A Little Love Pt. 1: CrossFit Munich

Remember a few weeks ago… when I was all,

Oops, I’m in Europe #Again

Well, now that I’ve been home long enough to recover from this thing called Family Vacay, it’s more than time to show a little love to the two boxes I had the privilege to train at while I was in Europe.

Alas: A Little Love Pt. 1: CrossFit Munich

So imagine this:

I have an address for the CrossFit gym in Munich, Germany and I’m wandering with my folks.  I wanted to find the gym on Friday, so I could complete Open Workout 15.4 on Saturday morning.

Google Maps leads us to what looks like a deserted fairgrounds housing an empty factory complex that had been forgotten about- except for the artists. I imagine that in the summer, when it isn’t 45 degrees and drizzling rain, the space is used as a complex of clubs to host festivals.

However- it isn’t summer…

it’s starting to get dark out and our map leads us farther into this complex of buildings.

Those artists I mentioned?

They definitely hadn’t forgotten about this place and on any and all free wall space there was dark (I mean, if we’re being honest, they were creepy) cartoons in graffiti.

But then, behind all of these weird paintings and buidlings there was CrossFit Munich. 

I hadn’t trained in four days and needless to say it was probably the hardest thing ever to walk into this huge space where wall balls were waiting to be slammed and walk out without even breaking a sweat or hook-gripping a barbell. Mission find CrossFit Munich: accomplished. 

The next morning, my parents huffed it with me across Munich again from our hotel to the box. After all, most people bring their own judge and photographer when they do their open workouts, right? #Queen 😉

So….

Mimi takes a CrossFit Class in Germany…

Here I am holding in giggles the whole time I warmed up because the German language was extra funny to me on Saturday morning… let’s say it had something to do with nerves? Uhh.. obvi.

The one thing I learned from taking a CrossFit class in Germany is that hand stand push up still means hand stand push up and power clean still means power clean.

After I finished 15.4, I was disappointed because I didn’t hit the reps that I wanted to and my competitiveness got the best of me.

Fifteen point four taught me to look forward to getting stronger and that sometimes, actually, most always, it’s more about the experience you have and less about the score (completely making peace with the fact that my score was less than impressive AND I forgot to submit it: DOUBLE WAMMY: seriously.. whatdya gonna do moment.)

 A little love for CrossFit Munich is obviously in order, so thanks, CrossFit Munich.

Thank you for the high fives, the PICK UP THAT BAR, GIRL, for the where are you froms, those ‘hell yeah, it’s over’ fist bumps, and even that accidental ass grab.  (Made me feel like I was back at CFW 😉 )

Reppin CFW Swag in Munich, duh 🙂

I can’t wait to rock CFM’s sweet tank that says…

just by the way, “Hard. Fast. No Cuddling After.”  I mean really, when I get tired of snatches I just jerk it.

And off you go, to make this day great, with a few dirty CrossFit jokes that I hope made those pretty lips into a beautiful and goofy smile.

xo-

mimi

Open Fitness Journal: April 11-21

Happy Hump Day, beauties 🙂

I thought this rainy gross rest day might just be the perfect time to update y’all on this whole process that is healing through CrossFit.  It’s pretty cool stuff. Wanna hear what I’ve been up to?

Well good.  Because even if you didn’t, I don’t know if you heard but I do CrossFit, which means that I have to tell you about it even when you’ve begged me not to.

CrossFit Rule #1: ALWAYS TALK ABOUT CROSSFIT.

Obvi….

So anyways… being three weeks into April must mean that there’s been some pretty killer WOD’s and some pretty awesome #gainz being made. You (clap) are (clap) right!!!! (clap)

Not only have the last few weeks brought some spicy sessions on the bod but they’ve also included a few badass partner WOD’s that are slowly starting to work their way to the top of the Mimi’s Favorite Things list.

JEEZ GET TO THE GOOD STUFF ALREADY WON’T YOU?!

Along with The BarbellWOD work that I get after Monday, Wednesday, and Fridays, I am also into my third week of the Hatch Squat Cycle… Am I noticing squat gains yet?

Let’s just say I can hardly wait for the next 7 weeks to retest my maxes as I’m sure they are going to be huge.

