101215 SacTown Throwdown

I am excited to host the SacTown Throwdown this year. I want this to be a true reflection of a Good Times Event so the programming is going to be fun and challenging, the competition is going to be competitive and supportive, and the dance party is going to be epic!!

If you are interested in volunteering (please please I love you) please contact me directly at ericbotsford@hotmail.com and if you want to register your kick ass team, go to sactownthrowdown.com  and get your team signed up. I want this to be epic but I need you all there to make it magical!!

Baseline:

8 Min Quality AMRAP

5 Strict Toes To Bar
20M Bear Crawl

Dynamic Stretching Top TO Bottom

WOD:

21-15-9
KB Snatch 53/35
One Legged Burpee

Rest 5 Minutes

2X
500m Row
12 Deficit HSPU 4/2"

Rest 5 Mins

50 Squats
40 Sit Ups
30 Lunges
20 Pull Ups
10 Clapping Push Ups

091215 "What is MCT???"

MCT oil has quickly become a diet craze, where  some manufacturers of the oil are claiming that you will lose weight "fast" and eat what you want while doing it. Well... Just like Hydroxycut, 5 Hour Energy ,and a whole bunch of other quick fixes, the truth is rather stretched.

MCT stands for Medium Chain Triglycerides. These are made up of fatty acids that are naturally found in our healthy oils, like coconut and palm (refer to earlier posts to learn more), and out grass fed butters, yogurts and milk. Medium Chain Triglycerides are kinda like that warm oatmeal that isn't too hot or too cold. Medium refers to the carbon chain that it is made of, 6 to 12 carbons as opposed to more or less which are fittingly called LCT's and SCT's.. This nice medium is easy on the liver and the GUT and is the quickest form of energy (ATP) that your cells can easily harness.

As I have explained before, finding an energy source for your muscle cells without causing your body to work so hard is the healthiest way to increase performance. If you have heard of the "Bulletproof" coffee method, the originator takes caffeine in coffee and mixes in grass fed butter and MCT oil (purest form) to create a high performance drink that does not spike the insulin levels in the body but provides mass energy for muscles and the brain. Nice!!!

So your interest is peaked now right?

Well before you go out to buy the Costco MCT oil you must know that there is a lot of mis information and not-so-good products out there that are labeled MCT oil. First and foremost is that Coconut oil has long been the foundation for most MCT dietary intake. But.. You would have to consume a whole lot of Coconut oil in order to get the true benefits of the PROPER MCT's. The BULLETPROOF website breaks down, in great detail, the components of real MCT oil.

Secondly is the health claims of rapid weight loss and eating lots of carbs. Both not entirely the truth. It is true that by eating good fats it can help you lose weight by maintaining or returning your metabolic process to a more stable  process. This alone is not a weight loss miracle. It is a health benefit. And by eating carbohydrates, the process of insulin production will remain high creating a fat storage problem rather than a weight loss solution.

MCT's will help increase performance. By integrating these fats into your diet you can help your body run cleaner, longer. Making the switch to burn fats and not carbs is a process that takes time and I highly recommend everyone do it.

Baseline:

3X
200m Row
10 Banded Pass Thru
10 Trunk Circles
10 Wall Press

Clean and Jerk Warm Up

Skill Development:
(If you are an experienced CrossFit athlete, this C&J should be your WOD For the Day.)

Clean and Jerk Complex;
Clean / Push Press/ Push Jerk/ Split Jerk
1@ 45% of C&J, 1@50%, 1@55%, 1 @60%,  1@ 65%, 1@72%

Clean and Jerk
1@ 60%, 65%, 70%, 78%, 80%

Fitness WOD:

Tabata Medicine Ball Cleans
Tabata Push Ups
Tabata Med Ball OH Lunges
Tabata Sit Ups

*Tabata is 8 rounds of :20 work/:10 rest. There is no break between exercises.

081215 "Percent Daily Values"

Chances are that if you are reading this post there is a food product in a package at least a body length away from you. Is that an accurate statement??

Well.. Pick it up and turn it around. You see the very familiar but commonly mis understood %Daily Value Nutrition chart. This chart has a purpose. The purpose is to give you, the consumer, an idea of what you are stuffing into your mouth and what (if any) nutritional value it may have.

The Nutrition facts table came out approximately 20 years ago to inform consumers. At the time the enemy was fat and sodium. As you can plainly see that under the calorie information and description of the table, the first %'s are of Fat and Sodium. Still With me? Keep scrolling and you will continue to see the breakdown of nutrients including, vitamins, minerals and the oh so important Protein... (do you even lift bro??)

As Nutition Science has gotten slightly better at the top levels of the FDA, there has been a push to change the chart to reflect serving sizes, be more concise (dumbing down) about the nutrition information on the label, and begin to show the % DV of all the sugar that the product contains. This last one my friends, is the important one.

If you are at all familiar with my posts you know that I absolutely think that sugar is poison and toxic. I have written numerous blog posts about how food companies keep stuffing more and more sugar into products to keep the hooks hooking and keep the people buying. The %DV of sugar on the new Nutrition Label will use the 10% rule for sugar consumption. That rule is that of your Total Daily Caloric Intake, your sugars should not exceed 10% of them.

