180716 "Kidney Cleanse"

Anatomy 101...

You have (or should have) 2 kidneys. These essential organs are vital for a number of different operations in your body to keep it running at a stable level.

Kidneys are commonly known as the organ that washes or cleans our body of contaminants, regulates salt in the body and helps keep our potassium levels in check. Needless to say, our kidneys work hard to keep us running smoothly. The Kidneys also see a ton of nasty shit that we like to stuff our bodies with! Drugs, bad foods, sugar... it all has to pass through our kidneys.

Your Kidneys are responsible for not only cleaning but also producing Vitamin D and are a big producer of Red Blood Cells in the body. Hormones, oh yes... those guys.... they are also produced in the Kidneys so feeling good and eating good are intrinsically linked!

Your Kidneys get clogged up with crap over time if your diet is not so clean or you have been running hard lately with alcohol, stress or bad food. Kidney cleaning and health is important if you have either a history of diabetes in your family, or just have been feeling a little 'YUCKY' lately.

Well..

I have been all about Parsley lately. I don't know what it is but I have been inclined to cook with it and even put it straight on my sandwiches. The cool thing about Parsley is that it is probably the best Kidney Cleaner out there (outside of Milk Thistle.. but no-one really eats Milk Thistle on the reg...).

Here is a KICK ASS Kidney Cleaning Recipe:

1) Cut up a BUNCH of Parsley.
2) Boil a pot of Water.
3) Add cut Parsley to the boiling water and let it cool.
4) Once cool, strain it and place the Water in your refrigerator. (right next to your bone broth)
5) Drink One glass of Parsley water each morning and watch your urine !

This is a RADICAL and QUICK way to clean those pipes!! Enjoy and thrive!!

Baseline:

5X
100m Row
10 Push Ups

10X
S Waves
Blackburns
Dive-bomber Push Ups
Samson Lunges
Elbow To Instep
Flute Bridge W/ Reach

Skill Development:

Pausing Front Squat (2,5,1)
3X3

*@ 75% of 1RM

WOD:

Against an 9 Min Running Clock,

50 Abmat Sit Up

Then AMRAP,
10 OHS 95/65
10 Thruster

150716 "Plyometrics and why you need it"

CrossFit can and will give you a well rounded and comprehensive base of fitness. Research and evidence have proven this. I have stories from thousands of athletes that I have trained who can attest to a better quality of life, weight loss and decreased injury.

But we want MORE. We want to be able to charge in our daily lives and dominate in our respective sports. Whether your sport is trail running, stand up paddling, soccer, or surfing... the goal is not only to be stronger but more explosive and faster!

Hence the importance of plyometrics. If you want your muscles to contract more forcibly and rapidly then you need to take a minute and understand what Im about to drop on you....

Muscles stretch and then contract that is the nature of the jump or the 'pop up' (press) off your surf board. Think of the jump where we dip slightly and produce a quick stretch in our quads and hip extensors before we explode upward or laterally creating a very large amount of force. The faster your muscles can create the 'stretch' and the more power you can get out of it... the more explosive you will become.

A great example of explosive force is in this video HERE

I will be programming some Plyometrics in our skill development over the next couple weeks and we will see how our bodies adapt and perhaps make some significant near-muscular changes.

Fast and explosive.. Lets get it!!

Baseline:

10m High Knee Pull
10m High Knees
10m Quad Pull
10m Butt Kickers
10m Marching High Kicks
10m Spiderman Crawl
10m Power Skip
10m Straight Leg Shuffle
10m Carioca
10m Fig 4 Drill

3X
10m Lateral Line Touches

Skill Development:

12X Depth Jump -Linear

12X Depth Jump- Lateral

12X Bounding Jumps over object

12X Burpee Broad Jumps

WOD:

100 Double Unders
50 Chest to Bar Pull Up
50 KB Swing 70/53
100 Double Unders

140716 "Joint Pain? Chew on a dog treat!!"

Joint pain can come from a host of different issues. Over training, poor movement patterns, old injuries, whatever it may be... joint pain is a real pain in the ass.

Many beginning or returning athletes complain of acute joint pain after training sessions and are many times worried about what they feel. I will say that it is probably the long bouts of INACTIVITY that have created joint stiffness and limited movement and that can create pain when returning to training.

Older athletes and folks who have been active for a long time can have similar aching joints that can nag them to the point where they are constantly taking anti-inflammatories and even having to take time off. Proper nutrition is the first prescription to cure sticky or aching joints because eating clean eliminates any inflammatory response that the body may produce.

Supplementation is secondary to nutrition. Glucosamine for instance has been proven in many tests to reduce swelling and pain in joints. Glucosamine supplements are probably the most recommended joint supplement on the market. The surprising thing is where these companies are sourcing their product.

Glucosamine supplements are primarily made of the parts of animals that contain the most of the substance. For instance, cartilage in your joints is made of the same cartilage as is in Pigs Ears!! Yep.. Pigs Ears. Moreover, many joints of animals like chickens, beef cattle, and pigs have the best source of glucosamine you can buy.

So go right ahead... chew a pigs ear, gnaw on a chicken bone and keep your joints happy!

If you take the glucosamine pills with the white powder inside you are most likely swallowing the shells of the happy shrimp from the sea. Glucosamine, your joint medicine, can be found in the skeletons of crustaceans. To save yourself money, next time you have a big shrimp dinner just save the discarded shells... dry the shells and then grind them up into soups or a broth and drink it down for maximum joint recovery.

With all this being said, the key to joint mobility is to keep moving. Live your life to the fullest every day. Jump, sprint, climb, hike...

