290916 "Stronger with Collagen"

If there is a glue that holds your body together it is Collagen. This structural protein is abundant in the body, comprising a big part of your bones, tendons, muscles, cartilage. Though we produce it through our own protein synthesis there are some essential ways that we can supplement our body so that levels stay high and recovery happens after training. 

Here are the top 5 ways that Collagen is essential to your health.

1) Helps Leaky gut. Your Gut lining is under attack from a number of different inflammatory and destructive food and bacterial sources. Collagen helps repair and form the lining so that it stays strong.

2) Repairs Joints. Collagen supplementation can help repair joint damage as it is the primary component of our connective tissues. Animal sources are the most common way of supplementing. 

3) Boosts Metabolism. Not only does your joints benefit from collagen, but so do your cells. Collagen helps with protein synthesis and nutrient absorption.

4) Helps the kidneys and liver. Farther down the blood line, Collagen Aids in the repair and function of your body's natural detox system. 

5) Collagen builds skin and hair. Your skin wrinkles because of the decrease in collagen production later in life. Remember the glue apology??? This is why supplementing Collagen can help repair skin from damage and look younger, as well as making your hair stronger.

Vital Proteins is a brand of Collagen Protein that can be mixed with your smoothies and protein shakes to supplement your collagen intake. If you are concerned about any of the items I just listed, I would highly encourage you to look into supplementation. This differes from Glucosamine  supplementation so don't think that just taking a pill for joint health will give you the same benefits. 

Collagen is our glue to make us stronger and live longer. Making is stronger from the inside....out!

Baseline:

400m Run
12 PVC Pass Thru
12 PVC Trunk Twist
12 Leg Swings
12 PVC OHS
12 Sotts Press (press from Squat Position)
12 Behind Neck Squat Press
12 Samson Lunge W/ Pass Thru

Test #8...

2k Row For Time

* This is a test that I want everyone to challenge themselves with. Strength, stamina and power are tested. Please record times and compare to previous. THIS IS AN ALL OUT EFFORT. If you have gas left in the tank, you did not go hard enough.

Strength:
Overhead Squat
3-3-3-3-3
*ascending

Midline:
3X
:30 L side PLank
:30 R side plank
:60 Alternating plank with reach (left arm, right leg...right arm, left leg)

280916 "Clean without killing yourself"

Blasting your countertops, cooking surfaces and bathrooms with the 'antibacterial' and other hardcore cleaners is done without a second thought. The fight against bacteria is real... Right??? Or is it? Could the cleaners that we so generously spray around our food, be killing us ever so slowly? Could they be doing us more harm than good?

Take a minute... Go ahead... Open your cabinets and look on the back of some of your cleaners. What do you see? Chemical concoctions, warning labels on the back and great sales points on the front of the bottle. I bet you see these two things more than others:
1) Chlorine Bleach
2) Ammonia. 
Pretty high quantities of these things are straight up hazardous to your health.. And we are conditioned to spray them all over without a second thought. 

Each year toxic exposures to these chemicals send people to the hospital. Oven Cleaners, Toilet cleaners, and drain cleaners are the worst. 

So let's take a look at why we need these products to begin with... Anti-bacterial and anti-fungal.. Did you know that Vinegar, yes Vinegar is just as good at defeating these household problems without the side effects? You can wash your floor and counters, you can disinfect your toilet and you can even add some lavender oil to make your home smell even better than the commercial cleaners can!

Vinegar does have its limitations though. The hard core Staphylococcos bacteria needs to be addressed with a more commercial cleaner but for the most part if you can keep the 'good' bacteria on your skin and in your gut, you have a hedge against getting the bad shit!

Hydrogen Peroxide can step in where vinegar doesn't. By neutralizing bacteria and fungus just as it does on your skin when you get a cut, the essentially Biodegradable and VERY cheap alternative to commercial cleaners is a good way to go. 

Here is a simple recipe for a household Vinegar cleaner that we use in our own home. 
1) Grab a Spray Bottle
2) Mix 2 Cups White Vinegar with 4 Cups Water. 
3) Mix in 10 Drops of lavender oil.
4) Have a cleaning party!!

Staying healthy inside and out is important. Making sure you are not poisoning your body with your household cleaners keeps you, your food and your family safe. And remember... A clean house is a happy house.. Live well my friends...

Baseline:
Dynamic ROM Warm Up
10@ each
Neck Circles
SHoulder Rolls
Arm Circles
Pass Thru
Push up
Trunk Circles
Scorpion kicks
Cobra Push Up
Air Squats
Elbow TO Instep
Side Lunge
Jumping Jacks
Burpee

Gymnastic Strength:

3 Rounds For Quality
15 Supine Ring Pull Up (ring row w/ feet elevated on box)
15 barbell Roll Out
1:00 Handstand Hold (preferably freestanding or spotted W/ partner)

WOD:
Partner Style..
800m Med Ball Run Together
150 Wall Ball Shots
100 Push Up W/ Partner Hand Clap (each in plank, after each push Up clap a hand)
50 Pull Ups

*modify reps on push Up if gonna take a ton of time to complete but I want it to be a struggle. Never short the ROM!!!!!

270916 "The Beauty of the Butternut"

Squash Season!!! Yes it is fall time which means that the wide array of winter squash begin to adorn the store shelves and your garden is probably loaded with them. One of my favorite and versatile squash is the Butternut Squash. 

