April’s Series of Functional Changes

The following is a summary of changes noticed this month, as a result of having done CrossFit since January 8, 2013.

Lifestyle

• Diet: Survived Easter without a challenge
• CrossFit: Transitioned to box attending 6am WOD’s & Saturday open sessions.
• Trip to Costa Rica booked & plan to hike, climb & zipline with my boys

Capability

• Able to carry items on stairs readily easily without using handrail
• Taking off socks by standing on one foot due to improved balance
• Driving in reverse, back to old ways, as can twist appropriately to see over shoulder
• Able to open most jars due to improved hand strength
• I haven’t fallen or almost fallen when hitting rough pavement – balance is better!

Long term, low probability, high risk:

• Probability of surviving Zombie Wars is increasing with each WOD.   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NQTIxqD2lrE

Physical

• Metabolism: thyroid passed without meds — major win
• Sugar: passed blood glucose without any issue
• Quads getting stronger which  the physiotherapist says is why my balance is increasing
• Weight is down to 240 making that 28 pounds gone since January
• Size is down from 24w in Jan to 18w, can get into 2nd set of  2x shorts I bought last fall
• Identified cause of long-term intermittent headaches as tight trapezoid muscles. OHS helped pinpoint it. Treatment: deep muscle massage, stretches and improved posture
• Lower legs “scales” are gone. I’m guessing it is due to improved circulation in legs / skin

Other items:

• Sports medicine physiotherapist confirmed ACL & Miniscus issues from twisting injury a year and a half ago. Avoiding doctors is not always a good thing, but, the good news is CrossFit has been helping me immensely with stability through building up quads
• People are asking: “what have you done” – you look different — yeah!
• Dates are a laxative — who knew?

***************************************************

There are day when changes seem slow.  By recording the changes, it helps me focus on the long-term goal and the amazing transformation.   It is a continuation of this February post

CrossFit is causing my pants to grow longer

Did you know that mysteriously my pants have been getting longer in my closet?    Now, of course, they aren’t really getting longer, just the fabric that was covering my thighs and gut is no longer required and so….the pants are longer.  

This is the consequences of CrossFit to the obese person.  After 3 months, a new wardrobe is required.  The size 24′s which were too tight, are all in the “too big box” which will be a celebrated send to charity when full.

I’m also now wearing many of my pants  like Peewee Herman, with waist line being somewhere up around my rib cage.  Trick I figured out: fold the waist line over — works well with the tops which have also become quite roomy.

Of the clothes, by brand, here is what I am wearing:

Jones New York

• jeans: 22 —  loose, but wearable.  Hadn’t worn these in years, but they were so wonderful, I kept them.
• shorts: 24 — way too big - too big box

Laura Plus

• jeans:  24 —  feels just loose when first goes on after a wash, but within an hour of wearing are falling off. too big box

AdditionElle

• pants 24 – too big box
•  pants:  20P  - tight in belly – wearable

Briggs New York

• 24W – way too big, unwearable too big box
• 22w - too big box
• 20W — fit ok, but need to turn down the waistline, as too much fabric in “belly” area…
• 18W — fit well in legs, bit tight in stomach but wearable

CJ Banks

• 24 – too big in waist and legs  too big box
• 24 – boot cut –  fits well

Diadora

• Mens 2x — one pair of shorts I could wear in January, the other I just got into two weeks ago.

What is the difference?

The W cut of the Briggs New York provides a significant amount more fabric for the heavy gut woman, aka apron.

Addition Elle’s clothes were designed for heavier young woman without the big gut.

Jones New York & Laura are also designed for women who are overall big, rather than the heavy gut.

CJ Banks is closer to JNY & Laura, in that they are a natural progression for standard sizing, rather than the adjustment of the Plus size stores.

What does it matter?

As my weight drops in my gut, my clothes size may actually increase or just shift to a different cut in the same size.  The only way to actually measure the clothes size shifts is if the same company and cut is compared.

What am I doing?  Buying clothes a size or two ahead when I see them extremely inexpensive, such as 9.99 pants.  This allows me to keep going down and not have the allusion of “too big” slow down the path to healthy.

