Workout of the Day:
Take 12 minutes to find your 1-RM Snatch (or Power Snatch);
immediately followed by,
12 minutes to find your 1-RM Clean (or Power Clean);
immediately followed by,
4 minutes for max reps burpees over a hurdle (lateral jump over hurdle to complete burpee)
Add snatch weight, clean weight and burpees completed for total score – e.g., 175 + 245 + 75 = 495.
Justin getting some post-workout love from his very pregnant wife.
An Athlete’s Perspective – Invictus is Different
Written by Justin Nahama
Another year has come and gone and the 2010 Crossfit Games are behind us. While the Invictus programming and family size continues to evolve, one thing has remained the same: Invictus is different.
At some point in our athletic or professional experiences, most of us have heard some version of “it’s not about winning and losing.” While many make this hollow claim in theory, few actually apply it to their every day practice. As a result, there is often self-imposed pressure to “win.” Unfortunately, “winning” is a subjective term, which most define as their place on the podium. Not at Invictus.
Daily, CJ and the rest of the incredible CFI coaching staff give us the gift of revealing the best version of ourselves. While the platform for this quest of self discovery is physical, it is clear that what we learn through our struggles and triumphs in the workouts transcends the gym and touches every aspect of our life.
CJ’s coaching philosophy for our Games prep illustrates why Invictus is different. While most in the Crossfit community set their sights on being “the World’s Fittest Gym,” CJ defined the measure of our success by challenging us individually and collectively to be the best team we could be.
CJ said it best in a blog post shortly before the Games:
This weekend will be a celebration of [the Team’s] hard work, and of the community that has supported them. Where our athletes place amongst others is irrelevant. That they are true to themselves and allow their full potential to be realized will be the true mark of their success, and the perfect culmination to an incredible six-month journey.
I learned the true power of the Invictus community this weekend, and it had little to do with the Games. Monday evening of the week leading up to the Games, I received a phone call from my Dad letting me know that my Grandfather had hours to live. Like our CFI family, my family back East is extremely close and the impending loss weighed heavily on our hearts. I didn’t sleep much the week of the Games as I waited for that phone call telling me that it was time to come home. Defying all odds, my Grandfather fought until Thursday afternoon, passing away literally an hour before Susan and I were leaving for Carson.
On top of the deep loss I felt for my family, I was terrified that I was going to let our team and community down by having to leave Saturday night for my Grandpa’s funeral. I kept torturing myself by repeatedly visualizing the announcement of a 6 person WOD on Sunday. What if we didn’t “win”? In a momentary lapse of judgment, I forgot that Invictus was different. CJ’s response to my concerns of letting the team and Invictus family down was simple: “you have a rock solid family here that will rally around you and support you by every means possible.” I took a moment to collect myself, and realized that I had fallen back into the trap that ensnares so many athletes. The moment I shifted my perspective, I felt a huge sense of relief. This weekend was not about winning and losing, it was about showing the world what Invictus truly stands for.
Invictus embodies a community and family built upon a foundation of unconditional support. We define our successes and areas for improvement by looking internally, not comparing ourselves to others. While we can always draw strength from others, we know that the true source of strength lies within ourselves. What was more meaningful to me than placing first at the Games, was how many of you made time to come up to me this weekend, letting me know you were genuinely sorry for my (east coast) family’s loss. The countless texts, emails, and phone calls from Shane, Nuno, Sage, Nichole, and M asking if my family or I needed anything meant the world to me. Not once did anyone communicate, directly or indirectly, any disappointment that I was doing my best to honor both of my families. The team and Invictus community was, as usual, unconditionally supportive.
After 2 years of having the privilege of representing CFI, I assure you that the memory of how we place in each WOD and overall competition quickly fades. What is forever etched in my head and heart are the little things. The look on a team members face while they are searching their soul for that last reserve of energy. The drying tears in CJ’s eyes as he flies out onto the track or platform to be the first to embrace us. My (extremely) pregnant wife refusing to rest and rubbing the countless knots out of my arms and legs. The sweat, smiles, and screams from our fiercely loyal sea of green as they too battle the blazing sun to unconditionally support us, regardless of the outcome. Invictus is different, and for that, I am grateful.
