Basic Tips for Injury Prevention

Have you ever had someone come up to you and tell you that CrossFit is dangerous? They may follow up that statement by talking about some CrossFit fail video they saw on YouTube or Instagram. In reality, CrossFit is no more dangerous than any other sport. In fact, it is actually a lot safer than many contact sports and even running. So, why is it then that CrossFit gets such a bad rap? Well, like any other sport, injuries in CrossFit can happen and are not uncommon. However, there are several things that you can do to help prevent the occurrence of injuries.

Check your ego at the door. It can be easy to get caught up in the competition aspect of a CrossFit class (especially for ex-college/high school athletes and guys, yes guys). You see that one member across the gym who is lifting a few pounds heavier than you, so you slap an extra set of plates onto your barbell. However, it’s extremely important to stay away from comparing yourself to others. There is always going to be someone who lifts more than you, who is better at gymnastics than you, or who can run faster than you. Don’t try to keep up with them. Stay in your own lane and focus on your personal growth.

Seek supervision. Don’t hesitate to pull a coach aside and ask them to look at your form if something feels off. Sometimes this can be difficult for newer athletes because they are still learning body awareness, so in this case, make sure you are listening to the coach’s cues and suggestions regarding weight, movement substitutions, etc. They are trained to spot flaws in an individual’s movement pattern so take full advantage of their expertise.

Prioritize technique and know your limits. There are many difficult movements that are used in day-to-day CrossFit programming – technical Olympic lifts and advanced gymnastics movements. If performed with bad technique or before the appropriate amount of strength is developed, injuries can happen as a result. Therefore, it is extremely important to focus on using correct technique before adding weight for barbell movements and knowing your body’s limits before attempting more difficult gymnastics movements.

Warm up properly. The beauty of a CrossFit class is that it is coach-led. You don’t have to think about what workout to do, how to perform different movements, what warm up to do, etc. With that being said, it is important to take the warm up seriously. The coach’s job is to ensure that your body is warm and your muscles are prepared to take on strain before lifting or doing a metcon. This often means that your heart rate is elevated and you’ve already started to break a sweat. So, don’t skip the warm up because you think it’s too hard. There is a reason why the coach is putting you through the particular exercises they’ve chosen. 

Listen to your body. Recovery is also an important part of staying injury free. Things like getting enough sleep, drinking enough water, mobility, etc. all play a vital role in keeping your body in a healthy state. It’s also important to take 1-2 rest days per week. After your body has been under a high amount of strain for several days in a row, it needs time to fully recover. Listen to your body – if you’re feeling extra drained, take a rest day. If you didn’t get very much sleep the night before, do an active recovery piece instead. Your fitness won’t suffer because of it, but your body might. 

 

Kipping it Real with Aaron!

Each month Overland Park CrossFit recognizes a member who exemplifies our values and motivates others in the gym to push themselves with encouraging words. February’s Athlete of the Month is Aaron Fowler. Aaron was chosen because he has shown great improvement in his lifting technique and gymnastics movements, and is very encouraging to the other members in his class. His desire to become a better athlete is evident in his dedication to make working out a priority, spending extra time doing the optional accessory work when he can, practicing his gymnastics movements, and listening to the coach’s cues to improve his weightlifting movements. His hard work is paying off and we love having Aaron as a part of our OPCF community!

How long have you been working out at Overland Park CrossFit? I have been at OPCF for a year and a half.

What were your thoughts after your first CrossFit workout? Do you remember what it was? I don’t remember my first workout but I remember being extremely challenged and excited for the next one.

What has been your favorite workout so far? My favorite workout has been the 2K row.

What is your favorite cheat meal? My favorite cheat meal is pizza!

What did you want to be when you grew up and where do you work now? When I was young, I wanted to play in the NBA. I currently work at Children’s Mercy Hospital as a Respiratory Therapist and ECMO Specialist.

What do you like to do outside of work? Outside of work I love to hunt, play disc golf, and brew coffee!

What advice would you give a newbie just starting at OPCF? Hang in there. Do what you can do. Have a good time!

What’s one Crossfit goal you have set for yourself to accomplish this next year? This year I would like to finish an Rx workout with muscle-ups.