Baseline:
8X
:40 Row/ :20 Rest

3 x romanian deadlift
3 x snatch high pull
3 x muscle snatch
3 x tempo overhead squat @ 23X1
3 x snatch balance
3 x power snatch to OHS (hold PSn receiving position each time, each rep little deeper)
3 x snatch pull under
3 x hang (squat) snatch

WOD:

For Time
1K Row
21 Wall Ball
21 Power Snatch 95/65
500m Row
15 Wall Ball
15 Power Snatch
250m Row
9 Wall Ball
9 Snatch

*Compare to 4/14/16

Cash Out:

50 Toes To bar
50 GHD Sit Up

120716 "Driven Beyond Barriers"

You are a gifted athlete. A unique drive, a unique skill set. I see it in you each day you come into the gym. The passion and the appreciation can be fleeting sometimes when we forget just how good we have it.

Our Health.

Our Minds.

Our Hearts.

The human spirit that is on display in the Olympics is partly to highlight the amazing feats that we are ale to achieve. But more importantly, it is about the DRIVE that pushes athletes to do the incredible... sometimes against all odds.

The U.S. Paralympic team is a great example. Below is a brief video about the determination and mindset of athletes with disabilities. I believe that what it truly shows the the absolute ABILITY these athletes have of saying, "SCREW IT... Im going to dominate no matter what!! Nothing will stand in my Way".

Do you have this same drive?

Baseline:

Lat Band Mobility
Bully Stretch
Hip Distraction

Clean and Jerk Warm Up

2X
3x hang clean high pull
3 x hang muscle clean + 3 x strict press
3 x tempo front squat @ 53X1+ 3 x push press
3 x hang power clean to FS (hold PCln receiving position each time, each rep little deeper)
3 x clean pull under + 3 x push jerk
3 x hang (squat) clean + 3 x split jerk

WOD:

16 min AMRAP
1 Squat Clean and Jerk 135/95
5 Pull Ups
10 Push Up
15 Squats

2 Squat Clean and Jerk
5 Pull Up
10 Push Up
15 Squat

.... and so on adding 1 more squat clean and Jerk each round

100716 "Cancer and inflammation, Don't just take my word for it"

Sugar. Carbohydrates. Inflammation. Disease.

If you have been with me for even a short while, reading and listening to me about proper nutritional choices we circle back to the same thing. Eating is FUELING your body and it should be done in a way that limits metabolic stress. That is, your food should give you sustained power for your day, not a roller coaster of highs and lows.

The CrossFit Journal  has recently posted an article about the deadly mixture of insulin and cancer. The article link is HERE and it is another feather in the hat of the anti-inflammatory camp.

The article highlights the pathology of cancer through processed carbohydrates, sugar and insulin spikes. The article contends that cancer is not JUST a genetic disposition but rather the result of your life choices and environmental conditions.

Cancer feeds off sugar. I like how the article refers to sugar in your diet as 'fertilizer' in the soil. The cancer cells consuming and strengthening with each bite. I have written extensively in the past about avoiding inflammation through nutrition and not just fending off cancer but a host of disease and sickness as well.

A plan of attack that the article speaks of is something that we know well; The Ketone Diet. The ketone diet is one in which protein and fat are premium food sources and carbohydrates are limited. This lifestyle is something that many of you already espouse but there are varying degrees depending on your lifestyle. (i.e. athlete vs. chemotherapy patient)

So please click on the link above and have a read. The specialists noted in the article have clinical knowledge WAYYYY beyond my level so take it from them. The goal is to live each day to the fullest and for as long as possible. F^@K CANCER!!! don't give it any reason to grow inside you....

Baseline:

10m High Knee Pull
10m Marching High Kicks
10x Standing Toe Touch
10m Elbow To Instep Stretch
10m Power Skip
10m Lateral High Knees
10m Carioca
10x Dive-bomber Push up

Skill Development:

3X8 Alternating;
Romanian Deadlift @135/95
Pendlay Row

WOD:

EMOM until Failure,

5 Straight Leg Deadlift 95/65
5 One Legged Burpee
5 Sumo Deadlift High Pull
5 Toes To bar

080716 "How Clean is your house"

We are Way past Spring Cleaning. You now need to stay on top of the clutter. And Im not talking about the dirt that is piling up on your fan blades. I mean your refrigerator and pantry! Let's take a look inside your house and see what can be helping or hurting your progress towards optimal health.

First lets start with your pantry. If you home is like many that I have seen, your pantry is the size of a small closet and it has some things in it that are intentionally hidden from sight. These can be your not-so-perishable cookies and processed grains that can sit for long periods of time and are easily accessible for quick consumption and an easy sugar fix! These are not so good for you and should be replaced with some good pantry items.

To stock the shelves I would encourage your to buy some canned tuna, sardines, and even some canned veggies like beans, green beans, corn, olives.. easy things that you can add to a dish to give it color and usually a good source of concentrated Vitamin C and iron. The proteins like tuna and sardines can be prepared quick and have very little bad stuff in them from the get go!!

Nuts and if you would like, some whole oats for a breakfast can round out your pantry. The goal is to get away from all the over processed food products that take up space and can drain your wallet.

In your fridge I would suggest.... all fresh. WE have spoken about meal prepping and that is really what your fridge should be storing.... real food. If you are like me, you like to open that sucker up and grab and snack.

I am impatient, I admit it.

The key to a healthy fridge is to keep it at a minimum in terms of things to stock. Once again it is about spoilage and clutter that can just confuse your goals. As a father with two kids we do go to the store often but it is worth it to ensure that our veggies stay fresh and we USE everything that we buy and nothing gets thrown away. Keeping your fridge simple with your ingredients, some prepared meals and spices, you can stay on track, achieve your goals, and eat well.

Costco can fill your fridge fast so be sure to plan for the size of the packages in the fridge and make it a point to get creative and use all that your buy. Veggies are a good example. A big ass bag of lettuce or bell peppers can be used for so many things and it does not hurt to split a shopping trip to Costco if you are single and have a friend who is as well!

