by Coach Aaron Hyatt

With so many choices out there, sometimes it’s hard to determine what type of shoe gives you the biggest bang for your buck in your workouts – especially if you don’t want to invest in, or carry around, multiple pairs.

Running shoes typically have almost an inch of foam, gel, or both, that separate your foot from the ground; Lifting shoes usually have about an inch of rise at the heel that is made from a very hard plastic or even wood. In CrossFit, we both lift and run…and jump, climb ropes, throw ourselves on the floor, and more. In the gym, unless you want to be changing shoes for every part of your training session, for most folks, it’s best to look for one that can accomodate you no matter what your workout calls for that day.

Stability for lifting is one of those accommodations. A flat platform and a firm-rubber heel give you a stable base for your workouts. Let’s say you’re going for a new one rep max Snatch; would you want to use a shoe where the distribution of weight constantly shifts because your shoe is built more like a mattress than a shoe? NO. You want a shoe that glues your foot to the ground and feels stable no matter the load you’re carrying, squatting, etc.

Flexibility in the forefoot is an important feature because it allows you to perform running and jumping movements more naturally. If you’ve ever tried running in lifting shoes, you know that it 1) doesn’t promote a natural running pattern; 2) causes you to run much slower; and 3) can incur foot, knee and lower back pain.

Lightweight shoes are important in our sport because we are already moving loads over the course of workouts, why add more to our feet, making them slow and clumsy when we are trying to be quick and smooth?

Lateral support is maybe one of the more overlooked features in a workout shoe. We create torque from our hips in CrossFit. The result of creating this torque drives our knees out, and also shifts the weight onto the outside “heel” of the foot. And for most of us, any workout with a 400 meter run means you’re taking corners around the block pretty quickly. If you’re wearing a shoe that does not have lateral support, your foot will literally push out over the sole, similar to a muffin top or you may even slide as you take that corner which can potentially cause ankle or knee injuries. Shoes with lateral support typically have some sort of outer “cage” or wire in the center of the shoe, keeping the foot over the sole of the shoe.

Durability should be a huge factor in your purchase decision. Shoes are expensive so it’s best to not have to purchase a new pair every month because the toe boxes are busted out from running and jumping or due to the rope shredding the soles. And if you are wearing them for a majority of your training then they are going to see a lot of wear and tear. Look for reinforcement in high-wear areas like the instep or outside edge. Rubber in the midfoot area – versus regular shoe material – will help reduce wear and tear.

The Final Test

Before you make a purchase, do a few air squats in your shoes, creating that torque we’re talking about and make sure you foot isn’t hanging over the side. Run in them – many shoe stores have a treadmill available for this very purpose. Jump around a bit. You might look a little crazy but you’d be even MORE crazy not to test them out and then get to your training session to discover that they can’t support the movements you need to perform.

by Coach Vanessa Dickens

As a coach I hear the phrase “I need more” or “the workout was too easy” and don’t get me wrong that can be a valid point; however, more often than not it’s because you didn’t go hard enough. There is a difference between intensity and just moving about for an extended period of time. So let me present you with this lovely little test.

First, I want you to do ten burpees, nice and slow. I mean just flop down, stand, hop and a nice clap, just like an easy stroll in the park. Now I want you to take note of how you feel. Is your heart rate up? Did you get a little sweaty? Do your muscles ache? Take a moment to recover.

Second, I want you to do ten burpees as fast as you possibly can. Imagine you are going so fast there is a trampoline under you, so you are literally bouncing off the floor. Again, take note of how you are feeling. Heart rate up, a little sweaty, muscles ache, hard to breathe? Take a moment to recover.

Now here’s the deal. If you did this test correctly, you should notice a drastic difference in how you felt mentally and physically during the two separate sets of burpees. Now my “aha” moment to you is…how you FELT after your fast burpees is how you SHOULD feel after your regular workouts. If not, you are not going hard enough, meaning there is still more in the tank, untapped power waiting to be released.

