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.

The twenties is a very active age brackets and many people get lots of certifications in physical fitness. However, as you move into your thirties and forties, the energy level and recovery ability of your body start diminishing. Naturally, the body slows down, and when it comes to food choices, workout protocols, you need to make deliberate and intelligent decisions. For CrossFit women, the thirties and forties is a period where they experience hormonal challenges which are unique based on the individual and may range from debilitating depression to unwelcome fatigue. Middle Age Challenges From age 40, life starts throwing curve balls at most athletes despite the efforts they may put in working out, being mindful of CrossFit nutrition, and managing stress. Therefore, there is the need for changes to be made as far fitness and nutrition are concerned as people age. Training has to change from the standard of the 20s into a more customized approach. Laying Out Your Strategies When the struggles come, some athletes respond by exuding expressions of frustration or guilt because of their inability to perform menial tasks and completing workouts. Because of this, it is important you put in place strategies to deal with the stumbling blocks. The following concepts are instrumental in ensuring you have a successful workout plan. Have a Plan and Be Flexible It is important to plan yourself for certain duration on how you are going to carry out your exercises. You do not have to plan for such a long time into the future, but rather you can go for short chunks of time such as weekly schedules as long as they fit into your lifestyle. For instance, if you have only 25 minutes per day at your disposal, you cannot plan for a workout that lasts a whole hour. You need to be practical. Ensure You Recover Adequately After working out in the CrossFit gym, you may notice that you are completely depleted to the point that you cannot attempt any other CrossFit workouts. This is why it is extremely important to listen to your body. If you feel that you need a nap, don’t hesitate because this is important in recovery. Since your body requires stress to adapt, leaving it completely spent doesn’t help either. You need to find that sweet spot which makes you grow and thrive. Scale Down Your Workouts if Need Be On the days when you feel you should have some light exercises, don’t force your body into the hard stuff. Instead, go for a swim, brisk walk, yoga, or simply work on your mobility. Remember having some little CrossFit workouts is better than nothing at all.  Prioritize Your Strength Training Strength CrossFit workouts are recommended in your 40s due to their productivity. As you age, your power output and your strength decline and hence incorporating load-bearing exercises are very important in your life. One of the key benefits of strength training is that it enhances your metabolism and releases endorphins. Also, the good body mechanics that you develop as a result of strength training helps in preventing falls and injuries.

CrossFit training is a lifestyle and practically a never-ending journey. When you begin, you put goals which you want to achieve, but the moment you attain them, you quickly set others for the future. There is always more that awaits to be moved and more reps to be hit. Because fitness in itself is a journey, there are best chances you may get ensnared in several pitfalls as you strive for the top. Below is a discussion of some of these pitfalls and how you can avoid them. Shifting from One Program to Another There is a tendency for athletes to jump from program to program in search of new challenges and to satisfy new goals. Conventional wisdom dictates that if you are getting positive results in a certain program, there is no need to change unless you have a real reason for doing so. There are lots of programs such as gymnastics programs, squat programs, running programs, and lifting programs you can freely choose to follow in the open gym hours and do a CrossFit workout. However, what will make you not to be distracted is your personal discipline. The golden rule is, if it does not break, don’t fix it. Follow the program you started with to the very end before moving to a new objective and a new program. Poor Goal Setting The SMART principle of goal setting applies not just in other spheres of life, but also in CrossFit. If one of these elements is missing, then you will struggle to achieve your goals. For instance, your goal should be time bound else there won’t be a sense of urgency to attain it. Even the CrossFit workout movements which seem complex, they also require deadlines. The best indication for well-set goals is those that make you excited and motivated to train daily. Ignoring Your Limiting Factors The definition of fitness in CrossFit revolves around increasing work capacity across modal domains and broad time. The main goal here is to become balanced across the board. CrossFit enables you to move heavyweight rather quickly, lightweight for longer periods and gives you capacity to run for long distances as well as become a good sprinter. The idea of becoming proficient in one area at the expense of inefficiency in another is highly discouraged in this sport. Even if a certain movement gives you problems to execute, you should never ignore it because that is your limiting factor and you must face it head-on. Copying Elite Athletes Online People will always post videos boasting of some ridiculous feats. Some may post doing muscle ups with a med ball and weight vest while others may boast having completed some insane rounds of a monster workout. Whichever the case, you must appreciate one thing that their experience is different from yours and their programs are tailored to meet their needs. Stick to your program because it is suited for you and will help you achieve your goals. Above all, one of the unforgivable pitfalls is to ignore the intangibles which include active recovery, rest, mobility, and CrossFit diet. If you do so, you are undermining your CrossFit workout performance big time.

