Indoor rowing has grown in popularity thanks to the huge contribution CrossFit has made by integrating it into its workouts. Initially, rowing was found mostly in boutique studios, but this is quickly changing following the adoption of the same by large CrossFit gym chains that are putting up rowing machines on their premises. The beauty with rowing workouts is that they address every area of your body starting from the lungs all the way to your lower body including the back, core, and arms. On top of this, the CrossFit workout burns fat while at the same time giving you extraordinary endurance and cardiovascular fitness. When you compare rowing exercises to other cardio sports such as cross-country skiing and swimming, you will find out that rowing builds more power and strength. A majority of boutique rowing gyms are advancing their rowing workouts to include rowing intervals together with strength training. This burns fatter and allows you to hit more muscles than just rowing. The following are some of the indoor rowing workouts to try out. From the Ground Up Workout In this CrossFit exercise, you take 5 minutes for warmup and after that row for 100 meters before doing ten reps of bodyweight squat. Without breaking the order, row for another 200 meters before doing another ten reps of bodyweight squat. The fifth move comprises 20 reps of alternating reverse lunge followed by the sixth move which is 10 reps of kneeling biceps curl to overhead press. This constitutes round one. This entire CrossFit workout should be at least 3 rounds with rests in between. Pump and Row Pyramid Again, you should start with 5 minutes of warmup and after that row for 100 meters with speed fast enough depending on your capacity. When done with the rowing, do 5 reps of bodyweight squats followed by 5 reps of push-ups before finishing round 1 with 5 reps of a feet-elevated mountain climber. After the first round, endeavor to do 4 more rounds with round 2 comprising rowing 200 meters and 10 reps of each of the above moves. Round 3 has rowing 300 meters and 15 reps of the other moves while round 4 consists of rowing 200 meters and ten reps of each move. The last round is some slowdown with rowing only 400 meters and five reps of each move. To finish it up, do a 60-second plank. 20-Minute Metabolic Burner After the 5 minutes of warmup, row for 500 meters as fast as you can and then do 25 reps of dumbbell thruster. This will complete round 1 leaving you with other three rounds to complete. Rest whenever necessary in between the rounds and always target to complete this CrossFit workout in under 20 minutes. Burpee Blast Challenge This workout makes use of a rower’s monitor which keeps count of the calories. Start by rowing hard for about 2 minutes and take note of your calorie score because that is the same number you will be targeting to hit in the subsequent rows. Do ten burpees and row until you attain the same calorie score as that achieved during the 2-minute row. Then, descend to 9 burpees and row again with the same calorie goal before going to 8 burpees and move on down the ladder until you get to 1 burpee. Aim to finish this Crossfit workout within 30 minutes, but take rests in between whenever needed.

If you have not already realized, you may do so in due course that any part of your body irrespective of its location can come under severe strain while working out in the CrossFit gym. This usually happens when your form is bad and your flexibility poor. The elbows are among these vulnerable parts. Elbow tendonitis is one of the commonest ailments affecting a good number of CrossFitters. In other sports and fitness literature, you may find elbow tendonitis referred to as tennis elbow. Some in the fitness industry consider this term rather ironic because fewer than 5% of elbow tendonitis sufferers play tennis. Understanding Elbow Tendonitis Tendonitis is the inflammation of the tendons as they connect to the related bone. Tendons are nothing but elastic rope-like structures that connect the bone to muscle. They also absorb a huge amount of stress. Inflammation, on the other hand, is a normal process our bodies go through resulting in pain, redness, swelling, and the warmth. Cases of acute inflammation can immobilize you in one way or the other. Whatever the case, inflammation response is often fast, direct, and not extended. The unfortunate thing with tendons is that they have poor blood flow and this often delays healing and causes the inflammation response to become systematic or chronic. Causes of Elbow Tendonitis This problem is categorized as a repetitive strain injury caused by wrist overuse despite there being pain experienced in the elbow. Since the muscles controlling the wrist flexion and extension line along the forearm and connect at the elbow joint, any instances of repeated strain on the wrist can easily lead to elbow tendonitis. People new to particular sports such