Fitness, Health and Wellness

Contrary to what most people believe, you can do your CrossFit training at home. There are plenty of CrossFit workouts (also known as “WODs”, or “workouts of the day”) that require only your body weight. Although we would not say that your living room or garage would have the same feel as a CrossFit box, you should still be able to workout a decent sweat. CrossFit for beginners at home is a great starting point for those of you who are curious about but intimidated by the idea of CrossFit and its hardcore reputation. If you are someone who has been Cross-fitting for some time now, you may have recently been forced to switch to CrossFit exercises at home, given the current situation. It is safe to say that Cross-fitters are known to be some of the most intense workout junkies around, so even a pandemic will not get in the way of your daily WOD’s. We hear you! That is why we have put together a list of some of our favorite types of CrossFit at home workouts for beginners and regular Cross-fitters alike, so that you do not fall too far behind before the doors to the gym open again. Recommended workouts The following types of CrossFit workouts are fast-paced, calorie-burning, and compact. Meaning you can perform them right in your living room, garage, or driveway! RFT workouts – RFT stands for “rounds for time,” meaning you have to complete a given number of rounds of a circuit as fast as possible. The short rest periods help develop long-lasting muscle endurance. Example workout: 5 rounds for time 50 Air squats/goblet squats 25 Sit Ups 10 Push Ups *For the goblet squats, find any object that would challenge you to hold on. Anything from a water bottle to random objects stuffed into a backpack would suffice. AMRAP Workout – AMRAP stands for “As many rounds as possible.” Complete a given exercise combination as many times as you can within a given time. Example workout: AMRAP in 20 minutes 30 double unders (or 60 single unders) 30 air squats 30 double unders (or 60 single unders) 30 reverse lunges 30 double unders (or 60 single unders) *If you do not have a jump rope, substitute the workout with 60 jumping jacks. EMOM Workout – EMOM stands for “every minute on the minute.” Start a running clock and do a set number of reps at regular intervals. Example workout: Every minute on the minute, for 12 minutes alternating between: Minute 1: Burpees Minute 2: Sit Ups Minute 3: Box Jumps Minute 4: Rest Importance of Recovery While CrossFit is a wonderful way to stay in shape, the high rep scheme, combined with the constantly varied workouts is a recipe for DOMS (Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness). Adequate rest between workouts and an appropriate recovery plan is essential for anyone who wants their workouts to be effective and help you to see meaningful results. Your soreness will peak anywhere from 24 to 72 hours (about 3 days) after your workout which can cause a bit of discomfort. Here are some helpful tips to recover faster and better from your CrossFit workouts. Active recovery Moving your legs will make them feel better and is essential for CrossFit muscle recovery. It will promote blood flow which is one of the best ways to battle DOMS. SPRYNG Active Compression Solutions With SPRYNG’s active compression sleeves, post CrossFit recovery becomes easier, and you can get back on your feet faster. SPRYNG promotes muscle recovery, driven by its unique wavetec compression pattern that helps to improve circulation, flush out lactic acid and improves oxygenation to muscle tissue. Find out more about the Science behind SPRYNG < https://spryngme.com/pages/the-science-of-spryng > Hydrate Hydration is an important aspect of recovery for CrossFit. Drinking plenty of water is important to make sure you stay hydrated while your body is building itself stronger. You use up a lot of fluids while you exercise, so make sure you replenish them.            

