Glad to be back!

Kelly Moore · 01-21-2005, 07:35 PM

Hi all! I just returned from a week long course of "train the trainer" in the Fox Lake area of Wisconsin. To prepare for the stay I packed chalk, a timer, several clubbells, two 26# kbs and the Lifeline Jungle Gym for doorway pullups. (I did remember to pack a small bag of clothes). The officer I was driving with didn't know what to say.

The motel offered free passes to the local big name franchise gym. After doing two very intense motel WODs, I decided to give the gym a try.

Clothing racks, a huge smoothie/pickup bar and leather couches were the first thing I saw. I haven't set foot in a commercial gym for 15+ years and it was quite the surprise. Past the pickup bar were rows and rows of "cardio" equipment on a raised platform overlooking chrome and lavender upholstery Nautilus type machines. Lavender??? I guess the color scheme must be working because there were an awful lot of people using them....

I hurried past the lavender isle to the free weight area looking for a pullup bar or squat rack. The only pullup bars were located in the middle of the very popular cable crossover machines. The two squat racks were being used - yep, you guessed it - for 65# curls and behind the back wrist curls. Both men had many more sets to go.

I was trying to think what WOD I could do considering the huge number of people present. I tried to do Fran but the dumbbells I set nearby disappeared sometime during my first set of pullups. Disgusted, I did 10x10 no kip pullups setted with pistols in between guys vying for the mirror to do the crossovers. Now I know how Crossfit folks trying to do Chippers must feel; I couldn't even manage Fran due to the number of people with no gym manners and my substitute WOD took forever hovering about waiting to be able to use the pullup bar....

The second day I came prepared. Crossfit T-shirt, chalk, timer and the Jungle Gym. Headed straight for a squat rack and claimed it by hanging my sweats on the catches and the Jungle Gym from the square overhead beam. Started the timer and drew many open mouth stares while I raced in and around the rack doing HSCs, pullups, pushups and situps. (I know they were looking because there were mirrors EVERYWHERE).

A number of the cops in my class this morning were in the gym last night and asked me about the workouts they had seen me do. Two of them are SWAT team members and said they could not do a single pullup, another was a male street cop who admitted he could not do a single pushup. I gave them Crossfit's site, demonstrated one arm/one leg pushups, door pullups and pistols. I also told them there was a Crossfit gym in Wisconsin (hi Ryan!). If a lowly dispatcher can do this....Hopefully I converted a few!

To make a long story short, I am very glad to have my primitive little home gym and I really feel for the rest of you!

Lynne Pitts · 01-22-2005, 05:12 AM

Kelly,
Glad you're back! Lavender and chrome, eh? Sounds quite...soothing! Just the place for the lycra-clad "I don't wanna get too big" (but I wouldn't mind getting a date) crowd...:biggrin:

Beth Moscov · 01-22-2005, 10:13 AM

OH My. This made me laugh out loud. Glad your back to a sane gym Kelly!

Brian Gibson · 01-22-2005, 01:33 PM

At least I can say that I can at least do cleans and such at my gym. That's about it.

Nice to have you back.

Larry Lindenman · 01-22-2005, 02:33 PM

Welcome back to reality! Wow, SWAT guys who can't do pullps? That's real, real bad! Our SWAT PT test which we had to take 4X a year included pullups with gear and a vest. The pullup is pretty mission specific; pulling yourself over walls, into windows, etc.

Kelly Moore · 01-22-2005, 04:10 PM

Larry, you aren't the only one who was surprised/dismayed....Crossfit could be a lifesaver for these folks.

Ryan Atkins · 01-22-2005, 06:16 PM

Good stuff, Kelly and thanks for helping to spread the word in our region!

Paul Theodorescu · 01-22-2005, 06:58 PM

Nice to see you back :-)

Larry Lindenman · 01-23-2005, 08:01 AM

Kelly, I need to take you to task: "If a lowely dispatcher can do this....Hopefully I converted a few!" The Telecommunicator is the most vital link in our survival chain, and don't you forget it!!! The job you do is largely un-heralded, wrongly so. I'm proud of what you do and wish I had a studette like you on the other end of the radio, in an emergancy!

Dan Silver · 01-23-2005, 03:44 PM

Hi Kelly,
Welcome back. The SWAT guys you speak of that can't do a pullup are pretty embarrassing. At least for our TAC team you have to be able to do five consecutive pullups (gasp!). Perhaps you should consider lateraling?

-D.

