Day 19: Things Every CrossFitter Should Own...Even Though I don't

Every sport has some basic equipment you should own so you can practice on your own.  In baseball you need a glove, hockey..a stick, in basketball all you need is a ball (although a hoop is nice to have close) but what about CrossFit?  It's billed as a sport, and unlike running, you need more than just a pair of shoes to do  most of the workouts.  Below is a quick list of some stuff I think you should own (and I should get as well).

PVC Pipe

a 6 foot length of 1 inch diameter pvc pipe will certainly not break the bank, but practicing with it could help avoid a broken back.  During every class that involves a lift, whether the first time or the hundredth, the instructor should go over proper technique using no weight first.  Sometimes you feel silly doing a dead lift with PVC but it will help get into the proper position.

By practicing with the pipe you can train your body to get into the right position and stretch the muscles involved.  In turn, using proper for you can lift more weight.  Who knew a 3 lb piece of PVC could help so much?

Lacrosse Ball

This is another inexpensive piece of equipment that could limit the pain involved in recovering after a tough workout.  Using a lacrosse ball and the mobility WOD blog you can really help stretch your muscles before and after a tough workout.  I use a baseball on my legs often to help get rid of shinsplints and to loosen up my upper legs before a softball game.

Resistance Band

This is also useful in stretching as it adds some resistance to the motions you make.  Using this band in pull-ups, ring dips, and arm stretches can vastly improve your ability and help you accomplish some of the short term goals you have at your box.

Jump Rope

Help get your cardio on!   Double unders are more a skill than a strength.  Sure as you get stronger you'll be able to do more but I have seen many a strong person not able to do more than about 5 of these in a row. Practicing double unders can really help bring down your time in workouts that involve the jump rope.  Set minor goals for yourself.

Those are, what I think, the most important little things you can have around your house that can help you become a better crossfitter and cut down on workout times.  Of course, if you want to get more advanced a pull-up bar, medicine ball, and kettlebell wouldn't hurt to have around.  :-)

Do you keep anything around the house that helps you in your workouts?

WOD

Softball game.  I have done crossfit for 4 straight days and I think I'm going to let my body recover today.  tomorrow Karen (digital mustard) and I are going to bike ride from Valley Forge Park to the Art Museum in Philadelphia!  I'm really excited for that, pictures will be taken.

Diet

I'll go into this tomorrow.  I'm off to a good start today and I expect to end well.


Hope everyone has a happy and safe 4th of July holiday.  Don't blow off any limbs...that will really hurt your workout times!