What are some characteristics that most Snatch It Girls have in common? Yes, that's right...we've got "Drive and Grit". So it comes as no surprise that the majority of us are involved in numerous fitness arenas, whether it be Triathlons, Body comps, Boxing, Crossfit, or just your everyday crazed gym goer-you name it- we've done it. Which brings us to the real question, why do we do it?
Some would argue that most people are faithful gym attendees simply driven by vanity, but those of us who have fallen in love with the process- changing not only our bodies, but more importantly our inner voice; know that vanity plays but a much smaller part in our "Drive and Grit". We are firm believers that it is not only our bodies, but also our minds, which are trained when you are a Snatch It Girl. It is your mind that will give up much faster than your body. Whatever your inner voice tells you; will inevitably dictate how your body performs.
Exercise and the ability to push yourself on a daily basis is by far the most underutilized anti-depressant in this country. Many different people have addressed the numerous health issues that our society faces as a direct result of our unhealthy eating habits, lack of physical exercise and high levels of stress which some even refer to as "Dis-Ease". Whatever your opinion may be on the matter, we live in a society where we focus on instant gratification, virtual relationships, and quick fix prescriptions. Therefore, it is the gym that is the great equalizer, for it creates the ultimate "you vs. you" scenario. At a very organic level we are made human again. We are forced to deal with our inner voice- whether its doubt or anger or sadness, there is no running away from it. So whether you choose to go full force or simply walk on the treadmill you are accountable for your progress, no one else is. This brings us to today's witty and very insightful blog provided by our very own Mountain Snatch....
Some would argue that most people are faithful gym attendees simply driven by vanity, but those of us who have fallen in love with the process- changing not only our bodies, but more importantly our inner voice; know that vanity plays but a much smaller part in our "Drive and Grit". We are firm believers that it is not only our bodies, but also our minds, which are trained when you are a Snatch It Girl. It is your mind that will give up much faster than your body. Whatever your inner voice tells you; will inevitably dictate how your body performs.
Exercise and the ability to push yourself on a daily basis is by far the most underutilized anti-depressant in this country. Many different people have addressed the numerous health issues that our society faces as a direct result of our unhealthy eating habits, lack of physical exercise and high levels of stress which some even refer to as "Dis-Ease". Whatever your opinion may be on the matter, we live in a society where we focus on instant gratification, virtual relationships, and quick fix prescriptions. Therefore, it is the gym that is the great equalizer, for it creates the ultimate "you vs. you" scenario. At a very organic level we are made human again. We are forced to deal with our inner voice- whether its doubt or anger or sadness, there is no running away from it. So whether you choose to go full force or simply walk on the treadmill you are accountable for your progress, no one else is. This brings us to today's witty and very insightful blog provided by our very own Mountain Snatch....
Popping your Snatch- Lessons from my first Crossfit competition
I don't think anyone had any clue what shitshow was going to come to town when I turned 40, least of all my husband!!! As a dedicated snowboarder I anxiously waited till the end of the snow season and then immediately decided to do an 8K trail race, followed by a local Mountain Bike Race Series
( 7 lucky races in total) and while we are at it, let's tie up the whole thing in a big ole bow with a Paddle Boarding Triathlon!!! I love competing and am game for all of it. I had newly tried my hand (less than a year) or dare I say “Snatch” at Crossfit and the love affair was instant. So when the call came to compete, well let's just say I was "off like a dress on prom night" ready to meet the challenge.
I joined a team with 2 other Snatch It Girls (who are amazing incredible women) to form the Crossfit Breckenridge Team: High Altitude Hotties. What a perfect name, cause the training was brutal and "Hot as Hell" or as some would say "Oh Hell No". We signed up to compete at the "Girls Gone RXDenver" event. If you are unfamiliar with this organization, check them out at www.girlsgonerx.com . I can't say enough good things about them, extremely organized and dedicated to raising money for the cure. The GGRXDenver event had nearly 400 ladies show up to compete with a dozen vendors and hundreds of supporters to cheer on all the wicked women of lifting.
Even though this was my first rodeo at a Crossfit competition, I am no stranger to the pressures of having to perform. However, not knowing what to expect was still nerve racking but having the support of two amazing teammates made me feel at ease. This would, after all, be my first attempt at putting my newly learned Crossfit training to the test. Like all firsts in life, I asked myself "would I survive?" Surely I would, but just barely... and as much as I'd like to rave about how awesome I performed, I think the true lessons are a result of the not so pretty and gritty moments which also invariably conspire to make us better.
Aside from lifting and met-cons in Crossfit there are also jump roping skills that must be mastered and by skills I am referring to the dreaded "Double Unders". Now any of you who have ever worked on your rope SKILLS, know that this maneuver is no joke. It's something you have to vigorously practice- like in a Rocky Balboa fashion! You may even make yourself cry in the process. The welts, the endless hours of jumping and then there are the strange looks you get from your neighbors. All these things are enough to make most people throw their jump rope out of their car windows on some stretch of abandoned highway or light it on fire and bury it in your backyard.
So on the day of the competition I was ready, ready to crush it. So what happened.....well the pressure, fatigue, stands of spectators, booming loud music (ahhh push it, push it real good), fellow Snatch It Girls and most of all my own inner voice telling me "you're not good enough" all came barreling down on me like an overhead squat and I choked !
