We had just finished our WOD at CrossFit and had seven minutes of class time left. “What do you want to work on?” asked Bad Cop.
Me and the other two OnRampers looked at each other. I don’t think anyone has asked us that before. We weren’t sure how to answer.
“Stacy, what do you want to work on?” he repeated looking directly at me.
“You mean what do I want to be able to do?” I asked, still not sure what he was looking for. “I want to do a chin up.”
Actually, that’s a bit of an understatement. I long to do a chin up. When I took my first class in December, I saw a group of experienced CrossFitters rocking out scores of chin ups in rapid succession. As soon as I saw them, I wanted to do it, too.
Since that time, I’ve watched new OnRampers join our class and then graduate, able to take part in the Level 1 or weight lifting classes. Sometimes, I get a little sad at being left behind. Again. But, the truth is, I turn into an idiot when I walk through the gym doors. I can never remember how much the “heavy” or “short” weight bars weigh. I can’t seem to add the stupid weights together correctly. And, whenever we’re told we’ll be doing dead lifts, I inevitably lean over to a classmate and ask, “that’s the one where we just stand up with the bar, right?”
But chin ups? They are a sore spot. When a classmate finally grasps the whole kipping concept and pulls themselves over the bar for the first time, I’ll clap my hands and hoot because, well, it’s what you do when someone finally gets it. Inside, however, I’m aching with jealousy.
“A chin up,” Bad Cop repeated, pulling me out of my reverie.
I nodded enthusiastically.
“Yah, alright. How close are you?”
“Not at all close. Really, really far away.” Like in another state.
So, a box was pulled out (so I could reach the chin-up bar) and I went through the successive stages of learning a pull up: the “jumping” pull up, the kipping motion. Stuff I’ve done before but, this time, Bad Cop was in front of me, tweaking each motion.
Finally, the bands were pulled out for an assisted chin up. Two kipping motions and when I felt myself at the appex I pulled. No chin up. I hopped down and wiped my hands off on my shirt.
“That was actually really close.”
“Really?”
“Yah, couldn’t you feel it?”
No, actually I couldn’t. But Bad Cop isn’t the type to throw out false hope.
I tried again. Not even close.
“OK, you’re tired. We’ll work on it again, later.”
I looked at the bar hungrily. “I was really close, right?”
“We’ll work on it again.”
