By Lindsay Warren, Owner and Coach, Kali Strength
Why are these lifts so dang heavy?
You know those days where you reach for a barbell in the warm up and it feels like 100#s? You're not alone! Some good questions to ask yourself might be this:
- Did I eat today?
- Did I do a heavy WOD yesterday?
- Am I injured?
- Am I on my period?
- Am I emotionally absent?
Did I eat today?
If you haven’t yet eaten, and you are lifting heavy things, then you will probably not be able to lift as heavy as you think.
Poor eating habits can undermine even the best efforts to stay fit! If you practice intermittent fasting, for example, and you are working out in the morning when you don’t eat, then your body is relying on its fat stores to fuel you.
This takes a minute--it’s not as immediate as fuel you ate. You might not reach a PR if you haven’t eaten. Be sure to pack a protein bar in your gym bag if you're already feeling lethargic going into class.
What about my workout yesterday?
Did you do a heavy WOD the day before? Did you Rx the last two workouts? Your struggle might be because of this. You simply might need some rest. Be sure to listen to your body and remember, you don't have to max out or "Rx" every single work out. It's just as important for your training to incorporate light and easy days.
Am I injured?
Do you feel pain when doing the lift? THEN STOP immediately! Tell the coach what is happening, and don’t be a cool guy, there are literally hundreds of modifications you can choose from to help stay fit. Your health is too important to work through the pain. If you are injured, then you need to heal.
Am I on my period?
Your body works differently when menstruating and hormonal changes may impact strength in your core and joints. Overall, listen to your body and don't push it if you're not feeling great.
Here's a great read about the stages of our cycles with regards to training over time - read more on that here
Am I emotionally absent?
Emotions do play a part in our athletic performance. If your focus is elsewhere because of grief, anxiety, or harassment at work, or personal issues with a friend or loved one, then your performance might suffer. Remember that that's OK and it's OK to feel this way. Treat your work out as a boost of endorphins to help clear your mind and be present in that hour.
So Now What?
What are the answers to these questions? Of course, they will be different every day. The big important point: LISTEN to your body and yourself, and move forward accordingly. If you are injured, then modify movements until you are healed; your coach will show you how. If you haven’t eaten, then accept that you might not PR on that day and save your PR for a day when you have eaten. If your emotions are at play, practice zen: do the thing in front of you, and nothing else. There are no other people, no problems, no bad things or good things, there is only the thing in front of you. If zen doesn’t help, then modify and try again another day.
There are many reasons for your performance on a particular day. Listen to your body and your coach and move forward accordingly. Always do your best, knowing that it may vary from one day to the next.
This article was written by CrossFit Kali and shared with our audience with their approval. You can check them out at www.kalistrength.com for more helpful tips!
If you have any questions or you would like to be a guest blogger, please email us at hello@liftingthedream.com
What do you do when you're feeling burnt out?
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