If you do CrossFit, or any other type of hard training for that matter, than you are all too familiar with the desire to stop when training. Stop because you are tired. Stop because it hurts and you’re sore. Stop because your mind is telling you that you suck, in hopes that the negative talk will make you quit. The desire to stop when things are hard and hurtful is just in our human nature and it happens to everyone – even the best of the best in our sport. That’s where mantras come in.
One of the first mantras that I remember seeing when I first joined CrossFit was the word BELIEVE, written in chalk across a mat during the 2011 SoCal Regional by Rebecca Voigt as a message to Lindsey Valenzuela. Valenzuela prepared for her third CrossFit Games by using this mantra, which has been her source of inspiration since her college volleyball days, and I’m grateful for her sharing it with the world. A few years later, I read a blog post by Josh Bridges about breaking through mental barriers and how he prevents the ‘little boss inside [his] head’ from taking over. When the voice inside Bridges’s head screams for him to put the barbell down or get off the bar, he tells himself just One More Rep.
I’m not going to lie – I’ve used this mantra many many MANY times over the past year, especially when it comes to wall balls! Mantras aren’t just used to get you through a hard workout; they can also be used to get you through any tough situation that life may throw your way. Anyone who has watched the CrossFit Games has seen Rich Froning’s Galatians 6:14 tattoo down the side of his torso. The 3-time champ uses that scripture as a mantra not only in his workouts but to reminder of his faith and beliefs in all areas of life.
So I ask you – do you have a mantra? To be completely honest, I’m still trying to find mine. I’ve heard some pretty awesome ones over the years; the ones I’ve mentioned above and the one that my best friend uses (Believe. Achieve.). I’ve tried these mantras on for size and neither of them has really felt right for me – and I don’t want to take someone else’s mantra. I want mine to be my own special one. As we start gearing up for the 2014 Open Season, I’ve made it my task this week to find my own mantra.
If you have a mantra that helps you #Compete, share it with us! We’d love to hear from our community!
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