“EVERYBODY CRIES. . . EVERYBODY HURTS SOMETIMES”. . . R.E.M.
Awesome!!! So excited that you started this fitness journey. It doesn’t matter if you have been doing it for years now, or you just started yesterday, there are principles that must be reinforced from the moment you begin. A new exercise regime can be a very exciting thing. You want to be active; you want to shape your body into what you have always wanted it to be; come hell and high water, YOU WANT TO LOOK GOOD NAKED!!!!
Exercise is important for a variety of reasons, and the list of the benefits is almost as infinite (build muscle, gain strength, have a nice firm behind, lose weight, increase metabolism, on and on. . .). Paramount to all considerations, however, is the fact that you can get injured moving towards the “Beginning of Something Better.” This applies to no matter what exercise regime you undertake, whether it be CrossFit, running, biking, swimming, or hitting the weights at your local GloboGym.
As the saying goes, “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.” At CrossFit Prelude specifically, addresses the little things to help prepare you for the path you have undertaken. Here are some tips and tidbits to keep you on the right track, and prepare you for a lifetime of fitness:
GET HOT AND WARM UP!!!!
Prelude group post WOD stretching
I’m not talking about sweat in a sauna. But those old bones need to be lubricated before you begin placing any demand on them. Sure, when we were younger we were all supple leopards. As a 10 years old it was probably ok to jump out of bed; run down the stairs; and burst at a full on sprint out the front door to the ice cream truck. As we age, our bodies lose the flexibility and mobility we once had. As a result, it is imperative that we warm and loosen up our joints before we begin any class. We begin with a structured group warm up designed to not only prepare you for the Workout of the Day, but also to help you gradually regain some of the functional ability you have lost over the years. Think of the warm up as a vital foundational component of the awesome body you are about to build. Additionally, the warm up should be seen as a pre-test. It allows you and your coach to ensure your body is ready for the days movements. If something continues to hurt during the warm up, let your coach know, and they will modify the workout to avoid pain or, and you might not want to hear this, make you sit on the sideline and cheer your fellow students on.
PRACTICE MAKES PERFECT!!!!
Practice is important whether you are new to CrossFit Prelude, or have been doing CrossFit for a period of time. The rush and excitement of experiencing new things; competing alongside some of the best folks you could train with; and the thrill of trying to best yourself, all lead athletes to attempt to perform movements for which they have not adequately practiced
Simply put, when you practice, you are developing muscle memory to enable your body to coordinate more efficient movement patterns to allow you to perform movements safely. Without consistent practice, your body will not have mastered the necessary components to coordinate the movement in an efficient manner. Sure you may be able to lift heavy weight and perform an intense amount of work over a short time domain, but the inefficiency inherently resulting from a lack of practice will lead to repeated damage to muscles, resulting in strains, pulls, sprains, and other injuries. At CrossFit Prelude we believe that PRACTICE MAKES PERFECT, AND THE PURSUIT OF PERFECTION REDUCES THE RISK OF INJURY. As our athletes will tell you, we spend a painstaking amount of time on the basic movements, to build the foundation for the move advanced.
FUEL THE GAS TANK UP AND HYDRATE!!!!
Water is essential. A dehydrated body does not function as it is supposed to. When you are low on fluids, your mind and body do not communicate well. Muscles in particular are extremely sensitive to shifts in fluids, resulting in painful cramping. Additionally, the increased viscosity of your blood decreases the body’s ability to eliminate accumulated waste produced as a result of exercise, thus making muscular recovery inefficient. Also, our joints need to be well lubed, and hydration is an absolute must to keep your limbs filled with the synovial fluid to keep them moving effectively.
DON’T OVERDO IT!!!!
You must know your limits. I can assure you, no one at CrossFit Prelude, or any other gym, is judging you. No one is keeping track of your score, and no one cares if lifted less than the prescribed workout dictates. If you are overly fatigued, STOP. Either you will stop, or your coach will tell you to take a break before you continue on. Aggressively pushing yourself leads to a deterioration in form, and an increased chance of injury. This does not mean that you should not push yourself outside of your margins of comfort. What it does mean, however, is that when you form starts to deteriorate, you need to either take a step back, and possible reduce the weight or number of repetitions. Too often CrossFitters get caught up in the feeding frenzy, resulting in a possible lifetime of injuries. TAKE YOUR TIME AND COMPETE WITH ONLY YOURSELF.
ADDRESS THE PAIN!!!!
If you experience pain during a workout, STOP. Yes I know you want to get that extra rep, or may think stopping will hurt your gains. Pain, however, is your body telling you in a “nice way” to slow down. Pain is not synonymous with soreness. Soreness is what you will experience from any exercise until your body has adapted. You can continue to exercise while sore. Pain is an indication that you are injured, which means continuing what you are doing will only result in further injury to your body. Anti-inflammatory meds, Rock Tape, and pushing through pain are not the answers. You are a [insert your job here] who does CrossFit, not the other way around. Find the cause of the pain, rest it, treat it, and give your body time to heal before you continue to injure it.
At CrossFit Prelude, we are extremely excited that you have decide to better yourself. Just remember that staying healthy is the key to maintaining the lifestyle change you have committed yourself to. Do the little things that will make a difference, and become a better you.