In more than one occasion you probably heard me saying “you are stronger than you think you are”  or “when you think you can’t go any longer, you actually can”.  Those two have been my mantras since….. well… since my brain tumor (but that is another story).  CrossFit actually is a culture that allows us to see our potential, to see how far we can go.  I have heard many things yelled by a lot of people during workouts, including but definitely not limited to the traditional four letter words and or the grunts that come with them… you know what I am talking about.  We all have heard them and have made us laugh or shake our heads.

A couple of days ago,  I had an epiphany about CrossFit and how it has helped me to build my mental toughness,  “I can do another set”,  “I can lift another few pounds”, “I can actually go faster”, “I am stronger that I think I am”.  I have been lucky enough to see people transform their bodies and their attitude after started to train with us.   It has been inspiring and I ask myself:  do you know how strong you are?   When you come to the gym, what is your mental attitude?  I doubt that you come thinking I’ll lift as little as possible or I’ll try harder next time I come.

Think about that, for a moment, next time you are in the middle of a WOD,  or anything for that matter,  think about that.  Think how far you have come and how far you still have to go. Think about when was the last time someone (outside of your CrossFit friends) pushed you to be better, to be stronger, and to be awesomer!!  Take advantage of that encouragement and aim higher.

I have a few friends that go to a “traditional” gym and simply pretend to workout and assume that that is the norm.  I get the feeling that a lot of my friends outside of the CrossFit culture are OK with that.   That, it is Ok to aim low, it is OK to cheat on your reps, that it is ok to go to the gym and read a magazine while riding a bike and call it a “workout”.  It is NOT OK at SCCF, we are really not interested in making the WOD easier for you, but we definitely will modify the WOD so you work as hard as you can.

Just remember, you are stronger than you think you are.   With that attitude you will change your own expectations and deliver more.  You will surprise yourself…