the OFF Season - Crossfit Danbury !

The off season is in FULL effect and I'm really enjoying it! Been hitting the weights, doing spin and running just whenever I feel like it. I found Crossfit Danbury back in the spring, but didn't want to start something new when I was entering into a big tri season so I waited .... and now tri season is OVER!

I went back to Crossfit Danbury today and signed my name on the dotted line. I'll now be going HERE

 three days a week!!! To basically get my ass handed to me! All in the pursuit of being able to call myself a certifiable bad ass! :) Okay.. it's fun in a masochistic kinda way. I really want to do this because I think it will round me out as an athlete (and I like to be a badass... but you knew that). I suffered a couple of lingering injuries this season and it seems to all stem from weak hips and glutes. Well you just can't have weak hips and glutes in crossfit! Ya just can't!

When I walked in the door one of the first things I saw was this sign and I love it! I want to make one for my house! :)

 Today's workout was humbling. I know this stuff is hard, but I consider myself to be in decent shape. Well I'm in a different kind of shape... and it's decent, but that's about it! :) Okay I'm not trying to down play myself or my abilities or the amount of work I have put in over the course of the tri season. I worked hard... it's just a different kind of work and a different kind of fit.

We started out warming up on the erg/run 400/erg/run 400. Have you ever used an erg (rowing machine)? If you haven't I dare you to hop on one at the gym and try to last 10 minutes! Seriously!

 Next we worked on the Clean. About half the class was working on getting the proper form and technique down while the other half was working toward their 1 Rep Max by slowing adding weight.. doing one, adding more weight, doing another. Two women topped out at 110 lbs. Two very tiny women... tiny, but mighty! It was so cool to watch them go through it and we all cheered for them when they reached their goal. AWESOMESAUCE!! Love the camaraderie and encouragement of the group!

I did not reach a max, but think my form was improving.

Here is what it's supposed to look like:


Looks simple, but it's tricky to get the technique.. Key: ENERGY TRANSFERRED TO BAR. You aren't to necessarily use your arms... you power through hips and glutes then get under it.

So we worked on this for about half the class then it was time for the actual workout:
AMRAP (As many reps as possible) in 10 mins:
200m run
15 wall balls
15 burpees w/ a target to jump to

Burpees w/ the goal to touch the bar.

Man my run form sucks!

Seems easy enough right. DAMN! It was hard. I used a 10lb ball (most others used 14). I got through 3 rounds plus an extra run before it was over. I wasn't sure I could keep going and was glad the timer finished as I came in!

It was hard, but it was great and I loved that everyone there knew each other, were fun and encouraging and are friends! It's going to be a wild ride. 110lb clean I'm coming after you... you and a few others that I won't mention right now... let's just get this party started first!