Can't say it enough..leave your ego at the door..and HAND CARE!!

Ego...oh boy..where do I begin. I have to keep details to myself.... But I will still get try and get my message across.

I looked up the definition of Ego -well like everything else I do..I googled it

1. e·go

   /ˈēgō/

   Noun A person's sense of self-esteem or self-importance: "a boost to my ego". The part of the mind that mediates between the conscious and the unconscious and is responsible for reality testing and a sense of...

   
   

   So that's where my story tonight begins. I have to apologize first for my lack of posting consistently. Tuesdays are crazy well every other Tuesday that is. I do the Comp WOD, Oly class then train my kiddos. I have added a strength element in as well so sometimes I have barely enough time to shove something in my pie hole in between it all. Thank heavens for Chipotle' I will post that shortly.
   Anyway. So I talk all inspirational - be tough, do this, be strong, do that. I crumbled yesterday. This is a form of true confession. 
   Sometimes, you think you are doing a good job. You work hard, you put the work in, you have a good understanding of how you affect something and what goals are and how to get to them. Sometimes statistics from things you rarely have control over tell you otherwise. So this happened to me. I am not saying how. I have to keep those details to myself kind of. BUT I had a crushing day yesterday. When I left work and headed to gym, my mind was racing, I was so mad. Why was I mad? ego. I let something get to my ego..something that I didn't need to. I got to the box...and I realized..it's true. I CrossFit because people piss me off. CrossFit Lisbeth says it well. I will include the link so you can read this in its entirety but this is hands down my favorite part:
   
   
   "I CrossFit because people piss me off.
   It’s not the only reason I CrossFit, but I’d be lying if I said I just CrossFit because it makes the sun shine and the earth spin and some other shit that’s kinda important. Makes me healthier, happier, blahblahblah.
   No, I CrossFit sometimes because people can be miserable rat bastards. And professional jerks. (“What do you do?” “Oh, I’m a Professional Idiot!”) And a-holes. And they come and find you, no matter where you work, no matter what kind of armor you wear. No matter how sunny your outlook. They’re amazing that way. 90% of people are fantastic, but that other 10%? TDB. (I’m going to leave you to figure that one out on your own.)"
   http://crossfitlisbeth.com/2012/10/25/i-crossfit-because-people-piss-me-off/
   
   Anyway- the person who ruined my day..wasn't their fault. A messenger delivering not the best news. I got into the box. I wodded, I lifted, I trained. And something happened. Even if it was ever so slight...my attitude changed a little. Then I realized. And it took me literally most of the day today to realize, I let my ego get the best of me. I am constantly preaching to check your ego at the door..and I personally forgot. Shame on me. The long and the short of it is this. There are going to be some things that happen in your daily life you can't control. Only you can decide how you are going to let that impact you. Me? I had a serious look of distraught on my face I am guessing and even after venting, I didn't feel better..after lifting..I did. There is a lesson to be learned in here somewhere..I think what it is could be something that leads back to what I am always saying, check your ego at the door, control only the things you really can control, and I guess if people piss you off you might want to try CrossFit? He he. No in all seriousness, never forget or lose sight of your self worth. If you think you are doing a good or even great job? you probably are. Embrace it and be prepared to crumble every now and then. It happens. Even to the strongest of us.
   
   ON TO SOMETHING MORE PLEASANT....HAND CARE!!! 
   Damnit Jo. 
   
   

   

   Gross I know...Jo sent this to me tonight and this prompted my next rant. TAKE CARE OF YOUR HANDS. I am not saying Jo didn't. Care means more than just prepping them before a WOD you KNOW is going to possibly result in a tear. This means get familiar enough with your hands and be ok if you start to tear you are NO LONGER doing that movement-modify!! that's the glory of CrossFit, scaleable and modifiable. Tears happen we all know this - with the open around the corner I personally am not risking a tear just to RX a WOD. A tear like this will take Jo out for a week at least. You have some options.

   
   

   1. Invest in some gloves. These do NOT have to be fancy CrossFit gloves. Yes I have some. My Christmas gift from my kiddos. Monday my skin started to pull, we all know this feeling, I gloved up that hand and finished my 90 pull ups. It's not ideal, they throw your game off just a little but to save a tear it's worth it. I have seen under armour receivers gloves, I have seen garden gloves I have seen cut up sham wows. There are options to protect the hands. Try and figure out what might work best for you.

   
   

   2. This is a little trick I learned from Liz, those disposable razors we all throw away- put them to good use. Carefully shave those callouses. I do this while I am in the shower while my hands are all old lady like. Use a pumice stone-I don't do this I prefer emery boards but same end result. Make sure after a wod where those hands take a beating you are taking the time to prepare them for the next one. 

   
   

   3. If you are tearing, STOP- think about how long it will be before you are doing pull ups again or wrapping your hands around a barbell again, stop and tape but for the love of everything holy don't go to blood.

   
   

   4. Maybe go easier on the chalk. Now this is a controversial one. I remember when I did my Level 1 Cert and on that first day we got to do Fran. I recall someone asking Chris Speallor if they had chalk- I remember him saying yes we have some chalk but (something to the effect of ) I don't recommend it, it's not necessary and chalk causes friction which leads to tears. If you ask Kat, she will also tell you the same thing- if you have to chalk make it ever so slight-she rarely chalks more than skiff and she rarely tears. There are many different opinions on this but try different things but most importantly do NOT let it get to a tear if you can possibly avoid it. It takes you out for too long!

   
   

   5. Ice bath those hands. I know, sounds crazy eh? Just like you ice bath those legs after a marathon or Sunday Night Sprints (which I am missing like MAD right now) ice bath the hands. After doing lots of pull ups or bar work my hands will throb through the night. Lately it has been so damn cold I have been avoiding doing this but after Mondays wod (90 pullups) it was necessary. I iced bathed and I was good to go on Tuesday. 

   
   

   6 Lastly-keep it clean-try aquaphor, neosporin or whatever witch remedy you have been told helps. Try covering it at night and do your best to keep it clean.

   
   

   That's it folks. That's my Wednesday wisdom. Take it for what it is worth!