Your days may consist of running to and from work, cleaning up the house, taking care of family, and maybe slipping in some social time with your friends and you may feel like there’s no time to exercise. Even if you can make time for the CrossFit gym program, the idea of getting sweaty and working so hard might make you want to slip even further into your couch cushions. If that’s the case, there’s a good chance you could be out of shape and have a difficult time performing even the simplest of physical fitness tests. Here are 5 major signs discussed by some experts following CrossFit workouts, that you should kick your daily activity level up a notch because you’re probably not as in shape as you think you might be. You are unable to do push-ups Push-ups are a good test of your physical fitness, as one is able to utilize the muscles in their backs, shoulders, arms, and core. To perform a perfect push-up, you must be able to lower yourself with your arms tucked close to your body before pushing yourself back up. Although this is a tough exercise, anyone who is physically fit should be able to knock out at least a few push-ups. If you’re struggling to perform a couple of push-ups, then according to CrossFit training programme, you can start with your knees on the ground and as you get stronger, you can adjust the move to your fitness level. Don’t give up, they get easier with time. Your heart rate takes a long time to slow down When you’re exercising, your heart beats faster to pump the needed oxygen throughout your body faster. Your heart rate could be anywhere between 140 and 190 beats per minute, depending on your age, when you’re considerably exerting yourself.  When you stop, your heart rate will decrease gradually until it’s back at a normal pace. If you’re out of shape, however, it could take much longer. This means that the fitter you are, the faster you’ll recover. Your waist circumference has grown larger You should always check your waist circumference to know whether you are carrying excess body fat around your abdomen area. Coaches at CrossFit gym always work on keeping a focus on these things, although one’s amount of weight is not necessarily an indicator of one’s fitness level, carrying excess weight around your middle could mean you are not as in shape as you should be. Also, more weight around your midsection area could mean trouble for your heart, kidneys, liver, digestive organs, and pancreas. You always feel tired Taking a look at a gym, one may rush to think that those who are exerting the most energy probably feel exhausted for the remainder of their day. That’s never the case; working out regularly is the key to being alert and energized during the day. You’ll feel naturally more awake if you find time for some level of physical activity even if you can only do a quick walk during lunch. You have a high resting heart rate While it’s important to do some heart-pumping CrossFit gym exercises for your health, your heart rate while at rest should be slower. A lower heart rate usually means your ticker functions better and you’re more fit. If you feel like your heart is racing all the time, this could mean you’re quite out of shape. A normal resting heart rate for an adult should be between 60 and 100 beats per minute. An easy way to check your pulse is by placing your index and third finger on the side of your neck beneath your jawline and count the beats for a minute

If you always happen to suffer from that two o’clock fatigue syndrome, even in the morning hours, well this article is for you. Sometimes it’s not only lack of exercise or too much CrossFit workout; it could be for some other reasons: You’re not having enough sleep What most people know is that sleep is an essential part of our lives- what they don’t know is that it is not just about lying resting; actually, there’s a lot more going on inside while you are asleep. It is at this point that the human growth hormone is active most. The growth hormone is a protein made by the pituitary gland in the body; it is responsible for making muscles fine-tuned and the bones strong. For this reason, having little sleep leads to fatigue, reduced strength and agility, and depression symptoms. At the end of your CrossFit workout sessions, you are going to need some good hours of sleep. You’re consuming too much junk food Many people think that sugar as a quick way to boost energy, but in the end, the effects are quite the opposite of expectations. For people, who are a part of CrossFit gym program, these are some type of foods you may want to skip or have very little of. Research indicates that junk food puts your body in a biological slow-motion. If you want to know some recommended work out foods you should eat, click here. You are not drinking enough water One common cause of fatigue is dehydration. A few glasses of water may be the spike that you need more than just sugar. Try to drink a lot of water to keep your mouth moist throughout the day, as recommended by some seniors linked with CrossFit workout program. You will also need to drink enough water during pre and post workout sessions. You are not moving your muscles enough You can jump-start your energy with a CrossFit training activity, as simple as walking. Whenever you trigger your muscles to some movement, nitric oxide is released from the artery linings to allow blood to move freely through your vessels.   This activity allows more nutrients to your cells even faster. Likewise, your body will always respond to your actions, it adapts to what you let it do!

CrossFit as a sport can be somewhat intimidating and make people feel that the CrossFit box is not for everyone. The truth is, CrossFit is far more interesting than what most people think. Apart from the competitive side of it, CrossFit can help you to build endurance, strength, and above all a community of positive people who always encourage you. Beginners in CrossFit can have their moves modified so that they can also feel in place in the CrossFit gym. This serves as an encouragement and whether you are a beginner or an elite athlete, you can now lace up your shoes and go for workouts. Start with the basics and gradually explore the different moves at your disposal. Below are some of the ways to modify the workouts to suit your form. Lessen the Weights Every CrossFit gym has a prescribed weight also known as RX. This weight is the benchmark for seasoned CrossFit athletes, but not necessarily the weight you must start lifting when you join the gym. It is important that you modify your weight so that you can start from a comfortable point. If you are starting out in CrossFit, it may be worth completing movements without carrying on weights or working out with an unloaded barbell. Modifying Your Range of Motion Most of the movements in CrossFit Gym require a given level of mobility. There are movements such as snatch and overhead squats which require a great deal of shoulder mobility. In cases where your mobility doesn’t allow for proper form, it’s important you don’t do the exercise. This may sound such a simple truth, but most athletes end up disobeying this and getting carried by the adrenaline rush as they see everyone else working out. Taking your system beyond its range of motion can easily result in injury. You can begin learning proper movement patterns at the start of your CrossFit training programme and as your fitness level and mobility goes up, you can add weight and movements.  In cases where you are strong enough to perform a movement, but you are limited by your mobility, you should focus on mobility movements and thereafter revisit your strength movement. Practice makes perfect and you should do so with a proper form. Sample Modified CrossFit Exercises If you haven’t mastered a certain move, the following modifications can help you get the most from your workout. Ring Rows Instead of Pull-Ups The pull-up is ranked as one of the most tasking upper body movements. For beginners, you can modify this move with a ring row to make it less challenging. You simply take away the box and let your feet touch the ground. You should do the ring rows until you have properly mastered the pull-up. Banded Dips instead of Ring Dips Ring dips work on your upper body, but they are extremely challenging. However, to get the hang of them, use banded dips. If you prefer greater resistance, make use of a heavier band and for less resistance, make use of a lighter band. Other modifications include rowing muscle ups, pistol with a band, Russian kettlebell swing, overhead box squats, inverted box push-ups, and seated rope climbs.

