Translation for 140 languages by ALS
Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn't do than by the ones you did. So throw off the bowline.
Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sail.
Explore. Dream. Discover
.
---Mark Twain

8/23/11

Crossfit crossing my mind

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Last Saturday morning I tried an introductory Crossfit workout at Crossfit Mean Streets in downtown Los Angeles. Loved it (as I knew I would)!

It wasn't easy or fun - in the ha-ha sense - mainly because one is grasping air to breath let alone any extra wind to laugh. By fun I mean it's exciting, fast, challenging, and very, very kick-ass. 
That's my instructor Ronnie in skins

When I first happened upon the gym (in Crossfit lingo it's known as a 'box') strolling one uneventful sunny Sunday morning my hand was in a splint owing to a boxer's fracture injury. That was a month ago. Once it was removed a couple of weeks later I went and sat in on a training session, which only stoked me more! I knew I could do the drills - pull-ups, squat-thrusts, rowing machine, etc. - if I joined up but I wasn't foolish enough to think it would be a cinch; BUT I KNEW I COULD DO IT.

And I did. The intro routine that Saturday morning (I did not want to leave my warm bed!) made me wish 1) I was back in bed snug and cozy under the blankets and 2) that I was in better shape. Man, was I getting winded! As a longtime athlete, though, I know that all growth requires discomfort..."no pain, no gain" isn't just some smug, meathead mantra. Or to use another cliche: if it were easy.... That's right, you know the rest.

 
Our introductory workout consisted of 500meters row followed by 21 kettlebell swing followed by 6 kettlebell shoulder presses (per arm); repeated three times as quickly as possible. The warm-up was a stretching walk holding a plastic rod over head, 15 squats with plastic rod over head, 15 crunches, 10-15 push-ups. At the end of the hour our instructor, awesome young, Ronnie Teasdale (also the hardcore gym owner) congratulated us and then dropped the bomb: our workout is what the regular attendees do for a warm-up...in under 8 mins. Hello!

I finished it in 12 mins (and breathed as much a gust of relief as I had left in me).  

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