this is life in austin » Sports/Fitness

You can stop hearing about CrossFit now …

Lyssa — Sat, 13 Feb 2010 19:15:06 +0000

Well, that’s probably a lie. But I’ve started an entirely separate blog just about my training for CrossFit, so I’ll at least be mentioning CrossFit LESS on this blog …

Check me out: www.xlyssa.com

You can now return to your regularly scheduled life in Austin updates.

You Might Have Noticed I Was Gone … CrossFit Cert

Lyssa — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 18:07:32 +0000

When I travel, I try to make it appear like I’m here for your guys anyway … only sometimes it doesn’t work, like when I book a flight Wednesday night and leave Friday morning and don’t have time to put together some preemptive posts. This past weekend I was in Golden, CO for a CrossFit Level 1 Certification. A bit sudden maybe, but you all know how much I love CrossFit and think it’s a great fitness system, so it’s not such a stretch. As a college basketball player, I often thought about coaching later on in life, so actually BEING a CrossFit trainer isn’t that far of a stretch either.

Without further ado, let me regale you with tales of my weekend in Golden … and if you still don’t know what the bleep CrossFit is (ahem, my lovely drinks companion at Eastside Showroom last night), this may shed some light on it. Basically, they say it’s functional fitness training that makes you good at life. Sweet right? (first posted on SicFit.com)

CrossFit Cert: Drinking the CrossFit Kool-Aid

I have an extra-long femur. All my life, I have been blessed with long legs–and trust me, I know they’re a blessing, even when I can’t find pants long enough or I have to ride the boy bike to not have my knees in my nose. In the past year of CrossFit, I have been corrected a hundred different ways on my squat: get lower, get higher, get below parallel, get parallel exactly, you have long legs woman, erm, here, have a butt ball. It’s enough to make me curse my legs in that thank-god-I-have-them-to-curse way. But in Saturday’s squat breakout session, I finally found out the truth: “you have an extra-long femur. To go below parallel, a quarter could roll from your knee to hip, which is really deep with that extra-long femur.”

Holy hell Batman!

I registered for the certification course Wednesday night. Booked a flight on Priceline, which meant I had no idea what time my flights would be before I plopped the credit card on the virtual counter and handed the Priceline gods my $214. Flew out at 1pm Friday. Was picked up from the bus station by my college roommate’s boyfriend, who promptly took me to the gym. Well, ok, I guess I’ll roll out for 30+ minutes and do some light rowing. In hindsight, one of the best decisions I didn’t actually make–the rolling out alleviated a lot of my altitude adjustment and travel aches.

I spent the past weekend in Golden, Colorado, at the Level 1 CrossFit Certification. Saturday morning I pulled on my CrossFit uniform: lulu leggings, tiny affiliate tee, zip-up hoodie, and furry tennis shoe boots (yeah, I own those) and departed downtown Denver, bound for a highway called 6. It was SHUT DOWN. Never in my life have I encountered a freeway that was entirely shut down. I took a deep breath, didn’t stress, and found a new route. I almost arrived at Colorado State Patrol when I saw this sign: “Prison Area. Do Not Pick Up Hitchhikers.” Right. I park at the building bearing the address from the website. It has a paper sign taped to it: “CrossFit Cert <——-”.

Is this some sort of initiation? To get certified do I actually have to pass the getting-to-the-cert portion?

A whopping 35 minutes late, I finally reach another building, a police teaching classroom where 50 CrossFit Kool-Aid drinkers are absorbing everything a little dude on a stage is saying. Wait, is that Chris Spealler?

Despite my auspicious start, the weekend was a total blast. I, and everyone around me, tried to soak up knowledge like sponges. I observed every mannerism of our trainers as they guided us through breakout groups, warmups, move progressions, and workouts. I took copious notes, despite the fact that they’d sent me a 107-page handout before the training. I listened to seminars on foundations, nutrition, and programming. I packed my snacks and nibbled on almonds and salmon jerky like a good little paleo, chowed on happy-beef Chipotle for lunch, and chugged water to counteract the altitude adjustment.

Of course, that did absolutely nothing to prepare me for FRAN.

Everyone talks about Fran and how brutal she is. Everyone talks about how you have to do Fran at your cert. In a year of CrossFitting, I’ve never done Fran, and I was just fine with that, thankyouverymuch. Well, there’s no escaping now: mile-high Fran was coming for ME. Nervous on the inside but CrossFit Chick on the outside with the swagger and sass we’re so known for, I OBVIOUSLY stepped up first to the bar, Rx please, and yes I can do pullups.

