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Digging deep to find your fitness motivation

dark skinned man sitting at desk with notebook to find your fitness motivation looking thoughtful wearing a fitbit watch and with his hand resting on his face

Pumping music, chugging pre-working and feeling anxious to get beach-ready for summer are all pretty standard workout motivators. Sure, they’ll hype you up to get you moving and into the gym. But most fitness junkies agree that a long-term drive to stay on track for a fitness journey comes from finding your why. Sometimes, you need to take the time to look deep inside yourself and find your fitness motivation.

Your “why”, or fitness motivation, is a very internal, personal thing. It isn’t related to how other people see your body, or what anyone else is doing or looks like. It’s not something that goes away when you meet a certain goal. It’s an ongoing determination to better yourself and never settle for less.

So, how do you find your fitness motivation?

Realise that fitness is as much a mental journey as physical

One of the most important steps to activating your inner drive is reframing how you perceive fitness. Seeing fitness as a purely physical thing is a limiting view. Through physical fitness, your mental health is likely to see a big uptick. You can improve your relationships. You can become more productive, creative, driven, focused. Your fitness can help you be calmer, more serene, sleep better, and so many other benefits.

Working out ignites the brain in so many positive ways. In the gym, we learn valuable lessons around delayed gratification, commitment and forming habits. Yes, you probably have some physical goals. But think about your bigger, mental goals too. Understand that through fitness, you can make incredible changes to almost every part of your life.

Admit your barriers to working out

To fully look inside yourself, you need to be honest about your weaknesses. Many people struggle to admit their weaknesses to themselves, but then how will they improve?

To find your fitness motivation, take the time to write down what’s stopping you from working out. Is it external factors, like your busy job or all the time you spend looking after your kids? Is it internal factors, like that you often feel lazy on a Friday night or that you, really deep down, don’t believe in yourself to get fit? 

You can only begin to fix what’s holding you back when you’re honest about your shortcomings. If your self-esteem is a big barrier to your fitness, allow yourself to see that. Then, become determined to change it.

Think about a time you enjoyed working out

This is a simple mental exercise but can be very useful to find your fitness motivation. Think about a time you worked out and enjoyed it and then think about why you enjoyed it. Was it the surge of pride you felt after crossing the finish line? Was it the satisfaction of pushing past what you thought were your limits? 

Analyzing these memories can hold useful clues as to what truly drives you. Many people also write down or take a short video of themselves after they workout. This can help them remember that burst of endorphins they feel, and help motivate them to work out again later.

Think about what makes you proud

I met someone who grew up in a family of overweight people. No one worked out regularly, and unhealthy food was the norm. As an adult, he said his biggest fitness motivation was setting a good example for his kids. He wanted to prove to them that through hard work and dedication, that anyone could get fit. His “why” was making his kids proud, because that’s made him feel proud.

Pride can be a deeply motivating factor. As you try to find your fitness motivation, think about your own sense of pride. What makes you feel like the best version of yourself? What changes can you make in your life to feel that feeling as often as possible?

Never settle for mediocrity

A lot of people see fitness as a part of life to trudge through. They view working out as a necessary evil. Stop settling for workouts that are “good enough” or “will do for today”. 

When you find your fitness motivation, hold it in your head all the time. Lean into your drive to be better every day, mentally and physically. Never settle for less.

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6 Tips For Staying Motivated To Workout

man wearing shorts staying motivated to workout by standing in a lunge position on the side of a sand hill reaching up the mountain

Let’s face it: dragging yourself out of bed at 6:00 in the morning and getting to the gym isn’t always fun. Staying motivated to workout can be hard for everyone. This is particularly true as the days get colder and the holiday season gets into full swing. You’re probably busy, cold, and tired.

If you’re feeling a lack of workout motivation, that’s okay. It happens to the best of us. However, consistency is key to seeing workout results. There are many things you can do, big and small, to rekindle that fire of motivation and set you back on track to meeting your fitness goals. 

Here are our 6 favorite tips for staying motivated to workout, even when it’s the very last thing you feel like doing.

1. A strong support network (and some friendly competition)

When you work out alone, it can be hard to motivate yourself and easy to skip a day. However, if you’ve got some friends on a similar fitness journey, you can hold each other accountable. Maybe it’s people from your CrossFit box, or your basketball team, or a running buddy.

If you have friends into fitness, embrace competition to help push you to your highest potential. Studies have shown competition to be the best source of workout motivation.