A clean house is a healthy house. Take a hard look at your pantry and fridge and stay on track to your goal of optimal health.

Baseline:

Agility Warm Up:
High Knee Pull
High Knees Dynamic
Quad Pull
Butt Kickers
Marching High Kicks
Plyo Step W/ Arm Swing
Power Skip
Figure 4 drill
Power Carioca
Side Shuffle
Falling Starts

Banded Buddy Pulls X4 each

Skill Development:

4X 100m Sprint
*Walk Back to start and then begin again

2X400m Run
*Rest is equal to work time

WOD:

15 min AMRAP

10m Handstand Walk / 3 Wall Walks
7 Burpee Box Jump Overs 24/20
400m Run

Rest 1:00 between rounds

060716 "Insulin in the AM"

Insulin in the morning keeps your belly round..

Its the hard and honest truth. I am sorry but no matter how much you want to believe that drinking your smoothie or eating your whole grains in the morning is going to be the best way to start your day... you are just adding more fuel to the adipose fire..

Adipose?

Adipose tissue is the technical term for your fat tissue and it is dying to be used as fuel. When you wake in the morning it is there, all supple and yellow, and accessible to your body for fuel. This fat is fuel not just for your morning run or workout, but it is there to power your brain for the first part of your day!

If you wake and shove a bagel or a smoothie down your gullet, you are blocking the body from doing the burn! Insulin is released by the pancreas when you down the smoothie and with all that hormone floating around in the party, there is little room on the dance floor for the fat to GET DOWN!!.

A much better way to start your day is with a high protein breakfast or some bulletproof coffee. The protein  ties a lot of energy to break down and requires your body to HEAT UP in order to digest it which burns fat. ON the flip side, if your body does not crave a ton of food in the morning then I would suggest a bulletproof coffee to get you going. The coffee with oil and butter gives you a clean dose of good fat for brain function and caffeine to boost your metabolic system and get the fat burning off to a good start!

Fat burning is all about insulin reduction in the morning. If you can dial in your routine to inhibit insulin production and increase your bodies energy then you have found the right key to burn fat! Follow these simple changes and you will not only get your day off on the right foot, but you will be seeing yourself up for a successful rest of the day.

Baseline:

Banded Hip Distraction

15X
Banded Good Morning
Banded Hip Activation
Banded Trunk Twist
Banded pass Thru

Strength:
Find your Summer Time Back Squat!!
5,5,3,2,2,1,1,.....
* Rest is key. I would rather see you make bigger jumps and then rest in the beginning to keep the rep count low. You know your body.

*This is test Day!!

Skill Development:
Not for time

60 Supine Ring Pull Up
60 Weighted Push Up 45/25
60 Hollow Rocks
60 Superman Rocks

050716 "The body Hustle"

You have emerged from your dietary changes as a true champion. You have learned about Macros, what a healthy plate looks like and you have seen that it takes dedication to shed the unwanted inches off your body. Now we begin the hustle. The hustle is the twerking and refining of your diet to keep the inches off and fortify your dietary routine.

One way hustle is to keep your protein intake up. Protein in its most non-GMO, organic, and unprocessed form is highly important for a couple good reasons. Protein's importance isn't just about trying to make mad gains! Protein slows down digestion (as a highly thermogenic food) by making you body work hard to digest it.  Protein triggers the release of appetite-suppressing hormones as opposed to processed carbohydrates which send messages to your brain to 'eat more, eat more!!' And of course, increased protein intake is a sure fire way to make sure your body has muscle building nutrients necessary to sustain your workout routine!

Now, Just because you know what a healthy plate looks like DOES NOT mean that it must always look like that!! Let me explain....

Carbohydrates , nay, Complex Carbohydrates which are what you have learned provide the most amount of nutrients and fuel for your body, will fluctuate with your training. Some call it 'carb-cycling'. This simply means that your carbohydrate intake needs to compliment your training and activity level. Some days you need a lot, some a little. It is on you to know  your body and not push it when the activity is low and the desire to EAT is high!! Remember the dedication I was speaking of???

Finally I will leave you with this..

Supplements are essential. I believe that you should be getting additional Vitamin D, Fish Oil, Magnesium, and probiotics to round out your nutrition. The diet is one way to shed the weight but your food does not give your body all it needs to keep performing at its top level. Find a supplement brand that works good with your body and make it a part of your routine.

Habit is the result of conscious choices. Your body hustle is all about your habits. If you want it, get it!

Baseline:

10X
Shoulder Rolls
Arm Swings
Scapula Push Ups
Push Ups
Half Moon Pose
Bow/ Bend
Hip Swivel Kicks
Mountain Climbers
Dive-bomber Push Ups

WOD:
30 Min EMOM

Odd- Row For Meters
Even- Rest

280616 "Slave to the Fashion"

Do you think Mr. Paleo man wrapped himself up in knee sleeves, a weight belt and a ton of compression before he went out to slay some beasts in the forest?

I think not.

Mr. Paleo man picked himself up off the floor of his cold ass cave, shook his arms and legs out and of he went. And he did just fine.

Now Mr. Paleo man was not a competitive weight lifter or CrossFit athlete but he probably lifted some heavy shit in his day..

Where I am going with this is.. why should we be such a slave to all the gear?? I mean, is it really necessary to belt up when doing box jumps? Or how about knee sleeves on sit up day? You laugh, but I have seen it.

While there are some good physiological reasons why a weight belt should be worn at the highest percentages of our lifting, for the most part our physical training is meant to strengthen the muscles in and around our anatomy so that we can handle the stress of whatever we throw at it.

I bring up weight belts as a prime example of the slave to fashion most people are. There is nothing more masculine that tightening that sucker up before going over to rip a big ass snatch off the ground. It feels good and I know I feel more secure when using it.