What you are seeing is you can do the same amount of work/effort in less time and that is how you get results. You have to push past your comfort zone. Those of you who work with me have heard me say time and again: “Mental toughness, you have to want it, it’s okay if it hurts a little, drain the tank.” I’m not just spouting off random things, I’m getting you to understand you have to dig deep, put that intensity in your workouts and have fun with it. Try to hang onto the bar a little longer, crank through a few more pull ups/toes to bar before hopping off the bar. See how long you can grind through wallballs, kettle bell swings, etc.

So get out there PUSH and GOOD LUCK!!!

by Coach Aarn Hyatt

Have you been doing CrossFit for a year or longer, yet the ability to do a pull-up still eludes you? I’m not talking about hanging from a pull-up bar while slung from a giant rubber band and having a violent seizure that somehow results in your chin almost touching the bar. I’m referring to the ability to perform an unassisted, strict, dead-hang pull-up that start with your arms fully extended and your chin clearly over the bar. If this sounds like someone you know, one of these three issues (or some combination) are probably the reason why you still haven’t developed the ability to perform a pull-up.

1. You Haven’t Focused On Developing Strength

Jumping pull-ups and banded kipping pull-ups are the most commonly used substitutions for anyone who doesn’t already have a pull-up. While these substitutions might be adequate in a conditioning workout to keep you moving and your heart rate elevated, I haven’t found these methods to be effective in developing the strength necessary to perform a proper pull-up. Keep in mind that a substitution or scaled movement is not the same as a progression. A proper exercise progression is designed to develop your ability, not act as a placeholder so that you can get a metcon-induced endorphin rush.

My recommendation is to focus on developing upper body pulling strength outside of your conditioning workouts. A combination of isometric holds, pull-up negatives, and accessory work to improve scapular stability will work wonders.

2. You’re Injured

If you are suffering from a torn rotator cuff, a shoulder impingement, AC separation, or any other type of upper extremity injury, the solution should be pretty obvious. Seek out the care of a licensed medical professional such as an orthopedic surgeon or physical therapist. Diagnosing and treating injuries are outside the scope of practice for personal trainers and fitness coaches so you’ll have to seek out a qualified practitioner to rehabilitate your injury.

Of course, prevention is the best medicine. Skipping past strength development and jumping right to learning kipping and butterfly pull-ups can be a highly effective method for injuring an upper extremity. The dynamic nature of kipping and butterfly pull-ups demands increased stability and strength throughout the shoulder in order to be performed safely. As mentioned earlier, work on developing competency in your strict pull-ups before worrying about learning kipping or butterfly variations.

3. Your Strength To Bodyweight Ratio Needs Improvement

Maybe you’re not injured and you’ve put in some time and effort to develop a strength base. You feel confident if cleans, presses, or squats are a part of your workout. Yet the pull-up, and most other body weight exercises like handstand push-ups, ring dips, and muscle-ups, are yet to be mastered. CrossFit has forged your pull-up potential. Unfortunately, you still weigh 250 pounds. You can’t out train a poor diet, and won’t reach your goals if you are trying. If you’re a male and your body fat percentage is north of 18%, consider looking at your nutritional approach. Ladies, the same advice applies to you if your body fat percentage is 25% or higher. Take a look at your nutrition and make sure your food intake aligns with your goals.

Make it a goal to achieve your first strict pull-up within a set time frame. Depending on what you need to overcome, three to six months (or less depending on how close you already are) should be plenty of time for you to perform your first rep. Figure out which of these reasons is preventing you from already having a strict pull-up and then develop an action plan to get there.

by Coach Vanessa Dickens

You’re working out for a reason: to maintain or improve your health, to feel good, look good naked, or just plain have energy to make it through your day. But the biggest thing you can do for yourself is take a personal inventory to make sure you’re on your way to success.

I Have Pain During or Outside My Workout

Sometimes things get a little sore but there’s a big difference between a little stiffness or soreness that goes away with movement and pain. If it’s sharp, shooting or painful to use, stop and let your coach know so they can help you modify. In some cases, they may suggest you check in with a doctor, especially if the pain is chronic. There’s no sense pushing through pain just because it’s part of the workout. Getting hurt is not a goal for anyone.

