FGB Episode IV - A New Hope

As we stand on the doorstep to the coming new year, I look forward to all the beauty,change and growth that await us. To usher in the new year, the folks at www.crossfit.com give us the classic FGB workout for the day. Developed for UFC Champion BJ Penn, its a workout that can really help you reflect and measure yourself.

"Fight Gone Bad!"

Three rounds of:
Wall-ball, 20 pound ball, 10 ft target (Reps)
Sumo deadlift high-pull, 75 pounds (Reps)
Box Jump, 20" box (Reps)
Push-press, 75 pounds (Reps)
Row (Calories)

In this workout you move from each of five stations after a minute.The clock does not reset or stop between exercises. This is a five-minute round from which a one-minute break is allowed before repeating. On call of "rotate", the athletes must move to next station immediately for best score. One point is given for each rep, except on the rower where each calorie is one point. Since I did this by myself, I put 5 X 1 minute long songs on continuous loop.

I substituted a 45 lb plate thruster for the Wall Ball, and 95 lb barbell row for lack of rowing machine. I also made the mistake of using 95 instead of 75 lb for the rest. 20lbs came make serious difference! That shouldn't come as a surprise but I was really curious as to the difference, it was a nice experiment. The mental aspect of working out always fascinates me. How best to utilize my own mind to produce the best results. I was watching a show on Discovery channel where they did a study with Navy Seals, utlizing some simple steps to help increase pass rates from 1/4 to 1/3. Setting goals, self talk, visualization, and breathing - pretty amazing stuff.

They said we talk on averagae to ourselves 300 words per minute!?! If most of that talk is positive it can have huge affect. Interestingly, I've also found negative talk to have a positive effect. A sort of reverse pyschology to get me amped up if I'm too low.
I've been thinking alot about energy, what is it? how can it be best utilized? I've been looking at emotions as energy, can they be used as well in working out or performing tasks? I've tried various emotions - from anger to happiness with varying qualities and intesities and I'm still working on it. But it seems pretty clear that each emotion has its own 'energy' and can positively or negatively affect an outcome based on each situation.
A new book I've been reading, called ChiRunning, has pretty good take on not only running, but the movement of the body in general. That it should flow and be effortless.
At first glance this may seem to indicate you don't to workout any more...but I take it to mean we must be more mindful of what we do and how we do it. That technique is critical. People seem to assume that we all know how to move, and that seems to be true for children, but somehow we lose that. Kids run and play effortlessly. The even smile while the do it. In fact, the author points that out in the ChiRunning book, just getting people to smile while they run is huge.
So I made a mistake perhaps in not smiling during todays workout, I need to incorporate this idea of effortlessness into things like FGB. I wonder which emotions might help best..I'm not sure, but I do have hope.

Happy New Year!

Body
Crossfit WOD FGB
3 X 5 animals + 5 elements
continuing Zone like meals

Mind
3 Chapters in Redwall
Started filling out Daily Diet pocket log book
2 chapters in Zone - How to Eat in the Zone

Spirit
25 minute sit spot with awareness exercises
Fox walking 10minutes
Parkour rail training 25 squats, 25 jumps