A lesson in breathing at 7000' in beautiful Flagstaff, Arizona.
First, I want to make it clear that Mike Ray* didn't intend to teach me anything. This lesson happened while watching him in two unrelated incidents. (They were related because they happened at Crossfit Flagstaff).
I'll start with the second lesson, first. I was in my first round of some crazy-ass workout Lisa Ray had dreamt up (7 rounds of 30 wall balls and 6 scaled rope climbs). I was probably on wall ball 20 or so and was already gasping for air. The door opened and in cruised Mike. While I was sucking in oxygen to push myself to 30 wallballs, he casually inquired about the workout, went to his spot on the wall and began.
I didn't mean to watch him. But again, as I bent over between rounds inhaling oxygen into my burning lungs, I couldn't help but notice ... that Mike really didn't look like he was going that fast. I mean, this is the guy whose times rip the rest of us apart. But when I watched him, he just didn't look like he was going fast... at all.
After I stood up from the post-workout, curled in a ball and struggling for air position, I noticed that Mike had finished way before me and was already recovered.
Lesson Number 1
Rewind about two days prior. I had finished my workout and had the camera. This time, we rowed and did pullups. Mike was making cool faces on the rowing machine so I decided to take pics. In only a matter of seconds, I scurried off to Lisa, Mike's wife, owner of Crossfit Flagstaff and Crossfitter Extraordinaire, and whined - LISA. IT DOESN"T LOOK LIKE HE'S EVEN GOING FAST! WHAT'S THE SECRET?
It's Oxygen, Silly.
The secret, duh, is consistency. And a big part of staying consistent is not having to stop to gasp for air. Being able to find a pace and move through the workout without stopping. Period.
While obviously our muscles have to be trained and honed to execute that pace, for me, (just my personal opinion) the consistency seems more dependent on BREATHING.
Poignant, Relevant Questions
How on earth can you breathe enough air to get you through that? Especially at 7000 feet, what is the secret to giving the body the oxygen it needs to push through these workouts without lung failure? How can I not succumb to that "OMG if I don't stop now to breathe I will fall down, Oh Shit, stopping hurts even worse" condition?
What is the trick to making breathing my friend and supporter in my workouts?
The Resolution
Since I really don't know the answer, I've decided to make that my 2009 Crossfit Resolution. Learn to Breathe. Learn to make breathing the absolute core of my workouts. If I can do that, maybe one day someone else will say "But Eileen, you dont' even look like you're going that fast!" while I wink and rip the hell out of my time.
*Mike Ray is Lisa Ray's husband and an elite athlete.
