Monday… “DT”

mmm.... "Paleo" cookie cake....

This weekend we had a blast at Rosanne’s BBQ which was actually a going away party for Rae.  As most of us know Rae is moving at the end of this month to Louisiana, and her her last day at the gym is going to be this Saturday.

What is CrossFit?  We have a section on the website dedicated to it.  It’s constantly varied movements performed at high intensity across broad time and modal domains… right?  Well, yeah.  But…  As many of us can attest it’s so much more than that.  And it depends who you ask, right?  It’s like an ink blot test.  In our community I bet you would get  a variety of answers ranging from “I don’t know” (Jupe) to “it’s a lifestyle.”

So here is my answer to what is CrossFit.  CrossFit makes me better.  Descriptive, right?  Here’s what I mean.  It started out as a kick ass workout that I couldn’t conjure up on my own anywhere else.  But somewhere along the way “workouts” turned into “training.”  The desire for improvement through efficiency set in.  I had to “study” certain movements and become more self aware.  I had to understand what my strengths and weaknesses were and apply my strengths and develop my weaknesses.  The transition sounds simple, but it took about four months for this mindset shift.  Now it’s not just a physical workout.  It’s a mental, and at times an emotional game.  I find things in “real life” have become easier to cope with.  The physical, mental, and emotional stresses of life have become “easier” to deal with at times, and I truly attribute it to what started as CrossFit workouts.  Rae cried after her workout last week.  I don’t think it was because her hands hurt.  And I’m not picking on her.  The point is that it didn’t surprise me.  I get it.  I’ve been there.  Sometimes there’s this “physical barrier” that wont let your mental and emotional intensity pass through, and it can be frustrating as hell and it can cause you to boil over.  But just like adapting to physical stresses and progressing, I have learned to adapt to the mental and emotional stresses that some of these workouts put on me.  That adaptation is transferable to the “real life” stresses I have gone through over the past two years with work, family, friends, etc.  I never got that from my supersets of arms at XSport, which is why I will probably never go back to that.

Now I don’t expect everyone to pour life and limb into every workout, to donate their heart, soul and hands to a max rep pull up attempt to get a sense of what I’m talking about.  Some people just simply aren’t wired that way, and thats perfectly okay.  They can still get that killer workout.  But I’d venture to argue we all have a little bit of that “wiring” at CFNA.

Okay, so here’s the point.  I know Rae is wired that way.  We ALL KNOW Rae is wired that way.  She is as mentally tough as they come.  She doesn’t have the best Fran time, but I’d be willing to bet if we gave her 48 hours to try and complete an Rx’d “man Fran” she would spend all 48 hours trying to get it done.  I don’t always agree with her willingness to keep going.  Rest is good, Rae.  Rest is good.  But I applaud her work ethic.  These are my favorite clients to train.  The ones who have the will to take on any challenge put in front of them, perform with their heart and soul, and have the ability to adapt and learn from both a positive and negative experience.  And for that reason, among others, I am sincerely going to miss Rae.

So in honor of Rae and her desire to work herself across the physical, mental, and emotional domains, Neil and I have decided programa week of WODs that will enable you to “dig deep” and push yourself to your limits (the words “hell week” are coming to mind).  For those of you who are going to be in the gym every day this week, it is going to be tasking.  Physically, mentally, and emotionally tasking.  You will probably not be setting PRs every day.  It’s going to be hot, heavy, and fast.  Be open with Neil and I on how you are feeling, and we will scale accordingly.  We will be tapering training next week for an active recovery week, so DO try to push your intensity levels.  This is your opportunity to test yourself.  Think, “What would Rae do?”

Drink water, eat well, sleep a lot, and stay away from pain killers, and it will all be over soon!  ; )

“DT”

5 Rounds for time

12 Deadlifts @ 155lb
9 Hang Power Cleans @ 155lb
6 Push Jerk @ 155lb

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