CrossFitting

If anyone was planning to join our all women class tomorrow, we've moved the time to 1 pm. At Crossfit. $25, and you will get your ass kicked (see below). Actually, we've been doing some really cool workouts for time, and as much as I'm not a fan of the rower, I got to do squats and shoulder presses today (my faves) and generally feel a lot stronger and healthier. And it's only been about four months! I can't wait for more. See their site for more details, and don't be intimidated by the photos.

Free CrossFit beginners' classes (and special ladies class this Saturday)

So the last time I tried to organize a Saturday all-female CrossFit class, it wound up being the members of my cupcake blog, which was cool, though I think Allison may have wanted less talk and more movement from Nichelle and me. So ladies, if you are are around this Saturday, join us at 2:30 at CrossFit, in Midtown (1026 6th Ave., 4th floor, bet. 38th and 39th) but RSVP to me at rachelkb at gmail.com by Thursday at noon so I know how many people are joining us. Cost is $25 and I can assure you you will get $25 worth of asskicking. Last week, on separate occasions, we did this workout where we had to do 3 sets of rowing 500 meters, then 15 reps of squtting with 75 pounds. Allison, pictured below, did it in 11:11, while I did it in 12:07. All I have to say is I am now determined to beat her score.

AND that for me, as a sign of my dedication, even more than the weight Allison's gotten me to lift, I have finally cut way, way back on diet coke. Instead of my usual 4-6 liters a day, I am now drinking less than a liter. My grandmother and Allison have probably been the ones most vociferously encouraging me to stop, though Allison I think stopped trying to lecture me about it about a year into our friendship. It's been my mainstay but, partly due to total vanity, and partly due to health concerns, I am trying to pick up a raspberry seltzer habit.





You can read my interview with Allison here and my Huffington Post piece about CrossFit here. I also have to say that I've been so impressed by the knowledge behind the workouts. Allison is my trainer but Keith and Court, who you can read more about here, also give me plenty of advice and it's fascinating to see how they each explain things and their take. I think they sometimes translate things into porno-ese for me (seriously, when I had trouble with my deadlift, Keith was like, "it's all about the T&A," and that actually helped).

ALSO...CrossFit also offers free Open Beginners classes. If any of you are curious about it, please check it out. Also on the fitness front (via Babble - LOVE that we share interests in babies, cupcakes, and working out) is Fitness Fixation. Yet another reason this crazy cupcake ban is ridiculous; those who exercise and eat generally healthfully can eat a cupcake once in a while and it's not a big deal.

Open Beginners CrossfitNYC Classes (Free)

Wednesdays at 6-7pm, Saturdays at 10-11am

don't need to sign up in advance, don't need to be a member--totally FREE

BEGINNER CLASSES. These classes are FREE to first-timers, the curious, athletes that wish to brush up on the basics and athletes that are in the Elements Workshop or taking Elements Privates (see below). No experience required. These classes will cover some of the basics of the CrossFit exercises and the workouts will be scaled down yet potent enough to give you a taste of the CrossFit experience. Newcomers and beginners are no longer allowed to drop into any class. BEGINNER CLASSES will be held Wednesday nights at 6pm and Saturday mornings at 10am.

If you decide to join CrossFit NYC, you will be required to complete the Elements Program. You can complete the Elements Program by taking the workshop or private lessons.

Detials at http://www.crossfitnyc.org/sched.html

If those times don't work for people, Allison has very graciously offered a complimentary first session one-on-one - just email her at allison at crossfitnyc.com and say you read about it on this blog.

Ladies, work out with us tomorrow at Crossfit!

I've gushed enough already about Crossfit. You can read about it at Crossfit.com and CrossfitNYC.com, where beginners can take their Elements classes (see the site for details).

Tomorrow, Saturday August 25th, we're doing a small private all-women's session at Crossfit NYC in Midtown. If you're a female reader of this blog and want to join us, the fee is $25, 2 pm - 3 pm, but you HAVE TO EMAIL ME to get in b/c space is limited. Email rachelkramerbussel at gmail.com with "Crossfit" in the subject line if you want to come; ideally, you're someone I already know, if not, just tell me your name and show up at 1:45 tomorrow. Should be lots of fun! Make sure you email me by 10 pm tonight (Friday).

You can also always reach Allison at allison at crossfitny.com to find out more about private sessions. Your first group Elements class at Crossfit is free (NOT tomorrow's special private class).

More on Crossfit at Huffington Post

More from me on Crossfit over at Huffington Post, "Weight Lifting Shapes the Mind and the Body" - also check out the already spirited (and thus far, very kind, thank you!) comments. And one note cause there's a tone in some of the comments of "you don't need a personal trainer."

I didn't say everyone needs a personal trainer. But for me, I am just at heart very lazy and will take the path of least resistance, not just when it comes to exercising, so that is one aspect but also, I am learning things that I couldn't pick up from a book or just observing. Some I can do on my own and some I both need someone to spot me/guide me, and also the encouragement and camaraderie. Not sure if I conveyed that but I'm honored that several people who work out at Crossfit NYC have commented. The atmosphere is VERY supportive, and that is not generally something I associate with most gyms. It truly is a community of people who give advice and help each other and while each wants to do their personal best, it's not about besting anyone else (that I've observed). We're all motivated in different ways to do different things. I tend to go for things that are easy for me; hence, when anyone is like "you've edited all these books!" Well, yes. But I've also coasted in some ways and am now pushing myself. I love editing erotica and plan to do so for a very long time but I also want to stretch myself and try new things that maybe aren't as "easy." Part of my point, too, was that it's the challenge of weight lifting, the way it's not easy, that makes it worthwhile to me. But the part I really like is that what seemed almost impossble mere weeks ago now is no big deal, and I imagine that will only continue to be the case.

