Rule #2: Rest Intelligently

Courtesy: XFellow.com

 "You don’t get fitter while you are training, you get fitter while you are RECOVERING from training."

 I quote that from this article on at-home ice baths from the super smart and dedicated people over at The Whole 9 (there's the link, quick put it on your website ASAP.)

Athletes make gains when they push themselves, but get hurt when they push too far.  The best way to make the gains you want is to care for your body between workouts so that you return as close to full capacity, capable of going to that nth degree again.  You're asking for injury if you come back into the gym with extreme soreness, dehydration or coming off your 5th two-a-day workout for the week.  I'm not even talking about text book over-training, which is actually pretty hard to reach.  I'm simply referring to basic overdoing it, or better put: "under-doing" rest and recovery.

Similarly, during the workouts, you have to push, and learning the strategies of when to push hard or ease off is as much a part of the CrossFit learning curve as refining your gymnastic techniques.

Point is, go too hard too soon, and you're gassed before the workout has even climaxed, so smart breaks during the WOD, however brief they may be, are necessary for sustaining effort -especially over the longer workouts. 

No doubt adequate hydration, refueling and cool down are basic and straightforward ways of starting the recovery process, but I am a true believer in all kinds of additional methods.   Compression gear is handy if you have the time to wear it. Topical Arnica, coconut water, or Epsom Salt baths (particularly if you can't go all out on the above-article-mentioned ice baths) are simple and remarkably effective tools.

Sport kinesiology, chiropractic, massage, podiatry,  active release therapy, nutrition and yoga (we can refer you to awesome practitioners of each) are sublime accessory methods for maintaining/finding alignment, muscle and skeletal balance, digestive health, and maybe most important: restorative sleep.

Whatever your preferred method, make sure your body is adequately rested before you get back to it.  You can't go all out if you're not all there. 

Mils.