But the truth is, on 90% of the days we spend in the gym training, the flare is not really needed. You develop adequate intra-thoracic pressure by just using a proper breathing technique and engaging the abs. You can mitigate knee pain by, guess what??? Squatting correctly and doing a good dynamic warm up.

CrossFit is a platform for accessory companies to go wild in marketing. Seriously, think of how many brands of Pull Up rip preventing accessories have you seen in the gym??!! Do we really need them or should we practice making our grip strength better and developing calluses to prevent ripping? You make the call.

All I know is that being a slave to the fashion and accessories takes away from your bodies ability to stabilize itself at low to moderate loads or exercises. If you can show me a great backsquat with no shoes, no belt, no sleeves and no rounding of the back... I will show you an athlete that is doing it right! So leave you gear bag at the door, come in ready to rock and lets do it like Mr. Paleo guy!!

Baseline:

10 Turkish Get Ups on each side

Skill Development:
Gymnasty 12
:10 Ring Support Top
:10 Ring Support Bottom
3 Pull Up Negatives <:05
:15 L Sit
:15 Freestanding Handstand

WOD:
AMRAP 20
20 KB Swing 53/35
35 Walking Lunges
200m KB 'BABY' Carry

*Cradle the KB in your arms

270616 "Deskbound"

I am sure that 99% of you have heard of or possibly know Dr. Kelly Starrett. If you don't then you should do yourself a favor and do some research. Kelly has been a model for open sourced information in the CrossFit community for many years. I have personally known him for a while, been taught by him, and listened to his lectures. In fact, most of the Mobility knowledge that I drop on you all comes from this many and his many videos.

A few years ago Kelly wrote 'The Supple Leopard' which is a bible for many gym owners and athletes as it breaks down common faults and fixes in your movement patterns. Using very clear writing and my favorite, PICTURES!!, anyone can identify and fix weaknesses.

This year Kelly released "Deskbound" which tells the tale of the modern worker constrained to the desk chair for the majority of their life. Yucky stuff but the reality for so many. Kelly's contention is that sitting is the new smoking. By living in a sedentary job and hunched over in a bad position for most of the time, we are literally killing ourselves each day.

Even if you do not sit at a desk all day, the book goes into some very good training exercises that can get your posture reset and your mobility back on track. Even as I sit here now, I am readjusting the position of my hips and shoulders so that I am in a 'healthier' position.

If you are at all interested in a good read that has some great information this is a must buy! No doubt you will find something in the book that will heal you..

Baseline:
Squat Flow

3X
10 Jumping Pull Ups
8 Reverse Lunges
20m Side Shuffle

Strength:

BackSquats
5X2 @ 85%

*We are getting their guys!! The PR is coming. I want you to dig in and add 15-20# from last week and lets keep the strength gains coming!!

WOD:
For Time
21 Hang Squat Clean 95/65
21 Burpee
21 Pull Up
15 Thruster
15 Burpee
15 Pull Up
9 Squat Clean
9 Burpee
9 Pull Up

150616 "Moving Mountains"

Imagine yourself in this moment...

You are in a crowded arena, thousands of people around you, the noise is crushing and you can't make out a single coherent word.

Your senses are heightened to the point where it seems everything and anything is visible and at the same time totally a blur. You are focused. And you hear the announcer calling out the warning in a serious and structured voice; "Thirty Seconds Athletes"...

Breath is automatic, you seem to be floating. At once you pull yourself back in and reset your feet on the start mat and gaze to both sides of you. Like seething animals every one of the competitors eyes are fixed ahead. The race has yet to begin and yet everyone seems to be already going for it!

"Standby", the moment where later focus takes control. You can see your hand placement, your foot placement, you feel yourself already going. You heart slows as the world around you seems to come to a stand still and you hear the beep...

Perhaps you have had many moments like the one I am describing or perhaps that time has not yet come to you. This is the scene played out in competitions of all sorts, where your mind and body are put to the test among peers you desire the same things as you. Where all the training, the blood, the sweat, the heartache have hardened you for this exact moment.

Purpose drives our actions. When you have made your way to the pinnacle of the sport you love there has damn sure been a conversation inside your mind where you and your brain square off and hash out the truth, "How bad do you really want it?" Mental Control is the first step towards an unshakable mind as an athlete. You must be able to shut down the stress and adrenaline to remain clear and focused on the goals. Fear is a state that occurs when your mind wanders or is out of your control. The state of Fear itself is truly primal, stemming from our natural desire for self-preservation. It is only Gods, hero, and Warriors who can push past this to fully control the mind. Just as in physical training, Mental Control is Trained in increments. Experience and knowing yourself is the solution.

With Purpose and Goals set like distant landmark I have developed a way to actually see where I am going and exactly the moves I will make to get there; This is Mental Visualization. I like to think of this as a mental game where the cost of losing in your mind is an opportunity to win in real life. Imagine this. If I can run through an event in my mind focusing on my movements, my breathing and potential failures, then I will develop solutions prior to the test. This test phase was taught to me during my career as a Firefighter. The Fire Environment is probably the most dynamic place you could ever find yourself. Not only can shit go sideways in a fraction of a second but if you do not have the right tools, escape plan, manpower... you are flat out going to die.

Mental Visualization for the athlete is running the event in your mind and knowing all the tools (your body), knowing all the environment your are competing in, and knowing that potential for problems can come out of nowhere. Success in the Mental Game comes from not fearing but accepting and staying positive. Building off your Mental Control, you will have the confidence to visualize not only success but the power to change what you ay confront. CONTROL IS POWER in the athletes world.

Finally you must control the conversation, guiding it forward rather than backward. The conversation begins way back in your training when you first question your resolve. "How badly do I want it?" If you have never had this conversation I would highly recommend you penciling in some time for it in your life. In or out of competition, this question will surely guide you towards your truth in life.