Butternut Squash is the thick skinned, pear shaped variety that is tan in color. They can be big or small but the shape is distinct to the varietal. Roasted, blended, or steamed, they pack a huge amount of nutrition and fit well into our diets. While the nutrition profile is dominated by the VERY high Vitamin C and A levels (being that one serving gives you upwards of 150% of your daily nutritional needs), there is also a good helping of Vitamins E and B6. Minerals like Potassium, Magnesium, Niacin, thiamin and manganese. 

Want to buy and wait to cook? The Butternut Squash is perfect for meal planning because of it's amazing pantry life. Because of its thick skin, it does not go bad very fast, it can be cut in half and then refrigerated for use later, and even when par cooked, it can last in your Tupperware for a while! 

So how do you cook it?

First off, you need a sharp knife. These things are really tough to get through so making sure you have a good chefs knife is important. Be careful cutting the squash as you will need to press hard! The other thing you can do is peel the outside skin with a peeler. This is a preferred method if you are going to cube the squash and roast it. 

Cooking the Squash either covered or uncovered at 350-400 degrees will create soft, delicious and sweet food within 30 mins. 

Seasoning the squash should be simple, a little oil, salt and pepper, and perhaps some paprika or pepper flakes for spice.

As are always concerned with optimal internal health.... The Butternut squash is a great source of complex carbohydrates that will not raise your glucose levels like a white potato will. The carbohydrates in this squash provide some insoluble fiber that is also a great PREBIOTIC. The color is a beautiful orange which means that it is full of polyphenols. The polyphenols are anti-inflammatories and aid in combating free radicals in the body!

By all means grab one or two on your next rip to the farmers market. Squash are great because it takes a lot to mess them up. Roast them halved or cut up in cubes, enjoy the sweetness of this great fall addition!

Baseline:

Lat Band Mobility
Bully Stretch

Row 250m
15-10-5
Burpee
Floor Press W/ Dumbbells
Row 250m

Skill Development:

Floor Press
5-5-5-5-5
*Ascending Load
*Ensure ROM is correct and stack wrists over the top of Elbow

WOD:
4X
500m Row
16 Alternatning DB Snatch (Heavy)

*Stimulus should be challenging but fast. No Walking between movements. If you want an extra challenge, do DB SQUAT Snatch!! 

260916 "You Put your carbs where?"

To remain at the top range of your athletic port entail you need to fuel your performance. We speak often about the importance of prepping the body with the nutrients it needs to do so. Paying attention to your Macros;Proteins, Fats and Carbs is the easiest way to ensure that your daily nutrition is balanced. 

Carbohydrates drive people crazy. On one hand you have me asking you to eat them for a transformative fuel source. On the other hand you here diet coaches and many weight loss swingers talking about cutting them out completely from you diet like they are the plague!

So let's talk about where and when to put Carbs into your diet....

The concept of carb cycling is nothing new if you have been in the traditional gym or surrounded by body builders for any length of time. Carb cycling is adding and restricting carbs in relation to your overall routine and more particular in your training routine. 

Simply put... Carbs go in on Heavy/Hard days. Carbs get cut on lower intensity/ less activity days. 

By cycling carbs on and off you can allow for weight loss to occur. As you train hard on high carb days your body is able to access the glucose (sugar) that the muscles need for maximum use. When you turn the carbs down on days after, when your body is using the remaining carbs for repair and building... The body finishes consuming carbs and goes right towards your adipose (FAT) tissue. 

Cycling for weight loss is a tedious and methodical game, very precise. If you are off timing and need the extra carbs for optimal BRAIN function or muscular firing, sometimes I have heard of 'cloudy' thoughts and more of a tendency to binge eat! 

What I find appealing about carb cycling is the emphasis in performance rather than weight loss. If your diet is clean and your Macro levels are being hit from a wide array of WHOLE FOODS, then the physical training in CrossFit will do the rest. If you are looking to boost your lifts or workouts on a Mon/Wed/Fri training schedule, then by all means add in a bit more carbs. 

If you are adding carbs then you should think about short vs. long term fueling. If your plan is to eat 2-3 hours before a session I would suggest a complex carb like a sweet potato whereas if you need some quick carbs 1 hour before a workout then fruit or a carb supplement can do the trick. Fueling with extra carbs immediately after your train is also very important on 'high' cycling days. Repair and growth of the muscle depends on the carbs big time. 

So mess around with cycling if you feel like you want a change or you are not happy with how your energy feels or if you want to try and kick a couple inches. You are a science lab, If you don't constantly tweek things, there will always be perpetual deficits!

Baseline:

Partner Hamstring Stretch
Banded Iron Cross
Hip Flexor Stretch

500m Row
12-10-8
Single Leg KB Deadlift (ea leg)
Superman to Hollow
Bent Over Row (KB ea arm)

Skill Development:

Deadlift
2-2-2-2-2

Conditioning:

15-12-9
Thruster 115/75
Toe To Bar

*This workout stimulus should be of the burny variety. I would like everyone sub 6 mins. Look for quality of movement, getting toes to bar every time.

230916 "Emotions and Mental Toughness"

As fall rolls around I always find that it is a good time to re-evaluate my mental focus and strength. There are key steps to control and master your mental state and develop the strongest possible conscious state!

HERE is a link that could help shed light on this subject. 

As a beginning firefighter I locked in on Navy Seal Training and its focus on both the mental and physical toughness that it takes to make it. One aspect to the training did not have to do with how many pull ups I could do or how many much pain I could take; the test had to do with my emotional stability. Could I control my negativity, not let myself beat me!

The skills transfer more to real life than you could imagine. Many civilian leaders are former military folks because they learn these tools and then use them to better their work environments and relationships. 