as CrossFit tend to suffer this injury because of their eagerness and gusto in attacking the CrossFit workouts. Unfortunate enough, the body system including the tendons and joints is not prepared to accommodate new and sudden movements, and this irritates the supporting tendons. Also, previous injuries may lead to tendonitis, and often joints that have suffered injuries in the past are more vulnerable to this condition. Reducing Chances of Elbow Tendonitis and How to Treat It The general stand in the CrossFit gym or industry is that elbow tendonitis can be avoided or addressed within the first few days. However, if symptoms do persist for more than 4 weeks, then the intervention of physical therapists is advised. Among the things to do include: Checking Your Technique –If the elbow tendonitis is caused by a certain activity in the gym, you should improve your ergonomic setup or technique. Consulting your coach at Crossfit gym can help on this. Stretching –Performing a gentle stretch of the forearm musculature can help pull along the muscles and minimize elbow pain. Stretches such as wrist flexor stretch, wrist extensor stretch, and voodoo floss can go a long way into helping you in this. Cleaning Up Your Diet –Your CrossFit diet plays a key role in managing inflation. Try as much as you can in order to keep track of the essential nutrients while avoiding inflammatory foods such as grains, sugars, transfats, and omega 6 fatty acids. Adding to the above, it is advisable not to play through the pain. If something doesn’t feel right such as your muscles and joints aching, don’t force yourself to complete a workout. Have adequate rest and opt for other exercises that don’t aggravate the situation.

The human body system is structured in a way that if it is left to its own devices, it will never push itself hard enough to make the changes required to get you in shape. For this reason, it pays to join a CrossFit gym so that you can work your body out and have yourself to thank later. Insofar as the traditional gym plays a role in starting you off with occasional jogs as well as chest and biceps motions, these are not enough. You need more to see things happen. Diet is a critical ingredient in your healthy matrix, but even that may not be sufficient if not paired with physical training. If you are thinking about joining CrossFit to rewrite your own fitness future, below are some of the things that you should expect from this workout of the day. You Will Discover Your Real Shape Your initial sessions at the gym will mainly comprise basic instruction and stretch. Du of the intensity of the workouts, you may require numerous breaks to regain your breath. The reason behind all this is because your muscles which have been dormant for some years are now being engaged and stretched. This will last for about a week or two before your lungs open up. You Will Realize the Fitness Difference between You and Seasoned Athletes Your certified instructors are extremely fit human beings, and their physiques are up to scratch. Regarding weight, you will be heavier, but when it comes to being strength, they will be like 50 to 15% stronger than you are. The idea of CrossFit is to enable you to lift heavy weights but inefficient ways possible. Big doesn’t mean strong in CrossFit, and with time you will learn the difference. The CrossFit Lingo To survive in the CrossFit gym, you will have to acquaint yourself with lingo such as: RX – This means the prescribed amount of reps and weights. WOD – This is the workout of the day which is simply a combination of exercises done in the prescribed weights and within the time allotted. Box –This is another name for the CrossFit gym. You May Get Warnings from Family and Friends When you begin CrossFit, you may be shocked that some of your family members and friends will pour out their fears on you. Some of them may tell you about incidences of injuries or permanent disabilities suffered by people doing CrossFit workout of the day in an attempt to discourage from pursuing this rather beneficial form of training. If it does happen to you, push it aside and know that in the other sporting activities such as skating, surfing, riding, people get injuries. It all boils down to precautions. You Will Start Respecting Stamina and Endurance  Before joining the CrossFit box, chances are you had this idea of strength which was based on how much a person can lift or how strong their chest and arms look. In CrossFit, it is different. You have things like lower back strength and quad strength. You will be moved by how people can easily execute movements and do CrossFit exercises such as air squats or holding various static positions while you can barely do little. Among other things, you will realize an uptick in your energy levels, discover some mental weaknesses you never thought you had, and your ability to count even when under pressure will significantly increase.

