You know those WODs that are really tough? (Uh..all of them?) I mean, the ones that really get you...whether it's the movement, the reps, the rounds, the weight, the benchmarks, the heroes...whatever it is...how do you get through it? How do you mentally win? How do you push yourself to give it all you've got when mentally you don't think you have anything left?
I simply show up...especially to the ones I know will be brutal. For me... I just keep moving and telling myself that it can't be over until I've finished :)
ReplyDeleteWarner: My ancestors , all of them, pulled hand carts across this nation and I'm whining about a WOD ? We've raised six kids. This isn't the hardest thing we've done.
ReplyDeleteI bet your ancestors pushed their carts without their shirts on. ;)
DeleteYou guys have six kids?? Whoa
DeleteLove that perspective Warner and Steve, I can't stop laughing. :)
DeleteYeah, the hand carts held their shirts, I'm thinkin'. :)
DeleteI am just happy that after the race we did last weekend he wasn't inspired to WOD naked....as Sara would say, you're welcome!
DeleteLarry:Thats the great thing about not being a facebooker.....I have no idea what the WOD will be until I walk through the door. I go to the box because I want to challenge myself, sometimes, like last Saturday, I think I might not make it through the workout but I know if I keep moving and breathing I will finish the WOD and I will feel good about it. I constantly have to tell myself that other people have done this and my classmates are doing it with me right now,,,, am I so weak I need to quit? Hell no!
ReplyDeleteI just show up, do it and try to have a positive attitude. I know I'm not a superstar. I'll never be the strongest, fastest or the most coordinated, but I'll finish and I always have the most amazing people and friends pushing me along. I remember my first week at CFSV being completely convinced that I was going to have a heart attack. Now, I'm grateful that I've stuck with it because I'm healthier, happier and I know I'm not going to die during a WOD.
ReplyDeleteIt's all about peer pressure for me....I think "I am going to look really stupid if I'm the only one who doesn't finish this WOD" so that keeps me going!
ReplyDeleteBut I gotta say, during the "Playing with Burpees" Wod the other night, I almost snuck out the back door! I would have if my name wasn't already on the board. :)
Like as has been said above, I know I'm not going to die, and it's only going to make me stronger!! I know I won't lift the most or finish first, and I often accept the fact that I will finish last, but that's ok, because my CF peeps don't judge, they just encourage. Mostly, I remember that what doesn't kill me makes me stronger, and is just improving my health!!!!
ReplyDeleteJust so you know, Utah Iron man, if you don't wear a shirt in a wagon train, the Indians might think you are one of them. I'm just thinking safety . Oh, and more safe around the campfire .
ReplyDeleteLOL, good point, brave warrior!
DeleteThe people around me are so nice always! That helps and I try to smile when it is hard and think about all that water weight I am losing!! Shannon
ReplyDeleteYou all are so Awesome, funny and inspiring. Going to the gym and being there with our Box family is what keeps me going. I too may not be the fastest or strongest but I will always finish. I mentally hype myself up keep moving, cheer and help my classmates on and breathe to get this done. Then of course staying and taking pictures and cheering another class on keeps me motivated too.
ReplyDeleteI agree Tania! The peeps around me help so much. When I need to give myself an extra boost, I seem to yell an obnoxious "Woo!" and then that does the trick. :)
DeleteMental strength I must give credit to my Dad... Started doing 50 mile backpacking trips with him when I was 12. His theory was 2 days in, 2 days to play and one day out (always carry your own gear). Spent many 20+ miles days with my head down moving forward because there was no other option. Great life lesson (thanks Dad). So, I know I can complete a WOD.
ReplyDeletePhysically the strength doesn't come as easy; I try to pick one thing, maybe perfecting a movement, increasing weight or time and focus on that throughout the WOD. Mostly, CrossFit makes me happy.
Dr. Steve: Saturday's WOD was the hardest one for me thus far. I kept thinking the pain I felt doesn't even come close to the pain that family feels for the loss of their mom. I'm trying to view exercise pain as temporary and nothing tastes/feels as good as thin/fit feels.
ReplyDeleteAmen Dr. Steve! I started to get a little teary on round 6. While it definitely could have been from having to do those front squats one more time, I think it was more from thinking about kids ages 14, 12, 11, 8, 3, and baby who didn't have a mom anymore.
DeleteHands down, if I know the story behind a hero wod, that ALWAYS gets me through.