Staying conscious of your emotions, the swings, the strengths, will help you develop a steadfast mind that is strong and resilient!!

Baseline:

Banded Pull Aparts
Banded Press
Banded Front Uprises
Shoulder Rolls X10
Arm Swings X10
Trunk Circles X10
Hip Swivel Kicks X10
Jump Lunges X10
Burpee X 10
Wall Climb X 10

Press Series Refresher

WOD:

27- 21-15-9
Should To Overhead
Cal Row

*Ascending weights each set. 95/65 (27) 115/75 (21) 135/95 (15) 155/105 (9)
 

220916 "Is your Multi-Vitamin Really Necessary"

Multi-Vitamins are the most common dietary supplement taken by the broadest range of people. The thinking makes sense. One pill.... a days worth of good... simple... Im in...

But what is inside the pills? 
Multi-Vitamins, for the most part, do back up their claims of packing upwards of 200% of your RDI (recommended Daily intake). If you look at the label of the bottle that you probably have in your cabinet you will see that all the major points are hit . But what about some important ones like magnesium, calcium and zinc. These Important minerals are literally too big to put inside your pill so they are omitted. 
Did you know that some Multi's have been linked to cancer risk?
I have hears about this phenomenon for some time when It comes to supplements. When you look a the RDI and the mg dosage goes above 300-400% then you run the risk of damaging cells and organs inside the body. Pre workouts are the worst at this. Hence the reason why there are warning labels on many of them! Vitamin E, when taken at extreme doses, can do much more harm than good for anti-oxidation properties.
Do you actually need to take the Multi? 
If you are eating a clean diet that is full of variety, color and protein then maybe you are just doing more hem then good. Dietary supplements are good for adding value to your existing nutrition. That is why I encourage the use of magnesium, Vitamin D, prebiotics and probiotics because they are either missing in our lives or our consumer nutrition. Being honest with yourself is key to answering this question and by no means should a pill substitute a healthy diet!

Targeting your nutrient weaknesses through supplementing specific compounds is a much better way to ensure proper levels in your body. Simple blood tests can show you what you are deficient in. if you take the multi you run the risk of pissing a lot of the good out so its basically a wash! 

Keep it conscious, live well and thrive!

Baseline:
Banded Hip Distraction
Banded Hip Activation
Banded PASS THRU

EMOM 8
Odd; 30 Single Unders, 10 Air Squats
Even: 3 Wall Climbs, 5 Candle Sticks to Jump

Agility Warm Up

WOD:
Partner WOD
3X 8 min AMRAP W// :60 Rotation Rest
"I Go, You Go"
Couplet #1
4 Sandbag to Shoulder
20 Air Squats
Couplet #2
50m Banded Buddy Pull
400m Sprint
Couplet #3
5 Box Jump Over
10 KB Swing 53/35

 

210916 "The Antibiotic Deadend"

For thousands of years human beings have used plants and herbs to cure diseases and infections. It has only been since the 1930's that we have relied on chemists to derive anti-biotic compounds to eradicate the bad bacteria that make us sick.

As you know I am a nerd for bacteria and the human organism. We live with bacteria in, on and around us. Most bacteria aid in our overall health and our immune systems' ability to resist the bad ones. 

For decades the chemists and bacteria have been battling for the right to survive and flourish . Bacteria has mother nature on its side, utilizing the ability to modify and change... adapt to that which tries to kill it. Chemists cannot keep up. Nearly every day a new anti-biotic resistant bacteria is identified as more and more people get sick . 

Dumping anti-biotic into our bodies is killing our immune systems and our GUT which houses much of the immune residence in the body. As we humans reach a dead-end on the antibiotic road, there is a new push to go back to nature to cure our ills. 

A recent article in the New York Times identifies the resurgence of natural remedies to bad bacteria. Read the article HERE

The take away from the article is that your backyard garden could be the key to preventing a 'bad' bacteria breakout in your body! keeping your GUT bacteria flourishing and your gut structure healthy with proper nutrition, YOU can ward off the bacteria that gets you sick. Here on Hawaii where we have many non-GMO herbs and plants that we have at our fingertips, the only excuse for not using them is un-education. 

Beating the diseases or the future could be as easy as looking into the past. Educate yourself on what you have around you and use it to your advantage! 

Baseline:

Tabata Your Warm Up:
:20 Work :10 Static Hold
- Standing Toe Touch (Alternating) 
-Standing Hamstring Stretch
-Side Lunges
-Hold The Splits
- Elbow to Instep
- Squat Hold
- Mtn Climbers
- (L) side Plank Hold
- Superman Rocks
-(R) side Plank Hold
-Single Leg Med Ball Up and over (L)
- Med Ball Overhead Squat Hold
-Single Leg Med Ball Up and Over (R)
- Med Ball Overhead Squat Hold
-Med Ball Front Squats

WOD:

6 Rounds For Time

2 Legless Rope Climbs
4 Deadlift 365/240
8 Burpee Over Bar

200916 "Pickles for Pain"

As my birthday looms closer and I stop to think about my age an speak to others at or older than me there seems to be a common thread about getting older.. Pain. In particular, Joint Pain. 

There was a great analogy today from a visitor who said that, "Everything that you did to your body from 0-30, gets compressed and doubled from 40-50!" Now this makes me take pause and think about how true it is given that randomly a weird creak or pain will come up that I haven't felt in a long time and I thought was long gone. 

From arthritis to general inflammation and pain there are a ton of white pills you can take which will mask the pain but there is a much cleaner, more simple and better for you solution that is time tested and proven over and over... Pickle Juice.