Many times, in the CrossFit gym, you will be instructed to workout up to a certain percentage of your one rep max for a given exercise. One of the problems people tend to encounter is forgetfulness of their one rep max. If such a problem is coming from a newbie, it is perfectly understandable. However, from an experienced CrossFitter, it is totally inexcusable. Not putting in your score whenever you go through a WOD can be a major let down to your performance. Tracking your workouts is extremely important because then you will know whether you are improving or you are backpedaling. To put the matter straight, below are some of the reasons why recording every bit of CrossFit Workout workout you do on the box helps you. Tracking Progress It is simple, for you to know that you are getting fitter, you must have data to back it up. Maintaining CrossFit Workout logs will help you see the far you have come and your consistency in performance. Knowing where you are, at a specific time helps you to gather up the courage to move forward and see if there is an area of improvement. Learning Fitness Program Terminology If you are new to CrossFit, one of the daunting tasks you will reckon with is the new terminology. Terms such as TTB, AMRAP, HSPU, EMOM, hang squat, muscle up, push jerk, and power clean, can be pretty confusing to the individuals who are new to CrossFit. That said, when you have a log of your scores, and you make notes about the movements you do on a day to day basis, you will remember most of these terms. Good Reference for Future Workouts While it is true that workout logs are mostly used for recording weights and time, you can take advantage of the space available to slot in some comments about your performance. For instance, you may note “I should have pushed a little bit hard on the runs” or “I could have gone heavier.” These short comments can help you change your approach and attack your CrossFit workout differently next time you do it. When it comes to benchmarks, there are certain things you should know. The most common benchmarks include: CrossFit Total – This brings together your max squat, max deadlift, and max press. Knowing your back-squat max can help you estimate your front squat max. At the same time, if you know your press max, you can almost tell your max for the jerk and push press. All this comes with putting good records. Aerobic Benchmarks, Rowing, and Running –These benchmarks will help you know your progress regarding aerobic capacity. Since the rowing and runs are the least fun to do, they are quite useful for lots of reasons. Gymnastic Benchmark –This is an excellent benchmark, and it tracks the maximum pull-ups. If you have never done even a single pull-up, you can try out a max set with a band and write down exactly the band you used. In CrossFit training, it is highly discouraged to compare yourself with others, but if you know your scores, you can put yourself on the map and see how on average you are fairly on relative to other CrossFitters.

