Trust us. We understand busy schedules. In fact, many of the members we have here at CrossFit St. Charles initially joined because they needed a more efficient workout that didnโt require them to be in the gym for hours at a time.
Thatโs why weโve put together this list of ways you can make your time at the box as productive and fulfilling as possible.
HOW TO MAKE THE MOST OF YOUR TIME AT CROSSFIT ST. CHARLES:
SET A TRAINING SCHEDULE
While you generally enjoy coming into the box, there are some days when maybe overtime at work, school papers, family issues and other nasty things can really get you in the mood to skip the WOD โjust because.โ
A good way to deter the โjust becauseโ excuse is to get into the habit of coming in at the same time on the same days. Once youโve created this habit, it becomes automatic. Youโll find yourself going to the box without any force involved regardless of the plants who could probably use watering (or any other strange excuse you give yourself.)
Bottom line: A schedule keeps you consistent, and consistency is the key to forming healthy habits.
TRACK YOUR PROGRESS, CELEBRATE ACHIEVEMENTS
If youโre serious about hitting your fitness goal, itโs critical to track your progress. And we donโt mean stepping on the scale every morning and completely freaking out at any increase in weight.
Muscle weighs more than fat, so if youโre doing it right youโll be gaining lean muscle while youโre losing fat which doesnโt always result in seeing a lower number on the scale.
Throw out that scale and buy a notebook. Keeping track of your workouts and progress will help you train with a purpose. If you did 5 back squats at 135 a few months ago, and that sequence has come up again, well now youโll know what number to shoot higher than.
Bottom line: Knowing what you did yesterday will help you be better today.
COME EARLY, STAY LATE (TRAIN MORE, CHAT MORE)
Many of us get into the habit of coming in on-time and leaving on-time. Thatโs by no means a bad habit. But to make the most of your workout, the best thing you can do is put in a little extra time before and after class.
We know, working out before working out sounds like advice from a crazy person, but itโs really the key to taking your fitness to the next level.
Itโs no news to say that putting in some extra credit will turn you into a better athlete, but when you do it with other athletes that like to go above and beyond outside of class times, youโre fostering some really positive relationships. Thatโs when the true awesomeness happens.
Bottom line: To get the most out of your training session, put in some extra work both physically and socially
ASK FOR HELP
Itโs ok to admit that you feel a little intimidated to ask for help at the box. But donโt be! Even those big, huge, grunting, bearded guys were new once. Everyone has been in the same spot and thereโs absolutely no shame in needing some extra help to understand a movement. In fact, thatโs the sign of a smart athlete whoโs on their way to big things.
Bottom line: Thereโs no such thing as a stupid question. Except for maybe, โCan I pee before you start the clock?โ We donโt like that one.
ALWAYS HAVE A WATER BOTTLE CLOSE BY (ESPECIALLY WHEN YOUโRE NOT TRAINING)
Are you the type to only drink water when youโre feeling really thirsty or maybe you like to chug the majority of your dayโs water intake right before and after a WOD? Well, you might want to change that and hereโs why.
Feeling thirsty and getting dry mouth indicates that your body is already dehydrated. Dehydration can reduce the volume of blood pumped by the heart which means less oxygen to the muscles which often results in premature fatigue. And if you try to quick fix your dehydration by drinking lots of fluid right before class it can cause bloating and cramping. Thatโs a terrible way to suffer through a WOD.
This is especially important for women. โWomen are not small men,โ says Stacy Sims, Ph.D., exercise physiologist-nutrition scientist. โTheyโre five times more likely than men to have GI problems when exercising . . . women are also more likely to suffer from heat exhaustion and heat stroke.โ
Bottom line: To get the most out of your training session, stay hydrated all day long before you step foot into the box.
SLEEP MORE
We want you to sleep more. In fact, we insist you sleep more. We canโt stress enough the importance of getting a good nightโs rest because without it, all the training and dieting in the world will just be a waste of time.
Itโs hard to believe that something you do when youโre not even awake can be one of the most important ways you can make the most out of your training sessions, but itโs true. To put it simply, lack of sleep stresses out your body which cases weight gain and anxiety.
Bottom line: Prioritize your sleep. Prioritize your well-being.
PRACTICE MOBILITY AT HOME
Stretching and becoming more flexible really shouldnโt take a back seat in your plan to become a fitter you. If we could tack on an extra 30 minutes to the WOD for mobility, weโd do just that! An hour a day at the box isnโt going to undo a lifetime of sitting on your bum craning over a keyboard.
Invest in a few key items for home like a foam roller and a PVC pipe to improve your range of motion while youโre watching TV or right before bed. Practicing mobility at home will improve your overall athletic ability and will decrease the risk of injury.
Bottom line: Mobilize everywhere and invest in the tools to do so.