MON: PPBs are Pass Fail for a Reason

We’ve been talking a lot this month about improvement and approach, haven’t we? Among common things I’m sure I have totally and completely beaten into the ground is the idea of productivity versus activity in your daily routine.

Well, folks. Enough chirpin’. Today will be our exam.

In week one of this month, we set the baseline PPB for “Triathlon”, which is essentially a test of our high end conditioning output in the dreaded purgatory range of around 4:30 – 6:30. Today, when we re-test it you will have one of three outcomes and the grading system is pass fail.

  1. PASS: You will improve.  
  2. FAIL: You will remain where you are. 
  3. FAIL: You will worsen. (5-10″ + deviation)

The reason for the harsh black or white grading of the scale is to not to self judge your time in that moment, but to zoom out and present you the opportunity to examine your training efforts. That is the real lesson on PPB exam days like today.

If you tend to show up to the gym with purpose, listen to intensity suggestions from your coaches, progressively increase the demands of yourself, and put forth deliberate effort, you will likely improve.

If you tend to show up blindly, coast, settle into the same intensity every workout, and rarely ask more of yourself, you will likely remain constant.

If you tend to show up everyday, go hard as fuck, under eat, over party, and say recovery be damned, you will likely worsen.

In a nutshell, whether or not your daily effort is intentional or unplanned.

If there is one important physiological component to fitness you must remember is that without furthered stimulus, there is no continued adaptation.

If you fail, it doesn’t mean that you suck. Work that day, stress, sleep, hydration. Could totally be an acute performance depressor, which is also a great learning opportunity to learn how a poor meal, tough day at work, or bad night of sleep affects you.

But the likely reason for a non-passing grade likely lies somewhere in the scenarios above. This year, let’s all strive to learn to be consistent.

Be deliberate, be present, and dive in today. 5:15 or faster, here I come.

-Dave

Monday, 1.29.18

First, for Strength.
5 Hang Power Snatch
Max Invasive Hollow Holds
Complete 1 set every 3 minutes for 15 minutes
(x5)
—
Then, for Conditioning.
Complete “Triathlon” for PPB.
500m Row
500m Run
20 Burpees