Let’s start by clearing something up straight away..........Your going to have to feel uncomfortable if you want to get the most out of your training.This expression of discomfort is very different from a sprained ankle, or a huge rip in your hand!! Injurys are definitely NOT worth pushing through in your daily trainingThe “no pain no gain” in this sense is not what we are after and will definitely impede forward progress!

(Workouts can always be modified to create the desired training outcome, without risking further injury)

It’s likely that the more experience you have with your training, the better you will be at recognising your limits and deciding when it’s a good idea to push on and test your threshold OR when you actually need to pull back a bit!

(Multiple factors come in to play on these occasions- sleep, diet, hydration, work/life stresses!)When you do find yourself experiencing that familiar place of burning muscles, fatigue and heavy breathing, these are simply sings that you’re approaching your own limits Of course, going balls-to-the-wall everyday isn’t the best plan and in the long run could lead to exhaustion or injury. BUT, to know what you’re truly capable of, you’ll want to practice pushing right near your threshold... often!! When you get there Your brain will begin to tell you to slow down or stop because you’re tired, uncomfortable or struggling. This is a protection mechanism, used to keep you out of danger and used to keep you alive (which is fantastic) However that protection mechanism shows up way before we actually “need” to stop. It’s a reaction that happens rapidly. You get physically uncomfortable and your body thinks it is in danger so it automatically presents you with the thought to...“stop or slow down.”THE GOOD NEWS IS.......You get to decide how you want to respond to those signals.You can learn to interpret the discomfort as positive, as a good sign. The better you are at responding to the pain, the better you’ll be at pushing yourself, breaking through that barrier and reaching those new limits.1. Firstly, embrace the fact that the uncomfortable parts of training are both necessary and good for you. They are an integral part of you reaching your performance potential.2. Secondly, work on a strong response to the discomfort. When you start feeling that burning feeling or pounding in your chest… smile and know that it’s a good thing. Tell yourself it’s a good thing!

you are exactly where you want to be

“Easy choices hard life, Hard choices easy life”

Firstly, I don’t think that there is such a thing as a “hard” life or an “easy” life.

I think we all have personal challenges, and we can choose how we perceive life at difficult moments, it’s not all hard or all easy. Everyone has both positive and negative experiences. That being said, the quote struck me and I agree with it in a lot of ways.I believe that the quickest way for us to grow as people, is to do what’s hard for us. That movement which doesn’t come naturally to you, spend time practicing it.That risk you’re afraid to take, go for it.The skill you really don’t like, hire a coach or grab a training partner to help you.The conversation you keep putting off, yep…that one…it’s probably best to have it.The thing that frustrates you the most, try a different way of attacking it.The decisions that come with the most fear, doubt, concern, worry, dread, or suck….they aren’t easy ones.

They often keep playing over and over in our minds, because they come along with some amount of discomfort. Therefore we try to avoid them and choose the “easier” option that keeps us more comfortable.

So we think anyways.You may think you’re staying comfortable by not doing something, but you’re likely getting more uncomfortable on the inside.Doing what’s uncomfortable, making the harder choice, is what will propels you forward, it’s what helps you grow! It will help you become stronger, more adaptable and courageous. It will help you feel more free, less concerned and ultimately better at competing, relationships, workouts and life.I like the quote stated this way —> “Easy choice, harder life. Hard choice, easier life.”The benefits of doing what’s uncomfortable are way bigger than any amount of benefit you’re getting from trying to stay in your comfort zone. Keep practicing whatever is tough for you, and you’ll find yourself flourishing.Try one small thing today that makes you feel uncomfortable, remember.....

“Life begins at the edge of your comfort zone”

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Mobility is not something that automatically comes with strength training. In fact, quite the opposite! Do you know what is happening to the muscles when you are working out?

The muscles are shortening as they contract, so its vital to regularly stretch our muscles to maintain their length and suppleness. Strength training without proper stretching can lead to a dramatic reduction in your mobility and increase the possibility of injury.Not Cool!!

Improving your range of motion (ROM) has a number of benefits: Reduced muscle tension & better recovery, Increased mobility in your joints, Enhanced muscle coordination and Increased circulation of the blood flow to various parts of the body (especially those being stretched) Try to incorporate some of the following approaches -

Joint Mobilisation Working on joint mobilisation (and stabilisation) can help you get a full range of motion around joints but also help prevent issues around trouble joints like knees, shoulders and ankles.

Working on joint mobility can help prevent a variety of overuse injuries, aches and pains. If staying injury-free isn’t reason enough, working on joint mobility makes you a more efficient and productive lifter.

