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Worked out with these two lovely ladies yesterday. Workout was:

warm-up: 20 burpees, 20 bench press, 20 air squats (45lb bar)

Strength/Skill: Bench Press: 5-5-3-1-1

WOD: For Time

30 OHS (95/65lbs)

10 PU

30 DU

20 OHS

20 PU

30 DU

10 OHS

30 PU

30 DU

#crossfit #wod #workout #workout of the day #crossfitter #crossfitters #bench press #overhead squats #double unders #pullups

Training with Fibromyalgia

Fibromyalgia tip: If you have fibromyalgia and find working out too painful, here are some tips to help get you started slowly and less painfully. Focus on concentric contractions (curling your arm in a biceps curl) rather than eccentric contractions (returning to your original position). People who have fibromyalgia lack the growth hormone, which is needed to repair muscle tears so that your muscle can grown stronger. The average person that works out will have D.O.M.S. (delayed onset muscle soreness) for a few days after a workout and be fine. People with fibromyalgia are usually in pain for a longer period of time working out, and it is much more intense. So if you have fibromyalgia, focus on concentric muscle contractions and let your body rest during eccentric contractions. You will recover faster, and help decrease some of the pain of D.O.M.S. Start with stretching, and dynamic movements rather lifting heavy weights (resistance training). Before you even get to the weight training part of your exercise program, start with stretching and dynamic movements. You want to get your mobility and strength back, but you don't want to work too quickly or you will hurt yourself. Start by exercising for 30 minutes a day, three times a week, for one week. Do various stretches, do some dynamic stretches. Then add light cardio the next week, and increase exercise time to 40 minutes. Add resistance training the next week, increase to 50 minutes of exercise and use (very!) light weights. Fibromyalgia is painful, but remember that exercise will help reduce the symptoms and the pain associated with it. Keep yourself active and your quality of life will increase drastically.

*Keep in mind that each person moves at a different pace. There is no need to rush onto new movements week by week, but add to your routine when you feel that you are ready.

#fibromyalgia #gym fitness training preventativemedicine

Paleo breakfast today. Yum.

#Paleo #caveman #bacon #eggs #crossfit #crossfitter #clean eating

The Crossfit Open - 13.4.

So, week four of the Crossfit open is finishing up today. The last four weeks have been a real roller coaster of emotions and ups and downs… Of hard work, and determination.

There was one case in particular, though, that really stood out to me. The way it work s at the box I attend is that for each open workout, we partner up (there is usually a group of 12 of us) and one person does the workout while one person judges.

I got a girl who comes into the gym as often as she can. She always gives it her all, and she’s a strong girl. She’s good at Crossfit. The one thing she doesn’t have, though, is toes to bar. No matter how hard she tries, she just can’t get her feet up high enough. Everyone has their weakness, that is hers.

So when she saw 13.4 she was dreading it. Completely. She said “woo, I’m gonna get three whole reps!!!”

She spent about an hour the night before we did 13.4 trying to get TTB, and in the process she ripped open her hands.

The next day when it came time for her to take on 13.4… She got through the C+J’s no problem. Done within seconds.

She chalked up, walked over to the bar… And tried repeatedly to get a TTB. She had about 6 minutes to work at it… And no, she never got one. But she did awesome. She was in pain (her hands were torn to shreds from the night before) she had tears of frustration streaming down her face… But she never stopped. There was so much determination in her eyes.

The clock ran out… And everyone went up and gave her a big hug. Even though she never got her TTB, she still had a huge smile on her face. She was okay. She gave it her all.

It was a really inspiring moment for me, watching her determination, watching her fight through the pain and frustration… Not all of us are that tough. Not all of us can do that. And the way everyone came together at the end to congratulate her and tell her how awesome she did and how awesome she IS… That’s Crossfit.

#crossfit #crossfit games #crossfit open #13.4 #wod 13.4 #inspiration #motivation #crossfit community #determination

dontstopfitness

GIVEAWAY: Lift Clothing

One lucky lady OR one lucky man will receive a LIFT clothing shirt or tank of their choice.

To enter: reblog this post and follow me, and you will be entered to win. I will select one random winner on March 6th.

Will mail to anywhere.

Check out www.liftallday.com to view their collection.

dontstopfitness

Don’t forget to enter this!

dontstopfitness

Last day to enter this! Followers, get reblogging! Everyone can reblog this!

Video from the Crossfit Box I go to.... Happy 1 year anniversary Crossfit Closer :)

#crossfit #crossfitters #crossfit closer #crossfit affiliate

Lunch today: shrimp tacos with lettuce wraps, and oranges and grapes on the side. What did you guys have for lunch?

