"It's never to early to learn and practice what less pacified, less predictable times might require of us." -anon

The above quote does a beautiful job in summing up the idea behind a concept we hear about in the gym every now and then and that concept is know as GPP or General Physical Preparedness.

GPP is something that is at the heart of CrossFit training.  Here is a wonderful example of GPP:   folks came in to the gym last Friday expecting to see a typically difficult CrossFit WOD (work out of the day...every good cult has a specialized language!), something involving weights, and pull ups, and box jumps, and kettlebells, maybe some jump rope.  Instead, they entered the gym and with no warning were told that today they would be running a 5K...for time.  I have been at Westlake CrossFit for over half a year now and in that half a year we have not done any distance running.  We do not train for long distances.  Despite a few grumbles and complaints in the beginning, everyone ran the 5K.  Everyone who came into the gym that day displayed a decent level of GPP.  They showed up, were confronted with something they were not expecting, and met the challenge.

Life works that way as well.  Typically life gives me no advance warning when a rough task is coming our way.  I do not know when life may require that I lift something heavy, carry it a long distance, and do it quickly.  This could be something fun like having to paddle a paddle board against the wind at Town Lake, or it could be pulling someone out of a burning building in a survival situation.  Either way, if I do not train for it now I will not be able to perform when the time comes.

GPP extends way beyond the gym as well.  I keep a few gallons of water in my car, and some blankets, and materials to start a fire.  I may never need those things, but they are there if I do.  When I am walking through town, I practice projecting my awareness in all directions around me, watching out for anything that might come my way.  It could be an open man hole cover, it could be a mugger, it could be a friend I have not seen in a while.  Whatever the "it" might be, I want to be prepared.

GPP is a mind set as much as a process of physical development, the two go hand in hand.  Train now, for the unknown and the unknowable.  As the quote above points out, it is never too early....but it can be too late.