S05E153 - Pushing Limits: Joe Pierro's Journey to the CrossFit Semifinals and Beyond
Ever wondered what it takes to reach the pinnacle of CrossFit competition? Join coach David Syvertsen @davesy85 featuring a compelling conversation with Joe Pierro @jersey_jp, a North America East 2024 Semifinalist. Joe's journey from battling an injury during the CrossFit Open to securing a spot in the semifinals is nothing short of inspirational. We dive deep into the pressures and anxieties that come with competing at such a high level and the emotional rollercoaster of performing on the grand stage among the elite.
This episode also unpacks the nitty-gritty details of CrossFit competitions. From the footwear dilemmas that can make or break your performance to the grueling recovery processes that test your mental resilience, we cover it all. Listen in as we discuss the importance of strategic planning for subsequent events, humbling performance reflections, and the mindset required to push through tough workouts.
Finally, we'll explore the emotional and physical toll of maintaining elite fitness levels, especially for those balancing demanding careers and personal commitments. Joe provides invaluable insights into the significance of support systems, pacing, and grip strength training, as well as the raw emotions that accompany both failure and success. Whether you're a CrossFit enthusiast or just someone passionate about fitness, this episode offers a wealth of knowledge and inspiration. Don't miss out on this candid and heartfelt conversation.
@crossfitbison @crossfittraining @crossfit @crossfitgames #crossfit #sports #exercise #health #movement #crossfitcoach #agoq #clean #fitness #ItAllStartsHere #CrossFitOpen #CrossFit #CrossFitCommunity @CrossFitAffiliates #supportyourlocalbox #crossfitaffiliate #personalizedfitness
S05E153 - Pushing Limits: Joe Pierro's Journey to the CrossFit Semifinals and Beyond
TRANSCRIPT
00:00:04:34 - 00:00:35:06
David Syvertsen
Hey, everybody. Welcome to the Herd Fit podcast with Dr. Sam Rhee and myself, coach David Syverson. This podcast is aimed at helping anyone and everyone looking to enhance their healthy lifestyle through fitness, nutrition and most importantly, mindset. All right, Welcome back to the Herd Fit podcast. I am coach David Sampson and for the first time in Heard Fit podcast history, I do not have my co-host, doctor and coach Sam.
00:00:35:08 - 00:00:35:18
Joe Pierro
I.
00:00:35:18 - 00:00:52:27
David Syvertsen
Am as nervous as I was coaching my first CrossFit class back in 2012 that a my camera is not recording and be the crowd is not hearing us and all this is going to be for nothing. Speaking of 2012, that is when my guest was basically and in junior high I.
00:00:52:27 - 00:00:57:30
Joe Pierro
Was definitely in junior high. That was closer to being in eighth grade, to be honest, than graduated high school at that point.
00:00:58:01 - 00:01:21:05
David Syvertsen
My guest is is a repeat guest 2024 Northeast finalist. I say no. Me Yes, sorry. You know what? Let me say that again. Maybe I'll edit this next to me as a repeat guest. Joe Pro, who is a North America East semifinalist. Joe Pro, what's up, Joe? Thanks for joining.
00:01:21:08 - 00:01:26:08
Joe Pierro
baby, we're here May we're about to go off on some journeys cause Sam's not going to pull us back in now.
00:01:26:11 - 00:01:59:33
David Syvertsen
That is a very good point. Joe, you are just a few days removed from the semifinals, and I'm going to talk about the semifinals a little bit. Kind of just build you up a little bit because I want everyone that's listening to truly know what an accomplishment it is to just be there. But I know that some of the emotions that you're feeling right now, good, bad, ugly, it's still very, very much in the beginning stage times that I've competed in the past, how I'm thinking about myself, the sport in general, two, three, four days after as opposed to a month after, are completely different.
00:01:59:33 - 00:02:08:15
David Syvertsen
So I want everyone to know that some of the things that you're talking about right now, it's as raw as it gets. You know, you literally just got back a couple days ago, right?
00:02:08:22 - 00:02:12:12
Joe Pierro
Yeah, we haven't spoke anything on it. So this is going to be as real as it gets.
00:02:12:12 - 00:02:35:35
David Syvertsen
Yeah. This is I'm going to be learning you guys with Joe's, but this is kind of go into the beginning process, right? We all started off doing the same exact workouts. The CrossFit Open from 2024 and Joe did not have a great open because he was battling an injury. Fortunately for him, 80% of Joe or 70% of Joe is is more than good enough for him to qualify for the quarter final, which is top 25% from the quarter finals.
00:02:35:35 - 00:02:56:31
David Syvertsen
Though you are talking about thousands and thousands of men that he is competing against and only the top 40 from North America east. All right. So that includes Canada. All right. And the eastern half the United States, only the top 40 make it to the semifinals. This is not like the age group semifinals, which is where our gym is very biased.
00:02:56:31 - 00:03:14:25
David Syvertsen
It's not taking anything away from any of them. We have a games athlete, Trace McGee, who we're going to have coming up soon. I'll talk about her training. Yep. First time in bison history. Really proud of her for that. But also to get to the top 40. It's sounds the top 200. It is a really competitive market to get to where you got to.
00:03:14:28 - 00:03:23:05
David Syvertsen
And for those that don't really know the math, it's the top 1% of the top 1% of the top 1%. And Joe, this is your third one.
00:03:23:08 - 00:03:25:27
Joe Pierro
This is my third one. A second one individual.
00:03:25:27 - 00:03:48:28
David Syvertsen
Second one individual. So he was a team athlete, individual than team that individual did that experience. The fact that this is the third time on a big stage against some of the biggest names. I mean, I watched as much semifinals this past weekend as any semifinal. And seeing some of the names that you were up against. I mean, how does that compare now in year three in terms of being starstruck compared to your first year at the Granite Games?
00:03:48:31 - 00:04:13:23
Joe Pierro
I have a lot more experience now, yes. Am I still a fan of the sport? Yes. Is it an honor to go against these guys that I was watching, you know, five years ago at the big stage and now being able throw down with them? Yes, it's a little overwhelming and it does cause a lot of stress and anxiety because just seeing them and looking up to them and now being able to be in the mix with them, it's it's a totally different animal.
00:04:13:25 - 00:04:27:02
David Syvertsen
When did that when does it hit you the most? Is it when you get that qualification email from cross asking how your and your videos are good to go? Or is it in the warm up area or is it not until the event starts? When does it hit you? Does it hit you at all that you're competing against Jeff Adler?
00:04:27:02 - 00:04:32:15
David Syvertsen
You're competing against Dallen Pepper, Jason Hopper. Taylor So some of the biggest names our sport has to offer.
00:04:32:23 - 00:04:49:31
Joe Pierro
It starts to hit me when you start looking at the hype. Nine The West, the week, which was the week before or your which was the week before that. But when you start listening the podcast and I start talking about the guys are going against your name gets thrown around as the guy that nobody knows and there is a lot of pressure that there because I'm trying.
00:04:49:34 - 00:05:01:18
Joe Pierro
I want to make a name for myself, right? I don't want to. I got pride that, hey, everyone does. I want to I want to put out my best performance, be in the mix and take them down. Right. Because we're there when we deserve to be there.
00:05:01:19 - 00:05:27:22
David Syvertsen
There's I mean, hey, you're a competitor. And I think this is I mean, we talk about one of the most frequently talked about topics on this podcast. We're 100, what, 55 episodes in is the blend of of CrossFit sport, CrossFit health, CrossFit community, but also CrossFit competitors. And I think everyone needs to understand, even if you don't fully grasp it or even respect it, that a competitive mindset is you are.
00:05:27:22 - 00:05:43:35
David Syvertsen
It's a lot of pride. You are trying to beat others. That is what the sport is and I think that having that connect to yeah, I want to go there and hey, I'm proud of you. As someone that met you at the CrossFit 908 bathroom, one of the four times I beat you at that comp and you were telling me someday I'm going to compete, Dave, I'm going to get there.