Positivity will help charge you and motivate you. I have been completely broken with my head spinning and losing consciousness when all of a sudden a voice will arouse in my mind that helps me gather, compose and fight on. The CrossFit Games is funny like that. At least it is for me. Perhaps you have heard other athletes talk about going to the "dark place". This state is close to unconsciousness, when your physical body is literally running on autopilot as a way for you to mentally continue the deluge of physical exertion.

Through the darkness, you can develop an inner dialogue that will pull you back into the land of the living. You may have also heard "Your Mind will give up a Thousand Times before your Body will". This is a very true statement. A simple phrase that I have used for some time is "If you can take it, you can make it". Simple and rhythmic but highly effective, it can put me in a state of heightened consciousness where I am literally devoid of pain and just in Flow!

But you have to want to be here. The cyclical movement from Mental Control to Visualization and then to Positive Self Talk takes shape in front of you and then can disappear in a moment. Being an athlete is funny like this. Only warriors can relate. You must adapt and learn to love being inside yourself. Devoted to your goals and to who you are as a person. Finding your keys to these three principles takes time and dedication. They are uniquely human though and attainable by everyone. You just have to dig deep enough inside to face them.

Baseline:

Banded Hip Distraction
Banded Good Mornings
Banded Press
Banded Pull Aparts
Banded Pass Throughs

WOD:

16 Min AMRAP

9 Push Press 115/75
12 Deadlift
15 Box Jumps 24/20

090616 "Sponsored By Hamburgers"

There is no doubt that there is an obesity problem in this country. You know that it must be bad when even the republican party is not disputing its existence. And right behind all the obese adults is an entire generation of obese kids who are being brought up on fast food, starbucks and savvy marketing.

In a study that was just put out in the Journal of Pediatrics; the nutrient poor foods that are killing our country end up in the mouths of the youth because of the the way it is sold to their senses and popular sentiment.

Endorsement Deals...

That is right, Singers and Actors on the red carpet and the Billboard top 100 are selling McDonalds. But its not just that. According to the study, frickin astronomical deals are being signed for companies like Pepsi, Taco Bell, Doritos, Chilis', Pizza Hut.. the list goes on and on.

Beyonce signed a 50 MILLION dollar deal with Pepsi in 2012!

Even though you may be blind to this now, just open your eyes and look. Super Bowl for example. This is a Sugar Sweetened Beverage Buffet of Marketing, all staring your favorite actors and singers. Even I didn't understand why big time actors were doing commercials for shitty food companies like Payton Manning and Papa Johns until I read this study. Although his deal was not listed, I am sure he is making a pretty nice retirement just on the commercials alone!

Obesity is going to cost this country, you and me, BILLIONS over the next 50+ years. That is money coming out of our pockets that will go to fund the marketing campaigns of these fake ass food companies. If you are not pissed off by this study than you should at least be concerned. The fight against obesity and the processed food industry starts right at home. You can get educated, inform others and live the cleanest life you can to help buck the trend.

Baseline:

High Knee Pull
Quad Pull
Hip Cradle
Plyo Step W/ Arm Swing
High Knees
Butt Kickers
Figure 4 Drill
Side Shuffle
Carioca
Falling Starts
Banded Buddy Pulls

3X
10 Banded Row
10 Band Pull Aparts
5 Strict Pull Up

WOD:

"Helen"

3 Rounds For Time
400m Run
21 KBS 53/35
12 Pull Ups

Cash Out:

10 Turkish Get Ups on Each Side

080616 "Pumping Iron"

Do you feel pumped right now?

Well if you do, there is good possibility that your Iron levels in your blood are at an optimal level. Iron is an essential mineral that you get in your everyday Nutrition. Iron is an essential component of  your red blood cells and especially the component called HEMOGLOBIN, a protein that transfers oxygen from the lungs to the organs and tissues of the body. Without enough Iron you can become Anemic. This is something that affects a number of people but especially Vegetarians.

With this being said, dietary Iron intake comes from both plants and animals. There are two different kinds.. Things like Quinoa, Beans, Chard all offer a certain kind of iron as well as Grass Fed Beef offers another. Without getting too over your head... I'll just leave that there.

The plain and simple thing is... Get it in your body.

Because it is so vital to your cellular function it is important that it is absorbed in the gut properly. Since I have been going off on food pairings lately I thought it important to drop this KNOWLEDGE BOMB on you. Vitamin C helps the uptake of Iron in the GUT!!!

Some killer combinations of this are ;

black bean and red bell pepper

swiss chard and oranges

quinoa and cranberries

Along with the right combination it is also important to know that Women generally need a bit more per day than men. I am not talking a ton more, but; since Women have slightly different physiology than men, especially while breast feeding... just mind the veggies and meat a little more.

Feeling pumped and excited for a workout or just being able to function through your day without crashing are important for your life. Make sure that the Iron you are getting in your body is making its way to your muscles!!

****A note about the next 6 weeks of training.
The Backsquat is back!! And I know you are all stoked about that. I revisited it this past weekend and boy it was eye opening. This week we will go back to a 5X5 and reestablish our numbers from our PR's from before the Opens.

Strength:

Back Squat
5X5

*establish a new standard using your previous PR. Optimally i would like you to get up to 75% of your previous number but if you feel weaker today.. no worries.

Accessory Strength:

3X12 Single arm DB Row (Heavy)

3X 12 Single Arm DB Press (Heavy)

3X12 GHD Sit Up

060616 "A commitment to Excellence"

I would like to congratulate all the newly minted fitness enthusiasts who have earned the CrossFit Level 1 training certificate. While the course works is brief and the movements are given some time; the certificate meaning goes far deeper.

