Comments on: Ice Rink Reckoning

By: Daughters of Grok « The Fresh Meat Beat

Daughters of Grok « The Fresh Meat Beat — Fri, 22 Jan 2010 17:05:46 +0000

[...] is always making me think twice about my workouts and nutrition. A few weeks ago she made a post referring to “training so you can do cool things in real life” versus just “trying to be [...]

By: kwan l

kwan l — Wed, 13 Jan 2010 15:02:19 +0000

Totally agree and also a big fan of your blog! I have been training in a gym for over 2 years…I still have a great time to go to the gym. But now I pick up more outdoor sport like ice skating and cross country skiing which requires body’s strength, balances and flexibility. It push me to look forward to get back to the gym to train harder so I can now play harder!

By: Sookie Smackhouse

Sookie Smackhouse — Fri, 08 Jan 2010 18:23:23 +0000

Love this post! I tried my first adventure race several months into CrossFit and was surprised that I felt stronger and had more endurance in other road races I’d done previously when I had been training with just tons and tons of running. I’m planning all kinds of new fun things this year b/c of CF.

By: Amber

Amber — Fri, 08 Jan 2010 15:17:08 +0000

Love the video, and the Pirates of the Caribbean music is awesome too There are days when I think I’ve forgotten everything I did in Ballet class, and then we do some balance exercises at the Gym, and it all comes back. And usually causes some amusement as well

By: BarbeyGirl

BarbeyGirl — Fri, 08 Jan 2010 01:59:49 +0000

Awesome.

I got divorced this year. I have a farm. With nine horses.

In July, I wrestled 26 tons of hay, in 95-lb bales, into 12-foot stacks. By myself.

I’m female, 5’3″ and 122 lbs of muscle that I appreciate more than I can say… ’cause them ponies gotta eat!

By: Robbie

Robbie — Thu, 07 Jan 2010 20:59:37 +0000

As a Canuck, I love to see Yanks strap on the skates! Considering your junior team just won gold as well! Was that even news there?

I hadn’t been on the ice for a year and I’d been crossfitting hard..I had major speed and a crazy hard slapshot…but NONE of the matching motor skills for the 1st game…it came back fast…but I wasn’t even breathing hard after my 1st shift..my non fit buddies were sucking wind hard and crying the next day….like Adam said “just another workout…..”

Nice waltz…and a crazy big up for the shoot the duck…

By: Melissa @ Whole9

Melissa @ Whole9 — Thu, 07 Jan 2010 17:34:33 +0000

@Kevin: Shoot the duck on my left leg isn’t happening right now – I’ve got a janky ankle on that side. But backwards – that I’ll have to try!

@Matt: I second your football experience! I’ve always been terrible at throwing and catching, except lately I seem to be much, much better. It’s super cool to be able to snag something out of the air when you’ve been dropping stuff your whole life. I make Dallas throw things at me all the time now. True story.

@Brooke: Back handsprings – nice! And I’m right there with weight training as a confidence builder for all KINDS of activities.

@MelissaG: Yes, on all counts. The other day, someone grabbed ME (not any of the guys I sit next to) to change the water bottle at work. It’s nice not to have to ask for help for things like that. Again, maybe heaving a 40# jug of water isn’t “elite fitness”, but the ability to do so is still darn practical.

@Dad: Parents commenting on blogs is pretty much the coolest thing ever. Thanks for sitting through all those awful routines and wobbly spins. Love you too.

@Mel: Well put, as always.

By: Melissa "Melicious" Joulwan

Melissa "Melicious" Joulwan — Thu, 07 Jan 2010 15:11:47 +0000

Oh! This comment reminded me of my dad sitting with me at the piano — same experience different activity. Lots of painful repetition, completely devoid of grace… but then, magic! I can still play pieces now that I played back then, even if I haven’t seen them in 20 years. Neat how our bodies remember stuff we think they’ve forgotten.

I think MY dad is a little surprised by the more athletic turn my life has taken, but handstands, pullups, and tricky solo passages actually have a lot in common: practice, focus, control, and a big leap of faith.

By: Dad

Dad — Thu, 07 Jan 2010 13:46:57 +0000

That video brought back memories of sitting, shivering in the stands, while they learned to skate. Back then blind perseverance was the operational mode. Endless repetition was the method. Balance, flexibility, muscle control and strength were not in the conscious equation. They silently developed until it all came together and the first “waltz jump” was landed.

Perseverance has become training. Aware repetition is the method. Abilities are developed which have the greatest value in the way they support everyday life.

20 years later you still “remembered” how it felt to do the jump. Your body was ready to follow orders.

Love you, Dad

By: Melissa Glasscock

Melissa Glasscock — Thu, 07 Jan 2010 01:49:14 +0000

@Eva – wow, what a story! That is very sobering but also inspiring.

@Melissa – I was excited to see this post, as I was just thinking to myself the other day how long it’s been since I went ice-skating, and how it HAD to be easier now that I am so much stronger and better coordinated. Well, you’ve sold me on the idea – I’ve got to go try it now!

I really enjoy being able to lift and carry things more easily in real life. (People always try to carry things for me because I am a young, petite woman and they assume I can’t handle it. I like proving them wrong!) Much to my great surprise, the weightlifting component of Crossfit has become one of my favorites, because of the strength and confidence its given me.

As someone who always dreaded PE class or group sports, doing ANYTHING athletic (especially in a group) is still novel. My whole life I felt weak, uncoordinated, and completely intimidated by most physical activity. Doing Crossfit has given me the confidence to try surfing, play a casual game of volleyball with co-workers, and learn to throw a frisbee so I can play disc golf — definitely small stuff to most athletes, but a huge step forward for me. I can’t wait to see what else I will try as I get older, stronger, and more confident.