What's the Magic Formula?

One question that always comes up when I am talking to new athletes at Catacombs is how many times per week they should be working out. There is no one-size-fits-all answer to this, but I will share some thoughts for your consideration. Also, check below for upcoming events.

Most of us at Catacombs are using CrossFit for overall fitness. We are not training for the CrossFit Games; we are training for life. Some are training to be better at their chosen sport, others are trying to lose some weight, others are looking to improve their overall health or manage stress. Connecting with your "why" around training can be a good input for how often you should workout. All of that being said, my standard answer is to shoot for 4 days per week consistently, and see how that feels.

If you are one of those athletes that needs to be in the gym 6 or 7 days per week to manage stress or connect with the community, we understand you. There are a lot worse habits than going to the gym everyday so keep doing what you are doing. Just make sure that you build some easy days in there too and listen to your body when it tells you to back off. Not every day can be an RX day and sometimes you are going to need an active recovery day to let your body catch back up.

If you are one of those athletes that struggles to consistently get 2 days per week in, we are still happy you are here. Whether you are training outside on other days or life is just getting in the way, we would rather have you a little than not at all. Still, I would be remiss if I didn't point out the flaws with the 1-2 times per week attendance model. First, any habit gets easier when consistently applied. Finding a routine and sticking to it is key to progress. Getting to the gym gets easier the more often you do it. Second, sporadic attendance at the gym is a recipe for constant muscle soreness. You just never make it over the soreness threshold. Now, even at 4 days/week there will still be workouts that wreak havoc from a soreness standpoint, but not consistently day-in and day-out. Third, many athletes never quite get comfortable or find their people with sporadic attendance. It is much easier to build friendships and accountability when you are around consistently. This helps keep you around and working out for the long haul.

I hope that's helpful in understanding why we recommend what we do. We are always happy to chat individually around what might work best for you.

As a reminder, we hope to see you all next Saturday, November 11th, for our Veteran's Day Hero WOD followed by the Break the Fast party. And if you are ready to get your winter stoke on, join us for this year's Warren Miller movie on November 14th. Tickets are on sale at Catacombs ($15) and proceeds go toward youth ski programs in Durango.