“Convince the mind and the body will follow” – Unknown
The biggest challenge of successful WOD times and optimising your performance is often mental. Picking up the barbell when your mind is telling you otherwise, walking instead of running when your mind is telling you that your legs need a rest.
2014 CrossFit Games Champion Camille Le-Blanc Bazinet talked closely about her tips to success on CrossFit Radio Episode 163.
Camille LeBlanc Bazinet’s 3 Tips to Mental Success
1. As you transition from one exercise to another force yourself to start the first rep immediately.
For example, if you are performing Cindy, once you complete the last pullup, immediately perform the first pushup. This avoids the tendency to take relatively long breaks between movements and prevents you from succumbing to mental traps (if you already did one rep then the old “I’m not ready to start the next exercise” excuse doesn’t really cut it. Wuss.)
2. Run, do not walk, as you transition from exercise to exercise.
This will help you stay focused on the task at hand. Do not take a detour to check if anyone texted you, I already checked for you, all your friends are too busy watching Friends reruns, eating cheetos, and wiping that nasty orange stuff on the bottom of their couch cushions. Run! Once you arrive at the next exercise see step one above.
3. Stay positive.
Alright. I know what you’re thinking. This is one piece of advice I didn’t really need Mr. Sunshine. Maybe, but Camille’s take on this was very specific to moving heavy weights. Since, she weighs about the same as the average kindergartner, I’d guess this is a mental challenge she faces on a regular basis. So when prepping to attack a weight which is going to test you, remain positive, don’t rush into it, and get yourself positioned and set up perfectly before starting the lift.
Implement these tips on how to keep intensity high and your mental game sharp and start dominating your WODs!
Credit:CrossFit Games Radio – Episode 163
Photo Credit: FitMark Bags / OC Throwdown 2013