In preparation for my rant today I researched some arthritis drugs; and while a ton of chemistry has gone into the development of each, they really boil down to treating the symptoms of inflammation and pain. Pickle juice uses three simple methods that can do both with little side effects. 

1) Hydration. Pickle juice is fluid and during bouts of training or just daily hydration, fluid replacement keeps the joints functioning smoothly. In regards to the pain pills or inflammation pills pawned off now-a-days, they recommend drinking plenty of water to help assimilation of chemicals in the body. Many times this fluid is to balance out the strong chemicals killing your gut! Pickle Juice is simply a salt water brine which your stomach and gut like and it is taken up quickly into the blood.

2) Salt. As an athlete there is always the issue of cramping. Whether you didn't drink enough or your mineral levels are off, cramps suck and always scare me. As arthritis is simply SUPER inflammation over the course of time, salts and the minerals in the Pickle Juice help break down and fight the inflammatory response that occurs in joints.  Many nutrition experts believe that while overuse of a joint can cause arthritis, the imbalance of body salts can contribute to whether you get joint pain later in life. Pickle Juice handles that!

3) I love homemade pickle juice because the VINEGAR is usually on point! Vinegar in pickle Juice gives it a nice flavor and adds a pH to the brine which does wonders to the gut, the brain, joints and muscles.  Vinegar is high in potassium which has been touted for years as a key mineral to avoiding cramps. The Science community is now on board with linking low potassium levels with Arthritis! . Pickle Juice is high in Vinegar, which is very high in Potassium! Potassium at the joint level will help the cells fight inflammation and alleviate joint as well as muscle pain!

This is not miracle drug, in fact, most people discard Pickle juice once they have eaten the last pickle!. Homemade is always the best but even high quality store bought pickles are cheap and the juice is right there to help you keep in the fight! 

Keep it in mind as you get older my friends. Aches and pains could all go away with 2-4 oz off pickle juice per day!!

Baseline:

Banded Bully Stretch /Banded Pitchers Stretch/ Lat Band Stretch

20m Bear Crawl
20m Crab Walk
20m Carioca
20m Samson Lunge
20m High Skip
20m Spider-Man Crawl
20m Duck Walk
20m Handstand Walk / PLank Walk
20m Groiners

Skill Development:
Gymnasty 15

:20 Ring Support Top
:20 Ring Support Bottom
5 Diamond Push Up
5 Wide/ Narrow Push Up (ea. Arm)
10 One arm Push Ups

Wod:

2k Row For Time

*The 2k row is an all out sprint the entire way. Your bodies ability to hit and maintain an 80-85% output for 6-8 minutes is truly an energy system to tap into for our sport.  Get Fired Up.

140916 "If you could eat just one thing..."

No.. Sorry it's not corn dogs.. I am sure some of you clicked on the post hoping that that is what I was going  to recommend!

Yesterday got me thinking. Brain health, gut health, heart health; it is all interrelated. Each person has certain dietary needs and loves but there are some definitive certainties about what we as human beings should be eating to make sure our health stays tip top.

I went down the list of lean meats, nuts, seeds, and fruits. I weighed pros and cons to all the important foods on my shopping list and there seemd to be only one true winner. FISH! Yes. And not just any fish but fatty fish like salmon.. Actually.. I'll just say it... Just Salmon.. That is all you need. 

Not Kale, not coconut oil, not bone broth! Salmon !

The benefits to this protein outweigh all that stand up against it. Let's take a look.

1) High quality protein. Protein fuels us, helps heal us, allows our bodily systems to function properly and salmon is literally a nice tight package of protein that lives in the water. 
2) Salmon has vital FATS! This is kinda where I began to lean towards our cold water freind. The EPA and DHA (acids that make up the true good stuff in the fatty acids) levels of salmon are higher than in most other fish. The colder water that the salmon lives in allows it to be fattened up and therefore the content of the meat is chalked full of the goodness. The brain, the gut and the heart rely on this important fat for fuel and cellular health. 
* By the way... Heart disease is the #1 killer of Americans and this is partly because our omega 6 to omega 3 fat levels are so out of whack!
3) VITAMINS!! If you buy wild caught salmon then you guarantee that there will be an ample amount of vitamins in each serving. The list of vitamins and minerals include, Vitamin B12, Vitamin B6, Vitamin D, Niacin, Selenium, phosphorus and potassium! That is a ton of the goods in one food item.

As I just stated the key is to buy wild caught and from a fishery that has sustainable practices. Alaska, the northwest, the North Atlantic are all good fisheries to choose from with little pollution and health fish levels.  There is an overfishing problem so I do want everyone to be aware that fisheries worldwide are stressed but the importance of the food it provides should not be discounted!

You may have your own list and I am super interested in learning about what you think could be the end all/be all of foods. My choice is Salmon. Hate it or love it, If you were to eat this a couple times per week your health would be better in the long run. Period.. End of story. What do you think?

Baseline:
500m Row
3X
5 Inch Worm
5 Burpee Broad Jump
5 4ct. Alternating Knee To Elbow

Lunge Flow

Clean Progrerssion:
7X Clean Lift Off
7X Clean High Pull
7X Pull And catch
7X Front Squat Tempo 2,3,1
7X Clean Pull Under
7X Hang Clean to Front Squat
7X Hang Squat Clean

WOD:
"The Chief"
5X
3 Min AMRAP
3 Power Clean 135/95
6 Push Up
9 Squats
-Rest 1:00 Between Rounds

*This workout is dedicated to the yearly induction and promotion of Sailors to the rank of Chief Petty Officers. These warriors serve our country ensuring our safety so that we can do what we love each day. We shall honor them and their ambitions.

