Special Birthday Weekend Edition!

This morning, Mr. Diva gave me the birthday present all girls dream of:
















It's the new Rogue Women's Bar, nicknamed the "Bella"!

1) 25MM Diameter

2) Dual Knurling Marks for Olympic and Power Lifting

3) Made with 155K LB PSI tensile strength steel

4) Black Zinc center with Chrome Collars

5) Snap ring construction with bronze bushings

Let the garage gym production begin :)

Next up - plates!

Space, the Final Frontier

Tomorrow this little diva has a birthday! It's my last year in one of those "check here" age brackets, too. 34. And you know what? I feel pretty good about it. Is my life perfect? No. Is my house clean? No. Am I the strongest woman in the world? No.

But I'm the strongest little diva I can possibly be at this very moment. And that's kinda kick ass.

Big things coming up! On Monday I'll be heading out of town for a long awaited vacation with Mr. Diva (it's a 30th birthday trip for him - yes, I like them young). We're heading out to Vegas for 2 days, and then renting motorcycles and riding to the Grand Canyon and Zion National Park.

We're also now 99 days out from our Jamaican vacation, and are both doing a sit-up countdown to departure (imagine the Burpee Challenge in reverse, with sit-ups - yes, I'm a dork).

But amidst all of this anticipation, I'm looking forward to living in the beginning moments of this next year of my life. After all, there's no need to wish the time away - it does that very well on it's own. Rather, I'm going to slow down each day and eek as much out if it as I can.

I swear, one of these days I'll figure out how to add those extra hours I so desperately need!

3, 2, 1...Email

As a CrossFit Nomad, I know what it's like to often train alone. But that doesn't mean I have to go uncoached. The internet is a powerful tool. You have a plethora of resources, all you have to do is search. Use it to reach out to the people who can help you achieve your goals.

Don't be shy!

Margie Lempert of CFSBK, coaching me on the Deadlift:

Second Pull of the Power Clean:


















Photos Courtesy of CrossFit Virtuosity

100 Reasons I run, #91

#91

• To get far, far away from the turkey vultures that populate the county. Seriously. They are frightening. Really, really, frightening.
  

Tuesday's Tip, May 5th

"A goal without a plan is just a wish." - Antoine de Saint-Exupery

Monsters and Mortals, DIY

Step 1: Go to Rip's Basic Barbell Cert.
Step 2: Listen.
Step 3: Learn.
Step 4: Repeat.

• If you touch a barbell, or are thinking about touching a barbell, GO TO THE CERT.
• If you think you already know what you're doing and think that you don't need the cert - GO TO THE CERT.
  
• If you train anyone, coach anyone, or give unsolicited advice to anyone - GO TO THE CERT.

I truly can't emphasize the value of this 2 day barbell certification course enough. Silly piece of certification paper aside, it was the most informative, worthwhile and practical weekend I could possibly have spent. The fact that this is not required of anyone running an affiliate or coaching CrossFit is shameful. You will come away from this certification with the tools to coach people in the 5 basic strength moves, as well as a deeper understanding of your own current capacity. You may even discover hidden potential.

As for me, I walked away with tattletale shins and knees (I jump FAR too early on my cleans).

To summarize:

• Grab a copy of Starting Strength and Practical Programming.
  
• Go to Rip's Cert.
  
• Learn how to to it RIGHT.
  
• Get strong.

And maybe, if you work really hard, someday you'll have an enormous neck like John Sheaffer of Greyskull Barbell Club:)

Food Find, May 1st

Came across this site while checking out CrossFit Balboa (which I got to from CrossFit Endurance):

Food Timeline: Food History and Historic Recipes

Apparently, Peanut Butter & Jelly was invented in 1901. Spam and Krispy Kreme in 1937. The seedless watermelon in 1949. And deep fried Coca-Cola in 2006.

How do you deep fry soda??