For those of you who are diehard CrossFitters, you’re probably trying hit up the WODs for 3 days on, 1 day off. But how long should you keep up this schedule before you give yourself a break?
Scheduled recovery in your gym’s WODs is surprisingly hard to come by, and must be sought and planned for. If you have not taken any time off, your body is probably telling you it’s time for a break. While there is no formal schedule here, almost everyone needs to shut it down on occasion.
Contrary to popular belief, taking a rest day, week, or even month, is actually good for your performance. Watch for the warning signs of your body starting to wear down, and listen carefully to what your muscles are trying to tell you. If you experience any of the following signs, perhaps it’s time to schedule some real time off:
- Not hitting new Personal Records (PRs)
- Constantly tired
- Body aches
- Decreased performance results
- Not sleeping
- Not feeling motivated to workout
- Putting on weight
According to Crossfit enthusiast Larry Lindenman, normal, non-superhuman CrossFitters should try to follow this schedule:
Week 1-3: Full CrossFit
Week 4: Half the intensity/volume of CrossFit
Week 5-7: Full CF
Week 8: Half Intensity/volume CrossFit
Week 9-11: Full CrossFit
Week 12: OFF. No CrossFit! Take long walks. Get a massage. Write poetry. Pick flowers. You get the picture…
Working out at half the intensity or volume in a CrossFit WOD means maybe not doing prescribed weight, perhaps dropping down a Zone, not pushing yourself hard for time, and scaling the intensity. This can be hard, especially when in the throes of a WOD when your adrenaline kicks in! But you MUST remind yourself to focus more on form than weight or intensity on these occasions. Also, there are those of you (you know who you are!) that opt out of a scheduled rest day because they like the looks of the WOD and can’t wait to try it. However, you need to refrain from giving up that precious rest time, and remind yourself you can always hit up that workout another day instead.
Take it easy, and your body will thank you! So will your Leaderboard results.
Today’s Workout:
Buy-In – tabata interval of rowing, running, or double unders
WOD – “Good vs Evil”
Choose one exercise that you are good at and choose one exercise that you are not good at (A.K.A. – a goat). You will perform 21-15-9 reps of these two exercises. If it is a weighted exercise, please choose a moderate weight (i.e. – 75% of 1 Rep Max). If you choose rowing, row for calories.
Cash-Out – 3 x 5 reps of snatch grip push jerk behind the head