I like that this is going to go on the label along with a host of design changes and perhaps easier to read information but I am concerned about the labeling that is still allowed on packaging by the food companies. I have written before about the lax rules about the terms, "all Natural" ,"Wholesome", "Whole Grain", and "Heart Healthy". These terms which are primarily designed not in the food lab but at a computer design screen do not accurately represent a lot of what is in products; and yet, it is the driving force behind a consumers purchasing habits.

The FDA controls this piece of the product, the nutrition labeling. What is interesting and shocking is that when put in perspective, if the FDA takes years to develop the plan to change an outdated labeling system and even longer to implement it through the appropriate legal channels, it shows what pull the food companies have on determining how the whole consumer process works when it comes to food!! Think about that a second. You are eating a product and though it has passed the safety tests, there is little regulation about how it is processed, packaged and sold to you! Scary, HUH!

I would just be a concerned zealot if I did not offer a solution, so here it is. DO your best to not buy processed food! A sweet potato does not have a nutrition label. A steak does not either, nor does a banana. The closer you can get to a diet of whole foods, the better you will be at staying away from sugar and harmful processed ingredients that food products are made of. This is especially important for you vegans... Have you ever read what you are eating on your soy Hot dogs!!!!

Good Luck and eat safe!!

Baseline:

Banded Hip Distraction/ Lat Band Stretch

400m run
10 KB Turkish Get Up
400m Run

Strength:

Tempo Back Squat
3,2,1 down, pause, up

3@ 50%
3@55%
2@ 60%
2@62%

WOD:

5 Rounds For Time

7 Power Snatch 135/95
7 Overhead Squat
Rest :45

031215 "Gymnasts Rule!!!!"

As a Sports and performance coach for many years now I have noticed that people who enter into CrossFit or sport with a background in Gymnastics have a hellova easier time than those who do not.

The front cortex that develops all the way into our mid 20's is always looking for challenges to help develop. We are impulsive and intensely influential during our formative years and so the bouts of heavy exercise and focus that it takes to be a gymnast can help develop this most important part of our brains.

Exercise has it benefits no doubt. Gymnastics greatly enhances strength, flexibility, balance, power, .... in fact all the ten attributes that make up athletic excellence are developed in Gymnastics. For kids and adults alike when the physical body is functioning at a heightened level; so is the mind. Kids that are engaged in gymnastics show a greater aptitude in reading and mathematics. Adults show a lower incidence of depression and anxiety. Cool huh??

The point today is to appreciate and engage in gymnastics no matter your age or gender. Not only will you become a better human, you may just learn some cool tricks to break out at parties!

Baseline:

2X
10 Up Back Overs
10 Knee Pulls
10 Press Fling
10 Quad Pull W/ Reach

100m Med ball Run
12 Med Ball Squats
12 Med Ball Toe Touch
100m Med Ball Run
12 Wall Ball Toss
12 Med ball lateral hops
100m Med ball Run

Gymnastics Skill Work :

10 Min EMOM Alternating
Odd- 5 Muscle Up/ or 5 Dips
Even- 12 Alternating KB Snatch
Rest 3 Min
10 Min EMOM Alternating
Odd-1 Legless Rope Climb
Even- 15 Wall Ball
Rest 3 Min
10 min EMOM Alternating
Odd- :25 Handstand
Even- 10 Alternating Pistol Squats (PERFECT DESCENT AND ASCENT)

Cash Out:
100 Calories on rower
2:00 Superman Hold

301115 "Hard Truth About Trans Fats"

Next to Alzheimers disease, Heart Disease is easily one of the greatest killers of Americans. The blanket term 'heart disease' doesn't do a lot to pinpoint an exact ailment like a 'broken arm' or 'ruptured spleen'. But the magnitude of this disease should not be ignored as it will effect nearly 1 in 3 people by the end of our generation.

Heart Disease is the damage or disease of the hearts blood vessels. Two primary causes of this disease in Americans is 1) Hydrogenated Fats and 2) Fried Foods. These two culprits comprise 95% of our American diet in one way or another. Sad huh? But surprisingly they stare you right in the face as you open your mouth and inhale them.. Here is what you need to know about each so as to keep you from contracting this killer.

First off when you see 'fats' do not get scared. As the Paleo movement and whole foods movement have shown, fats are essential to proper system health throughout your body. There are three types of fats:
1) Saturated; Butter, coconut oil.
2) Monounsaturated; Olive Oil
3) Polyunsaturated: these are your Omega 6 (sunflower/safflower) and Omega 3 (fish Oil,Flaxseed oil)
Hydrogenated fats or Trans-Fats are chemically processed Omega 6 Polyunsaturated fats. To simplify this, think about an oil like sunflower or canola that is heated and chemically treated to create a longer shelf life and more stable at room temperature like butter is.

Trans Fats are not easily taken in by the body because of their altered molecular structure. Your body goes; "I don't know you man, get the F*^K out of here" . The problem with this is that as it passes through your blood vessels, the processed fats keeps having the door slammed in its face... therefore it stays in the blood for a long time and oxidizes (think brown and old banana floating through your blood)!! Oxidation is not good in this case and can create blood clots... blood clots create blockages... blockages create lack of oxygen to the lungs and heart... no oxygen in lungs and heart means, YOU NO LIVE NO MORE.