And without further a due… this is the other fun stuff I’ve been doing to get all sweaty and what not 😉

WOD 1: April 11

For time:

25-20-15-10-5
Thrusters (65#)
5-4-3-2-1
Rope climbs

25 thrusters, 5 rope climbs, 20 thrusters, 4 rope climbs (etc.)

Time: 13:31

Partner WOD 1: April 13

“Cindy Learns Burpees”
AMRAP 20
Burpees
5 pull ups
10 push ups
15 squats

One partner completes 1 round of Cindy, while the other partner completes as many burpees as possible, alternating rounds.

Score is total number of burpees between partners: 238 Burpees

WOD 2: 

EMOM 20
1. AB – 10 cal
2. G2OH – 4 reps (135/95)
3. double unders – 40 reps
4. russian swings – 15 reps (53/35)

WOD 3: 

5K Run for time followed by 30 burpees

Total Time: 31 something…. 😉

WOD 4: 

For Time:

20 HSPU
20 DB hold squats (45/25)
15 HSPU
20 lateral burpees over DB’s
10 HSPU
20 DB power clean (45/25)
5 HSPU

Partner WOD 2: 

AMRAP 30
400m run
20 pull ups
30 wall balls (14 @ 10′)

Alternating movements between partners.. i.e. Partner A runs 400 m while Partner B rests, Partner B does pull ups while Partner A rests.

6 Rounds !!!!

That was fun, wasn’t it?

Tell me what you’ve been up to!  Spring has sprung which means summer is just around the corner! Don’t let that be a stressful thing. You are beautiful.

Let it happen.

What have your WOD’s looked like recently? Have you hit any awesome PR’s? Instagram them to me! @trueyoustrong 🙂 I promise I’ll getcha back!

xo-

mimi

Escaping Winter: #OopsI’mInEurope… Again

My oh my, family vacations….

am I right? Don’t answer that. I know I am.

My post title may be a little misleading because I am not actually in Europe again, but I was.

Over the past two weeks I had the privilege to bounce around Germany and Holland.  I walked my little toes almost completely off my body, people watched the heck out of this strange world we live in, ate some of the nummiest and naughtiest noms I’ve ever had, and learned quite a bit about being kind to my soul when I’m feeling discouraged about my body.

Reminder: Being mean to the world because you are mad at yourself and your body doesn’t make anything better.  Taking out your body frustrations on people you love will make you feel worse: Fact.

The cool thing about traveling is that even if you completely shut down and shut people out, you can still learn no matter how much you resist it.

I have noticed that when I fall out of my routine my mind reacts more aggressively than my body does.  Suddenly, after traveling for for four days and not training I look ten pounds heavier in the mirror, all hell breaks loose, and I go from being a compassionate human who is pleasant to be around to a psycho gremlin who might punch you in the face if you offer me a cookie.

Focusing on the positives aspects of rest helped me through the days where I was unable to get my daily dose of endorphins.

#ActiveRest is the best kind of rest and lucky for me, exploring cities usually means lots of walking. 

Active Rest in Montreal meant exploring the brilliant street art that lines the roads.  I am always awed by artwork that can be seen.  Writing is art– but fifteen foot, painted on brick wall, LOOK AT ME work is something special, something awesome.

Have you been to Montreal and wandered around wondering about the art? Check out Word and Colour!

Just sending a little blog to blog love, you know? This site pairs Montreal street art with fictional write ups by those brave enough to share their words. The following is from Word and Colour’s about section on their site. BY THE WAY…AGAIN… CHECK IT OUT!!!

Blog: wordandcolour.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/wordandcolour?fref=ts

“We believe in people.  We believe that words and colours can inspire new ways of rethinking the world, and raise awareness about existing injustice.   We send art to writers, who write what the colour inspires. We pair the story with the art, with an aim to promote stories that share positive alternatives to mainstream stereotypes- or that confront oppression outright.  We believe that people, once aware, will work to reduce their participation in violence. We love art. And we want you to get involved.”

Sooo.. you just might be crazy if you don’t check out this awesome art!

