Ever wonder what effort looks like? There it is. Right there on Chris’s face. That’s effort.
In CrossFit, like in life, you’re either busy living or you’re busy dying. Either you’ve got the guts to go all the way to the edges of your heart, your mind, your very soul, and see what you’re really made of, or you’re a “cat.” Every workout should be like that Springsteen line in “Badlands”: I want to go out tonight. I want to find out what I’ve got. CrossFit Watertown should be where you find out what you’ve got. In fact, you should go play “Badlands” right now. It’s a song about effort and seizing control of your life. It’s a song made for CrossFit.
All of this doesn’t mean that you have to be a firebreather, or have a real pull-up, or be able to do any WOD as Rx’d. Good for those who can do those things, but double flippin’ hooray for those who can’t. Because you’re stepping out of your comfort zone and trying.
And that’s what you need to do. Try hard. Not half-heartedly, not with half a commitment. Full in or full out. In life, there is no such thing as “halfsies” . . . Commit or get the f*** out of the way for someone who is willing to commit. Life is short. Seize the moment or go find a bowl of milk and start cleaning yourself.
January 25th, 2009 at 11:35 am
Hey Lis, where is the CFW Credo? I saw it printed over the desk, but is it linked on your site?
January 25th, 2009 at 11:40 am
Uh oh.. I have a bad feeling about tomorrow’s 6 am workout. Today’s was bad enough. Main site was a killer. 6 am’ers put your beanies on and bring it manana. Maybe we can help restore Lis’s faith in mankind.
January 25th, 2009 at 11:44 am
Lis, direct as ever. I agree 100%. You never know if today will be your last. So carpe diem – seize the day!
January 25th, 2009 at 11:48 am
CrossFit Sydney’s Work Out of the Day Credo
You may talk about Crossfit!
You are not your WOD Time!
You are not your DeadLift Number!
You are not your 5min Snatch!
No One Wins a WO!
You seek Intensity over Duration!
Everyone will experience Attrition!
If the WO was easy you didn’t WO!
January 25th, 2009 at 11:59 am
I needed this today! Thanks Lis! I’m going to grab today by the….
January 25th, 2009 at 12:00 pm
@David — If you click on “Artlcles” at the top of the screen, that will take you to numerous essays that I’ve written about CrossFit.
But here’s the shortcut: http://tinyurl.com/bocsnm
@Davie: Thanks for the Sydney Credo — that’s always a great reminder. So well said.
January 25th, 2009 at 1:15 pm
@Davie- Well said, indeed! Thanks for that important reminder.
My favorite part about CrossFit is knowing that wherever I’m at right now in a workout, I WILL get better. I will be able to press more. My Fran time will go down. My Fight Gone Bad score will go up. There’s always room for improvement.
January 25th, 2009 at 1:55 pm
I have to say.. (being a CFer for only a month now) …that I have not felt this good in a long… long.. time… I am grateful to have found you all.. “Others’ can not seem to understand how I get such enjoyment out of getting my a** kicked 3-4 times a week… I am looking forward to my growth and a long, grueling CF relationship….
January 25th, 2009 at 2:10 pm
Amen to that! Great job to the sunday AM crew…no kitties there! It was a beast of a WOD for me to get thru alone after you all left! Your times kept me pushing hard!
January 25th, 2009 at 2:31 pm
@Tracey; That is GREAT to hear! Thanks so much for posting that! We are thrilled that you joined up with our merry band and we love your “throw down and get to it” attitude. “I’ve never done a burpee, but let’s do 105.” LOL You fit right in!
January 25th, 2009 at 5:47 pm
Lis, I think I just shedded a tear…
January 25th, 2009 at 7:31 pm
(Tracey — she’s serious!)
Jackie, get your butt back in here, girlfriend!
January 25th, 2009 at 8:06 pm
Lis-I am going to take those words to heart. I would have never have thought that I could have done 105 burpees because I struggle with 50 in the Filthy 50. Instead of subbing wall ball and with the support from Melissa I decided that I could do it. I will not stay in my comfort zone!!!
January 25th, 2009 at 8:13 pm
@Melissa – I can’t imagine what it was like to do today’s WOD alone. Awesome
January 25th, 2009 at 8:21 pm
Again Lis! your timing is remarkable. New year, new goals and always your motivation. We really do need to live this way or you’re not living to the fullest. I only wish I found you and CrossFit 30 years ago.
Go Hard All The Time or Go Home!!!
January 25th, 2009 at 11:43 pm
I wish that I found CF and found you guys a long time ago. Even though I can’t always be there as much as I want, something about training this way at this gym with friends really transfers to how you think outside the gym.It really is amazing how much your body can do when you really put your mind too it. I consider myself very luck to know Lis and to know all of you. It makes me so happy when people like Tracey drink the Kool-Aid we hold so dear…
But wtf do I know- I just drank my first soda in 17 days……It might just be the sugar shock talking…