Saturday at Brand X

Probably half the Saturday's I spend at Brand X start with the Krav Maga self defense class taught by Jeff, Todd, Dan and Jim. The class is always demanding, grueling and fun. I usually partner (lately) with Arlene and she and I get a fun workout in before the CrossFit torture begins. We sweat. Yes, we do but we have a good time. We laugh and do the techniques and drills as hard as we can.

Well, today, Gerrie and Chuck were there and Gerrie asked Arlene to pair up so Chuck needed a partner so I said, "I'll take Chuck!"

WOW. What a difference to do the techiniques and drills with a guy. He is a little taller than me. Probably doesn't have more than 15 pounds on me but I will say that 15 pounds is not the 15 extra pounds I have on my thighs.

I was already tired when we went to the choke from the front with a push because of the punching and elbow work we did with mitts, and when I was doing the technique, I asked Chuck to tell me if I was really breaking the choke. He said, well, let me make it a little harder for you...and he did. It was tough to break his grip, and he really pushed. I had to fight to get out and I went after him with punches and kicks after the instructors reminded us not to forget to counter attack.

Then we did the choke against a wall. As usual the instructors let us do the technique for a minute before presenting observations about what we were doing wrong. In the choke a gainst the wall you have to get your arm all the way up against your ear, active shoulder for CrossFit folks. So I got some coaching on that and then they reminded us to fight our way off the wall after breaking the choke.

Chuck made me really fight him to get away from the wall. I kept getting more and more tired I felt like I was going to fall down while I pushed with my whole body and used elbows and knees to help drive him. That guy is SOLID.

I was DONE when Jeff called break. They gave us a last reminder about the shoulder and I had to ask..."Maybe it's hard to tell if you are not getting your shoulder up high enough." Jeff and Dan in unison: "No, it's not."

Dan says: Get up against the wall, laura.

I say: Yes sir

Then Dan chokes me and ask me to put my arm up all the way and can I tell if his grip gets looser just from me raising. I could. Then he asks me to break the choke. So I do.

Dan: Put your arm back down. *Chokes me* Raise your arm half assed this time. *I do* Now break the choke. *I can't* Now raise your arm all the way, and break it.

So I do.

He lets me go and then we had to do my LEAST favorite drill: Partner A holds pad, Partner B punches medium speed until Jeff yells go! then B runs to end of mat, does pushups runs back and punches full speed until Jeff yell mediums speed. It's likea minute per partner and I hate it every time.

I always hear them yelling at me during that one. Hurry up Laura! RUN!

Damn. I was toasted at the end. I always am tired but I felt like i had just spent an hour doing crossfit. errr, like I had done CrossPit.

I went home and brought Bradley back for Kids crossfit just in time to see how wasted everyone was from Jeff's Saturday workout. Then after a while Jeff, Mike, Connor and Tony decided to do Spartan races where the first leg is Spartans (flipping the tire jump in jump out run back and flip again) maybe 100 feet and the second is coming back farmer carrying two 55# kettlebells. Jeff and Tony raced, Mike and Connor raced and then Mike wanted to go again so I said I would. Haha. I made it maybe 50 feet of Spartans by the time Mike finished his first part and Jeff said do one more Spartan then run and get your Kettlebells. So I did and carried them back the 100 feet. Wow that was hard. 110 pounds. Not much of a race but cool fun.

Trying to post pictures but I think I am out of space on the blog for pics. Will have to upload and post a link instead.