What changes have you seen in yourself since starting at OPCF? I have gotten stronger, faster, and more confident with my lifts.

What is your biggest improvement or proudest accomplishment thus far? I did my first muscle-up this year!

How do you fit working out into your weekly schedule? I make working out a priority as much as I can. And I try to get in a little extra work after class each day.

What is something you have always wanted to do but haven’t yet? I have always wanted to explore/survive in the backcountry in Alaska.

 

Habit Stacking

January is basically over, which means it’s time to take a pause and evaluate where you’re at with your new year’s resolutions. How did you do? Are you still on track to accomplish your goals? Making and keeping resolutions can be really hard. It’s easy to be motivated for a short period of time, but it can often wear off in less than a month. Why is that?

A common flaw in setting new year’s resolutions (or any type of goal in general) is that we often go to the extreme. We want to eat better, so we swear off sugar. We want to get fit, so we try to wake up at 5am every morning and hit the gym. However, if you’re used to eating junk food and sleeping in, then doing a complete 180 on these habits is not sustainable. For goals to be successful, you have to ease into them – aka, learn the process of habit stacking.

So, what is habit stacking? It is the process of using already formed habits to then stack a new behavior on top. Whether you are consciously aware of it or not, you perform hundreds of simple habits every single day. It can be something as simple as making a pot of coffee in the morning, scrolling through social media as you eat your breakfast, or changing out of your pajamas before going downstairs. These all sound like very simple tasks (which they are) but they are also simple habits that you have pre-established. Therefore, to be successful at forming new habits, you can use these pre-existing habits and stack your new habits on top. Rather than pairing your new habit with a time and/or location, you pair it with a current habit.

Here is the formula: After/Before [Current Habit], I will [New Habit]. Let’s take a look at some examples:

  • After I pour my cup of coffee in the morning, I will journal for 5 minutes.
  • After I sit down to dinner, I will say one thing I am thankful for today.
  • After I go to the bathroom when I wake up, I will drink one glass of water.

This approach may seem over-simplified, but it’s successful because your current habits are already built into your brain so you don’t have to think about them. These patterns and behaviors have been strengthened over the years. Therefore, by linking your new habits to these already existing habits, there is a much higher chance for success. Once you master this simple pathway to creating and maintaining new habits, then you can start creating larger stacks by linking several small habits together.

The formation of a habit follows this pattern: Cue → Craving → Response → Reward

This cycle simply repeats itself over and over as new habits are formed. The cue is what triggers your habit stack, and the more specific the cue, the better. A cue could be as simple as getting out of bed, taking the kids to school, or eating lunch. When forming a habit stack around the cue, make sure you designate when the new habit will be implemented. Will you run 1 mile before or after you drop off the kids at school? Will you take your vitamins before or after you eat lunch? Etc. It is important to be specific and clear when creating a new habit stack. The more tightly bound your new habit is to a specific cue, the better the chance you will notice when the time comes to act.

Want to learn more about habit stacking? Check out the book Atomic Habits by James Clear

Source: https://jamesclear.com/habit-stacking 

 

Kipping it Real with Tessa!

Each month Overland Park CrossFit recognizes a member who exemplifies our values and motivates others in the gym to push themselves with encouraging words. January’s Athlete of the Month is Tessa Holland. Tessa was chosen because of the way she prioritizes coming to class regardless of her work schedule, and because of this consistency, we have been able to witness tremendous growth in her as an athlete. She always welcomes a more challenging version of the workout when it is suggested and always gives it her all. She is very attentive to the coach’s cues and does her best to make corrections to movements. Her hard work is paying off and we love having Tessa as a part of our OPCF community!

How long have you been working out at Overland Park CrossFit? 1 year!

What were your thoughts after your first CrossFit workout? Do you remember what it was? I thought, ‘Holy cow, I have a lot of work to do.’ The workout was something with box jumps and running.

