WOD and who knew rowers were so complex

So for todays super fun crossfit website workout of the day it was supposed to be run for 800 meters, one arm deadlift and one arm thrusters, run for another 800 meters, other arm deadlift and other arm thrusters, repeat until you have completed 4 rounds total. Since my stupid foot has been bothering me, I decided to row again today. What was I thinking?

I rowed yesterday in lieu of running and it really didnt feel bad on my foot, but really was tougher than I thought it would be. Today I am doing this workout with three other guys (most of whom I am ashamed to say I thought I was in better shape than) and we all started off at the same time rowing madly. I started falling behind early and in total finished a minute to two after all of the guys finished. Seriously! I was so mad at myself, how could I fall so far back? I am in good shape for gods sake, one of the other guys I was working out with must be about 100 lbs of straight flab and fat and never works out! I started thinking maybe two days in a row (ha ha, no pun intended) of this exercise did me in. The sour mood and feelings of weakness and failure continued through out the shower and clean up and back into my office to sit down and try to work. Then I did something that should have been done before the workout. I checked the website about "rowers". Originally I wanted to see what the rower to running ratio should be, so I can be sure I am getting the same amount of cardio I would from running. Well then, lo and behold did you know you are supposed to set the damper at a setting based on your body weight? Yeah, me neither. All four of us had the damper set at 5. My weight says it should be set at 2 to 3. The big 250 plus guys should be set at 6-7. Seriously? So did I just do more work than them and almost caught up to them? Next time I will research the equipment and the exercise a little more thoroughly before I subject myself to the torture. For this time, in my mind I just totally kicked their butts. Ha ha.

Today's WOD

Today crossfit decided I need to lift more heavy things in new and exciting ways. We did 5 thrusters (the prescribed weight was 95 lbs, I used the bar at 45) 7 hanging power cleans, and 10 sumo deadlift high pulls; as many rounds of each as you can in 20 minutes. Well, the thrusters involve a nice deep squat with the bar racked on your shoulders and then pressed forcefully overhead. Man, what a butt burner. The hanging power cleans were okay, just cleaning the bar from thigh to racked position and back down. Honestly, I probably could have used more weight. This was my very first sumo deadlift high pull. It kind of sounds like you have to heave an oversized Japanese wrestler around, but you dont. Its a very close grip on the bar, a nice wide (thus sumo) stance and a quick high pull straight up with elbows high and back to a nice low sumo squat. I made it through 5 complete rounds and 1 almost round, making it to the 2nd sumo deadlift high pull before time was called. I thought I did pretty good as I layed on the cold wonderful gym floor until I noticed the guys (lifting 95 lbs) had done more rounds than me. Dang it. Next time, boys. You better watch it.

A new "disappointed in my gender" rant.

I am so tired of hearing how strong I am "for a girl" and how fit I am "for a girl" and on and on. You can sure lift a lot of weight for a girl. Seriously, why not just say I can lift a lot of weight for my body weight or my size? The more I am getting these moronic compliments, the madder I get. Then I realized I am the one and only female signed up for the crossfit instructor cert on our department and the only one currently attending the crossfit workouts. This distresses me a little. Seriously, if we want to break the idea that we are weak helpless females and need a big strong man to open the fucking pickle jar for us, we need to unite in the fact that we are ALL strong and ALL fit in our own way! We need to forget about what everyone else thinks and get to the gym or whatever makes us tick. I hear about how great it is that I am the first girl ever on our 2000 sworn officer department to make it to the SWAT school (insert the oooh isnt that great here) and I can only now think about the fact that it shouldnt be that way. I know many super cool strong chicks on my department who would rock it out and do even better than I did and better than some of the guys in the school too. I am the only female instructor on our department to be a certified defensive tactics instructor. Again, none of the girls want to fight or get sweaty and learn this? I cant believe it. I fail to believe I am that different, why are these ladies not coming forward???? I am disappointed. I am still girly and can kick your butt too. Dont all girls want that or am I a freak of nature? Sigh.

Come on girls, show the world we are strong and proud!!!!

So today's workout of the day consisted of front squat reps of 3-3-3-3-3 at your max weight. I have never done a max weight rep and had no idea what it was. Well it was 85 lbs. I am way impressed with my 85 lbs however all the boys are doing 185 and that sucks. I know they all say, oh well you are a girl, blah blah. I am tired of hearing that excuse. It might be true and all that, but I am still sick of it. At some point I will be stronger than I am now and maybe will be impressed with myself without putting stipulations on how happy I allow me to be.

The relay for life was good on Saturday, I really underestimated the pain of walking for so long and my foot is still hurting, but it was for a good cause. There were pictures taken of me in shorts and I was afraid to look at them for fear of looking flabby, but I was surprised I looked pretty fit. Why cant I see that in the mirror when I look? Am I that programmed by the media or am I just insane to think that fit and healthy is fat and flabby? So dumb.

What's this? An EASY crossfit WOD???

Today was 10 reps of hanging power snatches. I have never done a power snatch. Sincerely, I thought that was only a word for a nasty gross girl part and was slightly put off by it. The hardest part of this workout was actually getting the form right. It takes a lot of coordination and balance, both of which I sincerely lack. I started with just the bar (45 lbs) and that was way too easy. After I added two 10 lb weights, it wasnt so easy and the slight errors in my form were readily apparent. Although my shoulders are worn out and I am certain tomorrow I will be unable to shrug, it wasnt a barfing gagging dying on the ground workout. Sweet. Good to know crossfit gives us options. Of course, tomorrow could be hell.