Irrespective of your training level, you have a duty as a CrossFit athlete not to over-train your body. While some athletes feel that their day is not complete unless they exert their full efforts during the CrossFit training, the truth is doing so can wear you out and put you at a disadvantage in the competitions. CrossFit competition is an embodiment of the culmination of lots of weeks or months of training, and to some extent, this justifies the risks that come with overexertion. However, in training, try not to go that deep. Research has shown that training at 100% intensity can have diminishing returns when compared to submaximal programming. How Hard Should You Train? Runners find this conundrum especially problematic. Before they realize it, they have already gone too fast in a race, and it is late to make any corrections. There is a methodology you can incorporate seamlessly into your CrossFit training that can help you moderate the intensity. It is called middle distance repeats. Solid CrossFit exercise plans have included interval training as a proven way to enhance running efficiency and VO2 max. Based on the outcomes, the performance benefit of interval training far surpasses that of lactate threshold running and long slow distance running. If you want to explore your upper velocities without bearing the risk of falling apart in form, moderately long efforts of about 4 to 10 minutes performed at high intensity are recommended. The above benefits solidify the fact that middle distance repeats are a must in any CrossFit training programme and more so to newer runners and racers. The reason why many new runners go out too hard on themselves is that of the gap that exists between their physical ability and their expectations. Middle distance repeats bring in some sense into training. If you can get hold of a GPS running watch or a stopwatch and run with it in a single afternoon, you will find out before long the pace you are capable of without the expense and risks of blowing up in your training. The first-mile repeat, you run will be great, but as you proceed, your body will slowly stabilize into your race day pace. Once you find this pace, it will be much easier for you to plan a strategy that will deliver the fastest possible time at your next competition event. Getting the Distance Right To understand the term middle distance, think of a range of length from about 800 meters to 2 miles. For training repeats, these distances are excellent especially between 800 and 1600 meters. When you do 2 to 4 laps on a track, you may never be fully exhausted, but the distance will force you to adopt a sustainable pace. Try interspersing middle distance repeats with recovery intervals to give you a good posture and form. Your muscles will adequately relax and clear any traces of lactate. This will lessen the potential for damage to your joints and muscles when compared to lactate threshold running of similar volume. The recommended CrossFit workouts for middle distance repeats include jogging, mobility work such as yoga, and ample warmups and cooldowns.

The back squat is one of the key CrossFit training exercises which help in increasing strength, building muscle, and burning fat at the same time. The beauty with this squat is that it targets every muscle of the body and hits it in some shape, form, or way. If you want to measure your strength, the back squat is one of the exercises that can help you do this. Athletes who squat twice their bodyweight are considered a huge success in strength training. However, it is vital to note that such lifts do not come overnight. You need to put in a lot of practice and effort. The major stumbling blocks athletes face when trying to enhance their squat are weak hamstrings, weak glutes, and limited mobility. If you think you are one of the victims of this, below are ways you can fix them at your CrossFit gym. Weak Glutes Whenever you are coming out from the bottom position of a squat, you may experience some sort of an inward buckle of the knees. This condition is referred to as valgus collapse, and it indicates weak glutes. If not addressed early enough, it may result in injuries and tears such as PCL and ACL. When this occurs, your recovery will take much longer. To fix this, you should add barbell hip thrusts into your CrossFit workout routine as this target the glutes. For the best results, perform 3 to 4 sets each of 6 to 10 reps on your lower body or leg days. Weak Hamstrings While it is true that the back squat hits the quads really hard, heavyweights require activation of the glutes and hamstrings. When you have weak hamstrings, you will spend most of your time struggling as you try to come out of the bottom position of a squat. Fixing this requires the inclusion of Romanian deadlifts which strengthen the hamstrings and teach your body the right order to fire your muscles so as to improve your squat technique. Do 3 to 4 sets each having 6 to 8 reps on your lower body or leg days. Limited Mobility A stiff and tight body in the CrossFit gym possesses a mobility challenge when going through a range of motion. If this is not sorted out, you can ass well forget about packing on weight. To fix this, engage in foam rolling to loosen the tight areas. After a thorough foam rolling session targeting areas such as the chest, shoulder, lower back, mid back, hamstrings, and glutes, do overhead squats to open up, stretch, and mobilize the major parts of the body. Begin with one or two sets each having ten to twelve reps. You start with a PV pipe and after that progress into a barbell as you increase the weight on each set.