Friday Coffee: 28 Apr 2017

Guess what? I’m writing this barefoot, too.

This Week in the Cross Fitness

A fairly standard week of CrossFit is almost in the books, with one of my favorite test workouts this evening. Thanks to Josh Duncan, I managed to slow down my double-under turn and jump a bit higher. This has me in a better, if presently awkward rhythm. I’m encouraged.

I admit that I am a bit chapped that an anonymous fellow athlete has complained about my working out barefoot lately. In my five years of CrossFit, across two other boxes, I’ve not heard one complaint and have been encouraged to workout barefoot by coaches in the past.

Why? Because it’s helpful.

I have notoriously bad arches in my feet. Working out barefoot has helped me develop and over come this issue. Working out barefoot has helped me fine tune my footwork on all Olympic Lifts, farm torque on my squats, and prevent heel strikes on my runs. Gymnasts don’t train or compete in shoes. Gymnastics is a basic discipline in CrossFit. It’s disappointing that a fellow athlete is that concerned over such matters when, in fact, this is a perfectly accepted and normal way to work on form and movement.

Even more disappointing is that the athelete, the identity of whom I do not know, has not bothered to ask why or to what end I was doing this. This latest foray into barefoot CrossFit has been helping me rehab my hyper extended knee by allowing me to feel better foot work and not rely on the sole of the shoe for support.

Petey

Some may have noticed a lack of Petey-related Facebook posts lately. This is not for lack of Petey in my life, but I’ve noticed that he has entered a stage of his life where his much more companion dog than needy puppy.

I don’t think either of us could be any happier. He is laying on the guest bed as I write this, gazing out the window. There is a peace to him that hadn’t existed until a few weeks ago. Our walks are more disciplined and purposeful. He greets me at the door, not with a lustful avarice, but with a sense of pride and companionship that I am home and we are ready to do the things we do together. I am getting a much more “team” feeling from him and he truly is my best friend as a result.

Fore, please

I am still on a routine of hitting 100 or so balls on the range each day. Coupled with my forays to Winter Park and some golf at Streamsong lately, I feel my game is coming back to me, slowly. I emphasized this week a full shoulder turn and am working a wrist-cock and better release back into my golf swing. This has given me a few extra yards but the timing is a cock-up sometimes, still.

More reps. More work.

Picture of the Week

The wide-angle camera on my new phone is rather keen.