1. Adequate Daily Energy Intake
   If your caloric intake does not match your total energy expenditure:

   A) Recovery slows down

   B) Performance declines

   C) Training quality decreases

   Fueling starts with total daily energy availability, not with your pre-workout snack.

2. Carbohydrates
   Whether competing in CrossFit or HYROX, low glycogen availability reduces your ability to perform repeated high-intensity efforts.

   Maintain daily carbohydrate intake at 5–8 g/kg bodyweight

3. Protein
   Protein supports tissue repair and recovery from demanding training.

   However, excessive protein intake between sessions can displace carbohydrates.

   Maintain: 1.4–2.2 g/kg bodyweight per day

   Distribute evenly: 0.3–0.5 g/kg per meal

4. Fats
   Fats support hormonal function, energy balance and satiety, but slow gastric emptying.

   Keep fats low 1–3 hours pre-session and between sessions.

   Place most fats in meals away from training or on low-volume days.

5. Timing Strategy for Double Sessions

   A) Post 1st Session 1 (0–60 minutes)
   – Carbs: 1.0–1.2 g/kg
   – Protein: 0.3 g/kg (20–40g practical range)

   Examples:

   1. Chocolate milk + banana
   2. Whey + bagel/cereal + honey
   3. Rice pudding/yogurt + fruit + honey

   B) 3 Hours Pre 2nd Session
   – Carbs: 1.0–2.0 g/kg
   – Protein: 0.3 g/kg
   – Fats/fiber: Low–moderate

   Examples:

   1. Rice/pasta + lean protein
   2. Potato + eggs/chicken

   C) 1 Hour Pre 2nd Session
   – Carbs: 0.5–0.8 g/kg
   – Protein: Optional
   – Fats/fiber: Minimal

   Examples:

   1. White toast + jam/honey
   2. Rice cakes + honey

   D) 30 Minutes Pre 2nd Session
   – Carbs: 0.3–0.5 g/kg (easily digestible)

   Examples:

   1. Banana
   2. Gel
   3. 300–500 ml sports drink
6. Fluids & Electrolytes

   Α) Before: 5–10 mL/kg fluids 2–4h prior

   Β) During: 0.4–0.8 L/hour (adjust for sweat rate)

   C) Electrolytes:
   Use sodium when sessions exceed 60 minutes, heat is high, or sweat rate is elevated.

   D) After: Rehydrate based on losses (ideally via pre/post weighing).

7. Evidence-Based Ergogenic Aids

   A) Caffeine: 3–6 mg/kg (~60 min prior)

   B) Creatine: 3–5 g daily

   C) Beta-Alanine: 4–6 g daily (split doses)

   D) Sodium bicarbonate: 0.2–0.3 g/kg

Sources:

1. Louise Burke – Practical Sports Nutrition / Clinical Sports Nutrition (McGraw-Hill)

2. NSCA – Essentials of Strength Training & Conditioning (latest ed.)

3. Jeukendrup & Gleeson – Sport Nutrition (3rd ed.)

4. ACSM Position Stand (2007): Exercise and Fluid Replacement

5. Maughan – IOC Handbook of Sports Medicine: Nutrition in Sport

6. ISSN Position Stands: Caffeine (2021), Creatine (2017), Beta-alanine (2015), Sodium bicarbonate (2021), Protein (2017).

Το άρθρο Fueling for Double Sessions (AM/PM) in CrossFit / HYROX εμφανίστηκε πρώτα στο ATPLab Training.

1. The issue is fuel, not fitness
From the first event, energy and fluid expenditure exceeds intake. This deficit may not be immediately noticeable, but it carries over into subsequent events or competition days.

2. Depletion of carbohydrate stores
Carbohydrates are the primary fuel for high-intensity performance.
During the first event (or Day 1), a large portion of muscle glycogen is consumed. Without adequate replenishment:
• depletion continues
• performance declines in later events
• perceived exertion increases
• legs feel heavy and transitions slow down

3. Hydration and sodium mismatch
Even mild dehydration, when combined with insufficient sodium intake, increases cardiovascular strain at the same workload.
Without a hydration strategy, the deficit carries into the next day.

Common outcomes include:
• unexplained elevated heart rate
• headaches
• cramps or muscle spasms

4. Poor between-event nutrition choices
Common mistakes:
• high fat and fiber intake → delayed digestion, gastrointestinal discomfort
• excessive protein → minimal immediate fuel contribution
• insufficient total intake due to stress → prolonged energy deficit

These choices compromise performance later in the competition.

5. Poor timing
Between events, refueling windows are short.
Missing them means starting the next effort already in deficit.

In multi-day competitions, Day 1 refueling directly determines Day 2 performance.

6. Fix #1 – Between-events protocol
0–15 minutes post-event:
• 30–60g carbohydrates
• 500–750ml fluids
• adequate sodium (especially with high sweat rates)

60–120 minutes before the next start (if time allows):
• easily digestible carbohydrate-based meal
• low fat and fiber
• small protein amount

Avoid large meals, high fat/fiber foods, and unplanned snacking.

7. Fix #2 – 3-day performance plan
• 3 days out: progressive carbohydrate loading with reduced fat and fiber
• After the final event each day: prioritize carbohydrates, fluids, and electrolytes
• Choose: easily digestible carbohydrates to maximize glycogen restoration and minimize GI risk
• Pre-workout meals/snacks: familiar and tested — no experimentation on race day

Sources:
1) https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39485653/

2)https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35809162/

3)https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40901614/

4) https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26178327/

5)https://www.researchgate.net/publication/396309566_Sodium_intake_for_athletes_before_during_and_after_exercise_review_and_recommendations

Το άρθρο Fuel Debt in Competition: Why Performance Drops Before the Event Is Over εμφανίστηκε πρώτα στο ATPLab Training.

