When gyms were first closed in Boise, my CrossFit box held an equipment checkout to allow athletes to borrow some weights since they wouldn’t be used at the box and were sorely needed for at home workouts. I didn’t go to that one, because I was not feeling healthy at that point and chose to self isolate at home while feeling sick.
We were hoping that the box could reopen on May 1, and in anticipation of that the checked out equipment got returned at the end of April. But, reopening of gyms is not happening for our area quite yet, so another checkout happened. And this time, I was ready and healthy.
Plus, it was after work instead of during work, so I felt better about going – though if it had been during work I would have taken time off this time. I miss weights, and I’m stoked that I was able to borrow something – plus, my alternate weight is having issues. One of the sandbags in my backpack that I’ve been tossing around for a 20 pound weight burst 🙁
Now, the first time, they allowed checkout of dumbbells, but this time they did not. So I chose to check out a kettlebell, 26 pounds on the advice of Coach Maria. 26 pounds is pretty heavy for me to lift with one arm, but doable. It used to be a light double armed swing for me, but I discovered that it isn’t so light anymore for me. I can rep out American swings, but it’s not easy like it used to be.
And, I discovered on Tuesday that my hands have gotten pretty soft. I have been seeing and lamenting the softening and disappearing of the calluses on my hands, but it hadn’t occurred to me that my grip isn’t the only part of my hand that is being neglected. See, while I did work out with the kettlebell over the weekend, I didn’t do a lot of reps in a row. Tuesday morning, I did 15 sets of 20 (over 29 minutes, alternating with sets of 40 jumps). I managed to tear the skin off of the outside of both pinkies where they come in contact with the kettlebell when I grip it with both hands.
I wasn’t the only one to get a hand tear either. It really drove home for me the fact that I will need to ease back into CrossFit. Sure, I know how to do the things that I’ve done before, but my body is not ready to do them at the same weight or intensity as before the stay at home order. I’ll need to build up my calluses and take it easy on the weight so I don’t come back only to get injured.