HCO: What do you teach at the University of Oregon? I am not teaching this term because I am on sabbatical and working on a book, but next term I will be teaching two classes: Psy 457 Group Dynamics and Psy 407 Psychology of War. I also teach statistics fairly regularly (although not every year), at basic (Psy 302), intermediate (Psy 412) and graduate (Psy 611) levels.
HCO: Tell us about this thing you do called Crossfit: Crossfit is a core strength and conditioning program designed to enhance functional fitness as broadly as possible. It includes gymnastics, weight-lifting, running, rowing, bodyweight exercises such as pushups, pullups, and box jumps, plus a whole variety of other fun activities such as carrying logs, pulling sleds, and flipping tires. The idea is to be ready for any physical or mental challenge that might come your way. Along with training the body, Crossfit trains mental toughness with workouts that are taxing both physically and psychologically.
HCO: Tell us about some of your Personal Records/favorite workouts: My favorite workouts generally involve some weightlifting moves plus something from gymnastics or pushups (regular or handstand). This week we did a workout called “Elizabeth” which is 21 power cleans at 95 lb (for women, the men’s weight is 135 lb), followed by 21 ring dips, followed by a set of 15 reps of each, followed by a set of 9 reps of each. This 21-15-9 sequence alternating between two moves is a classic Crossfit workout. The goal is to complete the workout with good form as quickly as you can. My time this week was 10 minutes 19 seconds, which is a personal record (PR). Another recent PR was ten 30″ box jumps (this is equal to the length of my inseam — pretty high!) which I completed at the end of the final workout at a competition in Bend called the Oregon Winter Crossfit Games. I was competing against nine other “masters” women aged 44 through 57.
HCO: So, how old are you? I was the 57-year-old, and took second place.
HCO: Does being successful at Crossfit translate into other aspects of your life? Has it changed your life at all? Crossfit has affected many aspects of my life. First and foremost is my level of fitness, of course, but it has affected other physical, emotional, and social aspects. After decades of pathological sleep habits (chronic sleep deprivation) I am finally getting enough sleep most nights of the week because if I don’t get my sleep it affects my athletic performance. This has been the motivation I needed to get myself into bed at a reasonable hour. I have also cleaned up my nutrition, so I eat healthy 90-95% of the time. Instead of having trouble dragging myself out of bed in the morning and getting sluggish in the afternoon, I am now full of energy all day. Psychologically, Crossfit has erased the notion that aging needs to mean physical decline. Instead, I look forward to being faster, and stronger, and more capable every year that I train. Socially, the Crossfit community has become my family–a group of people I can count on for support and companionship who share the Crossfit values of “show up, don’t quit, have fun, and do your best.” This includes my “immediate” family of Eugene Crossfit, the broader local community of Eugene/Springfield Crossfit athletes, the Pacific Northwest athletes I see at competitions, and the worldwide community of people everywhere who have made Crossfit part of their lives. I have not yet incorporated Crossfit into the research part of my job, but eventually I would like to study the psychological and social aspects of Crossfit for older athletes such as myself. It has also been very gratifying to discover that us masters Crossfit athletes are a source of inspiration for both older and younger athletes who are dedicated to improving their own fitness.