If you’ve experienced a sudden drop in pace, heavy legs, and intense fatigue when running immediately after a sled push or pull, you’re not alone. This phenomenon is not a matter of “poor fitness,” but rather the result of specific physiological mechanisms triggered by the sled.

Let’s break it down.

What do we mean by “lock up”?

By “lock up,” we refer to:

Reduced ability to produce force

A sudden drop in running pace after the sled

Increased perceived exertion (RPE)

A sensation of heavy, stiff legs and difficulty regaining pace

Why does the sled trigger it?

Sled push/pull work:

-Imposes high mechanical demands with prolonged muscular tension

-Creates conditions of functional restriction of blood flow and oxygen delivery

-Increases reliance on anaerobic ATP production

This leads to:

-Depletion of phosphocreatine (PCr)

-Accumulation of metabolites (Pi, H⁺)

All of the above directly reduce the muscle’s ability to produce force during the subsequent run.

What is usually responsible?

In most cases, it’s a combination of factors:

-Neuromuscular fatigue and disruption of muscle homeostasis

-Inadequate carbohydrate intake prior to the start

-Insufficient hydration and an imbalanced sodium–water status

Practical strategies for better performance

Carbohydrates: 

1–4 g/kg consumed 1–4 hours before (low fiber & low fat).

~1 hour before: small amounts of carbohydrates and/or a carbohydrate mouth rinse. 

During the event: 30–60 g/hour via isotonic drinks, gels, or chews

Hydration & Electrolytes

Goal: avoid dehydration greater than 2% of body mass

Sweat rate estimation via pre- and post-exercise body weight

5–10 mL of water/kg 2–4 hours before

Sodium added when necessary to enhance fluid retention

Supplements with evidence-based ergogenic effects

Caffeine: 3–6 mg/kg (~60 minutes before)

Sodium bicarbonate: 0.2–0.3 g/kg, 60–180 minutes before

Creatine (monohydrate): 3–5 g/day

Beta-alanine: 4–6 g/day

Beetroot juice: 6–8 mmol, 2–3 hours before

Conclusion

Leg “lock up” after the sled is not a matter of willpower.
It is the result of high mechanical and metabolic load, which can be effectively managed with proper fueling, hydration, and supplementation strategies.

At ATPLab Training, performance is built on data, not assumptions.

Το άρθρο SLED STATIONS AND MUSCLE FATIGUE: WHY RUNNING COLLAPSES AFTER THE SLED εμφανίστηκε πρώτα στο ATPLab Training.

Το ζέσταμα είναι το πρώτο πράγμα που πρέπει να κάνει κάποιος πριν από μια προπόνηση, είτε αυτή είναι μια προπόνηση με το βάρος του σώματος, είτε ένα τρέξιμο 5 χιλιομέτρων στο πάρκο. Αλλά ποιο είναι το ιδανικό ζέσταμα; Το σωστό ζέσταμα πρέπει να αυξάνει την θερμοκρασία του σώματος, να αιματώνει επαρκώς τους τένοντες, να χαλαρώνει τις αρθρώσεις και να προετοιμάζει το μυαλό για άσκηση.

Για να τα πετύχετε όλα αυτά πρέπει να ακολουθήσετε μια συγκεκριμένη ρουτίνα διάρκειας 15-25΄ ανάλογα το αθλητικό σας επίπεδο και σε σχέση πάντα με το κυρίως μέρος της προπόνησης.

Το ζέσταμα χωρίζεται σε δύο βασικά μέρη:

Το Γενικό ζέσταμα και

Το Ειδικό ζέσταμα

Με τον όρο γενικό ζέσταμα εννοούμε όλες τις διαδικασίες με τις οποίες θα επιτύχουμε:

• Βελτίωση κινητικότητας των αρθρώσεων
• Αύξηση πνευμονικού αερισμού
• Μεταφορά οξυγόνου στους μύες
• Αύξηση θερμοκρασίας των μυών και τενόντων.

Κάθε ζέσταμα λοιπόν πρέπει να ξεκινάει με ένα βασικό mobility flow κατά το οποίο θα ενεργοποιηθούν προοδευτικά όλες οι αρθρώσεις του σώματος σας επιδιώκοντας το μεγαλύτερο δυνατό εύρος κίνησης για κάθε άρθρωση. Σε αυτή τη φάση τόσο οι αρθρώσεις όσο και οι μύες σας είναι σχετικά σφιχτοί

και κρύοι οπότε πρέπει οι τεχνικές που θα εφαρμόσετε να έχουν στόχο την σωστή αιμάτωση και προοδευτική χαλάρωση ιστών και τενόντων ώστε να επιτύχετε το καλύτερο δυνατό αποτέλεσμα χωρίς να ρισκάρετε τον κίνδυνο τραυματισμού. Στον παρακάτω σύνδεσμο θα βρείτε ένα ιδανικό mobility flow που μπορείτε να εντάξετε στο ζέσταμα σας:

Εφόσον ολοκληρώσετε τις ασκήσεις κινητικότητας περνάτε στην δεύτερη φάση του βασικού ζεστάματος όπου είναι η μυϊκή ενεργοποίηση όλων των μυϊκών ομάδων που περιβάλουν τις αρθρώσεις και κυρίως των ώμων και των ισχύων. Για την κατάλληλη ενεργοποίηση των συγκεκριμένων μυϊκών ομάδων χρησιμοποιείστε λάστιχα αντίστασης τα οποία θα σας επιτρέψουν να εφαρμόσετε ελεγχόμενα την αντίσταση και να μπορέσετε να πετύχετε μέγιστη αιμάτωση χωρίς καθόλου μυϊκή επιβάρυνση. Στον παρακάτω σύνδεσμο θα βρείτε έναν ολοκληρωμένο οδηγό ασκήσεων με λάστιχα:

Τέλος το βασικό κομμάτι κάθε ζεστάματος πρέπει να περιλαμβάνει την καρδιοαναπνευστική ενεργοποίηση. Στόχος είναι να αυξηθεί ο πνευμονικός αερισμός, να ανέβουν οι καρδιακοί παλμοί σε ποσοστό 60-65% της μέγιστης καρδιακής συχνότητας και να μεταφερθεί το οξυγόνο σε όλες τις βασικές μυϊκές ομάδες του σώματος ώστε να αρχίσει η διαδικασία επεξεργασίας αυτού από τους μύες. Είτε πρόκειται να ακολουθήσει προπόνηση δύναμης είτε προπόνηση αντοχής, ένας καλός πνευμονικός αερισμός και μια αυξημένη καρδιακή συχνότητα θα θέσουν το σώμα σας σε απόλυτη ετοιμότητα να δεχθεί οποιαδήποτε προπονητικά ερεθίσματα.

