Working on Emotions (Insight)

Barbell Weights

Young Muscular Man

As a player on the football team, I have had to endure maximal physical exertion that I never knew I could do. Most of those exercises are through our summer lifting program. At some point the exercise is more of a mental test than a physical test. Research shows that most people only exert 60% of their potential, and do not use the full 100%. That is what the military tries to teach its soldiers, by breaking them mentally.

One workout we do is called the crucifix. It is easily one of the most difficult workouts that we ever do. We have teams of three or four usually, each team has to do a total of 30 hang cleans and push press, after they are done they must lunge for ten yards with the weight. Then run to the opposite end zone and back. Therefore that is a total of 300 clean and jerks from each group. You would think that would be the end. However in the end zone the group has to do 100 squat thrusts and 100 burpees. Also keep in mind that this is usually completed in 90 degree heat. A good amount of people throw up, however no one quits.

Looking at that workout some naive people could think that the workout is “easy.” However, from completing the workout I gained insights I usually would not get without doing it. For one, after the first set I took my shirt off immediately. My body was soaked like never before, it felt like I just got out of the pool when I finally finished. As well, my breath picked up really fast. IT happened to some people, kneeling in the 100 degree turf was their best bet to make that awkward feeling go away. During the workout we don’t get muscle soreness, but the fatigue kicks in really hard. It is very difficult thing to do, because all your body wants to do is lay down with water constantly flowing through your mouth. But everyone else is going through the same thing, and mentally all I wanted to do was complete the workout. The surge of adrenaline flows through my body when I’m on those last 100 burpees. There’s nothing else on my mind, I feel the strength increased my body. I feel like I could do a thousand burpees. But, the last 25 feel like I weigh a thousand pounds. Once I am done I feel good, but not as I imagined during my workout.

Just the small moments from that workout gave me insights that I am able to understand and remember for a long time. Just completing this workout gave me insight and the ability to understand how much I can push my body to.