WOD:
Will working the rings. Good job today!
For time:
10 rounds of
10 pull-ups
10 ring dips (sub regular dips x 3)
Topic: Like your Mom said, it’s good for you.
The reason we pursue CrossFit is because it creates overall fitness. CrossFit, by definition, shuns specialization. Pursuing this programming makes us better athletes over time. Becoming a better athlete is difficult thing because doing so forces us to own up to the fact that there are things at which we suck. Those of us who are on the Brute Squad tend to let out audible groans when “Run 10 k” comes up as the WOD; those of us who love the cardio have been known to bandy about some choice expletives when a CrossFit Total comes up. It doesn’t matter who you are, sooner or later you meet the WOD that you swear Coach designed specifically to torture you (and maybe he did).
There’s a certain beauty in the humility we’ve all experienced in the programming. There’s nothing like walking into the gym the day after you totally killed a WOD and are riding on a streak of PRs, throwing down your best effort and realizing that for this particular WOD, you’re so far from being on the varsity that you may as well be walking around handing out towels.
And there it is: getting your ass handed to you is good for you.
It’s good for you because it forces you to be honest with yourself. There is something wonderful about realizing that you are only as good as your worst. You can go outside and pick up the back end of a pickup truck with your deadlift, but until you can hang with the kings and queens of cardio on the 5k, all you are is strong. You can go knock out four straight sub-3 minute 800s, but until you can do a Linda as rx’d, all you are is a good runner. CrossFit is about being a complete athlete, and the way to become a complete athlete is pretty simple: you need to admit your weaknesses, accept them, and then work on them until they are no longer your weaknesses.
Start them out young. Great work Alessandra!
Turning your weaknesses into strengths is harder than it sounds, and it sounds hard to begin with. Consider Arnold Schwarzenegger: early in his professional bodybuilding career, Arnold’s calves were underdeveloped relative to the rest of his body. This pissed Arnold off, so, loaded with the type of rationale that can only be provided by eating several pounds of dianabol daily, he cut every pair of pants he owned off at the knee. People proceeded to point and laugh, probably more because of the fact that the giant guy with the shaved legs had the balls to stroll around Venice Beach in capri pants than because of Arnold’s underdeveloped calves. Regardless, he thought people were laughing at his calves, and he got obsessive about doing extra credit calf work. The result? A then-unprecedented 7 Mr. Olympia titles, the result of having a perfect neck-arm-calf ratio. It also helped him score a co-starring role with Danny DeVito in the definitive movie about male pregnancy, “Junior.”
Sarcastic digression aside, being honest with yourself and realizing where you suck is the key to getting better. The downside is that acknowledging your weakness is only one piece of the puzzle; you then have to work hard to improve that area. The upside is that just when you’ve improved the thing you’re worst at into some realm of acceptable performance, something else will emerge as your new weakness. Constantly evaluating your weaknesses and fixing them is the key to continual improvement. This little secret is simultaneously horrible and awesome. Enjoy.
March 27th, 2009 at 5:29 am
What an appropriate topic du jour. I woke up saying, “Wonder what the WOD is. As long as it’s not big on pull-ups or dips cause my shoulders are dead.” Thanks coach.
March 27th, 2009 at 10:47 am
Warm up
Wod – 10:00 pink band on the pullups and did not fully extend. I’ll get there!
March 27th, 2009 at 11:29 am
800m Run x4 3:43/3:53/3:52/3:44
30 sit ups
15 back ext
20 over head squats
(added an extra 5 to x-ed workout)
March 27th, 2009 at 4:50 pm
warm up: 3 mile run; cindy’s rx warm up – 3 rounds: sit ups; weighted squats; back extensions; 25 each
wod: assisted pull ups; regular dips; 10:20
extra: 100 weighted wall balls – 14lbs;12lbs; 8lbs; 4lbs (25 each)
row 500meters
10 back leg extensions
time for rest!
good luck tomorrow- lots of love and rock out to both of you!!
March 29th, 2009 at 8:30 am
NFT but Rx’d