SO WHAT IS CROSSFIT?

Thanks to a number of high profile sports athletes, Crossfit’s popularity is currently skyrocketing. Individuals like Rich Froning, Camille LeBlanc Bazinet and Annie Thorisdottir are major contributors to Crossfit’s success. Not only do these athletes lift heavy weights, perform gymnastic exercises, run, swim and cycle, they also look darn good whilst they do so!

So if you’re thinking about giving Crossfit a go, it’s vital to learn more about what it actually involves. There’s much more than performing strange pull-ups and wearing weird socks when it comes to crossfit!

AN INTRODUCTION TO CROSSFIT

Greg Glassman, its inventor, defined Crossfit as: ‘constantly varied functional movements executed at high intensity across broad time and modal domains’.

In simpler terms, Crossfit is a type of training that will make you stronger, fitter, tougher, more toned and build muscle across a wide range of different exercises. It uses varying degrees of intensity and timing in order to test your body in different ways.

Crossfit is perfect for individuals who love a challenge, get bored by traditional routines, and enjoy learning new skills and want to look good, feel great and take pride in their health and fitness. It uses functional full body exercises from weightlifting and gymnastics, alongside running, swimming and many other disciplines

SO WHAT DOES A TYPICAL CROSSFIT WORKOUT INVOLVE?

• Warm Up
• Skill / Strength work
• Workout of the Day (WOD)

WARM UP

This will get you ready for the coming workout, get your blood pumping and your heart rate up.

SKILL / STRENGTH WORK

This section normally concentrates on one exercise, and you work to improve your technique and then perform a certain amount of sets and reps. This can vary from barbell work to gymnastics to bodyweight exercises or kettlebell movements. Even the format is varied.

WORKOUT OF THE DAY (WOD)

Your typical Crossfit class will involve a “workout of the day” which is likely to include a “metabolic conditioning session”. All the routines, whether they are sets or reps will constantly change, so no one will know what’s coming up that day. For instance, one session might involve box jumps, burpees and kettle bell swings, whilst the WOD on a different day might involve pull-ups, sprints and Barbell lifts instead. Working out in the Box never feels boring or repetitive.

WHAT IF I DON’T KNOW HOW TO DO THESE EXERCISES?

Competent Crossfit coaches will train their students on how to perform technical compound lifts and exercises. You will go back to the basics and learn properly, so that you exercise in a way that will benefit you instead of injuring your body. You will never be forced to lift anything that is beyond your ability, and EVERY workout can be scaled to suit your standards.

It is worth knowing that Crossfit Gyms are called ‘Boxes’

CROSSFIT AND YOUR GOALS

Crossfit will get you very fit, there is no doubting that. It will uncover your weaknesses and force you to work on them. The varied nature makes you develop in across different areas of your fitness. You will also:

• Build muscle
• Burn fat
• Develop a better engine
• Strengthen your heart
• Learn many new techniques from a wide range of areas

Depending on your individual goals, CrossFit can be particularly helpful. For instance, if you want more athleticism, strength and fitness, CrossFit might be the perfect solution.

DO I NEED TO BE FIT TO START CROSSFIT?

Although CrossFit seems intensive and strenuous, it’s certainly scalable. If you’re struggling to perform your workout as instructed; you’re allowed to do what you can.

For instance, you’re instructed to perform pull-ups, but you just can’t do it! You’re allowed to improvise and perform jumping pull-ups instead.

The same principle applies for all other workouts. I’ll give you a couple of more examples:

• Struggling with deadlifts using 100 kg? Just drop the weight!
• Struggling to perform boxjumps on a 40 inch box? Drop the height to 30 inches instead
• Can’t manage the Squats with the prescribed weights? Drop it right down and focus on your technique instead.

People who do CrossFit regularly will tell you that it is great for challenging yourself. For instance, it pushes you to do more than what you think you can do.

Crossfit can help you identify whether you are genuinely fatigued, or you’re simply chickening out! And quite often, this is what separates the men from the boys, and the women from the girls.

HOW TO START AND WHAT TO EXPECT

My advice would be never to underestimate the demands of Crossfit, especially when starting out. It’s quite common for people to make this mistake, thinking they’ll fly through the routines because they’ve been going to the gym for X number of years.

Crossfit will make you perform movements that you will have never performed before. The variations and the intensity will probably be a shock to the system. No doubt you’ll be using more energy than you’re used to using, and this will probably leave you feeling bewildered at the start. But don’t let that dishearten you, because at the end of the day, this will be a learning curve.

LEAVE YOUR EGO AT THE DOOR AND GIVE IT A GO

Don’t be afraid of swallowing your pride and dropping the weight that you’re normally accustomed to, and before you know it, you’ll be making massive strides in your Crossfit journey. Most Boxes offer free trial sessions, so why not book yourself in for a couple of taster classes and see what the fuss is all about!

Try Crossfit and test yourself in new ways © RX’d Photography

You will learn to do things you never thought possible before © RX’d Photography

The post What is Crossfit and Why should you Try it? appeared first on BOXROX.

FUNCTION AND FEATURES

On first impression the Nike Train Ultrafast Flyknit is unique and stylish. But how does it perform in the Box when the heat is on and every seconds counts?

1. FAST AND RESPONSIVE TO MOVEMENT

The Ultrafast Flyknit shoe will allow you to move quickly and generate speed easily. This is especially useful for sharp transitions between Exercises. The Icelandic powerhouse Sara Sigmundsdottir is a great example of a Crossfit athlete who puts thought into her transitions. Mistakes in the past have cost her places and lost her points in major competitions, and she has tightened up her ability to move quickly and effectively from one exercise to another during WODs. Make sure you do the same.

2. AN UPPER THAT SUPPORTS RAPID CHANGES OF DIRECTION

The diamond shaped Flyknit upper is lightweight, breathable and linked together in a chain-link system. Nike flywire is woven through the Flyknit cables and functions like a Chinese finger trap toy, locking your feet in position yet giving them the potential to move quickly.

3. A LOW STABLE PLATFORM TO ANCHOR LIFTS

The sole is low and stable, making it effective for lifting movements. These aren’t the shoes for launching into your 1RM Clean and Jerk, but then the Nike Romaleos 2 weightlifting shoe is designed exactly for that purpose. Think more along the lines of thrusters or lower weight, high repetition lifts, for which the stable platform that the Ultrafast Flyknit offers is perfect.

4. DELIVER ENERGY IN THE FOREFOOT TO POWER EXPLOSIVE TRAINING MOVES AND JUMPS

The Flex Speed plate underfoot has diamond shapes cut out of the plate in order to push the cushioning through, which helps to create propulsion and power for speed training. This technology is perfect for movements such as bar facing Burpees, or Box Jumps that require quick, explosive movements in alternating directions. Additionally because they are so light, over high repetition sets this makes everything much more efficient and will preserve your energy.

5. ANKLE SUPPORT

The Ultrafast Flyknit has a 1.5 cm high collar to offer a sock like fit that hugs the foot and supports the ankle. This adds a confident feeling of stability throughout each lift and exercise.

6. RUN FREE

While the uppers support rapid lateral changes of direction, the outsole is flexible and cushioned for maximum running comfort. Combined with the overall lightweight design, this combination creates a shoe that is well designed for running. The breathable upper helps to keep your feet cool, so it is especially well suited for the warm summer months when you may take things outside onto the track as well.

TRAIN IN STYLE

The combination of bold, minimal blocks of smooth colour with the textured, web like knitted upper creates a distinctive and noticeable style. The ankle high cuff makes for a unique silhouette, and the blood orange, black and deep turquoise colourway is finished well with the addition of a clean white sole. Nike have a great history of delivering many style classics when it comes to footwear, but these balance many complex stylistic and functional elements into a unified, distinguished training shoe.

There is no doubt that these training shoes stand out, and will make you noticed as you smash your way through your WODs!

HOW DO THEY COMPARE WITH OTHER NIKE HIGH INTENSITY TRAINING SHOES?

With the Nike Metcons, now in their 2^nd edition, you have a slightly sturdier shoe. The Metcons also have a higher triangular sole in the middle of the arch that helps grip during rope climbs, but The Ultrafast Flyknits are built for speed and responsiveness, and so they are quicker in these respects. The Nike Romaleos are built specifically for weightlifting, so in comparison to the Ultrafast Flyknits you have two different animals on either end of the functional training spectrum. Both are highly effective for the jobs that they are built for.

The Nike Train Ultrafast Flyknit are designed to run, jump, cut and lift with speed and precision. With a sole that is low and sturdy enough to lift with power, yet cushioned enough for running and an upper that supports quick, lateral changes of direction and responsive support, you have a training shoe that enhances performance both in the Box and out on the track.

NIKE+ TRAINING CLUB APP

Nike have also redesigned their Training Club App and upgraded many of its features to help increase the quality and effectiveness of your training.

100+ Workouts

Choose from over a hundred strength, conditioning, mobility and endurance workouts, as well as others such as boxing or yoga. Variety is so important to functional fitness so mix it up and keep your body guessing in order to avoid plateaus or boredom.

Expert Guidance

The instructional videos from Nike Trainers will guide you through the different movements and exercises. If you’re looking to dedicate more time to your mobility for example, then it’s a great way to work on extra exercises and movements to increase your performances

Personalised Plans that Adapt

The plan will constantly adapt to keep you working hard and stop you hitting plateaus or losing interest if things get too easy.

All Your Activities Count

With the updated NTC app, it will include and take into account extra exercise as well. If you went for a hike at the weekend, played 5-a-side football with your mates in the evening or started the day with a swim in the pool for your active recovery work, then the NTC app will track these into your fitness routine and program accordingly.

Workout Sharing

Because who doesn’t love a bit of competition right? If you know that having a friendly rival or two helps to push you to become a better athlete, then you can share your workouts with your friends. Post your latest PR, customise with NTC stickers and find inspiration from other athletes in the NTC app.

Sole detail designed for power and versatility © Nike

Knitted upper keeps your foot firmly in place © Nike

Their bold and unique style will mark you out from the crowd © Nike

Sara Sigmundsdottir destroys a Snatch © RX’d Photography

Destroy your WODs in style! © Nike

The post Nike Train Ultrafast Flyknit: Add Power, Speed and Precision to your Next WOD appeared first on BOXROX.

WHY IS YOUR MOBILITY SO IMPORTANT?

Mobility is a vital aspect of any athlete’s movement and coordination, and is inextricably tied to many other areas of training. If you can move well, without pain or injury, and you constantly work on your technical ability and strength, then you will improve as an athlete. If you are unable to move in certain ways then your progress will face restrictions because of poor mobility.

Say for example you struggle with bad hip mobility, then this will negatively impact not just your Snatch, but your overall performances as well.

HOW WILL SNATCH MOBILITY WORK HELP YOU TO IMPROVE?

