Blog

Being an adolescent in today’s world can be challenging, especially if you’re not into traditional sports. Youth in Waconia who may not feel drawn to mainstream athletic activities often struggle to find a fitness routine that excites and motivates them. This is where Crusher comes in as a game-changer, offering an alternative that not only builds physical strength but also fosters mental resilience and a sense of community.

If you’re a young individual in Waconia looking to enhance your fitness level, develop functional strength, and unleash your potential, then Crusher might just be the perfect fit for you. Let’s delve into how our training can benefit the youth in Waconia, even if traditional sports are not your cup of tea.

The Power of Youth

**Youth** is a phase of life filled with energy, growth, and endless possibilities. It’s a time when physical abilities can be honed, lifelong habits can be formed, and challenges can be conquered. Engaging in regular physical activity during youth not only improves overall health and fitness but also sets the foundation for a healthy lifestyle in the future.

For many young individuals in Waconia who may not resonate with traditional team sports or solo activities like running or swimming, finding a fitness regimen that keeps them motivated and committed can be a struggle. This is where Crusher stands out as a dynamic and engaging option that caters to a wide range of interests and abilities.

The Allure of Crusher Training

Crusher offers a varied and challenging workout experience that integrates elements of weightlifting, gymnastics, cardiovascular conditioning, and functional movements. One of the key appeals of Crusher training is its scalability, making it suitable for individuals of all fitness levels, including beginners. 

For youth in Waconia who are seeking a fitness routine that goes beyond the conventional, Crusher provides an exciting avenue to explore. The supportive and communal atmosphere of at Crusher encourages camaraderie, friendly competition, and personal growth. Additionally, the constantly varied nature of Crusher workouts keeps things fun and engaging, ensuring that monotony never sets in.

At Crusher this training methodology is coached with excellence in a small group setting. Age-appropriate training where every weight lifted is earned through proper and safe movement. Our small group setting allows every individual to be coached, not just run through large class drills. Our youth training consists of three age groups, Rookies, J.V., and Varsity. 

Empowering Strength

**Strength** is not just about physical power; it’s also about mental fortitude, resilience, and determination. CrossFit emphasizes functional strength, which translates into the ability to perform everyday tasks with ease and efficiency. For youth in Waconia, developing strength can have a transformative impact on various aspects of their lives.

Building physical strength can boost confidence, enhance posture, and reduce the risk of injuries. Moreover, the mental strength cultivated in the face of challenging WODs (Workouts of the Day) can instill a sense of discipline, focus, and perseverance that carries over into academic pursuits, personal goals, and relationships.

Youth in Waconia have the opportunity to not only enhance their physical fitness but also cultivate a mindset of continuous improvement and resilience that will serve them well in all areas of life.

The Journey Ahead

As a young individual in Waconia, the path to a healthier and stronger version of yourself begins with a single step. Crusher offers a gateway to discovering your potential, pushing your limits, and forging meaningful connections with like-minded individuals who share your passion for growth and self-improvement.

Are you ready to embark on a journey of empowerment, growth, and transformation? Join us at Crusher Fitness in Waconia and unlock a world of possibilities where strength knows no bounds, and youth reigns supreme.

Empowering Youth Through Fitness

Crusher Fitness is proud to offer CrossFit programs specifically designed for youth in Waconia. Our experienced coaches focus on teaching good movement patterns, instilling the importance of strength training, and creating a supportive environment where every youth feels welcome and encouraged.

Whether your child is a seasoned athlete or new to fitness, Crusher Fitness is a fantastic way to develop lifelong skills, improve physical health, and foster a love for staying active. Join us in empowering the youth of Waconia to reach their full potential, both in and out of the gym.

Did you make a New Year’s Resolution that you already put to the side? Don’t worry, you still have time to get back on track. Below are some steps to help.

Most of us have no problem once we’re at the gym, on the trail, or biting into a salad. An object in motion tends to stay in motion. But getting to that point. Doing the “healthy thing” or the “hard thing” that we know will benefit us. That can be a bit trickier.

There is a certain amount of activation energy we must muster anytime we want to break out of our normal habit patterns. It’s hard to make will power override the status quo every time we need to make a decision though. If you’re someone who finds themselves frequently running into barriers when it comes to healthy habits then this article is for you!

Here are 4 Tips to help you get started on your healthy habits!

