Central South Texas Sectionals – or The Mental Games We Play

This past Wednesday I took on “Murph” – a marathon of a Crossfit workout. The workout consists of a 1-mile run followed by 100 pullups, 200 pushups and 300 air squats followed by a 1-mile run… all while wearing a 20# weighted vest. At the goading of a training partner, I decided to up the ante and wear a 30# vest (Go Hard or Go Home!)

The workout took me 1 hour, 1 minute and 30 seconds, and I finished all but crumpled on the ground in the fetal position. But never, not once in the workout, did I even contemplate or entertain the idea that I would not finish the workout.

Since I started crossfitting in October of ’08, this has been the MO: finish the WOD. I have been through lots of extremely difficult training (3 a days in the hot and humid Florida summers anyone?) and plenty of grueling crossfit WODs, but never have I ever tapped out or given up. I pride myself on my mental toughness (I might not always be the best, but I will work harder than anyone…) and take great satisfaction in destroying my body.

This was not the case last weekend, when I competed in the CSTS at the Camp Mabry military base, here in Austin, TX. I finished a very respectful and humbling 23^rd out of 135 men, considering the amazing collection of athletes that showed up to compete.

The first two WOD’s were difficult and challenging, both physically and mentally – but the third and final workout was arguably the greatest test of mental strength I have ever taken on. The workout was as follows:

15 barbell thrusters @115# :: run 100 ft :: 50 one-arm kettlebell snatches @ 24kg :: run 100 ft :: 100 double-unders :: run 100 ft :: 50 kettlebell swings @ 24kg :: 100 ft farmer’s walk with kettlebell :: 15 barbell snatches @ 115#.

I was moving through the WOD nicely and thinking I would finish with a good time until I got to the last 15 reps: 15 snatches with 115#.

I made it to the bar, dropped my kettlebell, set my feet and got ready for the first of fifteen snatches… I made my move and the bar made it about 1/3 way up my body when… nothing. I dropped the bar and bent over to catch my breath. My body was screaming and I was sucking wind. I had felt this before, and knew if I just focused, I would make it happen. I set up and went for rep one again… the bar got to my chest where it rested. The judge yelled out “NO REP!” I let the bar fall – angry and frustrated.

What followed were the hardest fifteen reps of any workout… ever. It took me somewhere in the vicinity of 7 minutes to finish the workout (I finished with a total time of 15:44). 7 minutes for 15 reps. This was the first time I had ever actually thought “I am not going to finish this workout.” I still don’t know how I did…

There was literally a battle being waged inside my head: one side saying I could not finish, the other side telling me I had to. Once again the angels won out over the demons, and it was not without two valuable lessons being learned.

Lesson 1: I must win the war before I step onto the field of battle (both physically and mentally).

Lesson 2: I am powerful beyond measure.

Congratulations to all those who competed and the 30 men and 30 women who are moving on to compete at regionals in Ft. Worth May 28-30. I am grateful for being able to compete and having prevailed victorious, and my heartfelt thanks go out to all those who made it possible. My goal? Compete at the 2010 CrossFit Games.

Next stop: FT WORTH!

It is upon us...

I have been training since last April for this... The CrossFit Games. It is here, the time is now. I will step onto the field of battle, and I will be victorious. No excuses. Only mental fortitude and physical prowess. This is it.

Warrior.

Gladiator.

Go there - get lost.

I will not be outworked.

I am not afraid to die.

"Thus it is that in war the victorious strategist only seeks battle after the victory has been won, whereas he who is destined to defeat first fights and afterwards looks for victory."
-Sun Tzu

"In every battle there comes a time when both sides consider themselves beaten, then he who continues the attack wins."
-Ulysses S. Grant

"Victory goes to the one who has no thought of himself."

-Shinkage School of Swordsmanship

INVICTUS

Out of the night that covers me,

Black as the pit from pole to pole,

I thank whatever gods may be

For my unconquerable soul.

In the fell clutch of circumstance

I have not winced nor cried aloud.

Under the bludgeonings of chance

My head is bloody, but unbowed.

Beyond this place of wrath and tears

Looms but the Horror of the shade,

And yet the menace of the years

Finds and shall find me unafraid.

It matters not how strait the gate,

How charged with punishments the scroll,

I am the master of my fate:

I am the captain of my soul.

-William Ernest Henley, 1875

I can only imagine the lives of my forefathers. I can only imagine the hardships they must have endured, as everyday life was a struggle to survive. Survival. This word has all but lost its meaning in today's world. At the time of the first humans, survival was literally LIFE. They never knew what would await them when they woke up... what great beast would be waiting to make them their next meal. They had to search out food and water, track prey, kill it, and eat it. They had to climb tall trees to reach highly fibrous fruit (not what we today know as "fruit". They had to forage for nuts and berries, gathering a handful at a time...

Today, we wake up in our heated or cooled homes, on a comfortable bed, go to the grocery store in our cars, buy pre-packaged meat and vegetables, buy nuts and seeds by the bucket-load, cook with pots and pans over a gas or electric stove, and drink potable water from a faucet piped directly into our kitchens. We never have to worry about where our next meal will come from, or if a hungry lioness will try to make us her next meal.

