CrossFit is one of the fastest growing sports in the gym at the moment. It is extremely popular and many people are switching from the gym to CrossFit! What is CrossFit actually? It is a form of fitness that combines weightlifting, athletics and gymnastics. CrossFit (Constantly varied functional movements performed at high intensity) is a full-body workout in a very varied way, where the exercises are performed at a high intensity as quickly as possible. Read more...
CrossFit is one of the fastest growing sports in the gym at the moment. It is extremely popular and many people are switching from the gym to CrossFit! What is CrossFit actually? It is a form of fitness that combines weightlifting, athletics and gymnastics. CrossFit (Constantly varied functional movements performed at high intensity) is a full-body workout in a very varied way, where the exercises are performed at a high intensity as quickly as possible.
CrossFit demands a lot from your body
We make no bones about it ... CrossFit is incredibly tough. You break down every time. With a CrossFit training 3 to 4 times a week you are in top condition. This means that you have to listen to your body to prevent injuries, you have to be able to deal with muscle pain and you have to pay close attention to your diet to sustain it. CrossFit is very varied and challenging and you will push your boundaries on a mental and physical level. Your fitness will improve, you will become more flexible, more athletic and much stronger. CrossFit is also a very social sport because you train in a group. You keep pushing your boundaries or going beyond them and you really need the encouragement from your group. You get a kind of competition and a bond with each other.
Diet and exercise
Heavy and intensive training requires more energy. During a CrossFit training you burn much more energy than, for example, during fitness. You build up more muscles and must be able to recover well after training. Even for recovery, your body needs energy. Regular and varied eating is very important. A good balance in proteins, which accelerate and support protein synthesis and ensure recovery of muscle tissue. Proteins are found in fish, meat, poultry (such as chicken), dairy products, cheese and eggs. You can also opt for a protein supplement to get enough protein. For example, we have delicious protein (protein) pancakes or protein shakes in many different flavors. To build up the glycogen content in your muscles, which are later needed for your training, you need to add (slow) carbohydrates to your diet. Legumes, whole grain products such as whole wheat bread, whole grain pasta, couscous and brown rice are suppliers of Glycogen. Your muscles store approximately 60 to 90 minutes of energy to be able to exercise intensively. Then your fat storage is next. However, this is much more difficult for the body to quickly convert it into energy, which significantly reduces your performance. You want to be ahead of this moment, so make sure you can replenish the carbohydrates during a workout. Here too we have good carbohydrate nutritional supplements for. Delicious energy bars that you can easily take with you. Polyunsaturated fats including oils or soft fats, fatty fish or nuts and seeds. Sufficient fruit and vegetables goes without saying. Make sure you do not eat excessively and without too many sugars and saturated fats. You prefer to eat a meal every 3 hours until about 2 hours before your CrossFit training.
Drink and exercise
In addition to good and balanced nutrition, you must of course take in sufficient fluids. It is good to drink an average of 2 decilitres per hour during the day. For example, it is advisable to drink half a liter of water an hour before your workout and then nothing more. You have nothing to do with that splashing in your stomach when you are doing the heavy and intensive exercises. You are thus assured of sufficient moisture to train properly. With 1% moisture loss, the performance already deteriorates because the metabolism is negatively affected. Moisture is the means of transport for the nutrients and waste products and ensures that the temperature of your body is maintained because you sweat. Drink plenty of water or special sports drinks during and after training that also replenish your electrolytes and carbohydrates. You can't blame the lack of minerals or carbohydrates if you don't keep up with the workout.
Recovery and rest period
Recovery is the time and process that the body needs to be ready for another workout and a normal energy level. There must be a balance between nutrition, training and rest. If this balance is not right, you will not make progress. Your body needs enough sleep. Enough sleep means an average of 8 hours of sleep per night.
Rest is important and indispensable for achieving results and preventing injuries! One or two rest day (s) is very important. Then do not immediately lie on the couch and lie there all day watching Max Verstappen, but then take a nice walk in the woods. Holidays are also part of building in peace. Just focus on something else. Having to do nothing at all for two weeks. Reset yourself!
After a hard training or competition, it is necessary to allow your body to recover with the right nutrients. After such a physical effort, there are small cracks in the muscle tissue that need time and proteins to recover. Taking carbohydrates ensures that the glycogen stores are quickly replenished. Carbohydrate intake can significantly shorten recovery time. Supplementing the necessary minerals: sodium, calcium, magnesium, sodium and potassium can be very welcome because you lose many of these minerals while sweating. We have delicious shakes with a combination of proteins and carbohydrates that you can easily take after a workout.