What has been your favorite workout so far? I love the workouts where I absolutely die, but feel like I accomplished a lot.
What is your favorite cheat meal? Donuts, for sure.
What did you want to be when you grew up and where do you work now? I wanted to be a hair stylist, but I am a Credit Analyst.
What do you like to do outside of work? I enjoy riding horses and checking cattle with my husband. Also, I love spending time with our niece and nephews! We are always busy at the farm!
What advice would you give a newbie just starting at OPCF? Don’t be afraid to scale workouts – everyone starts somewhere. Show up and put in the work!
What is your favorite/least favorite movement? I love cleans, but I hate thrusters!
What’s one CrossFit goal you have set for yourself to accomplish this next year? Keep consistently coming to classes. I would also like to dive more into nutrition and how to fuel my body correctly.
What changes have you seen in yourself since starting at OPCF? Overall, my confidence has gone up. I am able to fit into my clothes better. Mentally, it has helped me in many aspects of my life.
What is your biggest improvement or proudest accomplishment thus far? My proudest accomplishment is signing up and finishing The Open last year. I enjoyed pushing myself and was pleasantly surprised with what I could do! Also, just trying to improve every day and build on the hard work that’s already been done.
How do you fit working out into your weekly schedule? I try to prioritize making the 4:30 class. I think by making this a routine it’s easier to come regularly (no matter how bad the workout looks). My husband works late and is usually off by the time I get home. If I didn’t workout I’d probably be bored at home!
What is something you have always wanted to do but haven’t yet?  Make nutrition a top priority!

 

Kipping it Real with Spencer!

Each month Overland Park CrossFit recognizes a member who exemplifies our values and motivates others in the gym to push themselves with encouraging words. December’s Athlete of the Month is Spencer Wasman. Spencer was chosen because of his consistency at the gym, his dedication to moving well, and his ‘go hard’ attitude, which all reflect his commitment to improving his fitness and living a healthier life. He has made huge improvements with his gymnastics movements, double-unders, cardio, and strength, which is a testament to his hard work. It is all paying off and we love having Spencer as a part of our OPCF community!

How long have you been working out at Overland Park CrossFit? 1.5 years

What were your thoughts after your first CrossFit workout? Do you
remember what it was? I thought it was the hardest workout I had ever done in my life, but I 
survived. I definitely scaled everything, but I remember doing lots of wall balls.

What has been your favorite workout so far? I don’t know if I have a specific workout, but if I did, it probably
had toes-to-bar and/or power cleans in it.

What is your favorite cheat meal? Pizza

What did you want to be when you grew up and where do you work now? As a kid, I always wanted to become a professional athlete. As I got 
older, I had no idea what I wanted to do, and honestly still don’t. I currently work for Johnson County Government doing commercial real estate appraisal.

What do you like to do outside of work? I enjoy taking my dog Sadie for walks, traveling, and watching Football.

What advice would you give a newbie just starting at OPCF? Be patient when learning all the movements and have fun!

What is your favorite/least favorite movement? My favorite movement is probably toes-to-bar; my least favorite is OH Squats 
since I struggle with anything overhead.

What’s one CrossFit goal you have set for yourself to accomplish this next year? I would love to be able to do muscle-ups, even just one would be cool.

What changes have you seen in yourself since starting at OPCF? I have seen huge changes both physically and mentally. CrossFit was 
exactly what I needed to maintain consistency in exercising. Before coming to OPCF, I never would have imagined that I would be addicted to working out. The amazing coaches and great community of people certainly help make it a place that I enjoy being at.

What is your biggest improvement or proudest accomplishment thus far? My proudest accomplishment has been learning double-unders, which was a goal I had set for myself this last year. I got frustrated at times thinking I would never be able to do them, but I kept practicing and I was really happy once I finally got them down.

How do you fit working out into your weekly schedule? Working out has become a priority and something I look forward to so I just try to plan everything around it. It helps that my wife also attends, so it is something fun that we get to do together.

What is something you have always wanted to do but haven’t yet? I would love to go to Germany and Italy someday.

 

Kipping it Real with Victoria!

Each month Overland Park CrossFit recognizes a member who exemplifies our values and motivates others in the gym to push themselves with encouraging words. November’s Athlete of the Month is Victoria Fanning. Victoria was chosen because in her time here at OPCF, there have been several different positive changes we’ve seen in her as an athlete and as a person. She has grown to be a lot more confident; she has started to attack WODs with intensity; she has put an emphasis on moving with perfect form over heavier weights; and she is always looking for feedback so she can continue to improve. 