Mimi, where’d you go after Montreal?

little ol’ me down at the bottom

Active Rest in Munich, Germany meant dodging people in the market and drooling over the most beautiful foods being sold by families who had worked hard to get them there.  I left Germany with a new appreciation for exceptionally fresh and affordable food, that is sometimes challenging to come by in Vermont. (Come on, Spring!)

So finally we ended up in Amsterdam after all of this

exploring and the only thing better than exploring Germany is..

oh, wow, you’re a really good guesser…

EXPLORING AMSTERDAM.

There’s something so romantic about the bikes and canals that each time I’ve been in this city things start to figure themselves out in my head and I find peace.

After a week of my body battling with my head I was able to find solace in the lights on the water and the grimy side streets.  I saw more people than I’d ever seen in one place in the Leidseplein streets than ever before, each face that passed reminded me that this whole life is an adventure and it’s our job as women to have compassion for our journeys. Be true. Be you. Be strong. Right?

Radical Heavy Liftin’, Pink Wearin’, Veggie Munchin’

Mimi, Mimi, Mimi, where have you been?

Oh you know…

just working too many hours as a waitress, trucking off to Europe for a few weeks, finishing my first CrossFit Open in Amsterdam, and organizing a Love Your Body Challenge.

I have so many awesome things to talk to you beauties about this month and can’t wait to get back to work with y’all.

I thought that it was about time to get back onto this, “treat your body like it belongs to somebody you dearly love,” train.

After all, we’ve only got one body and one life, why does it have to be so hard to love both of them? I have some juicy nuggets coming your way this month, THAT, I am warning you now, ON A WEDNESDAY, that April is going to be so chalk full of positivity and support that every day might just find itself in the running as the best day ever. 😉

Sound like hard work?

Good. It should.

I know I’m ready for it, so you should be too.

Okay, good talk. Thanks for getting so excited with me 🙂

You’re talkin’ this huge game girl, what you go up those sleeves anyways?

Things to look forward to on be true. be you. be strong. in April:

My First CrossFit Open: All the thoughts/all the feels/all the tears

PR Playlist #3: Drake just happened to come out with a new album since the last time we talked, no? YES. YES HE DID.

Escaping Winter: #OopsI’mInEurope…Again

CrossFit: International Fit Family

A Little Love Pt. 1: CrossFit Munich

A Little Love Pt. 2: CrossFit Amsterdam

Previewing of the Love Your Body Challenge: updates on how the trial run is going.

SO EXCITED FOR APRIL

#LookBackAtIt Campaign: The Return Of

……..

That’s just the beginning, are you even ready?

All that cool stuff on top of the already radical WOD-lovin’, burpee-smilin’, heavy liftin’, pink wearin’, veggie munchin’, protein hoardin’, beautiful-bod-cherishin’ fun that is be true. be you. be strong.

Hold on tight babes, this could get really awesome, really quick.

A #VeryLate Valentine’s Day Ode To My Box

With the beginning of February also came the one year anniversary of CrossFit Waterbury.

YAY! Happy birthday, happy birthday, happy birthday, RAH RAH RAH!

A whole year of business.

A year of new members.  New passions.  New PR’s.   New shoes.  New friends.  New goals being chased.  New goals being crushed.

But most importantly a year of teamwork, building a new community of wonderfully unique individuals people who have put their health first and worked their asses off to come together as a family that happens to be fit as f***. (peep the casual flex photo next door….)

To celebrate, CFW held an in-house team competition on the first Saturday in February.

Fourteen teams competed in “Couple’s Therapy” or four WOD’s that went as follows…

WOD 1 

Bear It All

7 minute time clock

20 calorie assault bike sprint

followed directly by

Synchronized Bear Complex (yes, meaning both partners had to be perfectly in sync in order for the reps to count)

building to max of

Clean-Front Squat-Shoulder to Overhead-Back Squat-BTK Shoulder to Overhead

WOD 2: 

Don’t Leave Me Waiting

10 minute time cap

Completed in relay race form

Partner one completes 500 m row

Partner two completes 600 m row

Partner one completes 30 thrusters (35#)

Partner two completes 30 thrusters (45#)

Partner one completes 15 partner over-unders

Partner two completes 15 partner over-unders

Parter Over-Unders: 

WOD 3: 

Positive Communication

150 single-unders (each partner completes)

100 Russian KBS (44/26)

50 burpee box-overs (combined)

50 overhead lunge steps (20/14)

20 dead lift (each partner completes w/ max weight from bear complex in WOD 1)

15 minute time cap

WOD 4 (floater)

Rowling

Each partner has one try to row and have the meter counter stop as close to 100 m as possible.

