260117 "Timing your Coffee drinking is Critical"

One of the greatest joys in my daily routine is the morning shots of espresso. SOmething about hearing my machine warm up helps me wake up and makes me smile on the inside. Sound familiar? For Millions of us, Coffee is not only a joy but many times... a necessity. I am a big proponent of coffee for numerous reasons but as athletes we need to pay attention to how and when we take it. 

The problem is performance. 

Coffee has nutritional benefits and health benefits but drinking coffe also activates certain enzymes in the body which can stunt or depleate your body of vital nutrients as well. Take for instance Zinc and Calcium. According to the Journal of Internal Medicine, caffeine consumption of 150mg can flush your body of 5mg of calcium. Calcium is also not absorbed well in the intestines due to caffeine effects. Calcium is important for producing strong bones and preventing arthritis. Zinc is also vital for performance and immune health and when caffeine is consumed, enzymes are activated in the stomach which inhibit uptake. 

The precaution I am suggesting is to avoid taking a multi-vitamin or dense mineral supplement in the morning if you are about to get your morning DRANK on!. 

Coffee is a diuretic. You pee a lot when you drink a lot. 

If you are a performance athlete who needs an extra pick up before a workout, awesome. I'm on board with that. Stay away from other pre-workout chemicals. But if you are also a fan of taking in your BCAA's, Protein, or other supps before a workout, I would do some research into how those react with caffeine. B12 for instance is absorbed more after coffee drinking which is important for red blood cells but Vitamin D gets passed right through the digestive tract when caffeine is injested with it. 

Timing out your coffee is important. 

The body is pretty smart. It can turn things on and turn things off pretty quickly. Enzymes and proteins are constantly being activated and produced. Coffee has the best effect on performance when taken at least an hour before your workout. This allows for a quick pre-workout BCAA mix to be taken right before the workout without adverse effects and post workout protein and carbs can be processed in the GUT exactly like they should. 

This is just some info for you to process as we approach our training. Optimal performance is intrinsically tied to our nutrition; and even if you are eating the right stuff, it does not mean that you are absorbing all of it!. You are one big science experiment so test and retest your nutrition against your training. Good luck and keep pushing hard. 

1/26

Baseline: 

KB Calf Roll out 3 Minutes 

:20 @ each 

Shoulder rolls 

Arm swing 

Up back overs 

Push ups 

Piked Handstand push ups 

Russian twists 

Sit ups 

V ups 

Hip touches 

Double Under Progression 

-Single leg hops 

-single unders 

-high jump singles 

-cadence drills 3,2,1 

WOD: 

“The Fighter” 

3 Minutes at each, 1 min rest between rounds. 

Burpee 

Box Jump Overs 24/20 

Push Press 95/55 

Double Unders 

*compare to 10/24/16 

* This is a workout that Cristin and I made in tribute to IRISH MICKEY WARD the Boxer. Mention that… 

1/27

Baseline: 

Banded Hamstring 

Banded Iron Cross 

Scorpion Stretch 

Contra lateral Hip/ Arm Reach and hold (on all 4’s, reach limbs away from each other) 

W/ Barbell 

3X 

10 Romanian Deadlift 

10 Bent Over Row 

10 Sumo Deadlift 

Skill Development: 

Deadlift 

3X5 @ 85% 

WOD: 

14 Minute AMRAP 

25 Med Ball Clean 

15 Sit Up 

10 Pull Up

240117 "The 2 Veggies you need to eat this week PT. 4"

Well we have made it to the end of January already. I can't believe how fast this month has flown. Already the comments and questions are pouring into my facbook messenger about how to stay focused as we go deeper into 2017. As I have been saying, 'Little Changes in your lifestyle, add up to great things in the long run'. 

As we have been doing this month, the weekly challenge has been to try out 2 new veggies each week that may not always be on our radar in the grocery store. Today I have two great ones for you, shittake Mushrooms and Seaweed.

Shiitake Mushrooms and mushrooms in general are either loved or hated by most people. There is really no middle ground except when they are added to a hearty tomato sauce and completely drowned out. Shiitake mushrooms are have a huge variety in how you cook them and even more in their nutrient profile. 

Mushrooms, If you have been avoiding them, give us an amazing amount of Vitamin D, Vitamin B, potassium, magnesium and protein! Mushrooms are easily found in the grocery store with most being NON-GMO and Organic. Shiitake Mushrooms are precisely the thing that you need to be eating this winter to help keep your Vitamin D levels up and boost your immune system from all the Booger Eaters out there!

