By the time this missive reaches anyone’s mailbox or Google Reader, I will have been on my back for at least 12 hours: and not for fun reasons.
Just yesterday, I warbled and whined about the Paleo diet not being achievable.
Now, my goddamn back hurts. This is how it went down: I went to the box at 6 p.m. last nigh. My sister, Christina and Gloria were all warming up before the class. I smiled because my sister and I are like Ladyhawke at CrossFit; we never see each other at the box-only when I am transforming into a hawk and Alison transmogrifies from wolf to warrior.
My spirits were high. I thought Alison and I might go mano a mano. I would act the role of the true older sibling and show my sis a thing or two. Well, I did show my sister a thing or two: How to be a raging pussy in 1 simple step. (My mom is over my shoulders stating: “TAKE “PUSSY” OUT!” Given that she is as tender and compassionate as Nurse Jackie, the word stays. In fact, for those who don’t know, at 35 years old, yes, I am living in my parents basement. Neither parties could be more proud. Carol now is telling me to switch metaphors, my sister becomes a hawk, I become a wolf. She doesn’t want any hurt feelings. )
The workout of the day was “Josh.”
Insert brief tangent. I love that our workouts have human names. I like to envision these named workouts as Muppets, say like Elmo, who never has clothes, has a terribly stocky build and apoplectic eyes. I can deal with Elmo.
So handsome man “Josh” was my date tonight. He filled my dance card with a Herculean load of overhead squats. The overhead squat for me is absolutely a devastatingly beautiful movement but ridiculously nuanced. With my arms locked out above my head, shoulders shrugged, I sat back on my heels and lowered myself to a fully seated squat. Then, focusing on keeping the weight in my heels, I pushed up all the while cognizant of keeping my bar locked out at top. Breathtaking. In all seriousness, a breathtaking movement. The control you exercise in executing good form for the overhead squat feels nothing short of miraculous.
You are Atlas shouldering the Earth.
Then with a few quick deft movements replete with high school giddiness, I got ready for our Met Con workout. In a New York second, I went from proud, strong, Dancing with Wolves woman, to a bitch on her knees. I carelessly lifted a 45 lb plate to make my “jumping pull up” Ziggurat.
So, now I need to rest for a few days. I am uber pissed because the workouts are the highlight of my day. Suggestions for a pulled back muscle?
Nurse Jackie, my mom, is tending my health. She took the following pic for this post. And, please note in photo: Paleo non-caged hard boiled eggs and a dejected blogger.
Please leave comments becuase I am likely glued to this coach for another 2 days. (And, not to be confused with obese woman on TLC who literally grafted herself to her couch due to inactivity. Poor thing passed away recently.)
POST SCRIPT: WHY DOES CROSSFIT ROCK? Elaine Polito is bringing me a bag of apples and going to empty my cabinets of all non-paleo victuals.
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September 18th, 2009 at 10:27 am
Hey Amanda-I can only prescribe what I read on The Internet (and it seems conflicting and better not sent.) Your CFNE friends can tell you what to do. Get better, and soon! Ask Elaine to put up a Non-Paleo Food Free sign outside your place (Yes, don’t tell your mother) and lay out the food on a table or blanket and see who picks up what. It should help pass the time and maybe provide some additional blog content, too!
That everyone-was-doing-overhead-squatting photo above reminds me of a scene from a Bruce Lee movie (Enter The Dragon, I think) where he sees a courtyard of troops working out in unison. The wave of the future!? Let’s hope so.
Cheers,
Greg
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September 18th, 2009 at 10:49 am
I should send you my jailhouse jammies. Actually, I am wearing them right now.
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americapeals Reply:
September 18th, 2009 at 10:50 am
I need those jailhouse jammies!
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September 18th, 2009 at 11:18 am
OH NO AMANDA. DO YOU LIKE HEATHER’S PALEO BARS? I WILL BRING YOU SOME.
GETTER BETTER AND GET BACK. XO
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September 18th, 2009 at 11:27 am
I love Paleo Bars. I am stuck in Carol’s basement.
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September 18th, 2009 at 11:35 am
That which does not kill us doesn’t always make us stronger. Sometimes it just gives us short-term disability leave.
If you haven’t already, trawl these websites to kill time: http://www.abadcaseofthedates.com and http://www.textsfromlastnight.com
Best wishes for a speedy recovery!