As a beginner lifter or any other CrossFit enthusiast, you may be having some questions you want to be answered in weightlifting. If there is one area in CrossFit training that can either make or break your performance success is keeping questions to yourself when there are professionals around you that can help answer them. Remember, for every question held back; you create an opportunity for misperformance in future. The following are some of the common questions in Olympic weightlifting. Why Am I Incapable of Lifting More from the Floor? In CrossFit, this is a common query, and therefore you are not alone. The reason why athletes tend to perform better from the hang relative to the floor position is that of how they execute their first pull from the ground. A poor first pull literally bars you from engaging in the same position you would achieve in the hang. A lot of people find it difficult to navigate around the knees. Hang positions are mechanically simple, particularly the higher ones. You will realize that the lower you start, the more you will need in mechanics. It is advantageous to start from the floor because you benefit immensely from the added momentum the moment you get to full extension in the second pull. Is it Wrong for the Bar to Hit My Hips During a Lift? While many CrossFit gyms do not train their athletes to hit their hips with the bar, the truth is, it is advantageous. That said, it must not be overemphasized or forced during the learning process. The main focus should be on the power position and the role it plays. When you begin to develop, you will naturally see yourself making contact with the hips without forcing. Is It okay for the Back Squat and Front Squat Loads to be Similar? Conventionally, the front and back squat numbers should be different. Newer athletes tend to record about 20 pounds in the spread between the two. Experienced athletes can clock up to 50 pounds. When you see yourself recording closer numbers between the back and front squat, chances are high you have a core issue or poor mobility. These are the areas you must focus on strengthening and improving in Olympic weightlifting. What Makes Me Catch the Snatch on My Toes Rather Than Flat Footed? There are several reasons why this may happen, but the main one is that your body shifts towards the bar at some point during the pull. The correct movement should have the bar as close as possible to your body, and the moment it passes your knees, you should sweep it back into the hip to extend. When you leave the bar in front of you and shift your weight towards it, everything will fall forward including your catch. Also, toe heavy athletes particularly those with extensive backgrounds in other sports such as gymnastics or dance, tend to have this problem. The other question commonly asked is on the mobility exercises that can help athletes improve at Olympic weightlifting. The simple answer to this is that the appropriate mobility exercises are the same as those you do for your hips, shoulders, and ankles.

These days, you can hardly interact with something before coming across an App that can exactly do the same. CrossFit training has also not been left behind in this, and there are lots of Apps available to help you track your performance. The good thing is, some of them are totally free of charge while others come at a minimal cost compared to the benefits you will derive from them. Some of the common box Apps include: Beyond the Whiteboard This App was developed and launched in 2008 and basically helps you to log, plan, as well as analyze your workouts. It enables you to create your own workouts and also post your results. If you have ever wanted to track your body fat and meals or see how well you are performing relative to other CrossFitters, you can do all that through this App. No doubt, it will help you in your workout of the day. What is even more important, Beyond the Whiteboard helps you find your rep max on lifts as well as other movements you are good at and the ones you need to work on. There is nothing public with this App because everything is totally private unless you let it out yourself. It is compatible with Android, iPhone, and the Web. It is a paid App. CrossFit Games This App allows you to view workouts, submit your scores, as well as track your rankings. The default setting is your rank first, but it allows you to share with colleagues. There are alerts you can customize to serve as reminders for you to submit your scores. Also, it can alert you when there are some live events you need to be streaming. Without resorting to any big screen, you can view live events right from here. It’s compatible with the iOS platform, and it is free of charge.It will surely help you in keeping track of workout of the day. CrossFit WOD Log CrossFit WOD Log was designed by Vandersoft and features some capabilities including tracking your daily WODs, subscribing to your favorite boxes through an RSS feed which also allows you to create or import your daily workout of the day. Through this App, you can view your weight percentage charts and calculate your athletic skill level. If you track your workout of the day, which you should, the CrossFit WOD Log has a functionality to let you enter results and notes. The only let down identified so far is that the App allows you to track only one PR per movement. It is available on the Android platform. myWOD This is a paid App which works with both Android and iOS. With it, you can track your movement and workout records so that you can utilize proper weights. It’s also possible to follow the WOD feed from your box as well as graph your saved WODs. myWOD lets you search, view, and sort your WODs on a calendar. WODBook This CrossFit exercise App has lots of functionalities according to GabilamArg, the developer of WODBook. Right from the App, you can see your box activity, share and compare your results with the other members of the box. Just like the others, you can also get WOD feeds directly from your box as well as any other box working with WODBook. Other Apps which are equally valuable include WODster and Wodzilla. It is important to note that apart from CrossFit Games App, all the rest are third party Apps and have no affiliation with CrossFit.

