The Monster is Quiet

For anyone who has talked to me recently...my cliffhanger on the previous post was anything but. Of course I kept my appointment at the gym, I just couldn't think of a better spot to pause the story.

So, I met with Jenn (who is so beautiful you really don't want to like her, but then she's so nice that you have to like her. And while you're turning your cheek to this genetic slap in the face...in walks her identical twin sister!) Anywho, she walked me through the typical warm up routine (which left me sore for days) and we talked about goals and ability. She also explained how the exercises can be modified to my skill level.

My goals were (are) to A. fit nicely into a beautiful bridesmaid dress, B. be healthier, stronger, etc. in general and C. I've always secretly wanted to be able to do a pull-up! I can't really pin point why I have wanted to do a pull up...it's just always been in the back of mind that it would be really cool if I could do one. I'm a simple person.

After that first session, I started attending the Monday, Wednesday, and Friday classes. One does not just show up at this gym at any time and do whatever workout they want. There are scheduled classes and a specific "Workout of the Day" or "WOD". Everyone starts at the same time and does the same exercises (again, modified to each persons skill level).

The great news is that I have NOT thrown up, passed out, or peed. The last one is not entirely true, but after birthing 3 babies one does not jump rope 400 times without consequences. I have remained relatively injury free...I've suffered bruised shins (either doing deadlifts or just walking into a barbell), bruised forearms from doing ring dips, I recently ripped a callus off the palm off my hand (in an effort to cover the exposed area, one of the guys a the gym suggested New Skin liquid bandage...well, he did not tell me that it would burn my soul) and (this one is embarrassing) a blister on my tail bone...twice. Ya know the whole "Fool me once..." applies directly to this. I have also dropped 2 dress sizes and am the strongest I have ever been in 32....er, 29 years.

Recently, Jenn and Mike started to focus on one exercise to improve on after the "WOD" was finished. One week it was hand-stand push ups, another week it was double-unders (passing the jump rope twice under your feet in one jump). This past week, it was pull ups!!!! I was so excited! These are not straight up and down pull ups, but these are called "Kipping pull-ups". You use momentum (and strength) to swing into the bar and there are specific steps to doing these. Jenn taught us the first 4 steps and I actually got it!!! Not a full pull up yet, but I was able to get the feel of the momentum and what to do with it. I was so excited, when I got home Jay said it was like I was high. I was giddy! I didn't want to leave the gym that day...I kept trying, I was so close!

It was like a bat hitting a baseball perfectly, hitting a golf ball on the screws and crushing it, the "A" on a difficult test, the perfect shade of hair color....it was glorious. That was on Wednesday of last week, Friday is when I tore the callus on my hand because I kept trying over and over again. I CANNOT wait to be able to do it!!!

Now the Monster is quiet and I'm chasing the pull-up!!!!

Jay asked what I would do when I was able to do one.....and I said, "Work on doing 2."