Hydrogenated or Trans Fats are easy to spot as they are always in processed foods and foods with long shelf life. Chips, Peanut Butter, Cookies, Frozen Foods... They are not in Whole Foods like Grass Fed Beef, Fish, Grass Fed Butter, Nuts, Coconut Oil. So... eat those things not the first things... Got it?!

Fried Foods like French Fries, SPAM, Chicken Nuggets or Wings all go through a process of super heating in order to cook. The process oxidizes the cholesterol. That oxidized or dead cholesterol finds its way into the blood and saps the blood of its ability to stay fluid. Remember the blood clot problem I spoke of earlier... well eating fried foods (especially in Hydrogenated oils) literally quadruples the intensity and your arteries bear the burden. When you eat fried foods your arteries build up plaque which hardens and blocks blood flow.. Once again, when blood can't flow, oxygen can't get to where it needs to go ... result ... you die.

The good news is that your body is resilient and if you cut out Trans Fats and Fried Foods from your diet today, you will usually see improvement of your blood panels within 2 months!! And that is just with diet. Imagine if you stuck to a kick ass CrossFit training plan.... ohhh yeah baby.

Heart Disease is no joke. Abstaining from bad fats and incorporating good fats into your diet will dramatically reduce the likelihood of you contracting the disease. Please note that you must balance your Omega3 and Omega6 fats but if you stick to a whole foods diet that is usually pretty easy to do. Once again please message me or talk to me if you have further questions about your fat intake and how you can implement a nutrition plan.

Baseline:

3 Mins Jump Rope
-Single Leg
-skipping
-Dub's

Lunge Flow: Lunge, Elbow To Instep, Hamstring Pulses, T-spine Reach, side Lunge

Push Press Coaching and Direction

WOD:

Partner AMRAP 25

10 Push Press 115/75
10 KB Swing 70/53
10 Box Jump Overs 24"

Partner 1 completes one round before P2 can begin his/her round. BUT, P2 must complete 2(M)/1(F) Rope Climbs before they are able to begin round. The same goes for each Partner switch, the resting Partner must complete the climb before they can take over for partner.

261115 "Giving Thanks"

At Church last week a reality was brought to bear. The reality was that even though you may be greatful in your heart it still may not be evident in your deeds. This Holiday I would like to call you to action. The action being that you take your grateful attitudes and thoughts and make them into a physical gesture or expression.

Attitude is just one part of giving thanks. First you must win your mind over so that the attitude has roots upon which to grow. The mind is squirrly at times inundated with emotions and thoughts from our stressful and chaotic world. Centering your mind on the reality of how blessed your life is can help you in establishing a thanksgiving attitude. Clarity is the result of consciousness and consciousness is a discipline of the mind.

Once you have won your mind over you must then direct your gratefulness towards those people and blessings you are thankful for. Directing your love towards people takes a fearlessness for you don't know what the response will be. This is natural, this is human. But if you open your heart with confidence in knowing that you are the strong and beautiful person that you are, then fear has no hold upon you.

Finally its about transmuting your gratefulness into action or physical expression. On this holiday go out and live the grateful lifestyle. Hug a friend or family member, give money to the church for youth programs, invite your neighbor over for a beer, smile at a stranger... whatever you can do to affect positive change and express gratefulness.

I would like to extend my Gratefulness and love to all of you who follow my blog. This Thanksgiving is special for me and my family, new beginnings, new friends, and more clarity about what is really important in life. May you find and express your gratefulness as well.

 

Baseline:

800m Run
30 Wall Press
30 Push Up
10 Wall Climb
800m Run

Skill Development:

In 5 sets, build to a heavy 3 rep Press for the day.
*7,5,3,3,3

WOD:

3 Rounds For Time

25 Deadlift 115/75
20 Box Jump
15 Shoulder To Overhead 115/75

251115 "Put it to the test"

This week we have been discussing the importance of Interval Training and CrossFit. We touched first on the energy that is harnessed and burned during an interval workout, then we took a look at our diets and saw how what we 'fuel' our bodies with prior to exercise can have an impact on how we perform. Now we are going to put this information to the test.

Interval Training in our CrossFit classes is as diverse as the workouts you do on a daily basis. But that is really the driving force behind why we do it. CrossFit simulates the spontaneity of life through fitness modalities therefore the interval training is a reflection of that. We are exposed to sub-maximal/long duration. We preform a lot of max effort/short duration and many combinations therein.

Our hearts and minds are tested on a daily basis as our goal is to maintain an intensity above the lactic acid threshold for a set period of time. The time domain varies as well to keep the body from reaching absolute failure (though it sometimes occurs). The rep scheme and rounds are also a variable that help us maintain our maximum output level. For example, a period of work (a round) will sometimes be followed by mandatory rest or there will be an element in the program design that allows you to back off the gas pedal in order to regain your ATP stores (400-800m run). And we repeat 3-10 rounds depending on desired effect.

If you are to look at 'Fight Gone Bad" or perhaps the workout today you will see this interval training written into the workout. But if you look at the structure of a class you can se how we 1) Warm Up (increasing heart rate) 2) mobilize (lower heart rate) 3) Practice skill work (elevate heart rate) 4) Preform a workout at maximum intensity. This progressive interval training is the best to raise VO2 max as well as promote Fat Loss. Improving overall fitness is right in there as well!!! haha

Interval Training Programs like we have in CrossFit are not easy. But they work. Period. If you want easy, lift weights, take supplements and pray. Fitness and the results you want to see are in direct correlation to what you put into them. CrossFit has consistently proven that it works if you stick to it. So get after it. Stay conscious about your goals, fuel your body right and hit each day in the gym hard. You life is depending on it!! There is a community of people world wide who are here to lend a hand or an ear to your struggle.

