LeapsAndBounds

I feel like tooting my own horn today. I mean- when you’ve got something to gloat about, even though we have been taught not to flaunt it, or to be polite and not make others jealous, sometimes you just need some pick me ups and decided to gloat, talk about yourself, and really just boost your own self esteem. Try it sometime. But…. not all the time, people may get annoyed with you.

Anyways. What all started this is that a girl who was new to CrossFit recently asked me how long it takes to see results. My response to her was that you will see some pretty dramatic results right away, but looking back, over time I have seen the biggest results. I explained to her that before CrossFit I couldn’t do 1 pull up, and now I can say I have completed “Murph” which has 100 pull ups in the workout, or do 17 unbroken kipping pull ups, or 9 strict pull ups in a row. Pretty cool right?

Along those lines, I just pulled up a sheet I had created to track my progress from when I first started CrossFit and my lifts have gotten so much better and I have gotten SO much stronger. Check these numbers out:

 

1 Rep Maxes Then & Now

Back Squat:

Feb. 2013: 135LBS

June 2014: 175LBS

 

Clean & Jerk:

June 2013: 100LBS

June 2014: 135LBS

 

Deadlift:

January 2013: 130LBS

May 2014: 245LBS

 

Front Squat:

May 2013: 125LBS

May 2014: 160LBS

 

Overhead Squat:

August 2013: 105LBS

April 2014: 130LBS

 

Push Press:

April 2013: 75LBS

May 2014: 135LBS

 

Snatch:

January 2013: 75LBS

May 2014: 105LBS

 

 

BooYah.

Now go get strong. It’s sexy. I promise.

 

 

PullUp

From the day I started doing crossfit on Saturdays for free at Crossfit Denver, my boyfriend, Dan kept asking me what my goal was. I had no idea what sort of goal to set, or what I wanted to accomplish, other than getting in great shape. But in crossfit, goals are a little bit different. If you eat right and do the work outs of the day (WOD), well then, duh- you will get in shape. Dan told me to dig deeper. So at the new year, I said that I wanted to perform an unassisted pull up. The goal is to do three in a row without dropping, and I am on my way!

I started crossfit using three bands (they look like large rubber bands) to help me with an assisted pull up to get through the WODs. Slowly, but surly, today I did my first WOD without ANY bands, and although I had to break at almost every single one, and I only got two in a row I could not believe it. I was the last one to finish the WOD in a little over 16 minutes, but I did 45 pull ups with no bands. 45! I am still in shock.

Coming from a girl who has never been able to use the monkey bars at recess in elementary school, or even last year for that matter, I want to tell all of you, that if you work at something, you can achieve it, and the minute you do, you will not be able to stop gloating… And you have the right to dwell on one’s own success. You deserve it.