Archive for July 11, 2010

Failure: When Your Best Just Isn’t Good Enough

Days left to CrossFit Games: 5

failure1 The workout yesterday was not a long grueling one and I was not particularly tired doing it, not something I have said about any CrossFit workout. Yet it was the closest I have been to not finishing a workout at all.

The workout:
4 rounds for time:
3 snatches
150m run
7 kipping pull ups

I was not sure what weight to use for the snatches. At Regionals the individual girls had to do several sets of 10 snatches at 95#. For one girl who looked about 100lbs herself, 95# was her max. She could barely even handle the first one. But she did another rep. And then another. And pretty soon the whole crowd was cheering as she battled each rep to finally complete the workout just barely under the allotted time. Since we only had to do 3 reps at a time and my max is around 90# I was inspired to try it. Ugh! The first two went up (barely) but I could not get myself under the bar on that third rep! Each time it took several attempts and on the third round I could not get the last rep at all. I had to remove 5 pounds from the bar just to finish the workout. Very disappointing.

My trainer wants me try to compete with the individuals at the Colorado Open at the end of August. If the workouts are just right for me I have the potential to finish pretty well. Like if we do 21, 15, 9 deadlifts at 155# and double-unders like we did this week I would kick butt. That workout only took me 3:30. Unfortunately my weaknesses are so bad that if just one of them tossed in the mix I could go from great performance to not being able to finish a workout at all.

Oh well. Nothing ventured nothing gained, I suppose. The “demotivator” in the picture cracks me up but I do have a real answer to it. Your best is only your “best” on a given day. So when your best is not good enough you always have the option to set out to make it better than it was on that day. I feel really determined to tackle my weaknesses (in CrossFit but also in life in general). And here they are:

1.  Snatch – Most I can handle in a workout is about 85#.
2.  Overhead Squat – Most I can handle as a 1 rep max is about 85#.
3.  Chest To Bar Kipping Pull Ups – After 3 reps my chest no longer touches.
4.  Handstand Push Ups – I cannot touch my head to the ground and get back up.
5.  Muscle Ups / Dips – I cannot do a muscle up at all and can barely do 2 dips on the rings.

To a lesser degree but still needing help:
1.  Push Ups / Burpees – Both have improved dramatically yet I am still about half as capable as the other two girls on my team.
2.  Clean and jerk – I can get by but its not pretty.
3.  Diet – Obviously better than it has been in the past but my discipline but still needs serious work.

In another workout this week we did 3 rounds of max rep push ups (chest must touch the ground). I did 22, 17, and 12 for a total of 51. Rosanne did 42 on just her first round! I think her total was close to 100. Then there is Sean who did 100 on each of his first two rounds and 80 on his third. That must have taken forever. I am convinced he only decided not to finish all 100 in the last round because he got bored.

Sigh. I have a lot of work to do.

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