There Is An Upside

In case you haven't checked the comments, here is one from my Torture Coach, Seth. For those of you that participate in CrossFIt, I think you can see right through this to what it is. A bold attempt to put a positive marketing spin on the tongue lashing that I will be handing out on a regular basis. Take a look:


Hello everyone My name is Seth I am Kasey's torture/CrossFit coach lol. I just needed to get on here and let everyone know that even though Kasey plays it down a bit on what she has accomplished in the past two months make no mistakes she is a freaking rockstar in my book anytime someone puts fear aside and walks through the door of a CrossFit gym it is a very big deal! Its not easy and she does it again and again. I saw this blog and thought I needed to share some of Kasey's workout stats for her and all to see how far she has come in a short time. When she first started she could not do something we call the back squat and front squat with a pvc pipe with good form, today she does this with 75 pounds for twenty reps she is running faster, jumping higher, and getting stronger, she is day by day becoming and athlete this is truly amazing to me, all other CrossFitters understand this.Kasey I think you ARE what people SHOULD strive to be and that is courageous! You are brave and you are showing that you will not let fear and its evil cousin regret stand in your way to becoming fit! YOU GO GIRL!!!!!!


Now,I told him yesterday that I would be writing a blog and he was going to be mentioned. I figured fair warning was my duty. I also mentioned that he shouldn't take anything I have or will write personally. I have to see this person 3 times a week and he is partially responsible for the pain I inflict on myself. If you want to take a look at what I am required to do, feel free to check out the web site www.silvabackathletics.com. If you are anything like me, you will probably have to google "push press," "power clean," and "burpee." Have fun with that! Let me also inform you that each of these work outs is named after a horror flick. Fitting.


Seth posts these workouts the night before. Just to make the torture last a little longer, I look. OK- that's not entirely true. I look at them in a vague attempt to google the move I don't know. Each lift and movement is practiced with a pvc pipe before the workout under the guidance of our torture leader and his sidekick. I also check because after three kids, there are certain times you need to take a precaution or two. Those of you with children will understand that one. Let's just say jumping rope can be embarrassing. Are you having fun yet? Let me help some more.


I have not walked without soreness since I started at this gym and have at times had to go down the steps backwards. Often, I will finish my workout and race home to take a shower and wash my hair before the pain sets in to my arms and I am too sore to even brush my hair. The touch of my 2 or 4 year-old on my muscles can result in sheer pain, never mind what happens when my 9 year old touches me! Even he has learned how to properly massage my shoulders. I clearly remember Seth telling me on day 2, "You will get used to living with the soreness." I don't know what is more frightening, the fact that he told me that and I keep going back or the fact that I have actually learned to live with the constant state of soreness. My limp isn't as obvious, I  compensate for the inability to raise my arms above my head by getting a taller ladder and I can maneuver out of a deep chair relatively pain free.


However, I am being completely unfair. There is an upside. I appreciate the response Seth put on the wall. The upside is just that- the community is great. The group you work out with on any given day does not leave until the last one has finished the timed portion of the workout. Sometimes, that's me. Let me tell you- if anything motivates you to work harder and push faster, it's being the last one to finish the workout. I don't like being the center of attention and everyone cheers you on. From the encouraging "You got it" to the loud and rather angry sounding "Keep it up" everyone offers support and motivation. 


The fun and the reward comes from the results. I didn't think it was necessary to write down my workouts and the times or the weights in the beginning because I wasn't in it for the weight I lifted, but more for the weight I lost. When the scale wasn't moving, I realized that I should probably start tracking the weight I lifted. I needed some sort of encouragement. When I did that, I noticed something...I was getting better. My torture jumps, I mean box jumps, have grown from 2 #45 lb. weights stacked on the floor to the 18 inch box in less than 2 months. I have gone from a 55 lb. overhead press to 65 lbs. in less than a month. I can deadlift 155 lbs. and I actually bench pressed 85 lbs! And yes, I can even front squat 75 lbs for 20 reps. Did I ever think I would have that lingo down? NOPE. Am I glad I am starting to get it, just a little? Yup.I have in fact lost the intense fear I used to feel whenever a workout involving lifts came up and I have replaced it with only mild anxiety. I have a long way to go, but to me, that's progress.


Thanks, Seth for the positive words. I'll be back tomorrow, ready to submit myself to another day of pain.