The CrossFit Games Open begins on February 22nd. Registration has been open for 2 weeks already! ALL of you should be competing in the Open. I repeat: ALL OF YOU SHOULD BE COMPETING IN THE OPEN!
It’s not about how good you are or how good you are not. It is simply about HOW MUCH BETTER YOU WILL BE by participating! It is going to push you into the next level of your fitness by revealing your weaknesses as well as strengths you may be unaware both on a physical and mental level.
Don’t let the “Do You Have What It Takes?” slogan scare you away. BE COURAGEOUS! Remember, it is simply about HOW MUCH BETTER YOU WILL BE by participating!
The main function of the limbic system is to keep us in a “normal” state. It is where our survival instincts come from. The 3 main areas from which the limbic system responds are: safety, sex and food. The limbic system controls how we respond to these three areas when it comes to our survival which leads to some type of addiction because it becomes the drive becomes instinctive and the hormones involved become our drug of choice. This is our coping behavior when things are uncomfortable for us.
We live in a culture that is largely addicted to food. Food is our main drug of choice that makes us feel safe (“normal”). How does this affect us as trainers and athletes?
It is amazing that CrossFit has started a revolution in fitness first by defining it (as work capacity across broad time and modal domains using constantly varied, fully-functional movements, performed at high-intensity) and by making it easily observable, measurable and repeatable.
MotivationWOD is after the part of being fit that is NOT easily observable, measurable or even repeatable, but we all know at times it is observed. At times it is measured and at times it is repeated. What am I talking about? Who we are on the inside. I am talking about why we choose to do the things we do. I am talking about where our courage and cowardice, our strength and weakness, our love and hate come from.
DO NOT FORGET: Without the mind, the body will atrophy and die. If your priority is body over mind you will fail in the game called life! But if you realize the mind, how you see and believe, who you are, takes precedence over the body and in fact makes the body stronger, you will WIN!
You are powerful beyond measure, beyond observation and beyond repetition. You ARE!
*If you haven’t visited the pages above, “What is Mental Fitness?” and “Measuring Mental Fitness” this would be a good time to check them out.
*The Spartan Race would be another fun way to express your fitness!
For those of you who have no idea or don’t remember what the Hierarchy of Physical Fitness Pyramid is (developed by CrossFit): Have you ever heard of “net ball” or “hoover ball”? Have you tried disc golf or parkour? Don’t forget to challenge your fitness with some fun play too!
Note to all: When its 2 degrees out and you only have one glove on (because you’re shooting a video with a handheld-touchscreen device, frostbite beings to settle in fast! PAIN.. lots of pain!
Historically, the nature of competition has been an idea of survival and a real ego-trip. But in a modern world and evolving society we know the true nature of competition is really all about being motivated and encouraged to push yourself harder and doing the same for your “opponent.” You each are there to push one another to the next level and that is the end result regardless of who finishes with the fastest time or most points. Your greatest enemy or opponent is really just your self. Winning is NOT important; Learning to push yourself harder through the presence of your “opponent”, having a good attitude toward them and your self and having fun is really where it’s at!
The holidays are over so let’s get focused again. It might take a couple days to get back into the “normal” swing of things, but we are good for it! Continue investing in the best vision you have of yourself- eat clean, exercise hard and work on personal development mentally and spiritually.
As human performance specialists we are always searching for primal, organic, natural and innovative ways to enhance human performance. This also means we are interested in learning the true nature of human performance- The causes thereof which might be things no one has ever understood before or has known but could’t express scientifically.
An important value of MotivWOD is understanding human performance as more than a physical subject. If you only want to discuss the physical side of human performance than you should make that obvious by saying “physical” performance rather than “human” performance. We all agree that being human is more than having skin, muscle, bones and joints. Therefore, We can NOT forget the mental and spiritual side of being human- that with the mind we create this world we experience. Humans cannot “perform” without the duo- mind & body and to investigate or attempt to enhance one without the other is to paint an inaccurate picture of what is real and to influence unbalanced human development.
Much research can be found on water molecules and their response to emotion. Emotion is “energy in motion”- a state of being and a way of experiencing your present moment and circumstances by your own creative thoughts (the way you interpret, define and, thus, choose to experience what you perceive to be real or true).
It is now understood that water is receptive to emotion and mental stimulation (or energy). We understand that life without water is impossible. You exist because water is a valuable part of what makes up you, your existence.
“And its really fascinating when you keep in mind that 90% of our bodies are water.” …“Makes you wonder, doesn’t it? If thoughts can do that to water. Imagine what our thoughts can do to us.”
THE SECRET IS OUT! Not only does ingesting harmful substances, which we sometimes call “food”, have a negative affect on our health, but our thoughts and attitude do the same! Maybe we can become more aware of what we are thinking about, are feeling and why. We know certain thoughts are beneficial to our health and others are not. You have the power to control this. Your habitual negativity is a cancer (sickness) of the mind and causes types of cancer (sickness) in the body. If you want to be healthy and perform well…If you want to be fit
1- Drink more water than any other liquid
2- Eat clean
3- Meditate or practice something that nourishes the deepest parts of you.
4- Learn to destress and enjoy yourself, even though and especially when you make mistakes
5- Learn to enjoy others even though and especially when they make mistakes
6- Commit daily to an intense, ever-changing physical regime of fully-functional movements that leaves nothing out!
Don’t let the holiday madness stop you from enjoying your self and the best things in life! Get into the habit of of spending time with your self and relax. Find time for your self this holiday season!