 

BE THE CHANGE YOU WANT TO SEE IN THIS WORLD!!!

Baseline:

MOBILITY: Lacrosse ball in chest and Scaps/Lat Band/ Tricep Roll out

8 Mins For Quality

2 Turkish Get Ups
6 HSPU
8 KB Swing

Strength Development:

Weighted Pull Up
5X5

Weighted Dips
5X5

WOD:
EMOM 12
Even: :20 Max Hang Power Clean 155/105

Odd: :20 Max Toes To bar

*Remaining time, rest

241115 "Fueling your Capacity"

Yesterday we covered what the body uses to fuel your activity levels and how it decides which energy source to use and when. Fats and Carbs are essential and must be balanced in the body. Your diet is essentially the lab. Thats right, you are a walking, talking science experiment ! The experiment is under constant change as your hormones, stress levels, activity levels, and lifestyle do not exist in a vacuum.

Dieting, therefore, needs to be closely managed and thoughtfully planned in order to adjust for changes and keep performance at the highest level. A basic truth is that you can hedge the adjustments in your life by always "FUELING" the body with the healthiest foods possible all the time. The body is resilient and can make adjustments to overall performance in as short as a couple days but long term strategies and planning will yield a more consistent results. So the time is now to think about your performance in CrossFit and your diet.

Interval training in CrossFit demands that your body adjust to burning both Carbs and Fats. These macronutrients have different functions and burn at different rates. For more info on that, go back to yesterdays blog. In general, the goal of most people when they enter into a CrossFit training plan or interval training regiment is fat loss. In order to burn more fat you need to train your body to burn fat... so you limit your carbohydrate intake and give it no other choice!

Many who have tried to go cold turkey on the carbs to do this have met the reality of decreased energy in the beginning. I have heard all manner of things like, haziness, fatigue, lack of strength, and nausea during wods. All are true, but as a matter of fact it is a testament to how much we are all addicted to a high carbohydrate lifestyle. This is a point to remember as you dive into your holiday dinner!!!!

There is light a the end of the tunnel. You body will make the switch to burning fat for energy and you will re-emerge as the CrossFit champ you once was. I promise. This time you will be more lean and mean. Kinda like the sound of that? Well you can start tonight as you fall asleep. When you wake in the morning, try no carbs or a little fruit and high protein/fat breakfast. Lets get the ball rolling.

If you are very concerned about your performance as you come off the carbs, you can supplement prior to workouts although whenever you drop carbs into the system, you spike the insulin as well. Whenever there is a heightened insulin level your body will always go to burning carbs first before the fat... just F.Y.I.

I am around to help and guide anyone through this process. What we are doing physically is only a small fraction of the overall health plan we need to be establishing. I believe in each of you!

Baseline:

Snatch Warm Up:
3X Each Movement
Down/Finish
ELBOWS
Muscle Snatch
Snatch Drops
Overhead Squats
Snatch Balance
High Pull Unders

Skill Development:

1) Hang Snatch High Pull
4X2 @ 82%
2) Snatch balance to 2 Overhead Squats
2 @ 70%, 2@75%, 2@80%
3) Hang Power Snatch
3X4 across all sets

Strength:

Back Squat
5@60%
5@65%
5@75%
5@85%

Cash Out:

3 RFT
10 Power Snatch 75/55
30 Double Unders
Max Duration L- Hang On bar

231115 "Fight Gone Bad & the Importance of Interval Training"

"Fight Gone Bad" was first introduced in the the CrossFit.com regimen back in 2004 to simulate the demands that are placed on the body and mind during a MMA fight. Originally it was designed for BJ Penn who does CrossFit. The workout is 1 minute stations, 5 exercises, and a 1 minute built in rest period. The workout is brutal, no doubt. It requires all out effort with no time for rest between transitions. The movements all complement each other and if you have experienced it, you know it does its job. But what are the benefits to this type of training?

I felt it was time to put this workout into he program at this time of year not only to establish a benchmark but to highlight an important point to fitness. FAT LOSS. This week marks the beginning of the Holiday season, where eating and socializing are at its maximum potential and where most people sometimes abandon themselves until after the new year! But fear not, by keeping true to your CrossFit training regiment through the holidays, our interval training will help keep the fat off and gain coming.

Exercise Physiology is a mathematical equation. Do X @ a certain percentage of effort and get  Y as your result. The fun bit what fuels the percentage, how well you are trained at X and what you want to see at the Y. Do I still have your attention??? Well stay with me and I will explain.

Today we will cover how your body determines its energy source. And what is energy? Well your body has two primary energy sources, FATS and CARBS. Fats require more oxygen to burn and carbs are the easiest to burn. Your body will decide which type to burn based on the intensity and duration of exercising, your type of diet and when you last ate, and how 'FIT' you are.

