The good, bad, and ugly

"Crossfit" or as my favorite blogger Crabby said, "functional fitness" may be the best thing ever invented or thought up. Then again, it may be the devil. I have been doing these exercises twice a week in addition to traditional workouts for a little while now...three weeks I guess? I am not sure, my concept of exercise and time is bad. (Probably because while you are exercising it seems to affect the time/space continuum because it lasts FOREVER!)

The best thing about crossfitting? Its awesome when you are done and laying on the floor gasping for air and feeling like you should up chuck to feel better, totally covered in sweat. I know, that sounds totally sick right? After working out though, you really know you worked out. Maybe its just me, but I feel better when I am a little sore after a good hard workout. Its also awesome that a large variety of these workouts take 20 minutes or less to complete. Results you ask? Well I am not certain, but I feel stronger. My arms are definately more muscle-y (is that a word?) and defined. I may get to my giant buffness someday after all! Another good thing? Variety. I definately cant complain about getting bored like treadmill running and endless push ups and sit ups every single day.

The bad thing? You need equipment. Pull up bars and kettle bells and medicine balls. Sometimes the workout includes weights too, and most "paying" gyms frown upon throwing their weights around. I am super fortunate in the fact that where I work has a complete weight room and cardio room (Though not the newest stuff, but who cares!) and also a lot of other stuff like jump boxes and stretchy bands. The other bad thing? You really need to do these workouts with someone, because usually there needs to be a time keeper (a timer with alarm works too though) or at least someone suffering with you to motivate you to keep going.

Today I have a horrible cold, PMS, bloating, and a bad attitude but I still wanted to go do my crossfit workout. I did "Cindy". If you dont know what that is, check it out on youtube or on the crossfit.com site. Tomorrow, its a regular exercise day, more like a recovery day with a nice easy 3 to 4 mile run, and Sunday is heavenly off day. Of course, Monday brings the Zone diet into play as well, so I will have something else to focus on.

Between all of this working out and trying to be healthy, I am also studying for the written SWAT exam and interview on the 18th of this month. As long as I dont come across as a total psycho, I should do well. (I can be pretty charming!!! Ha!!)

So there you are, my post has the good (crossfit), the bad (crossfit)....wait the ugly? Oh yeah, that was just me doing crossfit with a cold and snotty face!!!!)

30 day count down

I got a stupid cold over Christmas. I was taking zinc and drinking OJ like it was going outta style but it didnt help, it just delayed it a bit. I knew I was in trouble when my hubby began the whole whining and coughing routine and I found random wadded up tissues all over the house. Crap. He had a cold and would hang all over me with his germ infested feverish body until he was certain I would catch it. Hes such a whiny baby when hes sick, I promise he didnt get out of bed all day. Then in the evening when I came home from work, he got up to lay on the couch and watch tv. For an hour. Then he went back to bed. All that sleeping all day made him exhausted. I know, I know, Im a total bitch and should never try to be a nurse. Florence Nightengale I'm not! So, no surprise to me I started getting sick on Christmas Eve day. Making cookies with the kids for Santa turned into me having a horrible headache and wanting to die. Of course I continued with my duties, I made dinner, wrapped presents, stuffed stockings. I even got up Christmas morning and made breakfast. All these things while having the same cold that made my man an invalid. The weaker sex, yeah right.

Now, being sick for three days I didnt work out. I tell myself I was sick, it was Christmas for pitys sake, I deserve this time off! Of course, today, I wish I would have just ran a little every day. What the hell, its just running right? I knew the workout would suck today. I just didnt realize how bad.

I take my SWAT physical agility test January 28th.... that is 30 days from today I need to be ready. So today I took a "mock" test, the same components to see where I am.

Required: (my scores)
1. Flexibility 16.6 inches (17)
2. Push ups 40 (42)
3. Sit ups 44 in one minute (44)
4. Pull ups 3 dead hang (4)
5. 1.5 mile run 12:18 (12:29)
6. 100 yd dash/dummy drag 28 seconds (33)
7. Stair climb 19 seconds (19.30)
8. Maze Crawl 78 seconds (85 seconds)
9 Bunker Lift 3 minutes support arm (3 minutes)

Now mind you numbers 6 through 9 are all while wearing SWAT tactical body armor with a 10 lb weight in the vest. Oh yes, 7-9 also have that plus the gas mask and a ballistic helmet. And that stupid dummy weighs at least 160-180 lbs. I sucked so bad today, I am really trying. I dont want to get to the 28th and say I didnt try hard enough. I need to get faster and stronger, and for the love of God I cant figure out how. Is there any way to make a 125 lb 5 foot 2" 37 year old woman able to do these things barring steriods???? Am I kidding myself and wasting my time trying??? I really want to know if I am trying harder than the guys who have to do this same test. Is it really not as hard for them? BAH!