00:05:43:35 - 00:05:45:02
David Syvertsen
I'm like, Yeah, you and everyone else.
00:05:45:02 - 00:05:49:18
Joe Pierro
Well, damn right you'll still be my ass to this, the anaerobic capacity stuff.
00:05:49:18 - 00:06:08:09
David Syvertsen
But this day, like, I'm really proud of you. I'm proud to watch the semifinals and say, like, I know that dude that dude has. I've trained with them, I've competed with and against him. I've he's been at our gym multiple times. Like, I was really proud of that. But it's but that that that doesn't matter to you. You're there to beat people.
00:06:08:09 - 00:06:23:23
David Syvertsen
You have a reputation that you want to uphold and let's let's touch on that a little bit before we get into some of these events. Is, you know, how weird are you feeling about your performance? And yet there I even say your reputation right now because I'm proud of you do. But how do you feel about that yourself?
00:06:23:26 - 00:06:45:18
Joe Pierro
If I didn't hit that touch and go snatch it to 65, I would be heartbroken because I'm going to blog about that. It was a emotional rollercoaster up until that point, and I'm going to keep reiterating stress and anxiety, this whole freaking podcast because I am one in life to go with the flow. Yeah, right. My stress and anxiety is pretty minimal.
00:06:45:20 - 00:07:04:00
Joe Pierro
Yeah, but out there it's just a different animal. And with it feeling so exclusive, everything did feel so elevated. Yeah, right. Last year was two years ago when I competed with 60. Yeah, right. A lot of people in the mix. Six seats. Now you're down to 40. Right? It felt like heat one. The heat I was in. Yep.
00:07:04:06 - 00:07:11:23
Joe Pierro
Was like JV. And then the next three heats after that heats two, three and four. It felt like varsity, you know? And it was like, Yeah, yeah, crazy.
00:07:11:23 - 00:07:19:17
David Syvertsen
I will. I actually was talking about that while we had we had it on our TV and our new lounge. I see that flat screen TV and they're making moves here.
00:07:19:20 - 00:07:20:03
Joe Pierro
That they had.
00:07:20:11 - 00:07:36:30
David Syvertsen
We, we had it on and we were watching and that came up. This actually comes up every time I watch the games. We have some people over every summer to watch, you know, one of the night's games and, you know, the first couple of heat, you're like, yeah, you know, like when it's down or coming up or where it when it's TIA coming up.
00:07:36:32 - 00:07:40:18
David Syvertsen
And I always say this out loud. I was like, you guys don't even grasp.
00:07:40:18 - 00:07:41:16
Joe Pierro
Yeah, you're over here.
00:07:41:16 - 00:07:44:33
David Syvertsen
How good that first heat as you you'd like. We don't know anyone.
00:07:44:33 - 00:07:49:06
Joe Pierro
You're over here drinking your beer saying the fuck is he doing? I could go faster than that.
00:07:49:11 - 00:08:12:16
David Syvertsen
Exactly. One of my favorite beams of all time. Watch the games. I actually took a picture of my son watching the semifinals. He fell asleep on Sunday. While we were watching the last of that, he had crumbs all over his chest and I was like, That's the guy that says You should be going, I'm broke 5%. But you know that that's something that I think when you watch the sport, when you're on a broadcast like that, you know, everyone there is is the elite of the elite.
00:08:12:19 - 00:08:30:16
David Syvertsen
But when you're there in heat, one, you know, the reason why you're and he won is that you're you're in that bottom quarter rank. You're in the bottom ten and you're in the bottom ten of the elite of the elite. But does that make does that discourage you? Does that make you more hungry? Does that is there something that you want to express about that fact?
00:08:30:19 - 00:08:44:26
Joe Pierro
It's it's a blend of both. Definitely hunger, because you're trying to fight your way out of heat. One right. Right. To then get with the big boys. The big boys. Right. The the full time. The full timers. Yep. Yeah, but, but.
00:08:44:27 - 00:08:45:00
David Syvertsen
That.
00:08:45:08 - 00:08:55:18
Joe Pierro
Yeah, but being in he won knowing it's exclusive. Yeah. This competition. Yeah it's, it's war right. Like we're all going to war.
00:08:55:18 - 00:09:13:20
David Syvertsen
Yeah. And it's you know across it is humbling even to the best athletes. I mean Joe is, is one of the best athletes maybe probably the best athlete that I personally know and it but even to him, he's going to get humbled. You know, you get humbled until you win the CrossFit games, Right? At some point you're going to find out that you didn't win or you didn't qualify for the next stage.
00:09:13:23 - 00:09:33:24
David Syvertsen
And you know, coming from someone, I've never qualified for the games, I've never qualified for a real semifinal. It's just been the masters. And at some point in those in those competitions, open quarterfinal finals, you get told via your score that you're not moving on. Does that take wind out of your sail or does it add wind into yourself.
00:09:33:27 - 00:09:34:15
Joe Pierro
With not moving.
00:09:34:15 - 00:09:38:11
David Syvertsen
On now, moving on to the games, are you does that motivate you or does that discourage you?
00:09:38:12 - 00:10:00:32
Joe Pierro
I it's it's motivating. It's not I don't even think, to be honest. That's the goal. The goal is to try to put out my best effort. Yeah, right. And if that does take me to the games that does, I use it as a measuring stick, right? Because as in the ranks workouts, one, two, three, four and six, I didn't do too hot in workout five.
00:10:00:35 - 00:10:01:21
Joe Pierro
The strength.
00:10:01:23 - 00:10:02:15
Speaker 3
Yeah.
00:10:02:18 - 00:10:17:01
Joe Pierro
I always do. Good. Let's go to two years ago I degraded Yeah. Last year degrading. Yeah. And this year degraded and that's awesome. Put a lot of work into the weaknesses, but so is everybody else and everybody's. You're trying to improve faster than the field.
00:10:17:01 - 00:10:17:23
David Syvertsen
Yeah.
00:10:17:26 - 00:10:18:07
Joe Pierro
As it gets.
00:10:18:07 - 00:10:33:20
David Syvertsen
Tougher, which is tough. So I want to talk about that towards the end. But I want to what I want to do right now is kind of recollect on the events themselves. We can go one by one. Some are more interesting to talk about than others. We don't need to spend a ton of time on these, but and then let this conversation go.
00:10:33:20 - 00:10:52:34
David Syvertsen
Where it takes us. If we kind of get sidetracked because of one of these workouts, let's do it. The first workout of the day was a workout by itself on Friday, right? 800 meter run, ten clean jerks, five rounds, four time. So this was unique. When I saw this workout come out, I assumed you guys would be on air runners.
00:10:53:01 - 00:11:11:20
David Syvertsen
But they don't really care about comparing scores region to region. It doesn't factor into anything. So they said, You know what? We're going to come up with our own running course at each respective semifinal. Sure, I'm sure they were. They were 800 meters. But you guys, for example, had a huge hill to run up. I saw. And to do that five times, that means a lot.
00:11:11:20 - 00:11:29:03
David Syvertsen
So but everyone that you competed against had to deal with the same thing. So that is what it is. But this was the longest endurance type test of the weekend, 800 meter run, ten clean jerks at 185 for the guys, 125 for the girls. Most people did singles. What was your approach go into it? I saw you train for this one a few times here.
00:11:29:03 - 00:11:32:19
David Syvertsen
Bison What was your mindset going in?
00:11:32:22 - 00:11:55:33
Joe Pierro
My mindset going in was it's a running workout and I was completely wrong. It was a clean and jerk workout. Interesting. And because in my eyes, the cleaning jerks were wending you. Yeah, but you had to get them done in a reasonable time and everybody's legs were going to feel heavy off of that starting to run. And it was all about who could recover while you run, right?
