CrossFit: Bar Muscle-Ups and Heavy Clean and Jerks

Another needed workout. Heavy clean and jerks, which I have little confidence in and bar muscle ups.

My bar muscle up form sucks, and I’ve been struggling with them. I struggled today. But once I got over the hump so to speak, I got them again.

For me, nothing is really easy in CrossFit except body weight exercises and the long game. Everything else is a push to the end.

Overcoming Mental Barriers

In CrossFit, so much of this sport is overcoming mental barriers. You see a workout and you think, “I can’t do that.” And then you do and you wonder what why you thought you couldn’t.

Our bodies will do whatever we tell them to do–if we tell them to do it enough. This is the essence of building strength. With enough practice and repetition, human bodies can do anything–almost anything. We can’t jump to the moon!

How do You Overcome Mental Barriers?

There is no easy way to overcome mental barriers except to push them. Until you do them or push to the edge, your mind will tell you that you can’t do it.

For instance, heavy clean and jerks. I suck at them. They are hard for me. But I keep doing them. They don’t really get any easier. But in my mind I know I can do them; whereas, before I would doubt myself.

Ring muscle ups. I still don’t have them. I took a break from trying to do one because I strained my right arm. It’s finally better, so now it’s time again to take them on again.

No part of me wants to, I’ll be honest. It’s not going to be easy.

But when I finally get one, that moment will be magic.