MOBILITY!!
One thing I am trying to incorporate more of is mobility – we all need it. As we grow as a gym and the classes get bigger, it’s harder to fit all the work in that us coaches want to fit in. One thing I want to stress more and more is mobility, consistent and meaningful. Even outside the regular coaching time and warm up, I encourage you to mobilize often.
Pre-workout mobility helps to prevent injury, increase range of motion and helps your performance. In the warm up we try not to “stretch” that muscle as much as we try to wake up the muscle. Dynamic stretching is best during this time (waking up the nervous system, getting it ready for work).
Post-workout stretching helps lengthen those muscles and fibers, making us more flexible for the next time around. If we stretch too much/hard a cold muscle we can hurt it and this is often why we do it more than once – aim to feel tension in a stretch, not pain, and hold each stretch for a minimum of 30 seconds. Static stretching (with holds) are very beneficial at the end of the workout. I will be adding yoga back the schedule soon, I encourage you to try a class to benefit your CrossFit. 🙂
One useful tool, foam rolling or “myofascial release” is used to increase blood flow and to aid in the recovery of muscles and assist in returning them to normal function. I have other tools in the gym, lacrosse balls for trigger point therapy and the therapy bands for stretching. Normal function means your muscles are elastic, healthy, and ready to perform. That is exactly what we want.
I encourage you all to pay special attention to your mobility, stretching (pre and post) and your overall body when it comes to its capabilities and limits. You will find over time, the more you add mobility to your regime, the better your “game” will be and the better you feel. Not to mention less injuries. As always, listen to your body when it comes to rest days and always ask a coach if you are unsure of what to do with your mobility to make it better.
~Coach Shari
RSVP to Friday Night’s event – I need a head count by Thursday –> https://www.facebook.com/events/384083925098011/
ps: this week brings the final CrossFit Open 15.5 and Friday night is 80’s night!! Food truck will be here for eats $5 per meal (you can have more than one meal). You buy a meal ticket from us on Friday night and present that to the food truck for your food. I loved watching you all progress through the open. I am sad to see the last Friday night come and go, however we will have other great community events coming up – park WODs, cookouts, etc as the weather gets warmer.