You can try making a group chat to send each other motivating things, challenge each other, and make plans to work out. Having someone who expects you to show up and workout with them is a big boost of motivation. 

2. Embrace group fitness

Many people find group fitness, such as CrossFit, an effective way to stay motivated. When the movements are all planned for you, all you really need to do is show up. It requires much less planning than other types of fitness. 

Group fitness has an energy far more “electric” than the vibe of a regular gym session. The buzz of other people putting in their all is a great way to keep going in moments you’re struggling.

Plus, when you get to know the other participants and instructor, you’ll start looking forward to the class. When you form some friendships with these people, it helps with the accountability which can be super helpful for staying motivated to workout.

3. Set some goals – and reward yourself when you meet them

Write down a range of goals, big and small. Make sure these goals are concrete, realistic and achievable. A good small goal could be to work out at least 4 times a week for a month. A long term goal might be to run your first marathon by the end of the year.

When you complete your goals, make sure to reward yourself. Otherwise, you’ll stop caring about them and taking them seriously. A reward can be anything you like. For instance, you could celebrate by going to a restaurant, buying new workout gear or watching the last episode of your favorite show. 

4. Put on your workout clothes anyway

This tip is so simple, but more effective than you’d think. When you can’t be bothered, just go and put on your workout clothes. Simply being in the gear is often enough to put you in the fitness mindset and push you to actually go workout.

Plus, it would feel a bit silly to get changed back out of the workout clothes if you hadn’t even worked out in them. No harm in a quick 20 minute workout, just to make it feel worth it, right?

5. Write down how you feel after your workouts

The post-workout endorphins, sometimes called a runner’s high, is an amazing feeling. For many people, it can be addictive. Still, sometimes it can be hard to recall just how good that feels. 

Next time you’re riding that high after a workout, make a note in your phone about how you feel. Then, when you’re struggling to gather the energy to workout, read your testament for how good the workout will make you feel. Hopefully, your past self will be able to convince your present self that the workout is totally worth it.

6. Make working out a rule, not an option

Create a routine where working out fits in. Make it so that there’s nothing else on at that time that you could argue is a better use of your time. Then the hard part – stick to the schedule until it becomes a habit. 

When you started brushing your teeth as a kid, you probably didn’t always want to do it. You might not have always felt highly motivated to go do it. But you did it anyway, because it was a rule. And now it’s a habit.

This is probably the main thing you can do for staying motivated to workout. When working out becomes a habit, motivation doesn’t matter so much anymore. It’s just a part of your lifestyle.

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Stress affecting fitness? What you can do about it

woman with stress affecting fitness with hair in ponytail and wearing a polo shirt sitting with her hand on her face at a table and with an expression of stress

Stress is so common that it seems to be a staple part of the modern human experience. Balancing running a household, meeting goals at work, spending time with family, and all your other commitments can be incredibly draining. Many people use fitness and working out as a way to unwind. However, stress affecting fitness can be a big barrier to maintaining a healthy lifestyle.

How does stress impact fitness?

Recent research published in the Journal of Sport and Exercise Psychology suggests that mental fatigue negatively impacts your workouts. Your mind and muscles are both controlled by the same part of the brain. Therefore, getting mentally tired from stress makes your body physically tired too. 

Trying to exercise with a fatigued brain can do many things to your workout – and none of them are good. Stress increases muscle tension, which can lead to injury. It can also impact vision, concentration, and make it harder to lose weight and gain muscle. Plus, stress can slow down your workout recovery.

That is, if you make it to the gym at all. You may find your stress affecting fitness in the form of a major demotivator. Those with a high stress lifestyle are around 30% more likely to live a sedentary lifestyle than people with less commitments. It makes sense. After all, if you’ve been stressed out at work all day then you probably just want to crash out and watch Netflix after work, not head to the gym.

How to prevent stress affecting fitness

Right, so now you’re probably thinking okay, fine, I get it. My fitness is being impacted by my stress. But what do you want me to actually do about that? 

Of course, the best thing to do is to tackle the root of the problem. Identify what’s stressing you out, and deal with it from the base. However, it’s not really realistic to fully remove all sources of stress from your life. We all have important commitments we can’t just abandon.

Instead, take some time to practise self care. Here are some key things you can do to nurture your mind and body, and minimize stress affecting fitness for you.

