Sit back and peep my scenario

(^ Place those lyrics without Google and score big points.)

I am a CrossFit pimp. (Technically "madame, but "pimp" just sounds cooler.) I love to hook good CrossFitters up with good Affiliates and trainers. I've arranged for my friend Cody to visit Tucker in Fort Worth, Anu to visit Keith in NYC and most recently, Daniel and Rebecca to visit Jen Conlin at Potomac CrossFit.

Daniel and Rebecca are two of my favorite CrossFitters. I'm an avid follower of their blog, called "On Rock? Rock on." They document their workouts with Max Lewin at CF East Bay, and write about all their rock climbing adventures too. So when they told me they were traveling for Christmas, and asked me if I knew anyone in the Washington DC area, I absolutely wanted to help them out.

Luckily, I knew just the spot. I met Jen Conlin at the gymnastics cert in Boston, but I'd been following her "Jen's Gym" blog for quite some time. She is one of the coolest CrossFit women out there - strong and smart, with a no-nonsense "go move some heavy-ass weights" kind of attitude. Plus I discovered in Boston that she packs a knapsack of fun - the naughty kind your mother may not approve of. I loved her on the spot. So I made the e-troductions and BOOM! Daniel and Rebecca trained with Jen last week. (I am still waiting for my fee, guys.) You can read all about the gym and their drop-in here.

Now I find out that Jen is hosting a Gymnastics Certification at PCF on February 21st and 22nd! How perfect is that? I've raved about this before, but I promise you - Tucker's certification is NOT to be missed. It's not just "gymnastics for adults"... it's CROSSFIT gymnastics for adults. He'll teach you how to get the most out of your CrossFit workouts, and take them to the next level by incorporating new moves on the floor, bars, parallettes and rings. These are skills that you won't find taught at most Affiliates, or at any other certifications. I've written about my cert experience here and here, and Lis Darsh and other Boston participants wrote about it on the Affiliate blog here.

Plus, since Jen's been through the cert before, she'll know exactly how to set it up to maximize space and make sure it runs smoothly. (And I can guarantee if Jen is hosting, it'll be a super fun crowd.) You can check out the cert details here, on the PCF web site. If you're on the East Coast, I highly recommend checking out the show.

Buy-in

• KB DLs, 24K x 10
• KB swings, 24K x 10
• KB DLs, 24K x 10
• KB swings, 24K x 10
• Renegade man-makers, 15# x 4
• Ring dips (band-assist) x 5

Met-Con

• 21 ring dips (band-assist)
• 6 KB swings (24K)
• 9 Renegade man-makers (20# DBs)
  

• 15 RD
• 12 KBS
• 6 RMM
  

• 9 RD
• 18 KBS
• 3 RMM
  

19:03

This was the perfect met-con for this program. Under 20:00, and more strength focused than straight-up cardio focused. Ring dips aren't really met-con for me, since I can only do about 5 at a time. The swings were a little rough but I love moving that heavy-ass 'bell around. (It's a York, so it's actually in pounds... 55#, to be exact. Which is a little heavier than a true 24K, and about 43% of my body weight.)

Those man-makers suck. With DBs in hand, drop down burpee-style to a push-up, renegade row left and right, jump back between your feet, clean and press. That's one. I discovered I can't do push-ups on dumbbells - I'm super awkward. I can't figure out where to put them - I tried narrow, wide, more in front, more underneath me... no matter what, I can't get full ROM, and my shoulder does this weird twisty thing. I have trouble with push-ups anyway, because of an old injury... I need to play with these more.

Next time I need to use 25# DBs. And keep it to under 20:00. I'll put this one on deck again for two or three weeks out.

Cash out

• Circus tricks on rings for about five minutes. Too tired to do anything impressive.