All the right moves

You know that feeling of "right time, right place"? That overused (including by yours truly) cliche about 'everything happening for a reason'? All that silly mumbo jumbo?

Well, it works for every level of life -- personally and professionally.

I've only been a member at Industrious for six weeks, but it already feels like so much longer. On the floor, I've gotten PRs in both of my oly lifts, have gotten great feedback from my new coaches and have found training partners, motivators and newbies to help out. Off the floor, I've been made to feel like family from day one.

In-house weightlifting meet one week in. I hate this photo (early arm bend, etc.),
but need to be reminded about how far I have already come.

Every moment of the past six weeks that I have been either at Industrious or driving to/from my new gym have reaffirmed that this was exactly the right move.

Sure, there is some peer pressure -- to go for that next weight or to sign up for an upcoming USAW meet -- but there is no underlying level of everything being a competition. The white board exists, but everyone gets the same color marker on their time, weights and modifications. I can be in awe of my coaches' awesome times and marks, but I have to search to find them in the first place.

Joining a new gym shortly before the open meant that I would quickly have time to get to know everyone during the Open parties. There are the strictly barbell folks, the strictly CF folks and those who go between the two. Everyone's goals are different, but we all support each other to reach them.
I signed up for the Open before joining Industrious because I knew I would participate no matter where I was. Leading up to 14.1, one of the BBC girls said "you should do the Open workouts with us on Saturdays, after weightlifting." When I asked "why not Friday nights?" She replied "I have goals -- the Open isn't one of them."

Given my similar mindset, I decided she was right. Why wreck myself on Friday night only to be destroyed for our heavy Saturday session? I prioritized finding a barbell club -- why not make sure I continue to make it a priority?

Locking out a snatch during 14.1

I used to get burned out on 4-5 metcons per week and hoping I would get to do oly lifts twice in that time. Now, I am in the gym five days per week -- lifting heavy things and working my technique three days per week and fitting in two metcon days as fun time. It is a great balance and one I am so happy to have found.