For some the New Year represents a perfect time to reflect on the past 365 days, plan for the next 365 days, establish goals, and get a sense of what it will take to achieve those goals. For others, it’s just another day, no big deal. Neither one of those folks are wrong, just living differently and if it works for them that’s awesome. However, now that the attention of the New Year has settled some it’s time to talk about an important subject that can relate to the New Year, life, goals, and obviously CrossFit. I’m talking about none other than the metric of success.
Let’s focus on your time in the box as a CrossFit athlete. Naturally, CrossFit gravitates towards a metric of data, that being weights and times to solidify a sense of success. Archilbald Athlete did Fran in 9 minutes his first time, 6 months later he did it in 4 minutes. Bam, success, improvement, champagne from the heavens, and a weekend parade.
Or Debbie Doubleunder hit a one rep back squat at 135 pounds, now she’s knocking out 185 for her one rep. Kicking ass and taking names!
Is that all we’ve got for success in CrossFit? I happily and over-energetically say nay, good sir or madam. This is an important lesson for the beginner just stepping foot in the door all the way to regular who’s been coming and working for years.
CrossFit likes data, it creates a baseline for both competition and personal improvement. I absolutely agree with the concept of keeping data (bust out your journals, everyone, jot down those important numbers and times), but there is more diversity to how we should appreciate our lifelong commitment to our fitness.
Moving better, feeling better, increased mobility, more resilient or positive mood, mental toughness, increased dedication to learn and apply that learning, improvement in self image, and a whole host of other perspectives are just as, I’d argue more so, important than that back squat number.
Here’s a timely and perfect example… this month is overhead squats. The unglamorous badass of the squat family, the hidden gem of mobility, core strength, and midline stability. Some of you will hit OHS PR’s this month, and for that I congratulate you mightily, ring some bells, high five your neighbor, and truly celebrate the work it took to get there. Some of you, however, may not hit a PR by the end of the month. Guess what? I still congratulate you mightily, let’s still high five that neighbor and celebrate the badassery of your dedication this month.
I’ve coached tons of people in the OHS over the years and it has proven to be one of my favorite lifts, not just for the benefit it brings to the whole body as a system, but also what it can teach about success.
Regardless of the numbers hit at the end of this month, ask yourself some of these questions as it relates to your OHS: Are you moving better than you did at the beginning of the month? Have you shown up every time to put in the effort of working that proper active shoulder position? Have you fought for even a little extra mobility in the bottom of the squat position? Do you have more awareness of what your body is doing as it engages the full range of motion in the squat? Have you identified things you are doing well in the OHS and things to continually improve as time goes on? Do you have a better sense of what the lift should feel or look like when performed properly?
The list of questions can go on… but I assure you there is improvement for people putting in the effort.
Don’t get me wrong, this isn’t a “everybody gets a gold star” scenario, but that is what makes CF and functional fitness such a sweet supplement to life. There is always more to improve upon, new ways to view a challenge and reestablish goals based upon tangible previous successes. We are all together embracing the suck and success. Some of us will be stellar and sensational at the OHS, some of us may be wonderful train wrecks, but ALL of us can improve, we can ALL learn to move better and develop greater awareness of where we are and need to go.
Obviously this can be extended to all things we continually work on CrossFit, one athlete’s treasure is another athlete’s trash and vice versa. So long as you stay focused and accountable on your own improvement in a way that empowers your definition of success, you’ll be prepared to embrace the glory of both the trash and treasures. Not everyday is unicorns sprinkling rainbow cupcakes on our special snowflake selves, but everyday is a chance to work toward identifying and realizing your metric of success.
So now when you are sipping on some tea, enjoying (or not so much) the snowfall under a snuggie, and reflecting on future goals and present strides in life, take a moment to appreciate the tale of the OHS, the nuance of success, and the effort in achieving it for yourself.