CrossFit athletes and couple Henrik Yttervik and Julie Torp train six to ten times a week. Recovery is essential to get the most out of their training.
– It's important to listen to your body and give it the right amount of rest. When you train, you break down your body. During recovery, the body rebuilds itself stronger, says Henrik.
He works daily at the same place he trains, at PLAY CrossFit Gamlebyen, as a coach and private naprapath. He explains that there is active recovery and passive recovery.
– With active recovery, you move enough to warm up the body and increase blood circulation, without it being strenuous. Passive recovery is pure rest.
A great tool is an infrared (IR) sauna. It allows your heart to pump naturally and increases blood flow, all in a completely relaxing environment. For those of us who train a lot, it's very pleasant.
Henrik was introduced to IR sauna through Julie, who in turn had it recommended by a friend.
– I set aside 30 minutes, one to two times a week. It has become a highlight of my recovery. I turn off my phone, listen to music, and close my eyes. It should be complete calm, he emphasizes.
Warmth, not cold
A study published in the Journal of Physiology showed that warmth, not cold, works better to help muscles recover between workouts. Researchers have found that temperature affects muscles, either positively or negatively, depending on what you want to achieve. Taking a cold bath after exercise has long been popular among athletes. Recent studies have shown that ice baths inhibit muscle growth but can contribute to rapid recovery in a competitive situation.
At the same time, studies on mice and humans show that warmth increases muscle mass. A 2015 study investigated the effect of taking a cold bath after strength training. The conclusion, 12 weeks later, was that individuals using strength training to improve athletic performance, recover from injuries, or maintain health, should reconsider whether to use cold baths as a training aid. The researchers found that cold water blunted long-term gains in muscle mass and strength. It also dulled the activation of important proteins and satellite cells in skeletal muscle for up to two days after the strength exercise.
Warmth, on the other hand, contributes to faster recovery and better endurance.
Mastery and well-being
CrossFit is a form of training that consists of many elements. It combines gymnastics, strength training, endurance, and Olympic weightlifting, to name a few. No workout is routine. CrossFit also has its own training centers, known as CrossFit boxes.
– CrossFit is an international training method that started in the USA in 2000. Since then, the sport has exploded, says Julie.
It is an inclusive sport.
– No matter where in the world you go, you can visit a box and you will be warmly welcomed. We speak the same language and understand each other. You can train alone or in groups with individual adjustments, so everyone gets the same benefit from the training.
Julie was introduced to CrossFit in 2013, when she moved to London to study. From being an active handball player, she found elements in CrossFit that she had missed in handball. She quickly became hooked and has trained and competed in many parts of the world. Today, she describes herself as a political scientist working in tech with a time-consuming hobby.
– Now that I work full-time and have big ambitions in my job, I've had to adjust my expectations for training. I still compete, and as long as it's fun, I'll continue.
The goal is always to get better. It gives me energy, and it's good to feel that my body is functioning. I feel good when I train correctly, she says.
A lifestyle
Henrik and Julie met at PLAY, CrossFit Gamlebyen, in 2019. For them, training is a lifestyle.
– I think it's nice that both of us want to prioritize training equally, says Julie.
The couple often train together, and if the opportunity arises, they also take an IR sauna together.
– IR sauna works for so many things. For some, it's pure well-being, while others use it for a health boost. I use it for post-workout recovery. When I use it regularly, I have less body pain. I'm less stiff and tired in my muscles and joints, Julie continues.
She explains it as if the machinery is better lubricated, as if she's being oiled from the inside.
– I get my blood circulation going, and tired and weary muscles get rid of waste products. I call it flushing out.
Unless it's summer and warm outside, she sits in the IR sauna two to three times a week. Preferably in the evening after work or training, before she goes to bed.
– Sometimes it becomes part of my Sunday activity, or feel-good day. I rarely train on Sundays, and then it feels good with a little home spa, she smiles and adds. – IR sauna, face mask, and a cup of tea.
Plenty to fall in love with
Since CrossFit can be demanding on the body, it's easy to overtrain in the beginning.
– When you train in an environment where everyone around you is incredibly skilled, it's easy to think that the more you train, the better you get. Many can overexert themselves initially, which is why recovery is important, something CrossFit instructors are good at emphasizing. More training isn't always better, says Henrik.
Personally, he finds it fun to see how far he can push his body, not to every single limit, but to find out how many times a week his body can handle training and how many times a week he wants to train. Henrik started CrossFit in 2017. Already in 2019, he won his first gold medal. His goal now is a podium finish and a spot on the national team.
– CrossFit provides enormous body control, which is what I'm passionate about. You have to train to master the different exercises, and to master the exercises, you must first and foremost master your body. There's a lot to fall in love with. Training has taught me that by working on something over a long period, you achieve results in what you dream of.
He thinks it's a luxury to have his own IR sauna at home.
– Many of the guys are jealous of it, he laughs.
Text: Trine Dahlman