Working to improve your Snatch Mobility will help you with the lift itself, and in other areas of your training. It will:

• Resolve pain
• Prevent injury
• Strengthen movement patterns
• Improve Range of Motion for many different exercises
• Optimize performance
• Improve your general well being

MOBILITY IN PRACTICE: THE SNATCH

The snatch is a full-body exercise that demands acute focus, mental strength and excellent technique. From a stable core and strong shoulder mobility to aggression, power and guts, it is one exercise that really tests your holistic ability as an athlete.

The Snatch incorporates such a wide range of muscles, from your feet to your shoulders, that you must be able to use your body effectively in order to execute it properly. There is no use having incredible strength from a huge Deadlift or Strict Press, yet lack the mobility to support the bar during the catch for example. Without the necessary mobility, you will never be able to fulfill your potential for this exercise.

SNATCH MOBILITY ROUTINE

Try this routine involving stretch-band mobility drills to improve your Snatch:

WORK SMARTER, NOT HARDER

Increasing your weights and intensity is not always the best way to get better at the most challenging Crossfit movements. If your form is not good, then often it will only lead to injury and bad movement patterns.

This is where mobility work comes in: Ensuring that your joints, muscles and ligaments don’t restrict your movements and end up reinforcing that bad form will only help you to improve. Working towards excellent mobility is the first step in becoming a fitter and more capable athlete.

DO A LITTLE OFTEN, SMALL STEPS ADD UP TO BIG RESULTS

Make Mobility a small part of your everyday regime, and in no time you will reap big benefits from just a few minutes spent on flexibility and joint mobilization: more stability and power in your lifts, and a better recovery afterwards.

PLACE QUALITY AT THE HEART OF EVERYTHING YOU DO

Crossfit teaches quality in all aspects, from programming and training, through to great nutrition and getting the right amount of rest. It makes you work for your life goals, push hard for what you want and take responsibility for your own development, as an individual and as an athlete.

This same principle should also be applied to the equipment you use. If you want to be the best that you can be, quality should be a part of everything that you do. Investing in quality Suprfit mobility bands is a recommendation that will make sense once you’ve made these mobility drills part of your good Crossfit habits. High quality materials are mandatory for anything that comes into direct contact with your skin. The additional benefit from quality is that it will do the right job, properly, and for much longer. This will save you the time, hassle and cost of regularly replacing the bands in the long run. These bands are incredibly versatile, and can also be used for:

• General Mobility drills
• Stretching exercises
• Muscle Up Progressions
• Pull Up Progressions
• Adding resistance to barbell work (Squats, Bench, Press etc)

RANGE OF MOTION

Range of Motion is the linear or angular distance that a moving object may normally travel while properly attached to another. This describes your ability to move a weight through the motion of an exercise.

For example, the Snatch requires a complicated range of motion. There are many different stages to the exercise, and the barbell and weight must be moved through each one effectively. You need strong movement patterns and good mobility to shift serious weight with this exercise.

Crossfitters strive for constant improvement in functional strength and athletic ability. We challenge ourselves, working with complex movements that involve our whole body instead of just isolated muscle groups. This puts mobility at the heart of all aspects of Crossfit, and makes it incredibly important. Humans are designed to move, and so dedicated mobility work for specific exercises will have beneficial effects throughout the rest of your everyday life as well.

MOVEMENT PATTERNS IN EVERYDAY LIFE

The beauty of functional movements is that they are applicable everywhere. When you smash out a 100kg Power Clean PR for example, you have hit a benchmark number, and you can clearly see that you are progressing in your training. Outside of the Box, this is also useful. Knowing you have the strength and effective mobility to complete such a feat transfers into activities such as stacking heavy logs into a woodshed for example.

Correct movement patterns can be incredibly effective for preventing injury in the long run. If you are serious about being the best that you can be, as an athlete and as an individual, then making all your functional movements as technically precise as they can possibly be and regularly doing mobility work is a positive step forward in the long run.

Mobility work is vital for improving performance © Suprfit

Banded mobility exercises willl help to improve your movement patterns © Suprfit

Work on mobility, smash some new PRs! © RX’d Photography

Bands with varying degrees of strength will help improve your mobility work © Suprfit

Snatch PR time! © RX’d Photography

The post Snatch Mobility Tips to Improve your Lift and Movement appeared first on BOXROX.

Age: 24

Hometown: Kópavogur, Iceland.

Hey Thuri, can tell us about your background and achievements in Crossfit so far:

I have always been athletic, I started gymnastics when I was about six years old and a few years later I started playing soccer along with the gymnastics. When I stopped doing gymnastics at around 13 years old I turned to track and field. My best event in track and field was the 800m run. I ran track until I started Crossfit in 2010. I originally tried it as an alternative to the track training because of a persistent knee injury from running, but turned out quitting track altogether and starting CrossFit instead.

• Won 2011 Meridian Regionals with my team CrossFit Sport.
• In 2012 I was third at the European Regionals and went for the first time to the Games as an individual.
• I was fifth in 2013 at Regionals and did not qualify for the Games.
• Then in 2014 I went team again and won the European Regionals going for the second time with Team CrossFit Sport to the Games.
• Last year I was fifth at the Meridian Regionals, which meant qualifying for the Games. I placed 24^th at the Games last year.
• This year I had my best Regional to date (again 5^th) and will be going to the Games as an individual for the third time! Third time’s a charm, right?

What does a typical day for you involve?                                

On days when I don’t have classes, like now in the summer when I am preparing for the Games (I am a full time university student) a typical day for me would be something like this:

• 8:30 am: Wake up and eat breakfast and then go in for my first session at 10:00 am, usually done around 12:00.
• 12:00: Lunch
• 2:00 pm until about 4:00 pm: Second session
• 4:00-6:00 pm: Coaching
• Sometimes I add in a third session if I wasn’t able to finish everything on the program before coaching.
• I am always done before 8 pm
• 10:00-11:00 pm: Bed

I have 1-2 days off a week, typically one total rest day and another “active” rest day where I’ll swim or work some random skills.

A little video from today’s @crossfitinvictus madness – AMRAP25 7 muscle ups 11 thrusters 47,5 kg (105 lbs) 14 toes to bar – #smallbutmighty #crossfit #thatwashard

A video posted by Thuri Erla Helgadottir (@thurierla) on Jun 22, 2016 at 8:56am PDT

In the winter when I have school I have to kind of work around my classes and coaching schedule so I’m not always able to get in two sessions. Then I just try to make as much time to train as I can and use my time wisely.

You take part in trail running, open water swimming and even practice highland games throwing events! How important is it for you to train for the unexpected in Crossfit?

There’s not that much time to train between the CrossFit Games and Regionals. I’m trying to maintain my overall fitness while adding some more specialized skills. I feel like I can’t really improve my cardio/strength and regular Crossfit stuff for the Games that much in the short time since Regionals but I can definitely get better at other random things.

‘I spend extra time preparing for the unknown and improving mental toughness.’

It also doesn’t take up a lot of recovery, only time, which I have enough of in the summer! Heavy strongman stuff is also sort of my weakness so I’m motived to try and improve on that.

Preparing for anything and everything at the @crossfitgames Tried some #highlandgames throwing for the first time today I will definitely be sore in some weird places tomorrow . Thank you @vikingstrength for teaching me today, learned a lot and had a blast! . #preparefortheunknown #roadtothegames #bringiton @thedavecastro #MeetOurHeroes @perform.is @sportvorur @zeropointiceland

A video posted by Thuri Erla Helgadottir (@thurierla) on Jun 6, 2016 at 2:10pm PDT

In the Regionals you were one of only two girls to complete Regional Nate within the time cap which was an amazing achievement. What did you do differently from the other girls?

I had a set pace that I followed from the start. I made sure I didn’t go too fast in the beginning and I did singles in the MUs from the start as well as breaking the HSPU’s into 3s and 2s. My coaches help me a lot with my strategizing which is why I am stoked to have them with me in Carson this year. I like to mix hard work AND smart work

You also wrote down the times on your hand during an event at the Regionals. Where did you get the idea from? And what was the thinking behind this?

I don’t know where the idea came from, I have been doing this for a while. Before Regionals we get a lot of time to practice each event so it’s easy to come up with a good strategy, which I LOVE. I also strategize and often write on my hand when I don’t have as much time to prepare.

‘I feel like it’s better to have some kind of plan, even if it doesn’t work out perfectly, than to have no plan at all.’

We have to ask… How did you feel after the rope climb no-rep call on Event 7?

I just felt really sad and honestly really angry at the judge, I felt I had earned a first place finish in this workout and an overall podium finish. I was disappointed that my improved regionals performance from last year wouldn’t show in the rankings. I earned my moment in the spotlight running across the finish line crushing the “group of death” in that workout and was devastated after it was taken away.

Last oly training before Icelandic Nationals in Weightlifting – 70kg/154 lbs on the bar @icelandic_weightlifting @crossfitsporthusinu #crossfit #snatch #weightlifting

A video posted by Thuri Erla Helgadottir (@thurierla) on Feb 25, 2016 at 5:48am PST

If I had just failed the rep and not touched I would’ve just been angry at myself but the judge was on the other side of the rig so he couldn’t clearly see me and told me when I got down that I should’ve made it more obvious. I know it isn’t easy to judge the rope climbs though and I really hope that HQ improves that soon, something simple like having the judge up on a box would make a difference.

But these kind of things are bound to happen in a competition and I’m over it by now, especially because of all the support I received and the screenshots that people sent me of myself touching the rig. I feel like everyone knows that I should have won that WOD.

You are a veteran of the CrossFit Games. How important is strategy during elite events such as the Regionals and the Games themselves?

I think it’s very important, like I said before I feel it is necessary to have a at least an idea of a plan, even if it isn’t perfectly though out. My favorite part of competing is strategizing.

You’re also a champion weightlifter. Did you get into this before you started Crossfit? Or was it the other way around?

I competed in my first weightlifting comp over a year after starting CrossFit, so CrossFit came first. I liked it a lot so I soon started to compete at all the local competitions here in Iceland. Since then I have been the national champ multiple times and hold all the national records in my category, the -58 kg. I am the current Nordic champion and I went to the IWF World Championships in Houston last fall as well as the European Championships earlier this year.
I usually perform my best under pressure and my PR’s are from competitions.

Pretty happy that I PR’d my power clean in this complex today: E2MOM 20 Power clean+clean+push jerk+split jerk #powerclean #power #92kg @purepharma @perform.is @teamtwi @nikeverslun @nikeisland @zpcompression @zeropointiceland @hledsla @sportvorur @sporthusid @crossfitsporthusinu

A video posted by Thuri Erla Helgadottir (@thurierla) on Oct 28, 2015 at 2:39pm PDT

How often do you work on your mobility and flexibility? How often should everyday Crossfitters work on theirs in your opinion?

I do it for at least an hour a day and it makes all the difference in the world. I also see a physical therapist weekly as well as getting a massage every week.

What is your biggest weakness in Crossfit?

I’ve got to say rowing. I work on it all the time though… don’t know why I can’t seem to fix it haha!

What’s it like training in the winter and summer in Iceland, with the extreme changes in daylight and temperature?

