18-year-old Cross Fit Star Emma Lawson Shares
4 Things She Does Every Day To Stay In Peak Shape
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18-year-old Cross Fit phenom Emma Lawson said a good routine is key to
her success.
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She said high-carb snacks, mobility training, and plenty of rest help
her stay in peak shape.
·
Her advice for working out is to enjoy the process, don't get distracted
worrying about results.
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Up-and-coming athlete Emma Lawson is one of
the youngest stars of Cross Fit, winning her teen division of the sport's
global competition in 2021, then ranking sixth in the world at the 2022 Cross
Fit Games at just 17 years old.
Now 18, the former Fittest Teenager on
Earth has her sights set a first-place finish in the big leagues.
Her biggest challenge: juggling two
workouts a day with the demands of high school, and skipping normal teenager
hangouts to prioritize her recovery, she told Insider in an interview
about her new partnership with the mobility and recovery app pliability.
"I have chosen to make many sacrifices to
get to where I am today," she said.
To stay healthy, Lawson said she spends a lot
of time taking care of her body to prevent burnout. A daily routine includes
mobility exercise, rest and recovery, and plenty of delicious snacks are key
parts of her training that you can try at home.
Carb-heavy
snacks like bagels, smoothies, and fig bars are a high-performance workout fuel
Lawson said her current training involves a
strength session early in the day, followed by a later session focusing on
skills and metabolic conditioning.
Her go-to food between workouts is
often carb-rich bagels and smoothies with added protein. She also eats
more snacks during the longer second workout to maintain energy. For this she
relies on snacks with quick-digesting carbs like apple sauce pouches, fig bars,
and even liquid carb supplements.
Carbs are crucial for supporting
high-intensity exercise and helping muscles rebuild after training, according
to sports dietitians. Not eating enough can lead to fatigue, excessive
soreness, a drop in performance, and even sleep disruptions.
Mobility
exercise can help you get the most out of your gym sessions
Lawson said she's been following a mobility
routine for about three years, and does it daily before bed. Mobility training,
which include stretches as well as resistance movements, focuses on increasing
the body's strength through a greater range of motion.
She said mobility is a basic foundation of
exercise that's been a key part of reaching her athletic goals, helping her
recover after workouts and perform better in competition.
One of her favorite exercises is a long hold
in the sumo squat position (with feet wider than shoulder width and toes turned
out 45 degrees), which she said has made her better at hitting a low squat in
challenging Cross Fit workouts.
Extra
rest when needed can help prevent injury and burnout
Recovering from tough workouts is crucial to
being a successful athlete, even if that means occasionally missing a training
session for extra rest time, or dialing back the intensity, according to
Lawson.
She said she makes sure to let her coach know
if she's in pain or feeling run down, which helps her avoid a serious mishap
that would take her out of competition.
"It is so important to listen to your
body," she said. "I have learned that modifying when necessary is
never a bad thing, and that it is what helps me to stay healthy in the long
run."
Stay
motivated by focusing on the process, not the results
Achieving fitness goals can be a slow journey,
whether you're trying to build muscle, improve strength and stamina, or learn
complex skills like Olympic weightlifting exercises, coaches previously told
Insider.
Lawson said she's careful to take care of
herself so she can compete for years to come, and she hopes to someday win the Cross
Fit Games. In the meantime, she said it's important for her to remember to
enjoy the process, and be thankful for all the opportunities and support she's
had so far.
"It is so easy to get caught up in the
results that sometimes the journey of getting there is not fun anymore,"
she said. "Always remember your 'why,' have fun, and work hard!"
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