CrossFit needs an OFF SEASON too.
4 Reasons Why You May Need An Off Season.
Strength is good. Strength is great but too much...?
You probably understand that exercise can be very beneficial and as much as I'd love for "A CrossFit WOD a day to keep the doctor away," to be true; it's not.
Unfortunately, too much of a good thing can be a bad thing. There are a lot of reasons why you may need to take a break from - sad face- CrossFit. I din't say exercise. I said CrossFit.
In CrossFit we use the barbell a lot and it’s easy to get caught up in this amazing tool in developing maximal strength. But you have to remember that the barbell is highly sport specific. And it's important to be strong in a variety of, as CrossFit HQ calls it, modalities. So don’t be afraid to branch out and use some less conventional tools.
Remember that strength isn’t just about moving weight. A sound strength base in gymnastics is important, and this is the time to nail it in. Work on strict variations, tempo development, weighted exercises, and technical progressions.
And if you still hanker for some heavy lifting then why not try some strongman training, heavy kettlebells, or bags. Change it up and lower the intensity.
Signs you may need a chill pill and slow down your physical fitness efforts.
You Are Overdoing It
You started to see some results, so you began exercising more frequently. More results appear, so now you are working out intensely every single day. Hey, it's great you are getting some results. But if you overwork your body, it will fail you.
That means that while you are recuperating, many of the results you achieved are lost. Scale back if you think you might be overdoing it with your exercise efforts. You only need 3 to 5 sessions of moderate to intense physical activity each week to enjoy the healthy benefits exercise offers.
You Are Becoming a Perfectionist
If you spend a lot of time obsessing in front of a mirror about your physically fit body, you may need to dial back the exercise-ometer. Some people become way too laser focused on building the "perfect" body. Exercising and working out should be about physical and mental health, and not pushing each and every muscle on your body to a level of perfection that continues to seem just out of reach.
You Always Feel Sore
Anytime you exert physical force on your body, you tear your muscles. This is a natural reaction, and when you supply your body with proper nutrition, your muscles actually heal and grow back stronger than before. This is how you notice muscles building on your body after several sessions of exercise.
It is also natural to feel a little sore after you have played some intense sports or lifted some weights. However, it is unnatural to feel sore all over your body, day and night. If you constantly suffer aches and pains long after your physical fitness routine is over, you may be exercising too much.
You Develop an Unnaturally Short Fuse and Temper
Are your friends and family members constantly complaining about your temper? Do you lash out verbally at the people you love, sometimes for no reason at all? It could be because your natural cortisol levels are spiking.
Exercise produces cortisol. That "stress hormone" can cause you to become anxious and anything but relaxed. Excessive exercise can naturally lead to heightened anxiety, where you strike out at others in a sense of frustration because your body and mind are stressed out from not enough down time.
You don't need to stop completely but you do need to slow down once in a while.
This is why we at Cherry Bomb, program in, incremental cycles of low to high intensity and we always includes a de-loading phase. NO BURNOUT!
I know it can be tough to ease up.
How about just dropping the heavy bar for a bit and chilling out at home with some lighter weights?
If you miss the ladies, I have a couple "at home" versions for you. Not quite as heavy. Not quite as intense.
Try this one but ignore the FOR TIME comment. TAKE IT EASY!
That's right Lizzy...you tell them! BE AWESOME!
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