WODing to Learn

Learning to do new things. It is why you all choose to come here. You want to be able to do real workouts. But real workouts take real movements, that take time to learn. For the most part at CrossFit Mean Streets we have time to learn in warm up and after workouts. But what about using new skills during a workout?

Every week I see people do things that they have never done before. This last week I saw Nick get his first pullup, Nishant string together 20 double unders, and Peter (along with GMO also, but I didn’t see it) do his first Muscle Up… And I don’t remember who but I am pretty sure one of our females climbed up a rope for the first time. Along with countless PR’s set by many people.

Each one of these athletes have been working for weeks or months on these skills. And they all told me that they wanted to be able to achieve it…. and it happened. They each had to work almost daily untill it happened. I had to go through the same desire/work/achievement progression that they did for every skill I have. And I am still learning.

The beauty of this is that the skill that they worked so hard for is now theirs. Pretty much forever.

So what happens after you have achieved something? You cannot be content with just doing it once. How do you go about using it if you just learned how to do one?

Well the answer is you have to start attacking this one skill like we all attack fitness itself: from all angles. We must work it for quality in practice, we must work it while fatigued, we must work it for repetitions and work it for time. And these are just the beginning stages, most skills can be improved in quality and efficiency forever.

This means coming back to it in warmups and paying attention to every part of it. This means seeking out coaching to modify your new movements. This means going heavier in a workout because you think you can. This means choosing to give up a fast time in workouts because you are going to trudge through 100 actual pullups instead of using the assistance of a band.

And guess what,… because you destroyed yourself this time,…. next time will be easier.

So pounce on these new skills with enthusiasm. Use them freely and soon they will be yours to do effortlessly. Then move on to the next goal, and conquer that. It is a never ending cycle where achievement is always possible. We are upgrading our bodies and mind to ELITE status, it won’t come easy,… but the road is glorious. You just have to choose to want it.

WOD 12-20-10

90% Body Weight Barbell Chipper:

2 Full Snatches with 90% Body Weight
10 Pullups
4 Overhead Squats with 90% Body Weight
10 GHD Situps
6 Floor Presses (benchpress from the floor) with 90% Body Weight
10 Handstand Pushups
8 Squat Clean Thrusters with 90% Body Weight
10 Ring Dips
10 Barbell Rows with 90% Body Weight
10 Back Extensions
12 One handed deadlifts with 90% Body Weight
10 Burpees
14 Power Cleans with 90% Body Weight
Then unload bar and do 5 thrusters with all parts including the bar. Do not drop empty bar!

-Weight cannot be switched throughout workout. If you need to scale down for any movement, use the same weight the entire time.

CrossFit Mean Streets
Downtown Los Angeles