I’ll admit it, I might be biased when it comes to this topic. Especially since I’ve spent the majority of my life, schooling and career being fascinated by this particular group of human beings. But I still believe this to be a credible theory: The answers to weight loss, health, and fitness success aren’t in the bookstore. Nor will you find them in the latest research labs. Forget about radio, television, or your grocery store’s magazine rack full of scantily clad, dangerously thin models. Sure, you’ll uncover some new data and potentially interesting information there. You’ll also find plenty of opinions, ideas and “proven techniques” too. But the REAL answers? The kind of stuff you can use every day? That, my friends, can be found anytime at your local playground.
Take it from me, first. Everything you need to know about fitness, health and weight loss, you can learn from kids.
Have you ever had the opportunity to watch a child completely engrossed in a project? They have the oh-so-elusive ability to be serious about what they’re doing, without taking it too seriously. YOU can do the same with your fitness! You can live every day with more focus, and every week with more motivation.
Here’s what every child knows that we adults may have forgotten. See if you can apply some of these lessons to your daily fitness and health regime:
1. Everything can be a game. Why slog through the same workout routines in boredom, when you can add a little fun? Of course, we take care of eliminating some of that boredom with our CrossFit programming. But, we can’t be inside your head during your daily WOD. Make up rules for yourself, shoot for personal records, and regain your competitive spirit!
2. Don’t walk when you can run. Every day is full of opportunities to increase your fitne, even when you’re not in the gym. This rule is closely related to “don’t drive when you can walk.”
3. If you don’t like it….don’t eat it. Once you hit your goal for fat loss, chances are your eating habits won’t stick around for long if you hated what you were eating. Healthy eating involves balance and moderation! Make The Zone or Paleo make sense for you by sticking to the foods you enjoy.
4. Laughter feels good. Kids seem to inherently know that laughter can ease blood pressure, help your brain function, give you energy, and help you reach your goals. Smiling and enjoying yourself can be serious help in the moments when you need it! (This is why I’m a personal believer in using humour during Coaching sessions. 🙂 )
5. Playtime is important. We get so caught up in work, chores and a host of “have-to’s” that we forget to take time for ourselves. Not only does relaxing and regrouping make life worthwhile, it has real health benefits. Most of all, it will help you stay consistent and motivated. Keep this in mind when you feel like you’re succumbing to the rigors of over-training!
6. The world should be full of colour – especially on your dinner plate! Splash it with as many colors as possible, paint it like a rainbow with food. Added health bonus? Vegetables and fruits are some of the most colourful foods out there! A colourful plate is more fun to look at and chances are you’ll be eating a healthy, balanced meal.
7. It’s always more fun with friends around. Children tend to gravitate toward other children. It gives them spirit and makes them want to play all day. Working out with other people is almost like having your own little playgroup. We already know this at CrossFit Zone, which is why we have such a great group dynamic in class times. However, you can further take advantage of this by inviting your fave friends to come to the same class as you each day, and by organizing fun and friendly group WODs during Open Gym times, etc.
8. Adventures are found outside, not inside. Every kid knows that the good stuff is in the great outdoors – fresh air, wide open spaces, limitless possibilities. You can find lots of good adventurous things to do while cooped up in our tiny gym, yes. But when you’re not at the gym? Get active, open the door and start a new adventure every day!
9. It’s important to use your imagination. You can be Superman or Wonder Woman any time you want. Give yourself permission to believe in your own super powers and let your mind take you wherever it wants to go! I guarantee your WOD results will reflect this train of thought.
10. Anything is possible. No fear, no self-doubts, no negative self talk, no self-criticism, no worries, no destructive anxieties or thoughts of failure. To a child, he/she can do anything. And do you know what? They’re right.
11. You have your whole life ahead of you. Here’s your chance to do it right.
The answers to optimal fitness, health and weight loss are probably about 3-4 feet tall, and may be closer than you think. When you act more like a kid, suddenly the world opens up. Living a healthy lifestyle becomes something you want to do every day. Start enjoying yourself again!
Today’s Workout
Buy-in: 4 rounds of-Â Â 10 pvc squat snatches, 10 kettlebell swings, 10 situps, 20 double unders (or 40 single skips)
WOD:Â “Breaking up with Isabel”
This is a variation of the classic Crossfit workout “Isabel” – which is 30 snatches for time at 95/135lb. The main problem with the original Isabel workout is that technique and work rate decrease very rapidly, which isn’t the best scenario for building efficiency and accuracy. So for this version of the workout, we’re doing Isabel in 6 intervals of 5 lifts.
If you know your 1RM, a good scaled weight would be around 60% of that number. The goal is to achieve crisp, technically sound repetitions while under moderate fatigue.
Each successive round of 5 snatches will start on a 2 minute timer. If you complete 5 reps in 45 seconds, you have 1:15 until your next round begins. Repeat for 6 total intervals (12min or less) and you will have completed the full 30 reps.
*Score workout in MFT as weight used. If you miss getting 5 reps in any one of the 6 rounds, mark the wod as “not prescribed”*
Rx:Â 95/135
Zone 4:Â 75/115
Zone 3:Â 65/95
Zone 2:Â 45/65
Zone 1: Scale as needed
GAMES PREP – all reps squat snatched
Cash-Out: Foam roll/lacrosse ball – wherever you can find ouchies.
