CONDITIONING for Thursday 12/16/2021
READ: AB’s CrossFit Gift Guide, Pt 2 (of 3) – Foundation Gym
MORE STUFF! If you missed out on Pt 1 click here to catch up.
Tons more to talk about here. I should also mention I’ve either a.) had first-hand experience with all of these items, or b.) currently have them in my training bags.
RECOVERY TOOLS, MOBILITY
When training frequently enough you may need some extra help in your recovery and mobility as stretching doesn’t target very acute, specific spots. Using some particular tools may help
Good: Lacrosse ball. Ah, the good ol lacrosse ball. This works great since it’s so dense. If the foam roller represents the masseuse’s forearm, the lax ball would be the thumb. Put it on soft tissue only, and apply enough pressure to make it very uncomfortable, but not painful. You can make tight spots learn how to release with frequent practice.
Other Good: Theracane. The original and the strongest of the bunch- I’d avoid any of the knockoff styles as they aren’t as robust in the materials department. A little more control with the point of contact, and no need to lay down for proper pressure. I keep one in my car for longer rides.
Better: Massage Gun. Here’s something that’s nice, but definitely not necessary. HyperVolts (try the gym’s if you haven’t!), Theraguns, and more are great but they’re not all created equal. Depth, power, and features separate the quality products from the run-of-the-mill knockoffs.
Other Better: Accupressure mat. If you’ve done personal training with me I may have talked about how great an acupressure mat can help. Reflexology is a huge thing in different parts of the world and with most people wearing the same shoes all the time in sedentary lifestyles the foot (our connection to the planet) get all sorts of messed up. This simple mat can help reset muscles and generate blood flow to areas that don’t get a lot, jump starting the healing process we so desperately need. If you suffer from any foot, ankle, calf, or knee issues this doesn’t hurt to try.
Best: a foam roller. Didn’t think you’d see this, huh? You probably already have one sitting in the corner collecting dust. You can use this for general recovery making sure tissues in your legs, glutes, back, and arms never get stiff. The issue for most people is the lack of consistent use. I get on one daily for less than a duration of a song, but I get on it. The slower you can move on it, the better!
There are tons of different brands out there with different firmness levels. If you have questions let us know and we can direct you to the right one. This one is my favorite, but the brand went out of business years ago.
HAND CARE
Specific to how to maintain your hands with all the use they get day in and day out.
Good: WODrod. This is nice because it’s shaped like the objects that gave you the calluses in the first place. Not my personal pick for reasons you’ll read below, but it’s better than nothing.
Better: Stainless Steel rasp. Professional manicurist use these for a reason- people got nasty hands and feet. These take care of those thickened blotches of skin real fast. I say it all the time in the gym, but working hands are the small sacrifice to a stronger body and spirit. That said you have to keep that overuse in check and keep those calluses from getting to big and too thick. Before you know it you’ll rip which sucks because then you’ll hurt, blood might be everywhere, and you’ll have to adjust your training to accommodate your mini-injury.
Best: The Sand Bar. I’ve listed a ton of different items I actually have and use, and adding to the toolbox isn’t necessary. What’s even more unnecessary is having accessories for your accessories- I don’t like the callus removers with 5+ parts and refills and all that. Positive or negative this bar is simple: it’s a bar and it’s got a traction tape-like surface. All the complaints I ever hear about these tools come from people who only use it when the calluses are bad. The idea here is maintaining a formed callus in check. I use/keep this in the shower as the water gets the skin to show and rise better, the water cuts down on the friction, and keeps things clean. Skin dust is gross. Pair callus maintenece with a good hand moisturizer and you’re ready to go.
TAPE
On the topic of hand care we should try to prevent the calluses and tears as best as possible. Adding an extra layer between the equipment and your hands is a good idea.
Good: GoatTape athletic tape. Although this is a “premium” brand of athletic tape it’s harder to rip and almost too sticky comparatively to my Better pick below. If you’re a really sweaty athlete this might be a better choice.
Better: J&J Coach athletic tape. I remember being in High School Sports Medicine and my teacher Mr. Peck would give the each of us in the class about a 1″x1.5″ piece of this athletic tape. The challenge was ripping up this piece into as many pieces as possible. This was because Athletic Training is really just taping ankles and wrists in high school sports. We won a state championship due to our ability to tape ankles well and quickly. This history with the product is why we offer rolls of this in the gym. We can make temporary pullup grips from this too. Great to reinforce wrists and tape thumbs.
