coach Benko's wrath being one of them :).  BUT did I learn and did David experience some break throughs? For sure. So it tells me I need to go back to the beginning with my Olympic lifts, re-train some muscle patterns, get the missing pieces like high pulls on my snatches.  I need to do this on sessions outside my regular training.  And I'm thinking a few times per week early morning.  But guess what? Do you have a coach you trust? Then something like extra training sessions needs to get an approval from that Coach because there is a training plan in place that is leading me to the next test day.  Besides, I'm not 20, 30 or even 40 years old anymore.  Train smart because I want to do this when I'm 80.

Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. - James 1:4

Trust - a five lettered word

Do you have someone you trust in any area of you life who you will follow first, get the details later?  Think about it.  Do you have a relationship with someone who leads you in the right direction? This doesn't mean there aren't "discussions / debates" about topics. Just that at the end of the day, you are a peace with the part of your life you share with that person.

It takes time to have this...and as great as the idea of "peace" sounds, likely the road here was not peaceful.  Have you heard this?

"The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy."

Martin Luther King, Jr.

Our real character shines brightly when we are in our most challenging, difficult moments.  The people who I really trust in my life, those who continually replace peace with worry,  are those who have shown calm, confidence, knowledge, encouragement when mine was lost.  I'm only gonna post this once, so don't ask me to repeat it...you know I'm talking to you, Coach Benko.  Yes, Chief Bottle Washer, Head Kahoona, soon-to-be Thor Theman, Co-owner of Synergy Strength and our programmer, Chad Benko, is a trusted friend and mentor.  

That thing he's lifting isn't really that heavy, the belt is for looks, and he really believes running sucks. Yet in spite of himself,  I trust him completely to map out my road to the Crossfit Games. Coach Benko's programming has taken me there twice in the past and he's gotta be smarter by now. 

The Games have become crazy competitive. Crossfit HQ's branding "Fittest on Earth" is getting it's money worth from it's athletes. The level of athletes competing gets better every year.  I believe that's because Crossfit coaches are getting better.  Programming is getting better and good programming allows those athletes who come with a good work ethic to excel in the sport. 

Ask your coach to explain the programming goals for the next 4 weeks or so at your gym. I don't recommend doing this with Coach Benko...just trust me...that's what this post is about, trust.  Your coach should be able to explain what the program's goals are...where you are headed on your fitness road.

I am grateful to have Coach Benko's programming.  My job is to show up rested, well nourished, and mentally prepared to work every WOD like I'm competing in the finals of the Games. It's kinda like the melding of braun & brain into a fine tuned Indy car. (Yes, I admit you are the smart one most of the time in this relationship. You can comment below that I am a pretty good version of braun.)  I also am grateful that Coach Benko surrounds himself with talented coaches that know how to keep us safe, make us better, are committed to our community and are badass good athletes. I love you all! 

My trust in myself to do the work necessary to get back to the Games is very high. I have this because God designed me to be His athlete, His warrior daughter.  My trust in Coach Benko's program and my team of coaches is equally high.  They have been gifted to do great work.  Going back in 2015 is the only option. 

"The king was overjoyed and gave orders to lift Daniel out of the den. And when Daniel was lifted from the den, no wound was found on him, because he had trusted in his God." - Daniel 6:23

Pulling-up my socks

Pull-ups...a beautiful thing to see.  Flaring lats, rippling back muscles (I prefer rippling to ripped), a rhythmic movement that almost sings on it's own.  Unless you're me...wait...I'll  give myself flaring lats and a rippling back minimum.  The rhythmic  pull-up movement is where I fall short or...have my greatest potential. My daughter, Justine, described my pull-up motion to me like this: we were driving somewhere together, she swings her hand down and slams it into the window. That's pretty much what you look like, Mom, at the bottom of your pull-up. And then she does it again, slams her hand in  a downward swinging motion into the window...a little harder the 2nd time. OK, then. She really loves me to be that honest.  I'll get a video of my pull-ups and start watching the progress. You've had this experience, right? A vision in your head of what you look like doing something? You can feel how you look? Well, I feel like I'm really swinging forward on the downward part  of my pull-ups but Justine was pretty clear with the visual explanation that that is not what happens. And then there's the butterfly pull-up.  Right now my butterfly pull-ups looked like wounded caterpillars.  I will master this movement this season. There's my first commitment to me and you.  