Carbohydrates are utilized in all levels of interval training. If we return to our math equation, the higher the percentage of intensity your do X, the more carbohydrates you will burn. As I stated before, carbs burn higher in our anaerobic state than at a lower aerobic state.Carbs are easily gathered and burned because they float in the form of glucose throughout our blood stream and when called upon, the liver has a reservoir of glucose stored for the muscles when they need them.

An important point to mention at this point when we are talking about carbs and interval training is that when we mobilize our body to exert force and the heart increases demand, by decreasing the carbs in your diet will force the body to search for alternate forms of energy, i.e. FAT! And for most of you, that is the goal, total fat loss.

Fat, as opposed to Carbohydrates, are hidden a little deeper and therefore take more coaxing to burn recruit and burn off. The first type of fat that the body pulls from is called peripheral fat. This is fat that is held in the subcutaneous (under skin) or intraabdominal (under abs) area. The body burns this more efficiently and the pancreas does not have to work as hard producing insulin in order to store it. In the realm of CrossFit where the heart rate usually stays in the 75-80% zone, the body can access your fat stores  as well as oxygen producing the best possible conditions for fat loss.

The cool thing about your fitness level is that the more 'fit' you become the better your body will be at maximizing your oxygen intake and processing level. We call that increasing your VO2 max. When you can keep oxygen pumping into the lungs at higher and higher levels of intensity, your ability to burn fat increases! That is major in the world of physiology. Efficiency and performance.

Interval training where your heart rate goes up and down, but you stay at a heightened baseline level, helps to increase your bodies ability to process oxygen. When you add in the constantly varied aspect of CrossFit training, boom!! You have a body that is efficient and can adapt to any modality or exercise thrown at it. Fitness Baby!!!

As we go through the week I will show you how diet and post workout recovery can influence your fat burning potential. Take what you have now learned about your energy sources of Fat and Carbs and begin thinking about how your nutrition is directly connected to what is stored and burned. Understanding this process will help you reach your goals of fat loss and coming out of the holidays more fit than before.

Baseline:

Plyometrics:
Plyo Steps
High Skip Drill
Lateral Bounding
Tuck Jumps
Broad Jumps

WOD Specific:
KB Goblet Squats
KB Toe Touches
KB Press
KB SDHP

WOD:
"Fight Gone Bad"

3 Rounds for max Reps
:60 at each station/ no rest between

Wall Ball 20/14
Sumo Deadlift High Pull 75/55
Box Jump 20"
Push Press 75/55
Row For Calories
REST

201115 "GMO... Meet Fishy"

Today the Food and Drug Administration approved the very first Genetically Modified Salmon for the consumption by humans. This is a approval that the company AquaBounty has been seeking for nearly 20 years. The fish is going to be available for sale to consumers as early as next year.

Genetically Modified foods and the labeling of them has been a hot issue for some time as proponents for both sides of argument have raised rational claims supporting both the banning for consumption and the consumption of GMO food products. Genetically Modified food is also quite a subjective term which includes many types of food Production manipulation.

In terms of the Fish in Question, the modification came from adding genes from other edible fish that have a quicker growth rate than the 'foraging' or 'natural' variety. These fish take a fraction of the time and feed to produce nearly 4 times the amount of protein for consumption.

The safety of the Meat has been a concern for Consumer groups as it has for many other food types including corn and soy. The Food And Drug Administration says there is 'reasonable certainty of no harm to consumers". If you are allergic to salmon or you don't like the way the flesh tastes you are probably not going to see much of a difference and probably won't see a new 'fruity pebbles" flavored salmon hit the markets. But the Question I have is, What about the super growth genes that altered the Salmon DNA? Cancer pathology dictates that it searches and hangs onto organs, inflammation and the like that it can use to propagate rapidly. Cancer loves to expand and expand. This concern has been raised with the corn and soy industry that have modified their products to grow bigger and faster than Nature can even keep up with. Only time will tell, because a product that may look safe today might just have some long term effects which don't fare so well on humans.

Environmentalists are concerned about escape. Interbreeding with native populations can have dramatic impact on the food ecosystem. This worry is 'negligible' according to the company sighting that the fish are grown in tanks and not near the ocean. They also state that the fish are all modified to be sterile (another alarming concern for me). There is also the labeling of the fish when it hits the store shelves. SHould it be labeled GMO? Since the Government is pretty lax about this subject I am guessing the company will skirt this demand until forced.

In a world which has a growing number of mouths to feed a bigger fish with less impact on the environment does sound kind of appealing. In my opinion I am against GMO foods but then again I can afford to buy organic. If this trend is allowing more 'nutritious" food to be consumed by a population that can't afford good nutrition then that might be a tipping point. As most GMO foods show, when you start messing with genes you mess with the value of nutrition as well. Big fish does not necessarily mean big nutrition. And then there is the concern over eating fish that has these super growth genes.... Big fish maybe big cancer.. time will tell.

As we proceed cautiously into the future of food modification the fight is going to be balancing on ones objective rationales and subjective ethics. I applaud science and the goal of feeding people, plain and simple.. we need it. I would rather have science develop a big fish than a Big Mac for sure. If only we could GMO a bigger brain on some people.

Baseline:

8 Min Quality AMRAP
:20 Lsit Hold
20 Double Unders
:20 Super man Hold
20 Push Ups

Hip Complex Mobility

Strength:

Sumo Deadlift
5X5

Front Squat
3X10

WOD:
400m Overhead Plate Carry45/25
30 Toes TO Bar
400m Overhead Plate Carry

191115 "Crickets anyone?"

Cristin Has been experimenting with interesting substitutes to normal baking flour. About a year ago she came upon Cricket Flour and not only was it surprisingly good to cook with, but it peaked my interest immensely.

Though it is quite Taboo here in the U.S. to eat insects, if you have traveled abroad in any aspect you will have seen bugs on the menu. Seriously.. From snails to crickets, insects and bugs of all sorts provide a generous source of protein to all populations except the U.S. But not for long it seems. With the expansion of the population and the push to find viable sources of protein outside the livestock and poultry realm, bugs are starting to raise some eyebrows. Also, as I will show, the financial benefits of consuming insects as protein cannot be ignored.

Insects that fly, crawl and do all sorts of other creepy things are seemingly overabundant in the world. Just look at your windshield after a drive through the central valley of california. There can be upwards of a good couple pounds of bugs splatted and wasted right in front of you. Crickets are no exception. While there are annual hatchings, the farming of Crickets in other countries has been a booming business for some time.

Crickets produce a very high quality protein that rivals even the best steak or organic chicken breast. If you look at the amino acid profile and calcium content... these little buggas give you just as much as what your mom used to make you for dinner! When its all said and done, the percentage of protein per body mass is highest in insects.

For the environment, Crickets are way better than any carbon offsetting or emissions control law. Just from a quick search I found that Crickets consume only 17% of what normal livestock consume, require only 1% of water that livestock consume, and produce a insignificant amount of green house gasses. The amount of resources needed to produce 5# of beef can yield 60# of crickets!! That is some efficient farming.

Products that tout insects and especially Crickets can be found easily on the internet from specialty retailers but you are starting to see mainstream grocers sell the stuff. Whole Foods, and Sprouts markets now carry this type of flour. So if you are feeling like stepping out of your comfort zone and increasing your positive impact on the environment , or just wanting to get more Protein in your diet; reach for Crickets.. They could just be the wave of the future !

Baseline:

10-1
Slam Ball
Suicide Sprint 10m/20m

Skill Development:
7X5
Strict HSPU
DB Row (Each Arm)

WOD:

25 KB Swing 53/35
25 OHS 115/75
75 KB Toe Touches
25 OHS
25 KB Swing

181115 "Hate cannot drive out hate"

Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.

Martin Luther King, Jr.

The events of this weekend in France have brought an ugly truth back to life in the American Consciousness. Hate lies right beneath our tongues ready to jump at any moment. The frenzy of the media and the atrocity of the actions are trauma enough to drive out the hateful demons. 

I share with you this quote today as a reference to rational thought in the crux of reactionary persuasion. Human beings have a limit to the amount of grief and hatred that can be stored before it bursts forth in usually irrational ways. 

The tragedy that struck the Country of France and the world community has me enraged and saddened. Instead of sending our hatred out into the world, let's send our love to the families of those who have lost so much this past week. Hatred on the level of some people cannot be persuaded by more negativity. What we can do is rally the force of positive and rational thinking to try and outnumber the negativity in this world. 

Baseline:

Squat Flow: Kang Squat/ Internal Rotation/ Hip Bridge/ PNF/ Elbow to Instep w/ Tspine rotation/ Squat Therapy

Lat Band/ Tricep MobilityC&J Warm Up

Skill Development:

Build to a heavy Clean and Jerk

WOD:

3 RFT
500m Row
7 Clean and Jerk @ 75% of max

 

171115 Getting skinny and training hard

One of the biggest misconceptions that I have seen in my years of coaching folks to their goals is that you must train for fat loss. The notion arises not only due to societal norms about nutrition, health, and fitness (bad ones at that); but also the ideology that strength training is not going to yield the results that doing sit ups and running everyday will get you. I plead with you to hear an alternative!

As a 1 hour a day athlete, like most of us are, the calories expended during our session are merely a fraction of what we will use throughout our daily lives. As I have explained to each and every one of our athletes, this is just one hour of your day that I get to have you... it is YOU who is in total control for the other 23. Most of what we burn is referred to as our Basal Metabolic Rate or BMR. This is our bodies ebb and flow of caloric movement as it pertains to our routines on a daily basis. One of the best ways to increase your BMR is to increase your Lean Body Mass. Your LBM is gained or increased by the way of weight training, and practicing the 9 foundational movements that we teach here in CrossFit. A cool statistic I read is that for every 1 pound of LBM that a person adds, that is going to burn 50 calories more per day! When combined with fat loss, having added Lean Body Mass can dramatically increase your calorie consumption even before you come into take your daily CrossFit class! Another benefit to having more lean body mass AND doing CrossFit is that your metabolism responds by remaining at a heightened rate for longer periods of time which results in greater caloric burning over a longer period of time (thus the importance of intensity in training).

Long Distance runners, bless their hearts, are great at establishing a BMR that works well to sustain health but after a while they loose Lean body Mass resulting in a BMR that is harder and harder to keep a handle on.. especially if their nutrition bias is towards smoothies

and whole grain pasta. We can see this clearly in most marathoners who are either rail thin or look 'skinny fat'. The body is either losing more than is being put in or the cardio regiment is not burning enough calories to keep fat from forming in the body. Muscle supports the bones they are connected to so if you are looking at longevity and active lifestyles, a muscle building regiment is more suited for you than a purely 'cardio' based fitness that may break the body down more. This is why the best body compositions are in the 100m sprinters and throwers not the 5000m runners.

