CrossFit is a demanding and challenging fitness program that requires hard work, dedication, and discipline. It’s not for the faint of heart or those who are unwilling to put in the effort. But for those who are willing to commit to the program and put in the work, the results can be truly transformational.
Recently, we had an athlete leave us, citing that CrossFit doesn’t work. As a CrossFit gym, this statement hurt us because we firmly believe in the effectiveness of the CrossFit methodology. However, upon further investigation, we discovered that this athlete rarely attended class, didn’t care about proper nutrition, and was attempting to correct years of poor habits in just three months. CrossFit is not a magic pill that can fix everything overnight. It requires consistent effort and dedication to see results.
At Fern Creek CrossFit, we understand the commitment required for success in the CrossFit program. Our coaching staff is committed to helping you achieve your fitness goals and supporting you on your journey. But success in CrossFit is a two-way street. You must be willing to put in the effort and dedication required to achieve your goals.
One of the most significant benefits of CrossFit is the community that it creates. You’ll find a supportive and encouraging group of people who will push you to be your best self. Whether you’re a seasoned athlete or just starting, our community welcomes everyone and celebrates individual accomplishments.
Another important aspect of CrossFit is proper nutrition. A healthy nutrition plan is critical to achieving your fitness goals, and our coaching staff is here to help you develop a nutrition plan that works for you.
In summary, CrossFit is hard work, but the results are worth it. It’s not a magic pill or a quick fix, and it requires a commitment to consistent effort and dedication. At Fern Creek CrossFit, we believe in the effectiveness of the CrossFit methodology, and our coaching staff is committed to helping you achieve your fitness goals. But ultimately, your success depends on your commitment to the program.
Spring is here, and Summer is coming! The heat is on, and it’s only getting hotter. Staying healthy isn’t just about lifting weights and doing metcons. It also means trying to take care of ourselves as a whole. During this season, knowing how to avoid heat stroke and heat exhaustion is crucial for looking after ourselves.
Staying hydrated is something to be taken very seriously. CrossFit is fun. You may think we try to kill you with some WODs, but we actually want you to be healthy and feel good. Here are some tips for staying hydrated, cool and healthy during the summer months.
STAY HYDRATED AND COOL
Water, water, water. Seriously – get tons and tons of water. In Kentucky, it is not only hot but humid too. And we sweat buckets!
You have to get lots of water. With that being said, your water also needs to replenish you. Electrolytes, and certain minerals need to be fed back into your body when you are sweating as much as we do in the summer. Minerals like potassium, calcium, magnesium, and sodium are all found in your sweat. Make sure you allow your body to get extra of these so you stay healthy.
Also, get in the shade and in front of a fan. The sun can be physically and mentally draining when you are in it for hours on end. Plus, your skin can only take so much heat and sun before it becomes damaged. Do your body a favor: hydrate, shade, and fan.
HEAT EXHAUSTION VS HEAT STROKE
Heat related injuries can be very dangerous. If the proper precautions are not taken, they can result in major problems and even death. First and foremost, it’s important to know how to avoid heat stroke and heat exhaustion.
However, if either of these heat injuries do occur, quick actions and proper medical attention are crucial in treating them. But how do you know exactly which heat related injury you’re dealing with?
SYMPTOMS OF HEAT EXHAUSTION:
Heat exhaustion is one of the three heat-related injuries. Heat cramps is the mildest and heat stroke is the most severe. Without treatment, heat exhaustion can develop into heat stroke quickly, which is very dangerous.
Heavy sweating.
Weakness.
Cool, pale, clammy skin.
Fast or weak pulse.
Possible muscle cramps.
Dizziness.
Nausea or vomiting.
Fainting.
HOW TO TREAT HEAT EXHAUSTION:
Move person to a cooler environment.
Lay person down and loosen clothing.
Apply cool, wet cloths to as much of the body as possible.
Fan or move victim to air conditioned room.
Offer sips of water.
SYMPTOMS OF HEAT STROKE:
Heat stroke is more serious than heat exhaustion. It requires immediate medical attention. Symptoms include:
Altered mental state. The patient may be confused.
One or more of the following: throbbing headache, confusion, nausea, dizziness, shallow breathing.
Body temperature above 103°F.
No longer sweating but has become dry.
Rapid and strong pulse.
Fainting/losing consciousness.
HOW TO TREAT HEAT STROKE:
Heat stroke is a severe medical emergency. Call 911 or get the victim to a hospital immediately. Delay can be fatal.
Move the victim to a cooler, preferably air-conditioned, environment.
Reduce body temperature with cool clothes or a bath.
Use a fan if heat index temperatures are below the high 90’s. A fan can make you hotter at higher temperatures.
Do NOT give fluids.
FINAL TIPS FOR HOW TO BEAT THE HEAT
Paying attention to how your body feels and performs is the key to staying healthy and safe. No WOD is worth possibly dying. Instead, remember how to avoid heat stroke and heat exhaustion. And know how to treat them if you do suffer a heat injury.
Stay hydrated and healthy, and have an awesome summer.
