I just wanted to take a minute and talk with you guys about consistency in your training. As you know or have experienced, CrossFit punishes inconsistency/infrequency. It punishes those of us that are consistent actually, so if you are only making it once a week or have numerous weeks where you do not train, you are really in for it each time you train. This can be very disheartening with rewards coming in the form of never ending soreness, little/no gains in technical skill or WOD numbers, little/no change in your physicality and just a general lack of progress. Like many things this is a cyclic pattern, so one infrequent visit does not encourage the next infrequent visit.
Here's a secret. Motivation follows action. Not the other way around. No one has ever gotten motivated sitting on their couch watchin' the tube. Not really. What will motivate you is training consistently 3x week and the substantial gains that come with this committment. That's 3 of your 168 hrs. you have alloted each week folks. This kind of behavior is also cyclic but results in positive reinforcement rather than the negative reinforcement previously referenced.
The vast majority of us are motivated by doing well in comparison to our peers, doing well in comparison to our previous performances in the gym and seeing definitive changes in our physicality, work capacity, indicators of health and mental state. CrossFit pays out in huge returns but like everything else in life, nothing is for free. You cannot capitalize on these things without consistent training.
Here's another secret. All those things that keep you from coming in here and busting your ass each day will never go away. Never! You will always: be super busy, have to find a sitter for the kids, have a pulled muscle, feel tired, have to negotiate the time with your spouse/significant other, feel bloated, feel conspicuous, be afraid, have to suffer, look silly, and just plain ole' not feel like it. I have news for you. That describes all of us! The only thing that differentiates us is whether you walk in the door or not. Period. Just do it.
At the risk of being redundant, I leave you with this video. Many of you have seen it, some have not. It is still fantastic though. And no, I do not work for Nike.
17 comments:
Basically what I got from this is get your fat A$$ in and put out everytime.. I know I am paying good money to get my WOD on. I have always struggled with my weight, but I have gone from a frumpy 27-28% body fat when I started and now I am right at 19%. (I used calipers in my measurment). I know I still have some to go. I will never be as ripped as some people, but I am feeling much healthier and never am really sore for more than one day after even doing a super hard WOD. I used to have chronic back and shoulder pain on a daily basis, but no longer have this due to Crossfit. I just want to thank you Ian, Chappy, Jeremy and whoever else for helping me to feel less sick and healthier every day.
Adam
Thank you Adam.
Not sure how interested I am in you putting out though.
That video clip was awesome and inspiring. As far as putting out, I know there are some pigs (no not cops!) in the gym who would have a comment about that! I meant it in a performance aspect only!
that video makes me misty everytime... Ian you forgot to mention that when you get fit; you get to buy new clothes! I for one love hearing "Welcome back to Nordstroms Mr. Armand"...
Good post Ian. I dont think that post is directed to any one person. It's for all of us. Even if we are making our 3x a week there is probably some area of our training that we are neglecting. The great thing about X-fit is that it lets us know where we are lacking. I for one struggle greatly with endurance. The thing I feel the worst about though is how I've let my jiujitsu training slide. I have used all of the excuses Ian listed as reasons for not training.
Ian, thanks for putting that out there! It's a good challenge - I know it's a reminder I need every once in awhile (ok, every time I think the WOD is too indimidating)! It's easy to say "I'll go tomorrow" or "I'm not sure I can do that yet"! When I first considered joining the gym my friend said "remember, you aren't out to win any awards or impress anybody, it's about improving your quality of life ALL THE WAY AROUND - physically, mentally and emotionally - just for you." 3 hours a week to make that kind of life improvement really is a small speck of time when you think about the larger rewards!
So ditto what Adam said: thanks to you, Jeremy and everyone else who are always so encouraging (including everyone else who works out there) and keep us going (and making us put the weight back on the bar and just finish)!
As for my excuse, I have been battling wisdom tooth extraction pain (dry sockets), and a really messed up tendon in my knee. Everyday I sit here I wish I could Crossfit so bad, and I get so frustrated when I see these awesome workouts and know I can't even squat right now dude to my knee. I assure you once I am healed up I am going to give 110% and accomplish all of the goals I have set out for myself. I feel 200% ready for Navy ROTC Indoc (9 days away) because of Crossfit and I know I will be able to smoke everybody there due to the training I have received at CF Littleton.
As Chappy said, I know this wasn't directed at anyone in particular, but I really took it to heart. I am really passionate about Crossfit and the extremely valuable information I get from Ian, Chappy, Jeremy, Arnold and everybody else everytime I come in. My fitness level has increased so much in the past month due to everyone pushing me literally past my limits and never letting me accept defeat even in a tough workout like Murph or Fran. I am so lucky to have been introduced to Crossfit so early in life and have such great mentors at the gym. So thanks for everything guys, and once I am healed up I will be in to kick some ass. Have a good weekend guys/girls.
As a side note, I think everyone should post their short-term goals as comments on here just so we have something to work towards.
As for me, mine include:
-35 consecutive pullups
- Handstand pushup on paralletes (thanks Ian)
- Clean and Jerk 200 lbs- got the Clean, never tried the jerk
- 80 pushups in 2 minutes
- 20 Dead hang pullups
What are some of your guys goals? Let's make them happen!
All kidding aside, my goal is 3x per week with a Saturday bonus round... It may sound sick but when I see a really hard one I kind of get excited now. I used to get a knot in my stomach. It was so bad I would literally not eat lunch. Now I just keep looking at the WOD like some unknown treasure waiting to unleash its benefits of pain. Weird yes, but true... I looked at today's WOD at least 10 times before the workout... like it is going to change or something. I am a CrossFit dork.
TJ my goals are very similar to yours just one higher...
In that case add two to all of my goals... :)
Hey, glad all of you guys and gals like the post. You are all doing great, keep it up!
And thanks to everyone for the thanks. It makes us feel really good about what we're doing.
Heal up TJ, I know how hard it is to have down time. I am the worst at it!
And don't bullshit everyone Chapman, you know I'm talkin about you.
"Excuses excuse us from fulfilling our potential." - RB
and we all know the "truth" of excuse vs. injury, situation, etc...
and even when we are using excuses.. we are doing the best with the tools we have (give yourself a break yet don't let yourself off the hook), so when Ian posts something like this.. what new tools do you/we have in our arsenal? what will it take to move forward .5 percent even?
I get to examine, accept the truth and ask for support where needed.
thanks Ian, Brent, Jeremy... and all my cohorts. :) moving forward slowly is still moving forward.
AMEN! 'Nuff said.
C'mon Karen, it would be nice if you showed up every once in a while :)
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