 

120916 "Getting to know yourself deeper"

Inside your genetic code lies all the answers you could ever need about how you should train as well as fight disease that might come up in your life.. 

Genetic science has now reached a point where formerly RARE embryonic stems cells can now be  Made by changing the structure of your adult cells! This type of cell that I am talking about is called an 'induced pluripotent stem cell' . 

Stem cells if you are not familiar are considered the holy grail of genetic answers. For athletes that have the unique doctor who performs the treatments or simply just have the money to afford it, they can take stem cells and and repair ligaments, heart tissue, and a host of other injuries that come up while training or playing sport. 

Today the company Orig3n is changing the game. By taking YOUR adult cells, they can modify them to act like stem cells and create solutions to disease and injury that happen to you. This is personalized medicine where guess work and crossing the fingers to see if something will work is totally taken out of the equation. 

I took this simple swab test and will be getting back some cool new insights into what my genome is really all about. As an athlete there is a lot of trial and error when it comes to training. When something clicks, you stick with it. This pertains to recovery, metabolism, and endurance. By mapping and finding variances in YOUR genome you can tailor your training specifically to how your DNA is set up... Truly cool medicine that allows you to be the best you possible. 

If you are interested in getting to know yourself a lot better for training purposes or for disease prevention, this technology is now totally affordable and easy to obtain. Check out the Orig3n website to find out more. Click HERE

Baseline:

Banded Hip Distraction and Hip Flexor Stretch

15X
Banded God Mornings
Banded Hip Activation
Banded Squats
Banded Trunk Twist
Banded Pass Thru
Banded Press

WOD:
"Jupiter"

3X
20 Wall Ball 20/14
20 SDHP 75/55
20 Box Jump 20"
20 Push Press 75/55
20 Cal Row
20 Push Up
5 Body Weight Back Squats

090916 "Mix It UP!"

Baseline:

Running and Agility:
High Knee Pulls
Quad Pulls
Elbow To instep
Marching High Kicks
High Knees
Butt Kickers
Power Carioca
Straight Leg Shuffle
Fig 4 Drills
Power Skip
Change Of Direction

4X Banded Buddy Pulls

WOD:

Round 1:
400m Run
26 KB Swing 53/35
26 GHD Sit Up

Round 2
26 KB Swing
400m Run
26 GHD Sit Up

Round 3

26 GHD Sit Up
26 KB Swing
400m Run

Round 4

400m Run
26 GHD Sit Up
26 KB Swing

*Rest 1:00 between Rounds and if class size is an issue, mix up round rotations to free up GHD space.

080916 "Blood.. A look Inside Yourself"

It does not matter if your are searching for optimal performance as an athlete or simply paying attention to your body as you age, testing your blood is one of the most simple and effective ways to see what's going on beneath your skin.

The concept of monitoring your blood panels is one of trends across the years. When we are young this doesn't even register but as we grow past our young adult lives the numbers can tell us important trends and even give us goals to shoot for. Trends in your blood serum levels can indicate disease, health and the aging of the system. You can adjust your nutrition of supplementation and see things turn around simply by just spiking the vein every so often. 

So what kinds of things can you see or test with your blood?

-Liver and kidney health
-Cholesterol, pH, vitamin and mineral deficiency (very easy and usually covered by insurance)
- Adrenal and hormone health. In particular, your thyroid which is the heart of the endocrine system and can tell you a lot about what's going on in the body.
-Cardiovascular health and Red Blood Cell function. By taking your blood you can see how well the cells are breathing, releasing energy and are being stressed!

Insurance normally can cover a yearly test of ;
-Complete Blood Count ( essential)
-Resting Blood Sugar (think pre-diabetes)
-Vitamin D deficiency (think brain and hormone health)
-Cholesterol ( ahhh. Kinda important if you eat like shit)
- Inflammation throughout the body

These tests listed above should be mandatory for you as a healthy person to test annually after the age of 35.... (That's my opinion I am not a doctor but I play one on TV)

So now... You do the tests.. Get the results... And it all looks confusing.. What do you do now? 

I have taken these tests and test there is a lot of information which is like another language as well as there is ranges that the tests list which label you as 'good' or 'deficient' or 'sick' or 'healthy'. Hell, doctors only look at the numbers, reference them on their sliding scale from a 1990's text book and send you on your way. 

There are companies which can interpret you results as well as some information on line. I hesitate to say that the Internet is a good source for your health matters but I have seen personal accounts and experts weigh in on important stuff that your local doctor has fuck all of an idea about!

Either way, trends are important and deficiencies need to be addressed. Simple tests can show you a lot without a ton of confusion. Next time you are scheduled to go in, please get screened for the above listed items. Bring me the results and we can go over them together. Great health and long life are important and its on your to make sure your machine is running right!

Baseline;

500m Row
25-15-10
Wall ball Push Press
Burpee

Snatch Warm Up
7 x romanian deadlift
7 x snatch high pull
7 x muscle snatch
7 x tempo overhead squat @ 23X1
7x snatch balance
7x power snatch to OHS (hold PSn receiving position each time, each rep little deeper)
7 x snatch pull under
7 x hang (squat) snatch

WOD:
16 Min AMRAP
200m Run
12 Hang Power Snatch 125/75
12 Pull Ups
Rest :30

070916 "Mental Strength is Primal"

I don't think all of you will be into this Neuroscience as much as myself but at least hear me out. Apart from being in tune with your physical attributes and limitations I also pay a keen mind to your mental stresses and strengths in different situations. 

