CrossFit Essentials Day 1

Today was the first day of my Essentials class at CrossFit Hell's Kitchen and I loved it. I was really nervous about going today because I didn't know anyone and I knew I was going to have to sit upstairs by myself and be super awkward waiting for the class to begin. Since I work above the place, I didn't leave until 5:50 for the 6 PM class, but even that gave me ample down time to pretend to stretch.

No worries. I'm awkward and I know it. I was just going to stare off into the distance and think about the work I needed to do when I got back to the office afterwards.

Soon Jim, our Essentials coach, rounded us up and introduced Annalisa, another coach. There's eleven or twelve people in our class (honestly, I cannot pay attention to so many stimuli at once and was constantly distracted by loud noises and new people) and we got our PVC pipes and we got down to business.

First we learned to air squat. Turns out I can still remember to do that kind of well. I struggled more with the press. I know full well that my arms don't extend straight and behind my head the way that they should and hopefully CrossFit will help rectify that since six years at Equinox did not.

We also learned about pull-ups today. The last time I was at CrossFit, I learned that if you use a band that is too strong, you will end up tangled in it and hanging by your foot. This time I used a blue band and was able to show up off my paltry pull-up moves. My chin cleared the bar so I'll take it.

I struggled through the push-ups but they could have been worse. They do these push-ups where you get yourself lying flat on the ground and then you have to lift your hands and place them down and THEN you push yourself up. Princess over here has goals and they are to school those push-ups like nobody's business. I refused to half-ass them and completed my ten fully.

I'm pretty decent at sit-ups so that wasn't an issue and then we learned the deadlift. Now I know about the deadlift. Morgan at Equinox spent weeks teaching me to deadlift and I think I'm still paying off the credit card charges from those personal training sessions. I lined up my laces under the bar, I reached my arms down and kept my legs straight, I bent down bringing my knees to the bar, and then I executed what I believe to be two beautiful deadlifts. The weight was really light but that is not the point. My form was still there. It was like riding a bike. (Or actually not because I find riding a bike is a skill that doesn't just come back whenever I try it and the experience is horribly stressful for at least the first 10 miles.)

I had a really great time and I felt more comfortable right away. Jim told me I did a great job (woohoo brownie points!) and that made me really proud. I cannot wait for Wednesday.

I would also like someone to explain to me the shower situation. This is clearly not Equinox with its Kiehl's and eucalyptus towels anymore.