I finished, but only after pushing myself through what seemed like an eternity. All eyes were on me, and no I'm not a narcissist. All eyes truly were on me- after finally finishing my 50 double unders, starting my box jumps and with burpees still to go, all 9 other teams in our heat had gathered around our team. With the help of the MC who had loudly announced my name, all other competitors started cheering me on along with all the spectators in the stands. Talk about pressure and to top it all off our very (now) friendly judge had to remind me every damn time to "hand release my burpees". In all of the chaos and in the midst of my humiliation, exhaustion, pure frustration, and utter heart break, I knew deep down inside I was not going to stop until I finished.
You see, aside from hitting PR's, RXing WODS, getting a rockin' body and being able to move heavy furniture that normally only my husband could, Crossfit has taught me to never quit. Like all things in life, we can practice until we pass out, but life will always throw unexpected situations our way. Crossfit has taught me to keep going no matter what and, most importantly, it has taught me that during moments of doubt when my inner voice tells me "you're not good enough", to dig deep and keep moving forward.
This is something we can all apply to our lives; things get tough, we get heart broken, we have doubts, but you keep moving forward and you trust the journey. The beauty comes from falling in love with the process of failure because it's those moments that are the most valuable to our personal growth. Like all firsts in life, popping my snatch was not the most triumphant of experiences but I managed to complete it with the grace and dignity of a Snatch It Girl and I can't wait to do it again....cause in the end, good girls sit and bad bitches snatch!
Our team ended up finishing a respectable 86 out of a 128 teams and all three of us hit PR's that day! Oh and don't worry about my poor husband, he's getting all the love he needs especially after installing me a state-of-the-art pull up bar in our garage!
( 7 lucky races in total) and while we are at it, let's tie up the whole thing in a big ole bow with a Paddle Boarding Triathlon!!! I love competing and am game for all of it. I had newly tried my hand (less than a year) or dare I say “Snatch” at Crossfit and the love affair was instant. So when the call came to compete, well let's just say I was "off like a dress on prom night" ready to meet the challenge.
I joined a team with 2 other Snatch It Girls (who are amazing incredible women) to form the Crossfit Breckenridge Team: High Altitude Hotties. What a perfect name, cause the training was brutal and "Hot as Hell" or as some would say "Oh Hell No". We signed up to compete at the "Girls Gone RXDenver" event. If you are unfamiliar with this organization, check them out at www.girlsgonerx.com . I can't say enough good things about them, extremely organized and dedicated to raising money for the cure. The GGRXDenver event had nearly 400 ladies show up to compete with a dozen vendors and hundreds of supporters to cheer on all the wicked women of lifting.
Even though this was my first rodeo at a Crossfit competition, I am no stranger to the pressures of having to perform. However, not knowing what to expect was still nerve racking but having the support of two amazing teammates made me feel at ease. This would, after all, be my first attempt at putting my newly learned Crossfit training to the test. Like all firsts in life, I asked myself "would I survive?" Surely I would, but just barely... and as much as I'd like to rave about how awesome I performed, I think the true lessons are a result of the not so pretty and gritty moments which also invariably conspire to make us better.
Aside from lifting and met-cons in Crossfit there are also jump roping skills that must be mastered and by skills I am referring to the dreaded "Double Unders". Now any of you who have ever worked on your rope SKILLS, know that this maneuver is no joke. It's something you have to vigorously practice- like in a Rocky Balboa fashion! You may even make yourself cry in the process. The welts, the endless hours of jumping and then there are the strange looks you get from your neighbors. All these things are enough to make most people throw their jump rope out of their car windows on some stretch of abandoned highway or light it on fire and bury it in your backyard.
So on the day of the competition I was ready, ready to crush it. So what happened.....well the pressure, fatigue, stands of spectators, booming loud music (ahhh push it, push it real good), fellow Snatch It Girls and most of all my own inner voice telling me "you're not good enough" all came barreling down on me like an overhead squat and I choked !
I finished, but only after pushing myself through what seemed like an eternity. All eyes were on me, and no I'm not a narcissist. All eyes truly were on me- after finally finishing my 50 double unders, starting my box jumps and with burpees still to go, all 9 other teams in our heat had gathered around our team. With the help of the MC who had loudly announced my name, all other competitors started cheering me on along with all the spectators in the stands. Talk about pressure and to top it all off our very (now) friendly judge had to remind me every damn time to "hand release my burpees". In all of the chaos and in the midst of my humiliation, exhaustion, pure frustration, and utter heart break, I knew deep down inside I was not going to stop until I finished.
You see, aside from hitting PR's, RXing WODS, getting a rockin' body and being able to move heavy furniture that normally only my husband could, Crossfit has taught me to never quit. Like all things in life, we can practice until we pass out, but life will always throw unexpected situations our way. Crossfit has taught me to keep going no matter what and, most importantly, it has taught me that during moments of doubt when my inner voice tells me "you're not good enough", to dig deep and keep moving forward.
This is something we can all apply to our lives; things get tough, we get heart broken, we have doubts, but you keep moving forward and you trust the journey. The beauty comes from falling in love with the process of failure because it's those moments that are the most valuable to our personal growth. Like all firsts in life, popping my snatch was not the most triumphant of experiences but I managed to complete it with the grace and dignity of a Snatch It Girl and I can't wait to do it again....cause in the end, good girls sit and bad bitches snatch!
Our team ended up finishing a respectable 86 out of a 128 teams and all three of us hit PR's that day! Oh and don't worry about my poor husband, he's getting all the love he needs especially after installing me a state-of-the-art pull up bar in our garage!