So the first part of my work out today was 3 sets of 1,000m row with 5 minutes rest in between. The goal was to go at 90% effort and get the same time each attempt. Nothing about this sounded fun, but I made a commitment to follow OPT programming so I knew I had to do it. I thought about this work out and knew it would test my endurance. Anything that tests my endurance is so hard for me, I always want to just give up. I knew that I could row around a 4:00 1k, but could I do that three times? Would five minutes be enough rest? Sure enough, I was right on point and complete all 3 sets sub 4:00. I definitely feel like all the hill climbs and running I have been doing, in addition to the intensity of my CrossFit training and a healthier diet, have all helped me to improve tremendously on my endurance.
The mental defeat did not stop with the rowing. I knew what was coming my way in Part 2: a chipper that started with 25 Handstand Push-ups, followed by 15 muscle-ups. Umm... HSPU are not a problem but 15 MU's! wow. I thought this work out would take me over an hour to do. I was not excited at all because I thought it would be awful (and somewhat embarassing) to have a very long time. Muscle ups can be less difficult at times, but when a set of 15 is followed by 25 HSPU's I knew my shoulders would already be fatigued. I finished my HSPU's within the first 1:15 of the work out, and muscle ups took me 10 minutes alone. They were extremely challenging, I was catching myself very low. I failed on 2 reps, which is a lot harder on my body than a completed rep, so that caused a lot of frustration. However, the work out went a lot smoother than I had anticipated; I went in with a poor attitude today, but I surprised myself with what I could do.
The bottom line is, "it's not about how good you are, it's how bad you want it". If you set your mind and tell yourself "I can do this", soon enough you'll believe yourself and your mental state becomes reality. Always remember that you truly can do whatever you set your mind to. It is not only difficult to set your goals, but the hardest part is to never give up; you have to overcome mental defeat and work through any challenges or obstacles in your path. Realize that giving up is the easiest thing to do, and anybody can do it. There is nothing admirable about it. In whatever it is that you're passionate about, set goals, stick to them and just know that nothing is easy. People will admire your dedication and hard work, and it will pay off.
I find that it's best to write down your goals. Hold yourself accountable, and maybe grab a friend with similar interests and goals. It is a lot easier to achieve a goal if you have a companion for the journey!
TRAINING:
part 1:
Row 1K @ 90-95%
rest 5 min
Row 1K @ 90-95%
rest 5 min
Row 1K @ 90-95%
(same times/set)
rest 1 hr
Part 2:
for time:
25 HSPU
15 muscle ups
20 thrusters - 135#/95#
30 box jumps - 24/20"
50 GHD sit ups
150 double unders
RESULTS:
Part 1: 3:57.6, 3:57.3, 3:57.9
Part 2: 24:24
I finished my day going for a walk with my beautiful dogs. I didn't take a picture of them today but here is one of my favorite pictures of my dogs: Lucy and Roxy.