Ha. 7 minutes later I was panting like a dog and swearing I’d never tell anyone back home my time. Blame it on the altitude.

For me, there were two major takeaways from the weekend (besides the femur revelation, that is): first, that you HAVE TO WORK ON YOUR WEAKNESSES. Miranda had huge quads, so she loved power cleans, but hated burpees. Chris is little but strong so he loves pullups but just can’t deadlift what Matt can, because Matt weighs 50 pounds more. They joked amongst themselves about their loves and loathes, emphasized their different strengths and weaknesses, but ultimately revealed that they strive to work on everything–like it or not.

Which leads me to takeaway two, which is the constant reiteration that CrossFit’s purpose is to make you good at life. It isn’t to make you THE BEST at EVERY SINGLE movement performed across the CrossFit spectrum. It is to make you CAPABLE, if not GOOD, at ALL of the movements; you’ll be GREAT at some and just plain good at others. But that’s okay, because you’re overall better prepared to tackle anything that comes your way.

I sumo deadlift high pull my groceries onto my hip-high counter ALL. THE. TIME.

When I got home, everyone asked, “What was the Level 1 Cert like?” Like the early ’90s kool-aid commercials where the big red kool-aid dude poured the kool-aid into the swimming pool and then jumped off the diving board into the red waters. Where I signed myself up and poured myself into plane and train and automobile and prison, then I dove in and emerged with a big, red kool-aid smile, awash in the CrossFit glow of enthusiasm and passion.

They don’t call it drinking the CrossFit kool-aid for nothing.

Side note: On Monday I had extra time in Denver, so I hit up headquarters trainer Matt Chan (with equally awesome wife Cherie)’s BADASS gym in Denver, called CrossFit Verve. Matt might be the most patient trainer I’ve ever seen, as he takes clients and students through movement progressions better than anyone I’ve encountered. At the same time, he’s a high-energy, crazy, enthusiastic stereotypical CrossFit dude (think Zach Thiel). If you’re in Denver, I highly recommend you drop in. Of course, here in Austin, hit up CrossFit Central and come work out with me!

Scaled Nights Out

Lyssa — Fri, 22 Jan 2010 17:20:24 +0000

Many people would call CrossFit an inside joke. Though it is simply a style of working out, its gyms and clients are notoriously cult-ish, while the sport itself has its own terminology — WOD? AMRAP? RX? — and the people who play large roles often become highly characterized versions of themselves (for example, see the JT Facts at the bottom of each of Ben’s blog posts, a Chuck-Norris-style joke which stems from a facebook group of Jeremy Thiel admirers who have never met the man … my fave? JT CAN believe it’s not butter).

Anyway, the point of this is to basically excuse myself for posting the following, which will only be funny to CrossFitters. It’s an email sent to me by fellow CrossFitters Lisa and Alex, who were talking about needing less drinking and more sleep on the weekends, so we need to start SCALING OUR WEEKEND WODs.

Key:
WOD: Workout of the Day
AMRAP: As Many Rounds As Possible
Tabata: 20 seconds of work, 10 seconds of rest. Usually 8 rounds (4 minutes).
Scaled v RX: RX is as prescribed, scaled is less weight/different movements

WOD 1: Molotov
3 rounds
1 bourbon drink
1 water
1 song of Big Mike dance
2 songs freestyle dance

WOD 2: 5th and Congress Chipper
Up 3 flights of stairs to Lanai
2 L7 Martinis
Tabata Water Consumption
Down stairs to Marq
AMRAP dancing rest of night

WOD 3: Girls Night Couplet
Max Effort:
Bottle of Wine
Movie

Of course, we still can decide to go crazy every once in a while. Even Central has 3 WOD days.

HARDCORE – there’s a new gym in town …

Lyssa — Mon, 18 Jan 2010 20:58:28 +0000

Classes begin TODAY at new indoor bootcamp-style HARDCORE studio, which offers 4 different classes geared toward training women to get, well, hard cores. Last week I had the pleasure of trying out original Hardcore and Hardcore Stretch, and I thoroughly enjoyed both.

HARDCORE™

They say: A low impact yet high intensity workout for women. The stabilization and movement muscles of the core are challenged like never before using bodyweight, isometric and flexibility techniques set to a fun, fast pace. Targeting every part of the body, HARDCORE is the perfect workout.

I say: My fave move was the Beyonce, which involved a hip-pop and weighted ball side crunch while standing. The class incorporates the ballet bar, which is a fun and different challenge, and I like that the workouts are set to music. Think typical group fitness class with atypical movements–aside from the Beyonce, there are a ton of pushups, squats, and ballet-bar-assisted kicks.