Cooking with Shiitake can be very diverse;
-cook them with Coconut Milk, broth and ginger for a great soup.
-add them to an easy stir fry with your choice of veggies and meat. Use Coconut Aminos instead of Soy Sauce!
- eat them raw!

Adding Seaweed to your diet is a must if you are a hard training athlete. Seaweed or 'NORI" balances the adrenal system. Adrenal Fatigue is something that not just stressed out office workers get. It can happen to athletes as well. High Intensity Training is very taxing on the body so replenishing your kidneys with nutrients is key. Seaweed also gives you enough Omega-3 fatty acids as some stapes like avocados and nuts. Balancing Hormones in the thyroid is another gray benefit of seaweed. 

Finding seaweed is easier than you might think. I know that my kids love the seaweed packs from Costco and if you are looking at your local grocery store, chances are that you will find it in the Asian food isles. 

Cooking with Seaweed goes like this;
-eat it raw in sheets or strips
-order sushi rolls (its the wrapping)
- chop up the sheets in fine bits, add sesame seeds and a little oil. Coat the outside of your fish with it and cook on the grill or in a pan.

This month you have all stepped outside your comfort zones and real made a few little changes to your lifestyle. The other cool aspect is that you have stayed conscious of the positive change that is occurring in your life. Lets stay focused on February where I will roll out a new set of challenges. February is when we gear up for the CrossFit Games Opens (my favorite time of year) so the challenges will be nutritionally 'performance' based. Stay tuned!

1/24
Baseline:
Lat band Mobility/ Bull Stretch
Banded scapula distraction( lat band set up,lean forward over band)
-split class into 3 groups.
-have them cycle through the following exercises for 4 rounds
-:90 at each station
-legless rope climb, hip bridge rope climb, rope lower, strict chin up (practice weakness)
- Planked Ring Support (feet elevated on box, push up position on rings)
-Double unders
WOD:
4 rounds for time,
2 legless Rope Climb (scale to previously mentioned exercises)
15 Double KB Thruster
15 Toe To Bar, (scale to Plank+Tuck Jump)
1/25
Baseline:
W/ a partner, alternate between
16X :20 work :10 Rest
-row
-banded good mornings + hip activation
Lunge Flow: Elbow To Instep, ankle roll out, hamstring pulses, t-spine reach, pigeon
-take atheltes outside and work Change of Direction drills.
-planted leg pivot
-swing knee HIGH up and around
-turn hips and head.
-arm swing
WOD:
7X
2 minutes of work / 2 minutes of rest
50m Shuttle Sprint
12 DB ground to Overhead 40/30
Max Calorie Row
*score is total amount of calories across all rounds. Look for consistency.
** this is a 28 minute workout. Warm up should be focused and fast. Stay on time!!

200117 "Hold it.. Isometrics for strength"

Over the years I have coached many people through their first pull up. It is a a goal for many that really marks a milestone in achievement. Pull Ups are hard. I also have given lots of advice to ahtletes over the years when they ask me how to get stronger at pull ups; and my answer always is.... not so surprisingly... do more pull ups. But when the rubber meets the road, there are certain tricks I use that go well beyond training the entire movement itself. 

Isometrics involves holding a static position throughout the Range of Motion of a movement.

A pull up for instance has three distinct areas of particular muscle recruitment. For the sake of getting too far out in anatomy land Ill just say they are the initial pull, mid pull and finish pull and beyond. Muscles work in coordination with each other during all movements and if you are weak in a certain portion of a movement ROM then  you are a great candidate for isometrics. 

There are a TON of articles, studies and opinions about the subject of isometrics and building mass and strength. It is said that you can recruit more power and strength in isometrics than is possible in both concentric and eccentric phases of muscle activation See HERE . The strength gains that are possible in isometrics apply to not just gymnastic movements either!

Consider your Olympic lifts. For those of you who follow my programming and train with me I do mid pull Hangs and holds at the knee position. When you are pulling a barbell from the floor at speed there is very little time for your to perfect the midline strength and neural conditioning to keep your chest over the bar, hamstrings loaded and back and midline engaged. Isometrics allows us to focus on the balance and strength necessary to keep the bar rising in the right position. Over the course of 8 sets of :15 , pausing pull from the ground, you will develop the awareness and strength necessary to improve your pull from the ground. Not to mention your back and midline get strong as shit!!