00:11:56:03 - 00:12:16:16
Joe Pierro
I personally did not really get past on the run. I didn't really see many people getting passed on the run besides the first round. Right when everybody's fresh. Yeah. In workouts. Yeah. Not workouts in rounds. Two, three, four and five is when you go in and then you start leaving later. Right. Because I was getting tired on the run.
00:12:16:19 - 00:12:29:26
Joe Pierro
So I started slowing my cleaning jerks down to try to save some energy for the run, but I just did not have it. My recovery pace was slower than the field's recovery pace run got is. Yeah, trying to get the best time. Obviously.
00:12:29:28 - 00:12:37:15
David Syvertsen
Yeah. Did you have any thought of footwear going in, running shoes versus shoes that you would not typically listen?
00:12:37:18 - 00:12:58:05
Joe Pierro
I, I saw Will Carter do this in Runners, so I then threw on a pair of runners the last day I train this bison and when I got out there, I said, I'm going to wear runners. You know, I was way more comfortable. We're doing two and a half miles of running along with 50 cleaning jerks were doing a lot of running, and that takes most of the time.
00:12:58:08 - 00:13:18:10
Joe Pierro
So I'm going to wear runners going during the workout. I did not expect, though, to have Happy Feet the whole time. Right. The runners, they're not very solid on the sides. Yes. So my feet kept jumping around and it did cause a couple of no reps because I would put the barbell overhead and, you know, I didn't really feel the bottom my foot.
00:13:18:10 - 00:13:37:28
Joe Pierro
So I kept going on my toes a little bit and moving my feet. And I did get a couple more reps that were earned. Right. Great calls from the judges. Yep. Which along with that, the judges, I did see a lot of athletes wearing runners. And just like I probably got away with a couple more reps, I think other athletes, they get away with no reps as well.
00:13:37:28 - 00:13:54:14
Joe Pierro
But that's it was it was. It was it was a it was a fine line, right? Yeah. And the thing is, is all the judges were on the same page there and letting the athletes play and I respect that from CrossFit. I thought it was greatly judged. I accept my no reps. I came in that last round. What a touch and go mindset just for pride.
00:13:54:14 - 00:14:06:07
Joe Pierro
Right. I know I was at the back of the pack, but I said things my thing. Let me go. Touch and go. I started doing touch and go, but my feet kept moving so it cost to me instability. Yeah, it costs me the clip, right? I was trying to go out there for highlights, you.
00:14:06:07 - 00:14:08:22
Speaker 3
Know.
00:14:08:25 - 00:14:10:09
David Syvertsen
I love the Odyssey there, you.
00:14:10:09 - 00:14:10:19
Joe Pierro
Know.
00:14:10:20 - 00:14:20:08
David Syvertsen
All right. So, so that's event one that was by itself. What was it like to recover from that event? What was the game plan going to that night in terms of like just refueling and getting ready for the next day?
00:14:20:14 - 00:14:30:21
Joe Pierro
Dude, Legs man, I try going up the stairs. I'm limping up the stairs. man, I'm at the event. I wasn't expecting that much build up in my legs.
00:14:30:21 - 00:14:42:33
David Syvertsen
I mean, two and a half miles of running, which is a lot. It's more than you commonly would train. All right. We'll talk about that later on once we're done talking about these workouts. But that that's a high volume, high intensity, high stress situation for you.
00:14:43:00 - 00:15:05:08
Joe Pierro
And that hill. Right. The immediate uphill then caused most of the rest of the run to be on the slight downhill, which I think put a lot of stress into my quads because not letting the momentum fully take me right you know, due to just hyperventilating with the cadence of running. Yep. Right. The higher the higher cadence, you know, you just tried it.
00:15:05:08 - 00:15:15:00
Joe Pierro
You were short in your stride length if you did have a higher cadence. But that might, you know, you try to be comfortable at that. And I was getting uncomfortable. So I would almost slow myself down a little bit, which caused a lot more stress in the quads.
00:15:15:00 - 00:15:40:00
David Syvertsen
Yep. Got that. All right. So that's event one. Next day it's another pretty quad dominant front, half of your foot dominant workout. Five rounds, four time. Once again, 100 double unders, 20 toes, a bar, ten front squats. This is not a light barbell. This was 225 for the guys, 155 for the ladies at that level. Yes, everyone's doing them unbroken for the most part, I believe.
00:15:40:03 - 00:15:57:11
David Syvertsen
But it's by no means an easy squat that even if you're a strong lifter, that that is something that's going to make you think, make you hesitate. This is, in my opinion, the most classic CrossFit workout of the weekend. This is one that I'm going to try to put into price and programing just a little lighter and maybe a little less volume.
00:15:57:14 - 00:16:13:24
David Syvertsen
But this was a workout that, hey, if you have been crossing for a long time, you've done several workouts like this before. How did your legs feel going into this day after night, asleep? You're a great squatter. Pretty good workout for you. But again, this is how fast can you go? What were your thoughts going?
00:16:13:27 - 00:16:37:03
Joe Pierro
Legs were. Legs were a little tender. I did get some assistance from the CrossFit staff on recovering my legs before I left the night before. Going into it though, big thing was mentality from having a bad workout the night before as well. And we could touch on that. Yep. But as per the workout, knowing legs were a little tender to 25 front squats, 50 of them.
00:16:37:03 - 00:16:43:20
Joe Pierro
I'm not going to let that let me be right like that's just mindset I know I could do five sets of ten No brainer. Okay my word.
00:16:43:21 - 00:16:44:06
David Syvertsen
That makes one.
00:16:44:06 - 00:17:09:15
Joe Pierro
Of us. Yeah I had to I really had to mitigate on the double unders and toes the bar. Just knowing the person I am and the athlete I am got ahead of the heat and I got ahead of the heat one right. I then had a great showing for my he got some screen time. Yep yeah try making a little highlight was happy got a little interview.
00:17:09:15 - 00:17:28:28
Joe Pierro
Yeah. Post-Workout awesome. You know everything was all that dandy answer. Yeah, everything was all good and dandy. And then fuckin next Max, he comes up and blows my time out the water, and I was like, Yeah, I'm going to be a little more humble in my post. Post Heat one win interview next time.
00:17:28:31 - 00:17:45:21
David Syvertsen
I'll tell you what, though. Let's talk about that. Let's get sidetracked a little bit here. You know, doing these in heats, I mean, in the perfect world, all four of you would be out on the floor at the same time, and that would be a better competition because it is undoubtedly we talk about this at the basic level here at the gym.
00:17:45:21 - 00:17:59:20
David Syvertsen
You know, people that come at 415, which were about to do the 415 class, they can look at what everyone else did all day. And for those that get competitive, they'll come and be like, I beat this person. You didn't though, because you saw their score and that that's the way the sport is. That's the way the sport is structured.
00:17:59:20 - 00:18:21:32
David Syvertsen
That's the way it needs to be structured. So no, you can't really I don't have a solution to that problem unless you didn't let anyone ever see a result from any heat prior to which I know the games has tried a few times, but that that's something. Do you think you could have pushed the gas a little further if you had someone in that heat that was beating you or right there with you are multiple guys?
00:18:21:35 - 00:18:39:19
Joe Pierro
Yes, that I exactly knew. I knew a guy in a heat. Jack Farlow. Yep. Who's honored to be working out in the same heat as him. He won a clean and jerk last year at the games. He's strong, right? He then went to What a Palooza. Had an amazing showing on the endurance events. Yeah. And I said, Jack Farlow is in my heat.
00:18:39:25 - 00:18:57:07
Joe Pierro
This is a gymnastic model. Structural weightlifting workout. I said, I'm going to hang with him. And I was moving at a at a pace. I was pacing myself at the front of the heat. Yeah, you get a little nervous when you do hear your name being said in the first round. Yeah, because usually that means the person in the lead in the first round is bound to blow up.
