Today's WOD

CrossFit East River – WOD

DAILY MINDSET
“The greatest enemy of knowledge is not ignorance. It is the illusion of knowledge.” – Steven Hawking

One of the largest dangers in life is a closed mind. The scariest part: we often don’t even realize it’s even happening. It’s never done on purpose.

It’s how our mind operates by default. When we believe we have the answer, we stop looking for the solution. We not only stop seeking it out, but we no longer sensitive to the thought of another option. We can effectively blind ourselves.

Purely acknowledging that human condition can be all that we need. It’s the consistent reminder to always remain a student, most especially, when we are convinced we have things figured out.

As Socrates said, “All I know, is that I know nothing.”
Grateful for what we have learned, yet eager to climb higher.

Weightlifting

1: Deadlift (Build up to a 5RM)

Metcon

2: Metcon (AMRAP – Rounds and Reps)

“Detention”

AMRAP 12:

6 Strict Handstand Push-ups

9 Deadlifts (225/155)

30 Double Unders

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CrossFit East River – WOD

DAILY MINDSET
“I go and look at a stonecutter hammering away at their rock perhaps a hundred times without as much as a crack showing in it. Yet at the hundred and first blow it will split in two, and I know it was not that blow that did it, but all that had gone before.” – Jacob Riis

We crave the confirmation of progress. Whether that be weekly increases in weights, continual raises at work, or anything between. It can be in our nature to seek out those signals. Yet we can learn something from the stonecutter.

When a stonecutter addresses their next task, splitting a giant stone in two, they starts hammering away. One blow at a time, they line up each and every strike with meticulous precision. 10 strikes pass by, and there is no visible change to the stone. 50 strikes go by, and still no visible change. No cracks, dents, or any indication of… anything. 100 strikes pass, and, the same. On the 101st strike, it splits in two.

Through the 100 strikes, there wasn’t an external signal or sign that this was working. But beneath the surface, invisible to the eye, the stone was splitting with each passing blow. It wasn’t something different about the final strike… it was instead the culmination of all 101 blows. Impossible without a single one of them.

True change takes place from the inside out. And much like the stonecutter, we have two options: to spend emotional energy worrying if we’re making progress, or to have full faith in the process, spending every ounce of focus we have on that next strike.

Metcon

1: Metcon (Time)

“Rugrats”

On the 4:00 x 5 Rounds:

9 Burpee Box Jump Overs (24/20)

15 Dumbbell Front Squats (50’s/35’s)

15/12 Calorie Row / Bike

Score is slowest round

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CrossFit East River – WOD

# DAILY MINDSET
**“Adversity causes some to break. For others, it breaks records.”**

In the very specific moment, adversity hurts. Let’s not create an illusion that it’s all sunshine and rainbows. It will try our values, test our patience, and challenge who we are as human beings. It’s not always a warm cup of cocoa on a winter morning.

But a warm cup of cocoa doesn’t make us better. Nailing a perfect squat snatch doesn’t make us better. Giving a flawless presentation at work doesn’t make us better. We learn when we make mistakes. When we miss, fall over, and get caught off guard. At our very basic biological level, this is how we adapt. Stressors are good for us.

That is, of course, if we them to our advantage. A lesson is useless if we apply it. To many, adversity = outcome. This happened, and that’s it. I didn’t get the job, because “the other guy was more qualified”. Let’s not stop there. Let’s accept the situation for whatever it is, and create an actionable step forward. Not a rose tinted, “the world is good” delusion, but rather recognizing that complaining or wishing things were different gets us nowhere. Instead, we’re going to take the challenge to earn greatness, out of something that once was not. This is the championship mindset.

Adversity + Response = Opportunity.

Metcon

1: Metcon (Time)

“Watered Down”

5 Rounds:

1000-800-600-400-200 Meter Row

100 Meter Farmers Carry (70’s/50’s)

100′ Walking Lunge

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CrossFit East River – WOD

DAILY MINDSET
**“Belief is irresistible.” – Phil Knight**

Inspiration can move us for a couple moments. Motivation, might have hours. A day at most. They both run out. Belief however, will never. Belief is unending.

When we believe to the core of our being in something, failure is not an option. It’s just not a possibility in our world. We can get kicked down, beat up, thrown into the mud over and over… but it won’t matter. Because we’ll get back up, every time smarter. Belief knows nothing but to try once more.

Yet one of the greatest tragedies in life is that we don’t believe.
We don’t believe we have control over our lives.
We don’t believe we have the capabilities, or if we ever will.
We don’t believe we’re the right person.

Yet one thing we can believe – that is it us, and only us, that can create the life we want. And if we can take that to heart, then there is nothing else to do, but to try once more.

Metcon

1: Metcon (AMRAP – Reps)

# “Adderall”

### 0:00 – 10:00

1 Mile Run

Max Clean and Jerks (135/95)

### 10:00 – 13:00

Rest

### 13:00 – 20:00

800 Meter Run

Max Power Snatches (115/80)

### 20:00 – 23:00

Rest

### 23:00 – 27:00

400 Meter Run

Max Thrusters (95/65)

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CrossFit East River – WOD

DAILY MINDSET
“There may be people that have more talent than you, but there’s no excuse for anyone to work harder than you do.” – Derek Jeter

Whether we believe in talent or not irrelevant.
Everyone, however, should believe in hard work.