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americapeals Reply:
September 18th, 2009 at 2:31 pm
Mat
You have to deliver me some Paleo meals. Do you have any? And,I still owe you a ten spot!
Thanks for the botched Nietzsche quote! Made me smile. Also, I miss you yelling dig deeper, Beals! I get so nervous when you are on because your nothing escapes your hawk eyes.
A
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Mat Frankel Reply:
September 18th, 2009 at 4:32 pm
Hey Amanda,
This is the hawk eyed Mat. The other Matt, much deeper then I with the awesome quote, gave some awesome sites.
If you want some meals I can bring you some. I am at an Olympic Lifting Cert tomorrow and saturday during the day, but I can check my emails during the breaks. Let me know.
Sorry to hear about the strain. Get some rest, eat clean and you’ll be back at it really soon.
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americapeals Reply:
September 18th, 2009 at 6:16 pm
Matt M
My apologies for not reading the name more closely! And, to confuse you with Hawk Eyed Mat! Mea culpa maxima
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September 18th, 2009 at 11:50 am
Feel better!
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September 18th, 2009 at 12:00 pm
Being injured it the worst. Do anything you can that doesn’t hurt – like the upper body stuff with weights. Try any stretches that do not hurt – even if it is just to rotate your ankles. Just keeping any part of your body in motion will make you feel better. And take some anti-inflammatory pain killers. It will help you recover and enable you to do some gentle movements that won’t hurt your back.
Don’t do what I do, which is take out my misery in red wine and cheese. That only makes you feel worse.
Get a funny book or video – take your mind off your pain.
You will persevere – you are strong and determined.
Hang in there. Oh, and don’t laugh too hard, you may re-injure yourself.
Fondly
Betserina
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September 18th, 2009 at 12:35 pm
Oh Man!!! Amanda I’m so sorry about your back!! Mine has been acting up a bit so I think I’m going to stick to the dowel bar for my workouts for the next couple of weeks. It’s amazing how just one “slight”, wrong movement can completely throw you off…literally! Hang in there Lady Hawk!! E-mail me if you need anything or just a friendly visit!!
Ciao!
Michelle :O)
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September 18th, 2009 at 12:49 pm
Oh poor Amanda! At least you’ve got a well-experienced nurse looking after you. There was an episode on Nip/Tuck where a really obese woman grew into the couch, and when they opoerated to try to separate her from the couch, she died! So here’s hoping that you are off that couch soon!!! Thinking of you…
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September 18th, 2009 at 1:47 pm
Sweet Jesus!
Thank you for all the well wishes. I am bored out of my gourd on the couch and have my mother texting me that I have spelling errors in this post. SAVE ME.
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September 18th, 2009 at 2:06 pm
AMANDA, MORE BAD NEWS…..THERE ARE NO PALEO BARS….I WENT TO GET YOU SOME AND NOT A ONE . I PROMISE AS SOON AS HEATHER MAKES MORE I WILL GET SOME TO YOU. I KNOW WHAT NEXT ….
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americapeals Reply:
September 18th, 2009 at 2:17 pm
Sue no worries. Its great b/c I can only eat what Nurse Jackie brings me and she’s luvin’ her new role as the Paleo police.
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September 18th, 2009 at 2:32 pm
Amanda – Sorry to hear about your back!! I hope it’s not too painful and I hope you get better soon! Your post was hilarious today, I was laughing out loud here at work. Is the cane in the picture for effect?
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americapeals Reply:
September 18th, 2009 at 3:44 pm
The cane is no prop. Nurse Jackie gave it to me.
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September 18th, 2009 at 2:40 pm
Amanda – let me know if I should send Jesse over to amuse you and help you out! Or maybe that would be torture….there is a fine line between the two :>)
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americapeals Reply:
September 18th, 2009 at 2:53 pm
I may take you up on that! However, I need to get my back better for our “date” on Wednesday. Make sure you don’t look too pretty.
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September 18th, 2009 at 3:40 pm
I can be the wolf, I think of myself more like a she-wolf (kick in Shakira’s new hit).
! I kid I kid.
Ok, it’s time to stop “faking” and get up and shoot some videos
When you are ready, then we’ll start our series. Rest up and relax, no need to compete, we’ve each had our share of wins.