Self care tips to help you relax

  • Take a vacation. If you can find the time, take a weekend away. Pack a bag and head off, either with loved ones or alone. Okay, international travel isn’t exactly possible right now, but there are so many amazing places in the USA to check out.
  • Learn to say no. You may be someone who ends up with extra stress because you just can’t say no to others. If you’re already busy but feel obligated to help out on a school field trip or take on extra work, it’s just going to add to your already full plate. Most of the time, people will be understanding if you’re too busy. Learn to say no when others ask you to do things for them, and say yes to looking after yourself.
  • Spend time with people that make you feel good. We all have those special people in our lives that help us feel calm, and others who…well, not so much. Take some time to go spend an afternoon with that family member or old friend who you know always has good advice and positive energy to give.
  • Get out in nature. There is a large body of research that suggests spending time outside helps us feel physically and mentally better. For instance, this study shows that runners who work out in parks are significantly happier than those who run in an urban setting. Even if it’s just on your lunch break, get out for a walk and soak up some important vitamin D.
  • Do a little self reflection. Taking time to feel your feelings and write them down can have a very calming effect. You could try a journal to process what happened in your day. Or, you can just make simple bullet points of things you feel grateful for. Taking a few moments each day for self reflection can help you learn about yourself, your needs, and your psyche in a positive way.

If none of these are working for you, it probably is time to reassess your commitments. If you let your stress get the better of you for too long, you can get burnt out and may face lasting unwanted effects. 

However, with some practice, self care is a great way to keep your mental health in check. In turn, your physical health will benefit. The mind and body are an interconnected system. Make sure you look after both!

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Overcoming Feelings Of Failure

woman with hair in ponytail overcoming feelings of failure sitting in dark room holding soccer ball looking stressed

When it comes to fitness, feelings of failure can be one of the biggest barriers to progress. Confidence and fitness go hand in hand. When you work out, you feel more confident. When you feel confident, your workouts are better. But if you lose your confidence, for whatever reason, it can be hard to get it back. Overcoming feelings of failure about your fitness is challenging, but can be done.

Why are you feeling failure?

An important step to overcoming feelings of failure is to identify where these thoughts come from. For many people, they might feel like a failure because of insecurity around their level of fitness. Or maybe, you feel bad that you struggle to find time to get to the gym when it seems like everyone else is always working out. Negative feelings can be triggered by almost anything.

Even total fitness junkies sometimes feel like failures too, though. If you’re a gym rat and you’re there 6 days a week, you might find yourself getting frustrated when you hit a plateau. You could be feeling down and wondering why it just doesn’t seem like you’re progressing when everyone else is smashing new records every week.

No matter whether you’re a total beginner or a fitness nerd, there’s a common driving force behind feelings of failure: comparisons. In the hyper-connected world we live in, full of social media and fitness influencers, we’re constantly comparing ourselves to others. 

If you’re struggling with an aspect of your fitness journey, the last thing you want to see is videos and pictures of others showing off their ripped abs or boasting about their latest fitness achievements.

Overcoming feelings of failure 

First of all, stop comparing yourself to others. This might mean unfollowing fitness influencers, or putting a little distance between yourself and your most competitive friends. It can be hard, but remember that your fitness has little or nothing to do with anyone else’s.

Focus on your own why. Take some time to think about why you’re doing this. Hopefully, you have some internal fitness goals as well as external. Physical goals are great, but mental and emotional goals will keep you driven for longer.

Then, try to put your feelings of failure into perspective. Your insecurity is likely triggered by what’s only a minor setback on a long journey. Comparing yourself to others and feeling like a failure won’t make any difference to achieving the goal in the end. Your journey towards your goals is an individual venture, and the pace doesn’t matter – just enjoy the journey.

Using negative feelings to drive success 

Okay, so you feel better. You know it’s just a little setback, and you can keep moving forward. But before you totally forget about these feelings of failure, think about if they can be of value. Failure, and feelings of failure, can hold important lessons.

Experience is the best teacher. So, if you’re feeling like a failure because your deadlift isn’t improving, think about why. Maybe it’s because you aren’t eating enough, so you aren’t building enough muscle. 

Use these feelings of failure to motivate you to work more calories and protein into your diet. Any time your motivation drops in the future, remember the feelings of failure you feel now. Use the memory to drive you towards success.

