5 Things You Learn as a Masters Athlete
Here are a few things I’ve learned as a Masters Athlete. Nothing you don’t already know. But it doesn’t hurt to have a reminder.
As Masters Athletes, our bodies are not the same as what they were when we were in our 20s or even our 30s. It’s OK to push your limits both mentally and physically, but you also must balance it with being mindful of any potential limitations. Pay attention to the cues your body gives you because believe me, they are there. Which leads me to…
There have been a few occasions where as much as I want to go to class, my body tells me I need to sit it out. Sometimes, I just make the proactive decision to rest because I know I’m going to need more time to recover. Recovery is important for all of us, don’t get me wrong. But to my fellow Masters, you don’t have to go full on 4, 5, 6 days a week, every week. Get adequate rest. Your body will thank you.
I can’t show up to class, mobilize for 2 minutes, get right into it, and immediately leave when I’m done. I just can’t. I need more pre-workout mobilization, warm down, and stretching time. So showing up 15, sometimes even 30 minutes before class to not only get loosened up, but also to get my mind right has helped tremendously. Then take a few minutes to cool down and stretch sets me on the right path to recovery.
Because it might take you longer to recover, you might find trying to get that first un-banded kipping pull-up is taking longer to get than you would like. I still have that bar muscle up in my sights, but it’s just not quite there. I have to give my shoulders, lats, etc. some time to recover from any pull-up work before I start it back up again. But we will all get there, when it’s right. The key is not to force it. You’re not bound by some ticking clock reminding you your goals should have been met by now. It will happen. Just don’t ever underestimate yourself. You are capable of a lot more than you think, regardless of age.
There have been a few occasions where Marcos and I find ourselves bummed because we didn’t make a certain lift at the weight we wanted, or we didn’t finish a WOD, or didn’t do as well as we wanted on a WOD. As we give each other pep talks, we also sometimes remind ourselves…we’re probably the oldest ones in our respective classes. And yet, there we are side-by-side with the young ones. Don’t beat yourself up. Change your perspective. You may not have had the best CrossFit day, but you showed up. And you’re in it with everyone else.
Share what you’ve learned in the comments!