The word intention is defined as “a thing intended; an aim or plan.” Intention can also mean the purpose or attitude with which you are acting. When you come in to work out, have you ever developed or considered implementing an intention? Many of us come up with goals for a workout, like I want to do x number of squats unbroken each round, or I don’t want to drop the bar on this one, or finish in x minutes. While having specific goals for a workout can be a great way to push yourself, another way you can approach a workout is by developing an intention.
An intention is different from a concrete and tangible goal. An intention is based around how you want to feel during a workout- the attitude you want to maintain – as opposed to your actual performance. An example would be – I want to feel strong in my workout today. This intention could be achieved by choosing a weight that you know you move really well through a Metcon. It could also be achieved by catching yourself in those moments where you stop the work and think, “Wow this is really hard, I’m tired” and replacing it with a positive mantra like “This is tough but I can handle it.”
Some other workout intentions could be:
-Self-focused – not comparing yourself to other people or scores
-Positive – this is especially powerful and challenging during a workout with movements which you dislike or are challenging for you
-Encouraging – devote your intention towards pushing others to do their best. This could be done during a partner workout, when you pass others on a run, or after you are finished your workout before you clean up your stuff
Sometimes in life we do hard things. Sometimes we bring that on ourselves by coming to CrossFit when it’s 95 degrees outside. Other tough situations that life throws at us we don’t choose or have a say in. You can’t always choose your circumstances, but the ultimate freedom you have in life is to choose your mindset. Just like you exercise your body, exercise your ability to create and maintain a positive, intentional attitude in the face of challenging circumstances each day when you come into the gym. You will become a better person because of it.