00:18:57:07 - 00:19:18:05
Joe Pierro
Yeah. So I was really trying to mitigate the fatigue and I felt all right. I did break stuff up a little more than I should have, right? Especially in a complicated set competition setting right mentality. Is everything right? You got to be willing to hurt. Yep. And riding that line in when I should have been hurting a lot more, that could have gave me a couple more placings.
00:19:18:14 - 00:19:20:21
Joe Pierro
I didn't because I was at the head of the heat.
00:19:20:26 - 00:19:38:21
David Syvertsen
Got so that that's that's a solid event for you. Yes. Humbling in that you know the heats after you kind of beat your score. But still I do think there's some pride taking in that the heat that you were in like you crushed pretty much everyone in that group. And I think that's something that there's value in, that there's there's carryover to future events.
00:19:38:24 - 00:19:55:14
David Syvertsen
Next one was one that, in my opinion, you seemed a little nervous about, just leading up to seven rounds, four time ten cal echo bike, one leg less rope climb, ten box jump overs, one leg less rope climb. However, I think on the final round there was not a leg loss right at the.
00:19:55:17 - 00:19:55:33
Joe Pierro
13.
00:19:55:33 - 00:20:15:22
David Syvertsen
Total. Yeah. Okay. So seven rounds of that. But just take out that legless rock, climb on the final round, upper, lower, upper lower leg. This road climb is probably the biggest deciding factor there. Do I mean from my perspective, the one that didn't do it, I do think that the vehicle bike you're able to maintain RPMs on that was probably a factor as well.
00:20:15:24 - 00:20:22:23
David Syvertsen
Yes. Your cycle rate on box jump over, step down everything. But what was your fear going to that? How did you respond?
00:20:22:26 - 00:20:49:22
Joe Pierro
That was the most worried workout. I well, that was the work I was most worried about. Not being strong at leg was rope climbs, you know, thinking, having a mindset of I'm not the best on the bike as you can blow me out. I'm pretty much any echo bike workout will save. I was nervous. I just wanted to put on my best effort, whatever that may be, which I didn't have any expectation.
00:20:49:22 - 00:21:10:11
Joe Pierro
I just wanted to do my best and just going about my business, my bike RPM was sitting around 75 to 70 and that was consistent, but the field was cranking way more than that. I was at the back of the heat. I was in a race with somebody at the back of the. He went up for that last legless rope climb and just whiffed.
00:21:10:11 - 00:21:25:26
Joe Pierro
I just got nothing but air. No. you missed the rope. No, I missed that. I missed the board saw it so I missed the board and I was going to start running, you know, because, I mean, do I had to miss it by a frickin hair? Yeah. So I came down to look at the judge, and he's like, No, but I'm like, You got me, bro.
00:21:25:26 - 00:21:26:27
Joe Pierro
You got me. Yeah.
00:21:26:30 - 00:21:28:20
David Syvertsen
Nice job. Nice job by that judge.
00:21:28:20 - 00:21:36:04
Joe Pierro
I try to play that off a little bit, but I got nothing but air, air ball and I paid the price there.
00:21:36:07 - 00:21:50:11
David Syvertsen
Man. Yeah. Having to do another one of those trips. I mean, that is just sheer capacity. And your upper body to get better at legless rope climbs, whether it's one rep at a time or multiple. I mean that is just something. Is there something, a piece of advice you can give someone that really needs to work on those other?
00:21:50:14 - 00:21:54:20
David Syvertsen
Is there anything to do other than you just got to get on that rope and just and hammer them out?
00:21:54:23 - 00:22:00:17
Joe Pierro
I think it's pulling strength training, training, pulling strength in our lab pull downs, tempo, swing.
00:22:00:20 - 00:22:01:11
David Syvertsen
Grip, strength.
00:22:01:11 - 00:22:09:32
Joe Pierro
Strip grip, strength, strict chin ups. Just you got to get the time and attention and the volume and strength. Yeah. Being strong leads that all.
00:22:09:33 - 00:22:13:18
David Syvertsen
Yeah or do it easy Muhammad does and just jump really high so you'll have to pull it once or twice.
00:22:13:19 - 00:22:20:10
Joe Pierro
Amen. Amen. I met James Townsend out there, the most explosive man, the sport, my man, the one pole in this race down.
00:22:20:13 - 00:22:25:17
David Syvertsen
Next one had a machine. Again, this was event for.
00:22:25:20 - 00:22:26:29
Joe Pierro
The machine semifinals.
00:22:26:29 - 00:22:55:21
David Syvertsen
Yeah, the machine semifinals. I'm jealous. My favorite for hundred meter rode, 96 foot handstand walks, 600 meter row, 120 foot handstand walk, 800 meter rose, 72 foot handstand walk to a normal handstand walk without obstacles, without turns. At this level of athlete semifinals, games, games, hopefuls that that this to me was how fast can you row? Because pretty much everyone is unbroken on the handstand walk.
00:22:55:26 - 00:23:14:26
David Syvertsen
There are some that are ninjas that can act like probably run on their hands faster than we can run on our feet. So that is definitely a factor. But I actually did this one when it came out, kind of did this one at Bias. And just to kind of get a feel and I remember saying like, you know, is as long as you can get on your hands and just walk, you need to be rolling at Max Effort.
00:23:14:33 - 00:23:34:16
David Syvertsen
And I did watch this one multiple times. It's one that I'm really intrigued by just from a coaching perspective. And every now and then the camera went and watched. You could see the pace and some of these rowers like Jason Hopper pull in like a 135 and we saw some other guys are on a 145. And I know there's different strengths and weaknesses with size and then physical profile when it comes to a rower.
00:23:34:19 - 00:23:43:10
David Syvertsen
But looking back on this, do you think that if you got another redo, a shot at this, would you have somebody just pulled a lot harder and just hold on for dear life?
00:23:43:13 - 00:23:44:20
Joe Pierro
I tried that. So.
00:23:44:20 - 00:23:47:12
David Syvertsen
Okay. Did you crash and burn?
00:23:47:14 - 00:23:59:35
Joe Pierro
I crash and burn immediately. I had one of the worst warm ups of my life. I was sitting on the rower, pulling at a recovery pace and my heart rate was through the roof. I was, like, practically hyperventilating.
00:24:00:07 - 00:24:00:35
David Syvertsen
I think that was.
00:24:01:02 - 00:24:06:34
Joe Pierro
I didn't recover good The night before, the fan in the sport got the best of me. That was the last. The night before was the team's.
00:24:06:34 - 00:24:07:18
David Syvertsen
Yep. Yep.
00:24:07:22 - 00:24:25:16
Joe Pierro
And all the individuals were going after me. And he won, right? He too. He three, he four was going and then the females. So I instead of prioritizing my recovery, which I should have been, I went to the stands with the boys in the family section and watched all the remaining heats. Got it. And definitely paid the price.
00:24:25:16 - 00:24:49:08
Joe Pierro
The next day, which costed me big time. I felt bad for myself immediately in that workout. I, I didn't have to aggressive of pace. My, my pace was four in the 400 meters I was around a row. One 145 okay. Just to save some energy. Yeah. Get on the hands easy back in the rower six on or pull of 142 and then try to pull 142 for that 800.
00:24:49:11 - 00:25:10:21
Joe Pierro
Everything went sideways. Heart rate was through the roof. In round one I get on the rower for the for the for the 600 meters and I start off at a 150 for the first hundred meters just like get my heart rate down. Yeah. It just didn't go my way. You know, you have a fight or flight mentality and I wanted to, to go back home at that point in the middle of that workout.
00:25:10:21 - 00:25:31:06
David Syvertsen
I hear you, man. I've been there on machines before. The machine, any machine is not a fun place to be if you're in that mindset. A lesson learned there that that no matter what prioritize. I mean, you know, as a as an elite athlete, you are an elite athlete. I'll say you don't have to the recovery component, especially as you get older, Joe is going to be more important than your workout strategies on that.
