The Olympics bring opportunity. The opportunity for athletes to showcase their skills to the world against the best in the world. The opportunity for long shots to come out of obscurity and have their story capture the hearts of the world. The opportunity for the host country to showcase their A Game.
But, in reality the biggest opportunity it provides is for us average Joe’s. “I could do that”. “That doesn’t look that hard.” This is 2 weeks for me to think that I missed my Olympic dream because I didn’t get exposed to these less visible sports that with a little practice I could totally dominate.
We all fall victim to mastery. We see these individuals performing on TV making their craft look so easy we actually think we can do it. The truth will hit you as hard as the ground when you try to walk out on the ice-covered ground.
We are seeing mastery. Mastery makes the complicated looks simple, the hard look easy, the difficult look juvenile. It’s like that with everything, not just the Olympic sports. Watch someone who has been a part of several kettlebell snatch tests – it will look easy. That reality goes out the door somewhere between #21 and #22 – “what did I get myself into” enters the mind and we are in for a struggle. I remember back in 2008 when I attempted my first kettlebell snatch test. At the time, I had to do 100 snatches with one hand switch. I had planned on doing all 100 and then finishing a normal workout. I tapped out at 65. Then laid on the ground wondering what had just happened. The videos of the Master RKC’s doing this made it look easy.
Think about movement. What gets more views on YouTube: CrossFit Fails or CrossFit Workouts? Bad movement gets our attention, we want to see the train wrecks. Good movement, movement strategies that have been mastered, are boring to watch because there is nothing to see.
Watching the US curling team makes me think back to all the shuffle board games I have played, all the bocce ball, and all the darts. I could do that. Then I step on the ice and look like I’m an Octopus having a seizure (true story – 1/4″ of ice came through yesterday and my driveway was going to be a makeshift curling rink for my son and I. Right up until I almost bit it). If someone makes movement, a sport, or a lift look easy, then appreciate it and appreciate the level of mastery they have achieved. Odds are the rest of us will make the fail videos if we were to try it.
