The warm summer weather may be good for holidaymakers, but in the CrossFit gym, it brings about the discussion on hydration and how it impacts on workouts. Experts in hydration, thermal regulation, and electrolyte replacement have been at the forefront in explaining to athletes what constitutes hydration and how to assess its severity in the body system. There has been a lot of myths and general misunderstanding about hydration, and it is important we separate fact from fiction. The Color of Urine Depicts the Extent of Dehydration According to experts from CrossFit gym, striving for clear urine is a mistaken hydration goal. This is because urine color tends to be a delayed response and as an athlete who is constantly sweating, exercises, and drinking fluids to hydrate, your body system is in constant flux which means you can’t use the color of urine as a metric in those scenarios. In addition, substances such as vitamins which you ingest can change the urine color. The bottom line, therefore, is that anytime you see your urine almost clear, chances are high you are overhydrated. By the Time You are Thirsty, Your Body is Dangerously Dehydrated This is not true. The reason is, the moment you feel thirsty, your body is still normally hydrated. In the same manner, some people may lose touch with hunger pangs; most people ignore their thirst which means they don’t understand how it feels like. If you are the type of a person who walks with a bottle of water always, the first sensation of thirst doesn’t mean you are dehydrated. According to CrossFit gym, you should stop drinking fluids when you are not thirsty. The body system is equipped to let you know when it needs fluids.  To Replace Electrolytes, You Need a Sports Drink Quite a number of sports drinks such as Powerade and Gatorade have small amounts of carbohydrates and sodium. However, these are not designed to replenish sodium, but rather to help the drinks be palatable. The problem with sports drinks is that they create a notion amongst athletes that they are putting in enough electrolytes. The reality is, these sports drinks do not put enough electrolytes to cover the losses in sweat and other means. If you are truly concerned about the loss of sodium during exercise, experts advise that you take your CrossFit diet with water after you are through working out. This will replace the sodium without running into the risk of overhydration. Irrespective of the Level, Dehydration Adversely Affects Performance If you are hydrated well, it is normal that over time you will experience dehydration. Simply put, dehydration is just a process of losing fluids, but not an illness. Dehydration and its impact on athletic performance largely depend on the hydration level of the athlete before the competition or exercise begun. If you begin the exercise and you are well hydrated, you may lose up to 4% of your total body weight through dehydration and still remain competitive.Pay attention to your body signals and only drink when you are thirsty. Flooding your body with fluids irrespective of their kind may lead to exercise-associated hyponatremia(EAH). If you have always believed that you can’t drink excess water, now you know that you can and the dangers of doing so.
KUNAL JHAVERI | 25 Mar 18
A majority of athletes are quite familiar with the standard push-up movement. However, the same cannot be said of the many variations that have significantly enhanced the challenge of this bodyweight movement in CrossFit gyms. One of the push-up variations known as handstand push-ups or simply HSPU is very demanding both in strength and technique. Simply defined, handstand push-up is a position where an athlete holds a fully extended handstand up against a wall and then lowers his head gradually until he reaches the ground after which he pushes the body back to the wall until his arms are fully extended once more. The challenge in handstand push-up is that the CrossFit athlete is required to rely only on the core or upper body strength while at the same time attempting to push his bodyweight right in the opposite direction against the force of gravity. Benefits of Handstand Push-Ups Handstand push-ups according to experts in CrossFit gyms demand athleticism at the elite level, and this makes it a choice exercise for your training regime. Among the benefits you will get from this workout include: Strength Enhancement When you do handstand push-ups, you will realize an improvement in strength within your prime movers which are the shoulders, chest, and triceps. Typically, handstand push-ups are not designed for beginners although they can be modified to suit the needs of athletes who are less experienced. The reason this CrossFit workout places a greater demand on your muscles compared to standard push-ups is that it involves pushing up 100% of your bodyweight. Women can also benefit immensely from this workout because development of shoulder strength is not a preserve of men. Improved Balance The sort of athleticism required to hold your body upside down while performing the handstand push-up is incredible. Any sport would value such kind of athleticism. If you possess only the strength required for the exercise, but you do not have the prerequisite balance, maintaining the upside-down position may be difficult for you. You can use the wall as a spotter against which to challenge yourself without the risk of falling over. Core Conditioning In as much as exercise balls and balance boards are used to exercise and build core strength, they may be somewhat inferior to athletes who are already experienced and have well-developed cores. The core strength developed through wall-supported or freestanding handstand push-ups in CrossFit gyms exceed by far that produced by any sport or device. When your core strength is well developed, you will enjoy greater protection against injuries. To perform the handstand push-ups, you must have the ability to push much more weight than that in most shoulder press exercises. If you are a young athlete looking to build shoulder strength, handstand push-ups are such a fantastic CrossFit exercise. However, before integrating them into your CrossFit training schedule, you must prioritize safety. If you feel in any way that you can’t measure up to the full handstand push-up, begin from the pike push-up and then progress gradually.  
