The Box

The Box

The concept, in modern colloquial use, has ben around long enough now to be of cliche status. That happens. We are all in constant danger of jumping the shark. But creative, new, alternative, risky or progressive thought is always dangerous, because change is hard. Thinking outside the box takes us out of its comfort and security and into the scary unknown. If the box is the safe then everything outside it must be the unsafe. Naturally, then, keeping inside these comfortable and cozy confines must be the goal, no?

NO.

You are an adult. You are an athlete. You know many things. You are wise. You have accumulated much. You know right from wrong and good from evil. You are a good citizen and a good neighbor. You pay your taxes. You have a low carbon footprint, wear sensible shoes and toe the line. You eat well, rest & recover properly and exercise daily. You have it dialed in, finely tuned and firing on all cylinders, no?

NO.

Because without the component of progressive overload (the body's language of thought outside the box) you are not getting maximum value from your workouts. This is training. And it needs to have structure in order to give you a high return. You need to occasionally make it hurt a little. You need to push it, feel it, get outside your comfort zone and work outside the box. You need understand what INTENSE feels like. Then, you need to befriend that feeling. Embrace the power you are creating and appreciate the miracle of this reality. Get out of the box, four cardboard walls and a brown, flat ceiling. Outside, infinity, the limitless, boundless opportunity and continual improvement. That would be a noble goal, yes?

YES.

Pix. At the WestSound Tri Club Christmas Party with Chris, Brooke and friends. Chris and Brooke run Poulsbo Running, have done their share of Ironman events and are now stepping a little further outside the training box as new CompuTrainer users. RCVman will be following their progress thru IM CdA. YES! The Box.