Don’t Let The Clock Send You Off
First off let’s clarify what send off means. It can be a noun or a verb I suppose.
Noun: “a send off” – A person or something that misguides or misdirects you. They tell you it’s one thing or has this meaning, but really it’s something completely different.
Verb: “to send off” – To be told something is one way, or to have been given a certain assurance but then it’s the exact opposite.
Let me give you some examples….
EXAMPLE 1 – You and your friend are at the club. Your friend says “Person A is checking you out, go talk to them and get their number”. So you groove on over there and turns out Person A never checked you out and is totally uninterested. When you look back at your friend they are dying laughing at how hard you just got shut down.
You got sent off.
EXAMPLE 2 – You are in the car with your friend again and they say “aye I know an easy way we can get some cash. I know this bank that is in the middle of nowhere and has zero security. We can rob them and no one will know. Your friend then tells you that you go in, hit the bank, and they will keep the car running so you can get away. So you go rob the bank and when you come outside, the Punisher, Goku, Prime Mike Tyson, and the Avatar are outside waiting to beat you down and your friend is nowhere to be found.
You just got sent off. Again.
Now that we are in the clear about what being sent off means, what were some common themes there?
- In both instances it was your “friend” who sent you off.
- Secondly, and more importantly, These seem like pretty obvious “send off situations”
Right? So why fall for them?
“Selby, what the world does this have to do with me at the gym”?
The clock is your friend. It is there to help guide us through a scheduled workout while moving with a purpose. Whether that means an EMOM and I have a certain amount of time to complete my reps or an AMRAP where I want to get as many rounds and reps as possible.
It is a guide.
SOMETIMES (I notice) just because we hear the clock go off and we know we are in a WOD, this means that I should go as fast as possible and try to get as many reps as possible ignoring all of my training on crispy reps.
For some reason the clock makes us think that we are racing against it, and that it would be against the rules or breaking the law if I were to slow down during the workout and actually try to keep my reps pretty OR make sure I am even completing the standards for that matter. It’s as if right before the workout, the clock whispered in our ear like the Kermit the Frog meme and was like “Bet you can’t move as fast as humanly possible” or “Bet you can’t go unbroken” I don’t know, whatever devious things the clocks are telling folks these days that make them move less optimal than what I know they are capable of.
Many times I think we misinterpret what the clock does for us. It guides us, gives us direction, and a means to measure our progress as we go along. It does not mean throw all things I have learned out the window (as far as pretty movement goes) and move as fast as I can and get as many reps as I can.
You should be able to cash out, and push yourself while maintaining good form and meeting movement standards. Don’t let the clock pressure you into doing something different.
If we just started the workout and you led off with a set of ten pull ups in a row, even though you knew that was too many. Now that we are in the 3rd round of pull ups half way through your chin is not getting over the bar, but the clock is still ticking. Therefore you feel you have to keep going. NO. You Don’t. Stop what you’re doing, assess why you aren’t moving as optimally as you can and adjust in real time.
Far too often I see LeBron, J Cole, and Aang looking like a million bucks in Skill Practice. When we are practicing movements such as gymnastics or even oly lifts they take their time. Even if it’s not perfect, they are patient and trying their hardest to master the movement and make it look pretty.
So what is the difference between then and when we “start the WOD”. What is the practice for?
Isn’t it for the workout? Why now that the clock has started, I can move any old kind of way?
- You spent all this time working on your cleans
- You are learning how to use your legs and not just do a trap pull with your arms
- Your elbows have gotten faster
- Your chest is higher in the start position, and your back is much straighter
Cleans are just an example – but not the only culprit.
Point being – USE what you’ve learned in practice to move like a champ ALWAYS! Whether that’s when training for strength, speed, or reps.
Just because I started the clock doesn’t mean I don’t want you to take your time.
Think about it.
BARS
P.S. if you feel like I referenced one of your personal examples…. Maybe I did. It’s only because we are cool, because you’re about getting better, and I knew you wouldn’t mind 🙂
