CrossFit is a mainstream sport that has attracted a huge number of people as well as big name brands whose specialty is in CrossFit gear. With this array of wears, no one would imagine that athletes would still be confused about what works and what doesn’t. Coaches are occasionally bombarded with questions from Cross Fitters on what is the appropriate wear and where they can get it. To shed light on this somewhat interesting beginner area, below are some pointers shared by the experts in CrossFit Gym, on what your workout gear should constitute. Tops Slogan tanks and box t-shirts are hugely popular. It seems everyone wants to shout out the gym they have been to while training during the holidays. These tops are mostly made of cotton which despite its lightweight and breathability, it doesn’t manage moisture as effectively. The best top you can get is one that is moisture-wicking and one which has a stretchy racerback that will move with you through each movement you execute. Going for a close-fitting top is a good idea because it means your shirt won’t flap around or flip up during handstands and pikes. In addition to the top, you should get a decent sports bra to enable your comfort while going through different exercises in CrossFit Gym such as box jumps, skipping, and running intervals.  When properly selected, tops can give you a confidence factor during your workouts. Bottoms As you probably know, CrossFit training is one of the hyper sweaty sessions. Depending on the weather, you may switch between shorts and crops. The reason why full-length leggings may not be appropriate for you is that they retain too much heat. In the crop world, there are lots of amazing patterns. The guiding factor should not just be the fitness of your bottoms, but also made from a material that can comfortably take a beating. Rolling around on the box floor requires materials that can withstand the friction. Footwear As a rule of the thumb, the footwear you choose should have a low, but hard sole. There are many brands of footwear you can sample either online or in your local sports shop. Running shoes are not the best for the CrossFit gym because when starting out, you need a solid footing. If all you have are running shoes, they may serve you in the short run, but prepare to get good shores. Training with flatter soled shoes will give you the flexibility you need to quickly change position and direction without losing balance. If you are planning to undertake WODs that mix lifts with cardio activities, go for lifting shoes. These literally glue you to the floor and help you in withstanding heavy weights without sliding. Remember to always carry a notebook or have an app for you so that you can note down your new PR lift, WOD time, or sprint interval time. Knowing your numbers is an important part of your progress and preparedness in CrossFit.

Getting out of bed and hitting the Cross Training Athletes gym at 6.00 a.m., needs a good level of dedication. The achievement you get from working out early enough before others wake up is awesome. The only problem most athletes face while exercising at this time is the nutrition part of it. As we all know, exercising without considering that proper dietary intake in Cross Training Athletes  Routine gives you sub-optimal results. In light of this, below is a breakdown of the three important nutritional phases and the accompanying recommended dietary intake. The Pre-Workout Phase If your training starts at 6 or 7 a.m., waking up 2 hours earlier to prepare your breakfast meal is a great idea. The type of meal should be quick to prepare and relatively easy to digest. Most people prefer shake or a liquid meal. It is because they give you a lot of nutrients and they do not have huge prep time. A coffee protein shake can suffice for your pre-workout. The night before your early morning session, you can have a large carbohydrate meal to stock up your muscle glycogen level to blast through your workout. Intra-Workout Phase If you find eating pre-workout unsuitable for you, then you may decide to capitalize on intra-workout nutrition in your Cross Training Athletes Routine to boost your performance and recovery. Your liver and muscle glycogen stores get depleted overnight, and any attempt to work out in a fasted state may prompt your body to break down your muscle tissue for energy. Whatever you are aiming at regarding your goals, this will certainly let you down. Consuming amino acids at the beginning or in the course of your Cross Training Athletesworkout can help in preserving your muscle and at the same time boost your recovery. Do not overlook hydration because even 2% of hydration can weaken your performance. Take a glass of water when you wake up and then at different intervals in your workout keep on sipping water. If you realize that you are sweating a lot, it will not harm to pop in an electrolyte tablet. Post-Workout Phase For any morning Cross Training Athletes, the post-workout phase is very crucial. At this time, your body craves to be replenished because you have just nailed a workout and your body didn’t have as much food. The post-workout rule of thumb is to get at the least 0.6 grams of protein per kilogram of bodyweight into your post-workout shake or meal. This means athletes who are 75 kilograms should aim at taking 45 grams of protein. There are certain factors such as your goals, the intensity of your session, and what you do with the rest of your day that determines your proper nutrition mix. For lower intensity or volume, go for lower carbohydrates while for higher intensity or volume, go for higher carbohydrates. Lower carbohydrates include foods such as salmon and avocado, omelet, Greek yogurt, berries, and nut butter. Higher carbohydrates include granola, overnight protein oats, banana smoothie, and eggs on sourdough bread. The bottom line is that you need to focus on a Cross Training Athletes routine that works for you and gives you maximum energy levels.