00:25:31:06 - 00:25:42:20
David Syvertsen
So I think that's a lesson learned right there. Right? No matter what, no matter who's there at your semifinals next year, when you're back there, you know, your recovery is going to take precedent over anyone because you're out there to do a job. You're not there to have fun.
00:25:42:23 - 00:25:59:19
Joe Pierro
Huge. I, I couldn't I couldn't have gotten more exposed in being stubborn and not taking care of myself. After work. I was sitting in that family section empty. Yeah. Not no water. Yeah. Nothing in my system. Yep. Just enjoying it with the.
00:25:59:19 - 00:26:17:18
David Syvertsen
Boys I get. I mean, I respect you for saying that out loud, and it's good that you can have that kind of reflection so soon after, because I think sometimes you in the back of your head, you might know it, but you won't admit it out loud. So and that's a that's a sign of humility, saying stuff out loud like that to our millions of subscribers to.
00:26:17:21 - 00:26:27:00
David Syvertsen
But here we go. I actually I want to reverse this because this is like, you know, I don't want you to get too down on this because the next event was was the Joe Pietro event.
00:26:27:03 - 00:26:34:11
Joe Pierro
And Joe Pro special. The reason I came baby as Ray, once he vents one in three went out the window. This was this was my moment.
00:26:34:13 - 00:27:04:19
David Syvertsen
So this workout was snatches. This is where you start to see like, okay, these guys are elite. All right? This is different level. This workout was ten, eight, six, four, two squat snatches. The weights were this 185 to a 5 to 20 5 to 40 5 to 65. The female weights 135 145 155 165 175 Not only did you have to hit those weights, would you had to hurts hit certain weights by certain time domains so you had to hit the ten snatches by 2 minutes, the eight by the four minute.
00:27:04:28 - 00:27:20:22
David Syvertsen
Basically they gave you a bunch of two minute windows to get all these listen and you could bang time by going fast early. But there's a lot of stress there. Very difficult. Lift your beat up by that point of the weekend. No one's fresh at this point and these weights are really heavy. You came in sixth place, dude.
00:27:20:22 - 00:27:23:05
David Syvertsen
Okay, I'm going to I'm going to read off some of the names that you beat in this way.
00:27:23:05 - 00:27:27:25
Joe Pierro
I should have be damn far off thousands. And you got me by 2 seconds. I got to get a top five.
00:27:27:25 - 00:27:54:04
David Syvertsen
MAN 558 So you beat sassiest of all Ben Smith, Luke Parker, Roman Austin Hatfield, Spencer Pancake. Saxon Pancake. Tyler. Krista Fell. Jason Hopper. Travis Mayer. Marquand Jones. Taylor Self. Trey Strom. You beat all those guys in this workout. That to me is and you had a moment there of that at the end of the barbell I was watching this one live.
00:27:54:07 - 00:28:01:14
David Syvertsen
It was you and the kid Fernandez and he had gotten that final snatch at 265. He had to do two. He did one of them before you. I.
00:28:01:14 - 00:28:01:32
Joe Pierro
Was. I am.
00:28:01:33 - 00:28:18:06
David Syvertsen
I know you put you go what? You walk up to that barbell and I'm like, I Joe, going to go on here. I didn't even think you were going to think about going for four touch and go because you didn't touch. You go anything, right? You did a rapid 265. He's holding above his head and he's holding it for like an extra half second.
00:28:18:09 - 00:28:40:01
David Syvertsen
And right there I'm like, he's going to go for it. He brings the bar down, taps the ground and does a touching go to 65 snatch catches. It gets done, beats the kid. Fernandez In dramatic fashion, that stadium goes crazy. The commentators go crazy. People are talking about on the seven podcast, you and Colt Mertens are the two people in the world that people are talking about in regards to this workout.
00:28:40:01 - 00:28:49:00
David Syvertsen
That was a moment, dude, that you are going to remember for the rest of your life. Walk us through it. What was your mindset going into it? Did you decide ahead of time you were going to try a.
00:28:49:00 - 00:28:59:09
Joe Pierro
Walk and do my mindset? Wow, I'll backtrack all the way. I Wednesday I talked to Tracy and we were talking about strength stuff and I said, You know what? I'm going to go for it.
00:28:59:12 - 00:28:59:35
David Syvertsen
You knew I had it.
00:28:59:35 - 00:29:14:03
Joe Pierro
I put it out there, Wow, I did. But I didn't train it called your shot. I did not train it. I didn't train it, nor did I really put it out there. I put it out to the people in the circle that I was with. Yep. I put it out there to a couple of people ahead of time, but it also really depended on how the weekend went.
00:29:14:03 - 00:29:31:25
Joe Pierro
If I did good in the earlier events workouts, one right, which I wanted you to run workout three the legless roping one which I wanted, I probably would have put a lot more thought and discussion and going out there in the moment, I had nothing to lose. Right? I'm going against the former team game champ. I know exactly who he is.
00:29:31:28 - 00:29:52:20
Joe Pierro
And I just said, Dude, you got nothing to lose. You're either going to hit it or you're going to miss and you're going to wait 15 seconds and hit it anyway, right? Because I wouldn't be I wouldn't be as happy about hitting it if that was just the lift. Right. Because I hit that before for three in the water palooza qualifier last year.
00:29:52:23 - 00:30:08:34
Joe Pierro
So but the fact with all the intensity backing it, the ten, the eight, the six and the four, and to be able to pull that out felt felt really good, especially because I didn't train it. I just I call my shot ahead of time and I was just like, you know I had a bad week. I'm gonna make it happen now.
00:30:09:01 - 00:30:29:17
David Syvertsen
Yet your emotion after that was the strongest emotion you showed all weekend Good bad that that publicly. I shouldn't say that, but I wasn't around you but the most emotional I saw you on camera was immediately after that. You had Andre's in the stands, right? Your crew right there. What what caused that eruption of emotion? Was that something deeper than you just being pumped up there?
00:30:29:17 - 00:31:00:23
Joe Pierro
It was. It was bad. It was the week. It was bad, man, I. I really wanted. I just. I just wanted to put out, like, a good product, man. And I dropped the ball for fear for my expectations on all the stuff I put work into all year. I go all fucking year lifting one time a week, just touching on snatches, just touching on cleaning jerks, running minus structural days, you know, mix mix, cardio machine work, echo bike intervals and I keep fucking shit in the bed there.
00:31:00:31 - 00:31:21:26
Joe Pierro
So I, I just said I do. This is your thing. You haven't been training all year, but you got to you got to put out and dude, I, I blew my load for workout six. Right that in there I my celebration I, I dude I don't know what took over me. I never drained so much energy in my life and I ended man, it felt so good.
00:31:21:26 - 00:31:34:03
Joe Pierro
And I didn't know I didn't know I was going to hit it. I didn't really want to go for. I rushed to shed of it. Yeah, the thing free fall to the ground. And I just held on and fell under it. And then when a crowd erupted, I just lost control for composure.
00:31:34:03 - 00:31:53:21
David Syvertsen
That's it's a big moment. A couple of takeaways from there. It's like that whole like nothing to lose mindset. Like how much that can do for you as a competitor is huge because I think a lot of us, myself included, you're out there competing and you start, there's some fear, you know, that you're going to lose out on something if you try a lift or if you don't truly go for a you're afraid of failing.
00:31:53:21 - 00:32:09:10
David Syvertsen
I think that's that really does control a lot of us, is that we're afraid to fail something and you don't actually go for it. And look what happened. You kind of kind of cut that shit out and you just said, Hey, I'm going to go for it. I do have truly nothing to lose. And your best possible result came out of that mindset.
00:32:09:13 - 00:32:25:35
Joe Pierro
Yeah, and to be honest, when I was, I committed to doing it because I took an extra second. I looked over or he took an extra second and I knew I was going for it. But after I had one dude, I was like, once his bar free fell to the ground, like, I'm not fucking hitting it, but I'm not letting go.