It also means that by the fall, I may be able to buy clothes in a non-plus sized clothing store but may be better off buying in a plus sized and buying smaller sizes.  Two reasons for that, the smaller sizes are often on the sale racks. They plus sized give more room for the gut, which is likely the last thing that I will lose as the weight goes down.

Being the “special” one: An Unexpected Lesson

First, this post may come across as egotistical.  If so, my apologies.  It is what it is.

From my youth, I have been seen as a smart person. I was usually the top in the class, or close to it, accellerated in school, looked to for opinions by friends, successful in the workplace. I wasn’t socially adept, and I wasn’t fit, but, there were few  things that I could not do intellectually if I chose to do it.

Recently, I have been working out at CrossFit box and have discovered what it means to be “special” or “other” or “handicapped”

You see, I am not the leader here.  I am not even close.

• There is no chance that I will ever be the leader.
• I am the anchor slowing down others
• I am the person who doesn’t understand and has to be explained multiple times.
• I am the person who you have to make room for, who misses a cue, or stumbles in the path.
• I am like the special kid who would never get math, but was in the class anyhow.
• I am like the  integrated kid that the other parents complained about for taking up teacher’s time
• I am the senior who has trouble hearing or seeing, but is sitting at the card table, hoping you will play a game with them, and not mind.

So,  an unexpected learning is occurring for me as part of CrossFit programming.

I’m learning what it feels like to try and do something that you know you won’t ever be awesome at.  Sure, you might get it, you will be able to do some stuff…but, you will still just be passable.   That’s a whole different thing, than working hard to be awesome at something.

I’m also able to experience the various ways that become include someone who is different:

• the rude — you really shouldn’t be here, you can’t do it, you’re fat/old/incompetent/unteachable
• the ignore — you can do what you do but just dont’ get in my way
• the welcoming — the ones who cheer on, but, would rather not ask somene to accomodate your inability or name that you aren’t being included
• the accomodating — will make it ok for you to be there with them
• the affirming — the ones who fit in the person who is holding them up and celebrate their accomplishments, seeing them as equal humans

This is the first time, that I can remember, striving for soemthing and knowing that I will never be even half-decent.

i think it may help me become more affirming with others.

It definitely makes me look back on some of those people who have crossed my path with awe.

An unexpected lesson from CrossFit..

The Pinga & B Show — Laughter at CrossFit

Picture, a 55 year old, significantly obese woman.  That’s me.

Now picture my new buddy, B who is nowhere near as out of shape as me, and close to my age.  Like me, she is doing her best to make her body  be healthier, stronger and have some fun while at it.

We’re newbies.  No question about it.

We’re kinda like Abbott & Costello at times.  (For those who are young, think of the “who’s on first” comedy sketch, for those who don’t know that one, think of slapstick comedy). We each take turns being Costello!

On Saturday, we were working together to figure out our 1RM for the back squat.   As we tried to move the bars on the stands, figure out the weights to add, struggle with the spring collar, and line up the bars, well, Coach George couldn’t contain it any more, and cracked up.  ”You should be in a reality tv show:  Pinga & B do CrossFit”

We took it the way it was intended, with a laugh and a chuckle.  After all, he’s right,  we are humourous as we try to figure out and coach each other on  how to do some of the basic of the things, such as moving a bar on the stands.

You know, the one take away you can get from us…. if we can do it, then anyone can.

Seriously.

I am the first to admit that I don’t intuitively know how to do these moves.  Sometimes, I have to be taught something multiple times, I need to see it demonstrated, then go home and read about it.  Having never been a physical person, learning how to do most of the CrossFit moves and lingo re muscles is all a stretch (hah, sorry, couldn’t resist). Combine it with the amount of weight I carry, and well, the mass is just not that easy to move.

Remember how my first intro’s goal was to learn how to breathe and trust in myself?  I was thrilled to be able to finish the Intro, even if it was significantly scaled.  It was great to meet a workout buddy, B.    My 2nd intro’s goal was to be able to do the intro without scaling…and build enough to do a scaled WOD.

Three months later, I am down 25 pounds, 3 sizes and more confident in my abilities.  I can breathe better, life is shifting.  I can attend a session and scale it to leave myself dragging, and sometimes I miss the mark.