Best: Average Broz 1″ stretch thumb tape. This is my absolutely favorite tape I’ve ever used (specifically for weightlifting use). Most rolls come in at 1.5″ wide which works, but isn’t as articulate/comfortable as preferred. Their fix is simply going with 1″ instead and it’s PERFECT. The amount of stretch on this tape, as well as it’s stickiness make me go back to this over and over and over again.
TRAINING SHOES
Since these are so subjective I won’t be rating them, rather I’ll list what I would consider best on the market and explain what would fit best for use. Just like the workout methodology says, “constantly varied” also applies to footwear. Makes your foot stronger, which makes your connect to the ground stronger.
Lifestyle Shoes You Might Already Have: Converse Chuck Taylor, Onitsuka Tiger (Ultimate 81), Adidas Samba, any skate shoe, most boat shoes, Toms. Flat, flat, flat! Your shoes have too much technology and your foot is getting soft like a marshmallow because of it. Imagine trying to workout in snow mittens. That’s what most “training” (see: running) shoes are to our training needs. Get activity-appropriate equipment and feel the difference.
Willing to Spend Money, but I Don’t Want to Scream “CROSSFIT” Wearing Them In Public: Strike Movement Chill Pill, Haze, or Interval. The Chill Pills are some of my favorite shoes ever. I have multiple pairs. Any barefoot brand (including FiveFingers, but my favorite is VIVOBAREFOOT)
I Want the Best: Nike MetCon, Reebok Nano, or NoBull Trainer. In that order. Most of the shoes you’ll see at the highest-level of the competitive side of CrossFit will be one of the three silhouettes listed and for good reason: they’re designed to be the jack of all trades. Flat bottoms for stability, flexible but durable front end of the shoe for running, jumping, burpees, etc, plastic heel clips for HSPU, extra-durability around the arch of the foot for rope climbs, etc. There have been so many revisions in each of these lines (minus NoBull) but really all of them are great.
Okay, that’s it for now. One more post coming soon!
WORKOUT for Wednesday 12/15/2021
every 3:00 for 5 rounds:
15 box jumps, 24/36”
10 deadlifts
5 touch-and-go (squat) snatches
Build that (squat) snatch up as heavy as possible. Post heaviest snatch to whiteboard.
READ: Why It’s Okay to Use “They” As a Singular Pronoun – WordGenius
CONDITIONING for Tuesday 12/14/2021
READ: AB’s CrossFit Gift Guide 2021, Part 1 – Foundation Gym
Want to build your CrossFit Tool Box?
These useful items help you with some common issues in the gym and beyond- some to help you gain an advantage, some to avoid pitfalls, and some that are just nice to have. I’ll be listing options as “Good”, “Better”, and “Best” as it depends on your preference and budget.
The following are links to products we recommend, some are affiliate links which add no extra cost to you.
GRIPS
We use our hands to address nearly all of the equipment in the gym, from the pullup bars to gymnastics rings, barbells to odd objects, dumbbells & kettlebells, and more. Make sure you have hand protection to avoid more frequent hand care and maintenance. I keep two pairs depending on how serious I’m taking the workout… one for training and one as a backup in case the first pair fails (as the fabric will weaken over time/volume)
Good: Element 26 Iso Grips
Better: Bear Komplex 3-Hole Carbon Hand Grips or Picsil Azor Grips. Either is fine, but you’ll always want as much coverage as possible.
Best: Victory Grips 3-Finger. These have become my favorite brand of grips due to their robust designs and selection of durable materials. Like other grip companies they come in a plethora of cuts, but I’d always suggest a grip that give you a good amount of coverage. For most people a three-hole design would do well, and you don’t have to utilize the holes either (it’s a nice option to have). Four-hole designs seem to almost have too much material in the way if you don’t have it properly sized.
WRIST WRAPS
Sometimes you need a bit of extra support when your technique or tissues aren’t up for the job. In the gym we’re constantly bearing weight on these joints whether it’s a barbell in a rack position, supporting our bodies on the ground, or taking a bell to an overhead position. In an ideal world your flexibility and stamina would be able to bear the loading, but until then you may need these in your bag.