I'm bring up pull-ups because we just did Jackie at the end of last week. (1000m row, 50 empty bar thrusters, 30 pull-ups for time) It's great programming to have a benchmark WOD at the end of a training week.  It gives us the chance to catch ourselves saying, "Sheesh, he could have put that at the beginning of the week when I'm not so tired", AND, rephrasing it to, "Good, I'm going to PR this."  Say this aloud, "I love doing Fran.  I'm taking 5 seconds off each of the next 3 Frans." "I love Jackie. I'm going to row 3 seconds faster and do one less set of pull-ups."  I start saying things like this as soon as I see something programmed for the week. Do it...you will feel prepared. 

Back to Jackie. I did Jackie on Saturday with Dawn, Rob and Charla.  Dawn and I stepped off the rower at the same time, put down the thruster at the same time and met under the pull up bar.  I can't tell you at what time I stepped off the rower or when I finished the 50 thrusters! Really not smart when you are planning on competing at the Crossfit Games.  These are important things to know.  Dawn, did you get those numbers?? :) That's the beauty of team mates...they can cover your butt sometimes.  Anyway to finish Jackie...Dawn does her butterfly pull-ups in 3 sets of 9, 9, 12.  Phenomenal!  I do 4, 3, 3, 4, 3, 3, and 5 sets of 2 I think.  I finished in 8:44 and Dawn 7 something.  I'll have a 7 minute Jackie next time she shows up since I'm going to work on my pull-ups.  It's just practise.  I know this.  I have so many experiences to draw from when learning a skill.  Keep at it. Be consistent, get feedback, watch videos so to understand the correct technique. Then put the time in.  

Before Jackie, we did some snatch technique work and I could not complete a snatch off the blocks for nobody.  It was just one of those days where I could not get that bar close to me or turn it over fast enough.  This is often how competition goes too.  A WOD doesn't play out like planned. I easily could have talked myself into a weak Jackie because of a poor snatch session.  Finish it and forget it.  Look ahead and prepare yourself to be your best...better than your best actually.  Go into every WOD looking to be better than your best.  We all show up voluntarily to workout.  Why would we show up to do anything less than our best?  It's way more fun that way.  

Look for some videos coming soon of me slamming into the window.  

Not for long though...I'm not just talk...I'm putting my money where the pull-up bar is!

Proverbs 14:23 In all toil there is profit, but mere talk tends only to poverty.

Just call me Norm-al

Do you know how to knit? Is it a lost skill?

This post isn't about knitting but let's just go there for a minute. I'm glad to say my daughter knows how to knit.  I didn't teach her though.  It was what her U of Maine volleyball team did  on a bus trip.  It resulted in the skill of knitting being passed on to many young women, many lovely Christmas gifts and a collection of various sized knitting needles.

Another knitting story that makes me LOL.  I suggested once that we bring play lists to the gym to showcase our various music tastes.  (FYI I have NOT received permission, nor will I ever ask permission to name people in my posts...might make you think about what you say to / about me. But I digress) Dale Bruce Hopkins, with a grin known to every Synergy Strength member, says "What's your playlist called, Laurie?  Music to knit by?" LOL. Funny the things that imprint on our brain never to be forgotten. The comment was obviously directed at my age, not my odd personality, right Dale?

This leads to the subject of my post. Being normal.  I analyze first, then evaluate so here's how I look at this:

Normal - adjective

1.

conforming to the standard or the common type; usual; not abnormal; regular; natural.

Me - What's the standard? Common, usual? No, no, no!  There is NOTHING common about any of us. 

2.

serving to establish a standard. Who's standard?

3.

Psychology .

a.

approximately average in any psychological trait, as intelligence, personality, or emotional adjustment. I don't care for the word average, either.  God didn't create "average" anywhere. 

b.

free from any mental disorder; sane. I know many people think Crossfit is insane. We were all given gifts to serve in a special way... my sane makes you think insane. That's ok! 

Some people think competing at the Crossfit Games doesn't fit into the "normal" mould.  Being driven, focused on improvement and learning, risk-taking, they all sometimes get the "that's not normal" nod.  It's the "Can't you just be happy?" question.  I believe the following. There is no status quo, no staying in the same place.  We are either growing, moving forward, maturing spiritually, physically, emotionally, intellectually or we are going the other way.  I won't give the "other way" words because I've chosen to let only positive things fill my head and come out of my mouth.  See? I'm still maturing, figuring it out, being inspired to be my best, that better version of my current self.