KUNAL JHAVERI | 24 Mar 18
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.
KUNAL JHAVERI | 24 Feb 18
It is understandable that walking into a CrossFit gym full of muscular fitness fantastic may intimidate you. The mere thought of tossing around huge weights which in CrossFit is part of your lifestyle may send shrills down your spine. However, this should not be it because, with the right tips, you don’t have to start with the bigger weights, you can start small and still make it. The first step for rookie weightlifters is to set up a session with their coaches or better still find a workout program that will help them learn proper training. Do not walk into the CrossFit gym without a plan because this won’t get you anywhere. Secondly, you should master the technique of picking the right weight so that your workout can be moderate and always on the uptrend. The following are tips on how you should go about this. Test Your Strength You may have properly warmed up with mobility exercises and foam rolling; the next step should be deciding between dumbbells and barbells. Whichever you pick entirely depends on the lifts you are doing. In your workouts, try to include both pieces of equipment. However, if you have had incidents of shoulder injuries, the general recommendation is to use dumbbells more for your chest and shoulders. For deadlifts or squats, CrossFit exercises use a barbell. During your workouts in the CrossFit gym, you should alternate between the heavier and lighter set of dumbbells. The heavier weights will enable you to build muscle mass while the lighter ones will help in stabilizing the muscle supporting tendons and joints. To help you to figure out the right size of dumbbells, you can do the dumbbell test. For this test, men should start with a set of 2 weights measuring anything between 10 and 20 pounds. For women, they can still go for the 2 sets of weights but measure 5 to 10 pounds. Doing it is simple, stand with a weight in both of your hands, palms forward. Your elbows and shoulders should be pinned up against the wall and gradually curl weights up until the dumbbells are shoulder level without moving your upper arms. After that, lower to the beginning position. Target between 14 and 22 reps while maintaining good form. This test fatigues the muscles, and you will get to a point where the biceps are really straining. If your muscles fail before the 14 reps, try again, but this time with a weight about 5 pounds lighter. If you find yourself doing the 22 reps easily, add another set of 5 pounds and see how it goes. Master Your Moves The secret to safely and efficiently building muscle is always a proper and a solid form. When you find yourself getting out of form in your CrossFit workouts, make the necessary adjustments which could be either stopping or dropping weight. The four fundamental movements that will help you in lifting include: Squat Glute bridge chest press Dumbbell triceps extension Single arm dumbbell row As you continue working out, you will gradually feel that some of the weights which seemed heavier at the beginning, will start becoming lighter as you build muscle and master your lifts. Go for progressive overload instead of abrupt addition of weights.  