Now back to the pull up. Many people struggle getting their chest to the bar. The extra ROM an pull it takes to get those extra inches takes serious strength and power. Scaling the movement so that you perhaps use a resistance band to get your chest to the bar and holding for :20 before lowering, will definitely get your back nice and fired up. Along with a good pump, you will feel the muscles that you have to engage in order to get the work done so there will be both a hypertrophy benefit and a neuro-physiological benefit. 

The work continues my friends. These types of hold should be looked at as skill development days. When programming isometrics you will work very hard in your :20-:60 holds. If you want to lift or do conditioning after the isometric workout, leave those muscles trained alone! You want the body to adapt and not break down. If you are building mass, make sure to take in adequate amounts of BCAA's right after your workout to ensure muscle growth. 

Keep it real in 2017. Try new stuff, even if that means slowing down and focusing on certain isometric holds. Your strength will improve and your optimal self will be revealed. 

Baseline: 

Banded Hamstring 

Banded Iron Cross 

Scorpion Stretch 

Contra lateral Hip/ Arm Reach and hold (on all 4’s, reach limbs away from each other)

W/ Barbell 

3X 

10 Romanian Deadlift 

10 Bent Over Row 

10 Sumo Deadlift 

Skill Development: 

Deadlift 

3X5 @ 85% 

WOD: 

14 Minute AMRAP 

25 Med Ball Clean 

15 Sit Up 

10 Pull Up

180117 "How LEUCINE builds muscle faster"

Training 'on the go' has its benefits and its down falls. You come into the gym, crush a session and then you are out the door and on to your daily life. First off, that's badass. The fact that you are dedicated to your health and fitness adds years and quality to your life. But lets take a look at what happens after training and question your nutritional needs and the actualities of your food intake. 

All manner of training from aerobic to anaerobic produce physiological and hormonal changes in your body to help fuel you through exercise, and keep the muscles hydrated. As the sugars in your muscle cells are depleated, your body begins to search for all manner of fuel sources. We strive to pre-load our nutrition so that there is ample amounts for the body to fuel on or else it begins a gnarly process of breaking down muscle protein!

Chances are... it happens.. It happens to me, it happens to most. We either dont fuel enough or not just right and our performance suffers. What happens inside the body is essentially a wave of hormone flooding to all parts of the muscle, searching for protein to break down for fuel. The process is called protein catabolism (breakdown). But fear not, there is a way to stop this from happening as long as you focus on post-workout nutrition. 

Now bring in Leucine, one of the 3 Branch Chain Amino Acids. You have read and seen a lot about BCAA's both in my blogs as well as many supplements including protein supplements. BCAA's are the building blocks of proteins and your body needs them to rebuild and recover. Leucine is special though. 

Remember that wave of hormones that washes though your body during exercise, searching for protein and other fuel sources to keep you going? Leucine is the BCAA that puts a stop to protein breakdown and helps the rebuilding process. It's like a gracious mediator who comes to calm a volatile situation and helps make the situation better.

Leucine is present in all protein that you injest on a whole food diet. The key is breakdown time. Leucine, even in a normal WHEY protein, takes a while to breakdown and release into the blood stream; so even if you are refueling with good Whole Foods after exercise, your muscles could be still suffering breakdown while nutrients get released. 

Leucine after your workout is something you should look into.  This fact and recommendation is especially true for competitive atheltes who need to get back to work with only short breaks between exercises. In addition to your normal post-workout routine, add this vital nutrient and get right back at it! 

Here is my post- workout advice;
-1-2 Scoops of post workout Protein
-50-70 g carbohydarates
-2-2.5 grams of leucine

Give it a shot and see how your recovery time and performance are effected. As I have always said, it is not necessarily how you perform in a workout that determines your overall fitness, its how fast you can recover! Good luck and keep Striving to be the best version of yourself.

Wednesday:
Baseline:In gym or outside ,

-high knees

-booty whackers

-marching high kicks

-side shuffle

-high skip

-Carioca

-plyo step W/ arm Swing

-figure4 drill

-sprint starts

-banded buddy pulls

Squat Flow; kang, internal rotation, hip bridge, PNF, Elbow to Instep, T spine rotation

Strength Day! Work this for approx. 18 Minutes. Make it look good. 

Back Squat

5X6 @ 75% 

:90 rest in between each set

Conditioning:

3X 800m Repeats

Rest = 1:1

Thursday 1/19

Baseline;

Mash Out Calves and Hips with lacrosse ball for 5 minutes

Double under Progression 7 Minutes

- singles

- High singles

- Cadence drills

- Double Unders

Practice handstand Kick Ups and Wall Walks for 5 minutes.