Becky: I'm almost embarrassed to write mine. I just recently turned 30 and hated everything about it. As I was being depressed I made a few life goals :). One of them was that I am going to be the fittest/healthiest I've ever been in my 30's. So when I'm slowing down or wanting to quit I think of my goals. Sometimes LaDees arms and times pop into my head :), that's always a big motivator :).
ReplyDeleteBecky...you gotta quit having a love affair with my arms. My hubby's gonna get jealous! Love ya
DeleteI just show up and tell myself I can do it. The feeling of satisfaction that you get afterwards is so totally worth it. If I don't push myself to my limit I always am disappointed with myself afterwards so I just keep myself motivated and do my best.
ReplyDeleteStacey Minion
Lori: I just get myself into the zone upon hearing 3 2 1 Go and push until the end. That's why I love CrossFit and the functional movements. When I feel I can't go on I think ... well, what if this were Caleb stuck under a car or unable to walk and I have to carry him or ... that's what motivates me:)
ReplyDeleteI've been crossfitting now for 2 1/2 years and what gets me through the hard workouts is knowing the progress I've made and how much it has changed my body for the better. Also, I always see how hard everyone else is working and it motivates me to give it my all. There is always a great deal of personal satisfaction in just finishing.
ReplyDeleteJust keep moving!!! I love where I started to where I am now!!! Still huge room for improvements!!! but LOVE seeing new PR!!!!
ReplyDeleteI'm goal oriented... do better on the timed WODs versus the AMRAPs simply because I can see the end. On hard workouts... just like the 400s, I focus on the finish line. The pain and tiredness is temporary, the end is there... just need to push that far.
ReplyDeleteNathan
I would have to say the trainers and Ty keep me going. I have all day to get pits in my stomach about the wods, and sometimes when its time to go, I really don't want to. Ty makes me go, and my teammates motivate me and get me through it.
ReplyDeleteI have had people ask me what I like about crossfit. I usually tell them it is a love/hate relationship. We wake up at crazy hours of the morning, go kill ourselves with intense workouts and then say,"That just about killed me, I think I will come do it again tomorrow." I think there is a great feeling of accomplishment after finishing a super tough wod. Whether you finish first or last, you just did something that minutes before you didn't think you could do. Ty
ReplyDeleteThis was totally me yesterday. When I thought I had to stop and rest and maybe puke I heard Sadie R. and Lindsey pushing me on. They totally got me through it yesterday! Thanks girls!!!
ReplyDeleteTo be honest, I think if I were by myself I might just quit sometimes and justify that it was just too much. Can't do that when Sara is right there to tell you to "keep moving!" or "pick it up in 3, 2, 1". Or all the ladies I work out with at 9:00 are pushing and cheering me through. In others words I don't poses the ability on my own...yet.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Lia. Whenever I work out alone, I don't push myself nearly as hard as I do in a group setting. The trainers and fellow Crossfitters are amazing here and have motivated me to do things I never thought I could. To get through a tough WOD, I usually tell myself that its not going to kill me and that I just need to keep moving.
ReplyDeleteThe group support at crossfit helps so much. The trainers not letting me quit and yelling at me to pick it back up helps too. I try to never let myself not go out of fear of hard wods, however the fear of the fireman carry was the first wod I honestly talked myself out of.
ReplyDeleteCross fit honors so many heros so it is hard for me to forget that. I push through so as not to take my abilities gor granted. I do for thise who can't.
ReplyDeleteI just know how bad it sucks and the fastest way to get it over is to keep moving. I know some other trainers will say "Taylor you stop all the time.", but breathing and stopping are different. haha! Also it feels like I lose every time I stop. So on my runs no matter how bad it hurts or how hard it is to breath, I just can't stop.
ReplyDeleteIt is a mind game. As I see people finishing the WOD around me I try to use it as inspiration to go faster, instead of beating myself up mentally for being so slow. I never look to see what the WOD is for the day. Like Taylor, I just keep moving. I try to focus on the music and not the nausea.
ReplyDeleteI just go in with the mentality: what's the worst that could happen, I have to drop some weight? So what? I know I have limits, so I work until I can't, then if I have to drop weight or modify, at least I know I worked as hard as I can. No biggy, I'll only get stronger :)
ReplyDeleteI just tell myself to chip away a little at a time. Even if I have to take it one at a time I am getting closer to my end goal.
ReplyDeleteFor the wods with lots of reps and/or rounds, I mentally break it up into smaller sets, such as five thrusters and rest a few seconds and do five more, etc. Just knowing that if I keep moving the wod will be over soon.
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