It’s quite simple to dismiss the cool down after your lifting and to stretch as a complete waste of time. However, you should know that cooling down is a recommended phase in most athletic activities. Cooling down doesn’t necessarily mean doing nothing, but rather engaging in light exercises such as biking or rowing at a steady pace. Research shows that cooling down after a CrossFit workout is as important as doing a warmup in preparation for an exercise. Benefits of a Cool Down One of the things you must appreciate is that cooling down is not the same as active recovery. It comprises certain post-WOD actions taken immediately following a workout while you are still at the gym. On the other hand, active recovery means what you do to recover from your workout when you get back home or a day after your CrossFit workout. During training, metabolic waste products are produced through the chemical processes in the body, and these products find their way to individual muscle cells. To keep you in good shape, the fluid surrounding these cells as well as the veins, capillaries, and lungs should be flushed out before you get into a resting period. The main goal of cooling down is to enhance recovery and return your body to the state it was before the workout. In a strenuous workout, the body system endures several stressful processes which cause tendons, muscle fibers, and ligaments to get damaged and waste products to build up in your system. Through a cool down, your body repair processes can run smoothly. Eases the Effects of Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness Delayed onset muscle soreness abbreviated as DOMS, is one of the common side effects of intense workouts. It begins about 8 to 24 hours following the exercise and 24 to 72 hours later; it may produce a lot of pain. Among the symptoms of DOMS include swelling and stiffness of muscles as well as pain. Technically, you cannot avoid DOMS completely, but you can soften its blow by cooling down following your CrossFit training. The best means to do this is to get into a low-intensity exercise to enhance the clearance of all the enzymes responsible for residual fatigue and muscle damage. Enhances Flexibility The best time to work on your flexibility is usually after your CrossFit workout. It is advisable to do it as part of your cooldown because, during this time, your muscles are most pliable and warm. This makes stretching much easier, and you will be surprised at the new levels of flexibility you can reach. You can also take this opportunity to engage your myofascial release so that you can stay on top of the fascia. When left unattended, fascia can cause knots which interfere with your mobility and posture. The key stages to follow in any cool down include a gentle exercise, stretching, and refueling. The main goal of the exercise is to bring your heart rate to its resting level. On the other hand, the stretching is to enhance your flexibility over time, and this can help prevent injuries. Lastly, the role of CrossFit diet in refueling cannot be underestimated. It helps in feeding the hungry muscles.  

Going through childhood, one of the most enjoyable activities is usually biking. As people grow, somehow their love for bikes tends to diminish probably due to busy lifestyle or changing priorities. If this is you, you may want to change your outlook and head straight to that bike sitting in your garage or shade for a ride. In CrossFit training, biking is one of the compound exercises with lots of benefits. This is why most CrossFit coaches would not hesitate to include it in the training regimen. In case you are not familiar with biking or its benefits, below are some of the great gains behind this age-old exercise. Enhanced Cardio Endurance As you may know, CrossFit is a high-intensity sport where you get to test your limits for an extended duration. Biking as a workout includes setting a time or distance priority, hill repeats, sprinting, or just about anything that makes you feel challenged. The whole exercise is fun, but it requires a lot of effort especially where the challenge is scaled up. Research shows that biking for about an hour can burn anything up to 500 calories. The good thing is that the cycling is done at a moderate pace. Loss of 500 calories is a major gain towards weight loss. Improved Coordination and Balance As you head towards your middle years, balance and coordination somehow start decreasing. This is particularly true where you do not put them to test regularly. One of the best ways to challenge yourself and still have fun is bike riding. Test yourself on how fast you can ride and for how long you can stay at a red light without planting your feet onto the ground. For coordination, you can ride along a painted line or the edge of a sidewalk and look at how you perform. An Excellent Way to Unwind After a tough CrossFit WOD, you may want to switch off your mind a little bit and allow for your muscles to relax through some light exercise. Cycling is one of them. You could invite your family to cycle alongside you as you relax those muscles from draining and muscle tasking workout. The repetitive movement that is characteristic of biking together with the fresh air will distress you in as little as 15 minutes. A Less Costly Way to Exercise Biking doesn’t involve costly equipment like the other exercises. All you need is to buy a quality bicycle which can last you a long period if you maintain it well. The cost of a bike is not much on the initial purchase price, rather on the maintenance part of it. The beauty of biking is that you can do it anywhere as long as there is a path. You can incorporate biking into your workout of the day to give you immense benefits.