THURSDAY 061228

Courage. Dedication. Inspiration.

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Denise Serrano, CrossFit Marina.

Read Denise's note to all of us below.

A Year End Thank You

“I’m not doing your ‘guy’ workout. I can’t do Pull Ups.” “Why do you time yourself? It’s stupid.” And so it started. Back then I was running three to six miles almost every day along with the usual exercises at the local 24Hr Flatness: cable machine tricep extensions, leg extensions, and squats on the machines, those stupid sit-up benches; and getting absolutely nowhere. I still couldn’t bring myself to do the CrossFit “stuff” my husband kept nagging me about.

So on 12/23/05, I decide that I would give in for one day. I would give him a Christmas present and “let” him “train” me. And so the fun began. I can’t remember what the exact WOD involved but there had to have been a healthy dose of squats. I know this because on Christmas morning when we arrived at my brother’s house for the usual family gathering, hubby Steve had to literally push me out of the car. I was so sore!

After the pain went away a few days later, I was ready and willing to try some more. The WODs were fun, and we had fun together. It was like play; but it was hard! It got better quickly though as my body adapted to the workouts. I had some definite goals and one of the first things I realized was that I wasn’t going to change overnight.

For instance, when I began I couldn’t even hang from a pull-up bar for more than five seconds. I had been very active in athletics when I was in school, and had played and coached basketball, soccer, and softball. I was really surprised that my shoulders were so weak and painful when I started CrossFit. Slowly I developed my shoulder strength as I learned how to do ring pulls, then jumping pull ups.

I set a goal for myself that by my fortieth birthday I would be able to do three kipping pull-ups in a row. In the mean time my squats and lifting form was all coming along at a slow but steady pace as well. I just wanted those pull-ups to get easier. I watched the videos of kipping and I attended a seminar at HQ but still was only able to do jumping pull ups. My shoulder strength was still coming along though.

During the year I got help from some of the best, Eva with her kipping instruction and Krista Jones with help on getting a few kippers in a row. The people I’ve met doing CrossFit have been fantastic and supportive. All the while I got better at the other movements as I practiced more. My squat got deeper and more stable and the weights I’ve been lifting have steadily gone up. And the pull-up numbers started to come up!

From a point where I couldn’t even hang on the bar, I have now progressed to a recent max of 120 kipping pull-ups (singles and doubles) over a half an hour in a WOD (mixed in with squats). Lost in the fun of doing the WODs with my family and now training others, I can’t remember all the details of that PR day. I just remember the thrashing my hands took. It was so worth it. I couldn’t wait to show everyone my torn calluses! The picture was posted proudly on our website.

I have grown so much in my first year of CrossFit. The relationships I have developed in this community and specifically in the groups that I train with, are so rewarding. I look forward to the future of CrossFit Marina and I consider myself and my family blessed to be a part of the CrossFit community. Thank you Coach, Lauren, Nicole, Tony and all our affiliate friends for the wealth you’ve given us.

With love,

Denise Serrano