barbbraden

From day 1, no matter our fitness level, our goal is to complete the WOD. Most of us modify, striving to take steps to some day write unassisted pull ups, completed double unders, did a 24″ box jump, or the holy grail, RX. The real question is when the opportunity presents itself to increase the weight or take away the rubberband; do we really take the challenge or hold out for something more comfortable? Have you told yourself, yeah I can do the first round or two but it might be too challenging  after the next few, and I really don’t want to be the last one standing. Don’t kid yourself, we have all done it.  This is where the nudge comes in.

We all need something or someone to push us out near the ledge.  For some it might be the competition of staying 1 for 1 to a fellow athlete, others peer pressure, but more than not, it is usually the coach that looks at you and says, “what, no way, grab something heavier,” or “haven’t you been on the red band now for over a month, you can’t use it until you fail without it.”  Most of the time coaches catch us from doing stupid things, but when it matters, they are usually the first to push the issue and press that we need to step it up a bit. 

So we listen to the coach and set up our station in complete fear.  We were already pissing ourselves seeing a 20 minute AMRAP, now the stomach is rolling.  In our minds we have already lost the battle.  So right before the go button, we hear, “you have the ability, just stay focused, push yourself and reset when necessary.”  All of the sudden we are in beast mode, still terrified and ready to pee ourselves, but ready to give it a whirl.

Then it happens, just what we thought would happen, we couldn’t go unbroken, we were falling behind our normal pace, we are seeing stars; what in the hell am I doing?  TIME!!

Falling over, exhausted, can’t remember what day it is , or any other lack of sanity and bodily function – it happens.  WE DID IT! Might not have been real pretty, might not have set any records, might even be a little dazed; but we did it.  And more importantly it feels really good to have done something 20 minutes ago we were ready to throw in the towel.  Beast mode is on!

I write this little tid bid as a reflection.  I have been working hard to improve myself as a competitor.  If asked, most of the people I work out with would say I tend to push myself every time and might need the reins pulled in at times.  However, we all have fears, and to overcome them, no matter how much we push ourselves, we need a good support system and a willingness of others to call us out when the going gets tough. 

I accomplished two things today, a 135 lbs. hang clean 5 times and an overhead squat at 95 lbs. 10 times  in two separate AMRAP WODs. Neither of which would have been on my “let’s try this out today” list, but I did it. And I did it because my coach not only knew I needed to be pushed, but believed in me to know that although I might be challenged, in the end I would succeed.  I wasn’t as fast as normal, nor was I looking as effortless as usual, but my confidence and my drive to be better moved up a notch. I don’t just know what is need to improve, I felt and lived what I need to do to improve. More importantly my ability to move forward when I could have quit.  My mental capacity and gratification of accomplishment gave me new life.

In the end, all I needed was a nudge.