In the sled & AD we trust… 150903 ~cpj

This is a picture of the final day of a 10 week cycle (two 5 week cycles)… or I guess "experiment" is a better term to use.

As I was sitting back in recovery, I made the conscious effort to reflect on the past 10 weeks, remembering each week almost in the same way I can remember each football game I ever played, and every tackle I executed or tri I scored when playing rugby at ESU.  The bike sprints… the huffing… the sled resistance… and the sun beating down on me.

I remember seeing an interview posted with the infamous Mr. Castro, and not being surprised how he said the use of sleds was a "cop-out", in avoidance of snatching and training the Olympic Lifts… a cop-out?

I took this picture because I want to remember everything about this particular fitness journey.  I want to be able to appreciate what happens over the course of 5-10 weeks… as the sled goes from 200# to 300#, as I switched from pushing to pulling, as the bike sprints get harder and harder to maintain… and as my recovery improved or I had a critical drop-off in any particular week… how my life outside of my training influenced my performance each week.

To me, on my journey… this is what CrossFit is to me.  I don't use sleds as a cop-out, or to avoid anything I don't like… here's a newsflash: sled sprints and bike sprints SUCK!!  There is a greater destruction of my theory of limitations here; more than I would ever experience trying to create the same scenario with Olympic lifts.  And… I don't avoid my Olympic lifts either… I hit them once a week too, in an effort to create balanced fitness with as few holes as possible. 

The major difference lies within each individual.  My priorities don't include my Open performance, podium finishes, or competitive experiences.  In addition, I don't allow my priorities to be influenced by what I think other people want them to be… which is hard to do in the CrossFit Community.  I want to feel good, train intelligently, and create happiness for myself via fitness… sometimes that includes competing, but my competitive endeavors are super fulfilling and not very stressful!

Many of my coaching peers struggle with the thought of having to be "an elite competitor" in order to have credibility as a coach, or an elite coach.  It's just not the case… especially in this new age of CrossFit.

The best coaches have the ability to watch you train, hear your explanations and provide you with resources and recipes for success without forcing his/her own priorities unto you.  That's a skill that takes maturity, time and experience to learn; but it creates a level of caring that leads to competency, which creates tremendous trust.

I trust that sled.  I trust that bike.  I trust my coach…