Good: Wrist Wraps – These are the most basic in design and do the job when you need them. Basically you have a long piece of fabric that wraps around the wrist. You simply twist to tighten to your preference.
Better: RockTape Wrist Wraps – This is an intelligent melding of the two most popular types of entry-level wrist wraps. The twist-to-tighten fabric wraps and the stretch-and-tack wraps.
Best: Richmond Weightlifting Wrist Wraps – These leather wraps feature a unique design that feel like the sturdiest wraps I’ve ever used and it gives me a boost of confidence in my heaviest lifts on my not-so-great days.
WEIGHTLIFTING BELT
Learning how to brace your truck to protect your spine are some of the first things we teach our athletes (plank, anyone?). At some point in your CrossFit career you’ll have to develop better bracing habits and a weightlifting belt can help you setup for lifts more consistently. There are only two options on this list. Maybe you’re just paying for the brand as I haven’t had the chance to test the E26 belt, but 2Pood has been around the CrossFit realm for a very long time and are now a sponsor of USA Weightlifting.
Good/Better: Element 26 Self-Locking Weightlifting Belt – This is basically a replica of the 2Pood straight belt, but it came after and the Element26 equipment just doesn’t seem as high-quality (it’s the Titan Fitness to 2Pood’s Rogue Fitness, if you will). Solid enough for most athletes it’ll get the job done when you want to take your weightlifting to the next level.
Best: 2Pood Straight Belt – This is the industry standard now. Those old-school belts with weird shapes aren’t any better because people just don’t know how to use them properly. The velcro on this is probably the best on the market, but with use and time it’ll fade and you’ll have to re-up (though I’ve had mine for about 4 years and it still works like a charm)
PREHAB/REHAB
I’m only going to talk about one particular (dare I say) magical piece of equipment that fits into any bag. My choice comes with two so you can have one that travels with you, and one you can keep at home.
Good/Better/Best: There’s only one choice and that’s the Floss Band.
You can 1.) do shoulder prep, 2.) use it like a Crossover Symmetry for shoulder development, 3.) if you throw a loose knot in you can use it like a jump stretch band, 4.) you can floss your joints and tight muscles for better recovery, 5.) you can use it for squat prep and knee rehab. It’s a miracle tool!
ABS & HAMSTRINGS AT HOME
We say it all the time in the gym: most people have weak butts. Let’s get it stronger with some specialized targeting equipment.
Good: Hamstring Curl Strap. The easiest to setup and second smallest of the bunch.
Better: CAP Roman Chair, basically a baby GHD (Glute Ham Developer). I wouldn’t do volume situps on this (depending on body type), but this is solid for building a bulletproof back and booty.
Best: Booty Bands, to learn how to externally rotate your hip and get those glutes stronger! We use them for preparation, but have you ever done a full workout in these?
WEIGHT VEST
These aren’t necessary at all, but for those who want that extra challenge a weight vest or a ruck would be a great way to overload bodyweight movements to increase difficulty.
Good: Titan Fitness Adjustable Weight Vest. Cheapest but definitely not as comfortable as it could be though it’s modular enough to change how much is weighs. I don’t personally like these vests because of that- where do you store the extra weights when not in use? I also dread that part of it could fail and you could get hurt by a loose brick.
Better: Bear Komplex Weight Vest. It’s great supporting a brand that was born out of and has supported our culture for a long time. While not the most comfortable, it features some nice hardware for fastening and works well for most people.
Best: 5.11 Tactical TacTec Weight Vest. This was the first style of vest popularized for CrossFit competition at the CrossFit Games. It continues to be some of the best because it was designed for actual combat use, keeping mobility and usability in mind. Probably the most secure and most comfortable out of the bunch. I love mine and because it features tons of loop on it you can add all your favorite morale patches.
Stay tuned for Part 2 later this week!
CONDITIONING for Tuesday 12/14/2021
NEED GRIPS? These are my favorite ones: 3-Finger FC Travis Mayer Edition Grips – Victory Grips
WORKOUT for Monday 12/13/2021
7 rounds for time:
200m run
15 hang clean, 30/52kg
10 pogo burpees
Post times to whiteboard!
READ: CrossFit Moves Into Primary Health Care Realm – WebMD