Since I began doing Crossfit in 2006, I realized there was no other way I wanted to train. It just made sense. Get a lot of work done in a short period of time! I also started to realize with that, came the pains and aches of these workouts. All I knew is that I wanted more!!  I wanted to know how to get optimal results out of my training, and be able to train more often.

When I went to get my Crossfit certification to coach, one of my instructors said something that stuck with me… “think of your body as a Ferrari, and if you don’t take care of it, it WILL crash and burn!”.  That made so much sense. Any machine that is well taken care of performs better and has less down time.  So in short, here are some things I have learned over the years that have helped me.   When you implement the combination of the items below, you will see dramatic increases in your recovery time, and it will most definitely help you take care of your “Ferrari”.

DIET

I recommend the Paleolithic diet.  This simply means you eat, lean meat, veggies and fruit, seeds and nuts, little starch, and NO sugar! This diet allows your body to regulate insulin spikes and creates a smooth interaction between your body’s needs and proteins, carbohydrates, and fats.  Here are some general results you can expect:

• more energy
• controlled weight and body composition
• prevent illness
• sense of well-being
• eliminates toxins from your body

Resources: Paleo Solution by Robb Wolf robwolf.com and paleofood.com

HYDRATE

It sounds elementary, but MOST people fail to hydrate properly.
Lack of hydration effects-

• cardiovascular efficiency
• fatigue
• headaches
• H2O flushes toxins from major organs!

So how much liquids?  There are many factors that influence the answer to that question such as:  What do you weight? How much do you exercise?  At what altitude do you live? Do you live in a dry climate?  Is the weather extremely hot or cold? Do you intake a lot of salt?  How many alchoholic beverages do you consume?  Etc.  As a baseline the Mayo clinic recommends this for individuals living in a temperate climate “The Institute of Medicine determined that an adequate intake (AI) for men is roughly 3 liters (about 13 cups or 104oz) of total beverages a day. The AI for women is 2.2 liters (about 9 cups or 72 oz) of total beverages a day.” This of course is in a temperate climate (think Southern California), and does not take into account many of the other factors including exercise.  As a Crossfitter in Lubbock, you would probably see some benefits from increasing your water intake by 10%-20% over the standard recommended adequate intake.   Try achieving the base AI and go from there.  Simply stated, you should be drinking A LOT!

Resources: You can read more about hydration here:  http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/water/NU00283

MOBILITY

Limited mobility is like engaging your parking break on your Ferrari while driving down the interstate! If you do not have the ability to move your body in the full range of motion it was designed for (flexibility), all of the other domains of fitness will suffer including strength, power, stamina, speed, agility, accuracy, balance, endurance, and coordination.  Let’s face it, the road to mobility is not glamorous.  Achieving good mobility is something that demands constant and consistent attention.  It is a long term goal that you must work towards daily.  Come early and spend as much time as you can to perform our mobility stretches prior to a workout, perform the same stretches at home on your days off, and stretch several times a day.  If you have particular areas of limited mobility, e.g. shoulders, hamstrings, etc, spend more time on them with specific stretches and exercises that address those areas.  Summary: Mobility is a long-term goal that needs constant work towards achieving that goal.   Do it.

Resources: mobilitywod.com offers great information about proper movement and exercises that increase mobility.  There is a convenient search engine on the right side of the page to find the info you want.

SLEEP

Everybody needs sleep.  It is a time for our bodies to perform natural tasks such as muscle repair, memory consolidation, and the release of hormones that regulate growth and appetite.
Lack of rest causes:

• rise in cortisol levels (fat storage hormone)
• limits your growth hormones, preventing recovery, and maintaining muscle mass
• lowers testosterone- hormone essential for building lean muscle
• rise in insulin levels- also causing fat storage leading to, stress, diabetes, heart disease and a number of illnesses

As with hydration, the amount you need is highly variable.  Age, exercise, diet, etc. are some of the factors that influence the number.  However, the National Sleep Foundation recommends 7-9 hours of sleep for adults.

Resources: For more information about sleep times and what happens when you sleep see  sleepfoundation.org

SUPPLEMENTS

Even with a very strict diet, there are some things we can lack. If you are doing well in the areas we have talked about already, supplements can take your training to that next level!  If you have some work to do to improve the areas above, supplements can make that road a little easier.  I use a variety of supplements to decrease my  recovery time and increase my energy levels.  This allows me to get the most out of my workouts and maximize my investment in the other areas above.  I was turned on to several of the supplements I take (Advocare brand) by some of the top Crossfit athletes in the world.  They had all seen improvements in their performance when they started taking the supplements I now take.   I use several supplements, but here is a list of the top supplements that have made the biggest difference in my recovery and performance:  Arganine (muscle growth and recovery), Catalyst (Helps maintain muscle mass during exercise & weight management), Muscle fuel (Helps maintain and restore energy supplies during and after physical activity), and MNS Max E (Provides sustained energy). There are several other supplements I take including fish oil (YOU NEED TO BE TAKING IT, but that is a whole subject for another article ).  The bottom line is supplements serve a very important role to maximize your fitness efforts.  You need to begin to find the balance of what supplements work best for your personal goals.  You can visit the link below to see more information on the supplements I have recommended here.  There is a search engine you can type the product name in to find the specifics of the supplement’s purpose.   If you have any questions, please email us at workshops@capstonecrossfit.com.

Resources:  Follow this link and click on “Products” and “Performance  Elite” for most of  the supplements I mentioned above www.advocare.com/10111237