We’ve been in the fitness industry for many, many years and one of the most popular questions we get is this:
How do I lose weight and keep it off for good?
Let’s start by saying there’s no secret diet or magic pill that will get you real results. Our goal at Fern Creek CrossFit is to teach you healthy, sustainable habits that will move you towards your goals each and every day.
Here are 3 of the most common reasons why you may not be shedding those unwanted pounds:
1. You’re over-estimating the amount of calories you’re burning
Virtually every cardio machine in the gym gives an estimate of the number of calories you are burning while working out. If you wear an Apple Watch or a Fitbit (or another similar device) the amount of calories you burn during an activity are being tracked. Unfortunately, studies show that these devices may be inaccurate in these calculations… by quite a bit. For instance, a 2010 study from the UC San Francisco’s Human Performance Center found that the elliptical trainer (who hasn’t been on one of those for 45 minutes of your life that you won’t get back), over estimates the number of calories burned by an average of 19%! Here’s the breakdown:
Treadmill: overestimates by 13%
Stair climber: overestimates by 12%
Elliptical: overestimates by a huge 42% ?
The number on the screen does not give you permission to grab an extra donut.
When you start a new workout program where you’re up and active at least 3-4 days a week, you will be hungrier throughout the day. This is not a bad thing! If you already have unhealthy eating habits, you’re now just eating more food with refined carbohydrates which may stall results or even cause weight gain.
Track what you eat using a tool like MyFitnessPal or MacroStax. The simple task of writing down what you eat will help you eat better foods and get your daily intake to a level supported by your activity. We can help you figure out those numbers. Just let us know.
2. You spend the weekend “un-doing” all of your hard work.
After pushing yourself in the gym all week, it’s easy to give yourself a pass on the weekend to order dessert, eat your favorite snacks, or ask for another bowl of chips to go with that queso. You earned it, right? There’s certainly nothing wrong with treating yourself once in a while to some of your favorite foods. But people oftentimes underestimate how easy it is to “out-eat” the workouts they did. Breaking this habit requires a mindset shift from the idea that you “earn unhealthy food choices” to pursuing a lifestyle of health and nutrition. We want you to properly fuel your body, enjoy a few intentional treats here and there, and rewrite your story to the weight/size/dress/pair of jeans/etc. you’ve been dreaming about for so long. That feeling is the best dessert!
Proper nutritional habits partnered with all the hard work you’re putting in at the gym and proper amounts of rest will do wonders for your body!
3. You’re looking at the wrong number.
The number on the scale doesn’t tell the whole story. Your weight is one single point of data. That’s it. Don’t get so hung up on it in the first place. We don’t worry so much about how many inches tall we are, right? The scale doesn’t define what you’re capable of. It’s an indicator. I can give you a long list of indicators that are just as important:
Skeletal muscle mass in pounds
Body fat percentage
Total daily energy expenditure in calories
Triglycerides and Cholesterol
1 rep max front squat in pounds
Mile run time in minutes and seconds
Max pull-ups in 60 seconds
Max push-ups in 60 seconds
Max plank hold in seconds
3 rep max deadlift in pounds
Time to complete Fran
Time to complete Grace
Time to complete Isabelle
Time to complete Jackie
Time to complete Diane
All of these are indicators that help define who you are an a continuum of wellness and fitness (and happiness). We believe if you can deadlift twice your bodyweight, run a 9-minute mile, and finish Grace is under 5 minutes, your health metrics are good and headed in the right direction.
We’ve seen members gain a few pounds on the scale after 6 months in the gym only to find out that they lost 3% body fat and gained lean muscle mass. The best part was, they lost inches around their waist and fit into clothes they hadn’t worn in years. We have an InBody body composition scanning machine in the gym just for this reason. We can give you a better understanding of what’s going on with your body that the number on the scale cannot.
Bottom Line
Realize where you are now is simply a starting point. The only way to make real progress is to put in the effort each day on a consistent basis. The destination is the journey.
After this current pandemic, folks are finding themselves in one of two situations:
You have concerns about going back to your previous gym due to safety concerns.
You haven’t been exercising and this pandemic has shown you how important it is to make your health and fitness a priority in your life.
Our coaches and staff have been involved with exercise, fitness, personal training, and team sports for more than 20 years. We’ll do our best to explain the various options out there for you, in hopes to make your return a safe and positive experience.
And don’t worry, this isn’t going to be us telling you why our gym is the best and everyone should be a member at Fern Creek CrossFit. It’s not for everyone, nor do we want everyone.
Here are 3 types of gym options/memberships:
Globo Gyms Think Planet Fitness, LA Fitness, YMCA or similar. These gyms have low ($10-40/month) “access” fees. They usually involve a lengthy contract and very little help once you join. There are endless rows of cardio equipment and plenty of free weights and machines. Some of these gyms may even include large group classes of 20+ members. If low cost, and little coaching or direction is your “thing”; this may be a good fit for you. That’s not a bad thing, however, this style of gym is usually best suited for a very motivated gym goer who doesn’t require much oversight, help, or accountability.
