Hello and brand new and wondering about something

Hello everyone!  I'm super excited to be here and feel like I'm in good, solid hands.  So looking forward to Foundations 1 (except for trying to master RC PE6 ha ha) and to meeting everyone!

 

Bit about me: Ashtanga yoga background for 2 years, followed by CrossFit for the past 20 months.  Before that pretty inactive for 20+ years (I'm 47).  I have a partial rotator cuff tear that isn't bad enough to qualify for surgery, but is bad enough to be a constant consideration.  It happened a very long time ago.  It got very bad in the last 6 months of my Ashtanga practice.  Has improved greatly with CrossFit, however I see trouble looming if I continue to kip on it.

 

I'm here because a) I need to rehab my shoulder b) I miss being lighter and more flexible c) I want flexibility AND strength, hopefully the best of both of my previous worlds of Ashtanga and CF d) I love the freedom/grace/power of gymnastics e) I need you all and can't do it alone!

 

It is strange I'm calling CF my 'previous' world. I guess I've decided I won't be able to train both at the same time, though I wish I could.  CF is a LOT of fun and the community is a very important part of why people love it.  I will try to continue to use the gym, just to be around people, even though I have most of the equipment I need at home.  Have to get to work on making some stall bars

 

The thing I've been wondering about is where all the women are?  What percentage of this community is female and how is training different for women vs. men?  Big question.  Do any/many women train the rings course?  I'm not really considering that course at the moment, and it would be far off anyway, but just wondering.

sekoiaj said:

 

I'm here because a) I need to rehab my shoulder b) I miss being lighter and more flexible c) I want flexibility AND strength, hopefully the best of both of my previous worlds of Ashtanga and CF d) I love the freedom/grace/power of gymnastics e) I need you all and can't do it alone!

 

You've come to the right place.

For shoulder rehab focus on the iM's in the HBP section.

Hi sekoiaj

 

I've been on GB for 18 months and I also wonder how other women are getting on. I'm female and 37 with no gymnastic background.

 

Its been an awesome journey - challenging for sure, humbling, inspiring...

 

The major difference that I see in myself compared to the men on this form - I flew through MN2&3&6... but might be on HBP PE2 for the rest of my life!!! I seem to have much more trouble with the bent arm strength compared with the long static holds and flexibility PE's like MN PE6.

 

An interesting aspect of potentially doing HBP PE2 for the rest of my life... it doesn't bother me in the slightest! I'm totally happy seeing the glacial improvements and celebrating the small victories. So I guess the entire premise of GB suits me as I'm completely engaged in the process. Its pretty cool that a year ago I did not have a single rep and now on a good day I can do the full 5x15 (with WAY too much resting!)

 

I do wonder how far other women have made it... I'm not sure Rings would ever be appropriate for me but I hope to spend this year getting deep into F2.

 

 

Let me know how you get on!

Sarah

hey Sarah - thanks for the shout out  Today was my first day of actually going through and testing for mastery on the PE1's and IM's.  Got through SLS, SPL, SL, HBP and MN.  Only tested for 36 second holds on FL because I know I'm not there yet.  Thought I'd do better on RC and tried for 5 x 15 but  it turned out to be 15, 10, 8, 8, 8.  My push is way stronger than my pull strength.  I'm tired and my arms feel heavy, but have to say my body still feels like it needs a metcon - there is something really satisfying about getting the heart rate and breathing skyrocketing and going all out for a set amount of time.  Don't know if I can give that up, or how or if I'll still do them.  Not as fun doing them at home alone. Did do some jump rope practice last night which was nice.  I'll try to rest, or do some stretching, and see how it goes tomorrow.

 

Sounds like you'll be through HBP PE2 in no time! Slowly reduce the rest time between sets....piece of cake. 

john_c said:

There was a seminar just this weekend in Stroud hosted by Wesley Tan and ran by Coach Sommer and Orench !!   It was awesome too, I think  there may be GB special events there now and again, definitely worth checking out.

Stroud is across the Atlantic from me!  The one near me is in Cornwall, Ontario, Canada (not Cornwall England)  

I have been doing F1 for four months and so far am really happy to find this programme. At the moment I have no trouble with flexibility, but feel the strength gains already. Like Sarah, at the moment it seems I could be stuck at HBP/PE2 for long time - hope not for whole life though

And RC/PE1 аt the moment seems is for me... But so far MN and SL seems the easiest for me. 

 

Have a good journey - I surely expect one for myself.

Dovile said:

I have been doing F1 for four months and so far am really happy to find this programme. At the moment I have no trouble with flexibility, but feel the strength gains already. Like Sarah, at the moment it seems I could be stuck at HBP/PE2 for long time - hope not for whole life though

And RC/PE1 аt the moment seems is for me... But so far MN and SL seems the easiest for me. 

 

Have a good journey - I surely expect one for myself.

Yup, I tried HBP PE2 yesterday and it sucked.  The iM also sucks as it fatigues your already tired arms with a weight, and it goes by too quickly.  Not sure about the 5r requirement.  Is that 5r alternating arms, or 5r per arm?  I did alternating arms with a 10 pound weight. Next time it is 5 pounds and hopefully 5r per arm...  I did 15, 15, 10, 10, and then stopped.  I can see how building this up will take a long time and I won't be gaining as fast as the program jumps up each week.  

 

Bit of neck soreness, I think from holding up the head in MN PE2 and FL PE1.  Not used to that!  Reminds me of the neck pain I got when I tried pilates, though much less severe as I'm a lot stronger now.  

 

Figured out I was doing RC PE1 more like a regular ring row, pulling to the chest, instead of sitting up.  Should be a bit easier now, though I couldn't really tell by that point in the workout....

 

I am enjoying this so far - I am still unsettled about how my weeks will look and what other training modalities I will include.  Ended up doing some lifting at my Crossfit gym yesterday, though that wasn't the plan!  Thought I would just do some light rowing on the Concept 2. PR'd my overhead squat which makes me happy, and tried benchpressing for the first time.  We hardly ever bench in CF. 

 

One thing I know for sure is one day a week has to be devoted to stretching/yoga.  And I won't be kipping or doing any CF competitions for a long time to come.

sekoiaj said:

 

What percentage of this community is female and how is training different for women vs. men?  

I'm guessing 5% Female, 25% Male, 50% Zombies, 15% Beasts, and 5% Mutants 

 

No difference for women vs. men, we all start with just our own body state.

LateStarter@46 said:

I'm guessing 5% Female, 25% Male, 50% Zombies, 15% Beasts, and 5% Mutants 

 

No difference for women vs. men, we all start with just our own body state.

As always, that would be yes and no....thanks for the clarification!  Definitely more true as we get older though IMO.