Focus

This morning I went into my old stomping grounds at Balance Gym to get my max effort front squats in.  I felt very strong, and (using kilograms) got to 135 without any issues.  But anything more than that just crushed me.  I was so frustrated because I wanted to break that 300# mark (135 is 297#) and I just could not do it.  While thinking about what to write for my next post, I was going over how distracted I was going into the lifts.  I had old friends around, catching up, talking, smiling and so on, and I was just not focused, much like the past couple sessions at CP.  I then proceeded to look over my posts for the past month or so and noticed a pretty obvious theme throughout: I was not working at my potential, and I was coming up with a lot of excuses. 

I can not believe I have been sounding like this for so long.  The way I normally think about an exercises is: if I was not able to perform is is because I was not prepared enough to perform it.  There should be none of this "there were too many people around", "it was too late at night", "I slept wrong" and so on.  I should be at the level now where if I feel as though I am not prepared for a lift or exercise, I should re-work my programming to make sure I am prepared.  There is no point in doing something I know I should not be doing.  I need to focus on things more!

Here's what it should look like, and the way it will look from today on:  when I approach the bar, the weight, the starting line, whatever it is, I will empty my mind of anything that does not promote executing the event I am committing to at that moment.  If there is a thought of doubt, a fleeting idea of what I might want to cook for dinner or that I'm too tired to do this, if there is a person next to me wanting to chat, or a TV or radio playing something I really want to see or listen to, I push it all away for that moment.  I will step away, take away those thoughts, ask the people to respect my need to workout, turn off the TV and get focused.  I am re-committing myself to getting after it the way I need to if I actually want positive change.  Nothing will stand in my way of getting better this week, this day, this hour, this moment.  There is always time to talk, to goof off, to listen to music and watch TV; but that time is not before a lift, before a metcon, before a run or before a challenge.

Now don't get me wrong, this is not me saying that you need to be that negative stereotype CrossFitter, vomit dripping from the side of your mouth, blood mixing with your sweat as you scream and curse your way though a workout.  No, in fact, please, please do anything in your power to NOT be that person.  What a pain in the ass that person is!  Smile when a workout is completed, slap hands and give hugs, even if you didn't achieve a PR or get exactly the time or weight you wanted.  Take it seriously because it's what you love to do, because when you get ready to do your thing, there is nothing in the world you would rather be doing.  Focus on your exercises because at that moment there is nothing else that matters but you and the workout.  Embrace the joy of the struggle to lift the weight and reach that finish line. 

I am re-committing myself to the love of fitness.  I am focused now.

Never Stop, GET FIT.

Josh Courage