Hey gang,
Found this quote on my computer the other day (sorry not sure of the source) and it really resonated with me as it did the first time I read it:
“Most people don’t come to us looking for a breakthrough in the way they think. However, one of the common side effects of CrossFit is a shift in your perception of what you thought was possible, and willingness to do things outside your comfort zone. Intensity doesn’t just come from what you’re able to do, but what you’re willing to attempt and how hard you’re willing to push. By practicing attempting things that are beyond what you think is possible, you get familiar with being unsure, uncomfortable, tentative, and even afraid, then doing it anyway. And don’t think this doesn’t translate to the rest of your life. As I saw written on the wall at CrossFit One World, “You are in CrossFit who you are in life.”
What is your take on that quote? Has CrossFit shaped your mind or lifestyle as well as your body?
Today’s Workout
Buy-in: 14 Turkish get-ups (i.e. 7 per side – work on being smooooooooth)
WOD: Rowtabaga
This is a brand new wod gang, and as the name attests, it has some rowing in it! Enjoy.
For time:
- Row 1000m
- 20 pullups
- 10 toes to bar
- Row 750m
- 15 pullups
- 15 toes to bar
- Row 500m
- 10 pullups
- 20 toes to bar
- Row 250m
Zone 3: Scale to knees to elbows
Zone 2: Scale ttb to either hanging knee raises or double crunch. Scale row distance if needed
Zone 1: Scale as needed
Cash-Out: Wallball over-bars: try for max reps in 30 seconds – 4 attempts. If the ball touches the bar, the rep doesn’t count!
As a former fat-kid growing up that hated PE, I can most definitely attest to that. Through P90X and later on Crossfit, my initial 'serious' programs I've decided to stick to – I found a fundamental change in my way of thinking and discovered a new found perseverance.
I found the biggest side benefit is the mental strength, discipline, self confidence, self assuredness, resoluteness and the desire to become a better version of me that came with the acclimatization to the intensity/difficulty that the WODs brought on a daily basis. Each WOD presented a new opportunity to dig deep and find out what I am made of. I found myself continually asking mid-WOD: Do I want to walk this or run it? Do I want to slack this one? Do I want to attempt to reach my limit? Do I want to be better? The dialogues were endless through the continuous self-talk.
I used to be that guy and blames external factors (make excuses) about my own personal motivation and goals. But since doing the WOD's consistently I came to realize that everything boiled down to my own personal attitude. If I wanted a better lift, or learn a new skill – I had to get coaching, improve technique, and put in the time. It was that simple. Nobody owed me anything except myself. If I wanted it? I had to go out and get it. I embraced the suck. I made sure to make good choices and did my best to make them consistently.
As Aristotle said: "We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit."
Awesome Felix! Well said budday – you've come a long way from that first day when I saw you standing confused in front of a barbell! Now not only have you developed the physical skills but also the mental fortitude to seek out new challenges (physical and otherwise)… and that, my friend, is legit!
haha, thanks Cam. I still remember being like "Shoulder Press? What? And dumping the weight? Isn't that frowned upon?" Good times. =)
gotta give props for the aristotle quote!
physical activity, be it sport or most recently CF, have always been a source of discipline and perseverance in the rest of my life. the one thing i've especially noticed with CF is how calm i am going into a test or some other situation where i don't know what is going to happen. i feel calm and focused, it feels like just another day, and i would credit my physical training for this.
cam-that is an evil wod! too bad my hotel gym has no bar or erg.
A 'Crossfit Life' is when you focus on results not excuses,when you own your behaviour, when you take responsibility for your life choices, when you are scared but you do it anyway, when you face challenges with grace, when you 'check your ego', when you leave 'it' out there, when you encourage others even those you are competing against, when trust that things will work out and take action! in the meantime and when have a shit load of fun.
Think about how we would live if we took the fundamentals of CF (fun, efficiency, hard work, encouragement, community, etc) into other aspects of our lives – work, family, relationships, spirituality, politics, etc. That would be awesome.
alright homework…3,2,1…GO
Something about this quote and the following comments makes me really miss you all. Thinking about you all and hoping that you are all living and enjoying the "Crossfit Life'.