Keeping Crossfit Fresh And Avoiding Burnout

Overtraining: The big pink elephant in the room… Also, a sensitive subject…

As coaches we have seen it time after time. An athlete starts CrossFit and falls in absolute love. Training hard leads to tons of PRs and the progress feels very linear. But then, after some time, the PRs stop, their bodies start to feel bad, they start to feel tired and dread the gym. Sleep disturbances show up, and they tell us that they feel very tired until they workout. 

We tell them to rest, but more times than not this is met with some resistance. There is a type of person that loves CrossFit, this person loves to work hard and see progress. This can also be a detriment to longevity and health. Frequently, there is guilt about resting or taking time off. 

The CrossFit body goes through a lot. Physical wear and tear, nervous system fatigue, and high levels of physical stress. When there is no “off season”, our bodies are not able to heal and down regulate. Over time this cycle leads to no progress, injuries, and a feeling of not being well. 

If there is a feeling of burnout, not wanting to be at the gym, general fatigue throughout the day, nagging injuries, inability to sleep, these are all signs that your body needs a break. Take a couple days off from the gym. Get outside and enjoy your fitness in lower stress environments. You will come back to CrossFit feeling refreshed and strong.