WOD Spotlight: 130118

3 Rounds:
Row 500M
Box Jump 20 (24/20ins)
Single Unders 100 (feet together or alternating)
--GO ALL OUT--
If time is less than 12:00 = 10 Burpees
If time is greater than 12:00 = 40 Burpees

So, you walk into the box and the first thing you do is stare at the whiteboard. You study the movements, the repetitions. How many rounds? How much is it going to suck? And then, once you've assessed the WOD, your eyes move to the numbers. You find the people who are fast. You find the people whose times or loads are often close to yours, and you make decisions. Sally made 6 rounds, so you take 7 chips. Or Frank deadlifted 300lbs, you're going for 305.

But what happens when you walk in and there is tape covering the previous sessions' numbers? How do you decide what your own performance, intensity, should look like?

Additionally, you notice there is another incentive: cash out burpees -- but you only have to do 10 if you can get your time under 12 minutes. But wait... you can't gauge whether or not you'll be able to actually manage the WOD in under 12 minutes, because you can't see what Becky did (because if Becky didn't get in under 12, then you sure as heck won't be able to...)

This was last Friday's WOD. Full of uncertainty and complexity, and with the added expectation that you should GO ALL OUT. Each athlete, without the knowledge of other athletes' performances, had a different approach. Some decided that, because there would be no way at all they could finish in under 12, they'd be doing 40 burpees no matter what. Others worked so hard they surprised themselves, either with a 500M row PR or by completing each round of box jumps unbroken.

It's useful at times to push ourselves past what we think we should be able to do; sometimes we need to measure our own intensity with metrics other than the performance of others. Sometimes we need to just go. all. out.

Patty, Eric, Mike M, and Joe T rock the rowers in the 11:30 session.