Flexibility and mobility are an essential part of your CrossFit training. Let’s take a closer look at why these two areas are vital to your fitness, what types of CrossFit Stretches there are and a few examples of what you should do after a CrossFit class.
Mobility and Flexibility
It’s important to recognize the distinction between flexibility and mobility while talking about CrossFit stretches for training. When you sit down and stretch forward to touch your toes, you are demonstrating passive flexibility of your joint.
When you actively move a joint, such as when you kick your leg as high as it will go in front of your body, you are exhibiting mobility.
Your total fitness depends on both of these ideas. However, whereas mobility does not typically indicate your whole range of motion, flexibility does. This is due to the neurological system’s need to prevent your body from going to the limit of what is possible while you are moving. In other words, when you move slowly and are in a static posture, your brain allows you to approach the edge, but when you move quickly, it pulls back to protect you.
CrossFit flexibility training uses many different kinds of stretching to improve these two areas. In particular, CrossFit stretches seek to reduce the amount of reserve that your nervous system allows when you are moving or have a heavy load to move. The increased range of motion helps your performance and safety during CrossFit training.
Types of Stretching:
Stretching exercises come in a variety of forms when practicing CrossFit flexibility. The CrossFit Journal lists them as follows:
Stretching that is static enhances range of motion and is used for recovery.
Dynamic stretching involves moving a joint through its range of motion without applying a lot of force or engaging in deep stretching movements. It is best used as a warm-up.
As you near the end of your range of motion, you employ loaded stretching to increase your strength, which the CrossFit Journal claims is essential for your functional movements. It is simpler to delve deeper into those positions and optimize their benefits when there is greater power available at the end of a functional exercise. After class, you should recharge.
The various forms of stretching have various functions. You must, however, rest after CrossFit training. As a result, following a CrossFit class, you should perform the following static stretches:
CrossFit Stretch #1: Seated Straddle
Spread your feet apart as far as is comfortable while seated. Draw your belly and ribs in while sitting up straight. Reach out in front of you on the floor as you bend forward. Keep going until your hamstrings start to feel stretched. Hold for at least a minute.
CrossFit Stretch #2: Pigeon
Lay down on the floor with your left leg extended behind you and your right leg bent in front of you. Lean slowly over your right leg so that your torso is over your bent right leg and your hands are out in front of you. Do this by pulling the right heel toward your left side. To give the hips enough time to open up, hold for at least a minute on each side. Then change sides.
CrossFit Stretch #3: Bridge
Your hands should be by your side as you lie on the ground with your legs bowed. Lift your hips upward while maintaining your upper back and shoulders flat on the ground by placing your weight in your heels and keeping your knees about a fist’s width apart. After holding for five seconds, bring your hips to the ground. Repeat.
CrossFit Stretch # 4: Seated Spinal Twist
Begin by crossing your right leg over your left, bending your right knee, and placing your right foot on the ground. The right heel will therefore be closer to the left sit bone as you hug your left knee to your chest with your left arm. Right glute activation is assisted by your right hand being on the ground behind you. After holding for at least 30 seconds, switch to the opposite side.
CrossFit Stretch #5: Calf Raises
The easiest stretch is standing on a flat surface, lifting your feet to your toes, and repeating up to 20 times in three sets.
As important as flexibility and mobility are to fitness, stretching is crucial to recuperation. To expand your range of motion and strength towards the maximum stretch, think about including more stretching of all kinds, but especially loaded stretching exercises (with a coach, please). Engaging your CrossFit Stretches can be the greatest way for you to achieve your stretch objectives in your CrossFit workout.
Source: https://www.k2crossfit.com/5-crossfit-stretches-you-should-do-after-class/
REACH’s 2 STEP APPROACH TO RECOVERY THERAPY
RELAX – RESTORE – RECHARGE
Step 1: Identify Your Problem Areas
- It all starts with your Mobility Risk Factor Assessment called
. - This helps us identify the root cause of your current problem areas due to:
– Life’s Daily Wear & Tear
– Your Aches/Pain
– Muscle Imbalances & Weakness
– Flexibility/Mobility Limitations
– Posture Issues - A Mobility Risk Factor Assessment is a MUST before starting any Stretch & Recovery Therapy Program.
Step 2: Targeted Recovery Therapy
- Your Mobility Risk Factor Assessment helps us create a Personalized Recovery Therapy Plan that targets your problem areas which will Shorten your Recovery Time.
- Each of our Stretch & Recovery sessions are a balanced blend of Corrective Stretch, Percussion, Compression, CBD and Heat
Vibration Therapy. - Risk Factor Re-Assessments:
– Suggested every 30-60 days
– See your improvements
– Realize the benefits of Stretch & Recovery
Therapy