00:32:25:35 - 00:32:46:13
Joe Pierro
Yeah. And dude, I'm man too. How is that? I felt I fell low possessed that I was not. That was dangerous. Do that I I If there was a wall there, I would have fucking ran through it, man. I would have jumped in their arms if there wasn't a five foot barrier. I feel bad because, like, there's an angle and my first words are Suck it, bitch.
00:32:46:13 - 00:32:48:01
Joe Pierro
And I do that.
00:32:48:04 - 00:32:49:01
Speaker 3
And.
00:32:49:04 - 00:33:03:09
Joe Pierro
And next the my boys. There's like family members there and, and like, they're looking at me like, Yo, this dude needs help. Like, this is deep. Like he's been holding this in for, for, for far too long.
00:33:03:16 - 00:33:33:00
David Syvertsen
I mean, there's something in there that has. That's why I ask you what? Why, why did that reaction come up? And it's not a judgment Because, again, I think you're only going to understand this if you've been in this situation even somewhat similar to that. It could be back in high school, it could be right now, could be in your future that the emotion is so strong and there's so much bottled up inside of you that to me, I actually kind of love that, you know, that that the reaction like I'm laughing about it now but that is like that is real emotion to me.
00:33:33:03 - 00:33:50:14
David Syvertsen
And I think, you know, the world that we live in right now, everyone's so afraid of really expressing themselves and how they feel, what they think because they want to get canceled or they don't want to offend someone because people get offended so easily. Now, that's just Joe Pro being having a lot of emotion bottled up from both long term and the short term weekend.
00:33:50:21 - 00:33:53:32
David Syvertsen
To me, I appreciate it because it's real and I like real stuff.
00:33:53:34 - 00:34:13:17
Joe Pierro
Dad that comes with a lot of growth because like I was I was I'm really comfortable with myself for a while, you know, just like trying to make everybody happy. Yeah, but I'm over that shit now. You either like me or you don't, and I'm cool with that. Yeah, And that was raw as it gets, man. And I, you know, I think of all the celebrations and CrossFit through all the athletes and I can't recall one of those.
00:34:13:17 - 00:34:16:28
Joe Pierro
So I'm really trying to bring some spice into this sport, you know, try.
00:34:16:28 - 00:34:31:04
David Syvertsen
To trademark that. Yeah. I mean I listen to an interview from down Pepper and Jason Hopper and they said that a lot of people in this sport, they take it a little too they take themselves too serious and it's a little too like, you know, buttoned up. And he goes like, why not some playful trash talk? Why? What's wrong with that?
00:34:31:04 - 00:34:48:24
David Syvertsen
It can loosen the Solbakken can play some, bring some playful banter out and really expose some real true personalities that we all have deep inside of us. But, you know, I think some people are just afraid to what the perception is in the social media world. But, you know, you going out there and tell the world to suck it up is something that's going to be on the Internet.
00:34:48:28 - 00:35:07:05
Joe Pierro
Sometimes it's just got to be done, you know? But yeah, even even in workout one, like they have this they describe like in in the briefing, they tell us no, you know, you got to be professional. No, like messing around and stuff and work out on me and we'll come out elbow on each other, you know, sort of.
00:35:07:06 - 00:35:22:35
Joe Pierro
And, and the first thing that came into my mind when I elbow him and shove him, I was like, Dude, I don't want the judges to say something. But I knew it was him. And looking back at it, I wish I really gained another one because that was that one was hilarious. That was that.
00:35:22:35 - 00:35:30:26
David Syvertsen
Was a funny moment. I actually saw that live, too, and I knew that was Will. And I know you guys have a relationship, so if I didn't know you two of like, man, these are the first.
00:35:30:26 - 00:35:42:02
Joe Pierro
The first bump was definitely unknown. Yeah, but then when you look at your peripherals, you, you see what it is. And man, I really wish I laid into him. I would, I would have put the frickin ankle out, you know.
00:35:42:05 - 00:35:48:21
David Syvertsen
So now you have you have one workout left at this point you're on that high with which I can't even imagine what that was. It felt like.
00:35:48:24 - 00:35:55:09
Joe Pierro
On that high and the 9090 minute max break between. So from stop to start, you were only given 90 minutes.
00:35:55:09 - 00:36:18:08
David Syvertsen
Okay. So you're not a full recovery here. 30 bike. So we're going back to the eco bike for the second time which I was surprised by. 30 cal echo bike, 15 ring muscle ups, 72 foot double dumbbell walking, lunge in a former carry position. by the way, the weights are £100 for guys in each hand, the ladies £70 for anyone that doesn't grasp how heavy, that is.
00:36:18:11 - 00:36:37:22
David Syvertsen
So if you could see if you could just find two of those dumbbells guys, find 200 ladies 5 to 7, and just go do a farmer, carry with it and just tell me. And then, and then understand that at the end of the weekend, after a bike, after 15 ring muscle up, so your grip is really taxed, you have to lunge it, you know it with, with all eyes on you.
00:36:37:22 - 00:36:48:19
David Syvertsen
Short workout, short recovery. Did you have did that high from the Snatch event? Did it help you hurt you Not really impact anything going into this final event.
00:36:48:22 - 00:37:13:04
Joe Pierro
I'm going to forever say it hurt me, but I don't regret doing that celebration at all. Got it. That was raw emotion on Event five. Event six was a quick turn around. I went behind to my stuff, chucks a maple sirup and just hoped it was enough recovery and, you know, flush my legs as well. But I definitely think there was some carryover that I was extremely taxed at that point.
00:37:13:07 - 00:37:34:31
Joe Pierro
The actual bike was, was, was smartly paced by me, but the my exertion off that echo bike, my heart rate was through the roof. I just felt like I was running on empty. Yeah. I then hop up onto the rings and you know, Max rings. Yeah. From somebody sitting down here, right? dude, if I could. Joe, could you 24 bring most love?
00:37:34:31 - 00:37:36:01
Joe Pierro
So I'm broken right now.
00:37:36:03 - 00:37:37:03
David Syvertsen
You number. Is that where you're at, Right?
00:37:37:04 - 00:37:48:23
Joe Pierro
Yeah. Yeah. So I was 24 my last test, so I was like, you know, 15 is automatic. It's common. You know, you saw me. I was just training it over the the previous weekend you were watching over my shoulder, giving me some looking.
00:37:48:23 - 00:37:48:34
David Syvertsen
Great.
00:37:49:02 - 00:38:08:25
Joe Pierro
Yeah. Appreciate that. Yeah. And I thought I definitely in the cards these rings, man. I was going to set up for an iron cross for me, bro. They were white as they get. What? Hey, I'm going to take back into training and make sure I do not train narrow with on the rings. So this just my catch was so low and.
00:38:08:26 - 00:38:27:28
Joe Pierro
And the press out, man, I really did nine And at that point it felt almost like a max effort. And then I hopped up for six and those, you know, the back end of the six was basically a max effort set, called me on prepared, call me whatever you may call it. But I, I was not feeling like myself at that point.
00:38:27:28 - 00:38:46:19
Joe Pierro
And I got to I then proceeded to the lunges like a jerk off. I rush my hook. RIP Right hook. Rip is where you grab your thumb. And basically it takes a lot of stress off your grip. And I, I, you know, when in training, I dug my hands in into the meat between my pointer and my thumb.
00:38:46:20 - 00:39:08:22
Joe Pierro
Yeah. And I really grabbed that hook, rip and I felt great in training. What do I do there? Bend over a half ass and just grab the loose hook grip on my life. So start lunging down the field. And, you know, I'm so thrown off at the fact that I rushed out. Hook, Rip that I got a no rap because I tried lunging a little too fast and I did a slight shuffle and the judge called me.
