We are dabblers
Recently six PCFers ventured into a new world. A world vaguely familiar, yet foreign – a world of barbells and singlets.
The following is authored by: Mindy Coby
PCF has done its share of oly lifting, but this time was different. Everything was laid out from the beginning: Two movements, six lifts, done.
“I can tell you’re CrossFitters,” the director said. “Because of our shirts, right,” I asked. “Well that, and your high level of energy, you bring your own food, and you talk in pounds.”
We were visitors in a place where everyone else knew the drill very well, because it’s the same every time. Competitors had routines and rituals, rarely did they have fans or a support system, and they didn’t really talk to anyone else. No wonder our little group in the corner seemed to be obvious outsiders.
You get three chances at the snatch and three at the clean and jerk. A host of rules and three judges determine whether or not your lift counts. There was no raging loud music, no vendors, no noisy spectators. Instead, competitors approach their bars in complete silence, while all spectators look on. Most received polite applause if they succeeded in their lift.
I didn’t really have many expectations going into this. After all, we’re technically “dabblers.” But here’s the cool part… We didn’t look like “dabblers.”
In fact, our people were pulling some of the heaviest bars of the entire day. And when we did, people knew it, because you can’t keep a bunch of CrossFitting family members quiet for long. The camera clicked hundreds of shots while our little group yelled encouragement, cues, and support. By not specializing, we may not be elite at any one thing, but we are definitely competitive in nearly everything. More important than that, our community was present in an arena where community isn’t key.
Coach Glassman’s 100-word definition of fitness demands that CrossFitters continually try new things. It forces us into Tough Mudders, Oly meets, marathons and more. CrossFit begs us to stretch our views and comfort zones farther than we ever thought possible, and it rewards us for having the guts to do things we have never done before.
Strength:
Back Squat
5×3@81%1RM
Push-press
5×3@76%1RM
For time:
15-Deadlifts 175/250
100m-Run
5-Muscle-ups
3 Rounds
*Rest (1) minute between rounds. Score total time with rest.
Auxiliary:
10-Alternating pistols(add weight if possible)
15-Floor wipers
3 Rounds
Post impressions to comments.
Awesome, Mindy!
Interesting…ladies still show up to WOD when there is no 5am…and only men show for the 6am party….not sure what that says…Anyway..good group of guys to begin the day with…
Forgot to look at my time.
M- 165# deadlifts/ Muscle up progressions
11:24m (175# & MUP progressions)
I love this post, Mindy!!!
9:29M
Showed up for the 9am class, got to meet some other members. Still love 5am, maybe one day there will be a class on Tuesdays.
Great work this weekend to all who competed.
Robyn…thanks for being my human calculator
7:26M
11:27(m) 145# deads (did every rd of deads unbroken
pullups and dips. got SEVEN ft up the rope, arm came undone and Chris Davis was there to save me…literally he saved me or my ass would still be dangling from that rope…ahhh the joys of crossfit!!!!!!
Anytime Angela!!
That’s awesome Angela!!! Sorry I couldn’t stay.
7:25m (DL @ 135# / jumping lunges)
10:47 m
First weighted back squats in LONG time! Feels good.
Great job on the MUPs Tyrone!!!
Awesome post Min! I was love your words.
17:16(m)
Mup attempts, only 6 were successful. Deads were surprisingly unbroken.
Great noon class 10, was great motivation to be on the rings with 2 other badass ladies
Wow! My first solo class was noon n it was awesome!! It only had 3 trainers in it plus some veteran pcfers. You guys all are amazing. Thanks
10
9:47
“dabblers”…good word choice, min. and interestingly enough, oly lifters DO have community. it just seemed absent on Sat. in some countries these athletes often “dorm” together from a young age. The concept of “PCF Village” scares me a little bit.
10 had a good showing at noon. and mo took the words outta my mouth. i, however, wish I’d realized 5reps earlier that i shouldn’t have tried to keep up with the badass DL-ing women. aye yae yae. appreciate the new mobility option you shared, chris.
Chris, I enjoyed your class! Smooth and efficient! Thank you for the auxiliary move to link together my M-ups.
I watched Caleb in the 9am class as he did all 5 m-ups unbroken and thought, “yeah, that’s where I want to be” With the practice tips I’ll get it soon.
This is so awesome!!!!!!! Such a great post Mindy!!!!!!
Awesome persepective, Mindy. It was so not the same as a CrossFit competition. I felt inadequate for the first time in my lifting career.
Wasn’t the silence so horrible? I hated that.
My favorite part was when the director asked what Mindy’s next weight was she bashfully said “I don’t know what it is in kilo’s”
Nice to see you commenting killer..
This is very true Mindy, I love it! Sometimes when I go to an athletic event or a reg. gym that isn’t crossfit I get asked what I do, and people automatically know that I do something different. Gives me the oppurtunity to share this huge piece of awesomeness in my life.
9:21 (m)
Good class 430
Yes Chelsea, I hated the silence too. And there was no hiding the fact that I don’t know jack about kilograms
10:37 m @ 225# DL
K.Miko you can be my partner anytime, love & needed your intensity after a long work day! Thank you.
8:32 m
And I was wrong my back squat PR was previously 165# not 145#…oops
Tyler smoked that
9:11
Eve classes did well working a heavy dead we don’t do often and attacking (in mass) the parlor trick of m-ups.
530p did a good job challenging Dave. Honeycutt and Sam-I-Am…thank you for no injuries!
Jasmine pulled a Shelly Poling (minus the bubble blowing) loading the bar over and over again to find a 1RM back squat since she doesn’t have one. We stopped at 203 because time was up…but she coulda easily done more. Unreal…though we shouldn’t expect any less given who her parents are!
Miss Davis also gets the quote of the evening award. While trying to get away with doing her aux work without a bar I asked her why…to which she replied, “I don’t have any abs to hold it.” 200+ bs and no abs? An amazing feat that is, eh?
Good job 630…10:18 (m) I think….finally felt good pulling some weight off the floor….deadlift style…
yea, Theat wod is now known as the “Watson” tyler that was a beyond impressive time…
Love hearing about Jas…surpassing all of us….the young women are the true future of CrossFit and it is awesome to be a part of!! now, with that being said, that girl is back squatting my deadlift weight!!! lol
[...] We Are Dabblers from Practice CrossFit. It’s their story of their first weightlifting meet. Emmaline is signed up for her first meet November 11, and I need to get off my butt and get a singlet. I love this story. [...]