I decided that I wanted to write a little piece about our amazing weekend in Squamish. Although I wasn’t one of the brave competitors at the CrossFit Games BC Sectional Qualifiers, I still managed to learn some valuable lessons there as an event Judge.
First and foremost, I will say how much I respect our 8 Zone athletes for going out there and giving it their all! I was moved to proud tears more than once as I watched Deanna, Cam, Kendall, Krista, Steve, Heather, Lucas and Jer’s tireless efforts. In addition to being impressed with what my Zone peers can accomplish, I was also inspired. Inspired, and reminded, to stick to my goals and make some serious changes to my own training and approach to CrossFit.
The Sectionals competitors this weekend were not only faced with very strict rules and unfamiliar movement standards, but also potentially overwhelming mental challenges. One of the biggest things that struck me throughout the weekend was that each competitor who came through my judging station had the same look on their face, the same glint in their eye, the same determined set to their jaw. While the motivators were different for each athlete, they all had a clear goal in mind, and were clinging to that to get them through the WODs, one step at a time. I found it remarkable, watching close-up, as these amazing athletes struggled and fought, testing their limits with every move. I was inspired to carry this feeling home with me and apply it straight away in the gym.
Another remarkable thing I noted? Over and over I heard athletes comment about how the show of encouragement from their peers was what helped to buoy their determination as their energy and strength diminished. I witnessed first hand how a unified shout from hundreds of people helped a man slowly and painfully get a max, record breaking deadlift all the way up, his legs, arms, and body shaking in fatigue and protest. I watched 4 exhausted athletes who were overcome by emotion, muscle failure and humbled pride, slaving dutifully to finish a WOD that took them far, far longer than everyone else to complete, wildly cheered every single step of the way by a focused and supportive crowd.
Bottom line, two messages were very clear to me at the Sectionals: One, excuses eventually have no place in CrossFit. And two, the CrossFit community is completely unrivaled and second to none. Both of these things have weighed heavily on my mind since I returned from Squamish.
Have you heard the age old question: “If a tree falls in a forest and no one is around to hear it, does it make a sound?” Well, ask yourself this: “If I lower my standards on form or completeness of reps, and nobody calls me on it, does it matter?” The answer is, YES! With the 2 lessons I learned this weekend in mind, I have vowed to come back to our gym with a new attitude toward my own training, as well as my coaching of others. Because I don’t normally have a personal judge standing next to me, holding me accountable, I can think of numerous times when not all my reps have met the kind of strict standards that were set out at the Sectionals this weekend. Sure, I’ve been making efforts to hold myself accountable and redo reps that aren’t good. But in the interest of time, can I say I always redo reps that short a movement, even slightly? The answer is a sad, no. However, I want that to change. In making my personal standards stricter, I will also be challenging my body to step up its game. I will strive to be conscientious with EVERY rep, and I will do my best to coach you Zoners to do the same during class times. I figure we owe it to ourselves, and to all the courageous CrossFit competitors around the world who have the tenacity to make it through the Games Qualifiers. If they can do it, so can we, right?
It’s always easy to fall back on your reasons for why things are the way they are. I understand that sometimes excuses are legitimate. But what I’m discovering is, there is never a good excuse for having a defeatist attitude. If we can remain purposeful with each movement, scaled down or not, we WILL become better, faster, stronger. And we actually might enjoy the process of getting there!
I also want to impress upon you that the biggest asset we have at CrossFit Zone is each other. Our strong community vibe can be utilized to spur each of us on day after day. Let’s strive to optimize our environment of encouragement and support, and work collectively together towards personally accountable, optimal fitness!
Today’s Workout:
Buy In – 3 Rounds of 10 shoulder dislocates, 10 burpees, 10 kb swings and 10 overhead squats (bar only)
WOD –
Shoulder Press (1,1,1,1,1)
Push Press (3,3,3,3,3)
Push Jerk (5,5,5,5,5)
*** If you are new to the lifts do 5 x 5 of each lift focusing on technique ***
Cash Out – 10 minutes minimum stretching out the shoulders, chest and upper back.
Running WOD
30 to 40 min tempo or hill run
Please post in the comments when and where you are doing your run if you would like people to join you!