My affinity for brain science goes beyond my own philosophical understanding of theory but in practical application, I want to make you better and help you overcome concepts like Fear, Anxiety and LIMITS. 

Brain 101- You have a brain. The brain is compartmentalized into different areas. One area in the front/Top of the brain is called the Pre-Frontal Cortex. It controls a lot of what you Feel, Express and Do. 

Your fear and anxiety, (yes admit to it everyone has some form of it), is controlled in this area of the brain. It is a primal adaptation through evolution which developed through our environmental streses. Today, we are consumed with a high-pace, High-stress life and so the neurons which govern our stress response are constantly firing. The neurons in control of our calm, relaxed state are not as active if they have no reason to be. 

To take back control of our calm and relaxed neurological process we must block out and ignore the environmental stressors which cause us to be constantly stressed or fearful. Think of a ARMY Ranger or NAVY SEAL, these warriors are taught to remain calm in the face of absolute fear and death! And it is not through some torture method that they reach this mastery. 

Purpose driven Conscious Effort!! That is what it takes. Be present in each moment, understand your breathing and controlling it, blocking stressors through evaluation and disregarding fear based thinking. These simple and Personal exercises are how we will regain our calm and powerful minds.

Baseline:

Barbell Calf Roll out/ Quad Smash

30 Partner Plank Hand Claps
30 partner Med ball Hand off over/Under
30 partner Leap Frogs
30 Partner Med Ball Toss

Skill Development:

4 Rounds Not For Time
7 Strict Ring Dips
9 Deficit HSPU 4/2"
11 Chin Ups

WOD:
Against a 7 Min Clock,
100 Wall ball Shots, Max Rep Slam Ball
Rest 2:00
Against a 5 Min Clock,
150 Double Unders, Max Rep Kipping Ring Dips
Rest 2:00
Against a 3 minute clock, 
50 Push Ups, Max Rep Bar Muscle Ups

060916 "Bam!. Spice it up a bit!"

Chewing some high fiber foods can be the best way to ensure that you are getting the right amount of nutrients in your diet. But what about the ones you can't just pop in your mouth and chew, namely Spicy Peppers?

Cayenne peppers offer us a ton of key nutrients in a small package. These little nuclear bug gas are packed with almost half the daily allotment of Viamin A which help keep your brain firing and your eyes strong. Also only one little pepper can give you a spicy serving of Vitamin E and C! Most importantly, peppers off all kinds contain flavonoids which are powerful anti-oxidants that protect the cells from free radicals floating around in your system. Black Pepper is chalked full of Piperine which can help absorption of things like Turmeric. OHHH... And there is also a link between cayenne pepper and weight loss by boosting your metabolism!!

So the benefits are there, now how can you get them in the body without smoking the mouth and pulling a Dumb and Dumber move?? 

Boil it down! That's right. You can truly use all the fresh peppers from your garden in a new way that will allow you to eat them at each meal if you prefer. All you need to do is take 2 liters of water, bring it to a boil with 10-15 peppers in the pot already. You can add in a splash of vinegar to help pull the goods out of the pepper. Reduce heat and let simmer for 30 minutes. Take it off the heat and let it cool. Strain the mixture and you will have a source of spice and nutrients that will last a while. 

You can mix chili pepper water with lemon juice and water for a general cleanse, you can mix it with your smoothies to get the benefits without the kick, you can add it to your ice cube tray and make a spicy ice cube to put in your Bloody Mary!!! Shoots. So many different ways to get the nutrients without burioning yourself out from the inside. 

Go ahead and give it a shot. In fact I dare you to shoot it... The spice may just kick start your day!

Baseline:

Squat Flow/ T spine Mobility

3X
2 Pass Through Agility Ladder
12 Jump Squats
12 Dynamic Push Up

Strength:
BackSquat
5-5-5-5
*Building
 

WOD:

6 Rounds for TIme
8 Box Jumps 24/20
8 Clusters 115/75
8 Knee To Elbow

050916 "Gatorade and the 'Organic' Loophole"

If you have been following my writings for a while you have probably read about a couple things that are always on my radar. #1, CrossFit and the army of Lawyers it employs is waging a war on the Sugar Sweetened Beverage Industry and #2 The tricky and misleading ways that the Food Industry uses to sell products and keep us from asking questions. 

Well.. I found another product and an associated article in the New York Times that I think you should read... HERE is the article ...

To elaborate and bring you up to speed on what has been happening is.. due to public outcry and legal allegations, the sports drink company Gatorade and its parent company Pepsi Co. has had to disclose some interesting information over the past year or so. Gatorade has admitted to producing biased science and feeding it to the public and universities. Gatorade has had to answer to allegations about false marketing and how it has used its marketing to sway favor to sell to kids and schools. 

As for the 'Organic' loop hole, this is a tactic that is used by practically every food product manufacturer now a days. To print the term Organic on packaging a company must display very loose guidelines are met and BAM!! they can plant that word front and center on their packaging. You as the consumer sees the Organic symbol as a testament that what you are about to purchase and consume is healthy. Rather, if you turn over the package what you will find is that many times the manufacturer has simply taken out High Fructose Corn Syrup and replaced it with a unhealthy dose of sugar or some kind of Soy product in Lieu of a wheat product. 

The truth is that packaging is marketing. Gatorade is a sports drink, not an apple. There is simply nothing beneficial from paying more for a drink that comes in so many colors and flavors. I will say that sports drinks have their place in replacing vital electrolytes when you are preforming long duration exercise. Otherwise WATER is the best drink you can put in your body. 

