There is no doubt about the popularity of CrossFit. People from different walks of life and sporting background have found the CrossFit training schedule a much more beneficial regimen which helps in giving them an edge in whatever they do. That said, people come to this sport with histories of injuries, weaknesses, and flexibility issues. Most CrossFit gyms pride themselves in customizing workouts that accommodate the different ability levels and fitness backgrounds of the joining athletes. One of the basic CrossFit supplies that tend to be overlooked in some circles is the footwear. Your athletic background has a certain impact on the type of shoes you should wear in your CrossFit training. Ideally, the shoe needs to address your pertinent needs as well as accommodate higher intensity workouts. Below are some considerations you should make when buying CrossFit shoes for women. Structure One of the intense tasks your shoes will have to handle during CrossFit workouts is a rock climb. People who have mastered leg-less rock climbs are an exception to this, but for the majority, getting to the top of a rope that is 15 or 20 feet long requires a great deal of work on your upper body as well as footwork. CrossFit shoes that fit the bill here should have enough structure at the instep to help them pinch the rope in between your feet while at the same time resisting attempts of the rope digging into you. While in the store, inspect the material on the upper side of the shoe and ensure it doesn’t feel slick to the touch. Durability The trip up the rope may be hard for you, but coming down can be even harder for your shoes. The friction between the rope and the sole of your shoe will slow down your descent and give you a much safer landing at the bottom. When looking for CrossFit shoes, inspect the area around the instep where the sole meets the upper. Instead of going for a soft foam midsole, choose shoes with sticky rubber as this can resist the wear and tear occasioned by the friction between the shoes and the rope. Climate Your local climate plays a significant role in helping you determine the right shoes to buy. By nature, CrossFit workouts are not confined indoors which means you will occasionally have to go outdoors to complete your WOD. For instance, the Helen workouts come up in programming during snow storms. Therefore, you need to consider a shoe that has a good grip and traction to enable you to run in snow safely. Fitness Background If you are an Olympic lifter joining CrossFit so as to add some diversity, you may need to opt for lifting shoes which by design have a firm sole which cannot compress even when under heavy loads. If your background is running, your shoes will have to compress midsoles and much softer soles that will keep your form good during the lifts. The last consideration is a comfort. Every shoe you buy should give you comfort to do whatever exercise you want to engage in. There is nothing as hurting as wearing a pinching shoe.

Deadlifting is a CrossFit workout that has been praised for producing strong people. However, in the deadlifting world, there are constant debates between sumo pullers and conventional style fanatics each defending their own turf. There are lots of strong personal opinions on whether or not deadlifting sumo is easy or difficult compared to conventional pulling. There are certain benefits of the sumo deadlift that for some reason are not addressed by the conventional style. Sumo Deadlift Translates Pulling Strength to Real Life Movements Almost every real-life movement where we are asked to lift a weight from the ground is usually done in some variation of sumo. Whether it is flipping logs, lifting the backend of your car, or helping a friend to move refrigerators and coaches, there is some element of sumo-style involved. If you stop and remove yourself from the formal definitions of sumo and open your eyes to movements in the real world, you will realize that sumo deadlift is powerful and practical in your day-to-day life. Individualization of the Deadlift The conventional style is popularly referred to as the gold standard deadlift method. However, the sumo stance can give lots of individuals and athletes a much better pulling approach based on their mobility levels, hip structure, and comfort. Depending on your angle of inclination when doing this CrossFit exercise, you may or may not be comfortable in a given pulling position. Sumo allows you to choose the way to load your posterior chain so that you can feel comfortable and athletic. This diversification helps athletes become stronger and safer. Enhances Quadriceps and Gluteus Maximus Development  Sumo stance places demands on knee extension and this has been shown to increase electromyographic activity in vastus medialis, vastus lateralis significantly, and tibialis anterior compared to conventional style deadlifts. This, in turn, has led to increased quadriceps and glute development that is unique to the sumo style deadlift. Since sumo deadlift is the CrossFit workout, which gives you the ability to target the glutes and quadriceps in a given pulling movement, it can help you to strengthen the specific muscles as well as positions you use when taking a wide stance in the back squats. Also, the deadlift will help you add lower body volume into off-season and preparatory program without the need to excessively tax spinal erectors. Minimization of Lumber Spine Stress Compared to the conventional style, the sumo deadlift has been shown to produce approximately 10% less stress on the spinal extensors. This is because the athletes assume a wider stance where they can open up their hips, flex their knees, as well as keep the hips closer to the barbell at the beginning and this increases the torso angle of the beginning position. Also, it shifts demands placed on the spinal erectors to the glutes and quadriceps. Therefore, sumo deadlift is worth CrossFit workout to include in your CrossFit training schedule for the above and many more other benefits.

