the training continues….

2011 – 2014

I am a firm believer that the decision to make a change is when your life changes.  Your first step is deciding what is going to make a change. The picture on the left is a picture before I started CrossFit in December 2011 and the picture on the right is late 2013 after 2 years of CrossFit.

The accomplishments I have been been able to achieve have been phenomenal. I am very proud of what I can do now as to when I started.  I continue to get better every day but I want to take a moment to reflect what can happen in the matter if 24 months.

These are just a few of my accomplishments.  My first year of CrossFit was refreshing my fitness level.  My focus was on form and practicing basic CrossFit movements.  I also focused on interval training running where I was able to take my mile time from 8.00 to 6.45.  My second year was about strength and gymnastics skills.  This year I want to take my training to the next level by using everything I have learned, get stronger and work on my conditioning.  I want to be a competitive CrossFitter, and I want to win.

I recently switched CrossFit gyms to help take my training to a competitive level.  This gym had a team place top 10 in the CrossFit Mid Atlantic Region and they practice daily.  I now have the opportunity to train with this team and training with high level athletes, will make you better.

 Training with high level athletes, will make you better.

This was not an easy decision as I loved my old gym, they taught me everything I know how to do, and they taught me well.  I just needed more attention and bigger push but I owe them everything up to this point.  I look forward to the next year of training with an end goal of making The CrossFit Regionals in 2015 on a team or individual level.  Stick with me on my journey and watch me crush goals along the way.

I’ll leave you with the below quote.  Decide to make a change.  Get better at something this year and crush your goals!

Bring it on 2014!

2013 – the year of the MUSCLE UP

Last year I decided that 2013 was the year I would get a muscle up.  This is a complex gymnastics movement in CrossFit.  The reason this is such a monumental moment is just due to the fact that it’s hard…very hard.  Getting one is a right of passage and takes your training to a new level.

Starting in January, I went to extra gymnastics classes three times a week at 6am in addition to my daily training schedule.  I practiced and I failed, failed again, and failed again.  I would walk into class and tell my coaches, “Today is the day!” I was obsessed and I would not give up.  I kept going, kept practicing and on July 3rd – IT HAPPENED.

You can see it here! (make sure your sound is low)

That was one of the happiest moments of my life.  There were a lot of emotions.  I didn’t get my second muscle up for another month but then they happened more frequently.  After months of practice, I can finally string them together and complete sets in workouts but I still struggle with them.   I constantly work very hard to keep getting better at them but I will get better and they will become natural one day.

The point I am trying to make is that you can do anything if you put your mind to it and do not ever give up.  Practice, fail, practice more, fail…repeat.  You will get there!  2013 was my year of the muscle up and I DID IT.

2014 will be the year of many more muscle ups.

What will you accomplish in 2014?

 

 

Related articles

• 2014 Muscle-ups in 2014 (lifecoachnate.wordpress.com)
• Top 10 CrossFit Articles of 2013 from Breaking Muscle (wholewodworld.wordpress.com)
• Crossing Over To CrossFit (goodmoodfood7.wordpress.com)
• Training Progress Report (lexawrites.com)

MOTIVATION to make a change

Your destiny is your decision…

This is the time to be selfish and make changes that will get you where you want to be at the end of 2014. Change is scary and most people are afraid to get out of their comfort zone, but, those that do will see results.  When you get in a rut you have to make a change.  The steps below will hep you take the plunge.

• Make goals
• Make an action plan
• Make CHANGES and adapt!
• See results…

This seems easy but change is the hardest part.  I have seen many people people walk into CrossFit looking petrified (and I was one myself.)  I loved seeing them learn and adapt into great athletes.  Everyone starts at ground-zero but those people that walked in scared are not scared anymore.

Change is only uncomfortable for a short while, then it becomes normal and part of your routine.

Do you want to…

• eat more healthy?
• start exercising?
• lose weight?
• switch your gym/workout routine?
• run a marathon?
• try CrossFit?
• train for an Iron Man?
• be a professional athlete?
• switch your job/profession?
• meet the man/girl of your dreams?

YOU CAN DO ANY OF THESE, or all of these.  You have to make a change and this is the perfect time of year to do this.  Make the decision to start to today.

This is a pivotal year in my life as I am changing my strength and conditioning routine to take my CrossFit training to the next level.  I am excited, petrified and and looking forward to see what is going to happen in the next year.  I will not settle for anything less than greatness.  I will adapt, and I will be successful.

Related articles

• Change is My Word…My Guiding Star for 2014! (balroop2013.wordpress.com)
• CROSSFIT: The newest trend in the fitness world. (healthyatmarist.wordpress.com)
• 10 Ways to Stick to Your Fitness Resolution(s) (coffeefitnesslife.com)

5 ways to get MOTIVATED

The easiest way to get motivated is to get excited for what you are about to start.  January is the perfect time to get started.  Trust me…after one too many desserts during the holidays, your body will want to get started right away.

