9/22 Mental Toughness Thursday

Joanna looking solid with her alternating plank rows. 
Joanna, today's featured athlete, has been battling an old shoulder injury ever since her fist day of CrossFit. However, that has not stopped her from consistently attending our 6am classes. Every class our coaches modify the workout to accommodate Joanna's current range of motion and strength. Every class her range of motion and strength improves. 

Joanna is a competitive swimmer and has terrific mental toughness. She could have let her old injury derail her. She could have easily rationalized herself out of the 6am classes. She could have easily thought it was too difficult, too much work for the coaches, or let the fact that she was always doing something a bit different from everyone else get her down. She has stayed consistent and patient. She turns up the intensity where she can and maintains a constant focus on mechanics and consistency. 

A common pitfall of many folks is to fall prey to all or nothing thinking. All or nothing thinking is the faulty logic of, "I can't do something, so I won't do anything." All or nothing thinking creeps up on us when we're injured, stressed, scared and tired. We erroneously think that since we can't do the workout of the day as it's written, eat 100% Paleo every meal for every day, or can't make it to the gym as many times as we like we should just not try. 

When we fall prey to all or nothing thinking we are not living in the moment and we fail to recognize our ability to choose. Breaking out of this faulty logic loop takes deliberate action. First, it takes acceptance of our current condition. Once we are fully present and aware of our current condition, we can make different choices. 

​Mental toughness is recognizing that it's small, consistent, incremental steps/changes/choices, that keep us on the path to greatness. We choose to come to the gym even though we probably have to modify everything. We choose to eat differently at our next meal despite what we ate at the previous one. We celebrate the days we actually make it to the gym rather than lament the days we didn't. 

Today's Workout 
Skill Work: Turkish Get-up
then, 
Every minute on the minute for 20 minutes  
Odd minutes: 10 Kettlebell overhead squats  (5R/5L) - pick your load
Even minutes: 10 Dumbbell alternating plank row - pick your load

​Today's workout might show us our strength and stability imbalances. You might notice significant side-side differences today. So many movements use both arms or legs at the same time. It's really important to move our limbs independently. Oftentimes in our daily lives we move, lift, carry, push, pull things unequally. 

Today you get to pick your own load for the workout. Pick a load that is challenging, but does not compromise your form. It should take you no more than 30 seconds to complete each movement. This workout tests our core and shoulder strength and stability, muscular endurance, coordination, and balance.