A Brand-New Start!: Getting back on track!

Hi everyone!

I have been feeling so much better since getting myself back on track. It's amazing how good your body feels when you work out and treat it right. Although, I am very sore from this week's wods! This week has tested my mental toughness over everything else.
Tuesday we had a chipper wod. Chippers are just how they sound- it's a long workout, and you chip away at it, until you finish or time is called. I LOVED this one. Here's what it consisted of:

30 Deadlifts (225/165)

50 Pull Ups

30 Clean and Jerk (135/95) (using same bar as DL)

50 Push Ups

100 Double Unders

My one rep max deadlift is 165, so I most certainly was not using that weight for the workout- I ended up using 85lbs. I really like deadlifts- Mike always tells me I have super long arms, so I'm a deadlift machine. haha. Since I have back problems (from that fateful zumba class where I threw my back out during a Pitbull song- lol), my form is super important so I don't hurt myself again. I ended up splitting the DLs into two sets of 15. Then I moved on to the pull ups. For the past few months, I've been doing ring rows instead of pull ups, to get some of my strength back, but for this workout, Harrison suggested that we do jumping pull ups instead. It felt good to get back on that bar! A jumping pull up is just like it sounds- stand on a box and jump up to get a pull up. Those I had to split up a little differently- I ended up just doing as many as I could to start, then doing sets of 10. Next, were the clean & jerks. 95lbs was definitely NOT happening, seeing as my one rep max C &J is 75lbs. I tried 75, and could still only get one. I moved down to 65lbs, and got maybe 5 reps. My arms were smoked from the pull ups. I stripped the bar down again, to 55lbs. That's where I was able to get in a good rhythm, and get through the C&Js. That is one of my favorite crossfit moves. It really engages your whole body, and makes you feel like a boss when you can do it. haha. Next, came the push ups. I was so sore- my arms, shoulders, entire body was hurting, but I had to push through- there was still plenty of time before the time cap. I broke the push ups up into sets of 10. I just kept thinking back to when I first started CF, and Mike made this apparatus on the rig for me- with three very thick bands- it basically just propelled me up so I could get a modified push up in. Although, they are still modified, I am able to do a push up on my own, and it just amazes me how far I've come from that. I completed the push ups, and then it was time for double unders. I still can't even do single unders that well, so doubles were definitely out of the question. If we did single unders, they counted 3 to 1. So that means for every 3 singles you got, it would count for 1 double. Essentially, I would have to do 300 single unders. At this point, there was only about 10 minutes left before the time cap. I knew I would never get up to 300, but I gave it my all anyway. I still have a hard time with the flow of jumping rope, and truly envy people that can do it so effortlessly. I can get a few and then I get caught in the rope, and have to reset. When time was called, I was up to 70 singles! I couldn't believe it! The most I've ever got in one workout was around 25. Crazy. Just absolutely crazy. Right when we finished, I immediately had the urge to puke. I busted a move to the ladies room, almost took some one out while trying to get there- and met with pukie again. It happens to me at least once a week. Crossfit is the only place where people high five you for puking. I love it. I felt so good after completing that workout- it was great.

A few days ago, I was helping a patient off of the treatment table, and he must have grabbed me the wrong way, and some how hurt my scapula. It's been killing me since Wednesday. Awesome. I just felt like I was getting back into the swing of things, and then boom, another injury. I feel like I'm always the CF problem child- always something wrong with me! We were doing snatches on Thursday and things just went awry for me- physically and mentally. I tried using the lightest weight I could, and still couldn't snatch without being in so much pain. Mike could see I was in pain, so he shut me down- and I had to go back on the kettlebell. It was so frustrating. But now that I look back, I'm glad he shut me down, before I hurt myself even more. Although my scapula is still killing me, I got some good mobility pointers, that have been helping. I finally realized on Saturday, that if I mobilize, my body gets better at stuff. I don't know why I never listened to any of the coaches when they told me that before- only took me 8 months to figure it out on my own! So, I will most definitely be working on my mobility, if it can help me get better.

Another blow to the ego came this week as well. There is a competition going on in NH next week. There is both an RX and scaled division. I thought that at this point in my crossfit life, I would be able to participate in the scaled division. I looked up what the workout were from last year, and they looked pretty doable. Except for my old nemesis, the box jump. I asked Mike if he thought I should enter. Overall, I just didn't want to be humiliated in front of a bunch of people I didn't know, or the people from my box. The only thing Mike would tell me was that I would have to complete several step ups on to a 20in box- everything else he was sure I could do. I kept thinking of that box. That was the only thing holding me back. I tried to figure out ways that I could pump myself up to get on that box- I researched "ways to get over box step up fear" all to no avail. I wouldn't be able to complete several of them in a row. I might get one or two, but not several. So there I was again, feeling defeated. But then I thought to myself, that's my goal. Next year, I will enter that competition, and I will be able to step up on that box- easily. That's what I'm working toward.

My crossfit family is something that I will never take for granted. They are the only people that I truly have in my corner, that support me no matter what. My family is a little less than thrilled that I'm doing crossfit over just the treadmill or elliptical. I wish they would be a little more supportive, but that's fine- that's where my CF family comes in. I have never felt more myself than with these people. I couldn't ask for a better second family! I know I'll have these people in my life forever- it's great. I can't say thank you and I love you enough to my crossfit family that continue to support me always. <3

The next nutrition challenge starts this week, and I'm very excited! It's just what I need to get myself together and absolutely back on track. I can't wait to see the progress we'll all make once the challenge is over!
I hope you all have a great week!!!