Friday 05.17.13

Just say NO.

Good luck to the following Warriors who are competing this weekend!

Becky Holst and Kent Jurgersen - Tough Mudder Chicago

Eric Schmieg - Ironman Texas

With our New Member Summer Special going on through 06/01 we have a lot of new athletes in the gym trying us out. And what do we all remember from those first few weeks of CrossFit?...The soreness! The difficulty of walking and sitting - one never felt so decrepit. Soreness from exercise is not optimal; however, it is inevitable. [And you should know the difference between muscle soreness and true injury.]

Even as we make strides in improving our fitness, there is always going to be that one WOD or athletic event that destroys us for a day or two. Soreness is a sign. For the newbie, it's a sign that perhaps you haven't been working your muscles as hard as you thought with your usual workout routine (if you had one at all). For the veteran, it's a sign that there is room for you to grow as an athlete. For all of us it is never a sign to give up.

So what to do about it? Well, you'll always hear Jacob and I shout "Stretch! Hydrate!" as you walk (waddle?) out the door after a WOD, especially if you're in your first month or so of CrossFit. You will NEVER hear us recommend pounding down the Advil, Tylenol, or Aleve. NEVER. Our recommendation is always to stretch, foam roll, keep moving, and drink plenty of water. All of these activities help activate your lymphatic system, which is the garbage disposal system for all of your major tissues (muscles, organs).

To help your recovery even further, avoid eating foods and food-like substances that aggravate inflammation. Chief among these foods: SUGAR, ALCOHOL, and REFINED FLOURS. So instead of hitting the pharmacy, hit up the produce section and your faucet. Heck, walk yourself over to the grocery store instead of driving to help keep your system moving and pumping out the toxins.

Just because you're sore now does not mean you will always be sore. Keep at it, stay consistent, and chase your weakness. Each WOD only makes you stronger and makes you more resilient, but only if you take care of yourself through proper nutrition and self-care after it's over.

WOD

Strength:

5 Rounds

3 snatch balance

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Using the same load (115/75), complete AMRAP in 10 min:

5 push press

10 deadlift

15 box jumps (24"/20")

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In 10 minutes, complete 

as many sandbag getups as possible 

(AMSBGUAP; 80/60)