I like all the seasons, but the summer is the best for me because then I can train outside most days, my box has a great outdoor training set up. It’s also easier to wake up in the morning with it being bright so early. The winter and darkness can get you down if there’s no snow, snow makes everything brighter. But on the other hand the weather can be kind of crazy some days in the winter which can be pretty exciting

You are a bit smaller than a few of the other girls, yet you still get through heavier lifting WODs with no problem, beating many other girls who are bigger than yourself. How do you program strength work into your training?

It helps a lot to be strong and muscular in CrossFit but the thing is it also has to do a lot with coordination, technique and explosiveness which is where I make up a lot of ground. I don’t have as much muscle mass but my form is very consistent and I am able to get in good positions which saves energy and makes it so I can get away with not having as much raw power. Heavy barbell stuff is not my forte though and I am constantly trying to get stronger.

Barbell cycling 1+3 power clean&push jerk 82,5kg #PR #thetrainingplan #crossfit #crossfitsport #vitargoiceland @nikeverslun @glorestaurant

A video posted by Thuri Erla Helgadottir (@thurierla) on Sep 5, 2014 at 3:54pm PDT

I mostly follow the Invictus programming by CJ Martin but also have a coach, Árni Freyr, who helps me a lot. He programmed my weightlifting before the World and European championships and he also coaches me in technique and such on a daily basis.

What does your training program for the Games look like, and roughly how often do you train?

It’s 2-3 sessions a day, including weightlifting, WODs, skill work and everything in between. I train like that 5 days a week, swim once a week and recover once a week. This totals to about 30 hrs a week.

Can you give us 3 tips for crossfitters looking to improve their gymnastic skill in Crossfit?

1. Practice strict movements STRICT (scale if you have to)
2. Strengthen your core (think hollow, L-sit etc.)
3. Practice, practice, practice makes perfect

Can you tell us 3 things that are on your ‘bucket list’ of things that you would love to do before you die?

I want to get at least a year where I focus just on only CrossFit (no school or anything to distract me). Other than that I would love to go skydiving, I want to go skiing (never have!!) and travel the world more!

Thanks for your time Thuri Erla Helgadottir and good luck for the Games!

The post Thuri Erla Helgadottir: Strategy, Mobility and Technique in Crossfit appeared first on BOXROX.

THE WILD WEST

The soundtrack to any Crossfit event will make or break the atmosphere. When everything comes together, perfect programming, outstanding performances, superb competition then the Event will be remembered! Re-live this soundtrack from last year and get in playing in your Box to get you psyched up for your next WOD.

Music is such a great motivator for training. Whatever your tastes, Rock, Punk, House, Techno, Hip Hop, when you hear the right song at the perfect time it can give you that huge adrenaline rush and power you on to work faster and harder for longer. Especially for big lifts and longer endurance WODs, a soundtrack can boost performance, so check this one out and see if it works for you.

‘Here’s a little mix of the tunes that stood out for me over the weekend – thank you to everyone for the support as always!’

The post Wild West: The Epic Soundtrack to an Awesome Event appeared first on BOXROX.

Prepare to be humbled. At just 22 years old, Lauren Fisher has already:

• Played national level high school basketball,
• Become Best Female Lifter at the Junior National weightlifting championship in 2014,
• Qualified twice for the Crossfit Games.

She placed first at this year’s Californian Regionals, prevailing over much more experienced athletes. With such an impressive list of past achievements, we don’t feel there’s much this ambitious San Diegan (who’s also taking university classes) couldn’t do. We’ve compiled just five of the many Crossfit Lessons you can learn from her:

1. BUILD A CROSSFIT CREW

Lauren attributes a lot of her toughness and athleticism to growing up with three older brothers with whom she had to keep up. When they teased her and pushed her in the ivy, her mother told her to toughen up and get back out there. And toughen up she did: Fast forward a couple of years and you can see the determination and competitiveness in Lauren, who still loves a little friendly neck-and-neck race. It doesn’t matter whether it’s her boyfriend, her older brother Gareth, who is also going to the Games this year, or just a workout mate: she will challenge them to a WOD, a rope climb, or a game of basketball.

When @rasmuswandersen thinks he knows how to play basketball and posts a video of the highlight of his lifetime… And then I post what really happened when we played one on one. Showing him how to play basketball. #GameOver #StillGotIt #LoveAndBasketball ✌️ • Video: @prestonsmithphotography

A video posted by Lauren Fisher (@laurenfisher) on Oct 26, 2015 at 4:47pm PDT

Don’t make the mistake of letting competitiveness alienate you

Training multiple times every day means that she doesn’t do the things other university students do (CJ Martin, her coach, makes sure the most competitive athletes had a 7AM training session on Saturday mornings), but it’s quite obvious that this is not a factor that makes her less of a fun and social person. Rather, she lets herself be inspired by the driven and ambitious people around her, matching them every step of the way. This is something you can implement in your life: The time at the box is just a lot better spent when you have someone to compare yourself to in a friendly (albeit passionately competitive!) way. So next time you’re at the box, give socializing a shot!

Lauren hanging out and training with friends © Lauren Fisher

The post 5 Crossfit Lessons to learn from Lauren Fisher appeared first on BOXROX.

QUALITY IS KEY

Each fitness food that you choose is vital because there is no substitute for excellent quality nutrition. What and how you choose to eat differs from person to person depending on their lifestyle, training, biology and aims, but the principle remains the same. Respect your body and always eat the best quality that you can.

REFINED SIMPLICITY

Nutrition can easily be kept simple when you use the very best ingredients. When you establish a firm foundational basis within your diet that is based on quality, you will maximise both your health and athletic performance. The foodspring experience and philosophy concentrates on the essentials, stripping away anything that is unnecessary. The concept of ‘husmanskost’ is one manifestation of this idea. ‘Scandinavian food is simple. We call it husmanskost – farmer’s fare. It’s natural and honest, made with the staple produce found on the land…When you work with the very produce, there’s no need to overcomplicate it. Just pick (or pickle), serve and eat.’

Think about your Crossfit training. Foundations of strength, mobility, movement and technique are absolutely essential for progress. For example, any beginner would be unwise to attempt a huge Overhead Squat PR if they can’t even Back Squat properly yet. On the other hand, if the same athlete refines their Back Squat technique over time, builds solid core stability, strength and confidence, then they will be much more likely to succeed when they start to work on their Overhead Squat.

OVERCOMPLICATION LEADS TO FAILURE

‘To put it clearly, it’s easier to follow a simpler plan.’

Whether in your nutrition or training, you will be more likely to stick to your plans and achieve your goals if they are easy to visualise and the method to reach them is clear to see.

When you have a long term goal in mind, say a 100 kg Snatch, you mentally refine what you are working towards, and every half kilo extra onto your PR becomes a step closer to that goal.

BUILD A NUTRITIONAL FRAMEWORK FOR SUCCESS

With nutrition it is much harder to make such specific goals, so a good way to approach your progress is to implement rules that build a framework for success. Meal prepping is one excellent rule that helps you create a framework. When you simplify this framework into a short list of simple rules, and always use quality ingredients, then you will be on the path to success.

Another great nutritional rule is to always include some form of protein at breakfast. This is an excellent way to fuel your body, performance and recovery for the coming day. Try Bio Protein or Protein Porridge for the foodspring experience, as both of these are perfect for this purpose. If you apply this as one of your nutritional rules and repeat the practice, then over time it will become habit. It is a simple rule, which is why it is so effective.

You can still mix it up, have eggs instead (or both), but ensure that you always include at least one solid source of protein in your breakfast.

5 TYPES OF FITNESS FOOD TO HELP PERFECT YOUR NUTRITION

1. Coconut Oil

Adding coconut oil into your daily nutrition is a great idea for all Crossfitters. The benefits of coconut oil include:

• Increased energy
• Improved fat burning
• Lowering oxidative stress
• Improved cognitive function
• Lowering inflammation
• Improved digestion

Additionally, coconut oil should be a daily part of your diet if you are vegan, train early in the morning or are on a low carbohydrate diet. A major part of coconut oil is made up from saturated fats called medium chain triglycerides (MCT’s). These are metabolised differently than other saturated fats and are subsequently used more rapidly as an energy source. Try using coconut in the following ways:

• Blend with coffee or matcha green tea for a pre-workout drink
• Use it to cook with – stir frys, roasting, sautéing
• Substitute for other ingredients in baked goods

2. Bio Protein

Ideal post WOD fuel. Replenish your body and muscles and maximise recovery. Perfect for breakfast as well as it will:

• Boost neurotransmitter production – boosts memory, attention and drive for the day ahead
• Satiates hunger – it is linked with eating less throughout the day
• Stabilises energy levels – no mid morning energy dips
• Provides amino acids to build muscle

3 Nuts and Berries

Berries can be eaten anytime but may be of particular use when you are in an intense training cycle and need all the support you can get. Nuts are packed with essential fats and nutrients, and are perfect as a snack. Berries are packed with:

• Anthocyanins
• High on fibre
• Polyphenols
• Vitamins

4. Protein Porridge

This conveniently contains everything you need for a perfect start to the morning. Add nuts and berries, or fruit and chia, for a meal that will set you up properly for the rest of the day.

5. Chia Seeds

This foodspring superfood is easy to throw into a smoothie, a fruit salad or on top of your morning yoghurt, and its health benefits are wide ranging. Chia will provide you with:

• Enhanced concentration
• A good source of protein
• Anti-oxygens prevent inflammation and muscle soreness

As Leonardo Da Vinci said, ‘simplicity is the ultimate form of sophistication’. So with that in mind, make sure that you cover the nutritional basics and always concentrate on eating the best possible quality food. As an athlete you owe it to yourself.

Nutrition and training: aim for excellence © foodspring

Refine your nutrition and improve performance © foodspring

Respect your body by choosing quality nutrition every time © foodspring

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10. EMBRACE YOUR COMPETITIVE SPIRIT

Annie Thorisdottir is both humble, yet open to admit that she wants to win whenever she competes. She is fiercely competitive, which helps you to improve in Crossfit, yet her ego doesn’t get in the way if she finishes in second place. For her she doesn’t lose, either she wins or learns a lesson.

‘Identify your finish line – and as soon as you get there find the next one. Having goals is essential to growing, essential to learning, essential to be better than you were yesterday.’

Annie always fights for first place © Annie Thorisdottir

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5. SHEILA BARDEN

Sheila started Crossfit in October 2011 after seeing CrossFit Games reruns on ESPN. She looked at her husband and said “Why do those girls get to be on TV? I can do that,” without realizing just how hard those ladies in the Games worked. She found herself at CrossFit Dewitt the following Monday.

Before starting Crossfit in October 2011, Sheila was a gym rat who religiously curled dumbbells and spent hours each week on an elliptical with minimal results and a hunger for a workout that tested her more and was much more exciting. She started like most people, hitting one WOD a day, but before long her “normal” training turned into a full on “addiction” and she found herself on an individualised program, hitting several WODs a day, setting new goals and crushing her weaknesses.