Have you ever thought how you could gain a perfect fit body without lifting heavy weights? Well, there are lots of exercises that can assure you of an overall fitness and strength improvement without the hassle and nightmare of pulling and pushing heavy loads. The most popular CrossFit workout that can give you exactly this is walking lunges. Whenever people get into an exercise, their main aim is to achieve overall fitness and particularly tone their muscles. That said, there are parts of the body that subconsciously tend to be left out during these routine workouts. These are the outer and inner thighs. These muscles are important, but surprisingly some athletes are not aware of this. Toning up the inner and outer thighs makes you appealing as well as boosts your athletic performance and promotes hip stability. Lunges give you an excellent way to strengthen your hips and develop thigh muscles. It mainly concentrates on two types of muscles: the knee extensors and hip extensors. The lunges movement is similar to squatting save for the wide range of motion and stress on the muscles when performing lunges.  For purposes of discussion and analysis, lunges can be divided into two walking lunges and stationary lunges. Stationary Lunges This type of lunge comprises a downward movement where a strong eccentric contraction of the glutes, hams, and quads is exerted. This ensures the whole bodyweight falls on the forward leg. At the same time, the backward leg gives you better support and balance. On the upward movement, both the front and backward legs bear the pressure and push your body back to the standing position. Walking Lunges In this lunge, the downward movement remains almost the same with an equal amount of pressure exerted on the thigh and leg muscles. However, on the upward movement, the focus is on the forward leg. The muscles of this leg contract to stand straight again. If there is one thing you need throughout this CrossFit exercise, it is stability. Since walking lunges are preferred to stationary lunges because they utilize all the thigh and leg muscles, they do not work the rear leg muscles as effectively, and this is why it is critical that you perform both stationary lunges and walking lunges at regular intervals. What You Gain from Walking Lunges There are lots of benefits, which you can get from walking lunges some of which include: Improved Balance –Since the lunges workout involves both sides of your body, it helps in improving coordination and balance. Boosts Functionality –Walking lunges train your body in a way to improve its functionality as well as helping you to acquire a better body posture. Symmetrical Toning –By the fact that walking lunges focus on some of the most ignored parts of your body, they help in achieving a symmetrically toned body. They address some of the other body parts which other exercises overlook. Improves Hip Flexibility –Walking lunges enhances the flexibility of your hip flexor muscles which may become tight because of the sedentary lifestyle most of us lead. In addition to the above benefits, including walking lunges in your CrossFit training routine enhance core stability, tone gluteal muscles, and gives rest to your spine.

L-Sit is a deceptively difficult CrossFit workout which you should think about adding to your staple if you want to blast your abs and triceps. When you look at a male Olympic gymnast, one of the things not hard to notice is the insane triceps and rippling abs. To any average person, this is an impressive development which can only be achieved through weightlifting. However, gymnasts know that you can achieve the same look without the need to pile up weights. By using your bodyweight as resistance, you can work out and replicate quite a number of the signature moves of gymnasts. L-sit is one of those moves that target your abs and triceps with precision. The benefits of this exercise go beyond the visual into giving you a solid body, chiseled abs, filled out sleeves, and impressive shoulder health. If you are into deadlifts which you must be as a CrossFit athlete, L-sits will help your performance in this CrossFit workout as well. Doing the L-Sit To perform this CrossFit workout, get yourself a pair of parallettes which are nothing, but a tiny version of parallel bars. If you work out in a well-equipped CrossFit gym, you may be lucky to find some in there. If for some reason you don’t find parallettes in your gym, get hold of dip bars or push-up bars and do your L-sits there. The bottom line is to get two secure and sturdy platforms measuring the same in height and which will lift your butt gradually off the ground. Position yourself in between the parallettes and set your shoulder width apart. Using a neutral, but firm grip, slowly push your body upwards from the ground as you lock your elbows in the same style you do when you are at the top of a dip exercise. So when you lock your knees and tightly hold your legs together, then make sure you keep your shoulders down to form a 90-degree right angle with your torso. Allow your legs to stretch and remain parallel to the ground. L-Sit Variations Just like other workouts, the L-sit has lots of other intermediary variations. The following are few of the popular ones. Tuck L-sit – Regarding positioning, the tuck L-sit resembles a chair L-sit with the only exception being that you tuck your knees close enough to your chest instead of keeping your thighs parallel to the ground. This works out the core, triceps, and your rear deltoids. One Leg Straight L-sit – This is a cross between a regular L-sit and a tuck L-sit. One of your legs is extended straight out and the other tucked in. Ensure you alternate your legs during the training. If you can, do a bicycle variation so that your legs alternate during the entire set. V-sit – The difference this brings to the L-sit is that your legs are raised much higher than the parallel position. It is an excellent muscle building exercise and will most definitely turn heads in the gym. The last variation to add to your CrossFit training schedule is the L-sit on rings. However, it is recommended that you try it out after gaining proficiency with the normal L-sit exercise. What makes this L-sit variation brutally challenging is the instability of the rings.