Creatine is one of those supplements best suited for the job. Anyone wanting to improve their CrossFit workout performance, creatine is the supplement to go for. Regarding popularity, this sports supplement is arguably more peer-reviewed than any other. The number of positive testimonials from CrossFit alone is sufficient to convince you that it is crucial and should be included in your diet. As early as the 90s, creatine had already started becoming a popular sports supplement, and to date, its benefits have continued growing. Below are some of the ways this amazing supplement will help you in boosting your CrossFit workout performance. The beauty of every claim around creatine is that it is supported by scientific research and proven real-world testimonials. Creatine Enhances Your Strength Studies done reveal that the amount you can lift in workouts such as deadlifts, bench presses, and squats can improve by as much as 50% more when you are in this supplement. This surpasses by far the gains you can make in 8 to 12 weeks when exercising without supplementing. Faster Muscle Building It is common to hear an athlete has gained 5 pounds of muscle or even more after a few weeks of using the supplement. Critics have argued that what creatine adds is only water weight and not real muscle and therefore can be lost quickly. Again, studies have proved the critics wrong because creatine adds pure muscle with very little water. Since creatine is stored in your muscles and not under the skin, you will not look bloated or puffy, but rather your muscles will look fuller and better. Fast Recovery Between Sets The number of reps, which you are capable of doing will depend on a great deal the recovery and the quality of it in between your sets. Creatine helps in getting your muscles recover faster which means you will put more effort than you normally would in the next set. As the set progresses, you become much stronger. Apart from the above benefits, creatine also reduces your chance of cramping. We all know that cramping in the middle of your CrossFit training routine can easily grind your CrossFit workout to a halt. The Best Creatine Supplement for CrossFit There are a lot of creatine-based supplements in the CrossFit industry, and this may confuse you when you are searching for a credible variety to supplement your CrossFit workout. Without fronting any names, the best criteria to follow when shopping, is to look for that variety that is tested before and after packaging for purity. The only ingredient present in the supplement whichever brand it is should be creatine monohydrate. Also, every serving of the supplement should give you an equivalent of 5 grams of creatine. Lastly, the creatine supplement you purchase should be micronized. This means it is milled into tiny particles thereby helping it to dissolve faster and remain dissolved even while drinking. The best way to take creatine is fast to load it. This is where you take sufficient creatine to fill your muscles. For this reason, it is called the loading phase. The second step is the maintenance phase where you just take enough to fill up your muscles. The loading phase takes about 20 grams per day for a period of 5 to 7 days while the maintenance phase only involves taking 5 grams per day.

Body strength training is one of the workouts that has been getting exposure of late. Think of moves such as the human flag which initially was only done in circus arts, is now in TV commercials. CrossFit gym goers have become excited by the simplicity and beauty of using bodyweight to create new exercises which are challenging in their own measures. Bodybuilders and the folks from calisthenics have lots in common than they may realize. The following moves will give you the best of both bodybuilding and callisthenic worlds to help you achieve your athletic and aesthetic goals. The Full Back Bridge This is a timeless, functional movement which also makes up for an impressive visual. For those who have tried it, they can tell you that this movement is instrumental in improving your flexibility as well as total body strength. If you have never attempted bridging, the first try can be quite humbling because even the strongest athletes in the gym struggle to hold a full back bridge. Just like another CrossFit workout, the back bridge comes with its own set of variations. The advice is to keep on progressing into dynamic versions that will challenge not just your strength, but also flexibility. It doesn’t really matter how you do back bridges; they always work wonders for your posterior chin especially the spinal erectors, glutes, and hamstrings. The L-Sit Being a classic isometric exercise, the L-sit works out the entire body. It emphasizes the abdominal muscles as well. The basic L-sit CrossFit workout is done on a pair of parallel or just any other elevated sturdy surface. To do this workout, you hold yourself upright in the same position as if you are at the top of a parallel bar dip and then raise your legs and allow them to stretch straight right in front of you to parallel the ground. Your body should wind up looking like letter “L.” The tangible benefits of L-sits include building shoulder strength and core strength. Elbow Lever Performing this CrossFit workout requires flexibility, mental focus, and above all grace. It is one of the few exercises which help in developing balance and strength throughout the body. As you practice this move, you will learn how to build serious core strength as well as total body tension. To do an elbow lever, leverage your hip bones up against the elbows as you balance on your hands and your body completely outstretched. Your palms should be on the floor, and your fingers are pointing towards your legs. Bend your elbows in such a manner as to rest your hips on them. Gradually shift your weight forward and move it away from your feet up until you float up off the floor. Once you get this move right, you can start raising the stakes by doing the single arm version of it. The Archer Pull-up This is a great way you can use your bodyweight to add some degree of resistance to your traditional pull-up CrossFit exercise. Start as if you are doing a normal pull-up, but gradually bend either your left or right arm as you slowly pull your chin over the bar. Your torso will shift towards one side while your arm stays straight on the opposite. Your legs should be slightly to the side so that you achieve a counterbalance. To get the most out of this move, do it on alternating sides.

