That’s not my line, btw–it’s my friend M’s who is doing this crazy cross fit on-ramp program with me and it is the best way to describe my cross fit classes this week.
Tuesday’s class (monday the gym was closed for Canada Day long weekend) was all upper body work. We learned a new and wonderful (and excruciating) move called wall walks. Wall walks are a pre-cursor to handstand push ups (which I haven’t done since my competitive gymnast years 16 years ago). You start in a plank position, with your toes against the wall and then you start to walk up the wall and walk your hands into the wall until you are inverted into a handstand. You essentially kiss the wall and then begin walking back out until you are at a full plank again. It’s amazing how much strength this takes. It was part of our WOD that day and I could only do two to the full effect…then my body just gave up and I went half way for fears of falling on my face.
That night’s WOD was pretty tiring for me–it was the only time I was the last person to finish the WOD…which I sorta felt was a medal of honour in some ways as it meant that I pushed hard, despite the fact that I was barely able to lift my arms (and, to be honest, I’m still sore). Here is what the WOD consisted of: 2 wall walks; 10 push ups; 20 kettle bell swings aka KBS (30lbs)–4 reps for time. My time was 7 minutes and change. It felt like 70.
Yesterday’s class…well, we learned a new move there too–turkish get ups. We didn’t do them with much weight but, for whatever reason, I am HORRIBLE at them. My arm is never in the right spot and I feel like I am doing some sort of terribly coordinated break dancing move. It made me wonder how I ever could’ve done gymanstics–that’s how bad it was.
The WOD for last night played to my strengths a bit (lower body work/running). I finished first out of my group with a time of 6:10. The WOD was: 20 KBS (25lbs); run a “lap” with the KB (lap is basically on the front lawn of the gym it’s probably about 30-ish yards–ack, what am I saying, I don’t have an eye for estimating distance….); 20 around the worlds to the left and 20 to the right (essentially keeping the KB as close to you as possible and swinging it around your body, arms straight); run a KB lap; 10 turkish get ups (5 each side) with a 2.5 lb weight; and one last KB run lap.
What I found fascinating about this WOD vs Tuesdays WOD is that I was able to muscle through yesterdays workout much easier than Tuesdays as I know how to muscle through runs, but I have no mental capacity for heavy weights, especially for my upper body. My muscles hit that fatigue point and I just can’t make it through. I look forward to developing that mental capacity through continued cross fit. That being said, however, kb runs suck. It’s so awkward and I’m so afraid that I am going to hurt myself with the gait adjustments I need to do to carry the weight. Does anyone else who runs and does cross fit have this fear or am I nuts? Seriously, I would love to hear opinions on this.
Anyway, I should probably get to work as it’s Friday and the busier I keep myself, the more the day will (hopefully) fly by, right? lol.
Take care, ya’ll!
Leesah
I am scared to try that walking wall plank thingy but, I am going to try it out. If I bust my face I guess I will have something funny to post about.
I thought for sure I was going to bust my face on the later rounds of that exercise. My goal is, once the DOMS in my arms/shoulders/back is gone, to get up to 5 of those in a row. I was able to do two, but it was a bit of a struggle. Good Luck!