Greater ROM allows you to be more powerful while making you less prone to having bad form and compensating with other muscle groups, which can cause injury.

Soft Tissue Work Both pre and post workout doing some soft tissue work really aids your muscle recovery and overall mobility.

Using techniques like self-myofascial release (think foam rolling) it can decrease soft tissue restrictions that inhibit getting full range of motion.

Improving range of motion (ROM) is key to improving overall mobility.

Self-myofascial release is the most common technique for soft tissue work. Adding it into your day (even days you don’t train) can work wonders.

Adding some soft tissue work after a hard workout can also improve your recovery time and help you feel a little less sore when you wake up the next day.Stretching Stretching aims to lengthen the target muscle. This can be done one of two ways by either statically stretching or using a variation called PNF (proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation).

Static stretching is most common and can be done by holding the target muscle in a lengthened position for 30 seconds.

PNF stretching is a great alternative and is a bit more interactive for people who get bored to death doing static stretching after workouts. PNF is most commonly done by stretching the target muscle, contracting the muscle, and then stretching the muscle further.

A great tool to add to your gym bag to help with stretching is a simple resistance band. This can help you with your PNF stretching and can also help you get into more difficult positions.

When working on your mobility think of it as “stretching with a purpose.” Specifically, the goal is to improve range of motion (ROM), positioning, power production, and recovery.

So be sure to measure your progress rather than just going through the motions.

Check range of motion pre and post-‘stretching’ (check and test)

Is it easier to get down into the bottom of your squat?

Are your shoulders able to get into a better overhead position?

Will this improved position make you stronger/faster/safer/better?

Try mobilising one side and then check it against the other to see the difference!

So next session try adding some mobility to help get the most out of your training and keep injury at bay.

It’s not uncommon for CrossFit athletes to build fear around certain movements - be it overhead barbell work, rope climbs, box jumps, hand stand push-ups, just to name a few. You may be afraid of pain, failing, falling or missing. You may fear doing something because you’ve been injured doing it in the past, or because you’ve seen someone else get hurt or fail badly. You might find yourself purposefully avoiding the movement altogether, talking yourself out of your ability to work on the skill, lowering your confidence to even attempt it and heightening your fear more and more.

Overcoming fears is one of life’s greatest achievements. Usually though, our brain gets in the way and tells you that you can’t do it, you failed last time you tried, you hurt yourself…blah, blah, blah. If you focus on what you’re afraid of, or what you don’t want to happen, you will lose sight of everything you need to do to be successful. This type of negative thinking creates even more anxiety and stress, causing you to doubt your ability to perform. Is this you? Did you know that EXPOSING YOURSELF to your fears at manageable levels and regularly will eventually take away the power of your fears and give that power back to yourself. When you fear something you should do it again and again in a controlled manner, instead of avoiding it. Then, it won’t own you but you’ll own it. Here’s a few tips to kicking doubt, dread & aversion aside….FIND YOUR WHY Why do you want to move this fear along? The “WHY” needs to be INTRINSICALLY based. Remember the post about Motivation? The definition of intrinsic motivation is: The drive comes from the pleasure you get from the task itself or from the sense of satisfaction in completing or even working on a task.BE COACHED This includes the guidance your coach gives you personally and as a group each session but also utilising some directed 1on1 personal coaching focused specifically on you achieving success.SEE IT HAPPEN The power of visualisation. Close your eyes and imagine yourself completing the movement. Think about how you look, how it feels and exactly what you’ll be focused on. Imagine everything from your approach, to your set up, to exactly how you’ll go through the movement to be successful.SCALE IT Part of the CrossFit ethos is its endless scalability. You still get the same skillset and work the same muscles, but at a level which makes you feel confident with the technique you're using. Do LOTS of reps at something you feel confident with and drill that movement over and over again.WATCH YOURSELF Watch a video of yourself successfully completing the movement, or of others who have mastered the movement that you’re afraid of. Seeing yourself and others complete a movement is incredibly powerful and reinforces good technique and confidence that it IS possible.

Try these strategies if you’re stuck on a movement because of fear. You should know it’s perfectly normal to feel fear about trying a new movement, something you’ve been hurt on before, or attempting a PR.

BUT by pushing past that it means something truly powerful – You have taken steps to improving yourself and becoming better at something.

You are attempting to push past your previous limits, and you care deeply about what you are doing. That says more about you than anything else. You are incredibly driven and that will allow you to reach new heights over and over again. So, the next time you can sense fear during a big lift or a tough WOD, remind yourself that going forward, in spite of your fears, always makes you better.

