CrossFit is full of traps. Built-in rest in workouts is a trap — it tricks athletes into going harder, falsely assuming they’ll recover along the way. Simple-looking workouts with basic movements are a trap — just ask anyone who’s done a mix of running and air squats, endured 7 minutes of burpees, or tried a one-minute sprint on an Echo bike.

But one of the biggest traps CrossFitters can fall into is the notion that to maximize their fitness, they need to maximize the amount of time they spend working out. If one workout a day is good for you, wouldn’t two be better? If you’re making steady gains working out four or five days a week, wouldn’t they come even faster if you worked out every day?

The answer to both of those hypotheticals is, of course, no. CrossFit preaches that we should “be impressed by intensity, not volume.” In other words, less is more, but that “less” needs to be executed at a very high level of effort.

Our physical capacity to work out at that high intensity, however, is not infinite. If you go all out in a 15-minute AMRAP, you’re not going to be able to reach nearly the same level of intensity in a second workout an hour later. If you max out your deadlift in the morning, don’t expect to hit a Fran PR in the afternoon. And once you’ve worked out at high intensity for two to three days in a row, your performance will begin to suffer, and your best effort won’t result in the same level of intensity.

Intensity is also mentally draining. Even if you’re not the competitive type, always looking to outlift or out-rep your gym rivals or surpass your previous performance, it takes a certain amount of willpower and mental fortitude to push yourself into that dark place during a tough workout. Tapping deep into those reserves day after day without a break can lead to burnout, subpar efforts on WODs, and poorer results in the gym overall.

While the temptation will be there to keep pushing through fatigue and soreness and avoid the FOMO of skipping the gym, the best thing you can do for your fitness on those days when you still want to get some physical activity in is to do so in a way that allows your muscles, your body, and your mind to recover. This is the role of active recovery.

Active recovery is gentle exercise that gets your blood flowing and helps encourage your muscles to go about the important business of repairing themselves. When you exercise, your muscle tissue starts to break down and lactic acid builds up — that’s the culprit behind that burning sensation in your quads after a hard bike or row. Increasing circulation through light exercise helps flush that out and jumpstart the repair process, signaling proteins to begin rebuilding the muscle stronger than it was before.

Active recovery is also distinct from a full rest day, where you fully relax and leave exercise aside. Along with proper sleep and nutrition, both have an important place in a healthy fitness routine: most athletes should be taking 1-2 rest days plus an additional day for active recovery every week.

This might not sound as fun as a heavy squat day with your friends, but your recovery days are when your body reaps the benefits of those strength days, helping you feel physically and mentally refreshed and ready to hit the workout hard the next day. And they don’t have to be boring! Your options for active recovery are as varied as the daily WODs themselves.

Here are 10 ideas to get you started. Check back next time for a full-body stretching routine that can be done as a supplement to any of these activities or on its own, with no special equipment required.

 

Go for a walk 

Active recovery doesn’t have to be complicated. Going for a 20-30 minute stroll around your neighborhood is enough to loosen up your legs and get some fresh air while you’re at it. Listen to music or a podcast, invite a friend or family member to walk with you, or simply enjoy your surroundings (or gawk at your neighbors’ houses) — your choice. 

Pick up the pace, slightly

If you’re looking to cover a little more territory on your neighborhood stroll, turn your walk into a light jog. Keep your pace conversational, and if you can, find a trail or other soft surface to run on to reduce the impact on your joints. Whether you’re walking or running, the Mountain Lakes Nature Preserve and Institute Woods (and adjoining Princeton Battlefield State Park) are excellent places with joint-friendly dirt paths to explore on foot.

 

Take a hike 

Add some variety to your walking route by heading to one of the region’s many parks and nature preserves. This list of New Jersey trails is a good starting place if you’re not sure where to go or if you’re looking for a new adventure.

Other easy places to hike within a quick drive of the Princeton region include the Sourland Mountain Preserve, or slightly further afield, the many trails in the New Jersey Pine Barrens. 

Go for a bike ride 

And we don’t mean on the dreaded Echo bike. Get outside and go explore on two wheels. If the streets in your area aren’t the safest for bikers, check out the Lawrence Hopewell Trail or the D&R Canal towpath, both of which offer miles of biker-friendly, mostly flat terrain. Mercer County Park also offers miles of trails that can be explored on bike or by foot.

Trade miles for meters 

If you have access to a rowing machine or bike erg, rowing or biking at a relaxed, consistent pace for 20 to 30 minutes is a lower-impact option than going for a jog. You can also buy an inexpensive phone holder for either machine so that you can watch videos on your phone to pass the time.  

 

Go for a dip 

If you have access to a pool, swimming is another low-impact exercise that will work wonders for your aching muscles while also helping to improve your cardiovascular endurance.

Try yoga 

Many of you already incorporate the practice of yoga as part of your fitness regimen. It can be a great workout in and of itself, but it’s also a fantastic way to relax, stretch, improve your mobility, and move your body in new ways. We recommend Empower Yoga in Ewing, but there is also plenty of free inspiration for yoga routines available on YouTube. 

Do some foam rolling 

Foam rolling goes hand-in-hand with stretching and works by targeting the fascia, or connective tissue that surrounds your muscles. (Check back in a few weeks for a guide to the most effective ways to incorporate foam rolling into your routine!)

 

Get a massage 

Let someone else do the hard work of loosening those stiff muscles, and ask a massage therapist to focus on any areas that are especially sore or tight. 

Modify the WOD 

Finally, if you know you’re not going to motivate yourself to do anything without the company of your gym friends, or if you’re still eager to make it to the gym, you can always modify the workout to make it an easier, gentler day.

If there’s strength work, pick a light weight and work through higher-rep sets of the assigned movement. Similarly, for the Olympic lifts, forgo heavy loads and take the time to focus on technique, even just working with a PVC pipe. For conditioning work, reduce loads and choose scaled versions of skills.

Regardless of the prescribed workout format, it can be adjusted to control the total amount of work you do, and keep your pace relaxed such that you’re never too winded to carry on a conversation.

For instance, if a workout calls for 5 rounds of front squats, pull-ups, and box jumps with a 20-minute cap, you could decide to simply cycle through rounds of air squats, ring rows, and step-ups for 15 minutes at a leisurely pace and stop at that point regardless of how many rounds you completed. Or you can plan to do 1 round every 5 minutes, then rest for the remainder of that time.

Some workouts can also be transformed into skill work. For example, you could take what’s intended as a high-intensity 8-minute couplet of double unders and snatches and instead alternate between practicing double unders and working on snatch technique with a PVC pipe each minute, without worrying about counting reps or recording a score at the end of the day.

And, as always, ask your coach if you need help adjusting the workout to meet your needs for that day.

Happy recovery!