Remember that on any venture, whether related to business, fitness, or anything else, failure is an inherent part of it. You’ll always experience setbacks of some description. The setbacks don’t matter. What matters is how you deal with them.

Don’t forget that fitness is meant to make you feel good

At the end of the day, a fit and healthy lifestyle is meant to make you feel good. If you’re experiencing chronic feelings of failure, you should re-evaluate your routine. Maybe you need to be less hard on yourself. Maybe you need to turn to your family and friends for support, or take a break from the gym. 

The longer you let your negative thoughts run wild, the harder overcoming feelings of failure becomes. Be kind to others, and yourself.

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How To Keep A Positive Mindset

man with short hair wearing t shirt and shorts meditating to keep a positive mindset standing on mat in gym with hands clasped in front of him

I’m sure you’ve been told before how important it is to keep a positive mindset in all areas of life. And it is true: there are many benefits to positivity. These include stronger relationships, better mental resilience, more energy, higher self esteem, and many more. Positive thinking can be one of the cheapest and most effective supplements to help you both in the gym and outside of it.

An optimistic mindset is an important part of a fitness journey. At Buffalo Nickel CrossFit, we strongly believe that fitness isn’t all about the physical. Fitness and health is a holistic concept. A truly healthy lifestyle includes having a healthy body and mind. Because the body and mind’s levels of wellness are closely connected, keeping a positive mindset will lead to great results in the gym.

How Does Optimism Impact Our Fitness?

Research suggests that there is a strong link between a positive mindset and its effect on wellness. Many of these benefits relate to exercise. Positive messaging and self confidence helps you push yourself to go harder in the gym. Plus, it helps you maintain a more accurate awareness of your progress.

So, that all sounds great. Even so, we all have rough days where we don’t feel motivated. It can be hard to magically conjure up a positive outlook. Sometimes we hit a frustrating plateau, or our weight seems to stagnate, or it’s really rainy and we just can’t be bothered getting into the gym. Keeping a positive mindset can be really hard. So how can we do it?

Try Motivating Affirmations And Constructive Self-Talk

Your self talk is your internal dialogue. Your inner self might be critical and negative, or it might be positive and kind. If it’s in the latter category, you’re likely to experience far greater results in the gym and in every area of your life. 

Although consistent positive self-talk is really important, affirmations before or during a workout are a great way to bring up your levels of positivity. Here are some great workout affirmations for you to try.

  • “I am strong, I am powerful, and I will finish this workout.”
  • “I feel strong, alive and alert.”
  • “My body can handle anything, I just have to convince my mind.”
  • “I am my best athletic self today.”
  • “I am a better athlete for working out today.”
  • “A little bit of pain is good, it is a reminder that I’m doing a good job and it’s making me stronger.”

There are so many inspiring workout affirmations and quotes. Find the ones that work for you and set it as your phone lock screen, as an alarm on your phone reminding you to go work out, or just hold it in your mind.

Other Tips To Keep A Positive Mindset

  • Workout in a way you enjoy. If your workout involves running on a treadmill for an hour, five days a week, you’ll probably get bored very quickly. One of the best things about CrossFit is the variation. We combine group fitness, weightlifting, gymnastics, and many more. This is a great way to keep engaged with your fitness.
  • Check in with your stream of self talk. Try setting an alarm on your phone for every couple of hours. When it goes off, think about your inner monologue and what you’re saying to yourself. Are you being kind and encouraging to yourself? If not, challenge these thoughts. As you get used to this style of mindfulness, it will get easier to evaluate your self talk and make sure it’s constructive. This practice is much like cognitive behavioral therapy, and can be a valuable way to keep a positive mindset.
  • Track your progress. Take before and after photos of yourself, and keep a workout log – whether an app or on paper. When you leave it up to your brain, it can be hard to see your body change. Seeing hard evidence of yourself making progress is a great way to keep a positive mindset.
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The Forgotten Link Between Sleep And Fitness

man turned away sleeping in bed for sleep and fitness with soft light on the wall and a white blanket

Many people spend tons of money on supplements, protein this, mass gainer that, energy booster, whatever. But what if I told you there was a super beneficial supplement that you probably weren’t getting enough of, and now what if I told you it was free?! No, this isn’t a bad infomercial. Seriously, there is a free supplement you are probably not getting enough of. You can probably guess what it is. That’s right, it’s sleep. Sleep and fitness are deeply linked, but it’s so easily forgotten.