1. Define your task.
2. Make it as easy as possible to begin.
3. Find a way to make it more fun or interesting.
4. Stop publicly sharing your goals.

1. Define your task.
Specificity is your friend when it comes to taking action. The more focused and detailed your pursuit is, the more likely you will be to get it done. Just think about the following 3 statements:

• “I’m going to eat healthy today.”
• “I’m going to have a salad for lunch.”
• “I’m going to eat a vegetable and lean protein with each meal and avoid eating sugar today.”

Which person do you think is going to have the most success with their healthy eating today?

Ding ding ding! If you said person number three you are absolutely correct. This person took an approach that set them up for success in their meal choices for the day. Notice that they didn’t have to do anything special to make this happen. The short amount of time it takes to plan how you will attack your healthy habit will pay tremendous dividends in the end!

2. Make it as easy as possible to begin.
As we talked about before, there is always a certain amount of activation energy required to start a new habit or task. If we can reduce the amount of activation energy it will be easier to get started.

That’s science, right? Boom!

So how do we actually apply this concept? There are a ton of ways. Let’s say the habit is to go to the gym at 6am tomorrow morning. What are all the things that could make your trip to the gym happen successfully? You could:

• Set your alarm so that you have enough time to wake up, get ready, and drive to the gym with 10-15 minutes to spare.
• Set up your morning coffee and a simple breakfast so it’s ready to go.
• Set a bedtime alarm reminding you to shut down the tech and get ready for bed at a desirable time.
• Pick out your gym clothes and anything else you need to start your day off as a success.
• RSVP/Sign up for the class.
• Coordinate with a friend to carpool together to class. (This is a great way to stay accountable!)

The less you have to do at any given moment the easier it will be to take action. Try to eliminate as many barriers as possible that would present as an obstacle to your goal.

3. Find a way to make it more fun or interesting.
If you struggle to prepare healthy meals or don’t really like to exercise maybe you just haven’t found the approach that works for you. Trying a group fitness class, small group session, or personal training appointment might help you figure out the right environment and type of support you need to make going to the gym “not so bad” 🙂

If cooking and eating healthy is a struggle try to come up with a ritual that makes meal prep more fun. Invite a friend over, crank up some tunes, or binge-watch one of your favorite shows while you chop veggies and cook up your meals for the week!

4. Stop publicly sharing your goals.
Studies have shown that people who publicly announce their goals or intentions are actually less likely to follow through on them. When you tell someone “I’m going to lose 10 lbs” or “I’m going to hit the gym 5 days a week” it feels good at the moment. According to the study, that sense of completeness you feel will make you less effective than if you were to keep the goals to yourself.

So what should you do instead? Write down the goals you have or some of the changes you want to make. Discuss a plan of action with an experienced coach who can tell you what it takes to get there. Keep it secret. Keep it safe. Get it done.

There you have it, 4 tips to help you get started towards your wellness goals.

When you hear that alarm go off in the morning and your first instinct is to hit that snooze button remember this maxim from Marcus Aurelius, “Is this what I was created for? To huddle under the blankets and stay warm?” Remember it is human nature to seek comfort. But it is our most basic desire that we are satisfied in the process. Hold yourself to that higher standard. The delayed gratification of getting out of bed for a walk or to hit the gym will improve your life and fulfillment in the long run. The warm bed feels good in the moment, but you’ll sleep easier knowing your actions are aligned with your words.

Need help? Come see what Crusher is all about. Our supportive community and coaches will help you stay on track to make this year your best year yet!

This blog is personal. It’s not going to be a blog on what to eat, what exercises to do, or why what we do works. This blog is for the soul. It’s simple, it’s the why behind the name of the gym and what it has become.

About 10 years ago Adam came across this new training method. With a personal drive to get more physically fit and with his natural business mindset, he set forth on his quest.  I remember getting the email, let’s embark on training together while Adam learns to coach this training method. We started with a small group at a local fitness facility. And boy were we doing things that nobody had seen before. I can’t tell you how many stares and dirty looks we got from others training there at the same time. But we all fell in love with the training system and it was working, and more importantly, it was fun.

Fast forward a short time…Adam found a facility that he thought would work. I can tell you at first glance it was rough and I had my doubts. We soon as a group were tearing down walls and demolishing things left and right. I remember our first WOD in a gutted facility with rubble everywhere. It was 400 air squats for time and a picture of that hangs proudly at Crusher to remind us where it started.