Remember how this was a Valentine?

“WHY MIMI WE HATE VALENTINE’S DAY IT WAS WEEKS AGO I THOUGHT WE WERE FAR AWAY FROM ALL THIS GROSS LOVE STUFF”

Woah. Why’s it gotta be like that, yo?

I love Valentine’s Day and wish that it happened like once a month.

It’s a day all about love where all I wanted to do was smile at people and tell them how wonderful they are.  Exude all the love.

LOVE LOVE LOVE.

Can you tell, I’m the biggest and most hopeless romantic out there?

“Couples Therapy” taught me a lot of things and I experienced support and encouragement from the fit family competing against one another.  My partner shared competitive confidence with me through his own work in previous competitions and rocked my Nano’s right off when partner-over-unders sucked even when it was ‘rest’ time.  We finished under the time cap because we supported each other to keep going.  Fourth place is pretty freakin’ phenom if you ask me.

I learned that being no-repped still sucks.  It sucks.

Okay. Seriously. BEING NO REPPED SUCKS.

Just in case you were wondering.

I was awed by a team of two women, new to CrossFit, working like they’d been friends forever, sweating, and smiling– they reminded me why I started doing this crazy thing called CrossFit.

Sometimes I forget how important frequent high-fives are or how much can be accomplished when the only option is team work, and of the selflessness that is pushing yourself so that you don’t let yourself or your partner down.

‘Couple’s Therapy’ showed me all of this all day long.

Strength is so beautiful and sometimes it scares me half to the moon.

When I am given the honor to watch other women hit incredible PR’s of weights that I am working towards that on somedays feel like I’ll never get to, inspires me every time I add more weight.

It is something special to be able to watch another woman clean 150#s and to have my mind register this as both gorgeous and graceful.

That lift isn’t just that lift.

It’s the energy that lights the body on fire and the courage that empowers the mind.

It is the tenacity when we’re so hungry for that weight and the respect for our bodies after fail #5 when it’s just not going to happen.

It is the relentlessness that doesn’t leave room for giving up and the being stronger than yesterday.

That’s pretty bad ass.

Fourteen teams doing allluhhhdat

and #killingit.

Happy Valentine’s Day, CFW.

❤

Open Fitness Journal: February 18

Reminiscing about being this sweaty & outside in the sunshine in Bryce Canyon

Hi gorgeous, how you doin’? 😉

I’m just here to remind you to do something that will flood your body with endorphins today.  It’s impossible for me to get through a day without a little fix– instant mood changer.  There’s science behind that too, you know, it’s not just me being all, “go work out,” like, go do that too.

BUT

Try something new to get sweaty.

I’ll just leave you with that thought on this here cold-ass-hump-day 😉

Warm Up

500 m row

dynamic stretch

quad mobility foam roll sesh

Barbell WOD Work for 2.18.15

-Snatch work

-Front Squats

-Push press & Strict Press

Thruster Technique Work

WOD
3 min row for Cal
right into
7 min to find 2 RM thruster
right into
AMRAP 7
10 box jumps
11 t2b
12 deadlift (135/95)

Rounds:

Open Fitness Journal: February 17

Somethin’ about this week is just kind of fabulous.

Maybe it’s all the leftover love in the air from Valentine’s Day?  who knows…

but I AM NOT COMPLAINING.  It’s as cold as it’s ever been outside this week but I also can’t complain about that because it’s NEVER 20 below zero and that’s kind of new and different.  Maybe just maybe I’m getting excited about weather…

….

……….

it’s fine.

Question: What’s the best way to keep warm in the polar vortex that is Vermont?

Answer: CrossFit. More CrossFit. Keep doing CrossFit.  Don’t stop CrossFitting. #WeCantStopCrossFitting.