‘At the end of the day if you’re doing what you love then you’re going to be happy’

Wanting to incorporate Crossfit into her entire life, she took her Level 1, CF Kids, Powerlifting and Mobility certifications and became a coach. This Hunger led her to a phenomenal win at the 2016 Central Regionals. Can she carry this awesome momentum over into the CrossFit Games in a few weeks time?

The post 5 Inspiring US Crossfit Girls to watch at the 2016 Games appeared first on BOXROX.

It is often said by weightlifting pros (from countries where children are introduced to the techniques at a young age), that when an aspiring weightlifter is beginning to reach their mid-teens they no longer learn technique, they only get stronger.

In the majority of countries Crossfit is started by people in their mid-twenties onwards, most learning complex movements late in life. My job as a coach in the UK has been to find ways for those starting late to learn the technique and get stronger in the shortest time possible and without injuries. My tips below are to help those starting late get the most out of their lifts!

1. CAN YOU SIT DOWN?

We all love to sit in a chair but what I am really asking is if you can sit comfortably below parallel in the squat? Hip mobility might be there for many of you, but is it a strong position? Can you keep your chest up, back straight, knees over toes and hips underneath you?

If not, rolling and stretching your calves and ankles can really help gain some vital ankle mobility which can drastically help the bottom of the squat. If your groin is tight I recommend side lunges and bodyweight sumo squats as a warm-up, ten side lunges, ten sumo squats, three sets before you start. You must be comfortable in the bottom position. As with the next tip, weightlifting shoes will definitely help!

2. OVERHEAD SQUATS ANYONE?

Overhead inflexibility will wreak havoc on your jerk and your snatch as well as kipping pull ups. Consequently, it is very important to improve if you want to lift heavy weights and avoid shoulder injuries on kipping exercises.

Overhead Mobility Test

Place your back against a wall and whilst keeping your belly button tucked in try to raise your arms above your head whilst sliding them against the wall, if you struggle to keep your arms on the wall without arching your back, it is time to improve that overhead position. Rolling your lats and improving your thoracic (mid-back) mobility will help. Otherwise exercises such as narrow grip overhead squats (go as narrow as you can manage) and behind the neck presses will help you improve.

3. ARE YOU POWERFUL?

Many crossfitters I have met have come from endurance sports. These are often slow twitch fibre focused events. Whilst these athletes are great at cardiovascular fitness, they do not produce much in the way of speed and power. CrossFit is a sport where you are required to have power, endurance and strength all in one.

‘The athletes who perform the best when it comes to the games are always amazingly powerful.’

Improving Speed

If you spend your time lifting at one-pace and doing high-rep WODs, you will not improve your speed. To improve your speed and strength you must usually work within sets of 1-3 reps.

The Kazakhstan weightlifting team are said to do no more than three reps in the snatch under the theory that above that the wrong fibre types are recruited in the muscle, whereas traditionally sets of five have been done in weightlifting when a weightlifter was doing a high volume or “fitness” cycle.  Whilst one must prepare themselves for high repetition workouts, you will perform a lot better having periods focusing upon power and strength with low repetitions.

4. WEIGHTLIFTING TIPS: BE STRONG, AVOID INJURY!

Many people often go all out in their first two years and end up with back, hip and knee injuries. Spending one session a week working on controlled strength exercises such as the squat, split squats, presses, strict bodyweight exercises such as pull-ups and dips along with core work (aleknas and back extensions are fantastic) will help build protection for the body and help strengthen the correct movement patterns for when you are under a time-limit with a hard WOD.

With age it is also less likely you will be able to hit a maximum that regularly as the body and nervous system does not recover as much as an 18 – 20 year old. As you get older your body is more likely to respond well to higher volume training (6 sets of 5 on squat) rather than a heavy single repetition.

5. WORK ON YOUR WEAKNESSES NOW (WHATEVER YOUR AGE!)

Everybody loves to do their favourite exercise, but in weightlifting and Crossfit if you start later, you have less time to correct the movement patterns. The best way to work this out is to get a coach. Although I understand they can sometimes be few and far between, consequently I recommend coming to the Beaches and Barbells London based weightlifting weekends or our international training holidays where you can work intensively to improve technique and receive individual feedback to take away.

I have met people 40+ who have started weightlifting and done fantastically but they have come from a very active background. Posture, muscle tissue and fascia quality will be a big determining factor as well as exposure to similar sports such as gymnastics. Females are also incredibly lucky in that they are generally more flexible than men and they do not get a drop off in testosterone like men do! In addition endurance will come naturally through WODs so it takes a lot less conscious thought to improve compared to flexibility and technique. One thing is for sure, all training, no matter when and where you start, requires patience and determination!

Whatever age you start, there is always time to improve © RX’d Photography

Smash those weights! © RX’d Photography

Keep pushing hard! © RX’d Photography

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1. CONSISTENCY IS THE KEY FOR BEN SMITH

When you analyse the performances of Ben Smith, you see just how consistently good he actually is.

• Last year at the Games he took two first place finishes
• He secured 11 top 10 places out of 13 events
• Winning the Atlantic Regionals this year, he hit 3 first place finishes and his lowest placement was seventh.
• Last year when Ben won the CrossFit Games it was his SEVENTH year of competing at the Games!

Crossfit is all about being good across the board, and at the top level, that means being excellent across every type of event. Ben Smith is exactly that, which is why he wins.

It is no fluke that he is so well rounded, it is because he puts in the work. Ben Smith, because of his humility, is honest about his weaknesses and works on them as much as on the exercises and lifts that he enjoys. This attention to detail helps him become a better athlete, and the consistency of his training allows him to deliver results.

Write down your weaknesses and make sure to work on them as much as all the others exercises within your programming.

The work never stops. There is no “off season”. You have a vision? A goal? Work every day to get there. Focus on the moment and enjoy the process. 5 RDS 60 Du’s 30 Push Ups 10 DB Snatch 100# Want to Follow my programming? The link is in my bio. An @alecsmith8 production #CrossFit @reebok @roguefitness @progenex @marksmellybell @airrosti

A video posted by Ben Smith (@bsmit13) on Mar 6, 2016 at 6:00pm PST

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Let me start by saying that I’m not advocating you to avoid eating clean. There is however a growing issue with the clean eating culture, and a confusion of who it’s targeted at and how to tackle your nutrition.

As an athlete who’s aspiring to do any of the following:

• Improve performance in Crossfit,
• Get stronger overall
• Improve your big lifts
• Pack on muscle
• Lose fat

You need to think about what you put into your mouth and equally importantly, how much of it.

THE BALANCE BETWEEN EATING CLEAN AND EATING ENOUGH

I’m a large advocate of eating clean and do so myself, however there is a limit to how clean you can eat when you are trying to gain muscle and strength. Furthermore, there is a balance you need to strike between eating clean and eating what you like in order to ensure that you can stick with this diet for the rest of your life without having to make too many sacrifices.

EATING CLEAN FOR LIFE

I’m not talking about doing a two week cleanse, or going on a 2 month diet to lose some weight. I want you to be able to live the life you enjoy, whilst being as healthy as you can be.

I don’t want to be jumping on the bandwagon, however a nutribullet or a similar product is very useful for a sustainable healthy ‘clean’ diet. I also tried juicing for a year, however from my experience a nutribullet is much easier and quicker to use and more versatile in what you can put in it.

When you’re doing high intensity training such as crossfit and are chasing big numbers in the big lifts you will need to replenish your body’s nutrients and ensure you have a surplus to help you recover and fuel your next workout. Depending on how often you train, this will be very difficult to achieve by eating ‘clean’ 90-100% of the time.

FINDING THE RIGHT BALANCE

Now there are two ways of looking at this. You can either eat ‘clean’ 90-100% of the time and then allow yourself to get the much needed additional food from less clean sources, or you can just accept that you’ll only be eating ‘clean’ around 75% of the time.

The key to making your diet sustainable will be how you allocate that 25% of ‘non clean’ eating. In many circles people advocate ‘cheat meals’ and I certainly don’t agree. However, a cheat meal should only really happen a couple of times a week meaning that you’ll have to be 100% clean for all your other meals. This is not sustainable long term and can be difficult to fit into your lifestyle and it does not solve the issue of ensuring you get all the nutrients you need to fuel your workouts and recovery.

I find that a much simpler and effective way of doing this is by just having up to 25% of each meal be ‘non clean.’ It’s important to make sure that you don’t go over 25% and you do not have to do this for each meal. I find that doing it for one meal a day, usually my post workout meal works best.

HOW TO PUT THE THEORY INTO­ PRACTICE

An example of this could be having homemade chicken, a side of peas, spinach and broccoli and then just to make it more satisfying you have some potato wedges possibly with some sour cream. The addition of the unhealthy potato wedges will push your calorific intake, and your carbohydrate count closer to what you want to be hitting to make sure you are not under nourished. This example would be a post-workout meal however.

• This can be done in many ways. You can have a 100% clean meal and enjoy a cold pint of beer or a glass of wine on the side. Or one day you may want to have 2-3 clean meals and enjoy a pizza for dinner.
• The trick is to be sensible and make sure that your ‘clean’ eating really is clean. The best way to do this is to eat real homemade food rather than ready meals or store bought sandwiches.
• I find that by using smoothies you can very easily ensure that you add in some vegetables to boost your clean percentage when you are having a particularly unhealthy day.

THE PERFECT VEG/FRUIT SMOOTHIES

Important note: When juicing and making nutribullet smoothies, it’s very important to ensure you only have 1 portion of fruit per 4 portions of vegetables.

You’ll see a lot of articles out there purporting that juicing and nutribullets aren’t as healthy as you think and this is true if you fill it all with fruit. However, if you just use 3-4 portions of vegetables and just one portion of fruit your juice or shake will be healthy.

HOW TO MAKE CHANGES IN YOUR NUTRITION THAT WILL LAST LONGTERM

In summary, in order to recover and perform at your best it is important to get enough calories and nutrients from your diet.

• It’s difficult to get enough food by eating clean 100% of the time
• For most people, such a diet is not sustainable over the long term.
• It’s better to eat ‘clean’ 75% of the time and instead of having whole cheat meals a couple of times a week it’s more beneficial to have up to 25% of each meal be a ‘cheat’ ingredient.

This will ensure you get the right about of food and are able to stay on track with your diet over the long term. Furthermore, it’s easy to up your intake of vegetables by using a juicer or nutribullet as long as you ensure you use the right ratio of vegetables to fruit.

The post Why Eating Enough is More Important than Eating Clean appeared first on BOXROX.

‘I feel so lucky to be a part of a sport that offers true gender equality like no other.’

You walk into any box around the world and you’ll find men and women fighting for fitness together. Hitting the WOD with your community is pretty much what I live for and I can ultimately say it’s like no other gym experience I have ever had.

In Crossfit there’s no such thing as a male or female WOD, we all do the same workout and we all experience the same pain. All men and women have a natural respect for one another taking part in this sport and watching this formulate across the globe makes it even more phenomenal.

