Being Capable...

Playing with the new Yokes

This Pain Clinic witnessed the introduction of the new Yokes...another awesome tool to the collection. In addition to being able to use them to push/pull/carry. They also make for excellent squat and press stands.

In addition to the yoke, today we threw in rope climbs, ring dip holds, sprinting, deadlifting, and some gymnastic movements, a huge mix of several movements. So why so much variety sometimes? The cheap answer is "you'll never get bored". Which in today's ADD society, is a valid response. But there's a much more important answer....the goal of PSKC is to make you CAPABLE.

So let's explore that more in depth. Here are my favorite definitions for the word:

1. Having the ability, fitness, or quality necessary to do or achieve a specified thing.
2. Able to achieve efficiently whatever one has to do; competent

So to me, in Southern Ohio terminology...being capable means being able to handle whatever the hell life throws at you. And you just never know what the hell life is going to throw at you sometimes. I'm reminded of the cliche saying; "it's not what happens to you, but how you react to it that matters"

At PSKC we throw at a lot at you. It's very easy to want to do the things you like or are good at. Runners like to run, lifters like to lift. But what happens when life demands that you have to do the thing you don't like to do? I want you to be able to run and lift and a bunch of other stuff. The goal of the workouts is produce a strong and capable person. Not only physically...but more importantly..mentally as well. 

 When you first started PSKC how many of you would have thought it was possible to carry a 175lb Yoke? Now some of you guys were chomping at the bit to get on the damn thing! 

I'm reminded of a conversation Shep and I were having the other day. He was telling me, that after not running any sort of long distance for a long time, he thought he would try to run from his house (north end of Portsmouth) down to Pop's house (down by the stadium). And that was just the winter time, all Shep was doing was hitting up PSKC 4-5/week...20-25 minutes later he was there and it was really no big deal. Now he has the absolute confidence he can do decent at any 5K. That's a great real world example of being capable. And Shep's just like me, he's likes to lift the heavy stuff....running ain't our definition of "fun", but it's something we can do...being capable. 

Myself, I was just on travel at Albuquerque and I was working out a local Crossfit Affliate that was at around 6200ft elevation. It just so happened that one of the workouts called for: 10 X 100m sprints with 90 seconds of rest in between. Sprinting at any elevation is taxing...but it sucks big time when you're at over a mile high up. But because I had a solid level of fitness (i.e. a solid level of being capable), I was able to recover within time and stay within a second or two of each 100m sprint...being capable. 

I'm also reminded of examples of some of the runners. Dianne cut 10 minutes off of her half marathon time last fall. She's a big time runner and had taken some time off from running miles since her last half marathon, she was rocking workouts at PSKC and "for fun" kicked the Huntington 1/2 marathon in the ass....being capable. 

2 members of the wolfpack (Diesel and Worm) were supposed to "just" run a 1/2 marathon. Well, due to their supreme navigational skill, they went the wrong route and at mile 13 (when they were supposed to be done) they realized they had to run back or otherwise they would be stranded. So, a half marathon went to a full marathon...and they performed just fine....being capable. 

There are several more examples just like this....it's a very easy formula (easy formula, hard to carry out).

A variety of different physical challenges + hard work and determination + consistency = successful completion of task. The successful completion leads to growing self confidence in the wide variety of newfound capabilities. A side physiological effect is the changes our bodies makes (less fat, more muscle) to accommodate these new capabilities. And the cycle continues and is never ending...there is also more to do and more skills to master...

And you know what the great thing is? We're not even a year into it! Look back at the accomplishments you've made in the last couple of months. Now, just imagine all the capabilities you're going to have in the next year...it's a beautiful thought. Just keep coming in and eating right..and there is absolutely nothing you won't be able to do...the world is yours for the taking.