I Feel Sick or Disoriented After I Workout

There are times in workouts you go all out and conquer, lying on the floor gasping for air but after a few minutes you’re ready to go home and eat! Then there are times you go overboard and afterwords, feel nauseous or even puke, sometimes needing more than a day to recover. These are not normal post-workout sensations, nor is feeling dizzy or light-headed on a regular basis after a workout. These can be signs that you are over doing it and not addressing the reasons: lack of hydration, improper nutrition, lack of sleep, etc. can make workouts something you don’t look forward to or gain benefits from.

Do I Compare Myself to Everyone Else?

Remember, it’s your workout, your competition is you! Are you better than last time? Can you go faster, is your form improving, can you pace appropriately and walk away with a smile? These are the things that really count, not the time or reps of the person working out next to you. If you feel the need to compare, compare yourself to your past self, that’s the way to improve your workout.

Do I Have a Goal?

The trouble with not having a goal is you might spend your life running up and down the field and never score. Pick one, make one! We have our goal board for a reason! You’re at Paramount because you care about your health and fitness and we do too! Talk to your coaches for guidance. Come in before the warmup to master your basic skills, pay close attention to the lessons and work for great form before strength.

by Coach Aaron Hyatt

Mindset is one of the most important aspects in determining if you are going to be successful in your training or not. In fact, I would argue that it is THE most important aspect. Before you ever lose weight, get in shape, get stronger, eat better, etc., you must do it in your head. No person ever achieved a goal without first deciding they were going to do it in their head. In this article, I discuss why mindset is so important and provide a few tips to help you change your mindset and achieve your goals.

There are two different mindsets that one can have, a growth mindset or a fixed mindset. In her book Mindset, Carol Dweck defines these two terms and talks about why it is so important to have a growth mindset. In life, many people have a fixed mindset, which means they believe that their talents and abilities are fixed and cannot be changed. These people believe certain people are born with good genes and that is the reason they are successful. These people believe they weren’t born to be fit, or smart, or skinny, or successful, or whatever the case may be. Dweck goes on to dispel this myth and show why people who achieve things in life got there by countless hours of work and dedication. The fixed mindset is a lie people tell themselves to feel better about not achieving what they would like to achieve. People with a growth mindset, however, believe they can achieve anything they would like to by putting in enough work. These are the people who succeed at the highest levels of any area. They know what their goals are, what it will take to achieve them, put systems in place that will help them get there, and then attack them relentlessly. They most likely have found out what successful people do and modeled their behavior after them. If you read any autobiography of a super successful person, or hear them talk, or meet them in person, you will quickly pick up on this. They would not be where they are without having a growth mindset.

So what does having a fixed mindset look like in regards to health and fitness? People with a fixed mindset will say things like “I wish I had their metabolism or genetics” or “I peaked in high school” or “I could never do that” or “obesity runs in my family.” There are a million other ways this mindset can manifest itself, but if you know what you are looking for, you will recognize it when you hear it. Such people will most likely quit any fitness program after a few months and never get the results they could have, because they don’t believe they can. They tell themselves they can’t achieve whatever it is they want to achieve because of their genetics to make themselves feel better about not putting in the work required. If they are not where they want to be in a fitness program, they will blame their trainer, or friends, or job, or schedule, or anyone and anything else they can think of. They will also spend a ton of time comparing themselves to others and making excuses for why someone else is in better shape, stronger, skinnier, etc. than them. A person with a growth mindset, however, will say things like “I can’t do that YET” or “I just want to be consistent” or “I want to give my best effort every time I come in.” These people realize that where they are in their health and fitness is a representation of their effort and consistency only and the work they have or have not put in. If they have not been training consistently, they take full responsibility for the shape they are in. Overall, they realize you get out what you put in and the harder the work they put in, the more progress they will make.