So please read the article above and educate yourself on what is going on and check out all the "ORGANIC" products in your pantry to see if they truly stack up... Live healthy my friends.

Baseline:
3X
:90 Breathing Exercise
:20 Breath Hold Exhale
:20 Breath Hold Inhale

500m Row
15-10-5
Single Leg KB Hinge
Superman To Hollow Rock
Bent Over Row

Strength:
Deadlift
3-3-3-3
*Building

WOD:
15 min EMOM
Min 1- :30 Deadlift @ 80% of 3 RM
Min 2- :45 Ab Mat Sit Up
Min 3- :30 Lateral Squat Jumps Over Bar

  

020816 "Liven Up your water"

Alright... I admit it.. Sometimes I peruse Pintrest to see what is going on in the creative world. I look at what people build, design and consume.. Mostly consume.. I like food.. A lot! 

So I was checking out  a few ideas pertaining to my challenge for all of you to stay more hydrated. What I found is nothing new but a pretty cool way to add a little boost to yogurt otherwise plain and sometimes smelly water bottle. 

Ready for it?? Gonna Blow your mind.... Ice Cubes...

Yep. Ice Cubes. Special ones though... Let's check out some ideas..

1) Blueberry and Raspberry Ice cubes. These Superfruits add lots of benefits to our diet. From hormone balancing, to triglyceride levels, to brain function... adding just a few berries to your ice cube tray before you pour in the water can give you extra flavor and vitamins to your diet.

2) Mint is good in whatever you put it in. Consuming the leaves gives you fiber as well as the oils in the leaves helps heal the gut if you have inflammation in your intestinal lining. 

3) Watermelon Juice. Watermelon Juice is the perfect recovery supplement. The juice is high in Vitamin A and has been shown to have a significant impact on y our lingering muscle soreness! Win win... Make your water taste better and ease the pain of training.. Hell ya!

4) Tea.. The benefits of tea have been documented for some time. With different blends and tea types you can help delay aging, repair your cells, fight cancer, boost your immune system... Anything and everything can be cured with tea. Simple and easy... You can boil your favorite blend and let it cool before putting it in your tray for freezing. If you like, sweeten the tea with a little STEVIA while you let it cool. 

5) Coconut Water... Electrolytes, Antifungal, Anti inflammatory, Alheimers prevention... Yep sign me up... You can get yo self some fresh coconut and pour that sweet nectar right in your tray for a tasty cube of deliciousness. 

The take away is keep up your water intake.. On a regular day it should be 4-5 liters depending on how much you weigh and your tendency to have a smaller bladder. If you are training or running the marathon you must drink more. Adding these ingredients to your water can help keep your mineral levels up so that you don't cramp or get fatigued!

Baseline:
Banded Movement Prep
15X
Banded Good Mornings
Banded Hip Activation"
Banded Squats
Banded Trunk Twists
Banded Pass Thru
Banded Press
Banded Pull Aparts
Banded Buddy Pulls

WOD:
"DT" 
*Ascending
10 Rounds For Total Time
12X Deadlift
9X Hang Power Clean
6 X Jerks

*begin @ 45/35 and add 10# each Round
*For competitors, practice changing plates quickly with clips.

010916 "the 411 on BCAA's"

BCAA's or Branch Chain Amino Acids are the building blocks of protein. BCAA's assist in muscle building and recovery from heavy exercise. In addition these building blocks also ensure that the brain and muscles are firing messages efficiently back and forth to each other. I take them, I love them, there are good ones and not so good ones, and you need to know how and why to take them. 

BCAA's are not just supplemental. You invest them in practically everything you eat and sometimes they can be in high quantities if you eat organic and unprocessed food. Primarily BCAA concentrations are highest in meat, fish, poultry, and legumes. With this being said, these essential pieces to your nutrition should be in your system before during and after training. 

The pre and post workout debate is one that has been fought for some time. What to take and when. To appropriately answer this question you must first know what the THING is your taking and what it does to your body. Fat, for instance, drives brain and neurological function and does not produce any high speed energy dumps so you can assume that immediately before and after your training it can be minimized. Protein, now that is different. Protein and BCAA's are something that the muscle tissue uses to constantly run during exercise. Adequately loading the system with protein before and after training will ensure that your muscles have it to grab!

Timing is also all about you!! Trying different things is an important aspect of being a optimal athlete. Most days you may like taking in your BCAA's after your workout or vice versa. Different training day require different demands on the body as well! On straight lifting days or skill days, you may not need to replenish the BCAA's as much as days when you hit the longer, more intense workouts. So test the water my friends. 

Most BCAA powders are dosed appropriately for one time use. If you are a competition athlete or someone who is doing a long duration marathon or paddle then you may want to space 2-3 separate doses of equal volume over the course of a few hours. Supplementation dosage like BCAA's and Carbohydrates need to be thought of in perspective of the demands on the body... So once again... test it out friends. 

Combining Electrolytes and BCAA's can help with hydration and cellular repair.

Combining Carbohydrates can give you an 'on the go' fuel for long duration work. 

Combining BCAA's and Protein up to 50 g is a perfect recovery amount for post training. 

Combining BCAA's and Creatine can speed up delivery and recovery time to muscles and reduce soreness and increase performance. 