If we turn back time to the first ever Inaugural Crossfit Games in 2007 which saw just over 70 athletes compete to more recent Games where we have teams, individuals, masters and teens entered and battling it out, you begin to realise how far this sport has grown, and how much it can develop in the future.

GENDER EQUALITY

But it’s not just Games athletes that feel the hype from this sport, our everyday box members are working just as hard to achieve their personal goals and it’s their passion and love for achieving them that makes this sport equal to both men and women, no matter what level of fitness.

Gone are the days of grinding on the treadmill to lose body fat. Crossfit has brought a whole new meaning of fitness to our worlds. Day in day out I see male and female members making more progression and reaching their fitness goals. The determination that comes with the Crossfit community is what makes this sport equal.

THE EFFECTS OF SOCIAL MEDIA

We’re seeing more and more females rise through the ranks in this sport and I honestly believe social media is playing a huge part in participation. We watch, we learn and we’re motivated more than ever to live a fitter and healthier lifestyle.

Watching friends around you become this ‘strong’, ‘sexy, ‘badass’ woman makes it even more inspiring to do it for yourself. It’s truly great to see more women recognising and achieving fitness goals alongside the men too.

PERFORMANCE FIRST, AESTHETICS SECOND

But it’s the way us females believe we need to look a certain way to perform that fascinates me.

‘Social media has forced a visual representation of how you should look but in reality it’s how you feel taking part that is the most important aspect to becoming a Crossfit athlete.’

I recently read a great example of this from 2016 female Californian Regional Athlete Jamie Hagiya who has reached her goal to qualify for The Crossfit Games 2016.  She sums it up perfectly.

JAMIE HAGIYA: ‘I’m going to address something that has been on my mind a lot lately. It’s a hard subject for me since I struggle with body image issues but here goes nothing. My body does not look like all the other CrossFit Games female athletes with crazy ripped abs and zero body fat on their stomachs. I wish I could look like that, but I’ve come to the realization that this is my body.

I work my ass off in training everyday. I eat clean for the most part, but am human and love to indulge in dessert every now and then. I’m in the best shape of my life and still don’t have a six pack. Not even close to a 4 lol. Some of it is genetics and the other part is I could eat less calories to try to look like everyone else. But the bottom line is I need to eat to perform. I can’t worry about trying to look like a “Games” athlete because having a six pack doesn’t always make for the best athlete. So for anyone who thinks they need to look a certain way to be a Regionals or Games competitor, you don’t. Stay on the grind and keep doing you!’

COMPETING IN CROSSFIT

I love how this sport drives anyone to compete; both male and female athletes get exactly the same amount of recognition to push their boundaries and experience the feeling of competing for themselves. Competitions in Crossfit aren’t just for the elite; members from all affiliates can take part in all levels of Crossfit.

In Crossfit, both men and women can achieve anything. Unlike any other professional sport I’ve played there is no centre of attention, no media frenzy on one gender or the other, you’re in it together, so keep grinding!

Californian CrossFit Games athlete Jamie Hagiya © Jamie Hagiya

Camille LeBlanc-Bazinet: ‘Bodies should be defined by what they can do, not by how they look.’ © Camille Leblanc-Bazinet

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HOW MOVEMENT AFFECTS PERFORMANCE

Triple Extension

In exercise and sports science, achieving triple extension has been the goal of many common athletic movements. Triple extension is a position in which

the ankle, knee, and hip are extended.

Quadruple Extension

In CrossFit programming, there is revolution in the way coaches and trainers look at movement. Most CrossFit exercises and workouts emphasize what I call global quadruple extension. This means the athlete extends the foot/ankle, knee, hip, and the thoracic spine. The inability to get to this position results in poor performance and pain. The following is a list of joints that I find are routinely restricted and prevent athletes from moving efficiently into this globally extended position. Keep in mind that dysfunction at one joint leads to dysfunction throughout the entire body.

COMMON JOINT RESTRICTIONS AND THE NEGATIVE IMPACTS THEY CAN PRODUCE

1. BIG TOE

‘A foot that flattens is an ankle that is out of control.’

Lack of extension in the big toe prevents our foot from creating an arch when our heel hits the ground. This is referred to as the windlass mechanism.

As the heel strikes the ground during gait, our foot rolls into pronation (collapse of the arch). The contact of our toe with the ground slows pronation and pulls on the plantar fascia to form the arch of the foot. The inability to slow pronation leads the athlete to overpronation, or pushing off almost completely from the big and second toes. This forces compensation from other joints to slow the knee as weight is transferred.

WHAT IMPACT WILL THIS HAVE ON PERFORMANCE?

Many CrossFit workouts have exercises that involve transferring weight from one leg to the other (i.e. running, lunging, farmer’s walks, etc.) These exercises are examples of locomotive movements for which the goal is going from point A to B. To be efficient, an athlete should perform this movement in a straight line.

Think of traveling: You want to take the shortest direction to get to your destination. Taking the scenic route usually costs more in gas and time. Running is no different.

‘If our joints aren’t aligned, we waste energy.’

An athlete who overpronates pulls their knee closer to the their midline. This means they must constantly compensate with other muscles to prevent their knee from collapsing inward. The end result is likely pain and definitely a waste of calories and increased fatigue from using muscles improperly.

Types of pain an athlete will feel: A person who overpronates will often complain of plantar fasciitis, Achilles tendinitis, and hip bursitis.

2. ANKLE

‘An ankle that doesn’t bend is a knee that suffers.’

At the ankle, if we find a talus bone that has shifted laterally, then this is an indication we are carrying more of our weight toward the midline of our body. The ankle accommodates this shift in weight distribution by turning the feet outward. In doing so, the Achilles tendon gets twisted around a bit and movement becomes compensated.  Dorsiflexion (the turning of the toes up and bending the foot back toward the ankle) is lost and our brain will ask other muscles to pick up the slack, thus creating a compensation pattern.

WHAT IMPACT WILL THIS HAVE ON PERFORMANCE?

‘Most CrossFit exercises involve bending at the ankle, knee and hip to absorb impact from below (running, jumping, etc.) or control forces from above (barbell squats, cleans, etc.).’

When the ankle doesn’t bend well, the knee and hip will try to make up the difference. A restriction at the ankle joint will force the knee to travel forward and ask the quadriceps to carry the burden of slowing the knee down. This puts the glutes in a poor position to load up and limits the amount of force that can be produced.

For an athlete who is exploding out of the hole during a barbell squat, this is detrimental to force production. Our ability to create power from our gluteus maximus hinges largely on our ability to extend our hips backward as we descend into a squat. Lacking dorsiflexion pulls our knees and drags our hips with it.

Types of pain an athlete will feel: An athlete who suffers from a lack of dorsiflexion will often complain of shin splints, knee pain, and low back pain.

3. HIP

‘Hips that tilt too much result in a back that doesn’t feel too good.’

A lot of people don’t understand the pelvis isn’t just one piece. Although, at first glance it may appear as one cylinder, it really is made up of four pieces: a right and left innominate (hip), the sacrum and the pubis symphysis. With that being said, one hip should be able to flex while the other extends. One of the most common postural deviations that occur is an anterior pelvic tilt. This is when one or both innominate bones tilts forward. This position will lock the back of the pelvis in place and prevent it from extending the hip.

WHAT IMPACT DOES POOR HIP MOVEMENT HAVE ON PERFORMANCE?

Without the proper ability to flex and extend at the hip, an athlete will be forced to compensate their movements when doing things like running. The hip is very dynamic and can perform many different movements. Flexion of the hip comes with external rotation, while extension of the hip is coupled with internal rotation. A person who lacks the ability to extend to an anterior pelvic tilt will also lack the ability to internally rotate well. This will drive the brain to compensate by moving the leg forward, which usually means the leg must be swung forward from the side. As a result, the athlete will shift a lot when they run. Again, energy is wasted and performance suffers.

Types of pain an athlete will feel: An athlete who has an anterior pelvic tilt will often complain of pain in the sacroiliac (SI) joints, quadratus lumborum (QL) muscle, and knees.

4. THORACIC SPINE

‘An upper back that rounds results in arms that can’t be raised properly.’

Excessive thoracic kyphosis (rounding of the shoulders) may have the biggest observable negative impact on global extension. Our scapula (shoulder blades) is attached to our rib cage. When an upper back rounds, our shoulder blades get pushed up and forward. This closes down the space that the upper arm has to roll around in the socket  and makes it impossible to get the arms overhead without manipulating the position of the spine. Excessive rounding also changes the position of the rib cage, because it is normally accompanied by an excessive arch in the lower back. In doing so, the ability to properly recruit the trunk muscles is inhibited.

WHAT IMPACT DOES THIS HAVE ON PERFORMANCE?

Many CrossFit exercises are performed in the sagittal plane (a vertical plane that passes from anterior to posterior, dividing the body into right and left halves). From the shoulder, there are many exercises that involve flexion and extension of the shoulder.

The shoulder is pretty dynamic and can move in out of multiple planes, but it really depends on the positioning of the scapula to do it efficiently. When the scapula is too high, you will need to compensate by arching at your lower back to get you arms over your head. Again, this is an example of an energy leak, in which the goal is to get weight overhead; but to do so, the entire spine must be deviated.

The more kyphotic a person is, the more lordotic (bigger the arch in the low back) the lumbar spine usually will be. In addition, when a person has an excessive curve in their thoracic vertebrae, they will also lose rotational mobility. Considering how much rotational power is needed for running and rope climbing, this spells doom for CrossFitters looking to crush multi-modal PRs.

Types of pain an athlete will feel: An athlete who has an excessive thoracic curve will often complain of shoulder impingement, tennis elbow, and mid-back pains.

5. NECK

‘A head that moves forward becomes a body that chases it.’

A forward head carriage is the most common postural deviation seen at the head and neck. The head weighs 8 to 11 pounds. We need to remember that the spine is one piece. If the neck is out of position, the rest of the body either follows it or is taxed excessively to hold it in place. One of the muscles over-worked by a forward head carriage is the levator scapula. A short and overactive levator will pull up and forward on the scapula and make movement of the shoulder dysfunctional.

WHAT IMPACT DOES THIS HAVE ON PERFORMANCE?

The sport of CrossFit is incredibly dynamic and requires explosiveness, coordination, flexibility, and stamina. Often overlooked is the importance of maintaining a center of mass. Having a forward carriage displaces this center of mass to a forward position. Almost as if a person is constantly falling, the athlete’s brain will need to recruit additional muscle to maintain alignment and good positioning.

This is counter-productive for an athlete who is trying to be faster, stronger, and go longer because muscle gets trained to do a job. A muscle that is easily stimulated can be recruited when it is not needed. This is the concept of synergistic dominance and reciprocal inhibition. Poor alignment for an athlete leads to muscle imbalances and movement impairments. A forward head carriage is an example of this.

If we go back to our functional anatomy, we know the levator scapula muscle attaches from the base of the skull to the top of the scapula. A forward head carriage will shorten the levator scapula and the upper trapezius. Proper shoulder function and rib cage positioning will be very difficult to achieve because the lower trapezius will be inhibited and the scapula will be hard to depress.

