I've been reading quite a few articles and blog posts about sport psychology, and more specifically, the mentality of a crossfitter. They cover just about every option, I think. I read articles about continually pushing yourself harder and harder, finding new limits and forcing your self to adapt. I also read articles are periodization, and mandatory yoga-ing/meditation, to destress and deload the overworked crossfitter. In case I, I think Pat Barber. Case II, Chris Spealler. So wait...which way is better? Is there any way to say that Barber is a better competitor over Spealler? That Chris is stronger than Pat? Even with a competition setting (read: Games) there are more variables that make it impossible to just look at their ranking and say "Oh, Barber finished 8th overall, while Spealler finished 11th. Therefore, Pat Barber's training methodology/outlook on rest/work must be more effective." However, it is widely agreed that Spealler's passion and drive for this sport supersedes just about everyone else.
My point is this. Its all in the mind. Yes...injuries aren't mental, and you can't fight through a herniated disk through sheer willpower, you'll hurt yourself further (maybe with willpower, advil, and aggressive foam-rolling). But the approach to EVERYTHING we do in life is mental. Whether its apathetic, passionate, begrudging, or determined. Every WOD you approach, approach with purpose. I'm not a big goal person becuase I honestly usually end up forgetting about them. Thats why I do short term goals. Alright...I'm going to do these KB Swings today unbroken. Or, I don't care how heavy this back squat is. I'm going AtG. This mentality got me through this summer's two/three a days. Once school settles in, I'm going back to them. But this mentality is not a I've done this before, I'll just do it again sort of deal. This is a holyshitI'mnervousalreadybecuaseIknowhowmuchthissucks sort of deal. But I'm going to mentally brace myself, start sleeping with my foam roller, and just do the damn thing.
Ok, I have digressed twice already. The overall intent of this post was talk about Saturday's 31(+1) Heroes. I signed up a week and a half before the actual event. From that point on I was rehearsing how everything would go. How I would break up my thrusters (155?!), mentally practicing the spanish wrap for the rope. Thinking box jumps are my specialty, I'll use those as active recovery. Sometimes I'm so naive I want to kick myself. I psyched myself up (and out) so much. The doubt culminated on thursday into a sort of panic. Shit...what if I can't get that 155 up after a couple rounds? What happens if my grip gives out after all the rope climbs? I had been setting goals for myself and for my team of two (I was joined by Zach Greenwald for this amazing experience). I was talking to Zach that day about logistics...getting there on time, what time I was picking him up, etc. I mentioned having a goal of 7 rounds. And the text I got back pretty much consisted of this: I'm not going to set a number as a goal. My goal is to lay on the floor at the end of the workout, knowing that I gave everything that I had. Knowing that if I tried to get back under that bar, it would crush me, or that I would fall from 15 feet in the air because my arms gave out. Instantly, my mind was calmed. Yes, this was going to suck. But I had been overthinking it. Immediately, my one goal became: Leave nothing on the floor. Forget reps, and rounds. Just give everything I have for the honor of the 31 Heroes that were killed defending me, those I love, and my freedom.
Zach is still living, of course. He did not die in a helicopter on August 6th, 2011. However, I wanted to include him in the 31, because without his words, I would have been demolished by this workout. As it were, I was demolished, just not mentally. We both gave this workout everything we had, even when we realized there was no rope and we had to sub something. Even when the hill we were running our 400s on was uphill, both ways. Even when the towel pullups we subbed obliterated every bit of grip that ever existed in our hands. Even when the incredible and accomodating trainers at Crossfit Durham starting adding weight on our thrusters mid round, so we ended up at 275. At least, thats what it felt like we were doing. We got ~7.5 rounds. But as long as we felt the same way after the workout, I would have been fine with 5 rounds, or 10 rounds. Maybe not 2, but who knows.
Wrapping this whole thing back around, it was mental. I would not have been able to keep cleaning that bar up if my mind had not been in the right place. I was focused on one thing. It happened to be that thruster, or the leftrightleftrightleftright going up the hill.
Look, I know this post has been all over the place. I probably should have had a more solid outline to what I wanted to say, but my passion got the best of me. I could do this all day if someone paid me!
My overall point(s) is/are this: Get your head on straight. Keep the drive alive with the short-term goals. Don't let the passion dim. And above all...listen to your body! If you need rest, take it.
These all tie in with each other, and each one supports the other. If one fails, the others suffer.
So, go do. Lift, run, throw. Be successful, mentally and physically. Just don't let it go to your head
Aaron
No comments:
Post a Comment