In any aspect of life, the amount of focus you put into the task is a great correlate to how successful you will be.
Imagine you are in the beginning stages of a fight, and unexpectedly someone has a hold of you and spins you around the room. If your focus is on your target (the person who is holding you), his relationship to you, and how you are going to get out of, or destroy the target’s hold on you. Your brain will automatically figure out the quickest, most optimal way to do it. Needless to say, if you have the proper training, and your focus is on, things will not end very well for the target.
Now take the same situation, if you are being swung around, and you notice your girlfriend timidly looking at you, the guy wearing the pink shirt standing by, and the brand of soda that other dude has, and at the same time worrying about how this fight is going to make you late for the movie you are trying to go see…. Unless you hone in your focus to the target, it won’t matter how much training you have had. Your focus is not on getting out of the targets reach, things will not end good for you,… probably with your face being smashed against a wall.
I live under the knowledge that if you are 100% focused, nothing else is possible. We create everything in our own world.
Weight lifting is part of this world. And in our gym, we lift heavy weights. The squat, deadlift, press, snatch, clean, jerk, and all versions of these lifts are very complex. There are some people that dedicate their entire lives to mastering some of these lifts,… and still have room to improve.
When everyone in the gym is about to lift a heavy object, I want to see focus. I want to see complete spinal stabilization before the lift starts (that means no looking around). I want to see all the correct muscles firing before and during the lift. I want to see the proper breath work. I want to see eyes focused. I want to see stance, grip, and position tended to. And I want all of these things to stay consistent through the lift all the way until the bar or object is out of your hands. When people loosen up on the decent, its where most injuries happen. Don’t be lazy.
These are all very important. Because once the lift starts, your body has to act. And if you didn’t take time to focus your energy on preparing your body for the lift, this could mean failure, and even worse: injury.
So before a lift, nothing else should be running in your head. The only thing that matters is how are you going to DO IT. Do not think about how heavy the bar is, or how you failed once before, or if you are scared. Get that stuff out of your mind, and do not let it come back, ever. All your focus needs to be on doing….
And as a side note about etiquette: If someone is lifting, do not stand directly in front of them. And most definitely do not stand directly in front of them eye balling them. It is impossible to focus if you are standing in front of them, a certain percentage of their thought process will go into you. So much like bowlers wait till the next lane is done throwing the ball before they go,… wait your turn! You don’t want your classmate focusing on how much sweat you have on your shirt instead of the lift they are doing…
WOD 11-19-10
Strength:
Overhead Squat:
3-3-3
Work:
Athletes:
Run 530m
25 Power Snatches (75lbs/ 45lbs)
25 Knees to elbows
25 Power Snatches (75lbs/ 45lbs)
25 Knees to elbows
25 Power Snatches (75lbs/ 45lbs)
25 Knees to elbows
Run 530m
Competitors:
Ski 1000m
25 Power Snatches (95lbs/ 75lbs) -For Quality
25 Knees to elbows -Straight set
25 Power Snatches (95lbs/ 75lbs) -For Quality
25 Knees to elbows -Straight set
25 Power Snatches (95lbs/ 75lbs) -For Quality
25 Knees to elbows -Straight set
Ski 1000m
CrossFit Mean Streets
Downtown LA
