18
Feb 2015
5 essentials to have in your gym bag…
You get to the box, and the white board reads:
WOD
Find your 1rm Snatch
Conditioning
5 rounds for time of:
20 pull ups
10 HSPU
400m run
Relief sets in as you quickly perform the math in your head and realize that this WOD was meant for you, everything is in your wheel house. And then you start to think safety and efficacy… How will I get through this WOD and end up on the other side unscathed and more fit? Will I rip my hands? Do I have enough stability with the sneakers I’m wearing? Am I going to get callused using this “hook” grip they keep telling me I need to use? Will i remember my 1RM so I will have it for upcoming programming? Am I properly fueled to perform this amount of workload?
Every sport or fitness endeavor has some sort of dress code for the safety and efficacy of said sport. CrossFit is no different. Below I’ve listed my “5 essentials to have in your gym bag” to give you an idea of some appropriate items to have on hand to get the most out of your WOD without letting it get the most out of YOU…
1) Journal – The fastest way to progress is to keep track of what your doing. Whether you are working off of percentages, trying to compare you latest Fran time to the previous one, or trying to stay on par with your goals, keeping a journal has a multitude of benefits. It will give you great insight into what you have done in the past and allow you to see how much progress you have made over any given amount of time. It can be used as a milestone tracker, keeping you on pace with your goals. It can also be used to record sleep and food patterns and help you relate it to the success or failure of any given WOD. If you have never used a journal before, ask your coach, they’ll be happy to show you how!
2) Hand protection – Athletic tape for fingers, hand guards for the rig. These two are staple items for any serious CrossFitter. Like a pulled hamstring or a painful shoulder, having hands that are missing skin and can’t hold onto a bar without causing pain is just as much of an injury and can side line you just as easily. If your WOD calls for any weightlifting (snatch or clean related movements) and you are using a hook grip (we hope you are) then you need to tape your thumbs. Have a high rep pull up or toes to bar WOD and you have soft hands or are mending a previously torn hand, wear some hand guards for protection. Be proactive and be prepared, rather than reactive which leaves you recovering on the sidelines.
3) Proper footwear – There are typically two types of shoes you need for CrossFit. One that is tailored for the fast and heavy movements that require high amounts of stability and good joint range of motion (snatch, clean, squat) and the other tailored for running, jumping and less demanding movements, particularly ones that don’t require as much stability and joint range of motion (pull ups, push ups, box jumps, double under’s). You wouldn’t ski without your ski boots, just like you shouldn’t WOD without your nano’s or lifters. Success always lies in your preparation! For a list of some good choices, look HERE.
4) Joint support (knee & wrist wraps) – Using knee and wrist supports to aid in your daily WOD’s is a great idea. Using the additional support of wraps has many advantages including – increased blood flow (aids in warming up), reduced pain and swelling, reduced injury potential, and increased joint stability. Some use them as a precautionary measure, while others use them as a rehabilitative measure. I believe that the harder and more frequent you train, the more benefit there is to using them than not.
5) Pre and post WOD supplements – This is totally subjective, and is based on individual preference. Are you lacking energy before a WOD? Have an easily digestible snack on hand to give you a little “get up and go”. Think fuel for fire, a protein shake with a few honey sticks, or a pre-WOD supplement containing caffeine, beta alanine, branch chain amino acids, and creatine. Of course nothing beats normally scheduled meals that leave you feeling energized all day, but sometimes life’s demands call for more. Or, maybe you just want that extra push and increased performance potential!
After your WOD is, in my opinion, much more important than pre-WOD. You’ve just depleted your bodies main energy stores, and your body is in an increased anabolic state. Think recovery and growth. This is when you want an easily digestible protein source (whey protein shake) with some quick acting carbohydrates (honey, fruit, coconut water, dextrose powder ) along with some key recovery supplements such as glutamine, and branch chain amino acids. Get this into your system with in 1 hour after your WOD (15-30 minutes is ideal). Your body won’t be in an anabolic state forever…
So there you have it, my “5 essentials” that always have a place in my gym bag. Consider what items are most important to your success and safety and start packing!
~Coach Chris
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