Types of pain an athlete will feel: A forward head carriage is associated with shoulder impingement, neck pains, and headaches.

In most parts of life becoming great has very little to do with doing more of what you already excel at and everything to do with the little parts we try and hide. Crossfit has revolutionized the capacity the human body is capable of. Our “engines” are stronger, faster, and fitter than ever before in any time throughout history. The only thing will slow us down is failure to take care of our smallest parts.

Extension of the Ankle, knees and hips in the Snatch © RX’d Photography

THe Thoracic Spine © Spine Universe

Any restrictions in the ankle will stop you getting into a low catching position © RX’d Photography

Keep your hips mobile © RX’d Photography

Good Mobility is vital for top performance © rxdphotography.co.uk

Pistols: Impossible without the full range of motion © RX’d Photography

The post 5 Joint Restrictions that could be Affecting your Mobility and Performance appeared first on BOXROX.

Just like any other diet, Paleo has inspired a heated debate throughout public and expert opinion. The discussion is still ongoing as to whether going caveman nutrition-wise is truly healthy, sustainable, and suitable for the 21st century.

While some nutritionists are embracing the idea of following in the dietary footprints of our ancestors and asserting the Palaeolithic diet’s benefits for the 21st-century crowd, those who swear by other eating regimes continue to voice fierce criticism in an attempt to burst the Paleo bubble. The rationale behind the vilification of Paleo rests on five main points, and we will address each of them here in depth.

1. THE (LACK OF) SCIENCE BEHIND PALEO

According to some nutrition experts, the caveman diet lacks sufficient scientific evidence to back its beneficial effects. Admittedly, Paleo is a relatively new kid on the dietary block and extensive research into its effects is yet to be carried out, but the few studies conducted so far support the gains served on the Palaeolithic plate. A 2007 study showed that patients diagnosed with heart disease and high blood sugar levels or diabetes type 2:

• Improved glucose tolerance,
• Stabilized blood sugar,
• Reduced waist circumference,
• Lost more weight,
• Consumed fewer calories

Following the Paleo agenda, compared to the control group on the Mediterranean diet.

2. WHAT DID GROK EAT, SERIOUSLY?

Paleo critics also often quote a lack of scientific consensus on the list of staples early hominoids feasted on. Grok may not have been so thoughtful as to carve in stone the specifics of his carte du jour as a dietary signpost for generations to come, but we do know that our Palaeolithic ancestor was a scavenger by nutrition.

Instead of cultivating land, early hominoids gathered food (mostly fruit, plants, roots and eggs), and though we may not be 100% certain exactly what and how they actually hunted throughout the lengthy Palaeolithic era, it is only logical that they did get to taste meat at least once in a while. An average caveman did not have to go wielding spears to sate his carnivorous tooth – he could have just chanced upon an injured animal and used his trusted biface to help the suffering critter meet its creator without further ado.

On top of that, fire and tools became widely available to hominoids in the Middle Palaeolithic, allowing the intrepid ones among our ancestors to engage in recreational game hunting both on ground and in water.

3. WE ARE (NOT) SUPPOSED TO EAT MEAT AT ALL

Some Paleo opponents maintain that various scientific studies have pointed to the unsuitability of carnivorous eating habits for the modern man’s digestive system. The arguments this group of Paleo critics lists seems solid – granted you have little medical education under your belt.

The human digestive system has been a matter of analysis ever since the first dice-happy individual figured out they can slice open another being, and after centuries of dissection, surgeons’ views are unanimous. The average Joe and Jane does have the gut for animal protein breakdown. And not only do we have the stomach for Paleo ingredients, but the caveman diet can also help keep our tummies in proper shape as it advocates the avoidance of:

• Processed foods
• Artificial ingredients
• Refined sugar
• Vegetable oils
• Alcohol

Glitch-fee gut function translates as overall health, stable energy levels, and improved mood – so going Paleo is neither a dietary throwback nor is it ill-suited for the human gastrointestinal tract: it is in fact a step forward.

4. DIFFERENT TIMES CALL FOR DIFFERENT DIETS – OR DO THEY?

Even the nutritionists sitting on the Paleo fence tend to agree that the world has changed since the Palaeolithic era. Modern times dictate a lifestyle and diet which are poles apart from those of a regular caveman.

We do not go chasing around unwary prey – we are usually on the lookout for sedentary (or at least not forage-oriented) jobs; the climate has changed, and for the worse; we have more spare time than Grok and we get to choose when to have the next meal; hunting and fishing can lead to the depletion of natural resources; the list goes on. This all holds water – but it still does not mean that the Paleo diet cannot have its rightful place in the modern era.

Paleo is pretty tenable from the environmental standpoint granted sustainable fishing and hunting, which are already a common practice across the globe. In addition to that, many people are put off from the caveman plate over popular myths and misconceptions, so every critic should do their in-depth research first before they proceed to throw rocks at the Paleo eating system based on hearsay.

5. GOING GRAIN-LESS GOES AGAINST THE GRAIN

Whole grains play an important role in the human diet, and ditching them from the plate is the flipside of the health coin, or so say Paleo antagonists.

Whole grains contain:

• Fibre
• Protein
• Complex carbs

They are also a precious source of micronutrients necessary for a normal physiological and cognitive function, such as:

• Zinc
• Iron
• B-group vitamins
• Magnesium
• Folate
• Antioxidants

But then again, grains are also high on gluten, and celiac disease and other diet-related immune problems are all too real for an increasing number of people around the globe. Going grain-free is not all hunger and no cookie.

In fact, the no-grain diet can help:

• Boost your mood
• Reduce anxiety
• Improve cognitive function
• Oust brain fog
• Prevent many autoimmune disorders, dementia, seizures, and neurological impairment.

Plus, the grain-free diet is delicious, too, because there are quite a few flour substitutes Paleo eaters can use to make cookies and pastry. Still picking grains? Good luck with that.

The Paleo diet may not be everyone’s all-time dietary favourite, but that still does not give you the right to go on flailing argumentative cudgels without scientific data to back you up. Yes, there are certain risks, and no, shifting to the caveman eating regime is not easy – but do not diss Paleo quoting mere excuses.

After all, it is your life, and you need not justify your nutritional ways to anyone – but at least do Paleo justice and be honest about the real reasons you have not flipped the dietary switch just yet.

Choose wisely © BOXROX

Eat well. Train hard. Lift big © RX’d Photography

Eat paleo: Get primal © RX’d Photography

Eat for optimal performance © BOXROX

Work hard in all areas of your fitness © RX’d Photography

The post 5 Myths about Paleo and Why they aren’t True appeared first on BOXROX.

A Xebex Air Bike will scale automatically to how hard you want to work, the harder you pedal, the greater the resistance. This means that during a WOD, you can adjust the intensity accordingly to your own ability. Work harder and you will finish faster.

FEROCIOUS METABOLIC CONDITIONING

The Air Bike is a great way to build up this aspect of your fitness. Including calorie counts, sprints and intervals on the Air Bike into WODs will test your conditioning in many new and challenging ways.  Including the Air Bike into different WODs will also tax your ability to perform certain exercises under differing levels of stress and exhaustion.

If you feel like you are hitting plateaus in your training, which happens to us all, the Air Bike can be a great way to break through them. It is easy to combine with heavy strength work and incorporate into WODs.  For example, try finishing a session with the following workout on the Air Bike:

• 8 Rounds:
• 30 sec max effort
• 30 sec rest

We promise that it will hurt, in the best way possible!

FORGE MENTAL TOUGHNESS

For all of you that have used Air Bikes before at high intensity, you know how much they can hurt! For those who haven’t, you have that to look forward too! Because the movement is so simple, you must grit your teeth and complete the work. It forces you to focus on staying positive through the pain, which is the perfect way to build mental toughness and resilience. This mentality is something that you need great amounts of in Crossfit!

SET CUSTOM WORKOUTS

You can use the Air Bike to program different workouts based on speed, pace, calories burned and heart rate. For example, with the workout below, you can see how high intensity interval training will force your body to work its way up to operating at a higher heart rate and test your endurance. This entire workout is finished in less than 20 minutes, but is also a great test of mental toughness as well as building your aerobic endurance and mental fortitude.

Air Bike Pyramid WOD

• Warm up with an easy pace for 5 mins
• 10 sec sprint, 50 sec rest
• 20 sec sprint, 40 sec rest
• 30 sec sprint, 30 sec rest
• 40 sec sprint, 20 sec rest
• 50 sec sprint, 10 sec rest
• 40 sec sprint, 20 sec rest
• 30 sec sprint, 30 sec rest
• 20 sec sprint, 40 sec rest
• 10 sec sprint, 50 sec rest
• Cool down with an easy pace for 5 mins

FRAN (EXTENDED VERSION)

This WOD simply adds Air Bike work into the popular benchmark workout Fran, which is traditionally a sprint. Here the extra rounds of calories on the Air Bike make it even more grueling, and extend the workout time.

For time

• 21 calories on Air Bike
• 21 Pull Ups
• 21 Thrusters 43/30kg (95/65lbs)
• 15 calories on Air Bike
• 15 Barbell Thrusters
• 9 Calories on Air Bike
• 9 Barbell Thrusters
• 9 Pull Ups

GREAT FOR MODIFIED MOVEMENT

If you have a rolled ankle or a hip flexor or quad strain, then the Xebex Air Bike is the perfect piece of equipment to bring into your workouts. It places no pressure or strain on your joints, unlike running does for example, so it doubles as a great substitute if you need to adapt workouts.

CONSTRUCTED TO LAST

The bike itself is constructed from a 104 lb steel frame, and the heavier base and robust overall design makes it durable and extremely hard wearing. The pedal arm uses bearings for the joints to ensure a tighter fit over time and a smoother overall movement.

ACTIVE RECOVERY

We have seen how the Air Bike can be used as an indispensable piece of equipment for high intensity training, but it can also be highly effective for recovery work and cool downs as well.

Quality active recovery work that involves walking or swimming for example is effective because it increases blood flow to various parts of your body. Using the Air Bike at a slower, much less intense pace for 10 -15 minutes can achieve the same effect.

If you are serious about improving your conditioning, mental toughness and endurance then a Air Bike is a perfect tool for allowing you to achieve these goals, as well as helping you to break through plateaus.

The Xebex Air Bike will help you to take your training to the next level and smash your limitations! © Stevie D Photography

Set custom WODs © Xebex

WODs with Air Bikes are an excellent way to toughen your mind © Stevie D Photography

The post Forge Unstoppable Conditioning and Mental Toughness with the Air Bike appeared first on BOXROX.

1. KATRIN DAVIDSDOTTIR

Can the reigning Champion defend her crown and win the CrossFit Games 2016? Her consistency across all 13 events last year was phenomenal. Through working with her coach Ben Bergeron, she toughened her mental game and tightened up her weaknesses The end result was a first place finish.

Her years of experience as a gymnast allow her to cope well with the rigorous physical punishment of the Games. It also allows her to excel at exercises such as Muscle Ups and Handstand Walks.