It all started to come together. Crusher was being created.

Why the name Crusher? Adam and Jody decided to name the business after our beloved nephew Lukas aka “Crusher” lost his life in an accident at the age of 18. I can’t tell you how much this means to me every single time I walk into the facility and see his picture on the way in. He is why this place is what it is. He embodied love and family. With his values as guidance and the vision of Adam and Jody, we slowly added members and formed a family.  Crusher was evolving into much more than a fitness facility.

See, Crusher is not a building. It’s a group of like-minded individuals that are working towards a goal, together. It sounds cliche but it’s the honest truth. The Crusher community is powerful. I see it every single day. It’s a place where a lot of the time we come in to just see other members, laugh, and socialize. And to work out of course. I can’t tell you how many times I need the support and I need to feel the energy from our members to get me through a workout when I am just not feeling it.  I know all of our members feel that same support.

Crusher accepts everyone. When you are a Crusher member you are part of a family, a community of overwhelming support by its members and passionate staff. I am proud and honored to be just a small part of Crusher.

Great things happen here. Special things happen here.

I encourage you if you haven’t yet done so to read the vision of Crusher here.

Geo

“It’s not enough to exercise,“You have got to sleep. You have got to drink enough water. You have got to develop a practice around maintenance of your body. You have got to learn how to move right.” -Kelly Starrett

Let’s face it, there are times when movement prep and cool-down take a back seat to the actual workout. You might be guilty of jumping right into your main lift of the day because you’re short on time. Maybe your post workout cool-down consists of some gasping and sweat angels on the floor before lumbering to the parking lot in search of your protein shake?

Yes, you can make an argument about how kids don’t stretch before taking off at the playground, but with a few rare exceptions all of us need to make time for mobility if we are training hard. Mobility is equal parts injury prevention and performance benefit. If you want to perform at your maximum capability it is well worth the investment of time. I’ll give you a hint, it doesn’t take much! Let’s look at 3 major areas that can make a huge difference in mobility.

1.Ankles
2.Psoas
3.Thoracic spine

1.Ankles
Tight ankles can be a major impediment in your daily training. If you feel like you are hitting a wall in your lifts and want to improve your squats, deadlifts, cleans, and snatches you may want to give some serious attention to your ankles.

Our musculoskeletal system generates movement through the contraction of muscles on a series of levers, our bones. Some positions are more advantageous than others and our goal as athletes is to take advantage of these positions to generate more power in our lifts.

Shortened range of motion in the ankle will make it difficult to maintain powerful positions in the squat because to achieve depth the body must borrow additional range of motion. This compensation is often shown by the individual turning their feet out to the sides. This is often a less favorable position for our muscles to produce optimal force from and can increase risk of injury.

To prep the ankles and increase range of motion practice sitting in the bottom position of a pistol (1-legged) squat. A pistol squat forces the ankle of the working leg to dorsiflex, or shorten the angle created at the ankle joint.

2.Psoas
The psoas is a tricky muscle that often slips under the radar. It runs from the head of the femur in the hip socket and travels up attaching to the lumbar spine. If the psoas tightens it reduces range of motion in the hip socket and simultaneously pulls the lumbar spine down and in. This usually shows up as pain in the low back.

Mobilize the psoas by exploring positions of hip extension. Think about the backswing of the leg before you kick a ball. This means creating space with movements like the couch stretch. Your low back will thank you.

3.Thoracic Spine
The thoracic spine or t-spine for short refers to the series of vertebrae the length of your rib cage, from the neck down to mid spine. As you can imagine, this area is profoundly impacted by the activities we perform and the positions we keep it in. Sedentary behavior and poor posture will cause the thoracic region to become immobile and lose its ability to flex and extend. This becomes problematic and dangerous especially when overhead movements are involved.

Just like with our ankles, a lack of mobility causes our body to compensate and search for movement in alternative areas when hitting an end range of motion. This means losing stability in order to allow for additional mobility. When the thoracic spine is tight our body finds extra space in the lumbar spine and/or scapula region. Chronic injuries and inflammation tend to spring up in these areas if we continually force this movement during exercises like the overhead press or kipping on the pull-up bar.

These are just 3 areas where mobility can make a huge difference in your performance and your health. If you want to learn more about ways to improve your mobility stop in to speak with one of our coaches today.