Outside of more time, all humans desire more energy. Energy is a multi-billion dollar commodity these days with 'energy' sports drinks down to 'energy' bread all touting the energizing effects of their ingredients. Cordyceps utilize natural chemistry to not just give you a boost of energy, rather giving your body the tools it needs to create its own energy! And a lot at that. Lets explore.
Cordyceps are a very funky looking mushroom that have been used in Chinese medicine for thousands of years. They are not only pretty rare but they are hard to harvest. Naturally they have been most prevelant in the High Altitudes of China and have been known to grow out of the backs of caterpillars (i.e. Caterpillar fungus). Pretty strange right?
These mushrooms have gained popularity in natural medicine becasue of their antioxidant properties. Like other mushroom varieties, they carry a host of good vitamins and minerals which promote immune health as well as anti-aging. But the real deal is in the perfromance chemistry!
Cordyceps are what's called Adaptogens. Adaptogens are unlike caffeine and other stimulants in that they HELP your body produce long lasting energy instead of boosting energy and taxing the adrenal system. The active ingredient in Cordyceps is adenosine which is vital ingredient in the ADP/ ATP exchange.
**Quick Side Note- When you are getting your fitness or sport on and really getting after it, your body burns ATP (energy). In burning or synthesizing ATP, the molecule loses a Phosphate to the process. The molecule then becomes ADP. Supplemental nutrients in the body and the your overall health determine how fast ADP adds a phosphate and once again becomes ATP.
Adenosine TriPhosphate, as you can see, is quite important to perfromance. Cordyceps give your body the goods when it needs them and therefore, you are able to do what you love LONGER! Shortening the ADP/ATP exchange process helps you push through the tough times and allows you to recover faster. Upon researching the actual amount of ATP increase, the numbers vary from an increase of 30-50% ATP boost.
Another important benefit that influences perfromance is the amount of oxygen your body's is able to process and synthesize. The term that is most commmonly used is ones VO2 max. The volume of oxygen that and athlete can take in and actually use during inspiration and exhalation. The Chinese herbalists have claimed in multiple articles that Cordyceps are used to help asthma sufferers, help with post-surgery recovery, and respiratory illness.
Regardless, to decrease fatigue is to increase performance. I am all in when it comes to that. But does this mean you gotta pop some caps and stems every time you workout?
No. Companies like ONNIT, FOURSIGMATIC, and WILD FOODS carry powder forms of the Cordyceps which you can mix with smoothies, coffee, water... etc. I personally mix them with my BCAAs for a pre and post workout drink. In Fact, I have found a new BCAA company, EXTEND, that actually has a performance Cordyceps blend integrated into their product! I really like the stuff.
If you are like me, stimulants are so 2002. Outside of drinking copious amounts of espresso and having amazing conversations, I stay away. I am all about giving my body the tools it needs to perform its best at any given moment when I feel the urge. Performance strategy takes practice and Cordyceps are another way we can keep pushing and achieve our goals in training and sport. Give them and shot and go natural! Good luck, stay conscious, thrive!
4/17
Baseline:
2X W/ a 10-25# Plate
10 Halos
10 Good Mornings
5 Inchworms with feet on plate
10 Superman Rock (no plate)
20 plyo plate jump
5 Burpee Ground to Overhead
Clean and Jerk Warm Up:
7 x hang clean high pull 7 x hang muscle clean 7 x tempo front squat 7 x hang power clean (hold PCln receiving position each time, each rep little deeper) 7 x Clean
**spend 12 minutes working up to a heavy squat clean for the day
WOD:
12-9-6
Squat Clean 135/95
21-15-9
Bar Facing Burpee
Cool Down:
Jog 800m
4/18
Baseline:
Lat Band Mobility
Bully Stretch
Banded Trunk Rotations
Banded Pass Thru
4X
5 Kip Swing
10 Planked Push Up (beginning in elbow plank, push up to full Plank and back down)
8 KB Swing
8 Front Rack KB Lunge
Strength Gymnastics:
12 Min EMOM
A- :30 ring Support Bottom
B- :30 L Sit Hang on Pull up bar
C- :30 Ring support Top
D- :30 Hollow Hold
Conditioning:
7 Min AMRAP
12/10 Cal Row
20 Wall Ball
--Rest 3 Minutes---
7 Min AMRAP
35 Double Unders
20 KB Swing
**Monitor recovery time, push hard each AMRAP
4/19
Baseline:
10X
Squat Jacks
Shoulder Rolls
Neck Rolls
Arm Swings
Arm Throws
Push Ups
Russian Twist
Piked Push Ups
Squat
Jump Lunges
Cossack (side) Lunges
3X
**using 1 Dumbbell and single arm
10 Press (per arm)
10 Bent Over row (per arm)
10 Burpee Chest to Bar
Skill Development:
Press Complex
7X Building
1- Press
3- Push Press
5- Jerks
(From rack or ground, your call)
WOD:
10 X
10 Dumbbell Power Clean
5 Chest TO Bar Pull Up