Commitment to Excellence is something that I believe is what you vow to do when you take the CrossFit level 1 test. CrossFit is a brand which is predicated on excellence. That is what has kept the sport and method growing over the years, it is what helped get you in the door in the first place! It is what drives you pursue it further.

The journey down this rabbit hole is endless. For me the journey has been amazing and eye opening. Like few others I have taken this ride into a realm of health and fitness which has changed lives and taken me all over the world to do it! To each of you the journey will be different. To keep CrossFit progressing and growing it takes dedication. That means education.

One article that I had all of my coaches reaches read during the internship process is designed to introduce you to the Commitment of Excellence that you now agree to continue . Read it HERE.

This article is just one in the thousands that are printed in the CrossFit Journal. This is the most incredible, open sourced, ever evolving fitness manual. If you have a question it can probably be answered in the Journal. I would suggest reading a few articles a week to help you get to know how to be a better trainer and community leader.

CrossFit continues to be a global leader in the emerging HUMAN movement of connectivity. Devoid of Facebook and instagram, CrossFit allows people to sweat, suffer and strive together. This movement is necessary and as I have seen... vital to the human condition. So hang your certificate high. It is a declaration to be better, expect better from others, and a testament to you making change in the world.

Baseline:

Snatch Warm Up
3X @ each
Romanian Deadlift
Snatch High Pull
Muscle Snatch
Temp Overhead Squat 5,3,1
Snatch Balance
Power Snatch to OHS
Snatch Pull Under
Hang Squat Snatch

Muscle Up Prep
Push Pull
Skip
Hips To Rings/ Bar pull
Turn Over
Ring Support
Ring Dip
Negatives

WOD:

"Amanda"
9-7-5
Squat Snatch 135.95
Muscle Up

*Scale Accordingly... never scale range of motion

030616 "Coffee and Cortisol"

Oh Cortisol. The Stress Hormone. About 10 years ago this word popped up in a Nutrition Seminar and has stuck around since then. I have paid close attention to it as both a naturally occurring hormone as well as a performance detractor. What was not so well known about it was the effects that your coffee intake has on your cortisol levels.

And... As we touched on food pairing yesterday, I thought we could discuss the pairing of our hormones and the stimulant of caffeine in coffee!

But first, A Brief history of Cortisol.

Cortisol came about many many many years ago when we were our Primal selves out on the savannas of Africa getting chased by saber tooth tigers and other big ass predators. Cortisol became a hormone secreted in the body to literally keep us alive. When we were hunting (or being hunted) we needed our metabolism and our Central Nervous System to respond by turning up to an 11 and get us moving. Along our adaptive evolution this hormone has helped us regulate our blood sugar, our heart beat, our blood pressure and even our immune system! So that is why this one little hormone is considered VITAL to our existence.

Today Cortisol production is at a all time high. With technology in our faces, stressful jobs, commutes that drive us nuts, relationships, and an otherwise fast paced life... our endocrine system is working overtime.

And this is where the Coffee comes in..

Like any other organ in the body, there are checks and balances and subsequent triggers to let you (the dumbass running the show) know when too much is too much. When Cortisol Production reaches peak levels fatigue happens. Signs are decreased cognitive ability, lack of motivation, crappy sleep, high blood pressure, and generally feeling like crap.

So what do we do... WE CAFFINATE!!

Coffee is the easiest stimulant that is thought to cure most of the ailments that I just mentioned (aside from the high blood pressure). WE wake up in the morning, slam a cup or 5. We get sluggish in the afternoon, we inject a little more... All the while our body is like, "DUDE.. Give me a break".

Cortisol ebbs and flows through the day, peaking at around 7-8AM and 4-5 PM. By slamming our bodies with caffeine during these times you risk not only adrenal fatigue but more importantly, decreasing the tolerance you have to Coffee! Definitely no good!

Drinking Coffee is and should be an enjoyable experience for both your brain and body. Pairing the caffeine in Coffee with your hormones is important so perhaps you can try holding off on your first intake until around 9am and then doing your mid day dose around 1:30 PM -3 PM. This will ensure that your Cortisol levels will be at their lowest and you will get the most JACKED!!

As with everything you put into your body, pay attention to their effects. No matter what it may be, if you are investing it... understand it. This will not only help your performance in the gym but also keep your bodily systems running smooth. Health is a constant experiment.

Baseline:
Double Tabata Row 8 Rounds of: :40 work :20 Rest

Lunge Flow

Rotator Cuff Drills

Skill Development:

Gymnasty 10
3 Pull Up Negatives
:20 Handstand Hold
12 L Sit CrossOvers
12 Weighted Bulgarian Split Squats (Heavy)

WOD:

4 Rounds For Time
21 Cal Row
15 Chest To bar Pull Up
9 Strict Handstand Push Up

020616 "Pair Your Foods Correctly"

As I was chatting with the very beautiful and very talented Liz Smithers today after an arousing Workout with some amazing people, we got on the subject of food pairing and its effect on health. We discussed at length not only what to pair together but also when to pair certain foods with each other to increase absorption.

We began our discussion with a beverage that is near and dear to my heart.... COFFEE.... This beverage from the Gods is not only special to me its also vital. Coffee has amazing benefits including anti-oxidant properties, metabolic regulation, and cognitive enhancement... But there are certain times and foods that can make your stomach not so happy or food pass through the small intestine without absorption... More on that in the Future.

What I wanted to educate you all on is something that I learned a while back and it involves eggs and these killer little enzymes called CAROTENOIDS. Carotenoids are yellow, red and green pigments in vegetables and plants that help with photosynthesis among other things. Green leafy veggies, tomatoes, carrots, apricots are all great sources. These powerful anti-oxidants help with cellular repair and production, as well as maintaining the health of the eyes.

