Avelyne of CrossFit Intrepid participating in her first weightlifting meet.

Today’s post is meant to inspire you to do something with your fitness that may be new to some or a part of a distant past for others – compete. Competition does many things for your training. It focuses your regimen and provides a goal towards which to strive. It also reveals a lot about yourself and tests your body and mind. Competing can also bring out that little bit extra of which you may have never known you were capable. Some people may be thinking, “I’m still too early in my training to give (insert hypothetical competition here) a try.”

It’s never too early.

This weekend, lifters of all levels came out to Cal State Long Beach and participated in the Nomad Weightlifting Classic. There was a mix of competitors ranging from novice lifters with only limited training under their belts all the way to participants attempting national records on the platform. Their experience levels were worlds apart but they were competing with the same person – themselves. Oftentimes we think that we aren’t ready for competition because we look around and compare ourselves to athletes around us that are further along in their experience and/or a little bit more genetically gifted. Instead of making those destructive comparisons, choose to compare yourself to the person in the mirror and the idea of competition can be exhilarating.

Some of you have already known the feeling of competition and continue to throw your hat in the ring. Danielle, Sean and Justus entered CrossFit’s SoCal Sectionals last spring with Danielle earning a qualifying spot in the subsequent CrossFit Southwest Regionals. Erika, Dani and Karla have all run half marathons in the last 6 months with plans to enter future events. Many of you jumped right into the Gladiator Mud Run last September. Charles competed in the Fearless Triathlon in San Diego this past weekend. Next month, 4 of us will be competing at the NLP Invitational.

Unfortunately, registration for that event is now closed but there will continue to be opportunities to test yourself in future events. One such event will take place in January at CrossFit Invictus in San Diego. They will be holding their first Invictus Weightlifting Open and it would be an excellent opportunity for anybody who would like to take a stab at a weightlifting meet for the first time. Right now details are limited but we will continue to keep you updated as more information becomes available.

The bottom line is get out there, compete (in anything) and test your limits. Whatever it is make sure that it requires you to dig deep and learn about your greatest competitive rival – you.

WOD – 11.1.2010

5/3/1 Back Squat – Week 1
5 reps, 65% 1RM
5 reps, 75% 1RM
5+ reps, 85% 1RM

Conditioning
30 seconds on, 30 seconds rest
tire sledge strikes
lateral burpees (over parallettes – NLP competitors 180° jump over parallettes)
pullups

45 seconds on, 15 seconds rest
tire sledge strikes
lateral burpees (over parallettes – NLP competitors 180° jump over parallettes)
pullups

1 minute stations
tire sledge strikes
lateral burpees (over parallettes – NLP competitors 180° jump over parallettes)
pullups

Use the calculator below to arrive at your work sets for today’s back squats. Refer to this post if you have any questions.

Enter your 1 Rep Max below to calculate your 4 week cycle