October 16th, 2012 
John What comes first body or mind? Do you hate your body so much that you train hard OR do you understand that your body needs to be challenged and simply give it what it needs?
I tend to lean towards the idea that we are mentally weaker than we are physically strong. Do any of us truly understand and know, mentally, what it means to physically challenge ourselves. Not to say that Marathons, Ironmans, Tough Mudders, MS150s, professional sports aren’t physically challenging. I’m talking about the mental and physical dedication to bettering oneself as a human being every moment of every day. Helping yourself by helping other see they way. When was the last time you learned or tried something new? When was the last time you taught something to somebody? When or have you ever mastered something? Did you leave the gym a better a place than when you arrived at it today? Was the workplace a better place because of something you made happen? What context do you look at making your mind and body stronger or is CrossFit simply just that?
This guy below has an interesting take on mind and body training…
“You are your own master, you make your own future.”
SKILL/STRENGTH
Back Squat
WOD
20 Pullups
30 Squat Clean Thrusters
20 Pullups
For Time
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i only did 10 pull ups each time. my hands weren’t ready for the 20/20
I don’t know if I’m more impressed by the ease of one handed push ups or the ease of solving the cube. It’s sad that I can’t do either.
For me it’s definitely a mental thing. I’m not a super great athlete, but still I’m constantly amazed by even my meager abilities. I think I’d get better faster (at everything–both in and out of the gym) if I just thought more highly of my abilities.
For me it does come down to mental challenges (which relates to my physical confidence-think that’s what Mary was saying too!)also relates to challenges at work (and what I feel I’m good at versus not. For example-I’m less mentally strong and more challenged for things about which I’m less physically confident (namely: the one rep max (or heavy weights or max box jump)! My “comfort zone” is what most of my previous athletic training involved and that for which I’m physically confident: that is sustained high effort but not max effort (such as what one exerts in a triatlon or distance running race). In that “realm”, i’m mentally confident-translates to confidence for those LONG Multirep WODS..but less of a “challenge”. So as much as I get a bit nervous for those max rep days (or big presentation days at work!), when I face my challenges I feel a lot better/stronger than had not faced them.
Funny – when I trained just because I wanted to look a certain way, I got nowhere. Now, I approach my training just like I approach work – challenges and wanting to achieve something. As a result, little wins (e.g., toes to bars) give me the push for the next bigger challenge. It’s mostly mental for me.