Training: to make proficient by instruction and practice, as in some art, profession, or work. Competing: to strive to outdo another for acknowledgment, a prize, supremacy, profit, etc.

Thank you dictionary.com 🙂 My english teacher would be so proud of me for citing my sources! Onward to more term definitions;

Maximal: the greatest quantity or amount possible, assignable, allowable. Optimal: most favorable or desirable; best.

Now, let’s look deeper for a second, a matrix if you will, and I will.

1. Maximal Competing
2. Optimal Competing
3. Maximal Training
4. Optimal Training

“Maximal Competing” would pertain to someone who competes at the greatest quantity or amount possible, assignable or allowable. As in they compete even when they shouldn’t be just because they could. Like at the dinner table to see who can eat faster, or have a cleaner plate, or eat more spinach. Or for example when driving, always being first to a destination, or at least making sure that he/she is ahead of you when driving by always changing lanes in your way. Annoying.

“Maximal Training” would pertain to someone who trains at the greatest quantity or amount possible, assignable or allowable. This person would practice the guitar for HOURS endless finger tearing hours. Breaking strings, incessantly re-tuning never wanting to do anything else. Fanatical.

“Optimal Competing” would pertain to someone who competes in a most favorable or desirable way, possibly the best. This person makes certain that they are prepared plans for the competition and arrives on time ready to do what they set out to do. Mature.

“Optimal Training” would pertain to someone who trains in a most favorable or desirable way, possibly the best. This person makes certain that they come to practice ready for the work, their attitude is favorable allowing them to learn and gain as much as possible from the training for the day allowing them to move and grow with confidence that they’ve done their best and learned the most from that day. Disciplined.

Could you workout more? Yes. Would you gain anything more from it, maybe not. Could you compete more? Yes. Would you garner the respect and admiration of your peers? Maybe. The Open has allowed us to begin competing a little bit more often and training a little bit less, isn’t it interesting how different that feels? Did anyone feel like a total failure after the ostensible Burpee/OHSQ/Muscle-Up WOD? If so you’re not the only one! If you scored less than 100 (maybe 91) you’re missing something required in the competition! That’s a blow to the soul man! You’re not good enough 🙁 Oh well, let’s TRAIN and get better so that when it does come up again you’ll BE better so you can compete optimally!

Let’s stay focused on the task at hand and improve ourselves, strive for the better movement, and work really really hard when you’ve given yourself the opportunity to!

And now: cute fat babies!!!