An effective workout routine will always include a leg workout! Leg workouts target the largest muscle groups in the body and engage several other muscles such as the core and improve overall strength and fitness. However, going to the gym is not always be possible, especially with the pandemic. The best part is that it is still possible to get a great leg workout without any equipment. Read on for a few leg workouts for women without weights, inner thigh exercises, and calf exercises without equipment you can try at home. Leg Workouts for Women at Home Bodyweight squat Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, with your toes slightly turned outwards and knees slightly bent Hinge your hips forward and bend your knees until your thighs are parallel with the ground. Avoid pushing your knees past your toes As you stand up straight again, remember to engage your core and squeeze your glutes You can do either 3 or 4 sets with either 10 or 15 reps or as many as you are able to    Squat jump Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and your knees slightly bent Hinge your hips forward and bend your knees until your thighs are parallel with the ground Jump up while engaging your core and go back into a squat position You can do either 3 or 4 sets with either 10 or 15 reps or as many as you are able to   Inner Thigh Exercises at Home for Women Lateral lunge Stand with your legs together Take a wide step with your right leg to the side and bend you right knee until your thigh almost is parallel to the ground Push back to the initial standing position Repeat this exercise with your left leg You can do either 3 or 4 sets with either 10 or 15 reps or as many as you are able to  Curtsey lunge Stand with your legs together Take a big step back with your right leg so that it is diagonal to your left leg Bend your knees until your left thigh is parallel to the ground Push back to the initial standing position Repeat this exercise with your other leg You can do either 3 or 4 sets with either 10 or 15 reps or as many as you are able to  Calf Exercises for Women Jumping jacks Stand up with your legs together and your arms by your side Jump up with your legs shoulder-width apart while raising your arms out and over your head Jump back to the initial standing position Repeat the above steps as many times as you want   Calf raises Stand with your legs together Raise your heels off the ground as high as possible Hold this position for 30-60 seconds Slowly lower your heels back to the ground You can do either 3 or 4 sets with either 10 or 15 reps or as many as you are able to    Leg Day Soreness Relief - How to Help Sore Legs after a Workout After a workout, you may experience sore muscles, or Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness (DOMS). DOMS, which usually lasts around 3 to 5 days, can be extremely uncomfortable and may discourage you from completing the next leg workout. To help you deal with pain after leg workouts, we have listed a few simple remedies below.  Rest Rest days are just as important as leg days. Resting allows your lower body muscles to recover as soon as possible which alleviates the pain felt in the legs after a tough workout. However, don’t pencil in too many rest days per week as this can be counterproductive. Ice packs Applying an ice pack to the sore or injured area causes the blood vessels around the area to constrict which can help ease the pain after a tough workout.  Compression Applying pressure to the sore or injured area can also relieve pain after a leg workout. You can use active compression calf wraps like SPRYNG to ease calf muscle pain after workouts. SPRYNG relieves calf muscle pain in women by reducing the pooling of blood in the legs which improves blood circulation to the lower body. You can learn more about SPRYNG here  

  Exercise is a great way to maintain a healthy weight, improve your cardiovascular health and even ward off depression. But, like most things, it IS possible to overdo it. Getting too much exercise can have serious consequences on your body and your brain. If you have ever wondered, can you exercise too much? The answer is yes. Overexercising can get in the way of your fitness goals, doing more harm than good to your body.     So, how much exercise is too much? Well, it depends on factors like your age, health and choice of workouts. Saying that, in general, adults should get about 5 hours a week of moderate exercise or 2 and a half hours or more of intense activity. Research shows that going above and beyond doesn’t necessarily increase your health benefits. Overtraining is different to overreaching and it important to be aware of the difference. For instance, if you take a week off because of excessive soreness, that is not overtraining. Overtraining is not something that happens overnight. It happens by training excessively over a sustained period, leading to weeks and sometimes months of recover which may be detrimental, if you are a professional athlete.   Common signs of over-exercising You've hit a plateau This is commonly seen in those who experience overtraining. Plateaus are commonly seen, because your body isn't adequately recovering between sessions. if your muscles are constantly breaking down and never getting the opportunity to repair, you're going to hit a plateau and, in some cases, you may lose some of your hard-earned strength. Weight Gain Exercising too much without resting enough in between can lead to high levels of cortisol, the stress hormone. This is often associated with loss of muscle tissue, weight gain, and excess belly fat. Prolonged Muscle Soreness No doubt, muscle soreness that lasts a day or two after a hard workout is normal. However, prolonged muscle soreness that doesn’t go away after a few days is a sign your body isn't properly recovering or repairing the damage. Lack of sleep Overtraining can lead to insomnia, disrupted sleep, or just less restful sleep. Sleep is when you produce the hormones that facilitate muscle building and recovery so this can be debilitating especially if you are an athlete.   