I am not proposing that we revert back to the stone age. What I propose is that we take a look in the mirror and a look at our lives. How hard is it? For me, the answer is: EASY. If you are reading this, then your answer should be the same. You are sitting in front of a computer, looking at words that have been posted on the internet. Wow.

The closest that I can come to the survivalist days of my ancestors is to try and imitate the way they ate... Weak sauce. I try to imitate the way they lived by pushing myself to my physical limits as much as I can bear... A feeble effort at best. I want to take this moment to honor all those who have come before me: those who fought off harsh winters, famine and predatory animals... all those who survived the bubonic plague in Europe, made the trip from there to the Americas and started new lives - unknowing of the future that awaited... all those Men and Women who endured the most brutal landscapes and wars and environments to SURVIVE.

I would not be here if it were not for them. Neither would you. So I ask again: How hard is your life?

I ask you to read this poem again. Try to comprehend what he has so greatly expressed in simple words. Will you encounter hardships? If you are alive, you most likely will. It is your mental attitude - your unwillingness to be conquered by anything - that will make you a man or a woman. Will you be beat down by work, relationships, stress and finances? Will you let your MID get the better of you and tell you that you CAN'T do this, or CAN'T do that because of X, Y and Z? If that is the case, the reality is that you WON'T do this or that, because you have already decided not to. Make the decision to push past the boundaries of mediocrity and be great. Make the decision to LIVE.

INVICTUS.

We Are

We are the coaches of CrossFit Central.

We are no different from you . We wake up every morning, put on our clothes, eat our breakfast and get on with our day. We love what we do. We coach. We train. We experience success and failure. We push ourselves to the limits. We fail. We try again - and again - and again - until we produce results. We sweat and fall and bleed and feel. We are a dedicated team. We are friends. We are family.

Sound familiar? That's because we are you. We have all been where you are and experienced what you are experiencing. You are no different from us... Sure your Fran times might be a bit slower and you might have a little less on the bar on a max rep day, but we have all been there. Some of us are still there.

If there is a lesson to be learned, it is that we all have UNLIMITED POTENTIAL. It is inside each and every one of us. The only difference is that we have made a decision to commit to the LIFESTYLE: healthy eating (lots of it), mental determination in our workouts, and proper recovery afterwards.

However, our development goes far beyond the box... Personal development is paramount to success in life. EDUCATION: Are you a perpetual student of the world? How often do you read? What do you read? Do you listen to motivational and inspirational people? Brian Tracy, Jim Rohn, Tony Robbins, Susan Conrad - these people are a deep well of knowledge: they have mastered the keys to effective communication and life skills necessary for success in today's world. UTILIZE every resource you have (and you have the world and everything in it) to better yourself and those around you.

Make the commitment, take the plunge. No excuses.

EPOC Challenge

CrossFit Central's EPOC Challenge is up and running! Body comps have been taken, goals set and the first WOD is under our belts. Q: Who will have the best results? A: The most dedicated and focused individuals. Period.

8 Weeks - a small amount of time, yes. But in 8 short weeks, with the right diet, crushing workouts and clarity of purpose - anyone can achieve any goal. Time to put up or shut up.

Join us?

We are the insurgents...

There is a war going on for your mind.

In one hand there is hope, prosperity, strength, health and success.

In the other hand there is despair, poverty, weakness, malady and failure.

All of these are choices. We choose the beaten path, or we choose the path less traveled. Every second, every minute, daily, weekly, monthly and yearly we choose. "It's too hard. I can't. He's better, stronger and smarter than I am. I'm too tired, it's too cold or too hot." It's not that you can't. It's that you won't.

We believe that we must train our bodies, but what about our minds? The mind is the most powerful tool that we as humans have. It can overcome any adversity, push through any pain, and achieve the greatest accomplishments, if only we let it.

How often do you train your mind? Do you read? Do you think? Do you plan?

Training the mind is not an easy undertaking... quite the opposite. It is one of the most challenging things anyone can do. It takes an iron will and the process can last a lifetime.

We must recognize when our ego speaks to us, telling us to stop, to slow down and give up. Here is the important part: Don't judge the voice. Acknowledge it, see it for what it is, and then say: "Fuck You" and push past it.

Nothing can stand in my way except for my mind.

Time to revisit my goals

It's time to revisit my goals. If you have never set goals for yourself, it is one of the most inspiring and life-affirming things that you can do and I highly recommend it. It is not easy, however. If you have never done it, I highly recommend listening to Brian Tracy's The Psychology of Achievement. EXTREMELY powerful stuff.

Goals must be realistic, specific and powerful. You must write them down. You must own them and set out a specific timeline by when they will be realized. Where do you see yourself in 10 years - 20 years - 50 years?

Start with where you want to be; who you want to be and then work back to plan out each and every step you will take to arrive there. Then: DO IT. Goals are nothing if action is not taken.

Development is a process. Mental, emotional, spiritual and physical growth takes place over time. You cannot expect to achieve your most difficult goals while taking the path of least resistance... Be ready to invest everything you have: time, money, emotions and willpower.

Are you ready to develop? You cannot develop others without first developing yourself. You cannot lead people where you have never been. You cannot help others if you first do not help yourself and prepare yourself for the hardships that will come with these trials and errors.

The quicker you fail, the quicker you will find success.

Just some thoughts.