Mu-hu-hu-scle UPS

Well....

For some, 

Muscle ups come easy

I was on a crossfit team in 2013 for the southwest regionals

I had only been crossfitting for about 6-7 months when regionals came

I had never even tried or worked on muscle ups until after opens 

It was very frustrating as an athlete to struggle at something 

that seemed so simple for fellow crossfitters

I felt like I did everything I could do

I worked and worked and struggled and practiced

Tried everything

Regionals came and I felt like I had let my team down

I couldn't do it and our team was disqualified

My team was frustrated and let down

I was harder on myself than anyone else could ever be

humiliated

disappointed

discouraged

sad

mad

I felt horrible and embarrassed

all eyes were on me and I let everyone down

After that I decided I would get them by the next year

I worked and worked but some thing just wasn't clicking

I wasn't eating enough,

 I was told that if I was lighter and could just drop weight I would pop right up

NOPE

I just became weaker

I spoke with a friend who told me, and educated me on what I should be eating

explained that I needed to eat carbs and I needed energy 

Taught me that my central nervous system needed carbs to function

Helped me understand that I wasn't eating enough.

Helped me realize that it wouldn't make me "gain weight"

CRAZY ENOUGH, 

I started eating more, and losing weight...all the while GAINING energy and strength!!!

I felt awesome and like I had a break through...

meanwhile,

I couldn't find anyone to help me with my MU problem and felt like a total loser

It was just this one movement that was holding me back from 

SO MUCH

Part of me wanted to keep fighting 

and the other part was like screw it

I want to quit

Everyone around me was getting muscle ups, 

but me

People that I KNEW I was stronger than, 

more athletic than....

WHAT?!?!?

One day I was working with one of my coaches, Roman Ceceras

This coach in particular, was/is one of the most positive, motivational, inspirational people I know.

He has so much going for him its unreal

This kid, yes I say kid because he is only 22yrs old

Helped me believe in myself 

He motivated me by lifting me up

He worked with me and didn't make me feel stupid

 but tried to help and understand me

Guess what, 

2 weeks after changing my diet

and working with Roman

I got my first muscle up. 

I didn't get any in the opens, which totally bummed me out

but I continued to work on them and before I knew it I was doing them

I WAS DOING THEM!

I came in 88th in the region

Just 1 muscle up and I would have made individual

2014 Regionals came

I had made the team 

For some reason my anxiety sky-rocketed every time I had to do our MU workout

I was using false grip and swinging a ton,

my MU just weren't strong enough

I only got 4 out of the 9 I was supposed to get

I had done 9 so many times in sub 6 minutes 

but I just couldn't do it at regionals

I felt horrible

Once again I had let my team down

*I knew, SOMETHING had to change*

I watched the individuals all weekend, 

I knew I could be there if I put my mind to it 

and if I had the right coaching and programming

and a FIRE was lit within me...

TODAY 

I did 30 MU for time

My coach Mike Lee at OPT worked with me

took away my "false grip"

took away my extra swing

gave me tips, coached me through it

he helped me

he believed in me,

He was like, "oh you can do this, just do it"

(He didn't know any of this muscle up drama)

As I got going, he looked at me like, "whats the big deal?"

He was like, "you need to pick up the pace"

I got 30/30

not one fail

It did take me 22:40

BUT I know I can do it even faster now

It felt so good

I had my BEST friend Tennil there telling me, 

"its so incredible to see where you have come from to where you are now"

and my other favorite person, Jennifer Hallquist, said something very similar giving me a huge hug...

Just feels awesome to overcome something that has been such a battle

FINALLY I can say that I am overcoming this STUPID mind game and battle with MU

Now I can just keep working to get them better!!!

Saturday

--Morning Workout--

A. Clean - build to a heavy single (not a 1rep max)

205lbs

B. DB rear foot elevated split squat; 6-8/leg x 3; rest 2 min 

55lbs

C. Prone row @3111 - find a arm

105lbs

+

for time:

30 MU

TIME: 22:40