What is CrossFit + Intro Workout

 

Jay and I recently bought a Living Social deal to try out a local CrossFit gym. I've been wanting to try out CrossFit for a while and this was the push I needed to do it. We went to an introductory class last night and although we did 1/4 of what we normally would do when we are there, my butt was still kicked. I loved the high energy and how quick the workouts are. I left there a sweaty mess and I can't wait to go back to see what more is in store for us.

 

Not familiar with CrossFit? CrossFit is constantly varied functional movements performed at relatively high intensity. Basically, you bust your butt and work really hard in a short amount of time for an extremely effective form of exercise.

 

We practiced form for the 5 moves we would be doing later during our Workout of the Day (WOD). Our trainer had us do a 400 meter run around the building to warm up and then we got into the moves for the day. We focused on squats, push ups, sit ups, box jumps and kettle bell swings. Turns out, I was doing most of these moves incorrectly before and didn't even know it! It was nice to have someone checking on my form and letting me know what I was doing wrong so I can work to correct it. After we got our moves down it was time for our WOD. Here's what we did

 

10 minutes AMRAP (as many reps as possible)

5 Squats

5 Push ups

5 Sit ups

5 Box jumps

5 Kettle bell swings

 

 

This is a fraction of what they normally do for a workout and I was toast! It was nice to put the moves we learned into action to see how much we could push ourselves. I was able to get 8.4 reps in (almost through the squence 9 times in 10 minutes). The box jumps were killer at the end!

 

I can't wait to go back tomorrow night to learn some more moves to apply to our routine. I will keep sharing these workouts with you on the blog so you can try CrossFit out too! Just make sure to watch videos online for correct form and don't push yourself beyond what your body can handle. It takes time to work up to what the experts are doing!

 

What do you think? Have you tried CrossFit before? Would you ever give it a try?

 



Warrior Dash Training Update

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Back in January, I posted about my plans to participate in the Warrior Dash this June. Since that time I’ve been hitting the gym at least four to five times per week, if not more. Here’s a quick update on my progress:

Running: Running still continues to be a challenge for me, but I am improving. I’m noticing that first mile I run is getting a little bit easier and I’m definitely able to run farther than when I started. I have a long way to go to meet my goals, but I’m happy with my progress so far. 

Strength Training: The majority of my training over the past month and a half has been weightlifting. I’ve been working out various muscle groups on different days—biceps, triceps, shoulders, chest, back, core/abs and legs/butt. I’m noticing more muscle definition and have been able to increase the amount of weight I lift in some areas. I’ve also noticed that my stomach (normally a trouble spot for me) is getting a little more toned and in shape. It’s so encouraging seeing some results! 

Circuit Training: This is something I definitely need to do more of! I’ve done a little, which has consisted of a few rounds of running, pull-ups, walking lunges and burpees. I’m hoping to do more over the next few weeks. 

Stretching: With adding more running to my workout routine, I’ve noticed that my legs are a little tighter. Also, because I’ve been strength training more, I’m experiencing more sore muscles. This is a good thing because I know I’m working hard, but it’s deterred me from having some really effective stretching sessions. I’ve been stretching, but I’ll need to do it more frequently.

Are you training for any races this year? Let us know!

Fitness: Training Run - Progressive 5K Treadmill Workout

Spring is right around the corner and so is my favorite season of all: race season. I've been training for a hilly 10 mile race next month and to keep my body guessing and to prevent injuries I've been mixing up my runs and workouts each week. I have scheduled three runs a week with cross training and weight workouts mixed in. This really helps with recovery time and it makes it so I don't over train. My runs consist of one shorter speed interval run, one shorter hill focused run and one long run (on Saturday or Sunday) that increases by a mile each week. 

So far I have been feeling great and will hopefully stay injury free come race day. I make sure to stretch properly before and after every run and always foam roll my muscles to keep the recovery time low. Last week I did this progressive 5k run on my speed interval day and I loved it. Usually I dread running on the treadmill but this kept me guessing and entertained for the 30 minutes it took to complete.

Make sure to start with at least a 5 minute warm up at level 4.5 (a brisk walk or light jog) to get started. The next 2 minutes increase to level 7 followed by a 30 second recovery at level 5. Then 1 minute at a level 8 followed by a 30 second recovery at level 5. Finish it off with 30 seconds of Level 9 (or whatever level to achieve a full out sprint) followed by a 30 second recovery. Get ready to repeat this process all over again 3 more times followed by a 5 minute cool down.

The 30 second recovery time between each interval doesn't seem like a lot of time, but you'd be surprised on what a difference it makes.

If you try this out you'll have to let us know what you thought! Do you have any speed treadmill workouts you love? Leave them in the comments!