Τεχνικές για να αυξηθεί η καρδιοαναπνευστική λειτουργία είναι μέσω επαναλαμβανόμενων μονοδομικών κινήσεων όπως το τρέξιμο ή τα εργομετρικά μηχανήματα όπως το κωπηλατικό ή το ποδήλατο. Η διάρκεια εκτέλεσης μπορεί να κυμαίνεται από 4-7 λεπτά.

Το ειδικό ζέσταμα αφορά την προετοιμασία του σώματος πάνω στο ασκησιολόγιο του βασικού προγράμματος αλλά και την νοητική προετοιμασία που αφορά την στρατηγική και την προσέγγιση της προπόνησης.

Με την ολοκλήρωση του γενικού ζεστάματος είστε έτοιμοι να περάσετε στο ειδικό ασκησιολόγιο από το οποίο αποτελείται και το κύριο μέρος της προπόνησης. Εάν πρόκειται να ακολουθήσει μια προπόνηση δύναμης, όπως για παράδειγμα καθίσματα με μπάρα, τότε πριν τα λειτουργικά σετ της άσκησης προηγούνται ορισμένα σετ ζεστάματος. Ξεκινώντας με άδεια μπάρα η ακόμα και με το βάρος του σώματος σας εκτελείτε 1-2 sets των 8-12 επαναλήψεων ώστε να βρείτε τη σωστή μηχανική και ρυθμό εκτέλεσης.

Στη συνέχεια αυξάνετε προοδευτικά το βάρος και εκτελείτε άλλα 2-3 sets των 6-8 επαναλήψεων με την ίδια ακριβώς τεχνική και ρυθμό εκτέλεσης ώστε οι μυϊκές ίνες να προσαρμοστούν στα ερεθίσματα και να δώσουν εντολή στο κεντρικό νευρικό σύστημα να προετοιμαστεί για το κυρίως μέρος της προπόνησης. Σε αυτή τη φάση η νοητική προετοιμασία παίζει πολύ βασικό ρόλο μιας και πρέπει εξ αρχής να έχετε ορίσει τους στόχους της προπόνησης ώστε το σώμα σας να προσαρμοστεί και νοητικά στο τι πρόκειται να ακολουθήσει.

Την ίδια τακτική ειδικού ζεστάματος εφαρμόζουμε και όταν πρόκειται να ακολουθήσει προπόνηση αντοχής. Εάν για παράδειγμα το κυρίως μέρος της προπόνησης αποτελείται από 7 sets των 800 μέτρων τρεξίματος με 3 λεπτά διάλειμμα μεταξύ των sets, τότε το ειδικό ζέσταμα θα πρέπει να περιλαμβάνει ειδικές δρομικές ασκήσεις που θα σας επιτρέψουν να χτίσετε σωστή μηχανική τρεξίματος. Το προηγούμενο θα πρέπει να ακολουθείται από 2-4 προοδευτικά αυξανόμενα sets των 150-200 μέτρων τρεξίματος μέχρι να φτάσουμε τον ρυθμό τρεξίματος του κύριου μέρους της προπόνησης.

Μπορεί σε πολλούς αθλητές ή απλούς ασκούμενους το ζέσταμα να φαντάζει ως μια βαρετή και αδιάφορη διαδικασία, αλλά τα αποτελέσματα του μεγαλυτέρου ποσοστού των ερευνών δείχνουν πως όχι μόνο βοηθάει στην πρόληψη των τραυματισμών αλλά αυξάνει σημαντικά και τις επιδόσεις στην προπόνηση.

ΑΠΟΘΕΡΑΠΕΙΑ

Με τον όρο αποθεραπεία εννοούμε την διαδικασία κατά την οποία το σώμα μας περνάει από το κύριο μέρος της προπόνησης στη κατάσταση πλήρους ηρεμίας.

Όσο απαραίτητη είναι η διαδικασία του ζεστάματος άλλο τόσο αναγκαία είναι η διαδικασία της αποθεραπείας.

Με το τέλος του κυρίου μέρους της προπόνησης είτε πρόκειται για προπόνηση δύναμης είτε για προπόνηση αντοχής τόσο το καρδιαναπνευστικό όσο και το μυοσκελετικό σύστημα έχουν δεχτεί ερεθίσματα τα οποία έχουν προκαλέσει ορισμένες μεταβολές στα προαναφερόμενα συστήματα.

Οι μεταβολές αυτές έχουν να κάνουν κυρίως με την αυξημένη καρδιακή συχνότητα, τον πνευμονικό αερισμό, την μυϊκή θερμότητα, την παραγωγή υποπροϊόντων από τις καύσεις στα μυϊκά ινίδια κ.α. Όσο πιο αποτελεσματικά είναι τα ερεθίσματα της προπόνησης τόσο μεγαλύτερες είναι και οι μεταβολές που υπόκεινται τα συστήματα αυτά και τόσο πιο αναγκαία χρήζει η διαδικασία ομαλής επαναφοράς των συστημάτων στην φυσιολογική τους λειτουργία.

Σίγουρα φαντάζει κουραστικό στο τέλος μιας προπόνησης τρεξίματος 5χλμ κατά την οποία αγγίξαμε το 85-90% της μέγιστης καρδιακής συχνότητας να αφιερώσουμε άλλα 4-5 λεπτά ήπιου τρεξίματος.

Κατά τη διάρκεια όμως αυτή θα επιτρέψουμε στην καρδιακή μας συχνότητα να μεταβεί ομαλά στο 55-60% της μέγιστης συχνότητας προσφέροντας ένα περιβάλλον ηρεμίας, όπως επίσης θα δώσουμε και την δυνατότητα στο μυϊκό μας σύστημα να συνεχίζει να επεξεργάζεται προϊόντα που έχει προκαλέσει η καύση του οξυγόνου και να δρομολογήσει την ήπια απομάκρυνσή τους.

Οι τακτικές αποθεραπείας ποικίλουν από προπόνηση σε προπόνηση, όλες όμως έχουν ένα κοινό σκοπό. Να επιτρέψουν στο σώμα μας να επανέλθει σε φυσιολογικά επίπεδα μετά την προπόνηση αλλά και να δημιουργήσουν το κατάλληλο περιβάλλον ώστε το σώμα μας να είναι σε θέση να δεχτεί την επόμενη προπονητική μονάδα.

Όπως και το ζέσταμα έτσι και η αποθεραπεία χωρίζονται σε δύο βασικές κατηγορίες:

Την γενική αποθεραπεία και
Tην ειδική αποθεραπεία
Η ειδική αποθεραπεία συμβαίνει κατά βάση κατά την διάρκεια του κυρίου μέρους της προπόνησης ειδικά όταν εναλλάσσονται προπονητικά ερεθίσματα.

Αν για παράδειγμα η κύρια προπόνησή μας αποτελείται από ένα 20λεπτο πρόγραμμα έντασης και στην συνέχεια ειδικό ασκησιολόγιο μυϊκής ενδυνάμωσης, οφείλουμε μετά το πρώτο σκέλος να ρίξουμε ομαλά τους σφυγμούς μας και να ηρεμήσουμε πλήρως προτού περάσουμε στο σκέλος της ενδυνάμωσης.

Το ίδιο ισχύει και για οποιοδήποτε άλλο ερέθισμα είτε αυτό συμβαίνει στην αρχή, στη μέση ή στο τέλος της προπόνησης. Η ειδική αποθεραπεία λοιπόν ασχολείται ακριβώς με το ερέθισμα που έχει προηγηθεί αμέσως πριν και μέσα στην ίδια προπονητική μονάδα.

Η γενική αποθεραπεία είναι η διαδικασία που λαμβάνει μέρος στο τέλος της προπόνησης. Αποτελείται κυρίως από διατατικές στατικές ασκήσεις και ειδικές τεχνικές όπως μαλάξεις ή πιέσεις. Οι μαλακοί ιστοί του σώματός μας στο τέλος μιας προπονητικής μονάδας είναι πλέον σε θέση να δεχτούν αυτές τις τεχνικές οι οποίες θα δημιουργήσουν το καταλληλότερο περιβάλλον ανάρρωσης και προσαρμογής στα προπονητικά ερεθίσματα.

Ο ασκούμενος οφείλει και στην συγκεκριμένη διαδικασία να δείχνει την δέουσα προσοχή στην ένταση των τεχνικών μιας και μπορεί πολύ εύκολα να προκαλέσει τραυματισμό στους ήδη φθαρμένους μυϊκούς ιστούς ή ταλαιπωρημένους συνδέσμους. Στον παρακάτω σύνδεσμο θα βρείτε ένα ιδανικό stretching flow το οποίο μπορεί να αποτελέσει μέρος της διαδικασίας της γενικής αποθεραπείας σας:

Η συνολική διάρκεια της αποθεραπείας συνήθως δεν ξεπερνά τα 20-30 λεπτά σε αθλητές αγωνιστικού επιπέδου και τα 5-10 λεπτά σε απλούς ασκούμενους.

Η σημασία της αποθεραπείας στην ποιότητα της προπόνησης είναι εξίσου σημαντική και στις δύο περιπτώσεις.

Όποιο και να είναι λοιπόν το προπονητικό σας υπόβαθρο θα πρέπει να θεωρείτε το ζέσταμα και την αποθεραπεία ως δεδομένα και αναπόσπαστα τμήματα μιας αποτελεσματικής προπονητικής μονάδας!

Το άρθρο Warm up and recovery εμφανίστηκε πρώτα στο ATPLab Training.

Michael Mexis

Mental Performance coach | Programming for the Athletes Training

2013 was the year that Michael entered an affiliate box for the first time.

Having been engaged in sports all his life, he knew that this was the next step for him. He was fascinated by the sport and it was no more than two years later that he opened a fitness box in Athens where he coached and introduced people to functional training. His interest was always more about the mind than the body, as he is used to saying “The body achieves what the mind believes”.

Competitive fitness at that time in Greece was making its first steps, the thrill of the competition, the molding of a champion, this mindset for success that professional athletes possess intrigued him so much to make him seek this competitive environment. In late 2016 he joined the ATPLab team and shared the common goal of creating a strong community of athletes that would stand proudly among the best in the sport! Michael works on the development of the athletes program and has coached and accompanied some of the best athletes in Greece on their successes in international competitions.

Christos Tampakos

Assistant coach | Programming for the Individual Training

Chris met CrossFit back in 2011 and immediately fell in love with the sport!

Even though he started a little older, he was 27 years old, his athletic background allowed him to improve really fast! After two years of hard work, he was ready to compete at a high level! From 2013 until 2020 Chris participated in more than 20 top-level competitions with Athens Throwdown 2019 being his career highlight where he placed 1st in the master division! He combined successfully his athletic career with his coaching career as he was also a full-time coach in many affiliates in Athens and recently Cyprus!

Chris has worked along side our head coach Panagiotis for more than 7 years and there couldn’t be a better man to join the coaching team in early 2020! Chris has already helped our athletes in many aspects of their training with his experience and knowledge! His passion to succeed as an athlete has now transformed into a passion for helping younger athletes reach their goals!

Το άρθρο Meet the team behind the Athletes program εμφανίστηκε πρώτα στο ATPLab Training.

Injury is unavoidable in every athlete’s career. There are minor injuries (sprains, bruises, cuts etc) that could only cause discomfort and severe injuries (achilles tendon tear, hamstring injuries, torn meniscus etc). The more severe injuries could lead to loss of professional opportunities, such as competitions, and negatively affect the psychology of the athlete. Although an injury is as stated before “unavoidable” at some point in an athlete’s career that doesn’t mean nothing can’t be done about it.

Pre-session warm-up, after session stretching and recovery routines with the use of equipment (foam roller, ball etc) are daily goals.

Proper rest and tapering, progressively increased training volume, organised daily & weekly training sessions are seasonal goals.

All of them play a positive role in an injury-free career. Nevertheless, there is no guarantee that you won’t suffer an injury in the long term.

So every athlete must have a plan in case of this unfortunate event.

Healing process

1st step: Recognition of the injury

Athletes should pay attention to what their bodies tell them and, in collaboration with a physician or a team of experts recognise the injury as soon as it happens.

2nd step: Assessment of the condition

Next is a visit to the doctor. An orthopaedic with specialisation in sports or a medicine physician would be the most appropriate to assess the condition and make a diagnosis on how serious it is and whether it needs rest and medication, physiotherapy or surgery.

3rd step: Rehabilitation phase

Rehabilitation is the process that comes after the recovery or surgery of an injury and might last from several days to months depending on the severity of the injury. The whole rehabilitation process should be conducted in collaboration with the coach, a doctor and a physiotherapist or team of physiotherapists having the supervision. After some time, depending on the injury, athletes should be able to take care of themselves under the guidance of the specialists.

An equally important factor for the duration of the rehabilitation is the athletic obligations of the athlete. If an athlete is in the middle of the competition season or preparing for a short-term goal (tapering) then the whole recovery process might need to be shorter and more drastic. The coach, together with the physiotherapist, work to program a volume and frequency of sessions that will be both effective for the athlete and adjusted to the plan and the seasonal goals. In case of a non-surgical treatment, excessive use of drugs is avoided. You have to bear in mind that all injuries take time to heal naturally so if you can afford giving time then choose not to use rapid methods of treatment. Rapid methods may reduce recovery time, but the excessive use of drugs and time pressure could lead to a recurrence of the injury.

Training modifications

In our experience, there are many occasions when an injury to a certain body part can motivate us to emphasise on another part that we would not usually notice and improve. So the work we put on movements and muscles which do not co-operate with the injured part enables us to develop skills that were considered improbable to improve with the conventional training plan. Eg: A wrist injury led an athlete to increase muscle strength of the legs during recovery by 17%.

Of course, this does not mean that we have to injure one body part in order to deliberately work on another. However, every cloud has a silver lining, an injury allows us to re-set our training goals and focus on the development of other skills which will be proven to be extremely useful in the long-term during the season. The distribution of stimuli in a CrossFit athlete’s training volume is such that in typical competition conditions they are not able to focus specifically on some elements they would normally do (that would be during a period of increased training volume eg: off-season). But when for whatever reason this happens, it has been discovered that development in these elements is rapid.

So instead of avoiding training sessions under the pretext of injury you should simply modify your plan with the help of your coach and turn it into a fully efficient one. Emphasis should be given on elements which, on the one hand, do not affect the injured part and on the other hand, improve specific movements to excellence! eg: A lumbar spine injury should lead athletes to strengthen the upper torso and improve exercises such as pull-ups, muscle-ups, etc.

Mental health effects

The psychological burden that an athlete must carry after a severe injury can be unbearable. Athletes have certain goals to chase, certain schedule to follow and spend most of their time being active. All these are in constant interaction and the problem arises when they come to a halt. So athletes build their identity on what they are doing, training makes them happy, helps them reduce stress and gives them a sense of purpose. One can understand how negatively it affects them when an injury happens and potentially takes all these away from them.

Some typical reactions are:

Sadness

Anxiety

Frustration

Lack of motivation

Anger

Irritability

Sleep disturbance or appetite changes

These are responses that may naturally occur in such circumstances yet the problem arises when these responses worsen and do not resolve.

Treatment goes together with trust

Trust to the whole process by the athlete and trust between the athlete and the team. Athletes should be aware and educated on the injury by their physician with every needed detail. The more they are aware of the condition the less they make negative thoughts and develop self-doubts. Goal setting is equally important, a sense of purpose must remain vivid with focus on an injury coping plan that will eventually lead to the long-term goal. The return to play.

Individually athletes can follow some techniques to reduce anxiety, frustration and other negative responses, and promote self-confidence. Visualisation is a technique athletes can use when they are in full action but most importantly during recovery or rehabilitation. Research has shown that imagining the injury repairing or training procedures, promotes not only actual healing but also assists athletes to be mentally close and connected to their sport.

Another important issue to deal with is fear. The fear of the return-to-play question, when is it going to happen and whether it is going to happen soon enough, and the fear of a re-injury. Self-motivation and positive self-talk are two very beneficial techniques on that matter.

The first step is to focus on what you want to happen and not on what you fear it will happen.

The second step is to focus on your recovery goals and work on them wholeheartedly.

In any case, if the symptoms are constant and severe, research supports the development of depression is a possibility. The majority of athletic teams have a psychologist or mental health expert along with the medicine physician and the physiotherapist. The coach should have general knowledge on mental health and encourage athletes to seek assistance from a mental health expert if such is needed.