Dangers of Overexercising Overtraining can be dangerous when it results in Rhabdomyolysis. Though uncommon, it is now becoming more prevalent due to the growing popularity of extreme forms of exercise without proper recovery measures. The symptoms of rhabdo include extreme soreness that will not go away, unexplained bruising, extreme fatigue, nausea, and fever. If you have rhabdo, you must seek immediate medical attention as the breakdown of the muscle tissue could lead to kidney damage. Importance of Muscle Recovery So why is muscle recovery important? When you work out, you're breaking down your muscle fibers. Usually, this is a good thing because when the body repairs and rebuilds them, you're stronger than you were before. But for the repair process to happen you need adequate sleep, nutrition, rest, and recovery! Failure to provide your body with those essentials, and your body will not get stronger. If you continuously get in the way of your body rebuilding itself from the damage of the previous workouts, you take your body to a place of chronic stress. Thereby undoing all the hard work you put into your workouts in the first place. How to Recover After Exercising Without proper muscle recovery after workouts, you’ll find yourself heading down the path to overtraining and possibly rhabdomyolysis. Here, we will discuss a few ways on how to recover from over exercising. Rest The damage you do inside the gym is repaired during healthy sleep. So, how long should you rest after a workout? Experts agree that you should aim to get between seven to nine hours of sleep each night. Some serious athletes such as bodybuilders or powerlifters get ten hours of sleep every night. Nutrition The results you see in the mirror are made in the kitchen. Nutrition makes up 70% of your results. If you’re currently eating a poor diet, it’ll be time to start making small changes to healthier options. Remember, you can’t out-train a bad diet. SPRYNG’s Active Compression SPRYNG’s active compression device helps to combat discomfort by aiding in blood circulation. This not only feels great but speeds up recovery. Clinical studies conducted to evaluate the performance of the product within athletes has shown that athletes this device were able to maintain consistent performance throughout workouts compared to athletes using static socks as a recovery method. Read more about our science behind SPRYNG here 

For many, the holiday season is viewed as the best time of the year. It’s a time to spend time with friends and family, go on festive outings, shop, and eat. It’s a time to unwind. But for some, the holiday season can be a very stressful time of the year. The treats that come with the holiday season are tough for them, as to resist. Plus, the dramatic shift in their schedules during this time of the year make it difficult for them to stick to their workout routines. Not to mention, the subsequent slip in their workout routines may take toll on their motivation levels, making it even harder to maintain a healthy and active lifestyle. If you found yourself identifying as ‘them’ above, don’t fret!  It is still possible stay fit during the holidays while still enjoying the holiday festivities to the fullest, regardless of how unlikely you think that might be. To help you maintain a healthy routine as well as a high motivation level, we have compiled a list of tips on how to stay fit during the holidays.  Eating Healthy During the Holiday Don’t exclude healthy alternatives completely This first tip may seem obvious, but, surprisingly, many of us forget to choose healthy foods when preparing and/ or eating a holiday feast. If you are hosting a party (COVID-19-permitted, of course), try replacing some ingredients with healthier alternatives. For example, instead of using refined sugar, try using honey or maple syrup; instead of using vegetable oil, try using coconut oil; and instead of using milk, try using a low fat option such as almond milk. If you are invited to a party, you may choose to bring a healthy dish. For example, instead of cake, you can bring banana bread. At the party, start with healthy foods- lean meats, vegetables, and fruits- and then go for the less-healthy foods. Who knows, you may even be too full by then to over indulge in the holiday treats!  Take a short break in between servings By waiting just 10 to 20 minutes before going for another serving, you allow your brain the time to receive signals from your stomach and register that you are full, if you are full. This short break may help you to reduce your calorie intake and avoid overeating during the holidays.  Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate! As a natural appetite suppressant, water can prevent overeating by taking up the remaining space in your stomach, helping you feel fuller sooner. By drinking water, you can avoid unnecessary snacking when you are not hungry, but thirsty. Moreover, drinking water helps to burn calories faster. For people who are looking to avoid weight gain and/or eat healthily during the holiday season, water is your best friend.  Most importantly: enjoy the holiday feasts In maintaining a healthy lifestyle throughout the year, it’s important to do things in moderation. That means you should try to eat healthy most of the time, not all of the time. It means that you should not cut off holiday treats from your holiday, but just avoid overconsumption of these foods where possible. Do not deprive yourself of the food you love and cannot eat at other times of the year. Preventing yourself from eating the food you enjoy can be counter-productive. This is because it may cause your motivation to crash, because you did not allow yourself to take a break.  Exercise During the Holidays Quick holiday workouts Because the holiday season is a very busy time of the year, it very likely that you might miss a few workouts. Instead of beating yourself up when this happens, try squeezing in a quick 30 to 20 minute workout when you can.  Holiday Home Workouts Due to the busy nature of this time of the year, as well as the COVID-19-related restrictions, you may not be able to go to the gym as much as you used to. However, you can workout at home instead. Squats, mountain climbers, and/or push-ups can be a great home holiday bodyweight workout. These exercises don’t require any equipment and will help you stay fit during the holidays.  Christmas workouts If it is a feasible option for you, why not try seasonal sports like skiing and/or snowboarding? Not only are these activities fun, but they are great ways to stay fit during the holidays. Plus, you can enjoy these sports with friends and/or family, meaning that you can engage in holiday festivities and stay fit simultaneously.  Post workout recovery Though sometimes overlooked, post workout recovery is an important part of staying fit. With sore muscles after one workout, one may find it hard to exercise the next day and may end up having to skip subsequent days in order to recover. Moreover, the pain after one workout may lead to demotivation, causing you to avoid exercising even after recovering. However, with muscle recovery products, like foam rollers and active compression wraps (such as SPRYNG), faster recovery after workouts is possible. These devices can speed up muscle recovery by increasing blood circulation in the area where these devices are used. You can read more about how to recover quickly after a workout and which devices may speed up muscle recovery here: Easy and Effective Ways to Reduce Muscle Soreness After A Workout – SPRYNG (spryngme.com)   

Snowboarding is one of the most thrilling winter sports to engage in. The adrenaline rush from the risky turns and the free and uncontrolled slopes adds to the thrill and adventure of this sport. Snowboarding is also a great way to build your lower body muscles. This is because the primary muscles you engage with while snowboarding are your glutes, quadriceps (thigh muscles), and gastrocnemii (calf muscles). Considering the beating your lower body takes during a snowboarding session, it is no wonder why you may experience leg pain after snowboarding, especially if you are a beginner to this sport or if you do not regularly work out your lower body. This lower leg pain while snowboarding can ruin the thrill of snowboarding. But before you chuck your bindings and boots out, try these simple home remedies for lower leg pain, R. I. C. E., to quickly recover after snowboarding.  Home Remedies for Lower Leg Pain: R. I. C. E. R: Rest The first way to deal with calf cramps after snowboarding is to rest for a day or two and protect the sore or injured area. Resting will allow your lower body muscles to recover as quickly as possible and allow you to hit the slopes again as soon as possible. It is important to note, however, that resting for too long can be counter productive. Not only will resting for too long prevent you from re-living the thrill of snowboarding, but it would also weaken your muscles which are no longer being used as much.  I: Ice Another great lower leg pain treatment at home is to use cold therapy; for example applying an ice pack to the sore or injured area. Cold therapy will cause the blood vessels around the sore or injured area to constrict, reducing the pain from inflammation. However, applying ice packs directly onto the skin for a long period of time may damage the delicate skin tissues. To avoid this, it is best to cover the ice pack with a light, absorbent towel and limit cold compresses to 10 to 20 minutes at a time.   C: Compression Applying pressure to the affected area can also heal snowboarding leg pain. Wrapping the sore or injured area with an elastic medical bandage can prevent or limit swelling. (Be careful not to wrap these bandages too tightly, though, as this may cut off blood flow which may actually worsen the pain and delay recovery.) Similarly, using recovery tools, such as SPRYNG can heal snowboarding leg cramps. With its active compression technology, SPRYNG helps reduce the pooling of blood in the legs, therefore improving blood circulation to the entire lower body and greatly reducing leg pain after snowboarding. An added benefit of using SPRYNG is that you do not have to stay in one position for a long period of time. This means that you can use SPRYNG laying down, sitting down, standing up, or even walking around. The tighter you wrap SPRYNG, the better the pre-tensioning. Check it out for yourself here.  E: Elevate If you experience lower leg pain after a long day out on the slopes, try elevating your calves on pillows. This is a great home remedy for leg pain below the knee as, much like compression wraps, it reduces swelling around the sore or injured area by making it harder for the blood to reach this area. To minimize swelling as much as possible, try keeping your calves at or above the level of your heart.    Additional Ways to Deal with Snowboarding Leg Pain By practicing the home remedies above when you experience leg pain after snowboarding, you will be able to recover as soon as possible and not have to give up snowboarding. Of course, you can couple R. I. C. E. with other home remedies for lower leg pain, such as stretching before and after snowboarding or using over-the-counter painkillers. Long term factors may also reduce or prevent soreness after snowboarding, such as maintaining a healthy diet or consistently working out your lower body muscles.  