#paleo #paleo diet #eat clean #paleo lunch #shrimp #shrimp tacos #oranges #grapes #fruit #veggies #green peppers #roma tomatoes #tomatoes #red onion #onion

dontstopfitness

GIVEAWAY: Lift Clothing

One lucky lady OR one lucky man will receive a LIFT clothing shirt or tank of their choice.

To enter: reblog this post and follow me, and you will be entered to win. I will select one random winner on March 6th.

Will mail to anywhere.

Check out www.liftallday.com to view their collection.

dontstopfitness

Don't forget to enter this!

#giveaway #fitness giveaway #fitness wear #lift clothing #fitness #fitness tips #motivation #crossfit #crossfitters

Breakfast today. Eggs wrapped in Nitrate/gluten free bacon, with red and orange peppers chopped up on top. Sausage. Pineapple, blackberries, strawberries. Yummy. What did you have for breakfast today?

#paleo #eat clean #clean eating #paleo diet #paleo lifestyle #crossfit #crossfitter #eggs #bacon #blackberries #strawberries #sausage #pineapple #peppers

10 Motivational Tips to Promote Gym Attendance

Here are a list of things that help motivate me to go to the gym and to push myself to my limits. I hope that somewhere in this list you can find something that helps YOU.

1. Do something you enjoy. Not every type of fitness will get your gears turning. There's something different for everyone. I like Crossfit because of the competitive atmosphere and the sense of community. Other people like going to a regular gym and putting the headphones in for some quality alone time. Whatever you end up doing, do it because you enjoy it and it's your escape, your time for you. Not because you feel obligated. If you're only going because you have to, you won't be pushing yourself hard enough to see results.

2. Don't diet. The minute you use the word "diet" it becomes a chore. It's not a chore, it's a lifestyle. There's no trial period for a lifestyle, you make the switch and you stick with it.

3. You're an inspiration. Whether you realize it or not, your lifestyle change is affecting the people around you. Maybe at first they say "oh, why are you depriving yourself of the foods you like?" or "you work out too much"

They don't really believe that. Your change is changing something in THEM, they see how good you look, how much better you're feeling and they want a piece of it. They want what you have, but they just aren't quite there yet. Give them time. And remember, your lifestyle change is changing them, too. That's enough motivation for me to stick with it.

4. Reward yourself. And not with food. You made it to the gym four days a week for three weeks straight. Buy yourself a new gym shirt... Or some new shorts or pants. A new pair of shoes. A new speed rope That cool pair of Crossfit socks that you've been wanting... You get the idea. Reward yourself.

5. Schedule in your gym time. Everyone has time to workout. If we have time to be on tumblr or on facebook, we have time to be at the gym or out for a run. Make it a part of your routine. Write it down in your day planner, or on your calendar, or in your phone. Whatever works for you, but make it a priority.

6. Find a gym buddy. Or join a group class. It's really, really hard to motivate yourself to workout when you're doing it alone. And even when you do end up getting to the gym, you probably won't push yourself as hard as you would if you had someone to work out with alongside. Someone to keep you accountable.

7. Set an alarm. Every night before you go to bed, set an alarm for the morning to go out for a run or go to the gym. Place the alarm across the room from your bed, so that you have to get out of bed to turn it off. Oh look. You're already up, you might as well head to the gym.

8. Pick out your gym clothes. If you work out in the morning, or even in the evening after work, picking out your gym clothes and laying them out on your floor or on a chair where you will see it as soon as you wake up or a soon as you get home from work will help motivate you to go to the gym. You'll see your clothes and instantly be reminded that you should be at the gym working out... Not playing on your laptop.

9. Measure your progress. Take before and after pictures. Take measurements. Measure your body fat monthly, or bimonthly. Seeing where you started and how far you have come can be highly motivating. You can look back at any time and see how much of a change you've made. You can see how well your hard work and determination is paying off.

10. Plan your workouts. Like anything in life, if you don't plan it out and come up with a strategy, you aren't go to be as successful. The same thing goes for the gym. Have you ever been that person wandering around the gym aimlessly not knowing what to do? A couple of biceps curls here... Some shoulder presses over there... Maybe jog on the treadmill for a couple of minutes...

Don't do that. It will make it very hard to motivate yourself to continue going... And frankly, you're not going to see any change or any results in your body composition. You aren't going to be more "fit" if you don't push yourself to your limits. So plan. Write out exactly what you want to do for the week. Or for the next two weeks, and stick to it. If you are unsure about what type of program you should be doing, research it. Or hire a personal trainer for a few sessions.

