Friday, January 31, 2014

Trainaversary Blog Special Edition (Part 2.5) - "It's All In Your Head"


Tomorrow is My First Crossfit Throwdown.  I snagged a registration for this 2 days ago and I was pretty freakin' terrorified...I was okay with the first event. It's a series of lifts that require strategy and form. Form I have. Strategy I'm learning, so it's a good way for me to stretch myself. I've been so focused on lifting heavy that I'm finding the balance of lifting heavy but without rest. That means lifting lighter and faster will give me a better chance at solid score rather than lifting heavy but taking lots of rest.

But then I read the rest of the challenges and, well, I started to believe that "Throwdown" was just a nice way of saying "Throw up".

You've read about my work out audio commentaries before. I once broke up with my fat, outload... on the treadmill... It went something like, "Hi Hips. You know.. this isn't easy for me. You've been with me for a long time. You've seen me through a lot. Good times and bad. But it's time for you to go. Let's face it, we've been going different directions for a while now..." I've also broken up with my belly and my thighs publically.

Sounds crazy but I was having some great inner dialouge as I read what will be required of me tomorrow.

Here's just a small sample:
"The Gauntlet" - "ooo... Valkerie needs food badly!" (Bonus points for those that understand the classic video game reference)
750m Row - Okay, that's not so bad. Pace myself nice and easy for the torture to come...
60 Lunges - Icky. Ouch. Doable, but... ouch
45 Kettlebell swings (53#/35#) - 35lbs isn't so bad, but... 45?!
30 Burpee box jumps (20"/16") - Holy Fashisznit!!! 16 inches?! Ugh. Well, I can do them, but AFTER 60 lunges AND burpees?! Oh vey... don't fall on your face...
Bumper plate run (45#/25#)  - Got this one down.
 
"Foundational Medley"
5 min AMRAP (As Many Rounds/Reps As Possible)
10 Sumo deadlift high pulls (65#/45#) Hm... I've never done these, but 45lbs of anything isn't too bad.
10 Push press (65#/45#) Ow... but 45lbs isn't too bad.
10 Front squats (65#/45#) Can do... but wait... that's AFTER the 60 lunges?!?!
immediately followed by
2 min AMRAP Double unders I've accomplished a grand total of 5 of these last year... this is gonna be a 2 minute flogging...

Is this a "Throwdown" or a "Throw up?!"
 
I was freaking out about this for about 24 hours, and then it clicked...

Instead of focusing on the competitive peice of these 2 brutal sets, I'm going to use the same strategy I did in the Strongman in August. I'm going to finish. I'm going to do the best I can and treat it like a REALLY HARD  day in the gym with Trainer Guy.

Suddenly, it didn't seem so scary. Not because of some Scottish Yoda wisdom or magic of Trainer Guy. While he did encourage me to sign up, he, in fact, will not be attending. But I've come to realize that 95% of this is health game is mental. In fact, it may even be 98%. Attitude can get in your way, or take you places. (Except maybe for double unders... those are at LEAST 10% in the wrists... but I digress.)
The crazy thing, it's COMPLETELY within my control which path I let me brain go down.

So , I've shifted my focus from "OMG That's scary!" and into "Okay, I can do this. Just get through each movement and do your best. It's not about placing. It's just like a long session with Trainer Guy. No PPQ. It's my goal in the gym and it's my goal now."

(For those not familiar with PPQ, it means Do Not Puke, Pass Out, or Quit. I'm fairly sure it's our family crest.)

When they say, "It's all in your head," they are right.
 
 

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