7 Reasons to keep up your training on the RoD during the "colder" period.

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Today we look at reasons why you SHOULD still be training consistently throughout these so-called colder months.

Now that July is on upon us the Dreaded "Winter season" is in full flow! Admittedly if the last couple weeks have been anything to go by Melbourne may still be in for some frosty & less than desirable conditions. Now admit it, have you at some point woken up & looked out the window and decided not to turn up to the Box? Or did you ever have a hard day at work & as you are about to finish up it starts to rain and you think it better to just head home for a night in front of the TV rather get your days exercise in? You did didn’t you?!?!

CrossFit is by its very design a Broad & Inclusive program. We specialise in not specialising & building the biggest base of GPP possible. It serves as a functionally sound program that prepares you for life, not just for summer! Its not a fair weather program. Sure when its a balmy 28c out and the sun is shining everyone loves the freedom to show off what they have earned but when do you think that body was earned? Yup you guessed it, when its NOT a balmy 28c! 🙂

Of course we can’t just snap our fingers and make the cold go away (wouldn't that be a neat trick?!). You will need to be sensible in layering and dressing appropriately for the day.

Remember you yield the best possible results from our program from (among other things) being consistent. Simply turning up will have more Fit than the day before because you will get something done as opposed to the times you choose it to be "too cold". Next time you are tempted to sleep in that extra 15 minutes (seriously what is that??) or blow off the WoD because you don’t want to chance getting wet on your way in check out these legit reasons why you should still be training at the RoD on a regular basis.

1. Your’ll burn more calories.

As your body works harder to regulate its core temperature among the elements, you'll burn a few more calories during your wintry workout compared to one conducted in an indoors setting. While the calorie burn varies with each person's body mass and the extremity of the temperature, it can be a nice morale booster (especially if you have let yourself tempted with your favourite cheat meal once too many).

2. Your’ll drink more water.

Staying hydrated is really important anyways, a real key indicator to why performance is "off" or you feel "flat", but it is one of the most important factors in minimizing the dangers of cold-weather workouts. The body continues to sweat, but that sweat evaporates more quickly into the chilly, dry air, making it seem as though the body is losing less water. Drinking water before, during and after cold-weather workouts helps maintain peak performance, protect the body from injury and stay warm from start to finish. Don't wait to feel thirsty to hydrate!

3. Your’ll appreciate &/or remember the importance of warm ups & cool downs.

Proper warm-up and cool-down movements are crucial to keeping the body in top fitness shape, but they become even more important when it's cold outside. Keeping the body loose, limber & warm for a chilly workout can help prevent painful twists, sprains, tweaks and other injuries. Winter workouts will encourage you to become a pro when it comes to full warm-up and cool-down routines, the former to keep your internal body temperature elevated, and the latter to reduce unnecessary tightness inspired by the chill in the air. (Those Jumping' Jacks don't seem so silly now hey??).

Rest assured that we always like to warm you up in class but don’t just leave it to that. We ALWAYS write up a "Pre-Class W/Up" on the board to give you something to do to prepare yourself & aren't sure on what to do. Please help yourself by getting in at least 15 minutes ahead of time & giving it a look. It will invariably contain some time on the rower/bike for 5 solid minutes then followed with some general movements such as air squats, push ups, broom pass throughs, etc. And it may be followed up with a bit of mobility advice. Make your class like a Doctors or Dentist appointment. If you are scheduled to WoD at 6:45am then make your "appointment" for 6:30am.

4. Your’ll build a tolerance to the colder conditions.

Lets face it, we are all human & it can feel downright painful to force yourself out into the elements for the first few workouts of the winter season, but rest assured that over time, it does get easier, it's important to readjust your expectations as you acclimatise rather than push for your typical, temperate-weather performance. Pay particular attention to the amount of effort you're putting forth rather than hitting certain time, or other performance goals, and try to just enjoy the process. In time, when your body is used to the temperature your performances will then improve too. And anyways after your warm up & you're halfway into your WoD you won’t be feeling the cold at all!

5. Your’ll be happier & feel more energised!

Cold-weather exercise also has the ability to boost one’s mood thanks to the lack of humidity (which can create that heavy air feeling in the summer months) and the stimulating aspect of the chill. As the body works harder to stay warm, the amount of endorphins produced also increases, leaving you with a stronger sense of happiness and lightness following a a workout in the cold. Post. WoD. Pump! Plus you won’t have gotten the dreaded ‘FOMO’ for missing the WoD.

6. Increased immunity

Regular exercise boosts your immunity by improving lymphatic and cardiovascular circulation. It increases blood flow to all the organs, including the liver, which during the colder season can go through a harder time as socialising indoors in bars/pubs becomes more prevalent, will help you improve its ability to detoxify waste during the odd indulgence meal/s. Editors note: If you do happen to be actually sick then what you need is actual rest. It happens from time to time no matter how health conscious we may be & you may still get a cold/flu from your children, your partner, work colleague/s, etc. If it happens what you need is good, proper rest. Powering through the flu is a recipe for disaster & will make you more sick! Come back once better & you will reap the rewards of listening to your body.

7. You have a fully fledged legit excuse to treat yourself to new workout clothes!!

Yep thats right! Why not allow yourself a little splurge, be it at Lululemon or some more Reebok-CrossFit fare, you can’t beat the feel of new threads to help you feel on top of the world (or rooftop!).  Look out for the moisture wicking materials as you will want your sweat to not hang around the body for long as it gets cold! Long sleeves and layers will help you in the early stages of your class thus allowing you to 'de-robe' as you get hotter & hotter! Look to go with a top with no zip on the front as it can often catch your barbell on cleans & presses. And cotton trackies feels lovely & warm as compared to a funky slinky set of tracks.

(Note: It just so happens that our very own Brand New Winter Hoodies will be arriving in a few weeks!! Click here to contact us if you may be interested in the limited stock arriving after Pre-Orders.

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So there you have it. 7 awesome reasons why you should not let a silly thing like cold weather stop you from getting your Fitness in. Remember we run monthly prizes for our best attendees. We WANT you here training as much as your body allows. It is the best pathway to success on the program. We want to help you get results, not help you with excuses.

Look out for our follow ups to this blog post over the next few weeks. we will offer up some key ways & tips to help you find more consistency in your training over the next few months.

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Now after that go online here & book your next few classes!