Working out, and good eating habits will only do so much if you don’t get enough sleep. Without the proper amount of sleep, you will be stalled in your health and fitness journey. Why is that? I am glad you asked.

Sleep and fitness

So what exactly is the link between sleep and fitness?

Our bodies naturally produce human growth hormone, also called HGH. It does exactly what it sounds like – it helps humans grow. It is responsible for regulating body composition, muscle and bone growth, sugar and fat metabolism, and more. Basically HGH really helps us with our fitness.

Sleep is one of the key ways to boost HGH. As we sleep, the HGH works it way through our bodies, helping to repair and restore the damage we did during the day. This is key for workout recovery.

The higher quality rest we get, the more HGH we get. In turn, the more energy we have, the better we feel and perform, and the healthier we become. 

Of course, we all know we need 7-8 hours of sleep a night as adults. If you are getting that, great. If not, here are some signs you are in a sleep deficit.

Signs of sleep deficit

  • Poor digestion, or gut health/increased inflammation. 
  • Hormonal imbalances, especially the hunger hormone and increased food cravings.
  • Insulin resistance – your body will not tolerate carbs well.
  • The “caffeine cycle” – using caffeine to feel awake during the day but then unable to fall asleep at night.

How to boost our sleep and fitness

So, now we know what to look for with lack of sleep. How do we make sure we get as much quality sleep as possible to cash in on this free supplement?

  • Stay off electronics at least 1 hour before bed.
  • Don’t consume caffeine or other stimulants after 2 pm.
  • Watch alcohol intake. It might help you pass out but it doesn’t allow you to actually rest.
  • Be consistent with the times you go to bed and wake up. This consistency will help your body and mind be ready for sleep and ready to wake up.
  • Keep your room dark, quiet, and at a comfortable temperature.
  • Try to get 7-8 hours of sleep a night.

Struggling to figure out nutrition, sleep, eating habits, and more? We offer coaching in all of the above and more. Set up your free No Sweat Intro today to learn more. 

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10 Quotes Better Than Pre-Workout

man standing on bridge holding book writing down quotes better than pre-workout and thinking

I’ll be honest, I have never taken pre-workout. I just kinda take my workouts as they come. I just do my best if I’m tired. If I feel great with lots of energy, then it’s a great day. Either way I am thankful for the ability and opportunity to workout. Pre-workout or lack of it aside, I can’t be the only one who thinks a good motivational quote is inspiring. So here are 10 quotes better than pre-workout (or at least as good) to get you fired up for your next WOD.

Try picking a favorite and putting it somewhere you’ll see it. Put it on a sticky note in your home, or even make it your phone lock screen. Think back to it when you’re about to go into the gym, or any time you feel like you need a good dose of motivation.

Quotes To Pump You Up Better Than Pre-Workout

  1. Nobody cares what you did yesterday. What have you done today to better yourself? – David Goggins
  2. Don’t expect to be motivated every day to get out there and make things happen. You won’t be. Don’t count on motivation. Count on discipline. – Jocko Willink
  3. If it’s endurable, then endure it. Stop complaining. – Marcus Aurelius
  4. It does not matter how slowly you go, as long as you do not stop.– Confucius
  5. If you’re not in the arena also getting your ass kicked, I’m not interested in your feedback. – Brené Brown
  6. Make sure your worst enemy doesn’t live between your own two ears. – Laird Hamilton
  7. Success isn’t owned. It is leased, and rent is due everyday. – J.J Watt
  8. If you aren’t willing to work for it. Don’t complain about not having it. – Toby McKeekan
  9. But did you die? – Mr. Chow
  10. When I step up in the place a-yo I step correct. – Theodore Roosevelt

If these quotes aren’t enough for you, give these ones a go. There are thousands of great motivating quotes for you to use to your advantage.

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Fitness is Evolving: The Future Of Fitness

the future of fitness shown by a dad wearing glasses lying on a bed holding son with curly head above his chest by a big window

Who knows how 2020 will be written in the history books? There are still a few months left and, as we have seen, a lot can happen in that time. As you know, my world revolves around fitness. Aside from all the global craziness that has happened, I see a change happening that hopefully continues into the future of fitness.

How has the future of fitness changed in 2020?

Here is an overview of what has happened this year. People have been stuck at home, with little to no workout equipment. This caused people to get creative. 

People usually spend a ton of money on vacations, summer camps, and entertainment outside of the home. This year that money went towards something different.

