The Most Wonderful Time of the Year

Schnatch like Cuhrazzy

    No I didn't get amnesia and confuse the date from doing too many burpees…this IS the most wonderful time of the year.  It is competition "season" and we get to test ourselves and see where we sit on our path to higher fitness.  Not only do we have the opportunity to measure in relation to others of a similar profile but we also have a stage that encourages breaking through preconceived limitations.  For those of you who have little experience in competition (especially CrossFit competition) or don't identify as a "competitive person," I hope the 2012 CrossFit Games will be a catalyst for taking yourself seriously as an athlete like it seemed to do for so many last year.  On the other end of the spectrum are the athletes who are HIGHLY invested in this sport and have tall aspirations for both individual satisfaction and relative placement in your division.  I want to remind you all that competition should bring out the best in yourself rather than be a means of defining your athletic value.  This time of year can be stressful when you're heavily invested but that should not take away from it being fun.  I know I at times overanalyze/overvalue this aspect of competition.  With the goal of enabling you to perform to your fullest, learn about yourself, and carry minimal stress I'd like to make some suggestions based on my experiences in competition and CrossFit in particular.

Tips for Performing at YOUR Best: 
1.  Keep your routine on game day- this is not the time to experiment with new sleeping/eating/clothing routines.  If you have lucky shoes that are so beaten down that you use tape to hold them together, wear them (like how I qualified this?).  Keep new variables to a minimum–unless you don't usually sleep.
2.  Get a thorough warmup- because there will be less coach involvement in warmups on Saturdays it is important that you are self-driven.  Warming up primes you mind and body for the event.  Do not neglect it.  The shorter the workout–> the longer the warmup.
3.  Get familiar with the movements- though you will not become olympians overnight, practicing and visualizing movements can improve your efficiency and comfort with the skill.  If you have been consistent and committed then the programming will take care of your level of fitness and at this point improvements will only be neurological (take place in your noggin).
4.  Visualize yourself doing the workout- I mean it.  Think about how you are going to feel before, during, and after.  Prepare yourself for the pain to come and be confident that you will keep fighting.  Mentally callous yourself and realize competition is going to require you to find a new gear.
5.  Have a plan- think about your pacing, when you will rest, size of sets, and even your breathing.
6.  Throw the plan out the window- When you finally dive in and find out that you are (a) moving to slowly and will not use your gas at the current pace or (b) starting off too hot and will implode at the planned pace then it is time to make a change.  Getting to know your engine takes a lot of time and retrospective thought.  A mature athlete will take cues from their body and adapt a plan on the fly while an immature athlete will go out guns-a-blazin' and be blindsided when their body CAN't respond (trust me on this one).
7.  Don't let your previous performance affect the next one- if you didn't perform up to expectations then use the following week as an opportunity for vengeance rather than a precursor of things to come.  Conversely, a stellar performance in week one in which you found that new gear does not mean you coast the next four weeks.  Come to terms with the fears evoked by experiencing new depths of misery and be ready to stare it in the face again.  It's better to overreach than to settle because there's much more to be learned.

For me the video was more difficult to watch than funny.  I chose this is one in particular to demonstrate that (a) small differences in pacing can make a big difference; even elite athletes don't know EXACTLY their best pace.  (b) We should not necessarily pass the judgement that when an individual slows down they are lacking mental strength but may in fact be physically incapable.  She clearly has the will but physically cannot support it.

"We should design failure into our practicing." – Dr. Bernie Novokowsky