But getting too 'bulky' is what keeps a lot of women from coming into the gym. Well, I also can speak to the fact that getting super shredded and huge is hard friggin work! If you talk to some of the best CrossFit athletes who have Greek God/Goddess bodies they will tell you it is from hard ass work as well as a perfect nutrition plan. I find that the body you were blessed with is going to be the body that you will end up with after working towards a goal. If you have big quads now, you will probably have them after; if you have broad shoulders guess what, getting more fit will probably not change that. What weight training and CrossFit will do is give you more years to enjoy your body. In fact by burning more fat during weight training you will be more confident knowing that you have worked hard as hell to reach your maximum potential. It is a win, win!

Please come and sit down with any of the trainers to learn more about how you can change your life by just looking at Fitness differently!

Baseline:

400m Run
10mX
High Skip
Elbow To Instep
Butt Kickers
Samson Lunge W/ Pass Thru
Inch Worm

Calf Stretching +:30 each side

WOD:
100 DOuble Unders
80 Burpees
60 GHDSU
40 Wall Ball
20 Muscle Ups
10 Jerks 245/135

Scaled WOD:
100 Double Unders
80 2ct. Mountain Climbers
60 V-ups
40 Wall Ball
20 Ring Dips
10 DB Push Press 40/30

Cool Down:

Pigeon Stretch
COuch Stretch
Half Moon Pose

161115 "I Go, You Go"

Daily meditation:

Make extraordinary actions and thoughts a habit and be amazed at how your life changes. You are what you habitually do. One of the first actions you can take every day is to focus the mind. When you are clear about your focus and what is important, the important stuff is right there to grasp.

Workout #1 of the Fittest of Kauai Competition

Baseline:

25 Pulls on Erg
20-10-5
2 Ct Mtnb Climbers
Slam Balls
25 Pulls on Erg

Squat Flow: Kang Squat/ Internal Rotation/ Hip Bridge/ Squat with T Spine Rotation/ Squat PNF/ Elbow To Instep/ Squat therapy

WOD:

"I Go, You Go"

15-12-9
Thruster 115/75
Pull Up

* P1 will do 15 Thruster/15 Pull Up...Tag P2 and they will do their 15/15.... Tag P1 who will do 12's... so on and so forth.

131115 "Dare to Lose Yourself"

The 'warrior spirit' is sometimes a cliched term. Nowadays with movies like 'Southpaw' and '300' it is easy to get enraptured with the thought of what it really means. There is also a tendency to place the 'warrior' on a pedestal because of the grit you must display in order to earn such a title.

But the worst of all is thinking that in todays day of technology, material wealth, and entitlements, that there is a way to earn the 'warrior spirit' without going through the trials and hardships that have built the warriors of old. And this is the greatest mistake. Hard work builds character now just as it did then and leading a soft life is just going to weaken your resolve. Being nice and comfy places us mentally, physically, and emotionally in fear.. fear of suffereing... fear of committing. When we fear, we rob ourselves of the opportunity to live life to the fullest.

Now going back to your preconceived ideas of what a warrior is. It does not have to be the Skydiver, Navy Seal... No.  A warrior can be someone who commits to joining CrossFit for 3 months and dedicating themselves to sticking with it. It can be immersing yourself in a new culture and learning a language. It could be running your first tough mudder! The point is that the warrior has no fear of the challenge. The warrior is resolved to dig in when things get uncomfortable. The warrior is not afraid to lose themselves in a moment in the hopes that on the other side, life will reveal a whole new clarity. 

That, my friends, is a warrior and the warrior spirit. Expand you sense of sel every day warriors and be not afraid to lose yourself!

Baseline:

Lat Band Mobility/ Bully Band/ Pitchers Stretch 3-5 mins
Lacrosse ball Mobility 3-5 mins
 

1X Through

10 Wall Climbs
30 Ring Rows

WOD:

10-1
2-20
Jerk @ 155/105
Chest TO bar Pull Up
*Workout goes, 10 jerk/2 pulls, 9 Jerks/4 Pulls, 8jerks/6pulls.....

Rest 8 Mins Then do,

3 Rounds Not for time
20 GHD Sit Up
10 Barbell Bent Over Row 135-185/ 75-105

121115 "Infuriated about sugar"

If you have not been watching what is going on with CrossFit over the past couple years, there has been a coming out party of sorts that your should be paying attention to. The 'coming out' refers to the ACSM and their connection with the American Beverage Association, in particular, Coca-Cola.

A little over a month ago the ACSM finally did come out and acknowledge that they have been producing and promoting 'science' that has been funded and backed by big soda. The covers have been pulled off.

The fight was just beginning for CrossFit. The ACSM has not laid down during this barrage but flexed their well funded muscles against CrossFit, lobbying for new standards on Trainer Licensing and our own style of Nutrition Education. The lawyers and lobbyists are now getting paid and the public still seems to be in the dark.

This fight is a top down fight and it must be acknowledged by the general public in order to make REAL change happen. Because right now the public is fed nothing but outdated science by the CDC about calories, portion size, and sugar consumption. It is our duty to make LIFESTYLE changes and then teach our youth the real truth about processed foods, sugar and healthy living. That... is where we know change is going to happen.. in our own homes.