Victoria possesses a desire to get better every single day and shows up to put in the work. No matter the challenge of the workout, she always gives it her best. Her hard work is paying off and we love having Victoria as a part of our OPCF community! Learn more about Victoria below!

How long have you been working out at Overland Park CrossFit? 5 months (and counting).

What were your thoughts after your first CrossFit workout? Do you remember what it was? I don’t remember what the workout was, but I remember thinking, “I can’t wait until I’m actually good at this.”

What has been your favorite workout so far? Anything with power cleans or snatches.

What is your favorite cheat meal? Not gonna lie, most, if not all, of my meals would be considered cheat meals; but if I had to choose something specific it would be an overflowing Chipotle bowl.

What did you want to be when you grew up and where do you work now? I was an outdoorsy kid, so I wanted to do anything that involved working with animals/nature. Right now I work part-time with my family’s cleaning company which allows me to focus mainly on school.

What do you like to do outside of work? I’ve been getting into reading lately. My favorite author is Haruki Murakami.

What advice would you give a newbie just starting at OPCF? The days when you really don’t feel like going to the gym are the days when it’s most important to go.

What is your favorite/least favorite movement? I really really really don’t like toes to bar, but that’s mostly because I’m not very good at them, or any gymnastics movement for that matter. My favorite would have to be the power clean, with power snatch being a close second.

What’s one CrossFit goal you have set for yourself to accomplish this next year? I would love to improve my gymnastics abilities and spend more time in the gym in general. Also, a muscle-up would be pretty cool.

What changes have you seen in yourself since starting at OPCF? Slowly but surely, my cardiovascular endurance is improving as well as my overall strength. I feel better in almost every way, and look forward to workouts more often than I dread them.

What is your biggest improvement or proudest accomplishment thus far? Since I started, I’ve done my best to actually show up and work out 5 days a week and give it my all. I haven’t been perfect and I have my off days, but I haven’t given up, and I don’t intend to stop anytime soon.

How do you fit working out into your weekly schedule? Working out always leaves me feeling good and in the mood to work more, so I try to go before I have to buckle down and do schoolwork.

What is something you have always wanted to do but haven’t yet? I really want to start going to the gym twice a day so I can spend some time working on skill, mobility, and technique.

Kipping it Real with Abe!

Each month Overland Park CrossFit recognizes a member who exemplifies our values and motivates others in the gym to push themselves with encouraging words. October’s Athlete of the Month is Abe Eller. Abe was chosen because since he joined the gym in April, he has made a ton of progress, which has been really cool to watch! He possesses the willingness to learn and take cues from his coaches which has helped him improve his weightlifting movements. He has patiently worked on developing his gymnastics skills and has greatly improved his toes-to-bar and kipping pull-ups. He also brings a positive attitude to every single class and is very encouraging to the other members he works out with. His hard work is paying off and we love having Abe as a part of our OPCF community! Learn more about Abe below!

How long have you been working out at Overland Park CrossFit? 4 or 5 months.
What were your thoughts after your first CrossFit workout? Do you remember what it was? I know I was extremely nervous going in. It was a Foundations class and Jeremy and Jesse were the coaches. I think ‘relieved’ was my first thought. I felt like, “I can do this.” I remember texting Tony immediately after – I was hooked.
What has been your favorite workout so far? Believe it or not, I loved the 100 burpee workout we did several weeks ago.
What is your favorite cheat meal? Ice cream (if that’s considered a meal)!
What did you want to be when you grew up and where do you work now? I always wanted to be a sports agent until I realized I wasn’t cut out for law school:) I am now the owner and president of ETEK.

