For time:
50 Box jump, 24″ (20″)
50 Jumping pull-ups
50 Kettlebell swings, 16kg (12kg)
50 Walking Lunge
50 Knees to elbows
50 Push press, 45#
50 Back extensions
50 Wall ball shots, 20# (14#)
50 Burpees
50 Double unders
Post time to comments.
Were you born ready?
– By Emmalee Moore
A while ago I was with my mom and she made a comment about being “born ready”- I laughed and said “but I wasn’t!” Just over 26 years ago, I was born 6 weeks early. When I came into this world, I had underdeveloped lungs and spent two weeks in the NICU at The Children’s Hospital. So literally… I wasn’t ready.
I overcame the initial plan that nature had in store for me, with medicine and my mothers nurture which got me out of the hospital. I never had any real lung issues brought to my attention due the fact I grew up in gymnastics- the longest wind I had to have was for a floor routine.
I first noticed some issues when I attended my first fire academy in 2004, I had some pulmonary function tests and they found my lung capacity was well below normal, and gave me every medicine that they could which mirrored what they would give an 85 y/o COPD patient just shy of supplemental oxygen. I was supposed to take Singulair, Advair, Spirva, and Albuterol. I took them for a few weeks and opted out after my first servings depleted. I decided I didn’t want to depend on medications if I could help it. If I really wanted to be a firefighter I wouldn’t be able to grab my inhaler and give it a few puffs mid search, mid fire attack, mid-fire job task.
I decided I would build my lungs on my own, without medication.
In 2007, I was in a bad car accident partly due to weather and the other part due to my error. Once again thanks to medicine and nurturing behavior I bounced back from a collapsed lung, lacerated spleen, broken ribs and head injury. Yes this was a minor set back, but thats it just a “minor” set back.
In 2008, I found CrossFit Verve, less than 1 year after my car accident. I couldn’t run 400m without feeling like I was literally dying. I would cherry pick any wods that had running, anything with running. It was SHAMEFUL, I was not working on what I truly needed.
In 2009, I had my body fat tested similar to what we did last week at Verve. My lung issues made it almost impossible to empty my lungs. I am never able to exhale all my air, I can take in as much air as I need, but can’t get rid of it. The testing site that did the one in 2009 reported me my body fat was 26%, they told me that I needed to work on my diet and get a fitness program. Oddly enough I weighed the same and was 1 year into CrossFit, I was feeling great, I was zoning my meals but apparently, I had very high body fat percentage for my size, I was mortified. After realizing the test works on how much air you can expel from your lungs, I realized it was flawed for me. This last weekend I did the body fat test and had much better results at 10%, results that I felt matched the way I look and feel. My lungs have improved, I haven’t looked at my pulmonary function test numbers, but I have seen all over improvements.
Now I run, not becaue it’s the wod, I run for fun, I run because it’s a weakness. Finally I breath in control. Not just gasping or wheezing but rather breathing systematically gets me through any function in my life. The combat test for the fire department, is a 4 mile run and a challenging fire breather wod. My lung size and controlled breathing has also proved to be beneficial while sucking down a bottle on my SCBA (the breathing apparatus firefighters wear while in hazardous conditions), and I know last longer than most.
Nature set me back twice in my life, I overcame both. I know life throws curve balls and disadvantages but it’s up to the each of us to make the changes to nurture our disadvantages.
My willingness to nurture has helped me be who I am today!
Lots of things are hereditary, others are just the way we were brought up. It’s choice to live how you want to live. All of us at Verve have made that choice to nurture ourselves into a healthier life style.
Nature can give us Hereditary /bad genes, accidents. But we can choose to nurture our diet/Eating choices, and physical fitness.
