Choose The Wrench

“Good Will Hunting” offers some great advice about being hard as fuck.

Will: “He used to just put a belt, a stick, and a wrench on the kitchen table and say, ‘Choose.’”
Sean: “Well, I gotta go with the belt there.”
Will: “I used to go with the wrench.”
Sean: “Why?”
Will: “’Cause fuck him. That’s why.”

Since I’ve heard tales of woe about the workout last night, I wanted to address them here unilaterally. Part of what went on last night is a major mental component of your training. If you want to be able to face any challenge in CrossFit, or anyplace else for that matter you have to think like a warrior. Everyone struggles with this at times, myself included. However, when I’ve been able to perform at a high level, it’s been because of the ability to think this way.

In case you missed it, yesterday CFNE was tossed a little curveball. The workout that was posted was called “Decepticon.” It contained a 95 lb. barbell, which was part of the ruse. Just before the workout began the coach warmed up the class; he gave a pep talk that was a little more rousing than normal. Then he dropped a bomb on the unsuspecting athletes.

Everyone was ready to muddle their way through “Decepticon,” then they had the carpet yanked out from under them. Something to the effect of, “OK, athletes set–oh, and now you’re doing ‘FRAN!’ 3,2,1, GO!” (If you’re unfamiliar with CrossFit, “Fran” is explained here.)

To the unindoctrinated, imagine waking up and enjoying your Saturday morning with a nice relaxed cup of coffee, thankful to not be working. Suddenly you realize that–oh my god–it’s not Saturday, it’s Friday.That’s the feeling.

I’m going to break this fucking workout in half. It will rue the day it dared fuck with me.

More than one person bemoaned this chicanery.

When I heard about it I was pissed I wasn’t there. Like there was an epic party with the weirdest shit ever heard of and I missed it. I was almost dejected. Why? I love challenges like that. I think all competitors do, or at least learn to. I’m sure the elite competitors among us all feel that way. It’s a complete paradigm shift; flipping the switch so to speak. So that when you’re mentally prepared for WOD XYZ, then at the last instant someone drops a bomb on you (and giving three seconds notice you’re doing “Fran” is basically dropping the Tsar Bomba) you don’t react negatively. Instead of, “Aww, what the fuck!” or, “Goddammit!” It’s more like, “Oh fucking yes!!!!” and instead of thinking this sucks, and It’s going to hurt and that you’re not going to PR, etc.–your inner monologue is closer to: “YES. I’m going to break this fucking workout in half. It will rue the day it dared fuck with me.”

Choose the wrench.

When the challenge, the fight, the slap in the face becomes a welcome visitor. When you learn to see the challenge instead of the calamity or hardship, and love it. That’s when you’re ready. That’s when you are able and willing to shift into what CrossFit legend Josh Everett calls the “other gear.” It’s a state of mind where the pain is there, you feel it, but it doesn’t matter. You’re above it. You’re now refusing to be broken. You realize you can run a little faster or hit a triple instead of a single. Just decide to do it, it’s that simple.

You must train yourself to love the suck.
It’s what we do. This is our kung-fu, and it is strong. When you’re ready to do Angie and then at the last second, oops, we’re doing “DT”; instead of getting pissed or feeling sorry for yourself decide instead to own it. Crush the workout for interrupting your afternoon. You are more powerful than it is. Its smug entrance to your day is an arrogant, F-smiling attempt to take your heart. To stop you from succeeding and steal your opportunity to hit a PR, or to get better, faster, stronger. Send it back to the dark ages. Why? ‘Cause fuck him, that’s why. Choose the wrench.

Note: Originally published December 29, 2010 (Original blog post here).