Every serious Cross Training Athletes is either on zone diet or paleo diet or a mixture of both. That said, some Cross Training Athletes especially beginners may not be on a diet because of lack of awareness or simply not knowing how crucial it is in their Cross Training Athletes workout regimen. The quality of food is taken seriously in zone diet as well as balancing the portions of fat, protein, and carbohydrate. Zone diet has been praised for its ability to strike the hormonal balance. By extension, this boosts your wellness, energy utilization, blood chemistry, and so much more. Zone dieters consider food as a drug, and therefore they are very careful so that they do not loosely consume food for fear of undesirable physiological changes in their body systems. What is Zone Diet All About? Most people believe that zone Cross Training Athletes diet is just about high protein or low carb. The reality is that this diet is much more than this. It balances the following food groups. • Protein – This consists of natural meats. • Carbs –Zone diet advocates for low glycemic vegetables and fruits.• Fat –This is a critical macronutrient that forms part of the zone diet. When you balance fats, carbohydrates, and protein, you can successfully control glucagon, insulin, and eicosanoids hormones which are usually generated by the human diet. Insulin is classified as a storage hormone, and excess of it accelerates inflammation and makes you fat. Glucagon, on the other hand, is a mobilization hormone which tells your body to steadily release stored carbohydrates thereby stabilizing your blood sugar levels. This is important for optimal Cross Training Athletes exercises and mental performance. The last hormone eicosanoids help in controlling inflammation. It is also a master hormone which orchestrates a wide array of hormonal systems in your body. Zone Living Zone diet consists of a block of meals. A one block meal comprises one choice from the carbohydrate list which is blue, protein list which is pink in color, and the fat list which is green in color. A two-block meal will have two choices from each of the above lists. A three-block meal will have three choices from each group, and the list goes on and on. The onus is upon you to mix and match the blocks according to your preference. For instance, when you wake up, you can go for a two-block meal then proceed to three-block meal for lunch and dinner. Athletes are different, and each one will have their block requirements. The key point in this Cross Training Athletes diet is to develop a habit where you eat at regular intervals so that your hormones are always balanced. When you wake up, an hour should not elapse before you eat. It is advisable that in 4 hours, you eat something in between and always before going to sleep you take a snack. If you have a digital food scale, it will make your work easier because then you can measure blocks in an easy and fast way. When you put your plate on the weighing scale, press the tare button. This will subtract the weight of the plate and only ensure the content. Be careful to avoid micromanaging your nutrients. Once you get used to living in the zone, it will be much easier for you to customize your lifestyle.

If you are a runner and have been working hard to increase your mile pace or simply boost your short sprint speed, strength training could be all that you need. Strength training has been a go-to program for athletes in endurance sports such as rowing, cycling, swimming, and skiing. There are lots of benefits attached to strength training such as fat loss which in the end prove beneficial for your running career. There is a possibility you have been in a CrossFit training program, and you have not as yet realized the benefits that others are speaking about. Well, it is one thing to do strength training in CrossFit and totally another to do the right kind of CrossFit training. Protocol matters and you need to get it right. Among the reasons you should embrace strength training in your running career include: Enhanced Speed Research proves it that strength training can make you faster. It doesn’t matter whether you run short distance races or you were a long-distance runner, one of the things you will experience when you start strength training is that your pace will pick up gradually. Strength training improves leg strength and your body’s efficiency to utilize oxygen and energy. The main goal of endurance training is to enhance the ability of your body to properly utilize oxygen. This utilization is measured by the maximal oxygen uptake also known as VO2 max. If you can decrease the oxygen your body takes in at certain speeds, you will be able to maintain a fast pace for a much longer period. A Better Final Kick Strength training helps you generate more force every time you kick off the ground. When this is combined with efficient usage of energy and a better running economy, your final kick will be amazing. Strength training achieves this by increasing the proportion of your type IIA muscle fibers which fatigue much slowly and have the capacity to produce a burst of speed and power. Decreased Body Fat Through strength training programs, your body will lose fat and become lean. Body fat slows your metabolic rate and produces some substances that increasingly make you fatter such as adipokines and aromatase. On the other hand, muscle and lean tissue enhance metabolism and this, in turn, makes you a better runner. Experience and elite runners will tell you that CrossFit workouts which mainly consist of high-intensity CrossFit training are the go-to for fat loss. A Better Body Composition Research has proven that if you properly program through strength training, you can get in shape and gain muscles. The major concern among competitive endurance athletes is that strength training may make them gain body mass which is detrimental to optimal performance. However, to counter this argument is the fact that strength training enables your body to gain muscle mass, but in the legs which make you a much faster runner. To add to the above, strength training is one of the CrossFit exercise routines that will most certainly go a long way in helping you to get rid of chronic pain and nagging injuries. It will also assist you in correcting structural imbalances which have largely been classified as precursors to injuries.

