« Welcome August 7am bootcamp | Home | Chicken Waldorf Salad with Yogurt, Blue Cheese and Chive Dressing »
A Rationale of Working Out Hard!
By Keith | August 11, 2008
As I was watching the crazy efforts today with our maximal effort work outs, It made me think: “Why are we asking these people to do this? Why are we asking this 68 year old woman to challenge herself with her push ups, pull ups and high pulls to the point of exhaustion. To the point that she is getting ready to faint?” When is she ever going to have to push 45 pounds over her head 22 times.
The reality is that we don’t just ask people to have a general level of fitness. We don’t ask you to go for a walk on the beach. We ask you to have an extraordinary level of fitness. We ask you to be ready to pull yourself out of freezing cold water into a boat if you have to. We ask them to be ready for whatever life throws your way. Literally, we are creating Heroes!
As crazy as that sounds it is true. Maybe not the ones we see on TV or in the movies, but real ones. Arthur Ashe defined it best by saying that “Heroism is remarkabley sober, very undramatic, It is not to surpass others at all costs, but to serve them at whatever the cost.” One of the greatest sins in life is to be presented with the opportunity to help yourself or possibly others and are not be prepared or ill-equipped. I don’t know about you but I would rather be push myself to my fullest potential and be equipped for that exrtraordinary act of kindness rather than lazy in my efforts and fail when the time to act comes.
I’m not talking about the Navy Seal who saves a company of 25 fellow soldiers, but the 125 pound nurse who has to lower a 275 pound man to the ground with her deadlifting skill without hurting herself or the patient.
Some us may never get to use these skills in our life time to the point of heroism, but should you not still be prepared? If we believe that we will use them, then we will be thankful that we had them. If we don’t use them, then we will have lost little or nothing. I have made my choice.
There are many heroes amoung us. Are you one of them? Are you ready to serve?
Topics: Articles, Cynergy Central | 2 Comments »
August 11th, 2008 at 8:26 pm
Keith,
well put together. If you go on the crossfit mainsite, Jon Gilson put a nice video together that was posted on the WOD for Tuesday August5. Its posted by ‘Againfaster’. Besides being a very intense video, the closing statements sum up what crossfit is and what it is designed for. Certainly one of the better videos I have seen to date……
August 12th, 2008 at 3:21 am
Well said Keith!
I too was fortunate to witness that extra push from CrossFitters yesterday. That one last rep effort, the sheer determination that came from deep inside, the cheering and support of others int he room that knew that there was more.
You are all Heroes in my book!
Well done!!