(Dead)Lift Like a Blogger

Before Crossfit, the most I’d ever really done in terms of weight lifting were using my 12-pound dumbbells at home and this leg press machine at my gym, where I was psyched to get up to maybe 110. Now, I am doing crazy things like trying to squat with 170 pounds on my back and being grouchy through a 165 pound deadlift. I found this blog Lift Like a Girl via Allison, and she has lots of links to other weightlifting blogs.

I’ve been toying with the idea of going to one of the Crossfit group classes, except my week is usually pretty packed with the private sessions that I don’t have much energy leftover. Today I had a brainstorm that some of the sex blog chicas I’ve seen at the gym might want to get a group together and go. Anyone? Also, side note⎯how fucking awesome would a kinky gym be? I am so torn between wanting to be a sub at that gym or a mean trainer top. I just wrote a story for my book Yes, Sir about a bratty girl and her trainer, but that’s just cause I have written so much smut that I’m casting about for any new locations, situations, etc. I think if there were a legal way to run some combo dungeon/gym, it would do major business. I know there are dominatrix bodysculpting classes and the like but some dungeon should look into that ASAP. But seriously, I'm up for organizing a group of girls (ladies, chicks, women, whatever) - email me. You don't have to be a blogger but it helps. (I'm kindof at a point in my life where I'm like, How can you not have a blog?)

I don’t really know what “lifting like a girl” means, though I can say that the idea of purposely getting bigger, like Death by Powerlifting, could not be more of a foreign concept to me. Today, for the first time, I wore my Crossfit t-shirt. When I tried it on a month ago it was too busty even for me. It was just tight and didn’t feel the way I like my t-shirts to feel. But today it fits, and that makes me happy.

I’m not gonna lie; after Saturday’s session, I went to cupcake arts and crafts day and kinda passed out. I was awake and all but super tired. My legs really hurt right now. People say exercising gives you all kinds of energy, and it does for me, but it also tires me out. It can be pretty all-consuming. I mean, sometimes lately I'm just like, who am I? I'm ordering weightlifting shoes for goodnes sakes! I like the "new me," but I think what I like the most is that I'm 10 weeks in. I'm not exactly known for sustaining things. I'm all about the big start and then skipping out in the end. I've had to make some big changes, or rather, little changes that added together have changed a lot of things in my life. I can’t keep my crazy hours like I once did. I’m spending a lot of time and energy focused not just on the workouts, but paying for them, eating in new ways, bringing food with me, making sure I get all these fruits and veggies in. It’s going really well for now and I wouldn’t trade it in at all but…I also have a mountain of work to do, and between job and freelance and working out, and the occasional socializing, I don’t have much free time. I’m about to try to set off into the wide world of dating, which seems necessary since I can barely remember when I last made out with someone (yes, it was 2007 but was at least a few months ago), and I truly don’t know how that will fit into all this. I can’t really bust open a can of sardines on a date and don’t at all want to be some girl on a diet. On the other hand, I’ve had all these great conversations with people, and with a lot of guys I know, it’s opened up new things to talk about. I feel like I’m part of a community of people who are all really encouraging and supportive and that makes a hell of a lot of difference. I’ve always, always gravitated towards things that were easy for me and away from things that were hard (can we say law school dropout?). It’s not that I’m lazy per se, though I am, it’s just that I like to focus on the positive. So having to really attack the problems, to not just ignore them like I usually do, is a huge challenge, made even huger by having people watching me do it⎯watching me when I succeed and watching me when I don’t.

I will say that for me, it’s not just about “going to the gym.” Ultimately, I think what I am learning is perseverance, and stamina, and patience. If I’ve inherited anything from my dad, it’s his impatience, and I have to battle myself all the time to slog through the hard things, at the gym and outside it. I’ve been a quitter, more times than I truly care to elaborate on, and I don’t like myself very much when I quit, or at least, when I don’t put my very best effort into something.

Allison sent me a link to this site Stumptuous that someone (sorry I forgot who but thank you) had commented here recommending a while ago, and I really liked it:

You see, progress is not exactly a linear onward-and-upward thing. It's more like a thousand little tiny stops and starts. Even for the so-called experts, life intervenes with multiple pressures to fail. It doesn't get any easier. You just get better at managing it, problem solving, and coming up with creative strategies to combat it. You get better at saying no to things that rob your of your energy and better at saying yes to the things that are truly valuable and essential. There is no better time. There is no better life stage. All you have is now; all you have is you. These things that seem to impede you - you don't wait till they're done then start your life. They are your life.

p.s. Soon I’m gonna let someone take some photos like this of me so I can use them to illustrate posts like these. Or, alternately, so those who want to can see me stick my ass out when I do squats. Either works.

gym nerd

Post cupcake meetup, I worked out at Crossfit with Allison, where we both still are chatting. No squats today but she definitely kicked my ass. Two words: ring dips. Check out this Kettle Hell video: