Blog
How fast do I lose my fitness when I am not training?
Perhaps you didn't train during a holiday, perhaps you trained less during the last lockdown or perhaps were not able to train because... you know. Life happens sometimes. A big concern for those who enjoy sports, especially if you have specific goals in training, is that we may grow weaker or *gasp* less fit during these periods. Is that the case?
How to overcome your one year slump
During the first few months of CrossFit people often feel unstoppable. You’ve found a new sport that you really enjoy. You’re constantly learning new movements and setting new PR’s. Everything is awesome! And that’s when the one year slump hits you. Suddenly progress isn’t a given, and at times seems like an illusion. CrossFit is no longer the shiny new thing in your life and many people start to lose interest. It’s a pattern that we see over and over as coaches. So what should you do? How do you conquer the CrossFit equivalent of a midlife crisis?
What does your BMI really say about your health?
Do you know your BMI? It is a widely known and used metric, and many people are very aware of where they fall on the BMI graph. But what does it really say about your health? Let’s take a deep dive into what the most recent studies have to tell us on the topic.
The Iron Never Lies
It is always there for you. It never turns your back on you and will always be completely honest with you. You either make a lift or you don't. And trough this pure, black-and-white situation, a lot of lessons can be learned. In 1994, Henry Rollins published a legandary essay about the Iron and the Soul. Take your time to read it, chew on it and come back to it from time to time.
Three habits to maximise your training results
At some point many of us realise that we are actually quite enjoying this whole exercise thing. You find you have muscles where there weren’t any before, the shopping bags don’t feel as heavy as they once did, and no longer die when you have to run to catch the train (unless you are a strength athlete like me, in that case you just die with bigger quads). As you become more invested in your results it’s worth considering your habits outside of the gym and deciding if tweaking a thing or two there is worth the rewards. After all, you likely only spend up to 9 hours a week in UnScared at most, the other 159 hours can greatly influence how effective those sessions are.
CF60, OLY75 and STRENGTH60, which class should I choose?
When you first join UnScared it can be a little overwhelming. Not only do the CrossFit classes seem to contain more movements than you can possibly keep track of, but there are also other classes “on the other side of the wall” that focus on other things that apparently are useful and important, but what they are and do exactly may remain a mystery. Even more experienced athletes sometimes get lost when trying to figure out which class to take, and how often. So let’s take a look at each class and then discuss some examples of how to mix and match.
Why you shouldn’t start a diet in January
January is that time of year when everyone seems to be on a diet, just giving up on a diet, or trying to sell you something for their new miracle diet. A survey conducted by Blauw Research done in January 2020 found that 25% of people wanted to lose weight [1]. And while there’s nothing wrong with using the new year to look at your life and evaluate if there are things you wish to change, I’m just here to ask the question if a diet is the solution you think it is.
Who needs some sleep?
Like many of you, I like to sleep. Long and often. But, I also want to work, train, hang out with friends, play video games, watch Netflix, read, etc. Since a day only has 24 hours, we have to make choices. And although we know sleep is essential, we are willing to sacrifice a few hours to watch that 'Friends' episode (for the 6th time) or play another 'Call of Duty' game. Or we get up early for the 07:00 CrossFit class to kick-start our day. This might not be the smartest thing to do.Don't worry; I'm not going to tell you that you have to go to bed before 22:00 and stop doing the things you like. But I am going to inform you about improving your sleep.
Dealing with Stress and Axiety
These days, it seems you can't go two steps without being confronted or bombarded by information. Whether it is about the pandemic, the housing market or climate change. Even when you're indoors, many things (e.g. the tv, your family, your phone, your e-mail, conversations you may have) are spiked with reports and opinions. Although information can give us some semblance of control, too much can lead to paralysis, stress and anxiety. Here are four tips to help you stay up to date while keeping a cool head.