Posted by Andy Petranek : Wednesday, Aug 11, 2010

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You've all felt it during a workout... that burning sensation in your quads during walking lunges, the burning in your lungs during a max effort 500m row, that feeling in your forearms that tells you to drop off the pull up bar, the nagging voice that says, "Stop... please... STOP!" When that voice is talking to you, what do you do? Do you listen to it? Or do you choose to ignore it and go beyond?

I remember when I first did "Fran" - with 65 pounds for the thrusters and it took me about 11 minutes... and in a conversation afterward, I would have told you that I was totally maxed out... couldn't go any harder, or faster... and I had to stop for rest at each point that I did. And yet, just weeks later, I did go faster... and no, it wasn't from my body's training adaptations. I went faster because I knew I could go at least as fast as I did before... and hence, probably faster. The thing limiting my performance... was my brain... every voice in my head was screaming me to stop, so I did.

After some training and practice, I learned that it was possible to go beyond that "governor" (a self-protective mechanism that is hard-wired into our psyches to keep us from damaging or killing ourselves - see Central Governor) in a way that wouldn't hurt me or kill me, rather, allow me to maximize performance.

How have you noticed this "Governor" working in you? And what has been your experience going beyond? Post to comments.


Joe - a necessary break during a recent WOD.

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Today's Workout

For Time:
1.5 Mile Run
30 Squat Cleans (155#/105#)
30 Shoulders to overhead (155#/105#)
** Note - partition distance or reps in ANY way to finish fastest.