It went towards bikes, personal workout equipment, and home improvement materials.

No, you aren’t reading the wrong article. This isn’t an economics blog, fitness is right around the corner.

What most call fitness

To the average person, fitness is understood to be visual. A certain ratio of shoulder width to bicep circumference, a tiny waist line, or thighs that don’t touch. 

Many people imagine fitness happening in a building with air conditioning, an Olympic pool, tons of machines, in the most affluent part of town. 

Fitness “gurus” will try to sell the average person on this certain supplement (or tea…you all know who you are), or a specific training plan will give you the ‘ultimate 6 pack in 30 days’. This won’t work, and isn’t what fitness is about.

What fitness actually is

Well, what is fitness about then?

Fitness provides freedom.

This freedom is what allows you to ride your bike with family and friends and not be bringing up the rear. 

It also allows you to be able to load that sheet of plywood from the cart to your truck bed. Then you can carry that plywood from the truck bed to the garage and duck down as you walk through the door with it. 

Fitness/freedom is why you can look good in a swimsuit but still enjoy foods you like.  

And most important of all, fitness equals freedom through functionality.  

The fitness equation

The fitness equation means a person’s level of freedom is directly related to how functionally fit they are.

Of course I don’t mean constitutionally free. I am sure North Korea has plenty of fit people. 

Refer back to the example we gave earlier of people who believe fitness is a skinny girl drinking detox teas. Or those who think fitness means a bicep is supposed to be the size of a newborn child. 

Those people might look fit, but how functional are they? Can the skinny girl even load the sheet of plywood by herself? Can the guy with sleeve splitting biceps go hiking and not feel like his lungs will explode? Are they actually fit? Are they free? 

The future of fitness

My point is fitness is finally evolving. People had disposable income and they didn’t go buy a leg press machine, they bought a barbell and weight set. They didn’t put in an in-ground pool, they bought a road bike to ride with their friends and family. 

Restaurants were closed. So, they didn’t spend money on going out to eat. Instead they started cooking real, healthy food. And they couldn’t go on vacations so they decided to use their own manual labor to finish all those house projects.

These things feel good to do. These things are changing how people think of fitness, and changing the future of fitness trends.

When will the globo-gym model be extinct? Will girls with a waist the size of a pencil and zero muscle tone stop selling BS products? Will guys, who spend years getting perfectly sculpted abdominals and shoulders, tell you that they know the secret to giving you the same in 30 days? One day, will functional fitness be the ultimate king like it was when humans were still trying to learn how to survive on Earth? That’s all highly doubtful.  

But a movement changing the future of fitness has started. People are connecting fitness and functionality. My hope is that people will embrace functional fitness. I hope this trend will continue and that people will continue down the road of functionality – towards freedom.

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Is Weightlifting At A Young Age Bad For You?

child in boxing ring weightlifting at a young age for fitness

If your child has shown an interest in tagging along to the gym sometime, you might be wondering if it’s a good idea. While weightlifting is great, it can be hard to know if weightlifting at a young age is going to be safe for your child. And doesn’t it stunt their growth? 

Luckily, so long as you don’t have the kid power cleaning 50 kilos or anything in that realm, then you’re likely to cause far more good than harm. Here’s how to help your child safely kickstart their (hopefully lifelong!) gym career.

Weightlifting? Yes! Powerlifting? Maybe Not…

To be clear, when we endorse weightlifting at a young age, we’re talking about strength training. Bodybuilding and powerlifting are a no-go for kids. Trying to build big muscles can put a lot of physical (and mental) stress on a child. Their muscles, tendons and underdeveloped growth plates are at a high risk of injury when moving large amounts of weight.

If your child is interested in weightlifting, don’t worry about how much they’re lifting. Don’t put them on any progressive weight training program until they’re well into puberty. Instead, focus on using these formative years to help them develop great technique. Compound exercises are some of the most valuable to do. If your kid learns great deadlift, bench press and squat form, it will serve them well later in life.

What Are The Risks Of Weightlifting At A Young Age?

It’s a fairly common belief that weightlifting will stunt a child’s growth. However, this is a total myth. The rumor came from a Japanese study of child laborers in the 1970s who ended up below average height. However, it is now known that they ended up short due to malnutrition – not weightlifting. No studies have actually ever shown that weightlifting stunts growth.