Well... As it turns out you get much more absorption of these vital nutrients when you consume them with eggs or other fatty oils. Eggs contain their own menu of good stuff like protein, B Vitamins, and fat. Together with the veggies that you are mixing up in your salad, the Eggs kick in some anti-inflammation and anti-oxidative goodness throughout the gut.

So next time you are prepping your Mid day salad, be sure to pair it with a hard boiled egg to make sure you are completing the spectrum of benefits that all the ingredients have to offer. Personally the Eggs add a little more substance to a sometimes mundane meal . Make sure they are free Range, organic and GMO free for best results.

More to come about food pairing in the coming days. Until then .... keep it clean my friends and stay fired up!

Baseline:
Up Back Overs
Press Fling
S Waves
Black Burns
W Waves
2X
2 Minute AMRAP
35 Double Unders
Max Wall Climbs
Rest 1:00 Between Each

Skill Development:
EMOM 11
2 Push Press
1 Split Jerk

*Use 70-75% of Split Jerk Max

WOD:
4 X
2 Min AMRAP
12 Toes To bar
12 Super man
Max Rep Shoulder to Overhead 155/105

310516 "Mind Your Minerals"

Getting your Macros straight is a breeze after a while.. You are plating up your Protein, Carbs and Fats... Perhaps you have been weighing and measuring your food or just being diligent about making sure you are minding the portions. Either way...You Got it.

Inside those Macro Nutrients are some very important MICRO Nutrients. Minerals keep the whole machine running and you should start thinking about them . Minerals provide a few key production functions:

1. Regulate the Metabolism of the body on a cellular level. This is done by minerals actually changing to enzymes, proteins and hormones that can help you maintain a healthy weight.
2. As your body builds muscle and bone cells, they draw upon minerals in your body to create the structures needed for formation. Minerals keep bones strong and muscles building!
3. Minerals help regulate your heart rate, how your muscles fire, and the PH level in your body. If you like your heart beating at a nice normal pace.. then you like mineral levels to be stable.

Now you have all had an education in Minerals. Potassium, Sodium, Calcium, Magnesium are well know for the function of athletic performance and recovery. If you look on many supplement bags you will see that your Supps are fortified with these important minerals. In fact, most of your food is also fortified with certain minerals to help keep you balanced. We unfortunately do not eat straight from the earth anymore so our Cheerios need to fill the gap... kinda sad.

Anyways, if you are getting a broad range of Proteins, Fats and Carbs, you can get all that you need. Nuts for instance are a great source of many minerals and red meat can fuel the body with more than its fair share of good stuff! Leafy Greens of ALL varieties cover the spectrum of important minerals like magnesium and Potassium.

So its not just about drinking your Gatorade for peak performance. It all begins in the kitchen. Eat good and you will perform well. Drawing from the minerals are stress, over training, lack of sleep, and drinking and drug use. If you are kicking your bodies ass, you better be helping it recover with Minerals and Rest. Minerals work on a cellular level which are your workhorses.

Train right and Eat Right. Mind your minerals and stay on top of your game.

Baseline:

Lat band Mobility/ Bully Stretch

Banded Hip Activation

WOD:

4 Rounds for max Reps

1 Min Of max Power Clean 205/115
1 Minute Rest
1 Min of Max KB Swing 53/35
1 Minute Rest
1 Min of Max Barbell Bent over Row 135/95

300516 "Heros are important"

When I was young I loved Waterskiing. It was all that I cared about for many years and my aspirations to become a professional in the sport dominated my thoughts. I read every magazine and idolized figures like Andy Mapple and Wade Cox. These guys were bigger than life to me. They represented what I thought to be a 'heroic' figures in the world. As I grew up my idea of 'heroic' shifted to writers like Longfellow, activists like Edward Abbey, and Warriors like Michael Murphy.

The reason why I lead in with this is that the idea of HEROIC is important. Everyone has their own figures who they identify with their ethics and morality. From a childhood perspective to adulthood, the IDEA of a HERO is someone who has done something far beyond the normal human experience and pushed to new heights in dignity, compassion, humility, courage, and selflessness... among many other things.

I want you to pause now and reflect on your list of HEROS. Who are they? What have they done to earn that place? What does your list of HEROS say about you?

Today the HERO is grossly misconstrued. Today there are many people who idolize money, fame, and many other things that can blind them to really see what a true hero is! For instance, George Clooney is held in a very high regard for his work both on screen and as a philanthropist. Yet I still can find a GIANT difference between the actor and someone like MALALA YOUSAFZAI  .

Remember, A HERO is someone who has done something that mortal man can consider immortal. Another great example is Jesus. Its pretty easy to see that this man, many years ago, checked every box in the HERO test. And why do you think most people would agree with you about this???

The story has been told; and told well.

Michael Murphy was an amazing HERO. His story has become legendary in not just the CrossFit Community but because it has been told over and over to the citizens of a grateful nation and to people around the world. The story of "Murph" begins with a MORTAL man doing his job and ends with an IMMORTAL  figure who exemplified the greatness of selflessness and bravery.

If you are not familiar with "Murph" please read this article by Box Life Magazine HERE

We as human beings crave the heroic figure. Not only do they exemplify our moral code but they also revive us from a desperate state of complacency and cynicism. Limits stifle us as human beings. Watching or hearing of larger than life people which break barriers and limits, gives us hope; if even for just a moment. Collectively we honor MICHAEL MURPHY on Memorial day by doing a workout in his honor . For this brief time we get to remember that what we think is impossible really has no bounds. Through the actions of this brave man many years ago, we reflect and strive to live life HEROIC.

Baseline:

GRINDER WARM UP
20X Each Exercise
Squat Jacks
Up Back Overs
Press Fling
Push Up
Standing Toe Touch
Iron Cross
Glute Bridge W/ Reach
Alternating Knee To Elbow
Alternating Lunge
Squats

Pull Up Prep....