Warm Up Burner Should only take 5 Minutes

30-20-10

Double Unders

Shoulder Taps

High Knees

Have the atheltes bring heart rate down and have them notice how long it takes !!

WOD:

16 Minute AMRAP

55 Double unders

10' Handstand Walk (sub 2 Wall Climbs or 5 Kick up to Handstand hold)

20 Slam Balls

10 Strict Pull Ups

160117 "The two veggies you need to eat this Week Pt.3"

Can you believe that the New Year is already 3 weeks in! I have already flown over 15,000 miles already! Time flies when you live on an airplane.. But the reality that life does not slow down for you should harden your resolve about obtaining optimal health in 2017. 

If you are just picking this thing up, for the last few weeks I have been challenging each of you to step outside your comfort zone and cook, prepare, and eat two Vegetables each week that may not be in your regular shopping basket at the grocery store. 

The global with eating varied veggies is that it not only expands your vegetable language, if you will, but it also ensures that you are consuming the widest variety of micronutrients that are necessary for great health. 

This week I pose to you 2 veggies that are common though many dont usually cook with them at home. They are Beets and Watercress. 

If there was one veggie that always walks around tougher and more potent than the others it would be the Beet. This Root Veggie has many different shades and colors but it is truly a powerhouse of vitamins and minerals. The dark color of the beet tells you that it is full of the phytophenols, otherwise big time cancer killers. Anti-inflammatory vegetables decrease organ inflammation as well as muscle inflammation; this means that free radicals are flushed out of the body even on the organ level. 

Beets are really high in nitrates. Nitrates are synthesized in your liver and gut to produce Nitric Oxide which is a vast-dialator. Vado-dialators are chemicals that open the blood vessels allowing more blood to pass. This is important to atheltes who are either trying to build endurance and also trying to speed recovery. More blood to muscles = more oxygen! 

Cooking whole beets is super simple. Simply clean the excess dirt off the skin after you purchase them, wrap them in foil and bake them like a potato. Once they have softened you can dice them, peel them, juice them... the choices are endless. I prefer mine with some got cheese and arugula!

Another way is to slice them into thin strips and bake them with salt and pepper. Basically you create Beet chips that are great as a snack you can feel good about eating. 

Watercress came to mind tonight because it lies just outside most peoples grocery basket. Watercress is a superfood but it does not get the attention that kale and spinich do because of how it is grown and sold. Watercress is also an ancient green, used by many civilizations including. The Scottish and British. It has broad, small leaves and has a nice spice to it in the same way that arugula does. 

Watercress also makes its way to my beet salad often!

As a superfood, Watercress combines the potency of Viamin K, A, C with the mineral profile that is super diverse. The gut health benefits are obvious but the real cool aspect to watercress is its ability to reduce the damage that the DNA in your cells undergo on a daily basis. Prolonging the life of your cells is akin to keeping you younger... longer. So eat some watercress, y'all.

I dont cook with it often but I am sure there are many ways that it can add some goodness to your prepared dishes. What I do use it for is toppings on sandwiches, salads, and anywhere I feel greens need to be added. 

Watercress is not a GMO food as well which means that most of the product you can buy are going to pack the same healthy punch every time. 

So once again the challenge has been thrown down to you amazing folks. I encourage you to get outside your comfort zone with these two veggies and have some fun with them. Obtaining optimal health is going to be the journey we go on together this year and I am feeling psyched about it. I'm working hard too. Lets do it!

Baseline:

:40 Plank Hold

:40 Lunges

:40 Plank Push Ups (from plank to elbows and back up)

:40 Squats

:40Superman Hold

:40 Jump Lunges

:40 Hollow Hold 

:40 Jump Squats

:40 PLank Hold

Lunge Flow : Ankle Rotations, Elbow To Instep, Tspine Reach, Hamstring Pulses, Pigeon Stretch

Tricep Mobility W/ Band

Power Clean Progression:

7@ Each

-clean lift off

-jump shrug

-high hang muscle clean

-high hang power clean

-high hang squat clean

-mid thigh squat clean 

-below knee squat clean

-below knee power clean

Take 10 Minutes to build to workout weight.

WOD:

"The Chief"

Compare to 9/14/15

5X 3 Min AMRAPS

Rest 1 minute between AMRAPS

3 Power Clean 135/95

6 Push Up

9 Squats

100117 "Going beyond Organic"

It seems every day now I get into a conversation on Facebook or in person about food. I love that. As many of you know I have been writing about food and health for many years now and we slowly have been exposing and looking deeper into topics that will help us transcend the norm. Today i pose a more grandeous challenge of looking past the labels on your food in the store and getting closer to the source. 