What I have found is what a difference having those who become your buddies along the way, who celebrate your achievements,  who give you a hand up when you are down and override the negative voice in your head.  If there was a reality show, it would have to capture the importance of the comraderie.

So, why am I writing this one today?    A tweet went out:  ”lol, fat people doing CrossFit”. It was retweeted.   It stung though not directed at me.  It stung for the fat person at that person’s box who is not being supported. It stung for the fear that that is how people are looking at me.  I named that sting, and I also name that I am thankful that both boxes that I attend celebrate everyone’s successes and kick everyone’s butt.  I am thankful that my son picked a good CrossFit affiliate and taught me what to look for.

I laugh with my friend, B as we learn how to move.

Oh, and by the way,  B and I both went in to practice at open gym and to determine our 1RM for backsquat.  I am thrilled to say that I was able to do 175 pounds in the backsquat Now, I need to check it for form to ensure it was a RM; however, it moved and I look forward to the proper eval.

We also learned some of the terms and the process at CrossFit.

• Olympic Spring Collar:  the curly thing we use to hold the weights in place
• Press/Squat Stand:  the structure the bars are placed on for squats/presses
• Upper & lower uprights: upper for squats, lower for bench
• bar holders/drop hooks:  the actual items on those stands that the bar rests on.
• tension knob  – the release thing that you tighten/untighten and pull out to move the bars

Managing Risk: Form first

Form is really important at CrossFit.   I have been taught, for example, that the 1RM has to have perfect form, doesn’t matter if you put 20lbs more on the bar, if you didn’t meet the standard(or at least the quality of your first rep ), then it doesn’t count

Honestly, that makes me happy, in my workplace, learning a skill well prior to  driving hard and increasing scope allows me to reduce risk.  It makes sense the same applies at CF as I think it helps to keep us safe.

Based on feedback from son G, I am going to figure out my crossfit total this Saturday. (1RM of my back squat, press and deadlift) then the next week I can do my bench, front squat and pendlay row.

This morning was another beautiful morning. I am not a morning person, but spending the time with  son M is a bonus part of early morning CrossFit sessions, as we get up at 5am, spend 30 minutes driving there, work out, then, 30minutes discussing the WOD, and of course, the bacon & egg preparation when we get home.

A positive sign this morning was that neither son M or I forgot anything after the session. I don’t understand the “brain dead” of post session, but, it is quite common for people to forget stuff.  M forgot his coat on Tuesday. I forgot my shoes/bag.

Warmup

• forgot to record it, but, started with 50skips, included deadlifts, broadjump burpees, 

Buy In

• Deadlift
• Warm Up then
• EMOM 10
• 1 Deadlft at 75% 1rm, + GOBS (thanks Yates for throwing that in)  — I did 105 pounds

WOD “J.T.” = 21-15-9 reps of:

• Handstand push-ups  == heavy scale from thighs on box
• Ring dips == heavy scale using pvc pipe — finally got the move figured and felt it in the shoulders, yeah!
• Push-ups — scale (knee style)

Terms:

• EMOM = every minute on the minute
• RM= rep maximum eg. 1 rep maximum, 3 rep maximum
• Pendlay Row - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZlRrIsoDpKg

Muscles and the Central Nervous System: newbie’s 101

This last week seems to be all about learning about muscles.  Maybe that is a sign that I am no longer quite as overwhelmed.

Remember:  newbie here.  These are my learnings.  This 55 year old has been a book worm, geek and mathie for as long as she has been alive, so…send me your corrections, expansions.  Positive criticism is quite welcome.  I strongly recommend that you find an expert in your box / circles to share wisdom.

ok, so, without further ado, muscles 101

1.  Muscles are compromised of many fibres.  We generally only use a small portion of the fibers (who knew, i figured mine were just weak).

2. By doing multiple reps with less than our maximum, we teach the muscles to use more fibres.   Graham used a spaghetti package to demo this to me  with each spaghetti being a fibre in the muscle.  As I understand it, we only use a small portion of those fibres.  It is  our central nervous system which tells us to fire more of them.  (who knew, makes me want to ask Graham if that is why people under stress can do much more than ever before…cns is directing their muscles to do everything)

3.  Now, I am looking to do further study on the information from Coach Howy in Cream City CrossFit and Graham regarding the logic behind the %’s, which I understand are based on Russian weighlifting coaches work.  I have googled & read, and my mind is swimming in terms, so will await the next time for KT from those smart folks that I keep bumping into at Cross Fit boxes.  In the meantime, I am now aware that it is important to be able to do it not only well for form, but, fast/explosive, and that, better to get both of those right in the sessions.  Probably should have figured this out before, but, it makes sense now.