It’s true that wall balls hurt because they are one of the CrossFit exercises that test you deep down, making your arms and legs scream for you to stop. That notwithstanding, you can excel in this workout and become better with time. The following are some of the tips that will assist you in getting this done. Catching and Positioning the Ball During the entire movement, the secret is to keep the ball as close as possible to your body. This is because of the further away it is from your body, like any weight, the heavier it will seem. This is primarily due to your resistance arm becoming longer. While attending CrossFit Exercises do make sure that when you are keeping the ball clos, take care that it doesn’t smash into your face when executing your WOD. This mostly happens because of fatigue and tired arms. Try as much as possible in order to resist the temptation to keep the ball far away by positioning your hands to the sides and a little towards the bottom of the ball when executing the catch. The Depth of Your Squat When doing wall balls, it is required that your hip crease break the plane of your knee joint during the squat. Some athletes get frustrated when other members of the gym cheat their way through their series of wall balls and then gloat and celebrate it. Just like with any other CrossFit workout of the day, aim to do it properly. If you want to do this well and train your body thoroughly so that you can find the exact position of the squat, practice with another ball which you place behind you and you sit on each rep. Don’t allow the ball to take your weight, but simply make use of it as a physical trigger to train your body on how far the depth of your squat should be. The moment you touch the ball, launch straight back upwards. Rest Your Arms When doing wall balls in CrossFit Exercises, the muscles surrounding your shoulder joint will become fatigued. Your goal should be to reduce this fatigue so that you can last longer in the exercise. The best way to do this is to allow your arms to drop down after propelling the ball upwards. This will give you the much-needed moment of rest however minuscule it is.  Take on the Weight of the Ball There should be a good rhythmic flow between the movement and mechanics of wall ball. This means disregarding your legs though they may be on fire, and try to maintain aggressive movement throughout. Whenever you get hold of the ball on its descent, allow its weight to be absorbed into your squat. This momentum will drive you smoothly downwards giving you an opportunity to turn this ballistic movement into a powerful bounce at the bottom which will power the ball up again. Your Distance from the Wall Regardless of how you manage to rest your arms during each movement, standing too far from the wall will give you a huge amount of work. Throwing the ball too far forward will disorient your upward momentum because your body will be forced to tilt forward to correct your movement. The energy wasted here is unnecessary, and you will get tired much faster in the CrossFit gym. To add to the above, think about your biometrics to get the perfect position for you. The ball should also be a comprise between a bouncy one and a heavier one. Use your personal judgment.