Instead, most of the risks associated with weightlifting at a young age are to do with the kid trying to lift weight that their body isn’t strong enough to support. Such injuries can be serious. They include herniated disks, muscle strains, fractures, growth plate injuries, and cartilage damage. 

Children’s bones and muscles don’t finish developing until the end of puberty. This makes them prone to sports-related injury. For this reason, it’s important to make sure your kid doesn’t overdo it in the gym. Stick to low weight and high rep workouts to avoid injury.

What Are The Benefits Of Weightlifting At A Young Age?

Weightlifting is a key part of a varied physical fitness program. Like many exercises, they’ll reap some great benefits from it. They’ll get stronger and gain better muscular endurance, which will help them perform in any sport they’re interested in. 

If they start out with free weights early, they’ll develop great form and technique that will stay with them later in life. Weightlifting at a young age can help your child maintain a healthy weight, and develop strong bones and muscles. 

Plus, weightlifting is really fun! For many kids, weightlifting will boost their confidence and get them interested in physical fitness, which is an awesome hobby to have!

How To Get A Kid Started With Weightlifting

When your child shows an interest, take them along to the gym with you sometime. If you’re confident in your technique, you can show them good form for activities like squats, deadlifts, bench presses or any other weightlifting exercises they want to try. If you’re less experienced with a movement, any of the gym staff will be happy to help teach your kid how to perform the lift safely and efficiently.

Most advice out there recommends avoiding any kind of strict regimen or routine. This is for a couple of reasons. Firstly, you don’t want your kid to put too much pressure on themselves and get stressed. Secondly, strict regimens get boring. People of any age find that to be true, not just kids. But, children in particular often get bored of things, so it’s best to mix things up. 

Aim to let them play around and try out lots of activities and exercises that interest them. Hopefully it will spark a lifelong interest in fitness. A passion for physical health will help them live a healthy lifestyle for decades to come.

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CrossFit Myth: Being Fit Enough For CrossFit

legs of women who are all fit enough for crossfit being all different shapes and sizes standing in a line

One of the biggest misconceptions about CrossFit I often hear is, “I’m not fit enough for CrossFit.”

This belief stems from what most people’s idea of CrossFit is, which is The CrossFit Games. The Games is a series of events and competitions where people compete to see who is the fittest person in the world. CrossFit started hosting these back in 2007. Normal everyday people could not only be selected, but could even win. Panda Express used to sponsor The CrossFit Games. You even drank beer after working out – no joke.  

However, this has quickly evolved to, if you don’t have great genetics, a bombproof training and eating regimen, a long and extensive background in health and fitness…then good luck even making it to the middle stage of selection. Most Games athletes now are/were high level college athletes, and some were/are Olympians or junior Olympians.

Are you fit enough for CrossFit at the Games level? 

No, you are not. There are only a few people in the world who are fit enough for that. 

But, are you fit enough for CrossFit in general?

Yes! You certainly are! Yes!

Everyone has to start somewhere

Humans love to compare themselves to others, even when we have no experience in a subject. For example, when people walk into a box for the first time and they see someone pouring sweat, doing muscle ups, flipping tires, and jumping on top of a box the height of a kitchen table they think “there is no way I can do that”. And they are right.

But, what they don’t think about is that person has been training in CrossFit for years. They had to lose 30 lbs to have those abs and be able to even do a pull up. They started exactly where everyone else did. By simply walking in the door.

When you start a good coach will know that you shouldn’t be pushed like more seasoned athletes. So, instead of doing muscle ups, you will do pull ups. Instead of flipping tires, you will do kettle-bell swings. And maybe you won’t jump on a box but will step up on one. Guess what, that is still CrossFit! CrossFit movements can be scaled and modified. This makes CrossFit a great choice for everyone.

Everyone likes to talk about how CrossFit uses the kipping and butterfly pull ups and how they are not real pull ups. They are just a different version of pull ups that serve a different purpose, just like jumping, banded, and strict pull ups all serve their own purposes.  

Everyone’s fit enough for CrossFit

So the point is, anyone and everyone is able to do CrossFit. No matter what your skill level or your experience is, CrossFit movements can be scaled to meet your level of fitness. And this is important because it allows new athletes to have a workout made a little easier for them. Or it allows more advanced athletes to modify a workout to be harder than it once was.

Are you “not in good enough shape” to start CrossFit and have two minutes to spare? Message us – we only need two minutes to ask your opinion on something.

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