Monday, 4/25/11
Shoulder Press – 5-5-3-2-1
W.O.D. – 3 R.F.T.
10 Back Squat – 40% One Rep Max
10 Burpees over the Bar
300 Meter Run
Stress… Pressure… Nerves.
Sometimes we come into Verve to get rid of them. This gives us a chance to take the stress of jobs and daily life, put it on the back burner for a while and do something healthy for our body. But does coming in and seeing a certain WOD or movement on the whiteboard ever create stress? Does the thought of doing a workout with a judge and people watching/cheering only take the fun out of it for you?
Your body reacts to this stress. Your breathing rate increases, your heart beats faster. If you’re not careful, this tension can cause your body to want to get your task done as fast as possible. This isn’t always bad if it’s a workout for time, right? Maybe, maybe not.
Why do some athletes find success under pressure, while others can’t seem to break? In a study published about the experiences of athletes during their greatest moment in sports, “….more than 80 percent of [them] said they felt no fear of failure. They weren’t thinking about their performance. They were immersed in the activity, in the zone. The probability of achieving the outcome you want increases when you let go of the need to have it.” -The Mind Gym, by Gary Mack.
So when the time comes that you see a movement that’s a “goat” for you, you see a workout that plagues you, or when you are in front of a crowd, ask yourself what is the worst that can happen? You are supported by trainers and athletes that are always rooting for you to do your best, but will give you a pat on the back and high-five no matter how it goes down. That you are putting yourself through this pressure in the short-term everyday so you can live an awesome, active, long life ahead of you. That you’ve put in that hard work and training, so it’s time to let it shine. Remember a time when that pressure has worked for you, and focus on your task. Only let everything and everyone else come into focus when you yell, “TIME” with your last breath and collapse, knowing that you’re only getting better and stronger day by day.
Stress gets a bad rap, let it bring out the best in you.