To ensure a proper running posture, form, gait, and efficiency, you need sufficient hip extension. Without knowing, some athletes engaged in CrossFit training suffer from restricted or inhibited hip extension. This may lead to the decreased running economy, overstriding, poor movement patterns, and the potential risk of injury. The most reliable muscle and primary hip extensor in your body is the gluteus maximus. When this muscle is well developed, it allows for better bipedal locomotion as well as improved running ability. In order to perform the most basic and primitive movement patterns, you need a proper activation of the hip extension and glute max motion. This is particularly necessary when performing exercises such as throwing, jumping, punching, bridging of the hips, squatting, swinging an object among others. When you have limitations in gluteus maximus or hip extension activation, your static posture will also be affected. Why Hip Extension Maybe Restricted There are many reasons behind the limited hip extension. The key is to find the source of your particular restriction as this will open the avenue to the most efficient and effective treatment. The very common problems of hip extension restriction according to CrossFit training, includes: Hip flexor contractures Tightness or thickening of anterior hip capsule following a period of prolonged immobilization Articular or bony defects Movement pattern avoidance due to previous injuries or a conscious attempt to avoid perceived pain In addition to the above, poor ankle mobility can also limit your hip extension in gait. How to Improve Your Hip Extension A few of the above and other restriction may require dedication and time to resolve. However, some of them can be resolved quickly which is good news for any athlete. Tissue extensibility issues are the ones that may require dedication and lots of work to respond because they are a bit slow. You may need to devote up to 5 minutes of stretching a day for 3 months straight to start realizing some real tissue length changes. In the event you have multiple issues occasioned by a restriction in your hip extension, you may need the help of your instructor in the CrossFit gym to pursue a combination of techniques which address both the slow responding issues and the rapid responding neuromuscular issues. Among the techniques used to correct hip extension issues include: Instrument-Assisted Soft Tissue Mobilization (IASTM) This technique from CrossFit training can be undertaken using some instruments including Graston tools, the end of a reflex hammer, and Gua Sha tools. The IASTM technique helps in increasing hip extension and may result in prompt changes to your hip extension ROM. The advice is to seek the help of a physical therapist or a trainer especially if you don’t have any knowledge of this technique. Hip Reset Technique This method of correcting hip reflection issues quickly reduces spasm or hypertonicity and allows for a much greater hip extension. Doing a set of 10 to 15 reps should enable you to record some improvements. For this technique to have lasting results, you need to repeat it now and then. Other techniques to include in your CrossFit workout schedule are joint mobilization, proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation (PNF) stretching, and lunge position stretch.

Goblet squat is a technique that has been adopted by a large number of CrossFit athletes, and it majorly involves performing squat without using a long list of cues. There are lots of benefits that are attached to this CrossFit exercise some of them including strengthening the core and toning the legs, thighs, and calves. Usually, the goblet squat is performed using kettlebell or dumbbell. If you are contemplating on incorporating this CrossFit workout into your training, the following benefits will help you quickly make up your mind. Burns Calories The goblet squat is a multiple muscle workout, and as such, it engages several muscles of your body. This simultaneously helps in making it an ideal routine and quickly burns calories which go a long way in helping you lose weight. Strengthens Your Core Ask any athlete, and he will tell you that the core muscles play a crucial role in many movements. Strengthening them helps in maintaining a good posture, and that is what goblet squats do. Compared to ab crunches, the goblet squat is much more efficient because it is a multi-utility workout. It can help you get ripped and have lean abs within a short time. Works Out Your Lower Body This exercise helps in strengthening the quads, hips, lats, calves, flexors, hamstrings, as well as the gluteal muscles. Also, it plays a key role in toning your legs and your thighs. Therefore, the goblet squat is one of the best CrossFit workouts for getting a strong body and exercising the lower part of your body. Minimizes Risks of Injuries Weak ligaments, stabilizing muscles, and connective tissues are some of the major causes of injuries. This is why the goblet squat is valued as one of the avenues to minimize the risk of injury because it strengthens your body structures and gives you a sturdy foundation that is not prone to injuries. Boosts Your Jumps Have you attempted exploding off the ground, but you realize that your vertical leap is not as high as you would have wanted it to be? The reason could be your hip strength. With goblet squats, your ability to gain power is enhanced as well as your capacity to absorb it. This enables you to jump much higher without the risk of injuries. Enhances Flexibility and Mobility When you perform this type of squat in full motion, it helps you to add muscles to the lower portion of your body. However, much more importantly, it improves the overall flexibility and mobility as well as the motion of your knees, hips, lower back, and ankles. Making this improvement in your CrossFit workout would merely reduce the chances of injury with an improvement in your performance. Builds Muscles There are lots of exercises which stimulate your total body system. The only problem is that most of them involve piling up the volume on top of dysfunction. Goblet squat introduces a rather convenient way to build muscles by allowing you to work out with heavy equipment such as a kettlebell or a dumbbell. To add to the above, making this workout one of your CrossFit gym staples, will help improve your spine position as well as minimize the space you take to workout. You do not need as much equipment when doing goblet squat.