Adventures in Globo

Lady G kickin it in Scotland

I landed back in Toronto on Friday and flew out again last night.  Business travel can make you crazy sometimes.  Last week we looked at some traveling diet ideas to keep you in good graces of the Paleo gods.  Today, let’s explore the trials and tribulations (read:hysterical misadventures) of Crossfit on the Road.

So I may be considered a bit of a Crossfit Stalker.  This is defined in no known dictionary as one who searches out Crossfit locations close to locations their travels may take them.  I have hit up Crossfit San Diego, San Francisco, Baltimore, The Black Box (NYC), and the ultimate Santa Cruz Cent

But, more often than not, I am forced to use hotel gyms and local GLOBO’s.  And here is where the real adventures begin!

My last GLOBO experience was by far my favourite.  I was in Baltimore and my work schedule didn’t allow me to get to the Crossfit location everyday.  So I would set off in the wee hours of the morning to the gym next door.  It was old school with the floor of weight machines on the main level and the “Gold’s like weight room” in the dingy basement.  As I walked down the stairs a gentleman in front of me kindly informed me that the ladies  change rooms were to the left.  I kindly informed him I was heading to the right..to the weight room.  A sea of tank top wearing, bulging bicep men greeted me.  By greet, I mean they looked at me like I had a third eye.

Here are my survival techniques for taking on the GLOBO!

• If the set up is wrong…change it!  Barbells do fit in elevators and can be moved to upper floors secretly through this wonderful invention
• Double unders can clear out large areas of the gym floor quickly.  Could be the noise, could be the crazy face one wears while whipping the rope at high speeds.
• Do not read nutritional advice posted on the walls….it’s crap
• Be prepared to receive very odd looks if you do anything outside of a bicep curl or bench press with a barbell
• Go early!  Later in the day there is greater chance of being noticed due to increased staffing and number of patrons. You may be asked to leave
• Those Reebok step things are not as sturdy as a plywood box.  Use great caution when using for box jumps!
• The water jug can be used in a workout…but again…use caution as this could get you escorted out!

OH YES! Those are armrests!

Barbells fit quite nicely in elevators!

Survival techniques for Hotel gyms…

• Like the GLOBO, get there early!  There are many hotel guests waiting to read the morning paper on various pieces of gym equipment and this can really interfere with your workout
• Use everything you can carry to “hold” equipment.  Hotel guests don’t understand that you are coming back to those DB’s.  in their mind once you put them down your workout is done.  Use towels, t-shirts, water bottles…whatever it takes to secure your “area”
• Make nice with the treadmill.  When you don’t have many options the treadmill is your friend.
• Buy a skipping rope…this will save you even in the worst of hotel gyms.  If you don’t …you will be forced to make nice with the terrifying eliptical, and somehow work it into a WOD.  Nobody wants that kind of stress.
• Dumbbells make nice Kettlebells.  Be cautious of skittish hotel guests…they may lunge for protection when you start swiniging it.  It’s best not to scare the patrons.
• Weight benches can be used for box jumps.
• Towel racks do not work for pull ups
• As in Globo gyms, double unders clear space (see GLOBO techniques for reference)

If you can keep these simple rules in mind, you will find great success in traveling WOD’s.  Do not be discouraged by what at first glance seems like insufficient equipment, poor layout, or angry patrons!  Crossfit is beautifully simplistic in it’s needs…if you have a “you” and a “will” you’re good to go!

In my many travels I have built up a list of On-the-Go faves.  Enjoy and happy travels!

(t-dot sio)

Workout

Complete 5 rounds for time of:

• Run 200m
• 15 Air Squats
• 10 Heavy Kettlebell Swings (boys: 32kg; girls: 24kg)

Wear weighted vest/back pack (boys: 30#; girls: 20#)