I walk up to a 35-inch tall obstacle. For me, standing at five feet and three glorious inches tall, it’s about hip level. Even though my shins are tingling as I imagine them smacking hard against the edges of the rubber plates, my favorite WODs usually includes the box jump.
So how do you muster the physical strength to jump more than 50 percent of your vertical; what's the secret of the box jump? It has nothing to do with physical strength: it is 90 percent mental, 10 percent hip mobility.
My approach to the box jump also translates into how to tackle obstacles outside the gym:
Put some distance between you and your obstacle
Seeing the obstacle up close is daunting and appears insurmountable. Take a few steps back and the obstacle becomes less significant with distance.
Swagger walk to the obstacle
I like to walk up to the box jump because it creates a sense of momentum; in reality, it doesn’t since I plant both feet before jumping, cutting off any speed I gained. The swagger part adds confidence, and confidence curbs overthinking.