TO BURPEE OR NOT TO BURPEE? This is the question! Skills…..CrossFit readily builds our skills across its big bank of prescribed exercises that are cleverly, thoughtfully and most often disgustingly put together for our daily undoing in what we know as the WOD (Workout of the Day). Whether its spinning the rope double under our foot, or thrusting our chest up to that unforgiving bar, let’s face it doing CrossFit means we unleash many talents. As a new Dad to our 5 week old, I’m thinking about the tried and true burpEE while I master the art of burpING….a skill I’m still working on…..and wonder if its just a matter of time before I get the hang of this new WOD (Will-she-spew-on-me of the Day). But back to the burpEE…..It’s the exercise everyone loves to hate, and guaranteed each week they pop up somewhere. A brief history…..Royal Huddleston Burpee was an American physiologist in the 1930’s who birthed the mild version of the movement (squat, jump back to plank, jump forward, stand) as a way to evaluate fitness. The military adopted it in 1942 as part of its fitness test for men enlisting during WWII and by 1946 the military required burpees for one full minute - a score of 41 was the number to chase!! Now CrossFit with its military roots welcomed the beloved burpEE into the family during 2004 with this WOD: 21-18-15-12-9-6-3 Toes to rings, Wall balls & Burpees Yuck. 😩 And ever since 2011 CrossFit Games we’ve seen the inclusion of the burpEE, leaving many of us crying like babies post WOD. Its a bundle of joy coming at us in many forms - burpEEs to the bar, over the bar, onto a plate, over a box, the list goes on…..just as the skill of burpING takes many shapes - over the shoulder, tiger in the tree, sit and pat……oh the joys!So let’s take a look at a couple of key points to get you burpEEing better!1- place your hands on the floor, close to your feet2- kick both feet back together, lowering your chest all the way to the floor offering enough resistance so as not to face plant 😬 Whilst also avoiding your hips dropping and placing unnecessary strain on your lower back!3- squeeze your bum and press up snapping your feet back as close to your hands as possible4- stand up tall with your hands up above your head, jump making sure both feet leave the ground So So Simple..........Right!! 😉 Let’s swaddle it up by acknowledging the satisfaction at the conclusion of your burpEE or burpING experience….as the reps find their finish, as the seconds tick away, as you hear the tummy thunder come closer….BURP! Ahhhhhhhhhhh :-)

So you've heard of CrossFit, maybe you've seen the CrossFit Games on Netflix?

You probably know someone who does it!

You're even potentially interested in having a try, BUT you've heard some things....

Some good... some bad....some, well crazy!!

So lets shed some light on the 3 biggest misconceptions about CrossFit.

1. Crossfit is dangerous

I'm here to tell you that YES it is dangerous!! Wait...WHAT!?!.....

But guess what? So is getting behind the wheel of a car. So is crossing the road! However the biggest hazard to your health you will find is?.... Doing nothing!!

Being sedentary can lead to a number of lifestyle diseases that will take you from your loved ones faster than anything else.

Why CrossFit gets a bad rap is usually down to a couple of factors-

Poor coaching, poor programming and ego... EGO is dangerous!!

Everyone at CrossFit Prolific goes through the basics, no matter your level. Building a solid foundation is paramount before things like load and intensity are introduced.

So find yourself a Coach that will look after you, knows how to scale movements appropriately and is not afraid to push you BUT also reign you in when needed!!

2. You need to be fit to start

Everyone has to start somewhere! The beauty of CrossFit is that everything can be modified to accommodate any fitness or skill level. You just have to get started!

This is the definition of Crossfit;

"While CrossFit challenges the world's fittest, the program is designed for universal scalability, making it the perfect application for any committed individual, regardless of experience. We scale load and intensity; we don’t change the program. The needs of Olympic athletes and our grandparents differ by degree, not kind."

Meaning that as humans we all need to move in a variety of ways as often as we can. Regardless if you aim is to go the Olympics, to be able to pick your children up from the ground pain free or to keep yourself out of a nursing home as we age!!

3. Crossfit is expensive

Whilst it certainly can be dearer than your average gym membership its still a hell of a lot cheaper than the associated costs of metabolic diseases that doing nothing will set you up for, plus you're getting far more bang for your buck!! The average gym doesn't mind if you only show up twice a year, they don't know what your capable of and they probably don't even know your name!

You're getting personal training levels of attention, motivation and coaching for a fraction of the price of that 1 on 1 cost.

You're getting a tribe of people to help keep you accountable and a coach that knows you and what you're capable of!

If all that has peaked your interest or even changed your mind and you'd like to see for yourself what CrossFit is all about come join the fun at Prolific Merewether, the first couple of sessions are on us!