1. We have two muscle systems – the external, bigger muscles like our hamstrings, quads and biceps which help us move load, and the smaller muscles surrounding joints and those close into our spine, which are postural or stability muscles that hold bones and joints in place.   
2. To get stronger, faster, fitter etc. we need to constantly challenge our body by going heavier, faster, more of etc.  As CrossFitters we are always seeking to do this in every WOD meaning we are always pushing the boundaries of our physical potential in order to improve.  By training CF at the right intensity we can make performance gains quickly yet our body’s muscles and ligaments may not be ready to handle the increase in load or intensity particularly the small muscles that are designed to stabilise a joint.   These strength or fitness gains may occur faster than what our tendons and joints are ready for.   
3. CF also involves skills that takes athletes years to master properly (e.g. Olympic lifts), yet we learn them at an accelerated pace.  Sometimes ego gets in the way of good technique!  Or sometimes, it’s just that your body isn’t familiar with the movements so mistakes are more likely.  Technique is your best friend – both for better performance and injury prevention.  The two go hand in hand. 
4. Our muscles usually go from one side of a joint to the other (sometimes they go across 2 joints!).  To create movement you move one end of a muscle closer to the other.  By thinking about exactly what muscles you are using when you do a movement will help you really strengthen the muscles that need strengthening.  You should understand what muscles you are trying to use when you are doing an exercise (even if you don’t know the name).  If you don’t know ask Chris or Marie.  If you are feeling something in the completely wrong body parts your technique probably needs tweaking.  See above point on technique being your friend. 
5. Stretching muscles means taking the two ends of the muscle further away from each other.  If you let both ends of the muscle move when you are stretching the muscle doesn’t get any longer.  Generally this means one side of the joint stays still whiles the other moves.  When you are doing your stretches think about what you are trying to stretch.  Make sure one end of the muscle stays still as you move the other end. 

There are different types of stretching – Warm-up, cool down and stretching to improve flexibility. 

- Warm up is designed to get your body ready for activity.  You need to be able to achieve full range of motion at your joints before a WoD starts especially if it is a heavy WoD.  E.g if you are trying to clean 60 or 80kg and your hips are tight and you are struggling to get full range in an air-squat (and you could usually do it) you are more likely to get injured.  Your warm-up is more likely to be dynamic movement rather than just holding stretches.  Use rollers and balls if you need to loosen muscles.

- Cool down stretching is designed to return your muscles to the length they were before a WoD.  When you exercise the muscle fibres shorten (in basic terminology!) – if you don’t stretch out AFTER exercise you will start the next WoD already tighter.  A vicious cycle starts.  You need to hold these stretches for 20-30 seconds.

- Flexibility stretching is done as a stand alone session.  Aim to do 15 mins of range of motion and static stretching 3 times per week.  Hold each stretch for 30 seconds.  Important that you don’t feel PAIN when you are stretching, only a feeling of tightness.  Keep breathing slowly.  Try to go a bit further into each stretch as you breathe out. 

1. Length-Tension Curve – As a muscle moves a load through its range of motion the muscle goes from being short to being long, or vice versa.  When a muscle is really short or really long it is at its weakest.  A muscle is strongest in its mid range.   This is one of the reasons it’s important to keep the bar close to your body (having the bar away from your body also increases the load through your lower back).  Over reaching the bar too far overhead (i.e. losing active shoulders) puts the shoulder stabilising muscles in a longer and therefore weaker position – this often causes them to be injured.  Learn active shoulders properly.  If you are not sure ask Chris or Marie! 
2. Our body is one big kinetic chain.  Movement in one part of the body will affect movement in another part.  Similarly, if we are stiff and tight in one part of our body another body part has to move further to compensate.  For example if we want to stand with a bar directly overhead we need good flexibility through our shoulders, hips and spine.  If we are tight in our hip flexors such that we can’t fully open our hips we may need to force our shoulders beyond their normal range to keep the bar overhead.  Similarly, if our shoulders are not flexible enough then we may arch our back (a big no no!!) to try and get the bar directly over head. – Work on your flexibility!!