EDITOR’S NOTE: Welcome to the athlete journal of Allison Moyer. Allison is a nationally ranked NPC Figure Athlete, nationally and internationally published fitness model, an avid CrossFit athlete, BSN, C.P.T, C.S.N, C.N.W.C, and owner ofAlli Fitness Systems and Predator Diet. Read all about Allison’s unique approach to training and diet every other week.
“If you believe in yourself, and have dedication and pride – and never quit, you’ll be a winner. The price of victory is high, but so are the rewards.”
– Paul Bryant
It’s easy, as athletes, to get weighed down in the trap of defining our successes by comparison to others.
- Did I beat his or her time?
- Did I lift more weight than “so and so?”
- Did I place higher? Run faster? Jump further?
- Did I step on stage in better shape?
The problem with this is that defining ourselves only by comparison with others always sets us up for feelings of shortcoming, weakness, and insufficiency. How do you define “winning?”
I know it’s just my opinion, but in my last eleven years in competitive figure, and now in competitive CrossFit, I’ve learned that winning isn’t always in the form of a trophy. Or a first place finish. Or even in the form of public recognition.
Sometimes victory is simply not giving up. It’s pushing for those extra reps or adding another five pounds to your squat. Victory is being dedicated. It’s showing up even when you don’t want to. It’s doing the work that needs to be done even when you’d rather be anywhere doing anything else.
There’s victory in commitment – the quiet success of knowing you had a full day’s worth of nutritional perfection, or didn’t miss one training session, or that you prioritized recovery. That you got to bed on time, that you stuck to your training plan, that you made time to food prep.
There’s victory in self-improvement – the moment when you realize you just beat your previous best in the mile, or a bench press, or max effort pull ups. The moment when you look in the mirror and realize that you have gained size in your shoulders or that your abs are beginning to show.
Sometimes it’s winning to simply believe in yourself, to work hard towards your goals and live each day with purpose and passion. I consider it winning to not give up when I know I could, to remain dedicated even with external distraction and to push forward even when others doubt me.
It’s one thing to win over others. It’s entirely another thing to win over yourself. It’s true, self-victories are seldom celebrated, publicized, or discussed. No one is really going to care, other than you, if you just killed your workout or if you ate all your meals on point that day. And so there are times when the journey seems lonely, misunderstood, and even pointless. But there’s a reason you began – never forget that. And in the end, know that no matter what the outcome, the trophy or lack thereof, the self-victories along the way make it all worth it.
“I count him braver who overcomes his desires than him who conquers his enemies; for the hardest victory is over self.”
– Aristotle
A.M. Training Session
120 seconds jump rope
6x400m – The goal here was consistency, not all-out effort. I based my run times off of my last tested mile time which was 6:43. The goal was to get consistent times across all 400m run, using sixty seconds rest in between each effort. I was happy with my results, and this felt really good. I averaged 1:40 for each effort.
EMOM x6:
3-5 strict ring dips
Handstand hold remaining minute
120 seconds jump rope
8 minutes to stretch hamstrings and band out shoulders
Weightlifting Session
I did this session with my coach at B.A. Athletics, Inc.
Clean to a heavy single – got to 130 then dropped to 85 for 5×2
Banded clean pulls 5×3 @115
P.M. Training Session
Run 2 miles @ 75-80%
7 minute dynamic warm up: 20 jumping jacks, 10 OH squats with barbell only, 10 V sit ups, 10 hip thrusts, 10 alternating deep lunges
Snatch 1×1@60, 1×1@70, 1×1@80, 1×1@90 – I failed here on the first attempt, but got back in it and got it for the second attempt. I was feeling super tight in my shoulders so I didn’t attempt the 1×1@95 that was programmed. Instead I stayed at 90% for another rep then followed the remainder of the programming which was 2×1@70.
Snatch high pull 4×2@80 – These felt good.
EMOTM x12: Back rack alternating lunge 3-4x, 8-10 pull ups (kipping)
MetCon: 10 minute AMRAP:
- 2 wall balls (14lbs)
- 2 burpees
- 4 wall balls
- 4 burpees, etc until time limit.
This metcon sucked. I usually love burpees, but I died doing this. I couldn’t breathe and I have no idea why. I got to twenty wall balls + three burpees.
5 Rounds (NFT): 5-10 chin ups, 3-5 plyo push ups, 10-30 second ring hollow hold
Accessory Work: 3×10 face pull
Accessory Work: 3×10 seated dumbbell lateral raise
15 minutes stepmill
Today’s Thought: “Sparta, Rome, the knights of Europe, the samurai… worshipped strength. Because it is strength that makes all other values possible.” – Enter the Dragon
