CrossFit is a philosophy of training made up of high-intensity, functional motions that keep changing. It teaches people of varied sizes and shapes to enhance their physique, general well-being and cardio fitness in an environment that’s hardcore, yet encouraging and friendly.
The program is scalable and works for all kinds of people worldwide. If you’re new to CrossFit, here are five essentials you need when starting out.
Top 5 CrossFit Essentials for Beginners When Starting Out
1. Supplements
CrossFitSurvival and a good diet go hand in hand. But, you don’t have to come up with good eating habits and a fitness routine overnight. Add red meat in your diet for more fats and iron.
Listen to your body to determine your diet needs. You might need supplements; the intense pressure on your body might lead to nutrient deficits. Opt for healthy fats to fuel and re-energize your body while giving you focus.
2. Add Proteins to Your Diet
Protein provides the building blocks your body needs to repair and recover after intense workouts. Opt for organic protein sources. And, learn to plan your meals, prepare and time them. An all-purpose protein powder can power your mind with the right energy to keep you going.
Take your proteins before and after your workouts. Choose slow- and fast-acting proteins with delicious tastes. Consider mixing chocolate milkshake with peanut butter for a cup of tasty proteins.
3. Sleep to Get Enough Rest
Getting enough rest is as important as your workouts. Go to bed early to get at least 6 to 8 hours of sleep each night. After hours of hard work, you need time to rejuvenate and give your muscles time to repair and heal.
4. Hand Care
The kipping pull-ups, liftings, and fast, high-intensity motions can wreck your hands. Even with calluses on, they can easily wear out or get ripped off. Wrecked hands would most likely lead to wrecked workouts. Your PRs can go with your grip. However, the injury can be prevented.
Shave, tape up or grind down your calluses. There’s no shame in doing that. Callus scrapers and pumice stones could be your new friends. Hand salve can also toughen your hands eventually.
5. Mobility
CrossFit is highly mobile. It involves lots of movements. If you aren’t flexible, expect injuries, days when you’ll fall apart, and of course, you’ll be back to your true self.
Your box might overflow with lacrosse balls, foam rollers and resistance bands, but it would take something like yoga to develop the right mobility. So you can drop squats like it’s hot.
Yoga doesn’t have the same intensity and grit as CrossFit, but is what you need to develop the right mobility to do things right. With the flexibility you need to engage in the training, you’ll actually get to fall in love with everything about it. For instance, you need hip flexibility to be able to drop squats without injuring yourself.
With knowledge of these five things, you should be on the right track to starting out on CrossFit.