Love it up, move that hella strong body of yours and keep rockin’ out sista.

xo-

mimi

Warm Up

2 Rounds
10 strict pull ups
20 walking lunges
10 DB strict press
+
3×10 scap squeezes

Strict Press/Pull Ups
3 x 3 strict press
Rest :60 then complete ME strict pull ups

Snatch Technique Work

AQAP (3 rounds)
10 burpees over bar
20 power cleans (135/95)
30 wall balls (20/14)@10’
rest 3 min between rounds

Open Fitness Journal: January 10

Hi beauties, happy Tuesday again and again.

Maybe where you are it’s still snowing like crazy and you got to get out and play in it today, or maybe the sun came out and you got a little Vitamin-D fix.  Wherever you are, I hope that something made you smile about life today.  In case you were wondering, it’s a great thing to smile about.

And so is your smile.  Keep it up, gorgeous.

I wish that I felt the need to apologize for all of the rap music references but I really don’t

…….so snatches goin’ up on a tuesday (insert girl with her hand in the air emoji #Iknowyouknow)

So many snatches today my gawwwwwd I would have it NO other way, nuh uh.

Now go and dream of squats for tomorrow brings us the great joy that is HUMP DAY.

xo-

mimi

Warm Up

500 m row

dynamic stretch

2 minute squat hold

EMOM 15: 15 weighted sit ups @ 30#

Squat Snatch

building to 6 x 1 @ 85% of 1RM (increase from last week)

Front Squat

4 x 2 @ 80%

EMOM 6

15 box jumps

WOD

EMOM 25

1. :45 second assault bike for calories

2. 4 HSPU

3. 12 KBS (43#)

4. 40 DU

5. 4 Snatches @ 70%

Open Fitness Journal: February 9

OHHH KILL ‘EM 😉

Monday rocked my socks off this week fuhhh-reals.

uhh, Mimi, when isn’t Monday your favorite day of the week?

Oh, still never. Okay.

In case you needed some motivation, maybe check out my post from yesterday on ALL THE BODY LOVE.

I kicked off my #LookBackAtIt Campaign and couldn’t be happier about the response I’ve gotten so far.  I am so grateful that you all are liking and sharing the goings on of be true. be you. be strong.

You guys are serious #rockstars ❤

Warm Up

500 m row

Dynamic Stretch

thoracic mobility focus

Squat Cleans

15 minutes to find 1 RM (finally hit bodyweight!!! +3 lbs)

Push Press

4 x 5 @ 65% of 1 RM clean and jerk

Back Squat

16 minutes to find 5RM (omg #PRParty 😉 )

WOD

AMRAP 9

2 pistol squats (each leg)

9 pull ups

2 hand stand push ups

9 box jumps

Ca$h Out: 24 Clean and Jerks @75#

#LookBackAtIt

who else are you going to wink at when you leave the bathroom?

you look freakin’ awesome. 

you are so confident it is refreshing to me.       **surprised face

looking at another smokin’ hot lady: giving her a mental high five.

you will see progress and remember how every day, you. get. better. 

Look back at it

we all come from somewhere that is worth our gratitude. 

(Mental talk game so strong tonight guys and now you know… try it.)

Disclaimer monologue : Something somebody might think (and if they don’t now they will) is this:

‘Look back at it’ could be seen as a potentially degrading statement towards a woman. But real talk: what I take out of it is that it’s a compliment to’look back at it,’ we obviously have got it going awwwn.

(seriously, Damon Salvatore is already winking at you.)

Let’s

get

after

it! rah rah rah 

Build each other up and take back this saying,

#LookBackAtIt and

give a real compliment and mean it. Nobody deserves to be called fat. Bodies are different. Let’s find some integrity in our strength and be confident, so confident that it’s not a surprise anymore and everything is radical and nothing sucks.

woah… woah… woah…

bing bang boom.

#LookBackAtIt 

Today I’m sharing with you my #LookBackAtIt campaign where other confident and strong women leave you little nuggets of why bodies are awesome and why we should love them. #AllTheLove #AllTheTime

You guys are rockstars.

xo-

Liza Hill, 19 Years Old

mimi