Winter is here! It’s time to dust those skis and ride those mountain slopes. But... what’s that? Your calves hurt after skiing? Don’t let that stop you from enjoying your time on the slopes. You can easily solve your aching calves in many ways. Much like cycling and running, an avid skier is easily susceptible to similar injuries like sore calves, DOMS, and sore feet. However, it can be avoided if proper steps are taken before and after the activity. But, before all that, why do the calf muscles hurt in the first place? Why Do Your Calves Hurt After Skiing? Skiing demands quite a bit of leg work, especially the calves. The simple explanation for the whole sore calves after skiing is because it overworks itself to maintain stability. Studies have shown that skiing requires forefoot control.  This naturally stretches and contracts the calves to its optimum levels.  When it is done for prolonged periods, it can lead to severe stress in the calf area. If the activity is done without stretching, there is a good chance you will experience cramps as well. Soreness after skiing, especially in the calf area, indicates Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness (DOMS) setting in. There are several reasons for leg pain after skiing. Some of the common ones are poor flexibility in the calf area, ankle stiffness, weak muscles, and even poor boot set up. Here’s a few solutions that could help ; Immediately After Skiing Firstly, never pack up as soon as you finish skiing. Always make sure you do a good stretch before packing up. Additionally, hydrating and taking in protein within 30 minutes after the activity is important. Although you don’t feel the effects immediately,  this routine helps in the long run. A good cool down, as mentioned above, helps the body to flush out the lactic acid and stretch out the muscles. The hydration and protein intake helps in muscle repair, which reduces soreness. A Few Days After Skiing Recovery after skiing does not stop there. You must follow up with massages, ice application, a good diet, and light active recovery sessions. One of the best things you could do is try and increase flexibility and do light strengthening exercises after you have recovered. This is where the SPRYNG muscle recovery tool  comes in handy . It is a quick and easy compression wrap that uses  pneumatic pressure pads. All you have to do is set it to your liking and the patent-pending wavetec graduated pressure pattern will do the rest. The revolutionary pattern mimics the skeletal pump of the calf muscle, removing pooled blood, lactic acid, and allowing the flow of oxygenated blood.  This reduces the time taken to recover. Technical Adjustments and Workouts If you are looking for a definitive way on how to stop calves hurting after skiing, then it is best to start with the equipment, and the workouts you do. Firstly, the equipment. Most ski equipment comes with adjustable boots. Remember that your body anatomy is unique, which may require you to adjust the DIN settings of the ski boot. Keep in mind that this is a process of trial and error, since it depends on how flexible and strong you are. Over time these settings may change. Secondly, the workouts. If you are planning on skiing in a competitive space, or even if you are just starting up, make sure you prepare for it. This entails you to plan your workouts accordingly. Consult a certified ski coach for this purpose.   They would look into your current skill and fitness levels and design  the optimum schedule. A good workout plan will not only reduce calf soreness after skiing but stop it altogether! There you have it. Some simple tips to reduce sore calves after a skiing session, and how you can avoid the pain completely.