Strength
Deadlift
5 – 3 – 3 – 1 – 1 – 1
Go heavy, go hard!
WOD
The Dorian (from CrossFit 801)
800m run
8 push jerk, 155#/115#
16 pull-ups
24 kettlebell swings, 55#/35#
400m run
Post time to comments.
Kendra – super low during Arnie!
There was a great video in the CF Journal recently with Greg Amundson. Some of you know that name. For those who don't, Greg was one of the original CrossFitters. He is the stuff of legend and has been part of CrossFit from the beginning. This video was of a talk he gave regarding the mental aspects of CrossFit. We've touched on this subject before. When we wrote about it then, the focus was on getting people to the right place. However, when I saw this video, I thought that most of you are there or well on your way! That made me excited!
"The greatest adaptation to CrossFit takes place between the ears" is what Coach Glassman told Greg during an early Level I course. Greg goes on to tell a story about a particular course he and coach were at back in the day when the cert was as much about throwing down a bunch of WODs as it was about learning. So these 2 guys are neck in neck during each and every WOD, as evenly matched physically as possible. The last WOD ended with 10 muscle ups. As they were moving to this last movement, the first guy says to them that he's never done a muscle-up before and today he's going to do his first one. The next guy runs by and says he's never done a muscle-up before and there's no way he's going to finish the workout. So how do you think it ends? Yep. First guy gets 10 muscle-ups. Second guy never gets one.
These guys were even in physical measures, but when it came to the mental aspect, they were not even close. First guy believes, and he makes himself get it done. Second guy told himself there's no way he'll get it done, and it's a self-fulfilling prophecy. We've talked about this, right? When you step to the heavy bar, or the box jump, or the WOD that makes your tummy feel funny when you read it, if you doubt, you fail. You have to have the confidence that you'll succeed. Then you do.
The video goes on to talk about how we keep track of weights, reps, loads, and how that's all good. The results are measurable. We have the PR board where we love to celebrate every single personal record that's accomplished in (and sometimes out) of the box. But as Greg talks about, what if the greatest adaptation that occurs is something that can't be measured. It may not be measurable, but it's certainly visible. We see it in you guys every day. When you stand tall after finishing a WOD that you thought you might not. After seeing you guys hit your first WOD as RX'd – we love that! After seeing how you carry yourself now compared to when you first started. We would wholeheartedly agree that as remarkable as the changes are in your numbers and your physiques – and they are remarkable changes without a doubt - the change in those unmeasurable qualities are equally remarkable. Keep the chin up, the vibe upbeat, and do the work!
