CrossFit has this identity that comes along with it that we would like to clear up. People are often under the impression that you must be an elite athlete. Others say that is dangerous and you are guaranteed to get injured. The movements that are performed are not dangerous. Although, the risk of injury can increase by external factors. In today’s newsletter, we will list some of these factors. The hope is that by creating awareness, we can help lessen the chance of injury for our members.
Nutrition
We have discussed the importance of nutrition in many other segments. Today, will be another reminder of this. CrossFit preaches the diet of eating meat and vegetables, nuts and seeds, some fruit, little starch, and no sugar. To some, this may be vague or even hard to follow. Regardless, to perform your best, recover properly and prevent injury, your diet must be a major priority. The way you eat directly impacts your performance
Sleep
Your sleep is another factor that can positively or negatively impact your chances of injury. If you are not getting enough sleep, your body is unable to recover properly. The quality of your sleep matters as well. This can be impacted by things such as stress, diet, and alcohol. When this happens, you will be at a higher risk for injury. With today’s technology, there are countless tools to track your sleep. Outside of that, you can simply record how you feel upon waking and the amount of sleep you get each night.
Stress
Stress is another outside factor that can increase your chances of injury. There are two different kinds of stress which include, acute and chronic. Typically, it is the chronic stress that leads to a weakened immune system, loss of sleep and injury. If you are experiencing chronic stress, be sure to seek out help from a professional. Stress can be an influencer in your performance and must be addressed.
Mindset
Your mindset can change throughout the day due to many factors. This can take self-actualization and self-development on your part. Choosing to work on your mindset can have many positive benefits. This outside factor can take time but it is worth it in the end. A positive mindset shift can be the difference between a good or bad day. The better days you have, the better your life will be. Try to pinpoint an area in your life where you can work on some self-development tools to improve mindset.
Technique
Technique is the only point in this newsletter that can be exercised inside of the gym. This can directly impact your chances of injury. The rule of thumb is that if you can perform a movement with proper technique, only then, you can add weight. The chances of this happening are even less when you add in a coach. It is always a good idea to have a coach monitoring your technique to give corrective cues for best results.
