What is CrossFit / Functional Fitness?
In short, CrossFit (also known as Functional Fitness if not training from a CrossFit Affiliated Gym) is about fitness and training across all energy systems, there are metabolic conditioning workouts thrown in, olympic lifts, gymnastics, and powerlifts, to name a few.
People can use CrossFit to supplement their training with other sports, in the US you are now seeing NFL players do CrossFit as part of their training, MMA athletes and even professional wrestlers now use CrossFit to help with grappling and other aspects of the sport.
*Please note we are referring to the best supplements available for use by someone following the CrossFit methodology. We are not endorsed by CrossFit HQ and the products are not manufactured by CrossFit themselves.
The 5 Best CrossFit Supplements are
#1
Protein (choose based on activity/goal)
If you are active in CrossFit then you will be training hard and therefore you will need to be consuming enough protein in your diet to help build muscle. You will be wearing down muscles that you’ve built and your body is going to look to rebuild that muscle post CrossFit workout. The body does this with protein. Sometimes when you are on the run it’s hard to grab a grass-fed steak or a food source that is high in protein. This is where the best CrossFit supplements and a whey protein powder comes in.
CrossFit Supplements - Best Protein For CrossFitters:
Anytime Protein - Grass Fed Whey Protein
Post Training - Recovery Protein
Night Time Protein - Hibernate Casein with 5HTP
Whey Protein (more info)
Increasing your Protein intake anytime of day:
A good quality whey protein powder like our premium hormone free grass fed 100% WHEY PROTEIN can be used to make delicious shakes, smoothies or added to breakfasts like Porridge, Pancakes or Greek Yogurt and contains just 0.1% sucralose contributing to healthy gut flora and unwanted calories.
Want to know about Whey Protein? Check out our ultimate guide to protein shakers right here
How much protein do I need?
Typically between 3/4 to 1g of your goal bodyweight. So if you are 200lbs and you want to weigh in at 180lbs you need to be consuming around 180g of protein daily.
Whey Protein For Weight loss
Whey protein can also be used for weight loss. Not many people know this but protein actually keeps you fuller for longer compared to other nutrients. So a diet high in protein would be better for fat loss compared to a diet that is high in carbohydrates.
This doesn't mean you don’t have to eat loads of tins of tuna or cooked chicken breasts. We have Five delicious protein powder flavours to choose from such as Cookies 'N' Cream, Motlen Chocolate, Strawberry Milkshake, Chocolate Peanut Butter and Cinnamon Vanilla Swirl.
HIBERNATE (More Info)
Protein Before Bed - HIBERNATE
If training in the evening and a shake is going to be your last ‘meal’ of the day or you find your self reaching for a snack before bed then have a shake (or snack) made up of casein would be your best option. This will provide a much more sustained release of amino acids to the muscles at a time where levels will begin to fall (i.e when we are asleep and not getting any in coming nutrition).
RECOVERY (More Info)
Protein for Recovery (with carbs) - RECOVERY
For straight after a tough workout or on a CrossFit competition day then a mixture of Carbohydrates, Whey Protein Powder, Antioxidants and Electrolytes is a potent mix that should be a part of every athlete’s recovery strategy. That's what makes our Recovery Protein one of the best CrossFit Supplements on the market.
#2
Omega-3 supplement
Unless you are eating cold water fish everyday or several times a week than it is unlikely you are getting all of your omega-3s needed for proper health of your central nervous system, your immune system, they help with joint pain and reducing inflammation. This is where supplementing with ICON’s Omega 3 can help. Our Omega 3 is molecular distilled and sourced from sustainable wild caught anchovies in Peru in an optimum 3:2 EPA/DHA ratio.
When you are trying to take the best CrossFit Supplements to maximise your training then adding an Omega 3 supplement is essential.
#3
Creatine Supplement
Creatine monohydrate is the most widely studied sports supplement on the market. Put simply, it works. Creatine gives you energy, it provides extra ATP in the body. ATP is your cells natural energy source so by taking creatine it can work on the fast twitch glycolytic phosphagen system which is better suited for exercise that demands quick short bursts of energy. So if you do marathons creatine isn’t going to work for you except for when you are maybe in training. However if you are active in CrossFit which requires explosive movements, such as in MetCon workouts, then creatine supplementation is going to work extremely well for you.
Our Creatine Performance is raising the bar for CrossFit Supplements!
An industry first, Creatine Performance combines both creatine (an ATP initiator) and d-ribose (an ATP sustainer) in efficacious dosages of 5g and 10g, respectively. The powerful natural combination produces an ergogenic formula for improving athletic performance and endurance. The small amount of dextrose is added to allow for an easier transition of Creapure® and D-Ribose to pass through in to the bloodstream and in to your cells to fuel performance.
When you are looking to improve your CrossFit Performance then a Creatine product designed for CrossFit and that isn't just your regular Creatine can make all the difference. That's why it makes our list of best CrossFit Supplements.
#4
Vitamin D3 K2
If you’re not getting enough time in the sun (UK Athletes especially) then you are , almost certainly not getting enough vitamin D and therefore not functioning or training to your maximum.
Our vitamin D3 is GMO free and naturally extracted ensuring premium quality and absorption. Natural extraction from sheep's wool (Lanolin), taken from happy, healthy living New Zealand sheep
Although Vitamin D3 and K2 are beneficial on their own, they have exponentially better effects when used in unison. Although the body can absorb calcium on it’s own, it cannot do so effectively if there is not an adequate amount of K2 and D3 in the body which is why our Vitamin D3 K2 Complex is an essential CrossFit Supplement.
#5
A Pre Workout Supplement containing Beta Alanine!
A pre-workout supplement that contains beta alanine is going to maintain intra-cellular Pa, meaning the acid that associates with lactic acid needs to be buffered or at some point you are going to feel that burn that forces you to stop. Beta alanine buffers this acid allowing you to push harder and forcing more reps out during training. Our liver naturally makes beta alanine, you can get some beta alanine from food but to get enough to notice a performance enhancing effect when training for CrossFit you will need to supplement with a pre workout that contains beta alanine such as Ignite Pre Workout.
The great thing about Ignite Pre-Workout is that it contains both high dosages of beta-alanine and creatine monohydrate killing two birds with one stone, and saving you money on having to buy more CrossFit supplements.
For a CrossFit type workout knowing you are going to be doing pretty high intensity exercise or demanding a lot of power output from your body taking a pre-workout product containing caffeine can help give you a feeling of being more awake, focused and energized. With any pre-workout containing stimulants we recommended giving your body a break every 6 weeks for a period of 2 weeks as you don’t want to build up a tolerance to them so they become ineffective.
Summary
So, to recap then, the best CrossFit Supplements to use are:
- Use a premium protein powder. We recommend one that is sourced from hormone free grass fed cows. Our 100% Whey Protein Evolution is just that. We source it from the best dairy farm in Ireland from cows that are fed on grass 365 days a year. A grass fed whey is richer in BCAAs than other proteins. A grass fed whey is also better for the cows and the planet too!
- For after training use a Recovery Protein ideally 2:1 Carb to Protein ratio
- Take a good quality Vitamin D3 K2. Ours requires just 1 capsule per day.
- Use a high spec Omega 3 product typically one that is sourced from sustainable fisheries like our own here.
- Creatine is king! Creatine simply works and can help unlock those explosive lifts and PB's!
- Try taking a pre workout product but one that clearly has full label transparency like our Ignite. Many pre-workouts don't tell you exactly what is on the label. Brands that underdose key ingredients use this trick. We don't.
Related Articles:
14 CrossFit Workouts You Have To Try At Least Once
Best CrossFit Supplements
