CrossFit Athlete Danielle Brandon in Two-Piece Workout Gear is "Full of Gratitude"

She Uses A Fitness Bike

As you can see from her post, Greer uses a fitness bike to keep herself in shape. Penn State PRO Wellness states that doing this has a lot of benefits. “Riding a stationary exercise bike is an efficient and effective way to burn calories and body fat while strengthening your heart, lungs, and muscles. Compared to some other types of cardio equipment, a stationary bicycle puts less stress on your joints, but it still provides an excellent aerobic workout.”

She Plays Volleyball

Greer likes to play volleyball to keep herself in shape. She shared this photo on Instagram of herself playing on the beach. Greer captioned the post, “Rest days are for *real* sports lol 🏐 honestly I LOVE getting to play other sports and have been trying to do some more of that to give my brain a break. Vote for ur fav rec. sport below!!! I think I may have a three way tie tbh.”

She Does Burpees

Greer likes to do burpees to keep herself in shape. She shared this video on Instagram of herself doing them with a box jump at the gym. Greer captioned the post, “If burpees have taught me anything about life it’s that ur not done until you’re standing up again 😅🫠” The Cleveland Clinic states that the exercise has a lot of health benefits. “Burpees are brutally efficient as a workout tool, meshing cardio and strength training into an extremely high-intensity package. In seven simple movements, the exercise works your body from top to bottom.”

She Runs

Greer likes to run to keep herself in shape. She shared this video on Instagram of herself and a friend running on a track. Better Health states that running has a lot of benefits. “Regular running or jogging offers many health benefits. Running can: help to build strong bones, as it is a weight bearing exercise, strengthen muscles, improve cardiovascular fitness, burn plenty of kilojoules, help maintain a healthy weight.”

She Lifts Weights

Greer shared this video on Instagram of herself lifting weights to workout. The Mayo Clinic states that this has a lot of benefits. “Strength training can help you manage or lose weight, and it can increase your metabolism to help you burn more calories. Strength training may enhance your quality of life and improve your ability to do everyday activities. Strength training can also protect your joints from injury. Building muscle also can contribute to better balance and may reduce your risk of falls. This can help you maintain independence as you age.”

She’s Consistent

Boon makes sure to stay consistent with her workouts. She talked about this in the caption of her recent post. “We all have our reasons for challenges. Mine is 1 press to handstand 🤸♀️ each day for 30 days. Why? To gain consistency facing something I personally find hard each day! Lots being learned as we go, I'm nearly there, staying focused and looking forward to pushing to the end. Here we go!”

She Stretches

As you can see from her Instagram post, Boon likes to stretch to keep herself in shape. Harvard Health states, “Stretching keeps the muscles flexible and healthy, and we need that flexibility to maintain a range of motion in the joints. Without it, the muscles shorten and become tight. Then, when you call on the muscles for activity, they are unable to extend all the way. That puts you at risk for joint pain, strains, and muscle damage.”

She Lifts Weights

Boon likes to lift weights to keep herself in shape. She shared this video on Instagram of herself doing weight training. Boon captioned the post, “Day 1 of the Level 2 Burgerner Strength Weightlifting course is proving to be a valuable experience, filled with some great takeaways delivered through whiteboard & video theory discussion, combined with a healthy dose of hands-on practical learning. From physical assessment before even touching a barbell to all things Snatch! We delved further into points of performance for block work and drills ... and I mean so so so many valuable drills, to some fun building to a heavy for the day. It's been great to connect with new friends who share similar passions while having fun and gaining knowledge that can be immediately applied to our own training and coaching. I'm looking forward to day 2!”

She Does Bar Muscle Ups

Boon likes to do upper body workouts, like bar muscle ups. She shared this video on Instagram of herself doing them. Boon captioned it, “BAR MUSCLE UP. There are many ways to learn a skill, many drills for the same skill, and not everyone responds to learning the same drills that is where coaching comes in (I can help here) BUT the fundamental of skill acquisition remains the same: ⭐️ Foundational strength ⭐️ Progressive dills ⭐️ Keep building strength in those positions ⭐️ Continue drills and progress. Rinse and repeat, repeat, repeat 😉”

She Walks

Boon likes to walk to keep herself in shape. In this Instagram reel, she is seen walking on the beach. Boon captioned the post, “Morning Connect. True-Fuelled. Meaningful and with gratitude. Get ready for something exciting! ... 🙊 🤫” Harvard Health states that walking has a lot of benefits. “Walking can help protect you during cold and flu season. A study of over 1,000 men and women found that those who walked at least 20 minutes a day, at least 5 days a week, had 43% fewer sick days than those who exercised once a week or less. And if they did get sick, it was for a shorter duration, and their symptoms were milder.”

Balancing Family Life with the Gym

“I think I’m able to balance it pretty easily because I approach training differently than most CrossFit athletes. I’ve learned that, for me, less is more when it comes to being in the gym, so I have a few hours of high intensity training, and then plenty of family time,” Arielle told The Barbell Spin. “I am in the gym from about 11 AM – 1:30 PM, and then sometimes back for an evening session after my daughter goes to sleep. I train around her schedule and am able to make breakfast and spend time with her in the morning, and then we get to enjoy the afternoon and evening together. If I need to take her to gymnastics, dance lessons or to the park, I can, because I’ve gotten my workout done.”

Macros

Arielle counts macros using MyFitnessPal. Her main focus? Consuming enough protein. “Here's a look inside what I eat in a day as a full-time mom & CrossFit athlete! I love when I hit my protein goal! I weight around 150lbs & my goal is to get 150g of protein a day!@myfitnesspalmakes it easy to see exactly how much protein I'm consuming a day 🥩🍗,” she captioned a post.

Cycling

Like most CrossFit athletes, Arielle spends a great deal of time cycling. Here she is on the airbike. The Cleveland Clinic explains that biking, a low-impact aerobic exercise, is great for building muscle, improving strength and flexibility, and improving balance. It can also boost mental health and help other health conditions, including arthritis.

Hiking

Arielle enjoys outdoor exercise. Here she is hiking in Scotland. According to the National Parks Service, the physical benefits of hiking include:

• Building stronger muscles and bones
• Improving your sense of balance
• Improving your heart health

Decreasing the risk of certain respiratory problems.

Training While Pregnant

Arielle didn’t let her pregnancy keep her from CrossFit. While she “scaled down her training significantly” she did a noon class four to five days a week. She also focused on eating “a good meal,” such as meat, potatoes, and veggies, throughout her pregnancy. As her pregnancy progressed she reduced intensity. “CrossFit was definitely good for my physical health, but also my mental health,” Loewen said. “Everything about my body was changing. But the one thing I knew was showing up to the noon class and doing the class workout was my mental escape,” she told CrossFit.