When we were born, we looked just like the next baby. We didn’t have any skills, any separating “talents”. Nothing. We learned everything, from scratch.

Yet, there is a time in our lives that we think we can’t learn anymore. That we can’t adapt. That we’re too old to learn new tricks.

In that moment, remind ourselves…. nothing has changed but our perceptions. It’s a self-imposed limit that goes directly against our greatest strength, and what makes us human. Adaptability.

The difficult pill to swallow is that when we chalk it up to not having the “talent”, it’s really an excuse. An excuse that we don’t want to put in the hard work.

When we can see it from that angle, talent doesn’t matter. All that matters now, is how hard we’re willing to think, plan, strategize…. and work.

Metcon

1: Metcon (AMRAP – Rounds and Reps)

“BFF”

Teams of 2

AMRAP 20:

50 Wallballs (20/14)

40 Kettlebell Swings (53/35)

30/24 Calorie Row

20 Ground to Shoulders

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CrossFit East River – WOD

DAILY MINDSET
“When you complain, nobody wants to help you.” – Steven Hawking

Complaining is a contagious disease. And the worst part about it – it feels valid. Especially in that precise moment, it always feels justified.

It’s not going to be the small instance today or next week that will make the difference. This disease does not kill overnight. It’s the culmination that will… a death of a thousand cuts. Invisibly day-by-day taking the life and opportunity away from not only us, but those around us.

Complaining doesn’t happen by accident. It’s a conscious choice, every time, which means we can consciously choose to control it.

Never whine, never complain, never make excuses.

Weightlifting

1: Shoulder Press (Build to a 1RM)

Metcon

2: Metcon (Time)

5 Rounds:

27 AB Mat Situps

18 Jumping, alternating, lunges

9 Push Presses (95/65)

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CrossFit East River – WOD

DAILY MINDSET
“Action is the fundamental key to all success.” – Picasso

There is no substitute for action. This is not breaking news.

Everyone has big plans. Big aspirations. The blueprint to “get there”. As integral as it is to have a plan, this is the easy part. And it’s where most stop, because it’s about to get hard.

A famous old American cartoon, “G.I. Joe”, finished every show with a saying: “Knowing is half the battle”. Despite the right intentions behind it, we recognize now it’s a false statement.

Knowing is not half the battle.
It’s not even a quarter.
It’s the first 10%, if that.
Action is 90%.

Metcon

1: Metcon (AMRAP – Rounds and Reps)

“Ecod”

3 x AMRAP 4:

15 Burpee Box Jump Overs (24/20)

21 Power Cleans

27/21 Calorie Row

Rest 4 Minutes

Round 1: 135/95

Round 2: 115/85

Round 3: 95/65

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CrossFit East River – WOD

Weightlifting

1: Snatch (Heavy Single)

Metcon

2: Metcon (Time)

“Snake Bite”

21-15-9:

Squat Snatch (95/65)

Chest to Bar Pull-Ups

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CrossFit East River – WOD

DAILY MINDSET
“You’re remembered for the rules you break.” – General MacArthur

There’s something oddly intoxicating about fitting into a group. By falling in to cultural norms. It’s truly in our DNA – to connect with others through similarities.

That is an amazing thing. But at the same time, it can be a dangerous one. We can take the limits of our surroundings, for the limits of our own. This can often happen without even a conscious realization.

These “unspoken rules” that society lives by can hold us back. The “unspoken beliefs” that we should live life a certain way. With genuine respect, we sit humbly at the feet of anyone we can learn from. Yet, we must keep our minds open to possibilities outside of the confines of our norm. Some rules are just meant to be broken.

Metcon

1: Metcon (Time)

With a partner for time, alternate work however:

50 Power Cleans 135/95

50 Deadlifts 225/155

Run 1 mile

60 Kettlebell Thrusters 35×2 / 26×2

60 HR Pushups

Run 1 mile

70 Air Squats

70 Burpees over the bar

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CrossFit East River – WOD

DAILY MINDSET
“Problems are simply opportunities in work clothes”

In Chinese, “crisis” is written with two symbols. In the English language, these translate to “Danger”, and “Opportunity”. These two words summarize our emotional connection to adversity very well.

Problems feel “dangerous”, because we’d rather be comfortable, cozy, and safe. It’s a human condition… we don’t like change. But problems are also full of “opportunity”, as the uncomfortable hot mess of adversity is the greatest catalyst to our growth.

Our greatest opportunities in life will also be our most trying. And if we can reframe those “problems” to being the enablers of growth… we can go wherever we want to go. We just need to suit up and get to work.

Metcon

1: Metcon (AMRAP – Rounds and Reps)

“Gut Feeling”

AMRAP 16:

12 Hang Power Cleans (135/95)

21 Lateral Barbell Burpees

12 Push Jerks (135/95)

21 Toes to Bar

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