CrossFit Regionals, "Jackie", and "Murph"

Happy Memorial Day!

Watching the Women's CrossFit Regionals these past few days has been such a kick in the pants!  I say "kick in the pants" because 1) it's a lot of fun, and 2) it's inspiring and motivating, as in kicking my saggy butt into gear.  There's something about watching someone's hard work, dedication, and unbridled determination come to fruition... especially in athletes.  I just have a huge respect and admiration for athletes, and it's probably because I never was one.  I was in ballet lessons for 13 years!  I competed in speech events and Mock Trial!  I was a total dweeb!  Athletics?  What is that?
Last night I watched the NorCal Women's Event 1 competition {you should watch it too, just click here!}.  The event was CrossFit's "Jackie" workout:

Jackie
1000m row
50 reps of 45-lb thrusters
30 pull-ups 

Dude, what's a thruster?  

Thruster: Squat while holding a 45-lb barbell, stand up, press the bar overhead.



Dude, that's a pull-up?

Kipping Pull-ups: In the video, the ladies are performing kipping pull-ups as opposed to doing strict dead hang pull-ups.  While it may look easier, it's a skill involving more muscles and coordination. I didn't realize this until recently, but any time a CrossFit workout says to do pull-ups, it means kipping pull-ups...

The first woman off the rowing machine started her thrusters with the clock reading 3:50.  That is just insane to me considering the best time I've gotten on a 1000m row is 4:31!  Seriously amazing!

It was so much fun watching Annie Sakamoto {she's in the thrusters pic above} do this event...a 5-foot, 37-year-old firecracker who knocked out those thrusters like it was sweet potato pie.  She's 37?  She started CrossFit when she was 33?  And she's got two kids?! If that's not inspiring, I really don't know what is! 

The top 3 women finished this event in like, 6 minutes.  I never even thought you could do that many reps of anything in 6 minutes! 

With today being Memorial Day, many CrossFit affiliates choose the "Murph" workout for their workout of the day {WOD}.  The "Murph" workout was created in memory of Navy Lieutenant Michael Murphy, 29, of Patchogue, N.Y., who was killed in Afghanistan on June 28th, 2005.  Murphy originally called this workout "Body Armor" and it was one of his favorites.  I absolutely love the fact that CrossFit has come up with multiple workouts named after servicemen {and servicewomen too? I'm not sure...I've only seen men's names thus far} who have died while serving our country and protecting our freedom.

Murph
1 mile run
100 pull-ups
200 push-ups
300 squats
1 mile run


The thought crossed my mind to try and do this at Gb3 before work today but I only had 30 minutes and there was no way I could physically do the "Murph" workout in 30 minutes!  So I did the "Jackie" instead.  Obviously, I didn't knock it out in no 6 minutes, and no way was I doing any kipping pull-ups...never done 'em in my life!  I hit up the rowing machine and rowed out 1000m in 4:38. Then I walked to the squat rack, grabbed the barbell, and partitioned out 50 reps {12, then 11, then 7, 10, and 10}.  That was so exhausting!  More exhausting than I had anticipated.  Last, I was able to do 3 sets of 10 reps on the assisted pull-up machine, since I can't do a kipping or strict pull-up.  Total time: 15:21 {including walking in between machines}.

So I've basically got a 9-minute difference to work on! {big cheesy smile!}  While I'll probably never be able to get anywhere near the 6- or 7-minute mark for the "Jackie" workout, it's kind of cool to be able to see how I stack up to the world's fittest women.  Plus, it's just nice to have a goal to shoot for.

Oy, definitely going to feel this one tomorrow...

Your homework for this week, ladies {and dudes, if you're out there!}...
*Go here and watch a CrossFit Regionals event!

*Try something you've never done before! 
If you've never used a rowing machine, do it. 
If you've never done a thruster, grab any weight you're comfortable with {hand weights, kettlebells, or a barbell} and do it. 
If you've never tried to do a pull-up on the pull-up machine, do it. 
If you've never done any of those three things, well then get to it...you've got a busy week ahead of you!

*Know that you can partition out your reps, meaning, you don't have to bust out ALL 50 thrusters straight through.  Very few super well-conditioned folks can do something like that. 

*Try "Jackie" or "Murph" {if you have the time and access to the equipment}. Don't worry about trying to get a certain time, just finish!

*Breathe.  Take your time.  And smile!