Kind of like a 'Pain Storm" no cupcakes or BJ's icecream way down their where you need to be. Good advice.

There's another dynamic that I find, when I go through the pain into that dark place... liberation.

I learned this when I was a rower in college; there's a place you hit when you think you're giving it all you can. All the voices in your head beg for you to stop. But y'know what? That's just homeostasis at work, trying to keep you in your 'comfort zone', trying to keep you small.

Look that voice in the face and tell it to f- off.

And then, while you keep going, and those voices that thought they knew what you were made of fall away, you find a place inside—in the middle of that pain—that's joyous. It's joyous because you just shed a skin that you thought was you, and you found a tougher, stronger, more real you. A you that can keep going, despite the protests of your screaming muscles, despite the aching in your burning lungs, and despite what you have ever thought about yourself that's weak.

You find, in that painful, hard, joyous place - freedom.

Frank Herbert's Dune has it's "litany against fear"

Now I guess Crossfit has it's "litany against pain":

"Don't try to mitigate, rationalize, forget, or in any way distract yourself from the pain. Go straight into it. And learn to live there, at least for a little while. Go get a PR."

Lisbeth - well said!

Burpee challenge looks like fun.

Get some!

Great article Lisbeth!

No pr today, but the poignancy of the article applies to every CF experience for me.

Today, our WOD was 3 Rounds for time of:

9-Burpees
15-95 lb overhead squats
21-Pull Ups

Thank God it's over and I'm back in the light:)

And the Litany Against Fear was invoked when faced with extreme pain ... from "the Box," which wasn't a Crossfit Box, but it will be in this context.

I must not fear.
Fear is the mind-killer.
Fear is the little-death that brings total obliteration.
I will face my fear.
I will permit it to pass over me and through me.
And when it has gone past I will turn the inner eye to see its path.
Where the fear has gone there will be nothing.
Only I will remain.

Lisbeth that article gave me a warm and fuzzy feeling,it makes me want to go sip some chai at Panara Bread :)

And Anthony,I did see that B&J's flavor "Paleo Pieces",or was it "Caveman Crunch"

That's the best post I've read in a long time...

I have a question, though:

How big of a part should a coach/trainer play in pushing a person into this mental state?

Or is it left completely up to the individual?

Maybe 'directing' or 'channeling' would be a better word to use, instead of 'pushing'?

Thoughts?

CrossFit Regina (Canada) started the 100 day Burpee Challenge on August 1st, so we are just on day 14. Thanks for the idea, CF Santa Cruz. Any tips for us as we start this adventure?? We plan to do 50 Burpees for time on day 50, and day 100 will be a Saturday so we'll all do our 100 Burpees together as a big group. Looking forward to it!

Good question, Zach. Personally, I don't think you can make anybody go there. I know nobody else can get me there but me. Still, I think by making people aware of where you go, you give them the permission to go there too.

Then again, maybe I'm just whacked in the head!

Robin -- we just started at CF Watertown yesterday with a timed 100 Burpee WOD and now we're on Day 1. (We had to wait for two of our members to get back from their honeymoon.)

Anybody out there have the luxury of saying they've done this Challenge in the past?

I visited CF Marina in April and they were on day 30 or so and I caught up over the next few days(they didn't make me do them all in one day - those cfsc folks are evil :)). I stuck with it, but towards the end it sucked! If you miss, for example, day 87, you are doing 175 burpees on day 88. Unfortunately, I ended up missing a few days in a row...at that point, all you are doing is burpees! I think the most I did in one day was something like 350...That is until now..I am seriously considering buying in on Saturday and doing 595...but this time I will promise myself to do them everyday.

As many of you will find, the 100 day burpee challenge is a sure way to enter the aforementioned "ring of fire"

Thanks!

Murph

I agree, Lisbeth. Perhaps the trainer's role is to expose the person to that state of mind only...the action of going there is left to the individual.

I like that.

As desensitised as we all are to it, 'Just do it' is extremely apt.

Okay, Murph, I LOVE this statement: "I am seriously considering buying in on Saturday and doing 595."

LOL Only in CrossFit would we totally understand this drive/need/craziness.

Makes me want to go sip some chai with Lobo over at Panera. Well, that is, after we do our burpees while waiting in line.

Now that I think about, I might just buy in to CF Watertown's challenge...you are on day 2 right?

You got it! And we have one of the coolest Burpee Challenge widgets out there. Encouraging and demoralizing at the same time -- what's not to love?

Come aboard, Murph!

Ok, so I need to 102 today? And 3 tomorrow...

Yessiree. 100 for time and then 2. Tomorrow, do 3.

Who else is in? C'mon, burpee up!

"Ring of Fire" speaks a lot of truth. To better understand this concept watch the Chemical Burn Scene from Fight Club.

"DON'T SHUT THIS OUT!This is the greatest moment of your life and you're off somewhere MISSING IT!"