By Dom Iadevaia

Have you ever struggled to get through a workout by yourself? Have you ever tried to PR and just not had the motivation to do it? Sometimes as coaches it’s hard to teach 6 classes and then turn things up for your own training as the excitement wears off and the building empties out.  That’s what I experienced two weeks ago. The goal was to do singles up to a max in the snatch and clean and jerk. Our normal Saturday group was gone.  I was by myself and I was struggling with normal working weight. Nothing was helping me get going. I might as well have been listening to 90’s slow jams. In fact, the gym I was in was probably playing slow jams at the time.  Sick environment…  There was no one there to watch my technique, get me moving, or pump me up. The end results were just as you would expect… leaving me feeling frustrated and unfulfilled.

The following Saturday, I had the same intentions. Singles in both lifts.  This time was different. I had several training partners with me.  We took over the corner of the gym and had barbells everywhere.  The music still sucked, but we had each other, and it didn’t matter.  We were all there for the same goal, PR!! New weight was on the bar for the first attempt at a snatch PR. What an epic fail.  We went over the lift and what I could do better. I wanted no part of it. But after a few minutes I regrouped and was told to get back to the bar.  I shook it off, heard some, “let’s go! Get under the bar!” I set, tightened up, pulled hard and drove my hips to the bar. I was under it! I stood up with it! YES! Finally! My first snatch PR after months of fighting. There was a round of fist pumps and “good jobs”. I couldn’t have been happier. The same thing occurred with the clean and jerk. PR in both lifts for several of us.

It’s funny, it’s what we all know draws us all to Crossfit.  The community.  But it’s easy for us to forget as we get into coaching roles and begin training during off hours by ourselves.  Everyone needs a coach.  Everyone needs training partners.  WE need each other.

Put yourself in an environment to succeed. If that is not where you are currently training, GET OUT.  You deserve it. Motivation from training partners can keep your head in the game after a bad day, after missed attempts, and when nothing seems to be going right.  We are in this together, to get better every day.   Now, let’s go get those PR’s!