Take a deep breath, bring yourself to a calm place, and take this moment right now to be present. Feel your body, all the contentment, from your toes to your eyelashes, and most importantly your Heartbeat. Your heart is an amazing organ that keeps the vessel in which you inhabit, running smooth. So important is the process of circulation for us as athletes that we need to be constantly working to improve the quality of each and every beat. Just like exercise, Nutrition is so very important to keeping the plumbing and fluid working for all the systems that depend on it.
Did you know that it takes your blood 1 minute to circulate through the body from the heart, through your organs, and back through the veins. When you are under strain during training, that rate can actually be cut in half! If this amount of natural efficiency doesn’t fire you up, I dont know what will. Circulation is not just important for the organs of the body, it helps you think clearly, replenish hormones, and even controls how well you do while having sex. Poor Circulation has severely detrimental effects which include everything from shortness of breath to the big finale, DEATH. Beating back those problems and many chronic diseases can be done by simply improving your circulation. Lets dive into some important Foods that will help get you there.
Oranges
I frickin love citrus. Not just because you can amuse your kids by mouthing a slice of orange across your teeth creating a a bright orange grin. Citrus is classically known for its high Vitamin C Content which boosts immune function but did you know that it also acts as a natural blood thinner? Your blood flows through the smallest capillaries at a precise viscosity level and if its too “Gunked” up with metabolites and other fluid, it can slow down and even halt flow through some areas. Cirtus helps regulate the viscosity level of blood. At the same time, Oranges can help strengthen capillary walls because the tissue cells are sensitive to the nutrients. This is huge! So post workout, maybe incorporate a few orange slices to boost recovery.
Sweet Red Peppers
Vitamin E is the undisputed champion of Blood Circulation benefits. Vitamin E is a “Fat Soluble Vitamin” that helps dilate the blood vessels and increases blood flow. By ‘Fat Soluble’ I am referring to vitamins that are synthesized in the body with fats. These vitamins attach themselves to Fats which are stored or used in the the metabolic process attaching themselves like the little treats inside your fanny pack right now! In the Veggie world there is none higher in this content than Red Peppers. I would recommend eating them raw and Organic. If you are looking to double down, add them to a Leafy Green salad with Spinach or Kale which are also great sources of Vitamin E.
Salmon
If you know me, you know that on pretty much every “Top 5 List” there is going to be some reference to my favorite fish, Salmon. Wild Caught Salmon is quite possibly the food in our American Diet that can actually be sustainable enough for everyone to eat at least once per week and nourishing enough that it can check all the boxes on your daily nutrient list. An Amazing piece of this equation is the amount of Omega-3 Fats that Salmon Contains. Omega-3’s are good for you right… That been the rally cry for the past 15-20 years but few actually know why these types of fats are so good for us. Omega-3’s help BOOST BLOOD FLOW and thereby increasing our circulation potential. This is important for Athletes who need oxygenated blood on the spot when you get stuck in the bottom of a squat or have one 5 more miles to go in your half marathon! And remember what I said about blood viscosity earlier? Salmon and how its digested, can break up blood clots created by inflammation from injury or simply training!
Garlic
Nature has given us a good nose for judging what foods for potency and Garlic is certainly one of them . Its hard to deny it. I remember driving through Gilroy, CA during late summer and being almost overwhelmed by the smell of this beautiful plant. Garlic and all of its potent glory work to cleanse the blood of unwanted metabolites and plaques. There is waste in your blood system and its an important aspect of your circulation to move waste through your kidneys, flush it and keep shit on track. Garlic along with other herbs like Ginger, Licorice, milk thistle, and celery root are awesome for your kidneys and waste management in your circulatory system. Hopefully you can get the picture by now that your circulation is as much benefitted by cleanliness as it is by what you do to improve it??!!
