Patner WOD at Crossfit ATP
I’ve been thinking about how others affect my BJJ and Crossfit training. Here are a few of the roles that I play.
Healthy Competitor
Healthy Competitor
Last Friday night at CrossFit I was near a girl who consistently finishes the WOD (Workout of the Day) faster than me and lifts heavier than me. My personal challenge to keep up with her played a big factor in my finishing the brutal workout in 15 minutes. I wouldn’t have been as motivated to keep going if not for the dose of healthy competition.
There are a few healthy competitors in CrossFit and I’ll continue to station myself by them for each WOD -especially on those days when I’m just not feeling it. In BJJ, I'll continue rolling with them with the goal of strengthening my game.
Mom
Rolling with a new person in BJJ, and even more so, rolling with my daughter, kicks my maternal instinct into overdrive. I don’t want to squish them, I don’t want to hurt them, and I don’t want to discourage them. I know, I know – I’m not helping anyone if I’m not giving a fair fight. That won’t prepare them for competition. I’m working on it.
There are a few healthy competitors in CrossFit and I’ll continue to station myself by them for each WOD -especially on those days when I’m just not feeling it. In BJJ, I'll continue rolling with them with the goal of strengthening my game.
Mom
Rolling with a new person in BJJ, and even more so, rolling with my daughter, kicks my maternal instinct into overdrive. I don’t want to squish them, I don’t want to hurt them, and I don’t want to discourage them. I know, I know – I’m not helping anyone if I’m not giving a fair fight. That won’t prepare them for competition. I’m working on it.
Partner WOD's in Crossfit can turn me into either Mom or a Healthy Competitor. Depends on the partner.
Funny thing is that oftentimes, the people I mother quickly surprise me by turning into healthy competitors. My daughter included.
Funny thing is that oftentimes, the people I mother quickly surprise me by turning into healthy competitors. My daughter included.
Weak Girl
This is the one I have to fight the most. I’m no longer allowed to say that the guys are too heavy or too strong, but that's a hard habit to break. Again, working on it.
Student
This is the one I have to fight the most. I’m no longer allowed to say that the guys are too heavy or too strong, but that's a hard habit to break. Again, working on it.
Student
This is a role I like to play. There is still so much that I need to learn and perfect. Everyone I train with has their own strengths and I believe that I can learn something from anyone.
Rolling with Marcelo can make me feel like a ragdoll , but I know when I'm doing something right because he lets me do it. The opportunity that I have to roll with a black belt as often as I do is so valuable to me.
Run Your Own Race
Perhaps, I should try running my own race more. What does that mean?
Actor Danny Thomas, once told his daughter, Marlo, " When thoroughbreds run they wear blinders to keep their eyes focused straight ahead with no distractions, no other horses. They hear the crowd but they don’t listen. They just run their own race.."
Wouldn’t that be better? After all, aren’t I really doing all of this to better myself? With the exception of competitions, should it matter how I compare to others?
PS –Our CrossFit facility was mentioned in a recent local news story – check it out.
Perhaps, I should try running my own race more. What does that mean?
Actor Danny Thomas, once told his daughter, Marlo, " When thoroughbreds run they wear blinders to keep their eyes focused straight ahead with no distractions, no other horses. They hear the crowd but they don’t listen. They just run their own race.."
Wouldn’t that be better? After all, aren’t I really doing all of this to better myself? With the exception of competitions, should it matter how I compare to others?
PS –Our CrossFit facility was mentioned in a recent local news story – check it out.
I try very hard to run my own race, because too often when I look around, I compare myself to others and I usually find myself lacking (which is NOT true, just the result of my own tinted glasses, so to speak) I try to remember that there is someone else who may be looking up at me as an example the way I look at *example person here* and use that as a motivation to continue to push myself even though all of those temptations to not work as hard are there.
ReplyDeleteYou're a mom, a wife, a healthy active woman, you practice BJJ, and you compete in BJJ. You seem to be running your own race to me. You just have blinders own, so you can't see.
ReplyDeleteTake care,
Jodi
@ Regina - good point. I only hope that I can be an example person :).
ReplyDelete@ Jodi - Thank you! :)
Great post!
ReplyDeleteAnd I agree with Jodi. =)
Thanks Stephanie!!
ReplyDelete