“Boot Camps” Here is where businesses like Orange Theory, F45, Burn Boot Camp, Fit Body Boot Camp land. These gyms will have a higher price point than Globo Gyms ($99-199/mon). They almost always have an initial offer of 2-4 weeks free, to help get you in the door. They provide high intensity interval training (HIIT) and often include some piece of technology to measure your effort during the workout. You’ll perform mostly bodyweight movements with some additional equipment like sandbags, battle ropes, dumbbells and kettlebells.
The “Wellness” Center There is a growing trend in fitness to collaborate with other health and fitness professionals in effort to offer more to their clientele. At facilities like these, you may see massage therapists, chiropractors, physical therapist, nutrition coaches, fitness coaches and others all working together as a team, to best meet the clients needs.
All in all, these kinds of gyms are super popular and do a good job motivating people to make a change.
The biggest complaints we hear from people that leave these kinds of places and join with us is the classes are too large or there’s not enough individual attention towards the members needs and goals. In other words, they don’t really get coached and there’s a bit of a cookie-cutter feel.
Our Take on Fitness
At our facility, memberships starts with a conversation. We need to learn our member’s individual needs and goals first. From that discussion, we prescribe options for the best way to reach their goals. This may include one on one personal training, individualized nutrition coaching and/or some group classes.
Depending on the individual and their specific needs, each of the options above can be beneficial. The truth is that none of them will work if you cannot show up consistently. The best facilities in the world, with all the top professionals and equipment don’t matter if you’re not willing to show up.
We believe in having coaches and a community to hold you accountable, keep encouraging you to make progress, and have fun along they way.
Are you concerned about COVID-19 and going to the gym to workout? We get it. We are too, but that doesn’t mean your fitness goals go on hold. It means you have to be mindful and even more diligent with what you do each day. Here’s some recommendations for Louisville residents:
Do things that push you into the “fitness” category.
CrossFit has a great model for Sickness – Wellness – Fitness (see the continuum image below), but we believe the next phase after fitness is happiness. When you have fitness your body is better prepared for disasters of any form (common colds, accidents, seasonal flu, etc.). Plus you’re a fully functioning human and can choose to focus on whatever you want to do.
Subtitle
If you’re sick, the only thing you can focus on is getting well. Once you’re well, we want you to be better prepared for what life throws at you. To do that you need fitness. To push past wellness into the fitness category, consider the following:
Eat Real Food (think things that grow from the ground, run on the ground!)
Practice standard precautions to prevent any contagious disease.
These seem like no-brainers, but they bear repeating, especially in the midst of bad seasonal influenzas or pandemics like Coronavirus COVID-19. Follow these guidelines (and check with your state department of health – in Kentucky that’s here):
Wash Your Hands for at least 20 seconds with soap & water
Cover your mouth when you cough
Avoid sharing drinks / finger food
Fist bumps or elbow taps vs high fives
Wipe down equipment at the gym – before and after if you’re unsure the last person cleaned it
Stay home if you’re feeling ill & monitor your temperature
At higher risk for complications? Do you care for with someone at higher risk?
If you’re living in the “sick” category mentioned above on the continuum, you’re at a higher risk for complications. Follow the CDC recommendations which includes avoiding large groups.
In our gym, we are taking all the same precautions we have been throughout flu season (and really all year round). That includes wiping down equipment after each use with sanitary wipes, encouraging hand washing, and cleaning surfaces and floors multiple times each week. We even have at home workouts members can do. We’re also planning remote coaching options.
We encourage you to focus on living a healthy life so that you will bounce back regardless of when unexpected illness hits. We want the best for you and everyone in our local Louisville community.
Way back in the 2002 publication “What Is Fitness?” CrossFit suggested a theoretical hierarchy for the development of an athlete. This hierarchy starts with nutrition and moves to metabolic conditioning, gymnastics, weightlifting, and finally, sport. Our progression largely reflects foundational dependence, skill, and, to some degree, a general theory of development.
Theoretical hierarchy for development
Nutrition is the foundation of the pyramid. The quality and constituent elements of an athlete’s diet influence metabolism and therefore the molecular foundations of muscle, bone, and the nervous system.
The second level of the pyramid relates to cardiovascular sufficiency. Without effective metabolic conditioning, an athlete will fatigue prematurely.
Moving up the pyramid, the third level — gymnastics — focuses on an athlete’s spatial awareness and body control. Before attempting to control an external object (barbell, ball, opponent, etc.), an athlete should first possess the strength, flexibility, coordination, balance, and agility to move his or her own body through many different body positions and movement combinations with sound mechanics and confidence.
The fourth level considers the control of external objects — e.g., weightlifting and throwing. The capacities built at the metabolic conditioning and gymnastics levels can next be applied to an object beyond the confines of the athlete’s own body.
With this foundation developed, the athlete can then safely and easily focus general physical preparedness on the specialized tasks required of specific sports. Read more at CrossFit.com.
We know you want it!
To change your life, to be healthier, happier, and more fit! We can help with that. Meet with our knowledgeable and caring staff.
