Competition Thoughts

CrossFit Oakdale had a great weekend.  Team CFO took on Barbell’s For Boobs at CrossFit Parabellum on Saturday and several of our “master’s” athletes took on Proanox WOD 2 on Monday.
 
Chance and I, viagra Bob and Denny, price Tricia and Alison, Kirk and Tolla, Jessika L, Robin and Jen along with Hannah and Brody, Finn and Kate, Dylan, Jack, and Will took the challenges of Karen Meets  Grace and 30 burpees for time (for the kids).
 
For many, this was the first taste of a competitive CrossFit environment.  It was a great, positive atmosphere, the nerves were high and the competition was fierce.  Hopefully, there were some lessons learned.
 
The highlight of the event was cheering on Tolla as she powered through her final reps as Team CFO gathered around.  Great stuff!
 
First: If you’re paying attention, you see varied judging and reps.  The best advice I can give is simple: keep it legit, and control the things you can.  Always strive for perfect reps and proper movement, and don’t worry if some is getting away with short reps.  It’s all part of the game.
 
Second: equipment plays a role.  We are used to a certain type of medicine ball.  The ones at Parabellum were weighted unevenly, and this played hell with your rhythm.  I have done competitions on extremely thin pull-up bars.  Or bars out side in the seeing sun.  Or deadlifted and box jumped in a torrential down pour.  Life is hard.  Suck it up.
 
Third:  People love this stuff.  Everyone is trying their very best to finish first.  Everyone wants to stand on the podium.  Athletes will smile at you, shake your hand, then on 3-2-1 GO! they try to beat your brains in by exercising faster.  Know this.  Be on your game, and decide what kind of competitor you want to be.  Personally, I like being friendly and respectful, and I expect others to do the same.  But if an athlete tells me he’s not doing well because his knee hurts of he has a back issue, I tend to file that in the “whatever” file.  I’ve been beaten enough times by a guy telling me he has a bum knee 5 minutes before throwing down a smoking time that it doesn’t faze me.  Keep your stuff legit, control the things you can and be ready for anything.
 
Fourth:  Shake your judges hand and thank them.  Ask questions.  Do some test reps.  Tell them how you’d like to get you reps called off.  Ask how they call no reps.  This will keep you from getting flustered later on.
 
Fifth:  Everyone is different before go time.  Some people like to stomp around like a UFC fighter and get fired up.  Some people like to talk.  Others like to stay quiet.   My advice is be yourself.  I used to stomp around to get fired up, but now I just feel like it tires me out.  I absolutely love the preparations and the moments before competition.  The focus and sense of purpose is so powerful that I seek it out as often as I can.  But preparing takes practice.  I’ve dumped adrenaline 30 seconds into a WOD because I was too fired up.  That would be fine if the WOD was 30 seconds, but it was 10 minutes long.
 
Most importantly, have fun.  In the end, this is working out and we’re all better off for trying our hardest and giving it all we have.  It’s fun for Alison and I to be around such fun, caring people.  We are constantly amazed and inspired by your effort.  It’s an honor battling with you.  Let’s hope we have many more in our future!
 

 Tolla brings it home!

Workout of the Day
 
AMRAP 20
3/2 Wall Walks
15 Kettlebell Swings 53/35
30 Doubleunders*
*Sub 15 attempts