New shoes

I just bought a pair of new shoes. Not new running shoes. Not new cycling shoes...no...I bought a pair of WEIGHT LIFTING SHOES.

This is my thought: WHAT HAS COME OVER ME???

I don't know. This whole crossfitting thing is so funny to me at times, because I never, never, in my life imagined that I would be attempting to consistently lift 80-90% of my max on certain lifts, and then go and BUY weight lifting shoes.

Last week at Crossfit, one of the other woman had mentioned that I would probably do a lot better in weightlifting shoes. A lot of our workouts consist of first doing a warmup with some running, squats, pushups, pull ups, ring dips, sit ups (GHB), back extensions, then after the warm up on some days we will have one lift where we will go between 80% and Max weight for a specific lift, like a back squat and then into a timed workout. There are days where all we do are powerlifts, but many of the days we will also have a workout of the day (WOD) that are 'rounds' of something. Here is what today looked like:

Backsqats: 5-5-5...take 85% of your max and add 5 lbs (came to 119lbs for me)

Then the WOD (which was timed)was:
25 Sumo Deadlift high pull (explanation video) (55lbs for women)
25 wall ball squats (14 lbs)

While we were lifting backsquats, the instructor/owner also mentioned that I would benefit from weight lifting shoes...so I thought...sure...why not. Even doing squats without shoes was sorta unstable as I kept wiggling around. If you are just lifting and not doing a WOD that requires running or something like that, then typically you are encouraged not to keep your shoes on as running shoes will push you on your toes and make the lift even more difficult.

The most interesting thing happened to me while lifting. Keep in mind with weight lifting I am new to the concept of knowing my max, using a % of my max, lifting heavy, ect. So here I am, with what turns out to be a somewhat heavy, but manageable weight for me attempting these lifts...and in the middle of the lift I got this RUSH of adrenaline. Isn't that cheating? I mean, adrenaline is for when you really, really need some quick strength, you know fight or flight...but my body resorted to that in the middle of my back squats. It was the weirdest experience for me. I don't know why it was weird. I am sure I've had a rush of adrenaline while doing other crossfit workouts/bike rides/runs but this was one of those experiences where I just could feel the difference after it happened and while it was happening. My body didn't realize I wasn't in a dire situation when I was struggling to get that bar back up, apparently it thought I was in distress.

Then it was onto the WOD...which...in a word: sucked. It was when I was driving to work after crossfit that I realized why i like crossfit...aside from the fact I really enjoy the people there, I also like that when I am in the middle of a really, really sucky workout...there is no other option but to finish. And when I finish...the sense of accomplishment that comes over me is worth the suckyness of the workout (mostly). I have just learned to keep plugging away even when I'd rather not. Today was one of those workouts. The deadlift high pull's weren't too bad but those stupid wall ball squats. I think they are unfair because you have to hit this target that is somthing like 10-12 feet up in the air...and being shorter (5'4") I have further to throw the stupid ball. OK...I guess that if I was 6 foot than I could complain that I have to squat further down...but I'm going to whine about having to throw the stupid ball so far up because, well...because I'm pathetic at actually hitting the target. I guess the 'solution' should have been to use a lighter medicine ball...but I don't actually think I'd get away with that. I am finding I don't get to use the 'new kid' card much these days. I'm not that new any more...been there for 5.5 months now. Wow.