Since I joined CFDC in April, I’ve probably received instructions on how to do a clean about a million times. I can do all of the steps in slow motion, but once some weight gets put onto the bar, I can tell that I am not doing it right. That moment when the move transitions from a deadlift into a front squat always prevents me from adequately doing a clean with any more than a 95lbs barbell.
So last night we did cleans again.
Well, the rest of the 7pm class did cleans while I tried to figure things out. I was getting a lot of good advice all along, but I was unable to translate what I was supposed to do into the movement.
Towards the end of the WOD, while everyone was removing the plates from the bars, Chase and Ronnie threw me a suggestion: forget the front squat, just deadlift the weight and release the bar at the top just to see how high it will go using only the momentum generated from the deadlift. It was only a 115lbs bar at the time, but when I released the bar at the top of the deadlift…it went pretty high – much higher than I thought it would.
It sounds simple, but this was kind of a Crossfit epiphany for me.
The exercise helped me to somewhat visualize the deadlift/front squat “transition moment”. All night long, Tyler and Chase had been telling me to get my arms up higher and quicker…which all seemed fine, but my brain wasn’t registering “why”. Now it suddenly became clearer…if I can get under the bar quick enough while the bar is in the air from the momentum generated during the deadlift, I should…theoretically, be able to transition into the front squat with some additional weight added to the bar…
OR, the weight of the bar will force me to crumple over like a tin can.
I’m going to try to go to the open practice on Sunday to find out.
One-Pan Ginger Chicken & Rice
4 weeks ago
7 comments:
So tell me--what did your statements in Japanese mean? I have always wanted to learn that language, as well as Korean and Spanish. Oh, and French. Can you teach me?! And did you go tonight? It was fun/hard/sucky/great. The burpee broad jumps sucked by the first 1.5 minute mark, but I saw them as atonement for slipping on those sprints on that Saturday WOD ages ago. :) Hope to see you sometime this week!
Yesterday was actually my rest day...though, after all of that blog drama over there I felt like I'd done Fran five or six times.
Whenever I am on a Korean Air flight I am always impressed by how beautiful the Korean language is. Oh...and have you ever heard someone speak Portuguese? Sexiest language ever.
I believe that we spend our entire lives studying language. Even my English will always be "a work in progress". And since I only started studying Japanese when I was in college, it's always going to be like my box jumps -- something that I need to work on.
As for my Japanese post on that blog yesterday...I'll give you the nouns I used: "egg" & "SOB".
I agree with you about Hangul, not that I'm biased or anything...haha, maybe I am. I know some phrases and words, but those I picked up from culture camp I attended as a teenager. I'm sorry you felt exhausted over the blog yesterday...I think it's silly how worked up people got over simple nutrition questions, but don't let it get to you! I have heard Portuguese--worked with a few Brazilian kids (a few years younger than I am) a few years ago. Just the friendliest, warmest people I have ever met! I enjoyed it when they spoke to each other in their native language. I think your job is so freaking neat!!! I plan to get my bilingual certification one day (probably like two to three years from now) and hope that I pick it up quickly. If we stay in Texas, I'll definitely learn Spanish. I agree with you about studying language being a life-long endeavor. Cool! Hahahaha, thanks for the clues about your blurb, and I must say those two nouns do not surprise me. :) Hope to see you today! This one looks fun!
I have been to Seoul, once a long time ago...beautiful...food was a little spicey for me though (even though I luv the American version of Korean BBQ).
Have you ever thought about teaching English overseas? There are several good programs in Japan and South Korea...the easiest way to learn a language is to live there!
I am planning to go to the 6PM class...even though I can't do DUs.
Aww missed you Howard. The WOD was actually rather fun, although I hated those back extensions, but all in all, enjoyed it. Funny you should mention teaching English overseas...I applied to do so in Korea my last year of college. Turns out, they only want White teachers because the parents like seeing that in the classrooms where their children learn English. I guess they think that only White people know how to speak and teach English and that someone who has grown up in the US isn't as proficient. Dumb, I know. It was quite frustrating to be discriminated against for looking Asian haha! I actually got a call from one of the prospective schools, and they really liked my credentials, but when I sent them my picture, the girl said her boss, in so many words, wanted only White teachers. Bah! So after that, I gave up on trying to teach overseas. But it's all right...it seems that my race helps me more or less get teaching jobs here in the US.
I taught English to junior high school students in Japan through the JET Program for 3 years. I had a good friend who was also in the program who happened to be Japanese American but could not speak Japanese. She would get so frustrated when we would go out and meet people who would totally ignore me and speak only to her (in Japanese) deciding on their own that she would understand -- and that I could not -- no matter how many times I explained (in Japanese) that she only spoke English.
I knew several Asian Americans who described similar experiences -- they always felt that Japanese people somehow judged them or looked down on them for "looking the part" but not being able to "talk the talk".
As a non-Asian, I have other problems...when I am in Japan, many people automatically decide that I am not capable of speaking Japanese...even if my Japanese is better than their English, they will continue to struggle and do linguistic acrobats in English...meanwhile, I am sitting there thinking "just %@#*&! say it in Japanese!".
Another problem I run into is the "low standard of expectations"...that happens when I first meet someone who doesn't expect me to be able to speak Japanese...I will just say "hello" or something equally unremarkable in Japanese and they will go on and on about how well I speak their language -- after just one or two words. OR, my other pet peeve is when we go out to dinner and they practically fall out of their chairs when I use chopsticks. Like it's brain surgery or something.
But it really blows that you didn't get to teach English in Korea. Although it was difficult and frustrating at times, I got a lot out of the 3 years I spent in the JET Program -- it really changed my life. But even though I am not Asian I can still relate to your experience; I can't tell you how many times I stepped into classrooms for the first time in Japan and was asked why I don't have blond hair and blue eyes...
Wow, I can only imagine how freaking annoying and unfair that must have felt every time a Japanese person ignored your attempts at carrying on a conversation with them in Japanese although they butchered English. Ack!! I would want to just walk away haha! I know what you mean about the chopsticks thing, too, because I have had White male friends get totally offended in Chinese restaurants when a server makes a big deal out of the fact that they can use chopsticks well. Bleh. Asians are so elitist! I think the people who praise you profusely for saying mundane things in their language so well are just trying to show you their pleasure at your obvious effort at getting to know their language and communicating with them that way. Does that make sense? I don't think they're trying to offend you or anything. On the flipside, I have seen Americans do the same thing with non-native speakers, my mom being one of them. It's just a natural reaction, I think.
That's awesome that you had the opportunity to teach in Japan. I plan to visit someday just because I love the culture and the history. Plus I want to see if those fetish vending machines really exist... :)
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