CrossFit has become the buzzword in every fitness conversation. Its high-intensity workout regime with varying functional movements has taken almost everyone by storm. The beauty of CrossFit is that it can work with anyone as long as they are willing. Athletes ranging from ex-footballers to swimming professionals, have found CrossFit as a safe enclave to tone their muscles and improve their effectiveness. So much has been written about CrossFit until people out there have developed a certain picture that the workouts and weights used in this sport are scary. Since it is not easy, CrossFit Workouts are challenging and will push you to your limits. Below are some of the WODs that will slowly usher you into the CrossFit world. Half Cindy This CrossFit workout can last up to 20 minutes, but if you can do ten as a beginner, it will be a great achievement. It consists of 5 pull-ups, ten push-ups, and 15 air squats. Since this WOD requires endurance, don’t be surprised if you are unable to rise from the ground following the first round. As you begin, you will be able to take the cue from your body system, and you will know how fast you hit exhaustion. CrossFit Total Focus This consists of 5 back squats, three overhead presses, and three deadlifts. Here, you will have to contend with heavy lifts which can be intimidating at times, but their purpose is to make you stronger. The goal of this WOD is to get you accustomed to lifting heavy weights. There is no timing here, but the focus is on learning the impact of the weights on your body. This workout requires form and if you are not quite sure how the lifting should be done, consult a trainer or someone who is used to lifting for assistance. Helen In this workout of the day, you do a 400-meters run, 12 pull-ups, and 21 American kettlebell swings. While it is true that anyone can run, Helen is all about technique. Don’t make a mistake of running fast in the first round because you will get exhausted and unable to proceed. Endurance is very important, but it will take quite a while in the building. However, CrossFit will teach you on the match your body can be able to handle. If you want to modify this WOD, you can try Russian kettlebell swings or wrap a resistance band on the bar for assistance. Sit-Ups, Lunges This consists of 3 rounds with 15 sit-ups and 15 lunges. As an interval-style WOD, sit-ups, and lunges require that you push extra hard for about 3 minutes then resting for 2 minutes. The beauty with this WOD is that it enables you to buildup cardio while at the same time pushing up your endurance needle. If you find yourself getting comfortable at one level, you can add more weight to the lunge or add two more rounds to make them 5. The advantage in CrossFit for beginners is that every workout can be modified. You can alter the time, weight, and even rep schemes. For success, you should always work your way up!

The box is not as easy space especially for beginners in CrossFit. However, with the right mastery of the unspoken laws, your life can be much easier because these laws create the right environment for your improvement and continuous progress. Below are some of the ones you should know by heart. Do Not Cheat Reps When you are in the heat of a CrossFit workout and the pain and fatigue is setting in, it becomes easy to lose count. This aside, there are some athletes who deliberately cut reps to speed their scores and beat their rivals. Since the competitive element of CrossFit workout is fun, you should never lose the fact that any workout has a primary role in making you stronger, fitter, and healthier. Don’t be obsessed with winning to cheat your reps. The Last Gets the Loudest Cheers This is one of the best aspects of CrossFit. A WOD is very competitive, but that aside, the main aim of every single workout is to improve the fitness of all involved. At every CrossFit level, this mentality rules. You will see it as a first timer in CrossFit, and you will also see it even at the CrossFit competitions. Don’t Be Selective in Your WODs It is part of humanity that each one of us has their strengths and weaknesses. There is excitement when you come across a workout you can do perfectly well because it involves everything you are good at. However, you will come across the opposite scenario in CrossFit where WODs are not as fun because they demand techniques and resilience aspects that you are not good at. Instead of avoiding such kind of CrossFit exercises, you should tackle them as doing so serves to improve your weakness. Take Care of the Equipment This is more or less a matter of simple courtesy. It shouldn’t be difficult to put the equipment, bars, and plates back in the racks. Taking care of equipment is a ritualistic element of CrossFit training and obeying this comes with its share of respect. For instance, some athletes will walk around the bar after every lift instead of walking over the barbell which is considered disrespectful. Control Your Ego Don’t kill or suppress your ego because you will need it to power you through CrossFit. It has the effect of motivating us to a higher level of competition and always getting better at what we do. However, if not controlled, egos can be a hindrance to your CrossFit performance. CrossFit exposes weaknesses in some of the places you never knew existed. As an athlete, you need to be humble and not allow your ego to lead the way in the face of disappointments and embarrassments. It takes a lot of courage to accept that at times we are not as good as we think. Working with your CrossFit training coach, you can quickly learn some of the etiquettes that will inspire you to progress and improvement.