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01-21-2005, 07:35 PM	#1
Kelly Moore Member Profile: Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Madison WI Posts: 2,814	Hi all! I just returned from a week long course of "train the trainer" in the Fox Lake area of Wisconsin. To prepare for the stay I packed chalk, a timer, several clubbells, two 26# kbs and the Lifeline Jungle Gym for doorway pullups. (I did remember to pack a small bag of clothes). The officer I was driving with didn't know what to say. The motel offered free passes to the local big name franchise gym. After doing two very intense motel WODs, I decided to give the gym a try. Clothing racks, a huge smoothie/pickup bar and leather couches were the first thing I saw. I haven't set foot in a commercial gym for 15+ years and it was quite the surprise. Past the pickup bar were rows and rows of "cardio" equipment on a raised platform overlooking chrome and lavender upholstery Nautilus type machines. Lavender??? I guess the color scheme must be working because there were an awful lot of people using them.... I hurried past the lavender isle to the free weight area looking for a pullup bar or squat rack. The only pullup bars were located in the middle of the very popular cable crossover machines. The two squat racks were being used - yep, you guessed it - for 65# curls and behind the back wrist curls. Both men had many more sets to go. I was trying to think what WOD I could do considering the huge number of people present. I tried to do Fran but the dumbbells I set nearby disappeared sometime during my first set of pullups. Disgusted, I did 10x10 no kip pullups setted with pistols in between guys vying for the mirror to do the crossovers. Now I know how Crossfit folks trying to do Chippers must feel; I couldn't even manage Fran due to the number of people with no gym manners and my substitute WOD took forever hovering about waiting to be able to use the pullup bar.... The second day I came prepared. Crossfit T-shirt, chalk, timer and the Jungle Gym. Headed straight for a squat rack and claimed it by hanging my sweats on the catches and the Jungle Gym from the square overhead beam. Started the timer and drew many open mouth stares while I raced in and around the rack doing HSCs, pullups, pushups and situps. (I know they were looking because there were mirrors EVERYWHERE). A number of the cops in my class this morning were in the gym last night and asked me about the workouts they had seen me do. Two of them are SWAT team members and said they could not do a single pullup, another was a male street cop who admitted he could not do a single pushup. I gave them Crossfit's site, demonstrated one arm/one leg pushups, door pullups and pistols. I also told them there was a Crossfit gym in Wisconsin (hi Ryan!). If a lowly dispatcher can do this....Hopefully I converted a few! To make a long story short, I am very glad to have my primitive little home gym and I really feel for the rest of you!

01-22-2005, 05:12 AM	#2
Lynne Pitts Administrator Profile: Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Madison WI Posts: 3,232	Kelly, Glad you're back! Lavender and chrome, eh? Sounds quite...soothing! Just the place for the lycra-clad "I don't wanna get too big" (but I wouldn't mind getting a date) crowd...:biggrin:

01-22-2005, 10:13 AM	#3
Beth Moscov Member Profile: Join Date: May 2007 Location: Boulder Creek CA Posts: 1,269	OH My. This made me laugh out loud. Glad your back to a sane gym Kelly!

01-22-2005, 01:33 PM	#4
Brian Gibson Member Profile: Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Big Stone Gap VA Posts: 424	At least I can say that I can at least do cleans and such at my gym. That's about it. Nice to have you back.

01-22-2005, 02:33 PM	#5
Larry Lindenman Affiliate Profile: Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Chicago Illinois Posts: 2,769	Welcome back to reality! Wow, SWAT guys who can't do pullps? That's real, real bad! Our SWAT PT test which we had to take 4X a year included pullups with gear and a vest. The pullup is pretty mission specific; pulling yourself over walls, into windows, etc.

01-22-2005, 04:10 PM	#6
Kelly Moore Member Profile: Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Madison WI Posts: 2,814	Larry, you aren't the only one who was surprised/dismayed....Crossfit could be a lifesaver for these folks.

01-22-2005, 06:16 PM	#7
Ryan Atkins Member Profile: Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: Racine WI Posts: 925	Good stuff, Kelly and thanks for helping to spread the word in our region!

01-22-2005, 06:58 PM	#8
Paul Theodorescu Member Profile: Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Quebec Quebec Posts: 685	Nice to see you back :-)

01-23-2005, 08:01 AM	#9
Larry Lindenman Affiliate Profile: Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Chicago Illinois Posts: 2,769	Kelly, I need to take you to task: "If a lowely dispatcher can do this....Hopefully I converted a few!" The Telecommunicator is the most vital link in our survival chain, and don't you forget it!!! The job you do is largely un-heralded, wrongly so. I'm proud of what you do and wish I had a studette like you on the other end of the radio, in an emergancy!

01-23-2005, 03:44 PM	#10
Dan Silver Departed Profile: Join Date: Jan 1970 Posts: 533	Hi Kelly, Welcome back. The SWAT guys you speak of that can't do a pullup are pretty embarrassing. At least for our TAC team you have to be able to do five consecutive pullups (gasp!). Perhaps you should consider lateraling? -D.