I have been touting the importance of farmers markets for some time and many of you have stepped outside your grocery store and seen the amazing potential that lives in your local markets. What I challenge you to do, (other than diversifiyting your daily menu), is to make an attempt to get closer to your food source in 2017. 

The Organic symbol on your packaged food has become a beacon of hope for many. Some live by  it. Many search it out because they believe that it is truth and a path towards better health. If this is you, you are not wrong. Keeping the organic products in your basket will help promote the farmers and keep pesticides and herbicides out of your body. 

Going beyond your grocery store will help connect you with your food. Meeting the farmer, meeting the rancher; this brings a further connection to food. Carrots dont always have to be perfectly straight and orange, dirt is ok to have on your veggies, maybe seeing a little hair still on you meat just might Be ok... 

To be connected to your food is to feel more blessed to be nourished by it. Appreciation for your Applebee's dinner only goes so far and when your perception of food is one of a nutritious ingredient wrapped neatly in plastic, you lose connection. 

Go beyond Organic and find a way to either grow a garden or meet a farmer. The ripple effects of building relationships and a greater community is so damn important. Seriously, if you want to feel a part of something bigger... be a part of your food chain! It is simple and available to everyone. 

I will get off my soapbox now and let you return to your life. Thanks for reading and keep striving for optimal health. 

Baseline:

BANDED MOB, 

Lat band

Bully Stretch

Banded Squats/ Hip Activation

10m High Knees

10m Butt Kickers

10m Side Shuffle 

10m Carioca

10m Bear Crawl

10m Squat Jump (frog hops)

10 Jumping Pull Up

10 Negative Pull Ups

10 Ring Rows

10 Strict Pull Ups

*Instruct on the Kipping C2B pull Up. 

-push/pull 

-skip

-bridge

-modify to Australian pull up or banded C2B

WOD:

"Good Times"

10-1

Bodyweight Front Squat 

Chest To bar Pull Up

090117 "The 2 Veggies you should eat this week, Pt.2"

This weeks edition of the 2 veggies you should eat has do do with one veggie that I admittedly do not cook with often and one that I do eat often. Both are on the fringes of what is normally prepared for our daily menus but are great substitutes for what we already consume. This week we are going to buy and prepare Turnips and Tomatillos!

Turnips are a root vegetable that can be substituted for potatoes although they have a slightly more acidic flavor if cooked alone. Unlike other starchy root veggies, the turnip contains a huge list of beneficial vitamins and minerals. An entire spectrum of B vitamins as well as Vitamin C, niacin and folate is just some of the great nutrients in the root veggie. 

Finding Turnips is not hard, its just that they are usually tucked in the side vegetable section with things like Collard Greens and Okra. With that being said, Turnips are usually sold with their tops still attached. The greens on the top of the turnip can also be used in soups, sauces, sautéed alone and give you lots of vitamins as well.

Here are a few prep ideas;

-In soups, let em stew. Just like a potato they will absorb liquid and become soft. They will also absorb flavor which will add depth to the meal.
- Mashed. Boil and strain like potato. Add Onion, oil, thyme, garlic and a little rosemary for a side dish that can stand alone!
-Roasted. Just like other root veggies, oil and salt them and place them on a bake sheet until soft and top with other herbs for a awesome flavor.

Next is the Tomatillo. I swear my wife is the only one that cooks with Tomatillos on Kauai and yet I'm so thankful that the grocery store orders them . So if we can get them on Kauai, you can for sure get them wherever you are. Tomatillos are like little green tomatoes that come wrapped in a papery husk. Once the husk is peeled away, the hesitation with cooking Tomatillos is gone really fast. 

Tomatillos are #1 full of fiber. Not that regular tomatos dont have fiber but the color and density denotes a more concentrated amount of both. Tomatillos are less likely to be GMO so your quantities of Vitamin C, Potassium, phosphorus, magnesium, zinc and selenium. Overall the Tomatillo is an all around healthy round veggie. Plus it has many uses. 

Traditionally the Tomatillo is used in Mexican and South American Cooking. We normally see it as green salsa. The tomatillos are roasted, blended with spices and served as a topping on all kinds of food. But the cooking potential is there for sure;

-roasting. To roast is to bring out flavors in many veggies including the tomatillo. Simple salt and oil will do fine. 
-Raw. Diced up small and placed on salads or for a ceviche would be perfect. 
- Boiled. You can cube and boil the tomatillo to soften before you blend or roast it. 
-Simmer. Putting it in sauces and soups will allow it to cook down and soften. Add flavors and have at it. 