HARDCORE STRETCH™

They say: A great way to relieve tight muscles and achy joints. A practice of yin/yang yoga that engages the core muscles to properly align the body and allow a natural range of motion. The yang postures prepare the body for the gentler yin practice. The yin postures nourish the body’s connective tissues to increase joint mobility particularly in the thighs, hips, pelvis and lower back.

I say: I’d never done a ‘yin’ yoga before and I really, really liked it. I was pretty sore from 300 lunges the day before (thanks, CrossFit) and the stretching really loosened me up while energizing me. My yoga is typically Bikram, so I’m used to holding poses for a long time, but this less-intense version was really nice.

The two instructors for my classes were those tiny, really fit, really happy women … which is a pretty good testimonial in and of itself, right?

The studio is next to Workshop Fitness at 2110 South First. Check out the website for more info: http://www.hardcoreaustin.com/index.html

UT National Championship Game Watching Parties

Lyssa — Wed, 06 Jan 2010 22:31:58 +0000

Obviously every bar in a 100-mile radius of Austin will be showing THE BIG GAME, and people will be out watching and hopefully celebrating despite the “BIG CHILL” of oh-ten. I will be in Denver, Colorado, also freezing my ass off because the only burnt orange I own is a t-shirt, and cheering and jumping up down solo much to the chagrin of my fellow diners. Or, if the Denver airport is any indication–where I witnessed some locals telling a boy of no more than nine years of age that if he wasn’t a Texas fan he wouldn’t be allowed on the tram–Coloradoans (Coloradi? Coloradons?) are more Texas fans than they’d care to admit, and they’ll join me in some anti-Alabama celebrations.

Anyway, back home in Austin, here are some notable things going on for the National Championship Game, January 7, 2010, 7pm CST, between the University of Texas Longhorns and the Alabama Crimson Tide. Airs on ABC.

1) BIG BIG SCREEN at Alamo Drafthouse South Lamar

Doors open at 6:30pm.

Click here to register, there are only a total of 120 spaces

Suggested $15 donation to the AYC, YWA, and HYP will cover the cost of the theater

Hosted by:
*Austin Young Chamber of Commerce
*Habitat Young Professionals
*Young Women’s Alliance

2) Speakeasy is hosting a BCS Championship Tailgate Party beginning at 4pm with no cover, free beer (no word on what or how much), and a BBQ Buffet.

Kickoff is at 7pm and the game is in HD on the 150’’ screen + several other TVs

3) Sherlock’s has orange beer.

4) ESPN’s official watch party at Doc’s Backyard (the south one at 5207 Brodie Ln)

4) The Statesman’s list of suggested bars includes typical sports bar faves and a few others:

• Aussie’s Grill and Beachbar (306 Barton Springs Road. 480-0952, www.aussiesbar.com)
• Black Sheep Lodge (2108 S. Lamar Blvd. 707-2744, www.blacksheeplodge.com)
• Boulevard Sports Bar & Grill (3616 Far West Blvd. 345-3103, www.blvd-grill.com)
• Buffalo Billiards (201 E. Sixth St. 479-7665, www.buffalobilliards.com)
• Cain & Abel’s Bar & Grill (pictured above, at 2313 Rio Grande St. 476-3201, www.cainandabels.com)
• Champions Sports Bar (300 E. Fourth St. 473-0450, www.championsaustin.com)
• Cool River Cafe (4001 W. Parmer Lane. 835-0010, www.coolrivercafe.com)
• Cover 3 (2700 W. Anderson Lane, Suite 202. 374-1121, www.cover-3.com)
• Cuatro’s (1004 W. 24th St. 234-6361, www.cuatrosaustin.com)
• Doc’s
— Backyard (5207 Brodie Lane, Suite 100. 892-5200) – ESPN Party
— Drafthouse (15821 Central Commerce Drive, Pflugerville. 512-251-3620)
— Motorworks (1123 S. Congress Ave. 448-9181)
— www.docsaustin.com
• 1st Down & Stassney Sports Bar & Grill (730 W. Stassney Lane. 215-0600, www.1stdownandstassneysportsbar.com)
• Little Woodrow’s
— 2610 Guadalupe St. 478-2337.
— 6301 Parmer Lane. 918-2337.
— W. Sixth St. 477-2337.
— 9500 S. Interstate 35 at Southpark Meadows. 282-2336.
— 12801 Shops Parkway, Suite 100, Bee Cave. 263-8374.
— www.littlewoodrows.com
• Marker 10 at the Hyatt Regency Austin (208 Barton Springs Road. 477-1234)
• Pluckers Wing Bar
— 2222 Rio Grande St. 469-9464.
— 9070 Research Blvd., Suite 201-C. 533-9464.
— 300 Mays Crossing, Suite 300, Round Rock. 671-9464.
— 3909 S. Lamar Blvd. 443-9464.
— 11066 Pecan Park Blvd., Cedar Park. 258-9464.
— www.pluckers.com
• Posse East (2900 Duval St. 477-2111, www.posse-east.com)
• Red’s Porch (3508 S Lamar Blvd. 440-7337, www.redsporch.com)
• Shoal Creek Saloon (909 N. Lamar Blvd. 474-0805, www.shoalcreeksaloon.com)
• Shooters Billiard & Sports Bar (11416 RM 620 N. 401-2060, www.shootersbilliards.net)
• The Tavern (922 W. 12th St. 320-8377, www.austintavern.com)
• Third Base
— 1717 W. Sixth St., Building 2, Suite 210R. 476-2273.
— 3107 S. Interstate 35, Suite 810, Round Rock, 512-388-2273.
— 9600 S. Interstate 35, Building B, Suite 500 in the Grove at Southpark Meadows, 381-2273.
— www.thirdbaseaustin.com
• The Warehouse Saloon & Billiards (509 E. Ben White Blvd. 443-8799, www.warehousesaloon.com)