What do you like to do outside of work? I love love love playing with and helping coach my kiddos. Driveway drinks are also usually on my list of things to do on weekends 😉
What advice would you give a newbie just starting at OPCF? If you’re new, don’t be intimidated. Literally, the members/coaches at OPCF are the best group of people you will meet.
What is your favorite/least favorite movement? I love me some burpees. My least favorite movement is the snatch.
What’s one CrossFit goal you have set for yourself to accomplish this next year? Currently, my 3-month goal is to do a 25′ handstand walk. After that, I’m really going to focus on muscle-ups, while also trying to get better at the Olympic movements.
What changes have you seen in yourself since starting at OPCF? I am definitely more committed to my workouts than I have been in years. I am setting goals for my fitness, which is something I haven’t done in a really long time.
What is your biggest improvement or proudest accomplishment thus far? Getting kipping pull-ups and double-unders! Also, my back is stronger than it’s been in a long time too; all thanks to Leah making me take off the belt 😉
How do you fit working out into your weekly schedule? It’s really a juggling act. My first choice is the noon class because there seems to be a dead spot in my day. If that doesn’t work, then I usually go to 4:30. If that’s not available, then I do my own variation of something at home or at the track. Regardless, I try to do something 6 days per week.

What is something you have always wanted to do but haven’t yet? I really want to go to Scotland. (I love scotch!)

Intermittent Fasting: Diet Trend or Lasting Lifestyle Choice?

There are a lot of “buzz words” out there and diet trends that constantly claim to be the best method for losing weight, gaining muscle, getting leaner, etc. One such “trend” that’s been circulating the health world is the phrase ‘intermittent fasting’. The idea of fasting has been around hundreds of years, but the idea of ‘intermittent fasting’ first burst on the scene in 2012 with the TV documentary Eat Fast, Live Longer and has subsequently grown in popularity in the years that followed. 

Fast-forward to the present, and intermittent fasting has become a staple in the CrossFit community. In fact, one of the most famous CrossFit athletes of all time, THE Rich Froning himself, has found great success with intermittent fasting. So, if it’s a method of eating adopted by the greats, is it something that you should be doing as well? Let’s look at the basic facts and then you can determine if intermittent fasting is right for you. 

First of all, it’s important to note that intermittent fasting differs from other dieting methods because the focus isn’t so much on what to eat, but when to eat. A very simple definition of intermittent fasting is that it is an eating pattern that cycles between periods of eating and fasting. Therefore, the focus isn’t so much on what types of foods to eat or avoid, but the timing of meals throughout the day. 

There are actually several different types of intermittent fasting, but the following three methods have become the most popular:

  • The 16/8 Method: this is also known as the Leangains protocol and involves skipping breakfast and keeping your daily eating period to 8 hours (such as between 1-9pm). Then you fast for the next 16 hours until your next eating period.
  • Eat-Stop-Eat: This method involves fasting for 24 hours once or twice a week. An example of this would be to not eat from dinner one night to dinner the next day. 
  • The 5:2 Diet: For this method, 5 days of the week follow a normal eating schedule and on the other two days, you only consume 500-600 calories (however, these should be two non-consecutive days). 

All of these methods do involve reducing your caloric intake (whether it be by purposely eating less calories on a couple days a week or restricting the time you take in meals) which should cause weight loss as long as you don’t compensate by over-eating during the eating periods. The 16/8 method is the most commonly used because it is the simplest and often fits into peoples’ lives the best. 

Finally, it is important to note that there are several health benefits to intermittent fasting. For starters, intermittent fasting can reduce blood pressure, markers of inflammation, oxidative stress, insulin resistance, and risk of cancer. It can also increase cellular turnover and repair, fat burning, growth-hormone release, and metabolic rate. It also improves appetite control, blood-sugar control, cardiovascular function, and neurogenesis and neuronal plasticity. 

Sources:

https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/intermittent-fasting-surprising-update-2018062914156 

https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/intermittent-fasting-guide#what-it-is 

https://journal.crossfit.com/article/my-experiments-with-intermittent-fasting-2 

 

Kipping it Real with Ashlyn!

