Heels on the Box or Bust

The Box Jump standard: let's talk about it. Or maybe I'll just talk. Feel free to hum amongst yourselves.Once upon a time, we rocketed off the box, toes barely touching, but making sure to open the hips somewhere above the box.It was hard but not killer-ish, we felt like Superman, and we didn't know any better.Sometimes, we even had a sandwich in between reps.(Not true. Just checking to see if you were paying attention. Besides, it was really just some avocado and cashews.)Then we decided to adopt the standard from the New England Sectionals: Heels totally on the box or get a "no rep" call.Wow. That was a LOT harder. And we learned to swear a lot under our breath.So, now we have a new standard: Heels totally on the box. And no, you cannot just step forward to make it count. Heels on the box when you land or it's a do-over. It's our standard for right now. That's not to say that it won't ever change in the future at some point (things in CrossFit tend to morph or evolve, along with human performance, as you may have noticed), but it's our standard right now, right here, at this moment.Why be so strict?Why not?Wouldn't you prefer that you be held to a higher standard? That you be encouraged to do more, be more, accomplish more? That someone has the respect for you that they would encourage you -- maybe even demand -- that you perform to the uppermost of your capabilities? And then, when we give you a WOD where you can do the toe-touch boomerang bounce, guess what? You're going to FLY through it like you're Wonder Woman. (But please no costumes, not until Halloween. You know how that kind of weirds us out.) Or if you go to a competition and they use an easier standard, you're going to eat up those box jumps ("Die motherf*****, DIE!") because you've worked harder and done more all these months.Higher standards are simply better. Aim low and you'll achieve low. Set the mark to minimum so you can "do more" and you'll always do less. Decide to "get by" and that's exactly what you'll do.And getting by is just not good enough.Character is forged here, right now, in these moments. In this gym. For workouts, for duty, for life. If you want the easy route and the low standards, go get 'em. But you'll have to leave here to do so.There is one standard here: Excellence. Nothing less will do.So get your heels totally on the box. I'm watching. You want me on that box, you need me on that box!Oh wait, wrong movie. Never mind. Carry on.