She is also a fierce competitor, and there is absolutely no doubt about how much she wants to keep her title from any challengers

Previous Positions

• 2013 24^th place
• 2014 Failed to qualify for the Games
• 2015 1^st place

HOW CAN SHE INSPIRE YOU TO BECOME A BETTER CROSSFITTER?

Trust in yourself. Last year a lot of the attention focused on Sara Sigmundsdottir as she looked unstoppable throughout the games. Sara went into the last two events in first place, but Katrin had quietly been putting in excellent performances, and took first place by winning the final event.

‘Stay focused on yourself, and only on the next task at hand.’

2. KARA WEBB

To say that Kara Webb has been unfortunate in her career at the CrossFit Games would be an understatement. Last year she had to be carried off the floor after suffering from sunstroke during Murph, yet she still powered through to finish the event. She had been in first place at the beginning of the day, and recovered enough to take part in the Snatch Ladder a few hours after the end of collapsing.

She won the Pacific Regionals in 2015 and 2016, and came second in the Open for the last two years running!

She is a strong, powerful athlete that has proven time and time again her incredible mental toughness and consistency across the board. If she can hit the 2016 CrossFit Games injury free, then there is no reason why she couldn’t walk away with the title of ‘Fittest Woman in the World’.

Previous Positions

• 2013 12^th place
• 2014 31^st place
• 2015 5^th place

HOW CAN SHE HELP YOU TO BECOME A BETTER CROSSFITTER?

Kara has a great attitude to competition and training. She never moans or complains, just puts her head down and gets on with the work that she needs to do. She is positive and upbeat, and make no mistake, she is there to win, but seems to have a huge enjoyment for the larger overall process as well.

‘I never lose. Either I win or I learn.’

3. SAM BRIGGS

The English powerhouse is a legendary veteran of the Games. She is currently still having visa difficulties with entering the US in order to compete again this year, but if she does, could she repeat what she managed in 2013, and win the Games again?

She is older than many of the other athletes, but this only seems to give her more grit and determination to succeed. Any longer workouts or chippers are her perfect territory, and her engine is rightly renowned for being ferocious and unstoppable.

Previous Positions

• 2010 19^th place
• 2011 4^th place
• 2012 Did not compete
• 2013 1^st place
• 2014 Won Worldwide Open. Did not qualify for the Games
• 2015 4^th place

HOW CAN SHE ALLOW YOU TO BECOME A BETTER CROSSFITTER?

Sam has tasted the highs of success and the lows of defeat. From being the best female Crossfitter in the world in 2013, to failing to qualify in 2014, she understands how to maintain a strong mental Game.

Sam shows exactly how important mental toughness actually is. In the gruelling event Murph at The CrossFit Games in 2015, she finished in first place, a full minute ahead of second place competitor Alethea Boon. She also beat ALL the guys except Bjorgvin Karl Gudmundsson, which was an incredible achievement!

‘Nothing worth having comes easy.’

4. ANNIE THORISDOTTIR

Annie is a legend on the Crossfit scene, and has inspired a generation of outstanding Icelandic athletes. With two first 1^st place, and two 2^nd place finishes to her name, her status as one of the top Crossfitters ever is already firmly established.

Not that she is resting on past victories! She looked electric at the Meridian Regionals and was out to win. A fierce battle raged between her and fellow Icelandic athletes Sara Sigmundsdottir and Thuri Helgadottir, and once they reach the Games they will be joined by Katrin Davidsdottir as well! The competition is going to be intense, but her experience will be highly valuable against these other athletes. Can she secure another Games win? It could definitely happen!

Previous Positions

• 2010 2^nd place
• 2011 1^st place
• 2012 1^st place
• 2013 Did not compete
• 2014 2^nd place
• 2015 Withdrew from competition

HOW CAN SHE ASSIST YOU TO BECOME A BETTER CROSSFITTER?

Love what you do. Look for what it is that makes you want to get fit, to train and to better yourself. Whatever that reason, it is valid and good because it is your reason! Remember to find the fun in your training. Listen to Annie talk about weightlifting…

‘Throwing heavy things overhead has always been one of my favourites. That moment in time where the bar becomes weightless and you need to make a decision – make or break, drop under or drop the bar. I think the suspense is what makes this so exciting and fun to work on.’

5. SARA SIGMUNDSDOTTIR

A strong favourite in many people’s eyes to become the 2016 ‘fittest woman in the world’. She narrowly lost out last year after leading for significant periods of time. 2015 was also her rookie year, and to put in such strong performances showed incredible ability, willpower and work ethic. She made a few small errors in a couple of events (the sandbag carry is one such example) which cost her in the long run.

She has talked in the past of feeling that the whole thing felt almost too good to be true, leading in front of all these other famous and talented athletes, but this year her mental game is even stronger, and there are very few people that doubt her ability to win the 2016 Games.

Previous Positions

2015 3th place

HOW CAN SHE AID YOU TO BECOME A BETTER CROSSFITTER?

It is said all the time throughout Crossfit that you need to operate outside your comfort zone. But how far can you go? Sara consistently shifts the boundaries of what she can do, and it helps to forge her into an incredible athlete.

Sara: ‘If you want to work on your mental side I recommend this workout called Kettlebell Hell’

4 Rounds for increasing load:

• 10 Double KB Clean
• 10m Double KB FR Carry
• 10 Double KB STOH
• 10m Double KB FR Carry
• 10 Double KB FR Lunges
• 10m Double KB FR Carry
• 10 Double KB FR Squat
• REST 3 minutes b/t rounds

‘Recommended starting weights 16/12kg (35/26lbs) or more if you dare.. Take it with someone who pushes you! Thanks BK Gudmundsson for the competition’

6. CROSSFIT GAMES 2016: LAUREN FISHER

In sport, good form can carry you a long way. If you look at her past performances then on paper she seems like an odd choice, but if you make the judgement on what she achieved at the Californian Regionals, one of the toughest in the world, then she could stand an outsiders chance if things go her way.

Lauren is a strong athlete and a great lifter. She trains at CrosFit Invictus, where imbalances are stamped out and nothing less than a Trojan work ethic is acceptable. She has demonstrated her ability to handle pressure by competing so well at the Regionals, and has tightened a lot of her former weaknesses. Lauren is definitely one to watch and will go into the Games with nothing to lose and everything to win.

Being an underdog is always a good position to attack from, and with the sting from last year’s failure to qualify, she has something to prove in 2016.

Previous Positions

2014 9^th place

2015 Did not qualify

HOW CAN SHE CAN INSPIRE YOU TO BECOME A BETTER CROSSFITTER?

Lauren is a perfect example of what a great work ethic looks like. With her natural abilities, she could easily focus solely on weightlifting and be done with endurance work and gymnastics, but she enjoys the challenge and continuously works on the skills she needs to improve. After 2015, where she had problems with a legless rope-climb, she was determined to master the skill in her training until the CrossFit Games 2016. In this year’s regional events, she got to prove her proficiency.

‘Difficult doesn’t mean impossible, it simply means that you have to work hard.’

Engine like Briggs © Sam Briggs

An awesome athlete with a great attitude © Kara Webb

Katrin davidsdottir winning the Regionals © Katrin Davidsdottir

The post 6 Female Contenders to Win the CrossFit Games 2016 appeared first on BOXROX.

Bodyweight workouts are simple because they require very little equipment, yet brutally effective in the way they test mental willpower, endurance and strength. Sometimes it is impossible to get to the Box, so that is when these WODs come in handy. Make sure you program bodyweight workouts into your training, and use them to add more variety, pain and progress.

1. SUSAN

Get ready to sweat it out. This bodyweight WOD doesn’t involve any equipment, just your own weight and endurance, which makes it the perfect workout to do at home, or anywhere really.

• 5 rounds for time
• Run 200 meters
• 10 squats
• 10 push-ups

This workout is great for testing your ability to perform with a high heart rate, and to stay focused when it starts getting tough.

Forgot your meter stick? Usually, a block is just under 200 meters, so if you don’t have a measuring stick or a track to go off of, it doesn’t hurt to guestimate. Turn your home and neighbourhood into your gym by running about a block, doing your squats and pushups, then running back … or around the block, whichever you prefer.

2. DEATH BY BURPEES

Simple and brutal, of all the bodyweight WODs, this one will push your mental endurance to the max.

• 1 Burpee EMOM.
• Add an extra Burpee for every minute until you are no longer able to complete the desired amount of reps
• E.g. If you get to minute/round 25 and you only complete 22 Burpees, then the WOD is over.

Burpees are an incredible functional exercise. They require next to no technical skill, so this workout becomes all about mental toughness. Grit your teeth and get comfortable with the uncomfortable.

3. ANNIE

Jeremy from Flagship CrossFit in San Francisco says Annie is meant to be a benchmark WOD for all Crossfitters, which means you can use this workout to see how you’re improving. Find the full collection of Girl WODs in the BOXROX WOD Directory

• Reps: 50-40-30-20-10
• Double unders
• Sit-ups
• There are a total of five rounds, reps decrease each round

Technically, Double Unders are done with a jump rope or cord of some kind, which we think you’ll probably have lying around in your closet or shed, although it might require a little dusting off.

4. CHELSEA

Chelsea is one of those bodyweight WODs that challenges you to stay consistent. Try to make sure your form remains consistent throughout the entire workout.

• 30 Min EMOM
• 5 Pull Ups
• 10 Push-Ups
• 15 Squats

Your score is measured in total rounds. If you fail to complete one set each minute, do as many reps as possible until 30 minutes are over.

5. BODYWEIGHT WORKOUTS: MARY

With handstand push-ups, pistol squats and pull-ups, Mary offers an advanced version of Cindy. For anyone looking to scale this Crossfit workout perform the handstand push-ups with your feet on the box, modify a pistol squat by holding on to rings and do ring rows or banded pull-ups instead.

• 20 min AMRAP
• 5 Handstand Push-Ups
• 10 Pistols (one legged Squats)
• 15 Pull Ups

Your final score is the total number of rounds you managed to complete within the 20 minute timecap

Bodyweight exercises are a great challenge when you can’t get to the Box! © RX’d Photography

A great way to add intensity to your WODs © RX’d Photography

Sara Sigmundsdottir working on hill sprints © RX’d Photography

The post 5 Bodyweight Workouts every Crossfitter Must Try! appeared first on BOXROX.

My first (and only) Crossfit injury is a classic story. I was six months into training and completely in love with it. I was getting fitter fast, PR’ing daily, and felt invincible. Then, I decided to test my 1RM Clean. I hit 61kg (135lbs), and it felt great. 65kg (145lbs) felt easy, too. So I went for 70kg (155lbs). Wouldn’t you?

To cut a long story short, my slow elbows caught up with me and I broke my wrist. I also managed to dislocate it, chip it, and damage my tendons in the process. After reconstructive surgery to add in a plate and screws, I was fitted with a cast for 8-12 weeks. No lifting with my left arm for at least six months.

I’ll admit, I had a minor (major) meltdown. I immediately saw my whole budding Crossfit life going up in flames.

