After training my client last night, I came home and started catching-up on emails and other blog things that I needed to do and realized that I have been posting lots of recipes lately (which is fun!), but not so much in regards to health, wellness or fitness. In addition to being a mom and staying home with Keenan, I also wear another hat of helping women reach their best self through health and fitness, whether it is through coaching or personal training. I love inspiring others to be the best that they can be.
So, with that said, I’m kicking off my first “Thursday Tidbits” today, which will be a weekly post featuring tidbits on anything health, fitness and wellness related. If there is something that you would like to see or have questions about, let me know!
Since starting CrossFit over a year ago, I’ve received several questions from friends and family members about what it is, why am I doing it, and what kind of results I have experienced. I talk so much about what kind of workouts we do at our box, but I haven’t really explained CrossFit or discussed why I love it. It has now become a part of who I am. I can’t go back to any other ways of working out. It is fast, super efficient and you can get an amazing workout in less than an hour! In the first 3 months of doing CrossFit, I lost body fat, gained lean muscle mass and dropped a few pounds (not intentionally). I didn’t change what I was eating, I was just working out differently. Since then, I have gained a great amount of strength, leaned out a little more and increased my lean muscle mass. I feel great and I can’t imagine doing anything else. I even train my clients using CrossFit.
Practicing good ol’ double unders!
The CrossFit definition is constantly varied, high-intensity functional movement. In addition, it also includes moving large loads over long distances quickly. The main areas of focus are in Olympic lifting, gymnastics (body weight exercises), metabolic conditioning (cardio) and sport. It is not just a sport, it is the “sport of fitness,” which can be measured, observed and replicated. I think this is why I love it so much, because it is a sport and it challenges you to constantly perform at your best, treating each workout like a little competition, not just with others, but with yourself. Can you increase your speed, improve your time, lift more weight than what you did 6 or 8 weeks ago? Can you be on the top of the leader board?
Like in any sport or work-setting there are always new acronyms to learn, so here are some basic ones for CrossFit:
WOD = Workout of the day
AMRAP = As many rounds/reps as possible
EMOM = Every minute on the minute
Rx = Prescribed weight
Box = Gym
Some people can be intimidated by the competitiveness of CrossFit, but it doesn’t have to be that way. My husband could care less about the competitive aspect, so he just concentrates on staying fit. For me it is two-fold: staying fit and being competitive. In our box, there are all different levels, from beginners to competitive athletes, but what makes the sport unique, is that it is scalable to all fitness levels. If the Rx women’s weight for a deadlift is 205 lbs, and you are no where near capable of lifting that much weight, you can scale it to a lower amount that is best for you. If you can’t go as fast as others, go as hard as you can, pushing yourself to do the best that you can, but still getting a tremendous workout. Whatever your health and fitness goals are, CrossFit can be tailored to fit your needs, which is another reason why I love it. Anyone can do it!
Another nice thing about CrossFit, is you can do it anywhere and with anything. My husband and I have created WODs while on vacation at the beach: throwing logs, jumping up onto logs, swimming, sprinting, etc. Last week, at the competition, we were tossing huge tractor tires, lifting logs and throwing spears, so you really can use anything that you have to create a great workout.
If you are curious about trying it, here are a couple of home or travel CrossFit WODs that I have put together. You can do them anywhere, even in the comfort of your living room. You just need a little space, some water and comfy workout clothes! Have fun!
Not sure on some of the movements? You can find out how to do most of them here. Make sure to also maintain proper and safe technique, so you get the results you want and not injure yourself!
Questions:
– What is your favorite way to workout?
-Have you tried CrossFit? If so, how do you like it?
– Is there anything you would like to see for next week’s “Thursday Tidbits?”
*Disclaimer: This is not affiliated with CrossFit HQ. These opinions are my own. I am also not a medical professional, so always check with your healthcare provider before starting an exercise program.
I have not tried Crossfit, but I do find it interesting. I’m not sure that I’d be all for it, but so far, I’ve enjoyed “stealing” a few of the moves to add to my routine at the gym. 🙂 My favorite way to workout still includes cardio (I’m trying to cut back on that though) and functional strength training. I’ve been “lifting heavy” recently, and incorporating more full body movements (like burpees and such) and am liking the results.
Burpees…I love them, but I hate them at the same time! They are such a good exercise, but they a killer! I love full body movements, because you get a great workout in less time than splitting things up.
Thank you for sharing all of these CrossFit workouts! I’m mainly a runner, but really want to learn more about CrossFit that I can do from my house. They don’t have daycare at the local gym, so I thought CrossFit would be do-able when I’m home with my son.
I saw your post on the For Two Fitness blog and am going to write down all of your workouts now 🙂 Thanks for sharing these!
You are SO welcome! Thanks for stopping by my blog! I usually post a new home CrossFit workout once a month, so I hope you will visit again!