My friend David Spur taught me a great lesson about this very subject. (You're like the Mom with the great legs in the cartoon, David.)  David replied to a photo of my pinkie with #weirdestpinkie.  I replied "What do you mean, my pinkie is weird?" He simply replied "The weirder, the better." Follow me here...this all fits. You see David suggested I embrace my "normal".  I missed it. And here's my chance to thank David for the compliment. I like my normal, being driven, wanting to be better today than I was yesterday, not being satisfied with status quo, and yes, I like my pinkie.

I know I'm not happy if I'm not being challenged to be that better version of myself. Whether it's in business, at home when my 18 yr old says, "Mom are you really going to eat that?" or when strict chest 2 bar pull ups are programmed and coach Tron tells me to do ring rows because that last 2 inches of scapular retraction is not there. Potential! Being challenged pushes our comfort zone out. We become less and less frazzled every time we face uncomfortable. And I bet if you get comfortable with the lion inside you, you will find out something really cool about yourself...you'll discover your normal.  It won't be like anyone else's normal...it will be ALL you!! #you'respecial

Today was a HIIT WOD with light Oly work.  HIIT - 8 Push Jerk, 12 T2B, Heavy Farmer's Walk. 4 rounds every 5 minutes. I did 50kg push jerk (too light), broke the T2B into 6/3/3 (but didn't make that last round) GREAT potential on my T2B, and did 50kg each hand Farmer's Walk (maybe a little light). I like HIIT WODs likely because I recover fast.  And I like being conscious of how the taxing on your body builds with each round...very cool.  Pay attention to it sometime.


“Be sure that the ins and outs of your individuality are no mystery to Him; and one day they will no longer be a mystery to you...God will look to every soul like its first love because He is its first love. Your place in heaven will seem to be made for you and you alone, because you were made for it--made for it stitch by stitch as a glove is made for a hand.” 
― C.S. Lewis, The Problem of Pain

Gear Maintenance

I'm the first one to say "Rest! A week off will not be the end of the world." And the last one to listen.  

Really, take a week off?  That's just not happening. Such a fine line we walk, isn't it?  A myriad of articles for and against over training can be brought up in less time than a fast Fran. 

Over the last 2 years I definitely neglected "gear maintenance".  Physical, spiritual, emotional & financial maintenance...it was survival mode.  Now I recognize those years as the exact road I needed to be on.  No, I didn't enjoy them, and that was my choice. I understand better now.     

"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." Jeremiah 29:11 

It was a time I let circumstances into the driver's seat of my life. And the destination I was headed to did not please me.  Everything is SO connected.  Mind, body, spirit...influence one in either direction and they all change. I've come to recognize, accept, and honour that I am created to move. So when my physical world is out of sync, it shakes up my mental and emotional world too. I ignored my RA over the last 2 years.  Not sure why really.  I got tired. I thought it would just stay the same, not get worse.  All while other areas of my life were tipping to the "worse" side.  And my RA got worse too.  It lead me to scaling many movements and eventually not being able to do them. It slowly chipped away at me.  AND I denied it. (the invincible complex) Until one day God decided that I needed a little more than the gentle squeezing of my hand to let me know He was there. With His next move He got my attention. That's another blog post.  

Fast forward to now where I am in a very good place...in the driver's seat.  I am grounded spiritually, emotionally, physically.  

What have I learned about physical maintenance & prosperity? Do not stop looking for an answer when it comes to "repair mode".  Disease, injury, whatever is going on physically, keep looking.  Cleaning up your diet is the first step.  So much pain & inflammation disappears when you find the right combination of foods for you.  Some people are more sensitive to certain foods from the same food group.  You have to figure that out by paying attention to the signals your body sends.  I personally, with RA, avoid all grains, eat very little dairy and red meat.  Nuts, eggs, night shades, tomatoes and oranges are in particular, flare-up causing foods. 

Concentrated food sources or what others call supplements are always in my routine.  My essentials are fish oil with a high EPA to DHA ratio, cur cumin (turmeric) & nitric oxide combination, a probiotic, an enzyme called serratiopeptidase, and a multivitamin. I own a nutrition company and use our 3 supplements.  My Nutrie - Our Success   I'm followed by a Naturopath Dr. who has me on some drops and an injection of Zeel (into my heel which is where the RA is most stubborn). She also suggested I juice ginger root and drink it in hot water with a little stevia.  I think this has been a great addition for me.  Swelling in my fingers is really down.  Try it as a simple and cost effective anti-inflammatory.  Peel the ginger 'cause it's hard on the juicer. :)  

Looking after the physical gears and keeping them well maintained,  means training is a breeze.  :)