Happy Sunday, FitFam! We’re just a week away from our Eximo In-House Competition on October 23rd. We are so excited to see everyone come out and participate! Here are a few tips for getting ready for the competition.
Schedule
The gym doors will open at 7:30am so you can come in and warm up. At 8:30 there will be a briefing of the workouts. If you are participating in the competition, you must be there for the briefing. The schedule featured above is posted near the door. Take a look and find your name to get an idea for what time you’ll be starting your events.
What to bring:
Plan to set up a recovery area. There will be space in the parking lot to rest between events. Bring a pop-up tent, chairs, and/or something to lay on the ground (yoga mat, blanket or outdoor rug). Bring along some recovery tools like foam rollers, lacrosse balls, magic gun, or muscle floss. You will want to keep your muscles loose between events.
[Editorial note: If you’re asking yourself ‘what in the blue hell is muscle floss?’ you are not alone. See here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=57VdLmWryOI. The more you know… ~Meghan]
Pack some extra clothes. This is just in case you want to change out of your sweaty workout gear between events. Pack 2 or 3 of each:
- Socks
- Shirts
- Shorts
- Headbands (if you wear them)
[Editorial note: maybe some extra underwear? And some personal hygiene wipes? We’re all going to smell amazing… *wink* ~Meghan]
Bring food. Pack a cooler. You will need to replenish your fuel between events. Don’t try anything new on comp day (for example, this is not the day to try pre-workout if you’ve never used it before). Stick to foods you know you can tolerate. Think Protein, Fat, Carbohydrates.
- Protein – Lunch meat, protein shakes and recovery water are good options.
- Fats – Peanut butter, cheese sticks, and almonds are simple, portable options.
- Carbohydrates – Fruit is a great quick carb. It is typically easy to digest and won’t feel like a rock in your stomach. Both fresh and dried fruits are great options.
Try and balance what you bring with you. Excessive fats can be too heavy in the stomach, so bring along mostly carbs and protein. Peanut butter and jelly sandwiches are a good option if you are looking to consolidate space.
Day before:
Eat a good dinner. Choose something you are used to. Avoid foods that could upset your stomach. Eat a lot of good carbs. Think rice, potatoes, even bread if that is something you normally eat. Be sure to fuel your body for the work it’s about to do.
Think of your body as a finely tuned car. You wouldn’t put crappy fuel in your car and expect it to run perfectly, so don’t do that to your body. Fill your body with premium fuel. You’ll appreciate the extra effort come comp day.
Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate. For the few days leading up to the comp drink lots of water. Pre-hydration is key. This will prevent cramps and so much more.
Week before:
The week leading up to the comp should look a little different than your regular training.
- Monday and Tuesday – normal training days
- Wednesday – weights should be light and the metcon should be around 50% effort. This means you should be able to carry on a conversation while you workout.
[Editorial Note: You hear that coach, DG? 50% effort. I have permission… ~Meghan]
- Thursday and/or Friday – Some people like to go into a comp completely rested and others like to have a light day the day before. My suggestion would be to take at least one day off, either Thursday or Friday. The day you do not take off, the effort should be similar to Wednesday—light weight and 50% effort. Think of it as a flush day.
Most importantly:
Have fun! Yes, this is a competition, complete with excessive swagger and bragging rights, but don’t lose sight of the real reason we’re here—to have a good time.
Let the countdown begin!
Erica
