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CrossFitters are known for their near-insanity. They love to push their bodies to the breaking point, and then do it again, and then again. They are known for keeping an early bedtime, getting an exorbitant amount of sleep, and adhering to the strictest of diets. The results of these practices can be amazing, but they can also start to take their toll. It can be difficult to maintain this level of dedication in every aspect of their lives and often the first element to suffer is their diet. If you’ve been around the fitness world for any amount of time, then you are probably familiar with the term “cheat meal”. This term can often hold a negative connotation for many athletes, or it can be an athlete’s favorite time of the week. However, did you know that there is another approach to the “cheat meal” that might actually have some benefits?

A healthier alternative to the “cheat meal” is what’s called a “refeed”. There are several definitions for this term floating around in the fitness world, such as “a short-term, planned period of overfeeding—usually focusing on particular macronutrients”, or “a particular day of increased caloric intake to refuel the body after having been in a depleted state, due to either caloric restriction and/or increased physical activity”. Whichever definition you choose to embrace, they both communicate basically the same thing: a refeed is a meal or day where an athlete intentionally increases their caloric intake to sort of restart their metabolism. 

So, does a refeed day actually work? Although the idea behind it makes logical sense, unfortunately it is difficult to back up the idea with actual science because there are so many variables. However, with that being said, there may be some physiological and mental benefits of refeeding. For example, eating more food will require more energy to break that food down, which may increase the number of calories used that day. This may also increase the amount of energy you have that day, which could unintentionally lead to more movement. 

On the mental side of things, a refeed day can help ease the anxiety that often accompanies calorie or carb restrictive eating. Oftentimes, it can be difficult to maintain this type of eating for extended periods of time, so giving in to a “cheat day” can be a natural response. Therefore, a refeed day can be beneficial because it is a way to increase one’s calorie and carb intake without going to the opposite extreme and binge eating unhealthy foods. You can give yourself a little bit of a break while still staying on track with your health goals. 

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CrossFitters have lots of experience on bikes – the Assault bike, which is known for leaving most athletes unable to walk or laying on the floor gasping for air, and the C2 bike, which requires a continuous source of energy output in order to accumulate any distance. But, how often do CrossFitters (besides the elite athletes, of course) spend time on a mountain bike, road bike, or hybrid bike? Each of these options is a little different than sitting on a stationary bike where there are no hills, no potholes, no downhills, etc. In order to be successful out on the trails/roads, here are several quick tips you can use to get the most out of your bike rides.

Being efficient on a bike all starts with the proper set up. If your bike isn’t fit for your needs, then you will not be able to use the appropriate muscles. One of the main, and probably most important, pieces that needs to be adjusted is the seat. When seated on your bike, you want to make sure that your leg is fully extended when the pedal is at the bottom of its rotation. Not making this adjustment can lead to an exaggerated bend in the knee when you pedal, which not only compromises the integrity of the knee joint but also sacrifices power, making for a less-efficient pedal stroke. 

One of the toughest parts of biking outside is the potential for changes in elevation. When it comes to biking uphill, there are several tips you can use to improve your efficiency during the climb. To get a “head start” on the climb, start accelerating at the base of the climb. This will allow inertia to carry you up the first part of the climb. Then, continue biking at a fast cadence to help get you through the rest of the climb. Try lightly resting your palms about 4 to 6 inches apart on the handlebars. This will help you relax and stay focused on establishing a rhythm. Finally, for climbs where there are occasional lulls or less-steep sections, try keeping your bike on a higher gear on the climb, instead of trying to re-shift multiple times. This saves time on the climb. 

Finally, having an efficient pedal stroke can go a long way in making a ride more enjoyable and decreasing the time it takes to cover more ground. If you watch an experienced rider, it looks like they are almost floating in space. Their legs fire like pistons and the stroke is perfectly circular, fluid, and rhythmic. This is because in order to maximize power, you have to minimize movement, develop a circular rhythm, and engage the pedal system with proper technique. To do this, you need to work with nature and use physics to support your movement.

To understand proper pedaling mechanics, think of the pedal stroke as a clock. To generate the most power, you want to strike into the pedal system at the power phase, which is at three or four o’clock. Many people believe that you should push down on one side of the pedal and then pull up on the opposite side. However, this is actually not the case. Using the clock analogy, you want to preload at about one o’clock, start engaging at about two o’clock, and then exert the most drive through three and four o’clock. You want to continue to drive down as you pass through the power phase, begin to ease off through five and six o’clock and then completely disengage at about seven o’clock. At this point, the opposite leg is starting its preload phase and the cycle is repeated on the other side.