Each month Overland Park CrossFit recognizes a member who exemplifies our values and motivates others in the gym to push themselves with encouraging words. September’s Athlete of the Month is Ashlyn Carruth. Ashlyn was chosen because since day 1, she has been hungry to learn, she is always asking for extra accessory work to improve her weaknesses, and she is very enthusiastic and encouraging towards other members! Her hard work is paying off and we love having Ashlyn as a part of our OPCF community! Learn more about Ashlyn below

How long have you been working out at Overland Park CrossFit? I have been at OPCF for just over 3 months!
What were your thoughts after your first Crossfit workout? Do you remember what it was? Driving to the gym, I was initially freaking out. However, right when I walked in, everyone was extremely kind and very welcoming! The workout was a run/front squat amrap. It was KILLER, but I absolutely loved it. From that first day at OPCF, I knew that CrossFit was my new passion and I was extremely excited to come back for workout #2!
What has been your favorite workout so far? I don’t think I can pick a favorite, but anything with power cleans, ghds, rowing, and handstand walk, I love!
What is your favorite cheat meal? Either ice cream or Tropical Smoothie!
What did you want to be when you grew up and where do you work now? Growing up, I wanted to be a nurse of some kind! I am unsure of what I will be, but I do know I want to help people, whether that’s medically, physically, or mentally!
What do you like to do outside of work? I love being with friends and family, walking my dogs, playing violin, dance, and when not at CrossFit…. watching CrossFit videos!
What advice would you give a newbie just starting at OPCF? First of all, my advice is to show up, and have a good time!! Once you walk in the door, everyone WANTS you there! You are going to get so much more out of this journey than just working out. Everyone starts somewhere, and you will only grow and become stronger, so really, ENJOY the process!!
What is your favorite/least favorite movement? My favorite is rowing/ski, and least favorite is running!
What’s one CrossFit goal you have set for yourself to accomplish this year? I think it would be awesome to get a consistent 25’ handstand walk, and overall just improve gymnastics skills! Oh, and I have been told I need to learn barbell math 😉
What changes have you seen in yourself since starting at OPCF? CONFIDENCE. I am overall just a happier human being, and walk with confidence, ready to take on all and any challenges the world has to throw at me! I stopped working out for the way it makes me look, but workout for the way it makes me FEEL, which is strong and powerful!
What is your biggest improvement or proudest accomplishment thus far? My proudest accomplishment is seeing how far I have come, which is so far, on this incredible journey! I surprise myself every day with what I can accomplish at the gym, whether that’s a simple movement or finishing a tough workout!
How do you fit working out into your weekly schedule? At the beginning of the week, I go through my schedule and plan out the days and times I can be at the gym!
What is something you have always wanted to do but haven’t yet? Travel outside of the country!

 

Kipping it Real with Tony!

Each month Overland Park CrossFit recognizes a member who exemplifies our values and motivates others in the gym to push themselves with encouraging words. August’s Athlete of the Month is Tony Clodfelter. Tony was chosen because of the extra time and effort he puts into working on his weaknesses, his willingness to patiently let his body heal from an injury, his desire to learn and improve his technique on the snatch and clean and jerk, and his overall positive attitude that he carries with him to the gym! His hard work is paying off and we love having Tony as a part of our OPCF community! Learn more about Tony below.

How long have you been working out at Overland Park CrossFit? 3 years

What were your thoughts after your first CrossFit workout? This is more challenging than I thought and I will be back. Do you remember what it was? Sadly, I don’t.

What has been your favorite workout so far? Anything with an Assault bike

What is your favorite cheat meal? Minsky’s Pizza

What did you want to be when you grew up and where do you work now? I wanted to work with computers and now I work at Cerner working on computer software.

What do you like to do outside of work? If I’m not at the gym, then I’m walking my dog or going fishing.

What advice would you give a newbie just starting at OPCF?  Take your time to enjoy the experience and as you put in the time on the movements, they will get better.

What is your favorite/least favorite movement? Favorite movement is the Assault bike; least favorite movement is the burpee.

What’s one Crossfit goal you have set for yourself to accomplish this next year? Get my T2B to be more efficient.

What changes have you seen in yourself since starting at OPCF? Just being overall happy in all walks of life.

What is your biggest improvement or proudest accomplishment thus far? Biggest improvement would be my consistency coming to gym.

How do you fit working out into your weekly schedule?  I look over my weekly schedule and see what time works best for me (usually 4:30 or 5:30 after work).

What is something you have always wanted to do but haven’t yet? Sky diving