Injury is an unfortunate change of plans, bear with it, adapt and move on. It may take some time but it will pass. You just need to work on it and be optimistic!

Το άρθρο Sport injuries and how to deal with them! εμφανίστηκε πρώτα στο ATPLab Training.

Here are 5 principles that characterise the mindset of a champion.

1. High aspiration

First of all, you have to aim high, to reach high. A champion dreams only of the first place, not the second, not the third. Everything he strives for is to be the best in his/her field.

The most important value of a champion and essentially the first phase to reach success is to believe that he/she can be the best, visualise his/her dream becoming true and go for it.

The second phase is to make a plan. The plan is to divide the dream into manageable, rational stages and progressively conquer these stages one by one, whether they are improvements on physical capacity, changes in personal life or smaller less significant achievements.

Little by little, a little becomes a lot!

2. Willingness to learn

The secret is to never stop learning, to be able to understand what went wrong, what needs to be improved and be eager to work hard to improve it.

A champion is an eternal student.

Aways keeps improving!

Always takes advantage of any feedback, positive or negative!

Always listens to what the world has to say, filters and keeps those that motivate him/her to improve!

3. Resilience

The path to success is tough and full of barriers, everyone fails before they succeed. There will be ups and downs that will make us hesitate and become unsure of our capabilities.

A champion has the mental strength to believe in himself/herself under the most difficult circumstances, rely on the work he/she has done, stay confident and overcome the obstacles that come in the way.

Every failure makes a champion stronger and wiser!

4. Consistency and commitment

You are not born a champion, you transform into one on the way. Each day is a struggle to become better and better mentally and physically. A champion has made this commitment, that he will be the best no matter the cost.

Will he/she have to sacrifice time; Yes.

Will he/she have to spend huge amounts of energy; Yes, again.

Will he/she have to set his personal and social life as a second priority. Some times, unfortunately, yes.

But the commitment a champion makes to achieve his/her goals is sacred!

5. Team and coachability

Champions need to surround themselves with people who share the same goals with them. Us humans are social species, we need the support, we need the reinforcement, we need comradery in order to move forward. The best motivation that an athlete can have is a team that will teach him all he/she needs to know about his/her profession, that will provide the necessary feedback for him/her to excel and succeed, that will be there for him when he/she needs them the most.

A champion knows that “If you want to walk fast, you walk alone, but if you want to walk far, you walk together” (Ratan Tata)

So there you have it, it is not that much the physical capabilities that will lead someone to success rather than the awareness of what it takes to get there and the effort he/she is willing to put to make it happen.

Το άρθρο What does it take to be a champion? εμφανίστηκε πρώτα στο ATPLab Training.

A number of nutritional philosophies and approaches emerge from time to time, but – deep down – what seems to have been neglected is the true essence of Sports Nutrition.

Sports Nutrition is a highly specialised subsection of nutritional sciences and requires specialised knowledge both in nutrition but also in the field of sports. The main goal of sports nutrition is to provide guidance to athletes on their caloric and nutritional intake. As such, it plays a very strong role in performance improvement in almost all types of training. This is why the right level of knowledge on the nutritional requirements and role that each single dietary component plays in the daily nutritional plan is deemed to be of vital importance both on the part of trainers, but also on the part of athletes.

The most common misconception that seems to hold in many gyms and beyond, is the “generalisation error”; meaning, that a nutrition plan that suits the needs of one person, is also suitable for someone else. The one-size-fits-all approach, however, does not cater to individual needs, as it does not take into consideration such important factors as age, gender and genetic predisposition etc. Individual nutritional needs also change during the course of a training season and athletes need to be flexible and well informed so that they may live up to the challenges that they need to face up to.

Sports nutrition requires the application of dietary principles which help lead to enhanced performance, and such principles are also dependent on sex, age, body weight, eating habits, the environment, the training program and of course the type of sports.

The main goals of sports nutrition are:

(a) catering to energy needs,

(b) replenishing of important nutrients post exercise,

(c) maintenance of the correct level of hydration and

(d) the improvement in athletic performance.

The basic goals of an athlete are the intake of the necessary nutrients such as:

(a) macronutrients (proteins, carbs, fat),

(b) micronutrients (vitamins, metals, minerals), and

(c) liquids, so that lean mass levels might be replenished and maintained and so that peak performance might be attained.

Attention to every detail that influences athletic performance might actually lead to significant differences, and nutrition forms a vital component in the preparation of any athlete striving for success. Nutrition influences performance and, as a result, the foods we choose to consume will influence our preparation levels and of course our ability to compete.

In conclusion, the safest route for athletes to take regarding their nutritional needs is through proper guidance so that they may benefit from scientifically proven nutrition plans and not follow various seemingly well acclaimed but unproven dietary models.

Το άρθρο CROSSFIT εμφανίστηκε πρώτα στο ATPLab Training.

This is a weekly schedule for those looking to try out the online qualifiers of Athens Throwdown and compete for a spot in the Finals in Athens!

Monday:

1st Session: 20.1

2nd Session: Strength/Gymnastics

Tuesday:

1st Session: Engine up to 75-80% of max effort

2nd Session: Weightlifting

Wednesday:

1st Session: 20.2

2nd Session: Strength/Gymnastics

Thursday:

Swimming or easy pace running

Friday:

1st Session: 20.3

2nd Session: Engine

Saturday:

Full Session

Sunday:

Rest

There will be an additional two weeks time until the deadline so if the plan doesn’t work for you on your first attempt, you will have plenty of time to redo any of the 3 qualifiers.

Remember to always record your attempts (video footage) even if your goal is just to test the workout.

20.1

Every 4 minutes for 12 minutes (3 sets) of

600/450 meters, Row

24 single arm kettlebell hang snatches

Then,

Max reps, Box jumps overs 60/50cm height

Notes:

You start on the rower, continue with the snatches and then go for as many reps as possible of BJOs.