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Power, Speed, Endurance: A Skill-Based Approach to Endurance Training by Brian Mackenzie with Glen Cordoza

So you’ve been doing On-Ramp classes (introductory CrossFit classes) for several weeks now and you’re wondering if you’re ready to transition over to the ‘big kid’ CrossFit classes. Chances are, if you’re even considering making the leap over to CrossFit then you’re probably ready to jump in feet first. With that being said, it can be intimidating to start working out with the big dogs, so here are some things to consider when making the transition. 

Larger Classes

This is a common theme at most CrossFit gyms – after you ‘graduate’ from the introductory class and start attending regular CrossFit classes, you will probably notice that the class sizes are larger. This can often be intimidating and you may feel like you are getting lost in the crowd. Try to avoid working out in the back corner where you can easily be missed by the coach. If there is something that you don’t understand for the workout or strength/accessory piece, make sure you ask questions. It can be difficult for the coach to make it around to every athlete, especially in a larger class, so you can’t be afraid to speak out. 

Faster-Paced Classes

The beauty of an introductory (On-Ramp or Bootcamp) program is that it is created to be a slower-paced class where there is a built-in instructional time to help newer athletes learn the basic movements and skills needed to be successful in CrossFit. However, oftentimes the regular CrossFit classes operate at a much faster pace because they often include both a strength and metcon portion to the class. Therefore, it is important to look at the wod information before class so that you know what movements are going to show up in class for that day, look up any percentages needed for weightlifting, etc. This will also help you know what’s coming next in class so that you are prepared to move quickly. 

More Technical Movements

The purpose of an introductory class is to teach individuals the basic, or foundational, movements of CrossFit. Therefore, more technical movements like muscle-ups, handstand push-ups, weightlifting complexes, etc. will most likely not be programmed. As you make the transition to regular CrossFit classes, be prepared to see more technical movements included in the daily wods. Don’t let this possibility scare you away – there are many different ways that these more complicated movements can be modified or scaled. 

So your box has just started an Olympic lifting program and the coach is using a lot of terms that you are not familiar with, such as ‘hang’, ‘high pull’, and ‘muscle’. You’re trying your best to pay attention, but all the movements look the same and you can’t seem to remember which one is which. Have no fear! You are not alone. Here is a quick guide to some of the most common Olympic lifting terms:

“Hang” – this term refers to the starting position of the barbell in the clean or the snatch. If the metcon or strength wod does not specify what type of clean or snatch is to be performed then you can assume that you will be taking the barbell directly from the floor for every rep. However, if it is written as “hang” snatch or “hang” clean, then the barbell will be taken from anywhere above the knees. Therefore, before you start the first rep, you will have to deadlift the barbell from the floor and then you can begin your reps, keeping the barbell somewhere between your knees and hips at the start of each rep.

“Power” – this term refers to the depth that an athlete has to squat when performing a clean or snatch. Oftentimes, the daily wod will not specify ‘squat’ before the type of lift. When performing lifts for a strength portion, if it is written simply as ‘clean’ or ‘snatch’, it can be assumed that you are supposed to squat when performing these movements. However, when written the same for a metcon, you can then assume that no squat is required. The term ‘power’ is used in strength programming to describe squatting at or above parallel. Therefore, when ‘power’ precedes the terms ‘snatch’ or ‘clean’, the athlete knows that they are not supposed to squat below parallel.

“Muscle” – when performing a ‘muscle’ clean or snatch, the idea is that the athlete only uses the shoulder shrug and arm pull to get the bar to its finishing position. Once the bar is taken from the ground and the hips and legs fully extend, then the shoulders shrug with a big pull from the arms. The bar is pulled into the front rack position (for the clean) or overhead (for the snatch) with the legs staying straight. The most important thing to note on these movements is that the legs do not re-dip in the catch position.

“Pull” v. “High Pull” – practicing the pulling portion of the Olympic lifts is an excellent way to build strength and refine technique. However, it can often be confusing to know whether you are supposed to bend the arms, only shrug, actually pull the bar up higher with your arms, etc. There are two types of ‘pulls’ that are used when practicing the Olympic lifts – the high pull and the pull. When performing a ‘pull’, an athlete’s finishing position should simply be that they end with a shrug. When performing a ‘high pull’, the athlete finishes with their arms bent and their elbows high and to the outside (often referred to as the ‘scarecrow’ position). As both of these movements are being performed, the athlete should think about keeping the bar close to their body, keeping their chest up and shoulders over the bar until they reach full extension, and bringing their hips forward to meet the bar at full extension. These portions of the movement are the same for both types of pull.