Baseline:

Rotator Cuff and Lat Band Mobility

25-15-10 -AFAP
DB Renegade Rows
Alternating Knee To Elbow

Skill Development:
4 Rounds Not For Time
10 GHD Sit Up
12 Barbell Bent Over Rows 135/95
10 GHD Hip Extension
12 Floor Press

WOD:
10 RFT
1 Legless Rope Climb
11 Burpee
22 Double Unders

* Compare to 1/27/16 and 4/22/16

310816 "Practical Paleo"

Tonight I wanted to share a website that is full of nutrition and real world solutions to our food lifestyle. Trying to find balance in our lives between our daily family duties and our eating schedule is important. Just as in our Fitness regiment we stay aware, take notes, and learn from others. 

I use this same approach in my own life where I reach out to people with more knowledge than myself to guide me towards ideas that will make my life easier. Nutrition is something that is super important and If you value your kids health as much as I do mine, it is worth the homework!

So...

Practical Paleo  is a website that helps me in my search for balance. I would like you to check the site out for meal ideas and insights into how to 'hack' the nutrition life that you so desire. From shopping lists to menu ideas, this site really puts a real world twist on a topic that seems sometimes out of each. 

You know what you want. All it takes is the same research and dedication that you put into your training in the gym!

Baseline:

Agility Warm Up
Power Carioca- Explosive Hip Flexion
Quick Foot Hip Swivel- More foot strikes the better
One Foot Lateral Hop- side to side 10m
Lateral Bounding- one foot land and take off
Lateral Ladder Drills- to cones

Lacrosse Ball Toss Game

Turkish Get Up Progression X6
-Arm Bar
-KB Sit Up
-Hip Bridge
-Kneeling Press
-Lunge
-KB Clean and Press
-Windmill

Strength:
Push Press
3-3-3-3
Push Jerk
1-1-1-1
* push Press begins at the same weight as last push press
*ascending

WOD:

For Time
400m Run
30 toes To bar
800m Run
30 Handstand Push Ups
400m Run

300816 "Men! Take Warning !"

It is not just Skinny jeans that is taking away the manhood of many american men. Without sounding all doom and gloom, our food is tainted with chemicals that boost our estrogen hormones, our food is devoid of vitamins and minerals that limit our testosterone production, and most men could stand to lose 20 pounds..

I have brought up enough points for 5 blog posts so I'll stick to one that e can have direct control over, Supplementing our nutrition . In particular I want to talk about ZINC. 

Zinc is essential for a host of metabolic aspects including boosting your immune system ( think zinc lozenges), keeping your thyroid dumping the right hormones and a very important aspect to our training is testosterone production. 

Zinc and magnesium are frequently paired together as they complement the recovery process in the body especially while you are sleeping. Testosterone is essential for muscle growth and during your sleeping hours is when it it overwhelmingly produced. 

If you are eating organic, meats, eggs, beans and yogurt then you are probably getting ample amounts of zinc although that probably doesn't happen. Conventional farming and animal production is like bleaching all food of their nutrients in the same way that overcooking foods can do. 

So men! Lets keep it organic, eh! Source your food from the most pure sources possible. Supplementation is also essential. There are lots of products that include zinc. What you want to aim to consume is up to 40mg of zinc per day.  Do this and your testosterone and performance will reward you!

Baseline:

Musical Med Balls W/ Jump Lunge Penalty

Med ball Warm Up

Skill Development:

Gymnasty 10
Linear Bounding
3X Forward Rolls
:15 Handstand Hold
5X Ring Dip Negatives

WOD:
3 Rounds for total reps
:60 at each station
KB Snatch 53/35
Box Jump
Wall Ball
OH Plate Lunges 45/25
Rest

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290816 "The art of breathing under stress"

There is much to learn about fitness. The way to move, the way to approach stress, even the way to breath. As this is such a natural movement of inhalation and exhalation, discussion rarely takes place on the most efficient way to do it !

As you are sitting in front of your computer now you may notice that your natural breathing is taking place in and out through your nose. Your chest rise and fall is rather shallow, meaning that your upper torso seems to be the only thing moving. This is typical of a resting position. Your body is only demanding a minimal amount of O2 to keep things running smooth. 

By and large breathing through the nose takes in much less O2 than breathing through the mouth. Lately I have been doing breathing exercises where I breath deeply through the mouth, filling the diaphragm and then exhaling with force. Keep in mind that I am in a resting position so this process (when done over :90) makes me quite euphoric as I super oxygenate my body and practically hyperventilate. The point is, while at rest nose breathing suffices for all our needs. 

Mouth Breathing during workouts or sprinting is the most efficient way to keep your body oxygenated. What you should keep in mind is that when using your mouth to take in O2, remember to breath deep through the diaphragm. What tends to happen is the shoulders, back and chest tighten up when we are stressed, creating a shallow breath situation. I see this most commonly with beginning athletes. 

As we approach the trail run I have a challenge for you. It is simple, "DO MORE WITH LESS". What I want you to practice on your training runs or during intense workouts in the gym is to consciously breath only through your nose! The out come, (as I have tried this a bit) is that you will have to breath deeper, longer and more forceful. You will have to loosen up your tight torso and let your diaphragm expand. Through this training your lung capacity will improve and you will notice that fitness anxiety will wash away... You will be focused on your breath and not the pain !!! 

So stay conscious and become the best athlete that you want to be. Keep up the training and look for my TIPS on how to be successful in the trial run written up at the Gym!!

Baseline:

2X
10 Leg Swings
10 Elbow To Instep
:20 Calf Stretch
1X
800m Run

Squat Flow and Pulliung Prep

Skill Development:
Front Squat
3-3-3-3

WOD:
"Good Times"
10-1
Body Weight Front Squat
Chest To bar Pull Up

*this is a benchmark workout that I devised and is a great test of your capacity and strength!