(Note: this image is from a planking website.) So, I made it to Bulldog today -- at last! I have to admit that I was incredibly nervous. I'm not sure why, exactly, but I almost felt like I was starting all over again. I hadn't been to the snazzy new location and I felt a little lost. But then my old Bulldog friends Laura and Mary called out and Gio was there and Austin and Christian said Hi, and I felt at home again: a very hot and humid home where people drag themselves around on the floor like paralyzed zombies.

Actually, the remaining folks from the 5:45 a.m. class were finishing up today's WOD (Workout Of the Day) which involved a "plank walk." Not the pirate kind, but holding a plank position while walking forward on your hands. It looked a lot like when our dog Mo ruptured a disc in his back and his hind legs were paralyzed. A sad sight with Mo (he's okay now) and a really sad sight with my sweaty Bulldog buddies (they are probably hurting now). My apprehension returned a little, but I stayed.

I consulted with Gio about the scheduled warm-up and did a modified version:
500 meter row (instead of a run around the block) I was really surprised at how exhausting this was! But then on to the rest of the warm-up:
10 ring rows (instead of pull ups)
20 bridges
20 leg swings (each leg)
20 lunge/squat combos (that have left me unable to go down steps or slopes)
arm/wrist mobility exercise
and finally the couch stretch (sounds easy right? find a couch and stretch out! but no, it looks like this and it sometimes makes me queasy to hold it for a minute. Sure, this Crossfit LA guy looks like he's smiling, but that's how they grimace in LA.)

It took me quite a long time to make it through the warm-up. Some Crossfit folks like to say "your workout is our warm up" and today, for me, that was close to true. How did I do this before? Well, barely, to be honest. How long before I get back to that shape? How long before I'm even better? Let's find out!

My workout for today was not what everyone else did. It was PUPs: 5 front to side to back to side to front planks, and then 10 side-back-side planks and 10 front planks (each position held for 3-5 seconds). Then I had a little rest and then did 5 back planks with resistance. Lastly, I attempted 5 one-legged back planks, which more resembled me twitching on the floor in a strange position than the sleek,one-legged lift that it should have been. But that's where I'm at right now. Soon my twitching will be lifting!

I was very tired out by the end, but nothing hurt in a bad way and I felt the awesomely powerful glow that comes from a Bulldog workout. To top it all off, I realized that I was part of that new hip trend: planking. When I was trying to look like this (sure, with a weight, why not?):

I sometimes looked like this (but the giant cream pie was only in my mind):

I'm so glad that I went today! I'll be back at Bulldog again on Wednesday, but I'll be doing more planking with PUPs and the one-legged twitch at home tomorrow. Many thanks to Gio and to all of you who keep on encouraging me!!!