We all have a fixed mindset in some areas and a growth mindset in others. The goal is to think more growth mindset every day and realize you are in control of your life. If you want to achieve something, it is up to you, and only you, to achieve it. If you need a coach, it is up to you to find the best coach. If your coach isn’t cutting it, find a better one. If you need accountability, find people who will hold you accountable. If you need to get your diet in check, get your diet in check. If you need to learn more, do the research and learn more. So many people blame their circumstances for their results, but at the end of the day, we only have ourselves to blame for where we are in life. If you are not happy, it is up to you to make the necessary changes—no one is going to do it for you.

So how do you have a better mindset with your training? The first step is realizing you are in control of your own health and fitness. If you want to get stronger, lose weight, or anything else, it must start in your own mind. You must believe you can do it and come up with a plan to get there. Once you have a plan, you must hold yourself accountable to do everything you can to achieve it. Remember, whatever result you get will be solely a representation of your own resourcefulness, effort, and consistency. There is freedom in realizing this because once you realize you are in control, you realize you can achieve whatever you want! I would challenge you to start taking the steps towards your goals that you know you need to. If you have a goal but don’t know what to do, find someone who does know what to do and ask them. If you need to learn more, look things up on the Internet. If you need guidance, ask a coach. If you want to achieve something great, find someone who has achieved it and ask them how they did it. And finally, surround yourself with people with a growth mindset. Mindset is contagious and if you are around people with nothing but fixed mindsets, it will be very hard for you to have a growth mindset.

Remember this: no one ever achieved anything in life without first achieving it in their mind. If you have a goal, envision it in your mind, plan out how you will achieve it, and do everything in your power to get there. Be introspective about your thoughts and challenge yourself to have a growth mindset in every area of your life. Surround yourself with people who are more successful than you. And above all, remember you can do anything you want to do. The outcome is up to you.

by Coach Vanessa Dickens

When you work out, you’re essentially creating micro tears in your muscle. The act of breaking down those fibers can leave your muscles tender, sore and even difficult to move. Sometimes, that soreness may take a couple days to really hit you and you experience DOMS (delayed onset muscles soreness) So the next time muscle soreness strikes, here’s a few things you can do to speed up your recovery so you can hit it hard on your next WOD.

#1 Foam Roller

The foam roller is your friend. This simple and handy device can reduce muscle soreness, speed recovery, and it’s kinda fun. Taking a few minutes out of your day to roll out the knots in your muscles will help you train harder, perform better, and prevent injury. Here is a good starting routine for the foam roller. Make a pass or two over each group, pausing and taking deep breaths when you find a sore spot. Don’t overdo it, less is more here. Keep your attention on the experience in your muscles, breath, and mind.

#2 Massage

Here is a great excuse to pamper yourself! Get at least an hour massage once a month, more if you are training 6+ days a week.

Pro-tip: after a workout is really the ticket to ultimate relaxation. Having a massage improves blood flow to sore muscle tissues, releasing micro-adhesions and encouraging muscle repair. Sometimes this can be painful but is an effective treatment if you can handle a little pain, which I know you can because you’re badass CrossFitters.

#3 Sleep

After pushing your body in the gym, you need time to reset and recover. Try to get at least seven hours of sleep each night. The body repairs itself at night, triggering important hormones that signal repair to muscle tissue. Lack of sleep decreases the hormonal response, meaning your recovery (and results) will be slower.

#4 Cool down

You may think, “Hell yeah! I’m finally done with this WOD!” and you just want to pack up and go home. But that’s not the best idea for your body. So always try to do a brief cooldown after each sweat session. Stretch the muscles you just exercised to improve blood flow and increase your range of motion. Try holding each static stretch for 30 to 60 seconds for maximum benefit.

Remember, you don’t get stronger in the gym, you get stronger during recovery and allowing your body to adapt to the stimulus. You don’t grow muscle in the gym or when you’re lifting the weight, you don’t build endurance when you’re hammering through a WOD, all that happens when you are resting. So recover around your training and all will be well!