CrossFit and Crochet Braids
I am on a personal quest to find an easily maintained hair style that will hold up to the rigors of a high intensity cross fit workout. I tried the twist (the hair twist that is), both the strait and the kinky and of course the ever popular relaxer. Each had its pros and cons - the strait twists were too heavy, the kinky twists were too itchy and the relaxer lost its luster after a single workout. However, all were easily styled and the twists were practically maintenance free.
I asked my ultra stylish niece for a few hair style suggestions and she told me about crochet braids. I was intrigued - I have done a few crochet projects but I never thought that I could apply this process to my hair. I did a Google search and my interest was piqued. Next came a search for a stylist that could do this particular braiding technique. It took a few weeks, but I finally found a local stylist who specialized in crochet braiding.
Here's the process.
Remember the perm rods?[/caption]
View from the back[/caption]
I did an on line search for hair care tips for people of color who worked out and the results were minimal. So, I had to come up with my own routine. I simply pulled my 'hair' back using a hair tie to hold it in place, then I covered my curls with a sating bonnet.
The WOD (Work Out of the Day) for the first day after I got my crochet braids done was as follows: -
Day 1: 2-PARTS WOD
Part 1
Snatch + Overhead Squat
*Build to heavy complex
Part 2
For Time (8 Minute Time Cap)
5 Rounds of:
-5 Power Snatch
-5 Toes to Bar
-5 Handstand Push Ups
My hair took a licking, but it kept on ticking. This was not a very sweat work out. I sweat more during cardio, but this work out consisted of mostly lifting, and although I pushed myself to the limit, my hair fared well under the pressure.
[caption id="attachment_1715" align="aligncenter" width="400"]
Day 1[/caption]
Day 2: - "Dice Game" - roll 2 dice and the number received determined the number of reps you need to do. If you rolled a 4, then you would do 4 ring dips, 4 box jumps etc... I did not less than an 8 :(
16 Minutes As Many Rounds As Possible:
-Ring Dips
-Over Box Jumps
-10 Meter Lateral Shuffle
-Plyo Push Up
*1 Rope Climb between Rounds
Cash Out (i.e, after the 16 minutes of work): 1 Mile Run - done in 98 degrees heat! (I ran the mile in 7 minutes and 45 seconds)
And this is my hair after day 2 with my crochet braids - it is still holding up well after this sweat drenching workout.
Day 3 - "David & Goliath"
21-15-9 (You are required to do 21 of each movement, then 15, then 9)
-Wall Ball Shots (20 lb for the men/14 lbs for the ladies. Toss the boss to 10 foot target)
-Double Kettlebell Power Cleans (44 lbs men/26 lbs women)
21-15-9
-Deadlift (135/95 pounds)
-Hang Power Clean
-Overhead Lunges
Day 3 was mostly lifting therefore all the work out was done in doors - no scorching heat to contend with - yeah! Plus I worked out at 6 in the morning.
My crochet braids are still hanging in there. The coils are looser and there is minimal frizzing, But I am digging it.
Day 4: -" Partner Chipper" My partner and I divided the workout. I am a little stronger than her so it was a 60/40 split.
800 Meter Row
80 Kettlebell Sumo Deadlift High Pulls
600 Double Unders
60 Dumbbell Power Snatches
400 Meter “Mirror Run”
40 Slams
200 Meter Medicine Ball Lateral Tosses
20 Medicine Ball Sit Up Tosses
This was another very hot day. We were running in 98 degrees weather. I was sweating profusely, but my hair looked like it did on day 3
Day 5: - "Tough Stuff" Every Other Minute on the Minute for 6 Minutes
-Back Squats. I squatted 75 lbs - I can squat heavier, but since we had several other movement to complete, I wanted to pace myself.
3 Minute Rest
As Many Rounds As Possible in 6 Minutes
-3 Toes to Bar / Pull Up / Muscle Up Complex
-6 Hollow Rock / Sit Up / V-Up Complex
3 Minute Rest
As Many Rounds As Possible in 6 Minutes
-15 Hurdle Hops
-100 Meter Run
I did this WOD at Noon. What a bad idea! It was in the shade. 96 degrees in the shade! Yes, I was channeling 3rd World that day Real hot, in the shade. A little tip. If rests are built into the WOD, its gonna be a doozy. I should have done this workout at 6 am.
Day 6: - 2-PARTS WOD
Part 1
Every 3 Minutes for 21 Minutes:
-400 Meter Run
-1 Heavy Squat Clean Thruster
*Increase Weight each round
[caption id="attachment_1720" align="aligncenter" width="400"]
After a particularly sweaty WOD[/caption]
Part 2
Tabata: Pistols Squats. Tabata training is a High Intensity Interval Training (H.I.I.T) workout that lasts four minutes. Workout hard for 20 seconds, Rest for 10 seconds and complete eight rounds.
Day 7 "CINDY"
20 Minute A.M.R.A.P.
-5 Weighted Pull Ups
-10 Handstand Push Ups
-15 Front Squats (light)
By day 7 the curls were much looser and the frizzing was more pronounced. My hair has swollen to twice its size - I had that frizzy haired black girl look - but I was kinda digging it. since I wanted to keep this hair style for at least another week, I trimmed the frizzy bits and I was good as new. I continued my work out regime but limiting my exercise to the morning hours - between 6 and 7:30.
At about the 3 week mark, I re-curled my crochet braids and my hair was as good as new.