The power to see a race to its end comes from within. If you want to live a more excellent life, add sprints to your CrossFit training schedule to build muscle, lose fat, and improve your health. With sprinting, you can be sure that you are getting back considerably more health benefits than the effort you put in. While most people think of sprinting from the physical dimension only, it also impresses upon your psychology. Another advantage with this workout is that it takes relatively less time, but gives you lots of advantages. One thing to note is that a difference exists between high-intensity training which consists of alternative busts of intense activity and intervals of rest and all-out sprinting which majorly involves moving at fast speeds for some distance. The difference is not just in the protocols, but also in the training outcomes. The following are some of the reasons why you should also consider doing sprints. Fat Loss According to research, adding the instances of sprint CrossFit Training Schedule in repition may condition your body to produce significant fat loss within a short time. Compared to steady state aerobic training, sprints are much more effective in cleaning up body fat. Depending on your training status, protocol, and initial body composition, sprint training can cut your body fat by anything between 10 and 20% over a 12-week duration. Muscle Building and Targeting of Fast-Twitch Fibers The power of sprint training in building muscle cannot be questioned. Also, it increases the strength and size of some of the most powerful, fast-twitch fibers. Studies reveal that sprinting enhances protein synthesis pathways by a whopping 230%. Combined with the right CrossFit nutrition and recovery, muscle building happens almost naturally. Repeatedly, sprint training has been shown to enhance anabolic hormones which in turn improve body composition. For instance, some male wresters who engaged in short sprint training increased their testosterone levels while decreasing their cortisol levels. The balance between these two hormones leads to fat loss and muscle building. Enhanced Work Capacity and Endurance Compared to steady-state endurance training, sprint training has been seen to be more effective in improving endurance capacity and maximal oxygen uptake. The reason behind this is that repeated intervals done at high intensity require the body system to utilize energy more efficiently by increasing glycogen amount that can be stored in the muscles. Also, intervals in CrossFit Training Schedule, enhances the ability of the body to remove waste products during the exercise thus leading to over 50% increase in muscle buffering capacity. Improved Heart Health Based on comparison studies, that were done between endurance and interval training, it has been shown repeatedly that intervals yield better cardiovascular outcomes. For instance, a study done in 2008 showed a significant decrease in chronic inflammation which has been associated with heart function damages in people who do the sprint. Last but not least, sprinting improves your insulin sensitivity and energy usage. Some studies have shown improved blood sugar tolerance and insulin sensitivity in athletes with alternate bursts of exercises and rest periods. This is mainly because sprints reduce chronic inflammation as the body cells must adapt to efficient production and usage of energy.

CrossFit can be addictive because of the fun and the results it brings. However, all work with no play can undermine your results in the medium term and the long term. CrossFit workouts are so different from the traditional training methods. There is a certain level of intensity which necessitates that at some point in between you need a rest. Rest Days These are days you set apart on your weekly schedule to focus on recovery. At the minimum, you require at least a day off per week, but if you can have two the better. The interesting thing about CrossFit is that one size doesn’t fit all. The amount and quality of sleep you get, your age, your diet, and lots of other factors come into the spotlight when deciding how often you need a rest. Younger folks tend to train for about 5 to 6 days per week while the older folks can do with 2 to 3 times a week. The rule of thumb is to train for a maximum of 3 days and then take a day off. If you go four days in a row, the 4th day will sacrifice your intensity, and this makes your day at the CrossFit gym less effective. It makes much sense to take a day off and then come back stronger and ready to face the rest of the days. It helps to experiment with different schedules so that you can access which fits you best. Test to See Whether You Need a Half Intensity Week If your recovery tracker shows that you are treading in the negative zone, then it is time you took a rest. Also, waking up feeling sluggish and more tired than usual or feeling your heart rate much higher than normal, then you need to take a day off. Injuries can also be a pointer that your body is overworking and has minimal rest. It’s important you become observant and listen to your body. Instead of taking your rest days when you need them, take them before you really need them. Half Intensity Weeks In addition to the rest days, you can incorporate a half-intensity week once every four weeks. However, it’s important to ensure you don’t get lazy during the half intensity week. Looking at your calendar, you should have an idea of the days you work out. For most people, they tend to have a rather irregular CrossFit training schedule where they take some days off for a vacation or some hours attending to their family. However, if your calendar shows that you haven’t missed a day ever since you started your schedule, you may want to factor in a half-intensity week. Remember, your CrossFit workouts vary from other people in your community and hence it is important to focus on your consistency, workout intensity, and recovery practices. It helps to take a minute and flip through your exercise log. Train hard, eat right, and take advantage of rest days to recover and enhance your performance.

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 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.