03/24/14: 14.5 Practice Me Thinks

Today’s Workout:

• Strength – 3 x 10 Thrusters (Taken from ground.  Add weight each set)
• Conditioning – AMRAP12 –
  • 5 Front Squats (Sx = 95#/65# – Rx = 115#/75# – CRx = 135#/95#)
  • 10 Burpees Over The Bar (Lateral)
• 3 x 25 GHD Hip Extensions or Good Mornings

Reflecting on 14.4 – In my opinion this workout was the most interesting thus far.  It combined a new movement we haven’t seen in the open, rowing, with two fairly skilled movements, toes to bar and muscle ups, and made you breathe excessively hard.  From what I could tell on Saturday, most people got blind sided by toes to bar.  I do my best to explain prior to class that “toes near the bar” don’t count as “RX” when “toes to bar” is the standard.  I had several conversations with people on Saturday who said, “Wow, just getting your feet up a couple inches higher to hit the bar makes an incredible difference.”  I think this carries over into all of our movements.  Range of motion is something that can easily be “cheated,” without ever thinking about it.  Squatting below parallel every time, throwing the medicine ball over the line every time, and hitting your chest on the bar every time are all things that sometimes get pushed aside when struggle and ego take over.  Are they hard?  Sure they are, but they are supposed to be!  Too often I see someone give up on challenging themselves in a workout because they fear the clock.  To be honest, the coaches and I are the most proud when we see you grind it out.  When we see you doing singles on ring dips, we love it because we have all been there, and without going to that place, you can never truly appreciate when progress occurs.  Why are you still on the purple band? Maybe, because you never try without it??  I know, crazy!  Obligatory safety message “We don’t expect you to put yourself in harms way, and we value your safety and health above all else.” BUT complacency leads to stagnation. I’ve been doing CrossFit for 7 years now.  Did anyone see me do 14.4?  I got crushed, and all I can think about is how I want to be better at toes to bar and muscle ups.  I’m determined to get better at both.  I love CrossFit because the challenges are never-ending and as soon as you think you have removed one item from the laundry list, two more get added to the bottom.  908ers, you all are the best people a gym owner could ask for.  Let’s step up our standards even more, encourage each other to try new things, and most of all, focus on YOUR OWN individual progress.

TC