There are 5 tips below that will help you get motivated and excited for your new routine.  I encourage you to try all of them but start slow and just try one if that is all you have time to do.

• Decide your weekly workout schedule in advance – writing something down will help keep you more accountable
• Keep your workouts different and exciting – DON’T GET BORED so try a new yoga studio, cycling class, HIIT, new running trail or anything NEW
• Plan your meals through out the week – take your lunch to work and avoid eating out as you can make so many GOOD things at home
• Find a friend to join you – this will hold you accountable and make it more fun
• Make a motivating playlist – there is nothing better to get you pumped up than listening to a new playlist before or while working out

The most important thing I do each week is make my workout schedule and meal plan.  This allows me to be on auto-drive throughout the week.  I follow the plan as best as I can. When I falter from the plan, I bounce back on track very easily.  I also love to try new work outs to switch up my training and I always bring a friend with me so I don’t have to do it alone.

Use these tips as guidelines and let them help you get motivated!

How do you get motivated?  Post to comments to share your tips.

Related articles

• Spinning Workouts to Slim You Down and Tone You Up (weightloss.answers.com)
• Get Fit with HIIT (massageenvy.com)
• 5 ways to get out of your comfort zone… (fitgirldiaries.com)

TRY IT OUT TUESDAY…holiday workouts

Thanksgiving Workout

The holidays are approaching and I wanted to you give a few ideas for this week.

A few weeks ago i wrote about benchmark workouts.  I would recommend trying these again and see how you have improved.

A great workout to try is below.  I recommend doing this anywhere as a workout is a great way to escape from the family for a 20-30 minutes.  Your body will thank you and you will have no issue eating that second piece of apple pie with ice cream on top.

Thanksgiving workout – 30 Minutes

3 minutes: MAX burpees

2 Minutes rest

20 minutes – AsManyRoundsAsPossible (AMRAP) 

• 8 push-ups (scale up or down as needed)
• 20 mountain climbers
• 30 second plank hold
• 1 minute rest

I did this workout last week so I added the video.  Pace yourself as this is a burner but you will have fun.  Make a good playlist and it will go fast! I did handstand push ups for my push ups but please scale as needed!

More workouts:

• TRY IT OUT TUESDAY…conditioning workouts (fitgirldiaries.com)
• TRY IT OUT TUESDAY – body-weight workouts (fitgirldiaries.com)
• fitness can be done anywhere… (fitgirldiaries.com)

monday motivation…

If it doesn’t challenge you…it doesn’t change you

Every day you wake up is an opportunity to make a difference in yourself.  You have a clean slate and you never know what is going to happen.  There is no promise you will immediately see a difference in your life BUT I know that you’re making yourself better and progress will undoubtedly follow.

You also always give yourself an opportunity to surprise yourself.  This actually happened to me today…I have been on an intense training routine the past two month and have worked mostly on complex CrossFit lifts like the snatch and the clean & jerk while also focusing on gymnastics skills. The training also focused on lifting volume vs. max lifts. Today I had the opportunity to max my back squat.  I didn’t think I would actually Pr since I haven’t been focusing on this particular skill the past two month.  Well, surprisingly, I was able to add 15# to my back squat.  I now have a back squat of 218lbs!

I want to note three things…

1. Progress, yes for sure, and I am stoked.
2. There has been a focus on my back squat, yet, there was still progress…
3. Every day trained during this intense program made me better

What can you change to make yourself better this week?

Related articles

• Thanksgiving Body[weight] Burner (macksmo.wordpress.com)
• Deck the Halls with A NEW SHINY CYCLE! (crossfitcc.com) – My current cycle!
• Squat ‘Til You Drop (squatgirl.com)

what is beauty to you?

beauty is measured in JOY and PRIDE

monday motivation…

Don’t let anyone get in your way…

We all have our struggles but if you have a dream, go for it! Never let anyone steer you away and if they try then they don’t spend your time around them.  Surround yourself with people that support you and your dream.

YOU are the only person getting in the way of YOUR dream.  No excuses.  Get out there and get it.

Related articles

• Inspiration vs. Motivation (tabras.wordpress.com)
• #MondayMotivation: You can LIVE YOUR DREAM NOW! (thepassionpusher.com)
• Seven quotes that will motivate you like you’ve never been motivated before (holykaw.alltop.com)

have confidence in yourself…

Confidence is key…if you don’t believe in yourself, nobody will.

This statement has so much meaning.  We all take a step because we want to make a change.  Be proud of that change and own it.

The above shows a video of me doing something that I never thought would be possible.  This was a partner competition where we completed two workouts back to back with 30 x 95# clean and jerks as the second workout.  I was able to do consecutive reps which was something I had never done before.  I wanted to give it a try and I had the confidence in myself that I know I could dot, and I did.

 Confidence is powerful, own your confidence and believe in yourself!