WHEN YOU GET INJURED, YOU’RE FACED WITH A CHOICE

1. Call it a loss and write off the recovery time.
2. Ignore the doctor’s orders and do whatever you can physically do, as soon as possible.
3. Figure out a way to keep training, safely, in a productive and efficient way.

(I wanted to do #2 so badly. So, so badly.)

Instead, I made a plan. Here are my tips for stay fit – and sane – during recovery.

1. ADJUST YOUR GOALS AND PROGRAM

About a week before the accident, I’d written a list of goals on the whiteboard. It included butterfly pullups, a 30-second handstand hold, a 47.5kg (105lbs) Snatch, and toes to bar. Needless to say, I wouldn’t be ticking those off the board anytime soon. So I made new goals.

Then, my partner and I created a program. I still wanted to train 4-5 days a week, so we figured out which movements I could do to best maintain overall fitness.

My Advice? Start from your Injury and Work Outwards.

I had broken my left wrist, but I still had two shoulders, a core, and perfectly fine legs. That meant a lot of lunges and squats (bodyweight, with a weighted vest, or in the front rack with my arms crossed). It also meant single-arm kettlebell and dumbbell work, and core every day.

As a result, my lower body strength and aerobic fitness didn’t suffer a whole lot during my recovery.

‘Work with what you have, and don’t be afraid to get creative.’

2. TAKE CARE OF YOURSELF

While you chip away at new goals, remember to assess how your body feels. Your training will be different; be careful, and be conscious of the fact that you’re trying to heal. Don’t overload your system.

That means more mobility, and a lot of stretching. Focus specifically on muscles that may be compensating for the ones you can’t use. For example, my right shoulder was working overtime (even outside the gym, like while I carried groceries). That meant extra rest and attention so I didn’t open the door to other injuries.

Your Mental State

Remember, too, to take care of your mental state. It can be incredibly frustrating to watch your friends train while you feel stuck. If you just can’t stand the thought of modifying another workout, take a break. Go for a run, or a hike, or an Epsom bath with a giant glass of wine.

‘Not all improvements happen in the gym. Your goal is to come back stronger than ever, mentally and physically. Do what you need to achieve that.’

3. DON’T FORGET ABOUT CROSSFIT AND THE COMMUNITY

We all know that Crossfit isn’t all about lifting heavy, moving fast, and getting jacked. It’s also about the community. You’ve probably made friends and training partners who care about you, so don’t avoid them just because your training has changed.

Even if you’re getting your workouts in during Open Gym, keep showing up to box events. Cheer your friends on during their WODs. Celebrate their PRs as if they’re your own. It’ll make your recovery time pass by way faster.

‘Those people are your support system. They understand how much getting injured sucks, and they’ll do whatever they can to make it easier on you.’

They’re also a valuable resource. One of the coaches at my box came up with the idea of using resistance bands to work my left side. We rigged up bands that I could wrap around my cast and use to do gentle lateral raises, rows, and even overhead presses. I would’ve never thought of that on my own.

4. CROSSFIT INJURY: LEARN FROM YOUR EXPERIENCE

Some injuries are freak accidents. Others are lessons.

I had done hundreds of successful cleans (measure of success: not breaking any bones). Still, Olympic lifts are tough and technically complex. I knew that I had gaps in my skill set, but I was excited, and I tried a lift that was a lot heavier than anything I’d ever done.

• Now, I go into 1RM sessions with a goal in mind. If I hit that number, I stop.
• The key is knowing the line between pushing yourself and behaving recklessly.
• Put your ego on the sidelines and analyse whatever you were doing when you were hurt.
• Is there a pivotal moment that you would change next time?

Go into each session with goals that are ambitious, but achievable. Be realistic about what you can do, and what you can’t do yet. It all comes down to knowing your body. That applies to your recovery, too. If something doesn’t feel right, don’t do it.

My plan for myself was taking my doctor’s advice, and pushing it just a little bit. If he told me not to anything that would make me sweat, I did easy intervals on the bike and cooled down in front of a fan. When my cast came off, he told me not to lift anything over 2.5lbs… So I lifted 5lbs.

It wasn’t disregard for my doctor’s expertise – it was calculated, careful assessment of what my body could do. As a result, I was very close to 100% mobility and strength at the six-month mark of my cast coming off. My doctor didn’t think I’d be at 60%.

WITH THAT SAID…

Long-term health and wellbeing is the most important. Always listen to your coaches, your body, and most importantly – your doctor. They know what they’re talking about.

There will always be bigger numbers to hit, and we have a lifetime to train. Let’s make sure our bodies are up for the challenge.

Be intelligent about your recovery so you can return in style! © RX’d Photography

Brokke Ence: Stay fit, stay supple © RX’d Photography

Don’t rush your recovery, let your body heal then get back to what you do best! © RX’d Photography

Train hard! © RX’d Photography

The post 4 Ways to Train through a Crossfit Injury (Safely) appeared first on BOXROX.

Alessandra Pichelli was born in Montreal and grew up in Canada and Japan. She started Crossfit in 2010 after finishing her career as a collegiate rower at Saint Mary’s. Her rowing coach was the one that introduced her to Crossfit.

Mixing it up… The Games are ALMOST here! @reebok @trifectasystem @diablocrossfit @crossfitgames

A video posted by Alessandra Pichelli (@alessandrapichelli) on Jul 14, 2016 at 10:22pm PDT

She made the CrossFit Games the first time with her Diablo CrossFit teammates in 2012 and finished 3rd. Afterwards, she has been competing as an individual and competed at the Games four times after winning the NorCal Regionals in 2013 and 2014. Her best finish was as a rookie in 2013 finishing 4th.

• 2013 NorCal Regionals 1st Place
• 2013 CrossFit Games 4th Place
• 2014 NorCal Regionals 1st Place
• 2014 CrossFit Games 23rd Place
• 2015 California Super Regionals 5th Place
• 2015 CrossFit Games 32nd Place
• 2016 California Super Regionals 3rd Place

Hey Alessandra Pichelli, how does growing up in two totally different cultures (Canada and Japan) influence your lifestyle and workout mentality?

I think the experience has definitely made me more open-minded. Living in different cultures makes you aware that there is more than just your way to do things. Instead of judging other people for their behavior, we need to try and find common ground and work together and not look for differences so much.

How does the experience of competing four times at the CF Games influence your daily workouts and programming?

The Regionals and Games always do a great job of revealing your weaknesses, so when the Games are over, I always have a long list of things I want to get better at. I sit down with my team and come up with a plan on how to attack those weaknesses.

I do believe that my experience is helping me as an athlete – I have a better understanding of my body, so I can decide when I can push really hard and when it makes sense to go a little easier or even take a rest day.

‘I’ve gotten better at being patient and not freaking out when I don’t PR on a lift or workout. Instead, I trust the process to make me a better athlete on game day.’

If you could pick one WOD for the Games that would suit you perfectly, what would it be?

Ideally, I would like to see actual rowing on water – not an erg. Quite unlikely though…

How does it differ to compete as an individual and as part of a team? Which do you prefer?

Having done both, they are quite different.

The biggest difference is probably that the volume for individuals is much higher. Another key difference is that the spotlight and pressure is on you as an individual, whereas teams have five other team members that are there to support them.  Physically, the team events often require you to go hard and then rest for a while, which is different from individual competition in which pacing often is key.

After my narrow miss, I FINALLY got my 200 pound Snatch! @crossfitgames #doyouevenliftoff @reebok @roguefitness @nfsports_ @smkathletics @diablocrossfit

A video posted by Alessandra Pichelli (@alessandrapichelli) on Nov 12, 2015 at 6:32pm PST

I love the ultimate challenge of the individual competition, but I’ve been training alongside the Diablo CrossFit team all year. I couldn’t have done it without them. If you have a cohesive team with the same goals, it can be a very rewarding experience! I think team is more fun because of the lower pressure and camaraderie. I can definitely see myself switching back to team again. It is great to see that the teams are getting more exposure since Khalipa and Froning have made the switch!

What does the Crossfit Community mean to you?

I love the Crossfit community. It is amazing to find like-minded people anywhere you travel and have an instant bond. On a more personal basis, a lot of my best friends are doing Crossfit and that’s probably the main reason why I still enjoy going to the gym despite my countless training sessions.

‘I can 100% say that I would not be as fit without the community aspect of Crossfit.’

The environment has allowed me to thrive as an athlete and a person and I am very thankful for all the opportunities.

OTM Clean & Jerks prescribed by @mxaita ! @nfsports_ @reebok @roguefitness @amara @diablocrossfit

A video posted by Alessandra Pichelli (@alessandrapichelli) on Jan 21, 2015 at 9:39pm PST

Do you have any recommendations to avoid training injuries?

• First of all, learn to differentiate between soreness and pain, so you can listen to your body.
• Second, improve your movement patterns. The better you move, the less likely you are to get injured.
• Aside from those basics, it depends on what you fit into your personal life (time-wise and financially). If possible, get sufficient sleep, stretch daily and get regular body-work.

How do you train for the unexpected in big occasions such as the CF Games?

There are certain skills that are an evolution of current movements that you definitely try to prepare for (for example Triple-Unders). For other movements that are truly surprising, all you can do is be as fit as possible and trust your athleticism.

As you are from Canada and live in California now, which weather do you prefer for a WOD? Does the heat (or cold) influence the WOD?

Very easy- I prefer the weather in California for living, but I’d much rather work out in the cold. I suffered heat strokes during Triple 3 in 2014 and during Murph in 2015, but I’ve been training outside more than ever this year and I will do all I can to avoid that from happening again.

Everything is easier if you have a partner in crime… @reebok @trifectasystem @diablocrossfit

A video posted by Alessandra Pichelli (@alessandrapichelli) on Jul 6, 2016 at 1:10pm PDT

Is there a strong community feeling between the Athletes at the CF Games even if you don’t know each other? Or is the competition predominant?

There is a lot of respect for each other because we all know how hard you have to work to get to the Games. You will see athletes cheer competitors on after they finish or console them. I get along well with almost all the girls, but the environment has certainly gotten more competitive and serious as the sport has grown.

Where do you see yourself in this year’s CF Games and do you expect any surprises? 

I will focus on giving my best effort, but I believe that I can break back into the Top 10. I’ve trained hard all year long and I am excited to showcase that at the Games.  I am definitely expecting surprises –they are a big part of what makes the Games so challenging and fascinating. Last year, we saw surprising athletes like Katrin Davidsdottir and Tia-Clair Toomey toping the leaderboard as well as new movements – like the peg boards and the prone paddle boards. As athletes, we just have to embrace those surprises as challenges. The spectators should enjoy them as they are the core of the CrossFit Games.

Good start to my Regional training! OHS PR -235lbs @reebok @roguefitness @nfsports_ @amara @maxsgym @diablocrossfit

A video posted by Alessandra Pichelli (@alessandrapichelli) on Mar 31, 2015 at 10:01pm PDT

Guts and strength © Floelite

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