As I yoga teacher and CrossFit coach, I’ve tried to get my CrossFit clients to understand the benefits of both types of training and how they can balance and support one another. Unfortunately, neither group has been too keen on trying the other; more so the CrossFitters then yogis and to be honest, I just don’t understand why.  At my box (CrossFit Nassau), I used to hold weekly yoga classes for the members.  At first, they were popular, but after a few months, fewer and fewer people attended and we eventually stopped offering them.  I was bummed because I’ve seen first hand how yoga has helped my strength training, i.e. yoga has helped me improve my core strength, range of motion, balance, breathe, and acts as a great stress reliever. What was it going to take to get more CrossFitters to understand these benefits?

Recently, I started hearing about a program called “ROMWOD”. I was curious about what it was all about, so I decided to look into it.  Upon doing some research, I’ve discovered that ROMWODs are basically yoga, just offered in smaller parts so they can be adjusted to fit any schedule . Wish I created this idea… what a creative way to get a bunch of sometimes narrow minded CrossFitters to participate in “yoga” without them really realizing it.  CrossFitters really love their WODs (AKA workout of the day). So why not make a WOD for stretching LOL… 10 min. AMRAP of three different stretches…ready, set, breathe…. I can’t help, but laugh.

While I don’t think that ROMWODs can take the place of a yoga class, I am certainly glad that more and more CrossFitters are beginning to understand and enjoy the benefits of yoga and can participate in some much needed stretching on their own.

ROMWOD videos can last 10-20 minutes. Poses such as lizard, pigeon, and seated straddle are a few of the staples of the ROMWOD. Each video guides you through a series of poses while calming music plays in the background. The videos even focus on breathing techniques…. isn’t this starting to sound more and more like yoga!?!?  A ROMWOD athlete does the poses with you in the video so you can see how each pose is supposed to be completed. You can follow the daily programming and watch the new videos posted every week. People who have participated in the videos report that they feel more relaxed and open… just a few of the wonderful side effects of yoga.

So whether it’s a yoga class or ROMWOD, incorporating stretching and breathing techniques is a great way to make you feel good, perform better in the gym, and prevent injury.

           Namaste