The Art of Building Yourself Up

CrossFit is an endless process with endless possibilities. The hidden beauty is that there is no program to finish, no end results, and you will never have “accomplished” CrossFit. No matter where you start, the only way is up. The opportunity to be fitter, faster, stronger, will always be right in front of you. CrossFit is starting with what you got and building upon that strength and form. Your base strength becomes different each WOD building more and more in one-way or another. One more rep, one more pound, one minute faster… each accomplishment is like a refresh button, re-evaluating your fitness.  The only way to go is up, and the opportunity for growth is limitless. How do you grow? One step at a time, one day at a time, one WOD at a time. This is a journey, not a fad, not a quick fix, and not an easy way out. It will consist of commitment, dedication and belief in yourself.

The first step is stepping into the box with a positive attitude and realization that your success will be measured over a lifetime, not the next hour. Whether it is your 1st or 1,000^th WOD, one workout alone is not going tell you if you should quit your day job and become next years fittest at the games, or just pack up your kicks and go home to your Twinkies and your couch. While that may sound better than inhaling chalk and lying sprawled out on the gym floor gasping for air, you are better than that and your body is capable of so much more than pressing a button on the remote control. Be confident, and give your body the chance it deserves to prove your mind wrong. Be happy with the process and celebrate each and every accomplishment with fireworks and a parade. You're worth it, and in a month when all these little gains amount to a dramatic increase in weight on a lift or finally doing a WOD entirely prescribed, you will get it.

The next step… keep at it. Keep WODing, keep pushing your limits, and continuously set goals. The October newsletter shared great tips on how to set goals to be realistic and attainable, read it. With each goal met, you have built up a little more strength, endurance and most importantly confidence that you can do whatever you set your mind to. You may not see it right away. You may not come out of each workout having reached a new PR. You may not walk out the gym in need of bigger shirts (or smaller for that matter) but if you keep at it and stay consistent, you will see your gains the day you carry all the groceries in on one arm, or beat your time on a leaderboard WOD by half.

Two steps, endless possibilities. Simple as pie…

Of course no road is without its bumps, so this is not to say that you may not have a bad day or two. Sometimes our performance may be lacking due to sickness, sore muscles, stress, or just an off day. It happens and unless it persists past a couple days, it is no big deal. Remember, your success is measured over a lifetime, not a single day. If you still feel discouraged because of a bad day, tell someone. Talk to your fellow athletes, they've all been there and will tell you it's normal. Let it go, move on, and know that whatever accomplishments you have made can never be taken away. If you did it once, you can do it again, again I say, “if you did it once you can do it again.”

 If your bad day turns into a bad week, your body is telling you something. Are you recovering with proper rest? Are you eating the proper foods to fuel your training? Do you have any potential injuries? Evaluate how you feel, what you are eating and if you are taking enough time to recover. Make adjustments, and get back at it. Learning about your body is never a set back. Knowing how your body responds to different variables is priceless and will help you achieve your goals faster.

So get out there and start improving! No matter how big or small of a step you take, take it. You will go nowhere if you don’t move. The art of building yourself up is patience and persistence. Stay confident and proud of the steps you do take. Set goals and remember, whatever it is, “if you did it once, you can do it again.”