Due to some unforeseen circumstances (aka LIFE), I had to take about two weeks off from CrossFit. Being away was like torture and I couldn’t wait to step back into my box this past Saturday. As soon as I turned onto the street and saw people pushing sleds up the hill, I got super excited. I must have REALLY missed CrossFit if I was excited about sled pushes! Hahaha
Public Service Announcement: Do not take a week or more off from CrossFit. I repeat, DO NOT take a week or more off from CrossFit!
Let me tell you, going back to CrossFit after a long time away is no joke! I was struggling and I agitated my right shoulder during the WOD. I’ve had issues with this shoulder off and on for a few years now and still have not had it checked out by a professional. Tisk, tisk… I know. Coach Josh tweaked the WOD for me so that I could give my shoulder some rest, and Dev completed the workout right by my side while offering words of encouragement the entire time. I love that kid!
After class, Dev and I went to grab some breakfast/lunch and ended up at a farmer’s market. The smell of fresh produce in the warm summer air was divine. And the colors! The rainbow of food was so pretty; I had to resist buying everything! I decided morning CrossFit followed by a trip to the farmer’s market was going to be our new Saturday tradition.
For the rest of Saturday and the next few days, I walked around like an old lady. I mean, getting in and out of my car was a real process! Hahaha I hadn’t been sore from Crossfit since my very first Elements class, but part of me enjoyed the pain. I’m one of those people who wants to be sore the day after a workout; soreness gives me some weird feeling of accomplishment. It hurts soooooo good. You know what else hurts so good? Foam rolling! I’ve foam rolled once or twice prior to joining CrossFit, but now I’m in love with it. At CFSS, everyone has to foam roll while we wait for the previous class to finish up their WOD. Josh has also shown me how to use a lacrosse ball to target tighter areas, like my shoulder. It hurts like hell and feels AMAZING at the same time. Some benefits of foam rolling include improved flexibility and mobility, increased blood flow, and reduced recovery time. There are lots of articles and videos on the internet for anyone who wants to learn more about why they should consider foam rolling and how to do it. This article is a good starting point.
Since I was super sore and my shoulder still hurt a bit, I thought it was the perfect time to get a foam roller and a lacrosse ball for home. Unfortunately, I was being super indecisive about which foam roller I wanted to buy and the only lacrosse balls I could find came in a pack of six. After talking to an employee at the sports shop, I bought a massage power roller like this one. I thought it was kind of expensive, but it worked like magic on my sore shoulders and quads. MAGIC! I feel like it will also come in handy on days my forearms are sore from heavy kettlebell carries.
Although I’m loving my little power roller, I’m still excited about getting a foam roller to keep at home. The lengths and construction methods vary, so they can easily go from affordable to kind of expensive. Right now I’m leaning towards a Trigger Point GRID foam roller like these, but I’m also kind of hoping I can find a similar one at Marshalls for less!
Do you secretly look forward to being sore the day after a good workout because it hurts so good?
Do you regularly foam roll? If so, what’s your favorite kind of foam roller?
CrossFit is SO hard after several days off, I agree! A few people at my box have commented that they feel “fresh” after off days but I’m the opposite! I usually feel my best (strongest and fastest) after two back-to-back days of CrossFit! Am I a total weirdo? Lol! PS: I need to foam roll more. Good for you for taking it so seriously, I do hear it works wonders!