[caption id="attachment_1738" align="aligncenter" width="400"]
Re-Curled[/caption]
- She did about 13 Corn rows in my hair starting at the front of my head, continuing to the back.
- She used small pieces of Mali Hair and crocheted it onto the cornrowed hair using a latch hook crochet needle. (Tons of to do videos on line)
[caption id="attachment_1723" align="aligncenter" width="400"]
My crotched head :)[/caption] - Once she completed the entire head, she rolled the hair onto perm rods - I haven't seen those in a while - so American Hustle :)
[caption id="attachment_1718" align="aligncenter" width="400"]
:)[/caption]
Remember the perm rods?[/caption]
- Next, she dipped each rolled section in HOT water. I gotta tell you, I was a little freaked out by that part of the process. But, I came away unscathed.
- Finally, the perm rods were removed and viola...
View from the back[/caption]
I did an on line search for hair care tips for people of color who worked out and the results were minimal. So, I had to come up with my own routine. I simply pulled my 'hair' back using a hair tie to hold it in place, then I covered my curls with a sating bonnet.
The WOD (Work Out of the Day) for the first day after I got my crochet braids done was as follows: -
Day 1: 2-PARTS WOD
Part 1
Snatch + Overhead Squat
*Build to heavy complex
Part 2
For Time (8 Minute Time Cap)
5 Rounds of:
-5 Power Snatch
-5 Toes to Bar
-5 Handstand Push Ups
My hair took a licking, but it kept on ticking. This was not a very sweat work out. I sweat more during cardio, but this work out consisted of mostly lifting, and although I pushed myself to the limit, my hair fared well under the pressure.
[caption id="attachment_1715" align="aligncenter" width="400"]
Day 1[/caption]
Day 2: - "Dice Game" - roll 2 dice and the number received determined the number of reps you need to do. If you rolled a 4, then you would do 4 ring dips, 4 box jumps etc... I did not less than an 8 :(
16 Minutes As Many Rounds As Possible:
-Ring Dips
-Over Box Jumps
-10 Meter Lateral Shuffle
-Plyo Push Up
*1 Rope Climb between Rounds
Cash Out (i.e, after the 16 minutes of work): 1 Mile Run - done in 98 degrees heat! (I ran the mile in 7 minutes and 45 seconds)
And this is my hair after day 2 with my crochet braids - it is still holding up well after this sweat drenching workout.
Day 3 - "David & Goliath"
21-15-9 (You are required to do 21 of each movement, then 15, then 9)
-Wall Ball Shots (20 lb for the men/14 lbs for the ladies. Toss the boss to 10 foot target)
-Double Kettlebell Power Cleans (44 lbs men/26 lbs women)
21-15-9
-Deadlift (135/95 pounds)
-Hang Power Clean
-Overhead Lunges
Day 3 was mostly lifting therefore all the work out was done in doors - no scorching heat to contend with - yeah! Plus I worked out at 6 in the morning.
My crochet braids are still hanging in there. The coils are looser and there is minimal frizzing, But I am digging it.
Day 4: -" Partner Chipper" My partner and I divided the workout. I am a little stronger than her so it was a 60/40 split.
800 Meter Row
80 Kettlebell Sumo Deadlift High Pulls
600 Double Unders
60 Dumbbell Power Snatches
400 Meter “Mirror Run”
40 Slams
200 Meter Medicine Ball Lateral Tosses
20 Medicine Ball Sit Up Tosses
This was another very hot day. We were running in 98 degrees weather. I was sweating profusely, but my hair looked like it did on day 3
Day 5: - "Tough Stuff" Every Other Minute on the Minute for 6 Minutes
-Back Squats. I squatted 75 lbs - I can squat heavier, but since we had several other movement to complete, I wanted to pace myself.
3 Minute Rest
As Many Rounds As Possible in 6 Minutes
-3 Toes to Bar / Pull Up / Muscle Up Complex
-6 Hollow Rock / Sit Up / V-Up Complex
3 Minute Rest
As Many Rounds As Possible in 6 Minutes
-15 Hurdle Hops
-100 Meter Run
I did this WOD at Noon. What a bad idea! It was in the shade. 96 degrees in the shade! Yes, I was channeling 3rd World that day Real hot, in the shade. A little tip. If rests are built into the WOD, its gonna be a doozy. I should have done this workout at 6 am.
Day 6: - 2-PARTS WOD
Part 1
Every 3 Minutes for 21 Minutes:
-400 Meter Run
-1 Heavy Squat Clean Thruster
*Increase Weight each round
[caption id="attachment_1720" align="aligncenter" width="400"]
After a particularly sweaty WOD[/caption]
Part 2
Tabata: Pistols Squats. Tabata training is a High Intensity Interval Training (H.I.I.T) workout that lasts four minutes. Workout hard for 20 seconds, Rest for 10 seconds and complete eight rounds.
Day 7 "CINDY"
20 Minute A.M.R.A.P.
-5 Weighted Pull Ups
-10 Handstand Push Ups
-15 Front Squats (light)
By day 7 the curls were much looser and the frizzing was more pronounced. My hair has swollen to twice its size - I had that frizzy haired black girl look - but I was kinda digging it. since I wanted to keep this hair style for at least another week, I trimmed the frizzy bits and I was good as new. I continued my work out regime but limiting my exercise to the morning hours - between 6 and 7:30.
At about the 3 week mark, I re-curled my crochet braids and my hair was as good as new.
[caption id="attachment_1738" align="aligncenter" width="400"]
Re-Curled[/caption]