WOD:

"MURPH"

1 Mile Run
100 Pull Ups
200 Push Ups
300 Squats
1 Mile Run

260516 "Is it gainz, or just Nerves??"

You may look at an athlete and think, "Wow, they are moving and lifting very well... it must be because they have badass muscles." Or, "They lost all that weight, so now they are really kicking ass!"

Well this may be true to a point but what is really happening under the surface is the nervous system adjusting, changing, and growing through Repetition and proper Training. Despite the size what is really making you better at what you do is muscular coordination and adaptation.

Muscles need stress. Yes I said it. I know I have recently written about the affects of stress o n the body but I am now referring to the GOOD kind of stress that our bodies need both on a muscular level, metabolic level, and hormonal level. Stress can be good for you... When the body is stressed during bouts of training it must adapt or die. Literally.

Through proper training, ( what you get in CrossFit Poipu), the stress on the muscle is very complimentary. When your muscles are performing work there is a real balance that is happening between the muscles that produce force and the muscles that create contraction. Remember all the CONCENTRIC and ECCENTRIC talk I am always laying on you??? Well that is what its all about. Nerves respond well and muscles are truly BUILT when there is a balance of PUSH/PULL or SQUAT/DROP SQUAT.

Lets look at the olympic lifts... I would be hard pressed to find anyone who would look at an olympic lifter and say they are not incredible athletes. They can pull with tons of force, have extremely quick muscular reaction speed and can produce tons of power in a fraction of time. The science is in Nervous system training. You don't need to be HUGE to move a lot of weight. You just need to practice the elements in the lifts to produce amazing results. Think about it... For every heavy squat or press that a lifter does, there is an equal and opposite drop under the bar before it. This is your body working all aspects of the muscle fibers.

Therefore you can be a badass ...

Proper CrossFit Training gives you all you could ever want. Muscles and the Nervous System love diversity which each day you are challenged with. The key is to just stay at it. TIME is the factor which must be accounted for if you really want the GAINZ!!!! More time in training means that the muscles must adapt and believe me... they will. You are more resilient that you will know.

So keep on keeping on you Fitness Ninjas!

Baseline:

Medicine Ball Warm Up
100m Med Ball Run
15 Med Ball Squats
15 Med ball Up and Overs
100m Med Ball Run
15 Med Ball Russian Twists
15 Med ball Toe Touches
100m Med Ball Run
15 Med Ball Sit Ups
15 Med Ball Clean and Wall Shots

Midline Mania:

200m Farmer Carry (Double KB HEAVY)
20 See the Lights 45#
20 GHD Hip Extension
20 GHD Sit Up
100m Overhead Carry (Single Arm HEAVY)

* Repeat for 2 Rounds. Any order is permitted

WOD:
For Time
30 Wall Ball
4 Rope Climbs
25 Wall Ball
3 Rope Climbs
20 Wall Ball
2 Rope Climbs
10 Wall Ball
1 Rope Climb

230516 "Stress is affecting your digestion and performance"

Science has drawn me from my focus on the brain to the Gut. More and more I am finding that who we are and how we live our lives is linked directly to our microbiome in the Gut. For instance I used to be of the understanding that CORTISOL, the stress hormone produced by the brain, was introduced into the body by the fight or flight response in our primal mind. New science is once again taking that focus from the head to the Gut!

The brain runs off messages and energy from our Gut. Our Gut consists of our entire Digestive anatomy but primarily the small intestine. Stress is triggered in the brain but the brain automatically demands energy and information from the Gut. Your Gut is good at playing well with your brain and can send immediate relief.

But is stress is a constant and pervasive demand from the brain...

Shit goes haywire. Outwardly we have all seen the effects of ourselves or our loved ones when stress takes over. Classically, it is fatigue, loss of appetite, general malaise, and problems coming out the back end!!

What is happening on the inside is much worse. Health declines when our body is not using the energy from food appropriately. If stress continues for long periods of time there is weakening of the lining of the gut which can cause things like leaky gut syndrome, ulcers, colitis, and a kill of of the good bacteria in the Gut. Without going into too much detail; on the inside you are super friggin sick from stress.

This is why you may not want to eat some hot chili or nasty fried food before you are about to do something like give a speech or compete. The stress can make you go boo-boo.....

Hey Parents!! Here is one other thing that hits closer to home. Your kids do not have the developed senses that you do and are much more prone to the primal 'gut feeling'. Dinner time can be stressful for both parents and kids as we struggle to get them to eat their food, do their homework, and generally listen... If we make dinner stressful by yelling or otherwise causing it to be 'not so chill' , the kids are more prone to have the Gut/ Brain defects that attribute to poor health and a conditioning of high stress behavior.

Just keep that in mind, cause I know that I am guilty of it!

So the take away is, keep yourself chill and your Gut will keep you health and your performance as an athlete and person will benefit. Your Gut responds to the Brains demands and if we stress it too much, its like running at an 11 all the time!

Baseline:
Lat band Mobility/ Bully Stretch

Rotator Cuff Drills

6 Min Quality AMRAP
8 PVC Pass Thru
10 Squat Therapy
25 Double Unders
30 Mountain Climbers

Skill Competency:

Overhead Squat
5X3  @ 115/75 or 155/105

Tempo (2,2,1)

WOD:

Against a 2:00 Clock,

Complete2 Rounds of ;10 Overhead Squats/30 Double Unders. @135/95
If you complete the reps, rest until the next 2:00 and then perform,

2 Rounds of; 12 Overhead Squats/ 30 Double Unders
If you complete the Reps, rest until the next 2:00 and then perfom,

2 Rounds of; 14 Overhead Squats/30 Double Unders.

Continue adding 2 reps to each consecutive segment until you are not able to complete the required Work.

*Your score will be total rounds completed, plus reps.