KUNAL JHAVERI | 26 Jan 18
Weight training may have its own rules and procedures, but there is no one size that fits all. What you go for in terms of weight sizes primarily depends on the fitness goals you have set before you and any previous experience you may have on weight training. The National Strength and Conditioning Association suggests that athletes should lift weights heavy enough so as to fatigue their muscles during specific repetition range when doing CrossFit exercise. This means if you work out in the CrossFit gym and you don’t feel the burn after you are done with your sets, then your lifting is not heavy enough. Beginner Lifters The recommended starting weight for beginners should be one that they can easily lift about 12 to 15 times for a set or two. The size of this dumbbell weight may range between 2 to 15 pounds depending on the target muscle group. With this dumbbell weight range, you will develop baseline musculature and strength as well as proper technique and rhythm. It is suggested that you train with this repetition and weight range for a period of about 4 weeks. The Weights The choice of weight for a dumbbell differs according to the muscle groups. For instance, when doing bicep curls, you can use weights ranging from 5 to 8 pounds. On the other hand, working out weaker triceps muscles requires weights of about 2 to 5 pounds. When performing squats, the recommended weights should be much heavier up to 45 pounds because your glutes and legs are much stronger than your arm muscles. Endurance If you are a distance athlete such as triathlete or marathon runner, your CrossFit training should have more of muscular endurance. To train for this, you should aim at using dumbbell sizes that will seriously fatigue your muscles in repetitions of about 15 to 20. Start with light weight and if you can perform up to 20 repetitions with ease, increase the weight. Your goal here is to get the maximum possible weight which you can lift through 20 repetitions and one which maxes out your endurance. Endurance training is not much about muscle mass, rather it enhances the amount of work your muscles can do over a long period. Hypertrophy When you hear of muscle hypertrophy it simply means building muscle size. The best repetition range to make this possible is 3 sets between 8 and 12 repetitions. Perform this between 2 to 3 times in a week. The dumbbells for muscle hypertrophy should be anything from 10 to 20 pounds. Strength If your target is to build strength, your CrossFit exercise should have higher intensity and weight compared to muscle hypertrophy. Make your sets around 3 to 4 and your dumbbell weight should enable you to max out at about 6 to 10 reps. The CrossFit exercise will determine the weight of dumbbell to use. For instance, when doing shoulder presses, start with 2 to 5 pounds of weight and when doing squats, aim at 45 pounds. It is advised that you get adequate rest in between the sets so that your muscles can fully recover.
KUNAL JHAVERI | 25 Jan 18
If there is one exercise you cannot ignore, it is the deadlift. This is because it stands tall among the mass-gaining CrossFit workouts. Any athlete who wants to add muscles to their upper and lower body as well as create stronger and more appealing physique, the deadlift is the exercise to concentrate on. If performed correctly, the deadlift can help you build unparalleled mass while at the same time strengthening the major muscle groups. To add to this, deadlifting helps in strengthening the back and all the surrounding muscles. For this reason, it is excellent for rehabilitative as well as preventive processes. Experts in the CrossFit industry consider deadlift as the most effective CrossFit workouts in building core strength which supports all other muscle groups. The advantages of core strength cannot be underestimated because of their role in supporting virtually every movement and position performed by the body. You may be wondering why other exceptional compound exercises such as bench press and squat are not given much airtime when discussing a deadlift. The reason behind this is that deadlift is special for a variety of reasons. It’s recommended that it should be added to every CrossFit training schedule. If you want to find out more about this exercise, then read along. Core Stability This benefit has been mentioned above, but to build more on it, I will discuss it in detail. The deadlift workout targets all the muscle groups considered major, and it is responsible for core strength and correct posture. If you are doing deadlifting correctly, you will be able to hold your back straight when doing your day-to-day activities. This is because the workout emphasizes on maintaining a relatively straighter back throughout its performance. In addition, the deadlift strengthens the surrounding supporting muscles of the backside, waist, hips, and the lower back. Core strength is critical in helping you maintain balance as well as weight transference. Minimum Equipment The beauty of deadlift is that it requires little in preparation and equipment. So, all you need is a bar and your willingness to lift. Even though athletes may include wraps, it is not mandatory and in many cases optional. Safety Compared to other workouts, the deadlift is relatively safe and risk-free to perform. Unlike the bench press and squat, the deadlift doesn’t put you at risk of getting pinned under maximum lifts. As long as it is performed in the right form, it doesn’t stress any of your joints. More Muscles Exercised Deadlift is a real compound exercise. It works more muscles than any other movement. Back muscles, leg muscles, gluteus maximus, shoulder muscles, and arms are among those heavily exercised. With the deadlift, your whole body can grow. Gripping Strength If you do deadlift without traps, it will strengthen your grip because of the weight involved. You can easily work over 300 pounds for repetitions. In addition to the above, adding deadlifting to your CrossFit gym exercise repertoire, you will experience amazing cardiorespiratory fitness, the true measure of strength, and lots of real-life applications. 
