Gym Rat

 

 

From Zumba Skirts and Dancing sweat....

 

To Pink Shoes and Olympic Lifting......

So as you can see it has taken me a long time to write about these past couple days....  There has been much to ponder, much to reflect on, and much time to get back to reality.  This past weekend, as you RFMers know, was the Matt Major Olympic Lifting workshop or seminar (whatever it was called).   I did not plan on going to it.  And since I already had reservations about joining CrossFit there was no way I was going to get myself any deeper by learning more about 'oly' lifting.  But, as fate would have it....there were some last minute cancellations and slots that needed to be filled. ('needed' probably isn't the right word..since i don't really think they 'needed' me to fill in) but since I was available and I was (just so happened) in the area, I went. 

So for the whole weekend I was surrounded by sweat, barbells, weights, gym cloths, and RFMers.  It kinda gave me a mini flash back to youth camps....in a sense where you are surrounded by one purpose, one goal, one focal point....and all you think about is that.  Even when you leave you are still picturing the Snatch movements...still practicing at home even though your muscles are so sore and tired that you are not doing anything more than jerking back and forth and you look like you are in serious need of some strong mental medication.  

I think the most interesting thing I learned from the workshop was......how to pole dance.  Pole Dance, WHAT??? Actually, Matt is surprisingly very good at it.  I know what you're thinking...what the heck were we doing in the gym for 4 hrs a day for 2 days?  And the answer to your question is......we repeatedly did obscene movements...some with a pole, some with the barbell, some with the pvc pipe.  Ok ok, not really....but really.  Before your brain starts going toward more X-rated material...I'll explain.  We were learning how to bring our hips to the bar and not the bar to our hips....which gives us more power for our Snatch Clean.  It's actually just a lot of pelvic thrusting....which I think is why Oran scheduled 'Thrusters' for our WOD yesterday.  (He still has 'thrusting' on the brain. haha. jus kidding Oran).  

Anyway, even though (like with everything else exercise related) I wasn't planning on being there or trying it out, I really enjoyed it.  Not that my new goal is to be a competing Olympic Lifter or anything but it was a great experience and I'm glad I did it.  Coincidentally, I feel more confident in the gym now.  Especially where the weight lifting is concerned.  I told a few people that when I first started I had a huge fear of the bar.  I've always been afraid of the bar.  bench pressing in high school was an ordeal for me.  Mostly because I didn't and I still don't have much upper body strength so not being able to bench the 45lb bar was very embarrassing for me.  Since we aren't doing much bench pressing at RFM I guess i don't really have that much to be scared of.....Even so, I still have lingering 'prissy girl' tendencies and shy away from more 'strong people' activity.  Which is stupid right? Because I can do it, I'm not weak.  But old habits die hard.  

Any how, I was just thinking back on my Zumba days and if anyone told me back then that I'd be doing 'Olympic Lifting' I would of laugh at them.  So WOW for me!  Getting crazy over here...breaking out of the box.  Watch out....you never know what could be next...'Muscle ups' here I come. Ha! or not. 

Peace Peps!