00:39:08:22 - 00:39:28:07
Joe Pierro
Great call on her. I respect that. Holding the standard to the sport got penalized. Got penalized, Put my thumb, walk them back. So I'm doing a farmer's carry back to my previous line, you know, a little bonus work, just good for the pump and, the cameras. You know, by that point, my heart rate's jacked up. I then pick them up again, start lunging.
00:39:28:07 - 00:39:44:04
Joe Pierro
Boom! First lunge. My foot's on the damn line. No rat. Walk them ray back again. So there I am. You know, I'm like, at this point, I'm like, Where's the damn after party? I'm out there alone. I'm battle lunge down this floor all by myself. I'm like, checked in the bag. I got 40th place in this workout array.
00:39:44:04 - 00:40:04:31
Joe Pierro
Sorry, 39th because somebody withdrew that. I get that last. I got three points. Three points? Are it costly? No reps. When you have £100 in each hand, man, that's just it's exerting and you know, cost to me big time didn't end on a no. I wanted to at all. I honestly took the loss in the middle of the workout.
00:40:04:31 - 00:40:06:29
Joe Pierro
I was so checked out. Yeah.
00:40:06:32 - 00:40:33:33
David Syvertsen
Been there to like I bet like I bet for strength if you're pursuing something, you're probably a minute faster just because of the urgency. But you didn't give up because you did the workout. But there is like probably a little less urgency and a little less urgency on the semifinal workout level, but also in a class, what, on a Wednesday afternoon in June, if you just you don't really go if you go for 80% of your capacity and then you go to the 70% as you're getting tired to check out, like your time is half is what it would be if you were really pursuing it.
00:40:33:33 - 00:40:59:10
David Syvertsen
So, you know, you can't even look at, you know, from my perspective, you can't look at a score. I'm like, that's what Joe scores like. I bet if you really needed to and wanted to and everything was there mentally, you know, you'd be at least a minute faster on that. I feel pretty strongly about that now. So we just talked about all five workouts and we have about 15 minutes left and I kind of want to get into some of the mindset stuff, you know, the stress levels, the anxiety.
00:40:59:13 - 00:41:19:22
David Syvertsen
One thing I want to say, I don't want to make you say this is you are your father and you have a full time job. You're not a full time athlete. You don't get to train morning, afternoon and night. You basically get one or 2 hours a day, four or five days a week, and then you have other serious responsibilities that take up a lot of stress and time, create anxiety and that that's the way your life is.
00:41:19:22 - 00:41:37:26
David Syvertsen
That's what you have to do it. You know, it's it's I'm sure you find yourself thinking about this all the time. But I do think that's one of the biggest disconnects between the public and an athlete that's at your level that is a notch below a game's level. But you're right there with those guys, literally those guys get it.
00:41:37:26 - 00:41:49:26
David Syvertsen
And I'm not taking anything away from them. They get to train all the time, full time athletes. Do you ever find yourself feeling sorry for yourself or creating excuses from that perspective?
00:41:49:29 - 00:42:09:04
Joe Pierro
No, no, because I, I, I've got laid off from work a couple of times being a union electrician, when work does get slow and coming into the gym full time, it really starts to feel like work. And it's the biggest turn off man. I start quitting workouts. It starts to feel like, you know, I'm working for like, for free, right?
00:42:09:04 - 00:42:29:24
Joe Pierro
And I'm just like, it's a it's like a rock and a hard place, you know? Like, I get what I want, but then when I have it, it's like it's not as sexy. Hey, it sucks. Like, so. So having honestly, the chaotic lifestyle and the balance that I'm always going to be forever working on that balance because obviously trying to perform at this stage is a lot of sacrifice and honestly selfish.
00:42:29:32 - 00:42:36:32
Joe Pierro
Yep. And I really try to work on that balance. It's it's tough, man. Really is.
00:42:36:32 - 00:42:53:29
David Syvertsen
Yeah, I believe it. I believe it. And I know that, you know, just something as simple as running in a workout like that or getting better at the machines like that, that is something that needs a lot of time. You can't just go run once a week and expect to get on the level of these guys as runners or or bike once a week.
00:42:53:32 - 00:43:10:14
David Syvertsen
I mean, you're already at the elite. Elite elite level of strength. All right. Do you look at your training from here on out for the next year and say, hey, I would gladly give 5% of my snatch ability and clean and jerk ability if I could get 20% better at some of the other things. Do you think about it?
00:43:10:23 - 00:43:14:19
David Syvertsen
Is it too early to think about that? You need to talk to your coach about it.
00:43:14:22 - 00:43:26:16
Joe Pierro
There isn't a doubt that I told myself that last year. I, I, I really don't know. I'm very confused in that sense because I only lifted one day a week. Did. Yeah. Until these workouts.
00:43:26:16 - 00:43:27:19
David Syvertsen
Concept. You still do this?
00:43:27:19 - 00:43:51:13
Joe Pierro
Did I work. I did lifting on Friday afternoon for for an hour. Yeah. And every other day was either minus structural you know cardio gymnastics development and it's it's very confusing at this point. And that really makes me want to throw it over to, you know, in the last two weeks before going into competition. Right? I started working 12 hour days.
00:43:51:13 - 00:44:06:24
Joe Pierro
I started working ten hour days. Did I haven't done that in in two years. And then, you know, just so I could try to keep the keep a job and keep income coming for the family. Right. I get hit with all this extra all these extra hours at work. So I'm I'm sure that had to do with it as well.
00:44:06:24 - 00:44:26:24
Joe Pierro
But it's just everybody's got their own stressors and everybody's got their own battles. And, you know it's it's it's just it's an experience that leaves me confused. But I do have some sort of things to lean into on why it may have happened. And, you know, honestly, maybe, honestly, maybe the field just got better than me, though. So I'm just going to keep being stubborn, come back and we'll figure it out next year.
00:44:26:24 - 00:44:27:09
Joe Pierro
I'll be back.
00:44:27:10 - 00:44:47:25
David Syvertsen
Yeah, Yeah, you'll be back. Yeah. And I think that's a big part of what we always tell ourselves. What we tell people as coaches is, are you doing everything you can? If the answer is yes, right? Or at least close to it, without sacrificing every other living being in your life, including your children. Right. You know, then you really have nothing to be upset about.
00:44:47:25 - 00:44:59:13
David Syvertsen
There's nothing wrong with looking at your plan, your plan of attack over the past year. But you're right. I want to I want to pursue this path. I want to change this up. I want to try to get better at this. I want to make this a focus. But you put the time and you put the effort in.
00:44:59:13 - 00:45:21:09
David Syvertsen
And I just hope that whatever result you wanted out of the weekend and what ended up happening, I hope there's no level of real disappointment in yourself to being disappointed in a result that's going to happen for the rest of your life, and so you win the cross the games. All right. But being disappointed in the process, that that's a different level of disappointment that I think that you can circle back and try to regroup on.
00:45:21:09 - 00:45:51:27
David Syvertsen
But I think your process has been admirable from afar. From my perspective, I've admired what your process is. And, you know, I'm looking forward to what you do for the next year. Do you want to touch on any of the any other factors or components variables too? Like do you have a training partner? Do you have guys that can push you, that you can push because that that's a big part of this as well, is that you need to kind of get yourself in a competitive scene more than once or twice a year.
00:45:51:34 - 00:45:54:17
David Syvertsen
Is there any thought about that?
00:45:54:20 - 00:46:17:01
Joe Pierro
Yeah, I train with I try to train with people on the weekends. I every other week and I'll say depending on the time of year, right closer to competition, it's way more sport, right, Way more sport and CrossFit farther away from competition. It's way more broken down, right? It's way more aerobic base development, it's way more gymnastics progressions.
00:46:17:07 - 00:46:39:12
Joe Pierro
And I'm in my own right. I'm trying to I'm trying to put my weaknesses here. But, you know, the people I do train with, they're extremely fit, but they're not getting six plays on the snatch right or whatever left comes up. That's true in that sense. And I, I try to stay in my lane and do my what it may be eight week cycle, six week cycle, whatever it may be, and just try to take my wins.
