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Top Training and Recovery Tips from CrossFit Games Athlete Amanda Barnhart

A physical therapist and two-time CrossFit Games athlete, Amanda Barnhart is an athlete to be reckoned with.

Showcasing her strength at her first CrossFit Games in 2018, Amanda won the Clean and Jerk Speed Ladder and placed 15th overall on her rookie year.

Last year she improved on her performance, placing an impressive 7th and outlasting all cuts. She also went head to head with Tia-Clair Toomey during the Clean event and won the Sprint Couplet.

Read these useful training and recovery tips from one of the strongest women in the scene.

Text is from Amanda Barnhart.

Work out with intentional effort

It’s a huge misconception from people thinking that we just attack every single workout with 120% effort, that’s not the case at all. It’s intentional effort.

I look at the workout and it’s like ‘the goal is this,’ and it’s always something different.

Maybe the goal today is to get actually heavy; put a weight on the bar that’s uncomfortable for me. But sometimes it’s like no, we’re gonna back down percentages a little bit and work on you pull, because that’s what we need to focus on: moving perfectly, making sure you’re having good reps.

The little things matter

The little things in life matter and, if you want to be successful and you want to be the best you, you have to do the little things right every single day.

Work on your aerobic base

Crossfit is more of an aerobic sport than people think. Any workout over 3 minutes you have to utilize your oxygen to create energy.

Endurance Row prescribed by @pure.endurance

Warm-up

  • 500m (gradually build to 160w)

Working Sets: 3 Rounds of

  • 1200m @ 200w (75% FTP)
  • 300m @ 135w (50% FTP)

Cool Down

  • 500m easy pace

There is nothing flashy about this workout but these type of workouts are necessary for being a well-rounded crossfit athlete.

Take feedback

You need someone to tell you what you need to hear, whether you want to hear it or not, you need to hear it.

[Your coaches] are trying to make you better; they’re not trying to make you worse.

Mobility

Mobility doesn’t need to be long or complicated. It just needs to be done daily!

It’s so important for mobility work to address YOUR needs and weaknesses to truly be effective.

Food is fuel

FOOD IS FUEL and it is so important for both body composition and more importantly performance and recovery. I eat 3400 calories a day and never let myself go to bed hungry because I know the detrimental effect it will have on my sleep and performance the following day.

https://www.instagram.com/p/CB3O3bHhfmN/

So many people ask me if I eat the same macros on rest days as training days and the answer is YES. This is what works best for ME. I’m fueling for performance and need plenty of food On rest days to make sure I fully recover.

Fuelling during competition

  1. Usually the day prior to competition AND The first day of competition, I log all the food I eat with @macrostax. And then I make sure to eat the exact same thing (or sometimes more) the following days of competition.
  2. My extra pre and post workout carbs/proteins/and electrolytes don’t count into my total calories that day.
  3. Normally I LOVE to eat. But Eating is actually VERY miserable during competition and very hard to get food down. So make sure you have a plan and have food you actually like.
  4. The difference in recovery throughout a 4 day competition when you fuel properly is HUGE. I honestly felt great going into competition Sunday at @wodaplooza because I made eating right my biggest priority.

Be kind to yourself

It’s so easy to be hard on yourself for not being good “enough.” We are all guilty of it. When I go through these times, I try to remind myself that there is SO much to be thankful for??♥️ So Focus on the good, be proud of who YOU are, and always remember to be kind to yourself!

https://www.instagram.com/p/B5n_Rychv_d/

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