When the timer goes 4:00 you start the 2nd set and when it goes 8:00, the 3rd set. The focus of the workout is on the Box jumps over, those reps will form the score and this is where you have to be the most efficient. Make sure you use every second of each 4 minute time frame for BJOs, then go straight to the rower. The kettlebell snatches will feel heavy but not that heavy to force you break more than needed and lose time. Have in mind that you should perform well in all 3 sets.

Tactics:

The rower is where you recover, where you regulate your breathing and gather strength for the next mini sprint. The recommended pace should be at 2km PR pace + 5-7 seconds with no more than 27-28 strokes per minute.

The kettlebell snatches need some caution, if you have weak forearms you might consider making smooth transition between arms in order to continue moving without dropping the weight. The best option is 1st set-strong arm, 2nd set-weak arm, 3rd set-strong arm (Option 2: break 3rd round into 2 sets-strong/weak, Option 3: break each round into 2 sets).

Once done with the snatches go straight into the box jumps overs maintaining a fast steady pace, if you are comfortable with touch & go then go all in for it, if not, prefer the safe step-down technique as long as your pace is fast and steady.

Goal:

Elite Men: 80+ Reps

Elite Women: 50+ Reps

Scale Men: 60+ Reps

Scale Women: 30+ Reps

Masters Men: 50+ Reps

Masters Women: 30+ Reps

20.2

For time

50 toes to rings

30 wall-ball shots 9/6kg

40 burpees touch the rings

30 chest to bar pull-ups

50 wall-balls 9/6kg

Cap: 15

Notes:

This is a chipper style workout, your score is the time it took you to complete all reps or the made reps until the time cap. For top athletes the pace of the burpees will make the difference (all other exercises should be performed unbroken) while for most of the athletes the plan will be to break the exercises into sets that will allow them to keep moving efficiently. Generally the workout before the burpees will be more manageable, and after the burpees more challenging (keeping up with your planned pace). The trick is on the burpees, the height of the rings should be your extending hand while you are standing tall on the ground and on your toes. The shorter the jump, the faster the pace (one point jump will be enough).

Tactics:

If you are a lightweight athlete and/or with a strong midline, you will be able and should go the toes to bar unbroken, otherwise break them into 2-3 manageable sets with minimum rest between.

The first wall-ball set is the easiest part of the workout and should be performed unbroken, even more, if you previously broke the toes to bars into more than 1 set. The burpees is where the struggle begins, your heart rate will be already high but you will have to be consistent on your pace, with the harder mediator being technical, the contact with the rings. Prefer to touch the rings with the exterior side of your hand and make sure you dont hit them! You dont want them to start moving all over the place. Finishing the burpees within 2 minutes is the goal pace. The deal once you are done with the burpees is to push hard and go unbroken for as long as possible.

If your chest to bar pull-up Max rep set is 40+ reps then go for the unbroken, if not break into small manageable sets with minimum rest between (less than 5 seconds).

The last wall-balls is the “no thinking, keep pushing” part. Go unbroken and if for some reason you break, pick up the ball as soon as you can and immediately continue!

Goal:

Elite Men: Sub 8 minutes

Elite Women: Sub 9 minutes

Scale Men: Sub 10 minutes

Scale Women: Sub 11 minutes

Masters Men: Sub 9 minutes

Masters Women: Sub 10 minutes

20.3a & 20.3b

A. Complete As Many Reps As Possible in 5 Minutes of

5 deadlifts 120/80kg

10 thrusters 50/35kg

Rest 3′

B. Complete As Many Reps As Possible in 5 Minutes of

15 meters, Hand stand walk

15 meters, Front rack lunges 50/35kg

Notes:

This is a double task workout, the 1st (A) score is the total reps within 5 minutes of the deadlifts and thrusters, the 2nd (B) score is the total reps (2,5 meters=1 rep) within 5 minutes of hand stand walk and lunges.

A.

Tactics:

The key is to maintain a steady tempo, the transitions between exercises should be smooth (not rushing), short (less than 7 seconds) and equal throughout the 5 minutes. The gaol time in each round is respectively sub-50 seconds.

Ideally go the deadlifts unbroken, if the weight is heavy for you, prefer to go drop & go at a solid, steady pace.

We recommend that you break the thrusters from the start into 7+3 or 6+4 reps with short rest between in order to be consistent until the end.

Goal:

Elite Men: 6+ rounds

Elite Women: 5+ rounds

Scale Men: 6+ rounds

Scale Women: 5+ rounds

Masters Men: 6 rounds

Masters Women: 5 rounds

B.

Tactics:

Move fast on your hands (hand stand walk). The shorter you are standing on your hands, the less you tax your shoulders and forearms. Consider also that after the first part your upper body will be fatigued. What we recommend is that you break into 7,5 meter unbroken distances, move fast and take short rest. Nevertheless have in mind that each 2,5 meters is assigned 1 rep so dont hesitate to go for the 2,5 meters if the whole 7,5 distance seems impossible (prefer to complete portions of 2,5 meters than rest more and go for the 7,5 meters).

The lunges will be the most grinding part, put up more effort to go the 7,5 meter distance unbroken. Be confident, move steadily pushing one step at a time and try to keep equal, short rest between 7,5-meter portions.

Goal:

Elite Men: 4+ rounds

Elite Women: 3+ rounds

Scale Men: 4+ rounds

Scale Women: 4+ rounds

Masters Men: 3 rounds

Masters Women: 2+ rounds

Hopefully the tips were useful and helped you reach the desirable score you were asking for!

Best of Luck

The ATPLab Team

Το άρθρο ATD QUALIFIERS εμφανίστηκε πρώτα στο ATPLab Training.