00:46:39:20 - 00:46:41:01
Joe Pierro
Along with that.
00:46:41:04 - 00:46:42:32
David Syvertsen
You want to give your coach a shout out.
00:46:42:34 - 00:46:45:24
Joe Pierro
Shout out to Shawn Neves. He had a42 fitness.
00:46:45:27 - 00:46:46:05
David Syvertsen
How long you've.
00:46:46:05 - 00:47:02:18
Joe Pierro
Been with him? It's been five going on a six years, man. I, I told him it's I trust him but I, I don't even I don't even look into like I don't even question him, you know, like, we just trust the process. That's huge. That's awesome. I've been seeking progress every year, and, you know, I did want a better result at this semifinal.
00:47:02:18 - 00:47:03:16
David Syvertsen
And I'm sure he did, too.
00:47:03:16 - 00:47:14:00
Joe Pierro
Yeah, but knowing this field and and just looking at it from a from a fan of the sport, it's it's I think is the deepest field man I they really do.
00:47:14:03 - 00:47:35:06
David Syvertsen
Last thing if you so I have some awesome athletes here this gym masters competitors I have a couple of young guys as well that have very aspirations. I don't want to single them out right now because I don't have their permission to to share that publicly. But there are some people in this gym that have the highest of high aspirations, and I want you to try.
00:47:35:06 - 00:47:45:31
David Syvertsen
If they were sitting in front of you right now and or if Joe Pro from 2012 or 2013, by the time I beat you across it, Hoboken was sitting right.
00:47:45:31 - 00:47:50:01
Joe Pierro
And I'll never forget, Dave, you're my hero.
00:47:50:03 - 00:47:56:18
David Syvertsen
The that's like my claim to fame. But ten years ago, it's like I'm like that guy that talks about his high school batting average. Anyway.
00:47:56:21 - 00:47:58:04
Joe Pierro
So, guys, maybe.
00:47:58:06 - 00:48:16:17
David Syvertsen
If Joe was from 2013 was sitting here and I have a couple other competitors with the highest of high aspirations, what would you like to close with in terms of just kind of advice, anecdotal advice, guidance on what to approach physically, mentally, anything really.
00:48:16:20 - 00:48:40:24
Joe Pierro
You got to you know, I would definitely track your journey and take your wins. It's so tough getting caught up in the moment and compare yourself to others throughout the year with where you're at. But you have to compare to yourself and keep making progress every week on on your journey. Right. Record of video, right, Compared to that video a year from now.
00:48:40:27 - 00:49:00:15
Joe Pierro
shit, dude. I added £40 on my back squat and and let's say yeah, a year. That's huge, right? You do that for two years. That's £80. That's your journey, Right? Meanwhile, somebody else might have got £100 in one year, but you're moving that needle in the right direction and right. There's three components to this. Gymnastics, weightlifting, cardio, right.
00:49:00:15 - 00:49:27:21
Joe Pierro
CrossFit is an endurance sport with strong people in it. So we got to get strong number one, right? We got to get our aerobics base and we got to get our muscle endurance. Good. Getting strong takes the longest, in my opinion. Yeah, right. I took three frickin years, which Shawn of just lifting front squat cycle after front squat cycle deadlift cycle after deadlift cycle doing the shit I suck at sitting on the echo bike for hours at a time.
00:49:27:29 - 00:49:48:17
Joe Pierro
I used to go to local competitions and get blown out on machines. Yeah, that's why you beat me in every fucking comp you've ever done, dude. Because I can't hang on a machine. Nine away exposes me every damn year, right? I put so much time into it that I might. I still might not be the best at the local level.
00:49:48:18 - 00:50:10:09
Joe Pierro
Yeah, but my gymnastics and strength has Then I improved way more. And my strength, I can't control it. Like, I don't know where the ceiling is, dude. And it pisses me off because I just want that same output on endurance or moderate amount of structural machines and gymnastics. So, you know, what's my lowest hanging fruit here? To get better?
00:50:10:14 - 00:50:20:33
Joe Pierro
It is sacrifice some strength, gain some, you know, foundational die mean maybe restart. Yeah.
00:50:21:00 - 00:50:21:19
Speaker 3
Yeah, yeah.
00:50:21:26 - 00:50:47:17
David Syvertsen
Now let me let me while you get your thoughts back, let me say this because coming from someone that's never been strong competitively and I do have some ability on on machines and muscle endurance. Right. The strength takes you further. Yeah. Than being good on a machine and being good at muscle endurance. So if you're out there and this is something you want to pursue, whether it's on the Masters level or the open division level, okay, the strength is going to take you further.
00:50:47:17 - 00:51:03:00
David Syvertsen
So if I was sitting in front of 2012, Dave was sitting here right now, I would say do less quads and do more strength work and that will never stop. And that's I don't want to call it a regret because I think everything is kind of as a coach now, especially like, what can I do to help out a kid like Alex, right?
00:51:03:00 - 00:51:16:29
David Syvertsen
Who who is already strong, but he's not strong enough. He's not he's not strong enough yet to be at that level. He has the potential to be, but that's going to like everyone I've had a few people ask me, why is he lifting so much if he's already good at it? I'm like, You guys don't know what good is he?
00:51:17:01 - 00:51:30:22
David Syvertsen
And he needs to get stronger. And I think that can be applied to anyone out there because unless you're going to come in sixth place at the Snatch event, what like Pro just did at the East semifinal, you have strength what to do, period.
00:51:30:31 - 00:51:42:01
Joe Pierro
If you can't lift it, you're just looking at it. And if you're just looking at it, you're not doing any fucking work and cross. It's an endurance sport, right? Your goals to do the most amount of work, give it in the allotted time.
00:51:42:01 - 00:51:53:06
David Syvertsen
Yeah. Now that's a great way of putting it. I like, I like ending with that. If you're not going to if you're not going to lift it, you're going to look at it. If you're not looking at it, you're not get any work done. Right. So, Joe, thanks again. Men definitely want to just kind of keep tabs on you.
00:51:53:06 - 00:52:12:08
David Syvertsen
May we'll have you come on throughout the year because I just I think you have a unique perspective. You've grown a lot, humility wise, over the past. You know, 5 to 10 years that I've known you, you're still a young buck. I think your best days are still ahead of you. And I'm excited to see where you go with your next step in your journey.
00:52:12:11 - 00:52:16:03
David Syvertsen
And hopefully we'll have you again back on again at some point.
00:52:16:06 - 00:52:35:28
Joe Pierro
100%. I'll be thankful to come back. I've been working on my podcast. Game rules. Rules. We're trying not to say, you know, and go off on a frickin tangent, which I think I did a couple of times. But now that's I do think makes it fun. I do think we got some some training to do in the near future because I got to be more of an athlete.
00:52:35:28 - 00:52:50:00
Joe Pierro
Let you are I which is one of the best athletes in the world on machines that I would say to anybody, I'll take you over pretty much 99.99% of the population besides the people at the East semifinal that, you know, that can do.
00:52:50:00 - 00:52:50:32
David Syvertsen
Everything else as well.
00:52:51:02 - 00:53:02:17
Joe Pierro
Yeah, Yeah. But Dad, you you got the hay in the barn. You know, I'll give you some strength if you give me some cardio, bro. And got trade, we'll make a deal. You know, I don't know how the exchange works, but we'll figure it out. Good. We got scenes.
00:53:02:17 - 00:53:07:27
David Syvertsen
We got to get no out of them. Right at the end of the. I thank you, guys.
00:53:07:27 - 00:53:09:29
Joe Pierro
We'll see you next week, though.
00:53:09:32 - 00:53:15:34
David Syvertsen
Thank you, everybody, for taking the time out of your day to listen to the Hurt Fed podcast, the on the lookout for next week's episode.