#fitness #fitblr #fitness motivation #motivation tips #workouts #crossfit #crossfit motivation

GIVEAWAY: Lift Clothing

One lucky lady OR one lucky man will receive a LIFT clothing shirt or tank of their choice.

To enter: reblog this post and follow me, and you will be entered to win. I will select one random winner on March 6th.

Will mail to anywhere.

Check out www.liftallday.com to view their collection.

#giveaway #fitness #fitness giveaway #lift clothing #lift tanks #tank tops #fitness wear #crossfit #lift heavy

Breakfast! Two fried eggs, some nitrate/gluten free bacon and banana pancakes. Half an orange some grapes on the side. So yummy.

What did you eat for breakfast today?

#paleo #paleo breakfast #eat clean #eat paleo #nutrition #weight loss #healthy lifestyle #live healthy #fitness #crossift #crossfitter

Got a Stitch in your Side?

Muscle cramps! What an inconvenience. Running that last mile, feeling the wind blowing through your hair, feeling on top of the world.... And then you get that nasty old stitch in your side. It's brutal. Hard to breathe because it hurts so much... And almost impossible to run.

Or, your calves cramp up. It could happen anywhere at any time. Why?

There are a lot of reasons why you may be experiencing cramps when you exercise or run. Mostly they're associated with dehydration. A lot of the time it's because of overexertion of the muscles, they get fatigued. It could be because you're still somewhat out of shape and new to the whole fitness thing.

There are many possible causes to cramps, though. Nutrition could be a major factor. Electrolyte imbalances. Some people are just more prone to muscle cramps, like some are to ankle injuries, or shoulder injuries. We all have our weaknesses.

Make sure you consume enough water/fluids before you even being exercising. Hydrate during your exercise. Hydrate after you've exercised.

Make sure you are consistently working on your mobility. Stretch after each workout. Hold your stretches for AT LEAST 2 minutes. Hold your stretches until you feel your muscles release.

Nobody really knows why cramps happen, or how to make them go away, but see what works for you. Take dairy out of your diet. Take wheat out of your diet. Experiment.

#fitness #fitness tips #nutrition #cramps #stitches #running cramps #fitness cramps #electrolyte imbalance #dehydration #hydration #stretching #mobility #personal trainer

10 Strength Training Tips for Women

Here are a few strength training tips for women. If you have any questions on topics that are not on this list, feel free to inbox me!

1. Don’t focus too much on cardio. It’s great, and it has its place, but if you want to reach your goals you have to lift heavy, too.

2. Don’t be afraid to lift heavy. You are not going to bulk up, but you will get strong and look awesome.

3. Doing crunches and v-sits and leg raises are not going to make you lose fat in your belly or lose your love handles. Eat clean. It starts in the kitchen. And then hit up the gym and workout intensely. Make yourself sweat, push your limits. You will see results. Do planks and full sit-ups. Hanging leg raises, toe to bars.

4. Invest in a good pair of shoes. Good shoes make all of the difference in the world. If you’re a runner, get good running shoes. If you’re training in the gym, get good trainer shoes. If you’re into Olympic lifting, get good Olympic lifting shoes.

5. Biceps curls are awesome and all, but isolation movements aren’t as important as you might think. Do pull-ups instead. It’s more useful for every day life.

6. Don’t be intimidated by the gym. Take control. Figure out what you want and go for it, don’t let being self conscious, or lack of experience turn you off. Hire a personal trainer. Join a CrossFit gym, or a group fitness class of some sort. You won’t regret it.

7. Get somebody to show you how to squat properly. Feet should be hip width apart, toes out slightly (like five degrees) and flex at the hips to start the movement. Plush your knees out to the side in the bottom of the squat. Go below parallel! This is not bad for you. This is the proper way to perform a squat. If you were only ever to do one exercise for the rest of your life... Squat.

8. Don't believe everything you hear. Don't believe all of the myths, and silly ideas, and false facts. Do the research. Understand the science behind exercise and heavy lifting. You will go much farther.

9. If you're lifting heavy, don't be afraid to invest in proper gear. Long socks for rope climbs and dead lifting. Wrist wraps for overhead squats, snatches, and push press, etc. They will all aid you and help you to become better at what you do.

10. You can do it. You can perform those unassisted pull-ups. You can climb the rope. You can do hand stand push-ups. You can snatch 130lbs. Just put your mind to it and stick with it. Don't let people tell you that it isn't possible, because it is.