4.   I now am understanding more about the importance of your max  on each lift in order to improve better over all.  At some point, I need to figure out my maximum; however, given the learnings, I am able to feel the difference of lifting at 40, 50, 60 & then 90%….and how it feels the day later.

So, here is this mornings session and how I  used some of that knowledge to work when doing the buy in.

I also used the intensity focus to scale my wod, ensuring that i was working, but, could complete.

Buy In:   

• Back Squat

• Warm Up (5×40%, 5×50%,3×60%)
• Then 5 sets of 3 with 90% of your last 1rm   — I ended up with 115pounds.  Tested 135, but, it seemed too heavy for sets of 3.   With 115 pounds I was getting that faster firing of the lift.  

WOD:  3 Rounds for time of:

•  21 Burpees  — did 15 of my ungainly burpees
•  21 Kettlebell Swings – used 25 pounds
•  12 Pull Ups — used the rings

Total time was 14:30  (i think)

Cash Out

Pick a skill to build for the week, let’s make some progress  –oops, missed this…just sat and watched the others – d’oh

SME, SuperUsers, Corrective Actions, Form — yup, that’s CrossFit

If I talk about SME’s, SuperUsers, Corrective Actions, Form, well…..most of my friends would presume that I was talking about a system implementation.  CrossFit, though, has all the essentials of a good project or well designed implementation.

Let me  share the similarities.

 

Due to the calibre of CrossFit coaches and their willingness to share knowledge my health knowledge has grown.  CrossFit has an “open source” philosophy which provides ready access to vetted information,  I have learned more about my muscles, central nervous system, food sources/uses, importance of sleep and good work/life balance from this community in 3 months than I have in 55 years of life and school.  I am thankful for individuals who are willing to take the time and share the knowledge they have whether in person or through online resources (as well as those who vett that information)

A second thing that I appreciate is the attention by the coaches.  It isn’t that there is undue attention or that I am an attention hog, but, having someone who says, sit back on the heels, or pull the elbows out, or hold it lower on your back makes a huge difference. I compare it to my workplace where if I just take the time to touch base with our user community and service providers we can make simple adjustments or share minor points which make big impact on the long term success. So, whether the box has two people in it or a dozen people, in Cambridge or Milwaukee, the coaches are watching for form adjustments, and there are those who are coach-certified but not the coach of the day who will suggest items or give a hand.  I compare that to years of trying other types of gyms or programs where there may be a couple that get instructions, but the vast majority were just trying to figure out how to do things, and in the process getting hurt.

The next thing that is great about CrossFit is the focus on form with corrective actions.  I have been told my form was off, and stepped back from a weighted bar down to a training bar to a pvc pipe to correct and when done, moved back up if appropriate or told to keep working on form.  The emphasis on doing it right first is immense and also reduces the probability of damage.

Next, it is on the importance of taking care of the body.  I was trying to do an OHS with just a training bar today, and found that I had had a headache when I went for the extension. Coach H noticed right away, asked how I was, I tried a couple more and he said, let’s switch to a squat to see if same problem. It went away. he then said try weight with a kb in a special hold.  No pain.  So, moved to that format.  In most gyms or programs that I have particpated in, that would not have been noticed, and I would have quit or backed out.  Instead, with CrossFit coaching a way to scale was swapped in, allowing me to continue and feel good.

Finally, I can’t help but name the laughter, support & community that comes with CrossFit.  There is different humour dependent on who is in the box, but honestly, it is a a community that clearly works.

So

1. SME’s and super users providing information incrementally
2. Corrective Actions: One-on-one support: attention to detail
3. Focus on form: training in the methods incrementally “learn/implement, then go deeper, go wider, go stronger”
4. attention to the whole person: work, diet, sleep, fun
5. laughter, support, community

Makes it easy to keep on “keeping on”