New entries & formats

One of the most greater remarks is the constant input of new movements in the variety of the standard Open exercises. Last year we came across the Strict Hand Stand Push-up, this year there was the Single-leg Squat. Based on that, we shouldn’t be surprised if we would see even more demanding exercises such as Rope Climbs or an ergometer; Bike-erg, added to the “repertoire” of CrossFit in the years to come. Although all of these exercises are familiar to the majority of athletes, they would had definitely not be included in this training phase of the season. Consequently we understand that, the preparation of the athletes whose goal is the Open, is gradually developing into a more complicated and complete procedure, something we should expect since the Open came to be a direct path to the CrossFit Games.

Another significant remark is the addition of new workout formats. The 20.2 & 20.5 qualifiers really stood up with the distinction they had over workouts of previous years. More precisely, the 20.2

Amrap 20min of:

4 dumbbell thrusters 50lb/35lb

6 Toes to Bar

24 double unders

was the first workout where the athletes had to work non-stop for 20 minutes with not a chance to rest if they wanted to achieve a solid performance. First time we have seen so many transitions with top performance athletes, reaching over 90 in number.

On the other hand the 20.5

For Time

40 Ring Muscle-Ups

80 calorie Row

120 Wall Ball Shots (20/14 lb)

Partition any way

Time Cap: 20 minutes

was a workout that would allow you to “tailor” the format to you, and create the strategy that will lead you to the finish as fast and efficiently as possible.

You had to come up with a plan to partition the exercises anyway you wanted in order to benefit, so the more self-aware you were the better and more beneficial partition you would make. Double task! Cool, isn’t it? So one thing that came to our attention is that, the key factor of perfectly adjusting the workout was a redo, and for those that did a redo, there were some major changes indicating a generic overestimation of capacity. The CrossFit Open introduce even more strategy in the game!

Time over Task dominance

Another really interesting fact is that, similarily to last season’s Open, 4 out of 5 workout formats were “For time” and only 1 was “AMRAP”. So while the time cap refered to long workouts, and they were for the majority of participants that hit or reached near the cap (2 workout of 20 min, 15 min, 9 min), for top performance athletes there was only 1 workout that forced them to work for 20 minutes, the “AMRAP”, in every other qualifier the work duration was significantly shorter than the time-cap.

Going over the results of the winners of the 2020 Leaderboard we find that the total work duration (minutes) was:

Men:

20.1 – 8:38

20.2 – 20:00

20.3 – 6:29

20.4 – 16:29

20.5 – 10:09

Women:

20.1 – 8:11

20.2 – 20:00

20.3 – 6:16

20.4 – 11:11

20.5 – 11:35

What we have here is valuable data for organising and goal setting the next Open preparation!

Heavy workouts

The two heavy workouts in a row was another fact that we could not ignore. In the 20.3 we came across the heavy deadlift

For time:

21 deadlifts (weight 1)

21 handstand push-ups

15 deadlifts (weight 1)

15 handstand push-ups

9 deadlifts (weight 1)

9 handstand push-ups

21 deadlifts (weight 2)

50-ft. handstand walk

15 deadlifts (weight 2)

50-ft. handstand walk

9 deadlifts (weight 2)

50-ft. handstand walk

Men: deadlift 225 lb. then 315 lb.

Female: deadlift 155 lb. then 205 lb.

Time cap: 9 minutes

and in 20.4 the heavy clean & jerk

For time:

30 box jumps
15 clean and jerks, 65/95lb.

30 box jumps
15 clean and jerks, 85/135lb.

30 box jumps
10 clean and jerks, 115/185lb.

30 single-leg squats
10 clean and jerks, 145/225lb.

30 single-leg squats
5 clean and jerks, 175/275lb.

30 single-leg squats
5 clean and jerks, 205/315lb.

Women 20-in. box Men 24-in. box

Time cap: 20 minutes

In both of these workouts what distinguishes the good from the best, is the ability to cope and manage with the “heavy element”, the phase of the workout that the barbell gets heavy and demanding. So what we noticed is that, given that you have a Max load higher than this of the workout, the major factor is in what condition you reach this heavy load. We concluded that, the advantage is not always with the stronger athlete but most probably with the one that copes well with the high volume of below-max loads (80-95% of max load), and at a high heart rate (75-90% of max heart rate).

Cut line

In response to the first paragraph where we comment the Open procedure and expectations, come the results concerning the scores. Its clearly noticeable that the margin of error is gradually lessened year-by-year. When back in 2019 you could have gathered 469 points (men) / 707 points (women) and still had a chance to qualify, in this year’s Open if you would sum over 337 points (men) / 395 points (women) it would cost you the qualification. This is proof that the level of athletes that aim at the qualification through the Open has been forced to increase amazingly, without qestion the top competitors performed well in all 5 qualifiers without a single error. We expect this tendency to increase in the future making it even harder for athletes to meet the standards of quallfication.

Judging system

Last but not least is the judging system. We all agree that the qualification through the Open should become more credible and transparent. CrossFit seems to be leaning in this direction, yet the gaps that remain are obvious. We noticed that from the first week, and each next week, the videos of the top scores worldwide were checked and modified, changing the current rankings. This is without question positive, but is it just? There should be a serious discussion under which circumstances a workout would get a major or a minor penalty and what the punishment will be. For example, when an athlete in 20.1 lacks extension on the snatch has an advantage, but by no chance should he/she be given a major penalty, that will modify their score from 8’30” to 11’00” (2’30” was the major penalty in 20.1).

The issue is not only within the world wide rankings, where someone could easily drop from 40 overall to 1000+ points, whatever this ranking might be due to a major penalty, but also in the National Champion Leaderboard where he could easily lose the top spot. The reason for that is more complicated and depends on the dissimilar ranking system and video submission policy (2 out of 5 get to be checked).

The system should be criticized and forced, in a way, to become better, but still each athlete or athlete’s team is responsible for understanding and complying with the standards applied by CrossFit. We shouldn’t forget that this is a game and every game has rules.

Το άρθρο THE 2020 OPEN RECAP εμφανίστηκε πρώτα στο ATPLab Training.