We had a coaches meeting the other night and one of things we identified that was lacking was some longer duration workouts. So, following the meeting, Matt wrote a workout for Tuesday: AMRAP 45 minutes of 1200m run, 50m pinch plate carry, 10 wall walks and 42 double unders. Low and behold, I walk into the gym that night and there is nobody there. Well maybe not nobody, but damn close. So why the low attendance…because many of you clicked on the website, saw the workout and decided to skip it. That is, quite simply, crap. I hear all the time about how people aren’t good at things. Alot of people say they aren’t good at running, double unders and long workouts. Hmmm…last time I checked you have to practice things you aren’t good at or you aren’t going to get better. Joe V isn’t a particularly big guy. He noticed that his strength and lifting abilities weren’t up to snuff. So you know what he did? He lifted. All the time. Now he has one of if not the best body weight to strength ratios in the gym. Side stepping our weakness is a cop out. You have to look the adversity in the face and then grab it by the horns and kick its ass. Im not telling you that weaknesses will become strengths overnight. What I am telling you is that if you choose to expose your self to discomfort and to things that you don’t like, that by simply doing the task it will seem less daunting every time you do it. Don’t like running? Then go run. Doesn’t have to be a ton of running. You don’t need a 5 minute mile, but every time you run it will seem less like a chore. This goes for everything we do in the gym and in life for that matter. The snatch probably looked overwhelming the first time you saw and did it, but as time went on, it became more natural. Besides the running, I would bet that the 45 minute AMARAP scared some of you away. I would also be if that workout was written as 4 rounds for time of 1200m run, 50m pinch plate carry, 10 wall walks and 42 double unders many more would have shown up, EVEN THOUGH IT STIL L WOULD HAVE TAKEN 45 MINUTES TO DO. Don’t let perceived limitations and obstacles stand in your way. We become better people and better athletes by jumping in even when the water is cold. So bottom line, the next time you see a workout you REALLY DON’T want to do, then know that it is a workout that you NEED TO DO.
AMEN!!! All you Cherry-pickers need to show up because I suck at everything and still come to get my ass kicked …. HTFU and get to the gym!
I’ll tell you I suck at lifting also and even though I may be the TINYest in the gym, practice makes perfect! Hope to see you all at the RUNNING class too!
This wod should come up again in the near future like maybe next week (Tuesday) and the week after that. We gotta mix it up once in a great while. Like a great wise man said (who we all know), “Don’t let perceived limitations and obstacles stand in your way. We become better people and better athletes by jumping in even when the water is cold. So bottom line, the next time you see a workout you REALLY DON’T want to do, then know that it is a workout that you NEED TO DO.” Great post tell it like it is. Can’t wait for the RUNNING CLASS MAY 15th, 2013 MARK YOUR CALENDARS!!!!!!
Quite honestly, I couldn’t agree more. We all start somewhere and that somewhere usually isn’t perfect. These longer workouts make me cringe at first but, I suck it up and say “if not now, when?”
My new box in Denver does not post their Wods the day of the workout for that reason. Their mind set is you should be ready for anything. If you know it is something you don’t like and decide to skip you will never improve on your weaknesses.
That workout rocked! Great programming Matt. 🙂
You rock! 🙂 Thanks Monica!