Currently Coach Greg Glassman is Touring California in an effort to promote the "Crush Big Soda" Initiative that will be going up to the California State Senate as a bill. The hope is to educate and 'infuriate' the CrossFit community and begin the change from within this amazing group of people.

 

 

If you have been in this sport as long as I have, you surely know that our 1 hour per day CrossFit session is really only scratching the surface with what is possible to getting each of us to our maximum Health potential. Nutrition is everything, become aware, educate , and make change happen.

Get behind this movement and lets make sure that our kids have a better chance at tackling chronic disease than we do.

Baseline:

6 Mins of Rowing

3X
10 Shoulder Pass Thru
20 Russian Twist with Slam Ball
12 Super Man Rocks

Skill Development:
Muscle Up Progression
* If you are proficient at movement, work strict and false grip at each piece.
1) Supine Ring Row
*Feet up on box
2) Banded Pull Through
*Quick Sit Up and HOld the bottom of ring support for :03
3)Ring Dip Support hold :15

- Flow from one exercise to the next and practice for 12 minutes.

WOD:

10 Min AMRAP
100 Double Unders
50 KB Swing
7 Muscle Ups
(3 Pull Ups/3 Dips)

 

091115 "Experience the Reward"

Does the thought of big surf motivate you to rise early from bed and jump in the water almost without you thinking about it? Does the idea of jumping off cliffs drive you to not think very hard about the consequence of any real danger? Well there is some deep seeded psychology going on here and some heavy neuro-chemical processes in action that you are completely blind to. The greeks used to refer to it as a 'real experience', one that is almost self-motivating. Almost subconscious.

CrossFitters know a whole lot about this without really giving it much thought. In science terms the experience is called a "autotelic" experience or one that produces reward just by the action of doing it. So even before the endorphins hit you after the workout and even before the adrenaline kicks in before the workout, you may be drawn to the action of CrossFit because the mind has assigned intrinsic value and reward to the action itself. 

The highs are higher than anything that you can experience with drugs or regular emotion. Just like emotion through, the process begins in the brain with the hypothalamus and synapses exchanging and grabbing up seratonin ( feel good hormone) but it happens not only on the level of pleasure seeking or feelings of contentment; rather the Autotelic experience is one that makes you push farther and farther to reach higher goals each time you preform the action or sport in our case. 

Take 'action' sports athletes. Doesn't it always seem like they are breaking new boundaries daily? Many psychologists interested in this subject are not really surprised. I mean, why is the sport of CrossFit progressing at levels never seen before? It is the passion yes. It is the level of athleticism, I am not discounting that. But there is a deeper drive that keeps the top athletes and YOU yourself coming into the gym every day to push the bar higher. 

Just the other day on Instagram I saw a Red Bull athlete pull what is called a "quad Quark". That is 4 off axis 360 degree rotations where the body is literally flipping at the same time it is spinning. The risk is huge and it had never been seen before until the end of last winter, when even then it was thought it could never be done... an 'impossible trick'. Yeah right . Not in todays' environment. 

When you consistently put yourself in the environment and psychological state that allows for this hormone exchange to happen and your reality to shift into hyper drive, you can easily meet the challenge in front of you and then develop the skills necessary to push to the next level. It is growth on an accelerated level! 

So I am pushing you to live your passion because the state of your being right now can be made better, more aligned with what is truly important to you in terms of athletics. You can be more capable to live your passion to the utmost by pushing harder and have an incredible impact on your overall life. Pretty cool, huh? 

No regrets, no hesitation, rage...rage...rage.. You will be surprised at what you become!

Baseline:

100m Med Ball Run
10 Med Ball Squats
10 Med Ball Sit ups
100m Med Ball Run
10 Wall Balls
10 Lateral Ball Jump Overs
100m Med Ball Run
10 Med Ball Cleans
10 Push Ups W/ feet on Med Ball

Mobilize the Lat/ Tricep/ Hips with a band

Skill Development:

Build to a heavy,
1) Clean Pull Under (hip Clean)
2) Clean Pull from the Ground (focus on slow, accelerated pull past the knees)
3) 5RM Push Press

* 18 Mn cap on all three exercises

WOD:
For Time
21 Thruster 95/65
Rest:90
15 Thruster 115/75
Rest :90
9 Thurster 135/95
 

061115 "Flowing Like Water"

Baseline:
Running and Agility: Plyo Steps/ High Knee SKip/ Butt Kickers/ Lateral High Knees/ Plyo Step with 180 degree change of direction/ Figure 4 Drill/ Carioca/ Bounding steps
*do all drills 20m segments

4 Mins to get hot and sweaty
8 Ring Rows
8 Burpee Tuck Jumps
8 Jump Lunges

Run Through Hip Complex

Snatch Warm Up:
3 Pulls at Each Movement
-Down/Finish
-High Elbows
-muscle Snatch
-overhead squat
-Snatch drops 2,4,6
-Sotts Press
-High Hip Snatch Pull Unders
-Hang Below Knee Snatch
-mid shin snatch Pull

WOD:

3 Rounds For Time
800m Run
15 Squat Snatch 115/75
20 Pull Ups