No matter what people think, leading a healthy lifestyle in the times we are living is not that hard, and nutritious food is actually much cheaper than if you were eating a fast food diet day after day. A healthy lifestyle lies on three base principles – regular exercise, a balanced and nutritious diet, and an adequate sleep routine. Now, excluding refined products like white sugar and trans fats, and including more whole foods like grains, vegetables, fruits, and nuts is the way to go. On the other hand, you should get at least 7-8 hours of sleep a day if you want to effectively get on with your day. Last but not least, exercising 3-4 times a week will be of great benefit to your overall health. Whether you decide for swimming, running, yoga, team sports or weightlifting it is up to your preference. Still, one of the most popular and most effective types of workout is CrossFit.
CrossFit is becoming more popular each and every year it is mainly due to the fact that it combines cardio and weightlifting exercise into one. After completing a CrossFit session you don’t need to do anything else apart to have a good meal and relax. Now, CrossFit can be done basically anywhere and you don’t need a lot of equipment for it. Still, there are certain essentials that you might want to get in order to have an effective workout routine. Without further ado, let’s go ahead and take a look.
The CrossFit Essentials
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1. Lucky for you, CrossFit is that popular that now there are numerous online shops like CrossFitSurvival selling the needed equipment – you will be able to find all the essentials at an affordable price. Wrist wraps are one of the things that will be of most help in your workout session, especially if you are starting with somewhat weaker wrists – and if you get an elastic wrist wraps you can use these in a push-up variation as well. Along with wrist wraps getting knee wraps is a smart choice as well – if you decide to go ahead and lift some heavy weight you would want to secure your knees just in case.
2. Now, another great thing that is great for lifting is Olympic lifting shoes. Though you can’t run or jump in these, Olympic lifting shoes will allow you to stand firmly on the ground and allow for better ankle flexibility (thus reducing the chance of injury).
3. Don’t think that CrossFit workout sessions will be all comfortable and you might feel torn up during it but it is worth it as that is the part of making a progress. If you want to protect the skin on your hands from breaking you can either use an athletic tape or chalk – and along with that, it may allow you for a better grip as well.
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4. Getting a foam roller is a great choice for increasing mobility and after a workout. Along with that, we suggest that you invest in a speed rope – it is easy to pack and will provide you a great option for warming up.
5. Resistance bands are a must and we recommend that you have at least three varieties in your bag – one for warming up, one for specific muscle groups and one for pull-ups.
6. Last but not least you will want to invest in a high-quality weight belt – similar to knee and wrist wraps a weight belt will keep you injury free and allow you to lift heavier weights. It is especially important for compound exercises like deadlift and barbell rows.
Summary
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CrossFit is one of the most effective forms of exercises out there, as it allows you to get in your cardio and weightlifting done in one workout session. Along with that, you can do it in the gym or outside of it as bands, foam rollers, and speed ropes could replace weights in some situations. Last but not least, CrossFit doesn’t demand a lot of stuff – invest in these few essentials and you are good to go!
