Benchmark Tests & How to Draw A Better Comparison

“There is nothing noble in being superior to your fellow man; true nobility is being superior to your former self.” —Ernest Hemingway

Today, we take on a benchmark workout: the CompTrain Beep Test. It’s a demanding “death by” style challenge that will test your grit, pacing, and mental discipline.

The format is simple, but deceiving:

• A run

• A set number of burpee pull-ups

• A growing number of thrusters each round

  
  

Each round gets harder. The window of time allowed to complete the work stays the same. Your job? Hang on as long as you can.

It’s a beautiful gauntlet. And the perfect moment to reflect on this timeless truth:

“There is nothing noble in being superior to your fellow man; true nobility is being superior to your former self.”—Ernest Hemingway

This test isn’t about beating the person next to you. It’s about pacing well, fighting smart, and seeing what version of you shows up tomorrow—and setting a standard that you can test your future self against. That's why we do benchmark workouts! So, this is a strong encouragement to show up tomorrow. It's worth it!

Strategy + Self-Mastery

Beep Test style workouts reward strategy. Go too fast early? You’ll burn out. But, go too slow on the buy-in and you’ll run out of time.

The same is true for life.

Today's Mindset quote from Voltaire offers another layer:

“Meditation is the dissolution of thoughts in eternal awareness or Pure consciousness without objectification, knowing without thinking, merging finitude with infinity.”

It’s a dense quote, but the takeaway is this: Meditation gives us space between thoughts and actions. And that space is where awareness lives.

During the workout tomorrow, you’ll notice thoughts rise:

• “I can’t.”

• “I should go faster.”

• “I’m behind.”

You don’t have to believe any of them. You can notice them. Then act with intention.

Below are the thoughts I shared about this quote on the PushPress Members App. Did you know that's the "score" for the Mindset part of the workout each day? Do you reflect on the mindset thoughts that we share each week? Anyway...

"Imagine you were unembodied and sitting above yourself. Now, watch yourself and you thoughts. If you wanna get really playful with it, don't only watch your thoughts, but judge or evaluate yourself for having them as if you were not yourself.

We often judge others for their actions as if it were the "normal" thing to do, but we too infrequently judge ourselves for our own thoughts, which inevitably lead to our own feelings and actions. Perhaps more time spend in that exercise would result in a lower likelihood to cast judgement on others."

That’s self-awareness. And the more we cultivate it, the less we judge others or judge ourselves against others—and the more we grow ourselves.

So here’s the challenge: Don’t try to be the best in the room. Just aim to be better than the version of you who started the workout.

Pace smart. Breathe deep. And keep showing up.

See you in the Lab,

Coach Keith

Community Fitness Lab — The Home of CrossFit Fairfield