Coach Kirstin

So this week my goal is sleep. It's the most important part of my training cycle. And now that I have figured out some of my barriers, it's coming much easier. But having a goal is irrelevant unless you have the steps to get there. So I looked at what was keeping me from getting enough sleep. The biggest things I noticed were leaving the gym late (thus not having enough time to decompress or get ready) and running errands at night. So my plan is to complete my training by 8pm every night and leave the gym within 20 minutes. Theoretically I leave work in enough time that gives me 3+ hours at the gym, I just need to make good use of my time. I also took care of all my errands over thee weekend, even buying face wash a little early just in case. I got gas on Sunday, did my grocery shopping and prepped as much of my food as possible. I will leave Wednesday, my rest day, for an errand but this should happen early enough that it won't affect the plan. So we shall see how this go...

When I first met with my nutritionist, she recommended a day of cleansing and juicing only.  She said do it on a non training, rest day.  I thought she was nuts.  My two rest days are the days I relax. Relax my diet. Relax my mind.  All so my body can relax.  So 4 months later this never happened.  Until this week.  I was adjusting my order for this weeks delivery, I knew I needed to rest.  Ive been really solid with my diet for the last 3 weeks.  I feel good but also am eating tons of protein.  So most of the stuff I needed to make the recommended smoothie I would have in my house, except celery and cilantro.  Who eats celery?  It reminds of eating a twig.  So last night when I got home, I began my experiment as I was unpacking my delivery box.  My ingredients: 2 stalks celery 1/2 an seedless cucumber (any kind can be used but this is what I keep on hand) 1 very over ripe banana 2 handfuls of kale 1 handful of...

Little known thing about me: I'm a huge believer in in karma and fate.   It's what has gotten me through some of my most difficult situations. And the only way I can bring logic to some of the things that have happened.   Though I would never wish for some of the things that I have gone through to happen to others, I'm glad to have experienced every one of them.   For example my car accident destroyed my knee and left me with permanent damage to my memory.   It made me realize so many things but probably most importantly the ability to be active and doing the things I love is a gift.   And I need to take that gift and make the most of it.   I could go on and on about the things that has taught and the way it has shaped my life but that would bore you.   And I already know about them.   I do believe everything happens for a reason.   There are people in your life for a reason.   Even if that is a bad reason.   It could be to mot...

Some times I wonder what it's like to be my coach. Or even my training partner. The gym is the one place I rarely, if ever, filter my personality. I will yell at you. I will cry, on occasion. I will get crazy ideas. I will give you dirty looks when you criticize me. I will tell you I hate you. And that can be all in one day. Last night I hated my workout. I hit pads for the first time since probably my fight in June and it felt like it. Then I did my S&C which was full of lunges, probably my least favorite thing. Every lunge in my wod was a struggle. It hurt. It took everything I had not to quit on every single lunge. I was so mad when I finished. I hated everything. And so I texted my crossfit coach and told him I hated crossfit and his workouts. His response: Life just isn't fair. Good thing he knows I'm crazy and just brushes me off. I tell him all the time, all women are fucking crazy. That's the only explanation. So today I was over my crossfit temper tantrum ...

To say I am a daddy's girl is putting it mildly. I am just like my dad in so many ways. I often describe myself as the female version of him. I adore him and he is my sounding board. He taught me to think through things logically and how to make the best choice for me. Though I still call him to confirm that I am making the right choice. Unfortunately we have the same sense of humor, which means we can entertain each other with our jokes on our Sunday night phone call. His opinion of everything I do matters. So tonight at dinner when we were discussing my fighting, my parents said they wish i didn't do it but am happy to see me doing something I love. Later my dad pulled me aside to tell me that he doesn't like it but will always support me. It was the best and worst thing he could have said all in one sentence.

I try not to watch my fights. Watching them, even the wins, makes me mad at all the things I did wrong. It's all I can see. I hate everything I see. I watch them with my coach the week after, I get his feedback and try and let it go. But yesterday I was written up in an article and they had the video of my second fight in it. So I watched it. And for the first time, I was proud of some of the things I did. And then I watched my third fight. And I watched my takedowns and was happy with what I saw. I still saw everything that was wrong but for the first time I saw something's that I was proud of.

Yes I already compete in plenty of things.  There really is no need to take on another thing to compete in.  But there is.  My competitions seem to be feast or famine.  Almost everything over the last 2 years has been within a 4-6 week grouping.  And then I don't compete again for another 6 months.  And I have tons of anxiety wondering if I have ring rust and put extra pressure on myself since I don't get to compete that often.  Then this summer Nate Diaz came for a seminar and talked about doing the triathlons and that they were just another way to be actively competing.  That we, as athletes, should compete as often as possible to avoid the things I mentioned above.  Shortly after the seminar one of my mma teammates asked me to do a crossfit competition as his partner.  I initially objected but decided that I needed to do it anyhow.  I have to admit, I really wasn't excited about it.  Actually I still don't understand the exc...