Turkey Creek = Happy Doggie

Lyssa — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 03:38:49 +0000

I love taking Nali to one of the nicest off-leash dog trails around, a quick 2.5-mile trail out at Emma Long Park called Turkey Creek (http://www.austinparks.org/apfweb/park.php?parkId=666). With recent rains, the creek was flowing quickly, the weather was a perfect 65 degrees, and my Vibrams were perfect water-mud-rock combo shoes.

Nali, my beloved rescue mutt pup, used to be scared of water. But bringing her to Turkey Creek where she HAD to cross the water and letting her play with other dogs at Red Bud Isle who aren’t afraid has really brought her out of her shell.

Happy dog=Happy Lyssa.

Arabian Nights and Longhorn Days

Lyssa — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 19:13:44 +0000

I may or may not have been interested in this party anyway, but with the mention of Ararat, the amazing Arabic food prepared by the same charming owner behind east side coffeeshop GEM Hot Mama’s Espresso Bar, I was in.

There will be belly dancing performances by Sabaya Bellydance and music by DJ Kurv.

8-10:30p TONIGHT at Red Fez.

As for those Longhorn Days?

It’s UT’s last home game, a primetimer against Kansas that starts at 7pm.

Tailgating spots are as usual: Austin SSC at 18th & MLK ($7 for food and beer) or Austin Young Chamber of Commerce & Big Society tailgate at 17th & Congress ($15 donation to Big Brothers Big Sisters gets free food and drinks, free entertainment by Todd Phelps).

Free Mid-Week CrossFit Workout!

Lyssa — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 22:08:37 +0000

I know, I know, I’m always posting about free CrossFit workouts (hello, they happen at least once a month), but this one is special because it’s on a Wednesday at 9:30am. Totally random–or targeting those of us who refuse to get out of bed for 8:30am Saturday workouts–but totally awesome. Get to work early and cut out for a quick “doctor’s appointment” (more like “avoid the doctor appointment” because you’re taking care of your health and wellness by working on your fitness) under the Mopac bridge at Town Lake.

If nothing else, let me assure you that the Relentless coaches are all relentlessly hot, so there’ll be motivation…

9:30AM @ Town Lake Under the Bridge on the Hike & Bike Trail (Map)
www.crossfitcentralrelentless.com

PS – whether you worked out or not, stop by any Amy’s Ice Cream today from 2-6pm for a free scoop! Happy 25th birthday, Amy’s!

Fun Fun Fun Scavenger Hunt & Other Fun (Fun) (Fun)

Lyssa — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 16:26:14 +0000

Saturday is hoppin’ …

Fun Fun Fun Fest Scavenger Hunt

Kick off at Red 7 (611 7th Street, next to Beauty Bar), Ending location at Waterloo Park parking lot (12th and Red River). Signup at 6pm and the hunt begins at 7pm sharp. Free to enter, but five cans of food per person to benefit Caritas of Austin is the recommended donation. Items on the hunt will be donated to Caritas of Austin as well.

THE RULES:

•    Teams will be made up of 2 – 5 people.
•    Each team MUST have a name.
•    The Scavenger Hunt list will include 50 items, announced at kick off location.
•    Each item is worth a specific amount of points.
•    The team with the most points wins the grand prize and points will be totaled at end of the game.
•    All teams will be encouraged to dress in costumes. This is worth 25 extra points (team portraits will be taken inside of Red 7).
•    MUST bring a digital camera of some sort, cellphone camera are OK as well.
•    This is all ages and open to the public.

