REMEMBER EACH DAY IS A CHANCE TO IMPROVE…
Trust me when I say that us coaches at CF Leicester all understand that it is tough to take a day off once you get bit by the CrossFit bug. After the initial daily soreness wears off from your first few weeks of classes all you want to do is get to the gym and do something kick ass. We love this mentality, we live this mentality, and love seeing it spread through everyone that walks into the door.
The thing is you can’t come in and crush things every day. The “prescription” that CrossFit lays out is to work 3 days on and 1 day off. This obviously varies for some people based on things like work/life schedule and your physical recovery. When people ask me about what sort of schedule they should follow I say I believe in 2 philosophies.
1: It is hard to over-train if you are properly fueling your body. The harder you work the more and better food and nutrients you need for your body. If you are fueling correctly you will recover properly.
2: Listen to your body. Everyone gets tired and sore. If you are going about your workouts the right way, meaning going as hard as you can every time you show up, you probably shouldn’t be working more than 3 days in a row and/or more than 5 days a week. Your body needs rest and soreness and extreme fatigue is your body’s way of telling you.
Taking an off day doesn’t mean you can’t do something to get better though. The most important and best thing to do on an “off” day is mobilise. Whether you come into the box or do it at home/work, grab a roller, a ball, or whatever other devices you have and get at the sore and trouble spots on your body. Spend the time watching the big match or the latest soap getting your stretch on . If you are the kind of person that can’t stay away from CFL then come in and work with a PVC on technique or come to a mobility or pilates class. And if you love learning and getting better, whether it be learning some new cooking techniques, new stretches, or other training styles (powerlifting, strongman, endurance) then you can spend time during an off day reading articles to help expand your knowledge. The CrossFit Journal has tons of articles posted every day about all sorts of things. A simple google search about a subject that interests you can bring you to all sorts of new portals of information. Try it out.
Whether you have 10 minutes or 2 hours of free time during an off day you can use that time to improve on SOMETHING. CrossFit extends beyond just the physical activity side of things. It is a lifestyle of its own. Never stop getting better in anything in life including your health and wellness.