15 Tips to prepare for your first CrossFit competition
Entering your first ever CrossFit competition can be scary! So the team at CrossFit Oxygen have come up with their top 15 tips for competing.
Leading up to the comp
1. Prepare some easy to digest carbs and snacks
Some quick fuel is going to be your best friend, due to nerves, adrenaline and time restrictions. So having some high carb, easy to digest snacks on hand is going to ensure you can keep fuelling your body for the workouts later. Things like: Baby food, cut up oranges, bananas, watermelon and apples. (We also find having a post workout shake with some added dextrose is a great way to quickly replenish your muscle energy stores “Glycogen”.)
2. Make a list and pack your bag the night before
Make a list of all of the all the essentials you will need. Be prepared for anything. Things like: Hand grips/wraps, skipping rope, tape, olympic lifting shoes, spare clothes, weightlifting belt… and ensure you tick each item off as you pack.
3. Bring a camping chair
One of the best piece of advice we can give you, trust me you will thank us. Sitting comfortably between workouts, get it early find a spot an set up your base. You will need to rest/eat/recover between workouts so having a comfortable space to do that will make you experience sooo much better.
4. Taper, Mobilise and Load
A week out of you competition, you want to begin tapering your workouts. What does that mean?
- 5-4 days pre-comp, begging by just reducing the weights right back, we want to maintain the intensity but reduce the stress on the body.
- 3 days pre-comp We want to continue to keep the weights low, but also reduce our intensity to around 70%. Plus we want to begin carb loading. Aim to increase your carb intake (aim for 10g per kg of bodyweight)
- 2-1 days pre-comp: Low intensity conditioning and mobility. An example would be 30 mins Switch between Bike, Ski. Going at 60% (breaking a mild sweat but conversational pace) Switch between the 2, EMOM (Every Minute on the Minute). For the remainder of you session do some stretching and mobility. Find any tight spots roll them out, and stretch with a band. Continue to carb load with the same protocol.
On Comp Day
5. Eat a large breakfast
This is an absolute MUST. Whilst you might feel a little sluggish or tired after a big breakfast, you will need the energy to perform, the fuel to recover, from the multiple workouts you will be performing on the day. Also a lot of the time, due to nerves and adrenaline, you may to feel like eating much throughout the day. (Side note: Don’t go crazy and eat a bunch of things you don’t normally eat or take supplements you haven’t before, just get in a good wholesome breakfast)
6 . Warm up before every workout
Give yourself at least 30mins to warm up and mobilise before your heat. It’s a good idea to take a look at your heat times and plan ahead, when you will warm up and where you will eat your meals/snacks.
Follow this structure for your Warm up
1. Begin with five mins of a general warm up (row/run),
2. 5 mins mobility, stretch and mobilise any tight areas that are restricting movement.
3. 10 minutes of specific movement preparation for the particular workout
4. 5-10 minutes WOD priming, do a smaller/lighter version of the workout.
Eg. If the actual workout is:
21,15,9
Pull-ups
Thrusters @ 43kg.
Try something like
12, 9, 6 Thrusters with barbell only
6, 4, 2 Pullups
Rest a minimum of 3-5 mins before the workout
7. Cool down after every workout
You will be pushing 110% during every work so it is critical you warm down PROPERLY.
Immediately after you finish, catch your breath and drink some water.
When you heat is completed and you have singed your score card, jump straight onto a bike or rower for a minimum of 5 mins. You should begin at a medium/light pace for 3mins and then drop it right back to a low pace for at least 2 mins. Roll out/stretch for 3-5 mins.
8. That’s a No Rep (The judges are always correct, ALWAYS)
The judges are always correct, don’t waste time arguing or getting frustrated. It will get you nowhere and you will succeed in making yourself look like a ‘fool’. All judges at comps are volunteers giving up their spare time to judge you, so keep that in mind when you get a ‘no rep’. Instead focus on perfect form: squat a little deeper than you usually squat, lock out your arms and get your head through in presses thrusters etc. If you are unaware why you getting a no rep ask the judge politely.
9. The best laid plans, often go astray
Sometimes things don’t go to plan, be flexible and adaptable, don’t stress about what you can’t control. Heat times can change, equipment can fail you . So take them on the chin, don’t complain.
10. Don’t change things up
Don’t wear a brand new pair of shoes or lifters, don’t take a pre-workout if you don’t’ usually. Stick to the gear you are used to. Sip water continuously throughout the competition.
11. Eat
Force yourself to eat a full proper meals in your longer breaks. Keep the snacks for those smaller gaps between WODs.
12. Hydrate
Bring plenty of water! there should be water supplied but you don’t want to run out!
13. The Nervous Poo
30-40 mins before your workout, ensure you leave time to go to the loo.
14. Don’t freak out and pace yourself.
Remind yourself “It’s just another workout” like the many you have done before, nerves are normal, after the 1st WOD all that should go away. Just remember to pace yourself. The winner is never the guy/girl who goes out all guns blazing in the first 30 seconds. It the one who is hitting the workout at 80 percent for the first half and ready to put the foot on the gas pedal for that final round.
15. Enjoy it and be proud of yourself!
Have fun, use this as a learning opportunity and most importantly celebrate wherever you finish, It’s a big step to compete for the first time, and like all things competition requires practice, so take the learnings and apply them in training to keep getting better and better each competition.