Chris and Andrew's first muscle ups. Congratulations, guys.
Sharron's favorite class.
When I was younger I lived and trained martial arts in Tokyo. I used to hang out at this one bar a lot. It was dark and dingy, small and cramped and it smelled, and it played really loud rock and roll. There were always fights and holes getting punched in the walls and it stayed open until 5:30 or 6 in the morning. The bar was populated by an eccentric and pretty unique set of characters, such as old Asia hands, Japanese bikers, gold smugglers, rock and rollers. In short, it was the quintessential Far East hangout and as such the perfect place for a 19 year old with a hearty sense of adventure.
I would always pause a moment at the top of the stairs (the bar was an old underground storage cellar) and take a deep breath. My pulse would always quicken and excitement would tingle through me. A little burst of energy would jolt me. There was this delicious feeling of dread and apprehension all rolled up with that excitement and energy. You see, I never knew what I would find in that crazy old bar. I never knew what would happen each time I descended those narrow stairs. I never knew how the night would end.
Well, now I am a lot older and don’t go out to bars and drink (it just ain’t Paleo ya know) anymore, and besides, that great old bar has been torn down and exists only in legend now. And I am sure I would complain that the music is too loud anyway. Not too mention that I am usually looking longingly at my pillow at about the same time as I used to pause at the top of those stairs. Yeah I know, but…well I guess it happens to us all.
Here is the interesting thing though, back when I was training with Highbarger and Amundson at the old HQ, I used to get that exact same feeling before each class. I would start to feel it in the car driving over. A tingle of excitement and dread and energy and nervousness all rolled into one. I never knew what the WOD would be before hand. I just knew that it would be hard and scary and fun and it would leave me flat on my back with a big smile on my face.
I never connected the two feelings until recently. For the past year or two, pretty much since the old HQ closed, I have been doing my own programming. And it was great programming and I made huge gains and I would end up flat on my back afterwards. But I always knew what the workout was going to be and the feeling just wasn’t the same. Lately, due to some injuries and lots of work and what have you, I lost my motivation to train. Any WOD I programmed for myself just seemed sort of stale and I was having a hard time getting a good workout.
I asked one of the CF West trainers, Cliff, to program my workouts. I specifically asked him not to let me know what the workout and WOD is until I am ready to train. And bam!, that first day the feeling was back. Anticipation, dread, excitement, all the old feelings. And it felt great. I had the best workout in months.
To be honest, I don’t really know what the moral to this story is. But I like the story and I like having that great feeling back. I hope you all have that same bunch of feelings before each of your workouts.
Train hard folks. Have Fun.
Please post thoughts to Comments.
Workout (courtesy of Jason H):
Clean and Jerk
7×1
Work up to 1RM and try to PR.
Then:
9, 6, 3
Clean and Jerk 80% 1RM
Burpee Pullup
Post weight and time to Comments.
I’ve had that feeling every time I’ve walked into one of your classes, Sam. And I’ve always been amazed at the thoughtful preparation of not only the WOD you’ve concocted, but also the warmup, to the skill work all the way to the warm-down. And earlier in the day or on the way over, I’ve tried to figure out what I might be in for, and I’m never right! I miss CFWSC!!
I get a similar feeling but not because of an anticipation of adventure. But more like I’m getting ready for a fight. When I first get to class I’m immediately looking for any clue to help ’size up my opponent’, the WOD. Once it’s identified I then start strategizing how to best approach the ‘enemy’ so that I can beat it. On the days when I’m late and don’t have a chance to mentally prepare, it’s like I’m caught off guard and was ‘mugged’ by the WOD.
Hey, you got your picture up. First Casey and now you. How do I put a little picture next to my comments? Great comment, Gideon, I like the analogy.
Ah, The Rolling Stone–R.I.P. You’ll always have the Emerald Inn though.
Looking forward to training w/ you animals next month. I need some feeling in my workouts.
R.I.P Farrah Fawcett
I would like to note, that after being out for a month, sick, I had all those feelings of anticipation and dread and nervousness last night. When I saw the heavy C&J, burpee pullup WOD being completed by the prior class, I almost climbed back in my car and drove home.
Knowing how much better I’d feel once I got back to it, and having that excited energy even mixed with the trepidation kept me there.
And can I just please take a moment to thank Sam and Jocelyn and Kirsten and everybody else who (encouragingly) yelled at me until I finished the damn thing? Thank you. I’m sore, but very I heart CFWSC today.
Emily, I might be biased, but I think it is safe to say that CFWSC hearts you right back.
Gideon, something happened to your comment with the web address. Can you repost it?
… Once more with feeling…
To get your picture up there you have to get it set up here: http://gravatar.com/.
Make sure you use the same email address you use when you post and voila.
I love the feeling – it’s that anticipation that gets your blood pumping and your mind focused in to the zone. And we all know what it’s like when your mind isn’t in the zone too. We’ve all gone through those terrible mental workouts. So it seems like the anticipation is a preparation tool really.
yeah most days I start lining up my litany of excuses… Im currently battling a pinkie injury
Ok but on the real, I am so glad that someone else programs the WOD, that is one of the most important parts to the CF experience. Sometimes I think it’s good to have a WOD in mind beforehand but for the most part it is awesome to come in and get worked.
yes! I agree fully that there are excuses, and then there is life… Stuff happens, and yet Crossfit is like the light at the end of the tunnel, and if nothing else it has taught me recently to hang in there mentally when I wanted to crack over things. I think there is something to what you all profess about Crossfit being an overall attitude change, somehow it goes hand in hand with wanting more out of life, and making the decision that no matter what, ya gotta find a way to eek it out when the times are flat or tough or what ever…. I felt the jittery high of what class would bring today, with my twins in tow. Thanks to Jason for being such an awesome twin sitter. Thanks for my workout today Jocelyn, it was good to be back.
PS -Lately, I have been thinking how each Crossfit class is like having a child…. or doing anything that requires total commitment for that matter, by the time you are ready for another, you forgot how f>@%^&* difficult it was to make it through the last time….and the rewards are so completely defining that it is hard to imagine your life any other way…
Ha, I am as cool as Cliff and Golden now. Gideon and Casey are way outta my league.