"A SWIFT KICK IN THE ASS"

I was reading this past Wednesdays PortCrossfit Blog, cringing at what torture awaited me, when i read the following line and i had to laugh.

"On Monday when I was coaching class I had a few tentative members (I won’t name names) who didn’t want to try a less resistant band, but then with a little kick in the rear they were able to knock out pullups on that thinner band." Coach Tyler Le Floch

I can tell you from experience that swift kick in the rear by PortCrossfit coaches are a great sign of your ability to advance. I am so grateful for those times when I have had sneaker prints on my butt!

BOX JUMPS

When i started  at PortCrossfit, i could not jump a box. The coaches started me on step -ups onto 3 plates, progressed me to step-ups on the 12 inch box, and then i started jumping. I am cruising along months later  jumping comfortably on the 12 inch box when in class one day Coach Kyle turns around and says to me "you can jump the box and a weight plate" (which totals 14inches in height).  I kid you not when i say,  I felt like I  was going to throw up, I know my heart stopped and my face probably looked like this! 

Yup, guys this was my first swift kick in the ass! By pushing me out  my comfort zone my coach forced me to face my fear that would block my development as a crossfitter and he showed me i was physically ready to tackle moving forward.  

MONDAY NIGHTS CLASS

In the last couple of weeks in class we have been doing alot of chin-up/pull-up/muscle-up skill work. Two weeks ago we were doing strict pull-up skill work and our coach wanted us to challenge ourselves by trying doing pull-ups on less resistance bands..i used thick black (i only started using this band on march 2, 2013 during Portcrossfit throw down) thick green and thin green..all progressive steps towards my goal which is a pull-up without bands by the end of this year. Then 1 week ago in Mondays nights class with Coach Tyler, I used thick green for 8 reps, thin green for 6 reps..i could only do 4  in a row, rested a couple of seconds then do the 2 more to make the 6, and then i did the 4 reps.  I went to use the thin green for the last set which was 2 reps, and  I hear "ELISA!! Didn't you just do 4 on that band?" ....oh yeah folks here it comes ....the kick in the ass...so i crack up laughing and i said a meek "yes". Coach Tyler comes walking towards me with a smaller band...not just the next step down in resistance but TWO steps down in resistance so this means I am pulling more of my own body weight up to the pull-up rig to get my chin over the bar!! In those seconds I am thinking "HE is absolutely CRAZY if he thinks I can do pull-ups on that thin blue band!" I exclaim out loud to my coach, "A THIN BLUE BAND??!!" Coach hands me the band and says, "Yeah, you can do this" and steps back.  I finish hooking up the thin blue band to the pull-up rig and I take a deep breath.  Now I am giving myself a pep talk...." OK Elisa, just try it, the worst that can happen is you can't do one on this level band, your coach thinks you can do this, go for it!"  Wouldn't you know I did the last 2 reps in a row on that thin blue band! Coach comes over gives me a high-five and i welled up with happy tears...WOW, I DID IT! Yes, without those sneaker prints on my butt i would have never tried that level of resistance band. 

POWER CLEANS

Last Tuesday we had to do heavy power cleans , 1 repetition rest 10 seconds, again for three more repetitions for 5 sets. I work up to 85lbs which now for me is a comfortable weight. I increase my weight to 90lbs and mistakenly i did 2 touch and go power cleans. I was praying my coach did not just see me do that.  I hear Coach Kyle.."If you can touch and go with your power cleans ..YOU NEED TO ADD WEIGHT!!"....as he walks over to me...smiles and says "add 5lbs!"  Yup, sneaker applied to butt and I add the weight, so now i am lifting 95lbs. My maxium power clean is 105lbs but that is only 1 repetition...I now have to do 95lbs 16 times...I am SCARED! Can i really do this? Will i be too tired to lift all this weight? Am i really this strong? With each repetition I focus on setting up with good form, not on my doubt or my fear. Yeah you guessed it, I did every one of those Power Cleans, and realized I am really that STRONG!

PROGRESS

When the coaches ask you to try a new skill, its because they know you can do it, and its time to move you forward to the next skill level. I know its scary, but the joy in trying is immense,  failing forces you to work harder, and succeeding is unspeakable happiness. Embrace that kick in the arse! 

"Every day you may make progress. Every step may be fruitful. Yet there will stretch out before you an ever-lenghtening, ever ascending, ever-improving path. You know you will never get to the end of the journey. But this, so far from discouraging, only adds to the joy and the glory of the climb." Sir Winston Churchill