The Rule of 3

So lately everyone has been talking about competitions, either because they are signed up and training, or one of their "new years resolutions" is to participate in one, or because they are just in friendly competition between their girls every day at the box. Competition is fun! and I think its important in Crossfit. It drives us to push harder, to want more, to get better, and it forces us to point out our "Goats" (Crossfit Vocabulary term for the Day: stuff your not great at and need to work on. lol).

In saying that, I have a little advice I wanted to share with you, my fellow competitors. Now, this might seem dumb, obvious, or hard to do, but it has worked for me throughout my competitive swimming career and helps me now everyday in CrossFit. And FYI, this is from my personal mental bank of things I like to keep to myself so that others can't use it against me, but you girls are worth it!  So I call it, "The Rule of 3." (Cue dark, ominous piano sounds lol ) Okay, so the rule of 3 works when you have successfully learned how to self talk. I say this because it is basically going to be all in your head. lol. (What can I say, as a swimmer you have a lot of time in the water with nothing else but your thoughts.)

This is how I work the Rule of  3:  1. I break whatever I am attempting to kill (lol) into 4 parts. ( 1000m Row = 250m x4, 4 rounds = 1round x 4, 200y swim = 50y x 4) 2. Then I find the "3rd" of it. ( in 1000m Row its the 3rd 250m, in 4 rounds it the 3rd round, in 200y swim its the 3rd 50y.) 3. And then I wrap my head around knowing that I'm going to pick up the pace on the "3rd"... & of course go all out on the 4th and final part. (hope this is not confusing lol)

Heres the reason: Everyone, including the person working the Rule of 3, will slow down on the 3rd part. They might be exhausted, or maybe they are holding back in order to go "all out" on the final stretch. So you are going to have to self talk your way into thinking that EVERYONE is going to slow down, but you will speed up/keep the pace! Now see why I said it may seem dumb? I know your thinking. "Shit, I go all out on every round!" But guaranteed if you want to have that "competitive edge" over another athlete, or you just want to kick your friends ass on this WOD, then start practicing self talk and the Rule of 3. Push harder on the 3rd and I promise you will catch up, get ahead, or give them a hell of a fight, and you will probably PR or surprise the hell out of yourself! 

The biggest trick to the Rule of 3: Heart. You can do AMAZING things with heart. Your tired? if you want it bad enough you will fight through the pain, and come out of the other side feeling amazing... that is heart.

So work on your self talk, wrap your head around picking up the pace when your dead, when your half way done, and when you know that you can push a little more and kick her ass! Because you never know who is coming after you, who is going to be your next competition, or who is working the Rule of 3 on you!

...I got my eye on you Yailin, with your fancy Handstand Pushups! ;P   Great job girl!

So hope this helps next time you find yourself head to head in some friendly competition.

Self talk + the Rule of 3.


Now, GO KICK SOME ASS AND TAKE SOME NAMES!