Reasons To Practice CrossFit
Unless you have been living under a rock for the past four or five years, you are probably already aware that it has become very fashionable to practice CrossFit.
The reality is that, in recent years, the number of gyms that focus on this sport has multiplied. This is because, although it might seem like just a trend, the advantages that CrossFit offers have turned it into a practice that is here to stay.
If you are one of those people who still do not dare to try it, we want to offer you a series of reasons to practice CrossFit, or at least, give you the opportunity to decide for yourself whether this sport is right for you.
It seems that more and more people have become aware of what CrossFit is, either because they know someone who does it, or because a gym near their home or work offers this training discipline.
Improve yourself
In CrossFit, you will not find the same need to go beyond your limits, as you will in other sports.
Obviously, you have to work to always be the best, but the goal is to improve yourself and not to compete with others.
How can you achieve this? The first thing you must do is gain a solid foundation of strength, mobility, and flexibility. For this, start slowly, listen to your coaches, and look for quality in your movements and techniques without worrying about how much weight you are actually lifting.
Don’t bite off more than you can chew
One of the biggest reasons to practice CrossFit is due to the malleability of the training, which can be adapted to the ability and capacity of each individual. Again, we want to stress the importance of knowing your own body and using common sense to enforce your own limits.
Give your body the right fuel
What you eat is often more important than the exercise you do, or the weight you are able to lift.
Nutrition is key in all aspects of your life, as it affects your energy levels, capacity for recovery, defenses against disease, etc. Like with any system, if you put in garbage, you will receive garbage.
The quality of what you eat is more important than the quantity, so eat healthy foods, and try to consume a varied diet.
Resolve any doubts
Since this concerns your time, money, and health, you should ask about anything that you do not understand. If you do not get answers to your questions, you will do the exercise incorrectly and that will be reflected in your results.
You should not be afraid to ask questions. We were all beginners at some point, and we all went through the same thing.
The important point to remember is: learn the correct technique and repeat each exercise properly until you master them all.
CrossFit is not everything
CrossFit is a method of fitness and strength training that focuses on general physical preparation. While it’s true that it has quickly become a sport in its own right (and quite popular), that does not mean that it necessarily has to be your sport.
Practicing good general physical training allows you to face new challenges. CrossFit should not be your entire life, just use it to create a better life.
It never gets easier, it just hurts less
The longer you spend in the “world of pain,” the less you will suffer. You will become stronger, increase your aerobic capacity, and become more mentally powerful.
All this, combined with experience, will allow you to know how far you can go without it being detrimental to your health.
We all have bad days
Remember, you will not have all the time you want to be able to exercise. There will also be days when you feel that you are not improving or that you are actually regressing.
Those days are the ones when you should not lose hope. Complete your workout as best as you can, stretch, and rest. It is not the end of the world.
Do not confuse intensity with hard work. If you are having a bad day, this will prevent you from giving it your all, do not give up. Just slightly reduce the intensity and focus on the technique.
“You will not get too much done if you only work on the days when you feel motivated.”
-Jerry West-
Have fun
Do not forget that this is one of the most important reasons to practice CrossFit: because we like it. Because it is fun.
The reality is that there are certain exercises that are not fun. In fact, they are unpleasant. But when you finish them, you will always feel a special feeling of happiness and accomplishment thanks to our friend, serotonin.
Be a ‘fire breather’ when you practice CrossFit
“Fire breather” is a term coined by Greg Amundson, one of the pioneers of CrossFit, to describe a person who faces triumphs and defeat with an indomitable spirit and with the optimistic energy that only a true athlete’s heart has.
There is no need to compete in CrossFit games in order to be a fire breather. We all become fire breathers from the moment we decide to train every day and exceed our limits.
Respect your rest time
It is easy to get caught up in overtraining, or rather, resting less than we need to.
Rest time is as important as training time. It is actually preferable to rest for an extra day, if you are ever in doubt. In fact, you should even rest for a full week every four or six weeks of training.
If you do not do these things and reach your limit every single day, you are more likely to suffer an injury sooner, rather than later.
Eat well, hydrate, and rest, as this is when all your hard work will materialize into visible benefits.