SO last night Moddie and I went to a fire dance “training class” at Temple of Poi in San Francisco. It was pretty hilarious. Basically you’re twirling around these weighted bags, “practicing” moves. (We didn’t use fire – God forbid! – if you do that you have to be wearing “fire clothing” and, of course, be way better than we were.)
The thing that kept coming to mind was old gangster movies, where the “bad guy” takes a tube sock with something to weight it down in the toe, and beats the other guy senseless.
Yeah, that was pretty much us.
It’s definitely super cool if you “get it” – there are wonderful photos of what fire dancing (using poi) look like – we learned the “Butterfly,” different circles, overhead, turning your body a different way than you were spinning the poi, spinning one poi forward and one back. That was a definite “rubbing the tummy and patting the head” move – which unbelievably enough, I got right away.
Moddie and I have decided that WHEN we are on TAR, between the two of us, if we can figure out the clues at all, I am the representative fire dancer. (And, of course, I still gotta eat the bugs.)
I think maybe I did pretty well because I’ve been using the speed balls in my quest to get a double under. (If you haven’t seen this ridiculousness, I’m posting that, trying to rope climb, and trying to do a handstand on GiveIt100.com, HERE is the link to my particular page there.) I think also maybe the fact that I wasn’t really “thinking about it,” I made my mind blank and just did what she said to do with my hands. It was actually really fun – I went in with the preconceived notion that I would suck and I DEFINITELY did not suck.
The only thing that gave me trouble was when we were doing fast, large circles – my right shoulder just was not “fast enough” to keep the poi spinning without falling. You have to keep it going at a certain speed, or it doesn’t stay straight. It reminded me of when I was driving cattle in Australia, and the drovers would make billy tea (HERE is a video).
Thank goodness the smaller circles are really all about the wrist (like double unders) or I would have been screwed from the start.
CROSSFIT: Today was with Coach Russ – who I actually have never been coached by. He owns the box with Roger, and is an ex-gymnast like Roger. Where Roger is the tall lean type, Russ is more the MaryLou Retton type. I went today at 9:00 and did the regular WOD because H is gone – usually of course I do T and Th at 6:30 p.m. because that’s when H can go.
It’s a lot easier for me to just haul myself to Crossfit 5 days a week at 9 a.m. I know everyone there, and I like that time. It’s been interesting, since I thought I would drop Mondays, since I am trying to actually USE the free yoga I get for work trade and at LEAST do bikram on Monday at 1:30. One day a week seems pitiful since I’m giving them all those work trade hours but it’s better than NONE!
But last week I did Crossfit AND Bikram (and work trade) and though I was tired, I felt great. (This week I was doing the wine sorting thing all Monday, for H’s birthday.) Also, often I don’t make Friday morning, because I’m so tired from doing the WOD on Thursday night. Which is a bummer.
SO I”m thinking of MAYBE just doing the 9 a.m. class “standard” and then going to the box with H on T and Th at 6:30 but NOT doing the WOD – doing mobility or something.
The T and Th 9:00 a.m. WOD is the “regular” WOD, whereas the T and Th 6:30 p.m. is the “Conditioning” WOD. So if they are DIFFERENT, I could theoretically do both – I just think that’s a little cray-cray ;-)
Today’s WOD:
Front Squat 5 x 3 @ 13X1 (I did this with the FIFTEEN pound swirly bar – Russ told me it’s not 10 it’s 15 – !!) – still having a real issue with my shoulder and the hand position with the front squat. Russ had me “cross my arms over” in front of the bar – which helped a LOT and helped me to try to concentrate on keeping my knees from coming forward. Still doing it with the lowest box behind me (Russ turned it so the “point” was towards me – gave me more room for my legs – smart) – think I can do without. Did do whatever we did yesterday (laugh) without the “save” box.
“JACK”
20 Min AMRAP
10 Push Press 52/34KG (I did the 15 kg orange bar so that’s a PB for me I’ve only done the swirly bar)
10 KBS 1.5/1P (I did the orange KB)
10 Box Jump 24/20″ (I did 2-25k plates PLUS 1-5k plate – so that’s a PB for me)
I managed 7 rounds and 24 then I just lay on the floor with steam coming off my body (no lie, I was right by the garage rollups and it was a little chilly outside).
Russ gave me some good tips I have to remember:
1. Put the 5′ plate UNDER the bigger plates. Otherwise if you toe it accidentally it can move (did that once and nearly tripped in the box jump).
2. Think “ears” with the push press (as in he wanted to “see our ears” in front of the bar). That’s the same sort of cue that they use in yoga and I get that one.
3. OMG I stopped the kettlebell at the top by accident and nearly conked myself in the head!!! If you are going to rest and break a set, don’t even THINK about it until the kettlebell is on the way DOWN! OMG! (I had to do this like “rodeo move” out and under my arm to keep the kettlebell from just coming straight down on the top of my head. SLICK.)
4. When talking about the way that Shari presses (looking to Heaven) – it DOES keep your chest out. HOWEVER, when you go overhead, if you are looking up, you’re less likely to “seat” your arms back into your shoulder sockets so that you’re supported by your scapula. I did find that looking up helped me to get the bar up though. Maybe it was just the praying that went with it.
That’s it for today – still have to do my double-under practice, rope climb practice, and handstand practice for the day and then about 50 billion chores. Also REALLY need to finish H’s birthday present of tagging all the wine in the cellar. Only have 60 bottles left but I’m allergic to the chore now LOL! Maybe tomorrow . . .