Picture three concentric circles. We will call the first and innermost circle the comfort zone. The next circle going outward, we will call the learning zone, and the last circle we will call the panic zone.
When you are learning or working on progressing towards anything, most people want to stay within their comfort zone. Many people are perfectly happy watching TV all day and eating cheetos. That’s comfortable to them. Also, many people are comfortable running 2 miles a day, that is also well within their comfort zone. In order for them truly to progress though they must move out of their comfort zone and into their learning zone.
Even when you are in your learning zone, you can stay close to your comfort zone. Maybe you come to CrossFit everyday, but you don’t really push yourself. Maybe you are learning how to eat but you don’t really try that lifestyle. Maybe you are learning how to train, but not really taking nutrition seriously.
Most people are scared to death of being in there panic zone. This is where things can become overwhelming. ‘Holy crap, I just joined a CrossFit gym, and I’m never going to cheat on my nutrition again. No bread for me EVER! I am going to train 12 days a week 5 times a day!’ You get the point. This is not a good place to be either. It can become too much too fast and put you in panic mode, hence the panic zone.
Where should you be then? In life, learning a new skill, or training this is a universal concept. In order for you to progress the fastest, you must be outside your comfort zone, but just this side of the panic zone. It MUST push you a little bit. You have to be pushed outside of your comfort zone and it should be struggle, BUT it shouldn’t be overwhelming. The panic zone is unsustainable and you’ll flame out.
The key now is to figure out where those zones are for you. If what you are doing isn’t a struggle, you are in the comfort zone. If you must push to do what you are doing, or you are struggling, you are probably in the right place. If it’s so overwhelming you just give up, you went to far back it down a bit.
Have fun getting in the zone!
10/30/2013 WOD
Strength:
To be discussed in class:
Met Con:
?The Great Pumpkin?
50m run through the pumpkin patch while carrying a pumpkin
30? rest
AMRAP 12 minutes
