#15point3

It's in the books.

You either got that muscle up or you didn't.

If you got it Congrats! Now it's time to work on something else. Pistols maybe? Handstand walks?

If you didn't, what will you do with the next 11 months to prepare for next year?

Will you work towards it with baby steps, or will you throw in the towel and say it can never happen?

Will you wallow in defeat or will you rise to the occasion?

There will always be challenges, it will always seem unfair and there will always be something to gripe about, but how you handle obstacles is directly correlated to how you will succeed.

I'll be the first to admit that I was a hater when Castro announced MUs on Friday. I walked into the gym feeling bitter because it seemed like no matter how much I celebrated the progress I've made, it feels like I'm always going to be behind the curve.

There's only so much last-minute progression drills, hail mary attempts and positive self-talk can do to levitate my body over the rings. Seeing friends near and far hit their first MUs over the weekend was equal parts inspiring and frustrating, but as much as I want to feign ignorance and wonder why I still struggle with muscle ups after 2 years of CrossFitting, I actually do know. 

It’s plain as day: I have not put in the work. 

Admitting this was hard. It might seem strange considering how appallingly bad I am at gymnastics, or how my upper body strength is unquestionably inadequate. But I struggled to make peace with the fact that I just have not earned the right to go over the rings. But once I did, it was a lot easier to invest my happiness in the people who have worked day and night to get stronger in their false grip. To celebrate the achievements of those who put in honest work to get stronger everyday. To convey my faith through coaching, and hopefully tip my athletes over the fine line between insecurity and confidence. Nothing about a first muscle up is miraculous - whether or not you’ve been conscientiously drilling the movement, or just doing accessory work that gets you an inch closer to it everyday. If you got over the rings for the first time this weekend, congratulations on your cash-out! You’ve made bank on your efforts, and this is your reward. For that, I am thrilled for you. 

I can rant about how it’s not fair. Or joke about quitting CrossFit to lift heavy barbells all day. But through 15.3, nothing is more apparent than these facts: 

Sometimes, all we need is just someone to believe in us and our ability to succeed. A little faith goes a long way.

My time will come, but not before a whole lot of dedication and trust in the process.