KUNAL JHAVERI | 23 Jan 18
A thruster is an extremely popular exercise you are likely to bump in when you visit a CrossFit gym. The starting point for any thruster is the front squat, and gradually you get into loading the bar on your shoulders using clean. For you to reach a rep, the bar has to finish overhead with your elbows extended and locked. This may sound easy, but when you have a nice amount of them combined with burpees or chest to bar pull-ups, they can be quite complex. Following are the tips to help you cycle through your thruster workouts more effectively. Putting in More Work on Your Front Squat The foundation for thrusters is built through front squats. When executing front squats, your torso ought to be upright so that your body along with the weight can properly balance. For you to keep the torso upright, you require sufficient degree of mobility in your hips and ankles and good core strength. This will help you to control your weight and movement better. The demand for overall mobility is higher in front squats than back squats. Front Rack Mobility A number of athletes struggle with CrossFit workout, especially with a thruster or front squat because of insufficient front rack mobility. The bar or weight should rest on your shoulders, and the position you are in should make you feel strong and put your arms in control. With an upright torso, your wrist, arms, and shoulders will be mobile enough to control the barbell position. Instead of touching the bar with your fingertips, grab it with a firm grip. In case you are having problems with this, make it manageable through mobility drills. Prevent the Bar from Slipping Off Your Shoulders Normally, if you experience limited overall mobility, inappropriate rack position, and a leaned forward torso, chances are the bar will also start slipping off your shoulders. While fixing this during the WOD is possible, it will cost you extra energy and strength and also disorient you in terms of focus in CrossFit workout. While you are in the bottom squat position, ensure your elbows always stay up irrespective of whether you are doing thrusters or front squats. Always keep the bar fixated on your shoulders and received it in this position with accuracy. Add More Work to Your Push Press After the front squat, push press takes the second position in the thruster. In terms of movement, you start from a bottom position and then you gradually engage your glutes and core as you drive up with your hips to thrust the bar overhead. It is recommended that you don’t press it because eventually, you may burn out especially when doing high volume thrusters. Your CrossFit workout movements should be efficient and use more weightless momentum. The same applies to thrusters. As you stand up from the squat, generate the power you need and utilize it in throwing the weight overhead. A thruster is a metabolic condition in exercise, and as such you need proper pacing and a smart approach especially when done in higher amounts of reps.  
KUNAL JHAVERI | 22 Jan 18
Rope climbing requires you to use your entire body and helps in testing your strength. In addition to developing your upper body, this CrossFit exercise also helps in enhancing the coordination and agility of skills. Regarding complexity, rope climbing is much simpler, but it is extremely beneficial for physical development. For thousands of years, rope climbing has been an exercise undertaken by people in the military as well as combat training persons. It is recommended that you first be in decent shape before practicing this workout. Being a compound exercise targeting muscle groups such as arms, back, shoulders, and the abs, you need to build up sizeable strength for you to support this exercise. There are so many benefits that you can reap from performing this exercise. Below are some of the common ones. Intramuscular Coordination To execute a strong rope climb, your body must be functioning effectively. Through a rope climb, you can train a large number of muscle groups and allow them to communicate with one another. This is important for your general body wellness and the effectiveness of the exercise. Stronger Grip While it is expected that rope climbing will help you in gaining strength, your grip will benefit too. CrossFit athletes who have integrated rope climbing into their WOD have witnessed massive gains in grip strength as well as their forearms. Core Strength If you have ever wanted to work out your core muscles, rope climbing is the exercise to go for. As you keep your body in front of the legs and climb, your core will strengthen, and this will certainly be beneficial to your body. Mental Strength In addition to the obvious benefits in strengthening body muscles, doing rope climbing also stimulates and utilizes your mental strength. As you know, success in CrossFit training requires a good mental attitude and rope climbing can help you develop that. Muscular Endurance As long as you perform it correctly, rope climbing can be an awesome conditioning exercise. It enables you to develop endurance as well as giving you the ability to master your weight. Because of this reason, wrestlers and martial artists have made rope climbing their staple workout. Boosts Stamina If you can establish a timing circuit where you climb up, do your workouts and then climb down multiple times within a certain duration, you can build up your stamina. Your muscles will be conditioned to perform difficult tasks for a long period easily. Anyone doing CrossFit would know that stamina lengthens your training circuit. To add to the above benefits, rope climbing enhances the strength of your pull and grip. This is important if you want to develop a stronger back because the pooling strength comes from muscles in the back. Even though you may assist yourself with your legs, the greatest weight is still carried by the upper body muscles. Just like other pulling exercises in the CrossFit gym, rope climbing will build your upper body strength.
KUNAL JHAVERI | 20 Jan 18