Terrified of the Pain Tough Workouts Bring? You’re Not Alone, Says Mindset Coach Dawn Fletcher

November 23, 2022 by
Photo Credit: Dawn Fletcher

It happened during Event 5 at the 2013 Regionals. My biggest competition fear came true.

The task was 21-15-9 of deadlifts at 205 pounds and box jumps, and I knew it would be a fast, but painful one.

I hit the first 21 deadlifts too fast, jacked my heart rate too high and immediately began panicking.

When I got to the box jumps, my face was already experiencing pins and needles, my vision was blurred, I felt dizzy, all of the classic ‘I went out too hard and am red lining’ signs.

At that moment, it was too much for me to handle. I couldn’t do it. 

So after doing just a handful of the first 21 box jumps, I did it. I just stopped mid-workout, defeated. In front of all my family and friends, I wimped out and just stopped.

“Oh Fuck, did I really just do that?”

Embarrassed, I wasn’t sure what else to do, so I grabbed my back, faking an injury.

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