PRIZES:
•    The winning team will receive FFF Fest weekend passes for the entire team. IF the teammates already have fun fun fun passes, your tickets will be upgraded to VIPs.
•    Over $500 in prizes and gift certificates to a number of our FFF vendors, such as: free haircuts from Birds Barbershop, gift card to Prototype Vintage, free food at Boomerang’s Pies, free funnel cakes and more from Snowie onsite at fest, free gift certificates for food at Frank, free popcorn from Cornucopia, gift certificates to Woodland restaurant and Jamie’s Spanish Village, free gift cards to Tiff’s Treats cookie shop, Kebabaliscious awesomeness, bags and cell phone covers from Incase, Alamo Draft house passes and much, much more!
•    FREE tickets to these TEN (!!!) upcoming Transmission Entertainment shows:

1) Islands @ Mohawk (10/27)
2) Jello Biafra (dead kennedys) @ Red 7 (10/28)
3) Black Angels @ Mohawk (10/30)
4) Municipal Waste @ Red 7 (11/12)
5) Thao and the Get Down Stay Down @ Mohawk (11/ 12)
6) Revival Tour w/ Chuck Ragan and more @ Red 7 (11/13)
7) Friendly Fires, The XX @ Mohawk (11/19)
Eyedea and Abilities w/ Themselves @ The Highball (11/19)
9) J. Tillman (of Fleet Foxes) @ Mohawk (11/27)
10) Cursive @ Mohawk (11/27)

• And FINALLY, the most amazing wizard statue in the universe (as seen @ funfunfunfest.com)

(www.funfunfunfest.com, *The FFF Scavenger Hunt is brought to you by Transmission Entertainment and FYF)

Biggest Beer Weekend of the Year

With a beer festival at Flying Saucer, Oktoberfests at Waterloo Park, Ginger Man, and NXNW, and a birthday party at Independence Brewing, this weekend is a beer-lover’s bonanza.

The first-ever Oktoberfest Austin hasn’t gotten a lot of buzz, but it features music, a microbrew beer garden, tasty foods, a college football watch party, kids and an arts & craft market. Music by Austin favorites: Nakia and his Southern Cousins, Brave Combo, Guy Forsyth, Li’l Cap’n Travis, Dustin Welch, and La Tampiquena … FREE admission with two cans of food. $2 entry fee without food donation. Event benefits the Capital Area Food Bank. Chairs and blankets welcome, no coolers please. E-mail oktoberfestaustin@gmail.com for more info, noon-10pm at Waterloo Park.

Here for all the rest of the deets from Liquid blog.

UT v Missouri

It always has to be listed. UT is away, but catch the game anywhere and you’ll have fun. Aussie’s Volleybar will have the game on and bikini-clad vball players, and is celebrating its 20th anniversary with food & drink specials like $1 margaritas (make mind a double for $2) and $2 Miller Lite pints.

Colonel Mustard’s Birthday!

OK, so not actually Colonel of Clue, but my dear friend Ry Ry Musty el Mustardo has had a big week: not only did he close on his first home (!!!) but he’s turning the big … well … 2-8? Not really sure. Irrelevant. Relevance is that it’s his birthday! Watch out, West Sixth, we’re coming for some jaeger jaeger jaeger bombs … love you Ry!

Weekend: Football, Wheatsville

Lyssa — Fri, 09 Oct 2009 20:44:52 +0000

UT v Colorado:

6:15 Gametime

This week’s tailgate suggestion: Tailgate 2009 presented by YMBL and AYC, 2pm

The Young Men’s Business League and the Austin Young Chamber of Commerce are teaming up for a big-time party on the 40 Acres! Check the parking lot on 17th Street between Congress and Colorado Streets, look for the Big White Bus covered in YMBL/AYC banners in the parking lot facing 17th Street. Friends Maker’s Mark and Budweiser/Brown Distributing will be on hand, along with incredible BBQ on the smoker, football on the TVs, and all of your favorite tailgate games.

A donation of $10 will get you all your drinks, food, and fun before, during (and maybe even after) the game. For more information go to www.AustinYC.org

Wheatsville’s Grand Re-Opening Party

Haven’t gotten ahold of exactly what’s happening at the party, but expect lots of sampling and great deals!

Also, there’ll be a Food Drive for the Capitol Area Food Bank during the party. Please bring non-perishable food item(s) to the event and they’ll make sure it goes to a person or family in need!