Watermelon
Maybe its because we are coming out of a great summer for the delicious melon but I had to throw this last one in here. Its not just because I could smash a whole watermelon by myself and not feel at all bad about it, but this melon made the short list because of its high levels of the important nutrient, LYCOPENE. Lycopene is a ‘free-radical destroying’ carotenoid. Lycopene is a hunter/destroyer nutrient that flows through the blood system, kicking the shit out of cellular byproducts and other bad stuff that you have put in your body. Antioxidants are as popular in our culture as Omega-3’s are and rightfully so. Oxidizing effects in the body act just as Rust does on iron… it withers it away, makes it brittle and slowly the whole thing falls apart. Lycopene is what gives Tomatoes, Papaya, Cabbage, persimmons and Grapefruit its color. Watermelon also hydrates the body, another important aspect to good circulation.
Flow. It can be a state of mind and also the quality by which our blood courses through our veins. Either way we want the best. Nutrition, Exercise, Keeping your weight at healthy levels, and not smoking are the best ways to keep your circulation in optimal flow. Athletes need to be very sensitive to the Flow of Blood in the veins because not only do we need it to fuel the muscles with nutrients for performance but also to clear the system of all the bad stuff that is released by those same muscles. Be good to your plumbing and it will be good to you.
Many blessings to you all this week and Ill be back with more VITAL info for you health and well being. Be present more often this week, feel your heartbeat and dominate with compassion.
Love,
Eric
Programming Notes 10/8-10/12 **This is Week 7 of the unilateral/adductor exposure cycle. This week, along with the work we will have “Jackie” and Hero WOD, “SCHMALLS”. The Hero Wod will put into a dynamic effort, your ability to use single leg strength for a time priority workout. Tuesday, WED, and Friday will be the exposure days this week. Train stoked and have a great week.
10/8
Baseline:
2X
500m Row
20 Single Arm DB Thurster
20 Banded Pull Apart
20 Jumping pull Ups
Pull Up Prep:
Lat Band Stretch :30 Per side
10 Kip Swing
:20 Chin Over Bar Hold
10 Eccentric Pull up “negatives”
10 Kipping Pull Ups
WOD:
“Jackie”
1 K Row
50 Thrusters 45/35
30 Pull Ups
Cool Down:
Bully Stretch
Scapula Distraction
10/9
Baseline:
3X
200m Run
10 Dumbbell Sumo Deadlift High Pull
10 Single Arm Press
10 Divebomber Push Ups
EMOM 12
A- :20 L Sit On Rings
B- 8 DumbbellSingle Leg Deadlift (each Leg)
C- 8 Dumbbell Bent Row (each arm)
WOD;
100 Dumbell Snatch 50/35
*EMOM do 5 Push Ups
10/10
Baseline:
800m Run,
3X
10 Single Leg Med Ball Up And Overs
10 Reverse Lunges
10 Squat Therapy
Squat Flow: Squat Flow: Kang Squat, Internal Rotation, Ankle Roll Out, Bootstraps, PNF Stretch, Squat W/ T Spine Stretch
Unilateral Work:
Bulgarian Split Squat
*Hold Kettlebells in Front Rack Position
3X 5 On Each Leg
WOD;5 RFT
400m Run
30 Back Rack Walking Lunges 95/65
10/11
Baseline:
W/ Light KB
10@ Each
-Halos
-SIngle Arm Press
-Front Raises
-Lateral Trunk Rotations
-Bow/Bend
-Goblet Clean
-Goblet Squat
-Goblet Lateral Lunge
-4X Toe Touches
Skill Work:
Turkish Get ups
10X on each Arm
*you choose your weight
WOD:
9 Min AMRAP
1 Squat Clean 135/95
3 Push Press
5 Toes To Bar
Cool Down:
Banded Lateral Hip Distraction
Scorpion Stretch
Iron Cross
10/12
Baseline:
Agility Warm Up @ 10m Each
High Knee Pull
Quad Pull Squat 180 **stepping the leg high over hip, swing opposite leg to 180, squat
High Knees
Butt kickers
Seated Arm Swing
Straight leg shuffles
Fig 4 Drill
Lateral Shuffle
Carioca
Lateral Bounding
Sprint W/ Change of Direction
1:00 Handstand Hold
1:00 Side Lunges
WOD:
“Schmalls”
800m Run
2X
50 Burpee
40 Pull Ups
30 Pistol Squats
20 KB Swing 70/53
10 Handstand Push Ups
800m Run
