To The Top

Today's WOD was my first workout in TWO WEEKS.*  I had been giving my knees and shoulders some rest in addition to bi-weekly ART treatments with Dr. Mike.  It definitely paid off.  I kept the weights light today, and I am happy to report that I had no knee or shoulder pain during the workout.  Phew.

It felt great to be working out again.  I also got to test out my new new kicks.  (Yes, I am fully aware that I have a sneaker problem.)  These are the Inov-8 F-Lite 215's.  Inov-8 calls them "grape" colored - I think raspberry is more accurate.  They're definitely in the pink family and very cute.  I got a lot of compliments on them today. 

Inov-8 F-Lite 215's

The 215's are the new version of the 230's.  The big difference is the more substantial sole.  They don't look all that different than the 230's, but when you put them on, you feel the extra cushioning.  You don't feel the ground through the shoe the way you do in the 230's.  They've also reinforced the places on the soles that tend to get beat up on rope climbs.

Speaking of which, I did my very first rope climbs during today's WOD!  I hadn't tried since last fall, so I had no idea what would happen.  On the way to the gym, I kept thinking that if I can do pull-ups, I should be able to do this.  But I also vividly remembered my failed attempts.  

The head coaches demo-ed three techniques: no feet (the hardest), a simple feet pinching and a swirling technique.  The feet pinching technique spoke to me.  You start standing next to the rope, pull up with your arms and then sweep the foot farthest from the rope under the closer foot trapping the rope between them.  You reach and pull with your arms, and re-pinch the rope under you as you go.

We only have three ropes at the gym, and class was packed, so when it was my turn, I just went for it.  I got a few feet up and decided that this was totally doable.  I did all six of the rope climbs in today's workout just like that.  At the top, you're supposed to touch the metal rod that the ropes hang from  I touched the knot of the rope instead, so I short-changed myself by a bit.  I don't know why that last bit of reach freaked me out.  I should get it next time, though.

I'll keep you posted.

-Gym Belle-

*I did do yoga a few times with the doctor's permission.