Some people measure their performance and get satisfaction from the fact that they hit the box 4 to 5 times a week. Did you know that you can religiously visit the gym so many times and yet fail in making progress? This is true in most cases where effective goals are not set. Goals help in improving performance in various ways. They help in pushing you to concentrate more on your efforts and less on derailers. To reach your maximum possible potential, you need to set and achieve your goals. Below are tips on how to get this done in and out of the CrossFit gym. Effective CrossFit Goal Setting Goal setting is seemingly an intuitive and simple process, but the reality is that this is not necessarily the case. You need to think through the goals that you set because they can either make or break your performance. There are several factors that influence how effective your goals are. For instance, the goals should be clear and specific. Don’t say you want to lose weight, but instead say that you will lose 40 pounds. Also, your goals should be measurable, realistic,and have a deadline.  Ineffective goals tend to be vague, and because fitness is undefined, you have no way of knowing whether you have achieved the goal or not. Take it as a Challenge Don’t slide into the comfort of setting easy to achieve goals. When goals are too easy, they do not demand much from you, and as a result, they hinder your growth. A comfort zone is such a nice place, but it doesn’t promote progress. Your goals should challenge you by stretching your potential without breaking you. Challenging goals help in keeping individuals motivated and engaged while at the same time pushing them to attain pick performance. Goals that test your abilities will inspire your WOD workout and enhance your results. Fire Up Your Commitment The degree to which you attain your goal depends on your level of commitment. While this may seem obvious, there are people who fail to take the necessary steps that actively increase their commitment to their goals. There are three ways you can consider in enhancing your commitment. • Connecting your goal to your larger life values. • Sharing your CrossFit goal with your CrossFit community for accountability. • Getting an accountability partner who will help you monitor your progress and support you in trying times. Keep the Entire Process in Mind When setting goals, don’t be blinded not to focus on the process. There is a tendency to engage more on the outcomes and fail to bring into perspective the much-needed behaviors that will help you attain the outcomes. People who use process-goal appropriately, achieve their goal much faster and sustain long-term habits. Most gyms have goal setting as part of their CrossFit for beginners’ programs. However, you should own these processes because it is for your good to take goal setting seriously. It can take your CrossFit results to the next level!

It’s possible to boost satiety and burn calories while simultaneously preserving your lean muscle mass. Smoothies are packed with the essential nutrients which help in keeping your hair, skin, heart, and bones in good health. Unfortunately, some of the protein sips athletes take in local CrossFit gyms have lots of added sugar. Having these on your CrossFit diet every time makes it extremely difficult to achieve that lean summer body. There is delicious weight loss protein shakes that can satisfy your craving and still push your body towards weight loss. Below are some of them: Jelly Protein and Peanut Butter Smoothie Regarding nutrition, this can give you 16 grams of protein, 228 calories, 23 grams of carbs, 5 grams of fiber, 7.5 grams of fat, and 1.3 grams of saturated fat. If you love classic childhood sandwich, this recipe is a must try. You simply blend frozen berries with vanilla protein, soy milk, rolled oats, and peanut butter to create a delicious protein-packed smoothie. If you don’t like soy milk, you can substitute it with any unsweetened milk of your choice. Spinach Flax Protein Shake The source of protein in this shake comes from flax meal, almond milk, optional protein powder, chia seeds, and the spinach. If you don’t like spinach, but would want it to form part of your CrossFit diet, you can add pineapple, banana, and mango to make the smoothie delicious and still reap the benefits. This smoothie gives you up to 33% of your daily vitamin A requirements while the flax and chia seeds give you satiating fiber. Dark Chocolate Peppermint Smoothie The source of protein here comes from Greek yogurt and protein powder. This shake doesn’t have sugars and fats and tastes more or less like dessert. Fortunately, it doesn’t have any waste expanding effects.Topping the smoothie with Greek yogurt helps in taking your protein count higher. Almond Butter Protein Shake This smoothie is made with four ingredients, almond milk, nut butter, chia seeds, and cinnamon. The nut butter and almond milk will give you natural protein, and the chia seeds will boost your level of antioxidants and omega 3s. You can enjoy this smoothie as an afternoon snack or a healthy breakfast. Cinnamon heightens the taste of your drink and helps in zapping stubborn belly fat to stabilize your blood sugar. Grape and Blueberry Smoothie This is a creative recipe for any CrossFitter who may not be into the idea of packing nutrition powders. In the place of plant or whey protein, this smoothie calls for blended eggs. This helps in burning fat. The protein in the eggs helps in muscle recovery while the choline in the yolk helps in fighting fat cells to give you a lean look. The grapes and berries give you vitamin C which helps in further trimming down cortisol levels which are responsible for fat storage. Other smoothies you may find delicious and nutritionally-viable as your CrossFit workout diet include berry oat smoothie, blueberry almond butter shake, and a raw chocolate smoothie.