Alison
BTW, a shout out to Harry for helping me load Amanda into the car and taking such good care of her that night. Another reason why we are all truly lucky to be in his presence.
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September 19th, 2009 at 1:17 pm
Amanda, Sean here. As long as there is no numbness down legs and weakness in legs, nor any loss of bowel bladder function, i suppose you would have mentioned that if it happened, noticeable, and as long as we are dealing with low back pain and maybe some spasms mixed in, then you want to start to mobilize as soon as you feel comfortable. That means getting out of bed and getting erect once you physically can and then start some gentle stretches check out american academy of orthopaedic surgeons website for back exercises under patient education. Sean your local bone guy
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americapeals Reply:
September 19th, 2009 at 1:43 pm
Sean, Thank you so much. Yes to all medical inquiries. I went to CF this morning to meet Elaine P, who had me do some moderate stretching on the ab mat. I am going to do a walk today with some hand held weights. The last thing I want is to have my back out of whack. And, do you have any suggestions as regarding adding else to my diet (counting fish oil) for reducing the spasms?
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September 19th, 2009 at 8:23 pm
amanda, good seeing you today. you’re past the hardest part – those initial 48 hours. easy sailin’ from here…. now it’s just a matter of patience as we ease our way back into the WODs
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September 20th, 2009 at 10:47 am
my non-paleo prescription for back pain which i too have succumb too is motrin. (don’t tell anyone) feel better soon!!!!!
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September 20th, 2009 at 2:54 pm
Did you want me to reply here for all the world to see?? NOT!!!
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September 20th, 2009 at 2:59 pm
A very interesting article–Is the gain of pain –worth it?
Now I am concerned- looking at you laying there. You know you should
keep this sort of information from your Grandmother.
Mimi
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Amanda Beals Reply:
September 20th, 2009 at 5:21 pm
Mimi
You are the writer! I just wanted to share with you.
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September 21st, 2009 at 11:44 am
Amanda, How are you feeling? I must say… I LOVE your posts (not including the one about your hurt back, of course…) and have added your blog to my morning repertoire of very important things to do at my desk before I start work (among them being the CF post of the day, Facebook stalking/updates, etc… haha!) I hope to be at CF this Saturday AM after 3 weeks of not getting there (insert large sigh…) and I hope by then you are back to your WOD and feeling much better! Hang in there – Sarah Shep
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September 21st, 2009 at 1:17 pm
I highly recommend drawing nasty cartoons of people who annoy you and a toxic swim in Lake Waban as a cure-all.
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americapeals Reply:
September 21st, 2009 at 5:14 pm
How does that function as a cure all for a spasming back? I think Lake Waban may simply wash my skin away so that my a thinning technique.
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September 22nd, 2009 at 4:23 pm
no food has been shown to be antispasmodic that i know of. i know that salsa and hot mexican food will get you off the couch faster though
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December 14th, 2009 at 8:52 am
Water is possibly the most essential substance to your body obviously because it makes up 70-75% of your body. It is needed for all bodily processes. However if you?re an athlete it is even more important. Water will help your kidneys breakdown all that protein you are shoveling down your throat-hole. Drinking water during your workout will cause better results also it will help you lift for more reps and sets by flushing lactic acid out of your muscles. Also dehydration is basically killing the body in a minor way that can turn drastic. Minor dehydration can decrease your performance by up to 20%. However major dehydration can cause many ailments to your body even causing death if not resolved. So i suggest you to drink atleast a gallon or more of water everyday.
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April 23rd, 2010 at 11:46 am
The Bean slides all over the floor/mat/carpet; it also tips over; basically, it felt very unstable. The instructions on the video are not clear enough; nor are the visuals repeated long enough to learn. Finally, I felt nothing in my workout–just rocking along with no feeling in the abs, legs, etc. I work out in a gym, so I’m used to a great session and knowing I have worked out; I wanted to try this for at-home exercising to supplement. Instead, I gave it away and use workout videos. Save your money.
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May 11th, 2010 at 12:30 pm
I’ve seen this in stores is it the same precise product?
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August 22nd, 2010 at 12:29 am
Back pain is the worse thing ever! Unless you’ve experienced back pain then you’ll not fully appreciate the discomfort. With my job I sometimes suffer from it so i’m constantly searching online for remedies and preventions. Cheers Jason
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