So There is this weeks challenge. I hope you are working to make little changes like these, breaking from the ordinary and routine. To expand you must try new things and it is easy when you are doing it in the kitchen . Try these couple veggies in a host of different ways and find a way that you like. I promise you will be stoked in the end. Keep striving and exploring. 2017 is the year of optimal health, follow me and Ill get you there!

Baseline:

500m Row

18-15-12

Med Ball Up and Overs (SPLIT REPS BETWEEN LEGS)

Berry Pickers 

Elbow To Instep Lunges

250m Row (fast)

Barbell Prep:

10X 

-Romanian deadlift

-sumo deadlift

-upright Row

-bent over row

-Press

-push Press

Deadlift 

In 5 sets build to 80% of deadlift max,

Perform 5X5 @80%. Rest :90 between

WOD:

27-21-15-9

Sumo Deadlift High Pull 

Push Press

75/55, 95/65, 115/75, 135/95

*Practice changing weights on the fly, work fast!

060117 "Calculating Net Carbs???"

An article from my favorite NeuroScientist, Dr. Perlmutter, sheds lighten an important aspect of the carbohydrates that you are consuming. 

Read the Blog Post HERE

Simply, the article and the thought process behind determining how many carbohydrates you are consuming comes down to how much fiber is in your carbohydrates. Fiber is classified as a carbohydrate but Fiber does nothing to raise you blood sugar levels and so are essentially 'net zero' when it comes to calculating the overall effects of the food you are eating. 

Celery for instance very much a carbohydrate but is also very fibrous. So if a serving contains 10 g of carbs, 3-5g may be simply fiber so there is an automatic reduction in the total amount of grams consumed. On the other hand, Juice has little to no fiber and therefore all the carbs in juice go straight to increasing your blood sugar. No Bueno. 

For many of you the New Year is a restart. You are back to weighing and measuring your carbs, fas and proteins. That is awesome. I encourage a little refresh on how yo eyeball the right amount of protein, fats and carbs that should be in each meal. As we are consuming anywhere between 35-50% of each meal in carbs lets understand that our portions need to be more fibrous rather than not. 

What this means for carbs is more dense ones and less naturally sugary ones. More kale, less fruit. More apples and less bananas. More sweet potatoes and less russets. Remember its the little changes that make big differences. 

Factoring 'net carbs' can be tricky so leave it to the specialty websites to do it for you. I like simplicity so just think about the fiber content of each thing that you eat. How dense is it? Is is sweet? What color is it? Your all amazing and really noticing these things about your food will make you more conscious and more appreciative o each and everything you get to nourish your body with. Eat conscious my friends!

Baseline:

Baseline

Row 500m 

2X 

12 Banded Good Mornings

12 Iron Cross

12 Scorpion 

Row 500m 

*If need, low back roll out or hamstring Banded distractions.

W/ Barbell and light weight

3X 8 

Romanian Deadlift

Bent Over Row

Using an existing deadlift Number, work quickly to 70% and warm Up with a 4X5, then back off to Workout weight.

WOD:

21-15-9

Deadlift 225/155

Burpee Box Jump Overs. * sub Burpee over bar for novice

*Frickin Fast!

Cool Down with 800m Run .

050117 "Screw the VO2 Max, Lets train Lactate Threshold!"

For a long time the physiological marker of ones' VO2 max has been a symbol for how fit an athlete is and often been touted as a predictor of how one will perform. Not any more. Since High Intensity Interval Training was brought into the Endurance world not too long ago, the paradigm has shifted from your 'ability' to how you 'train'.

In the above 'ability vs. training' viewpoint, in lies the big difference as to why I believe that training your Lactate Threshold is a better aspect to train if you are someone who cares about performance. Lets break it down.

VO2 max is your bodies ability, more precisely your muscles ability, to scoop up oxygen that is circulating throughout your body. V= Volume taken in by the Lungs and 02= amount of oxygen in your veins after your muscles have grabbed what they need for work output. What science has found is that your VO2 max is pretty much determined by genetics at birth. Yes genetics. What your mom and dad gave you is more than just dashing good looks and long legs, they gave you (in a large part) the basis of your athletic make up! Now this marker can be trained for sure. There are years of tested and true science to back up an endurance training model that boosts your ability to grab and use oxygen. 

But what about the work? 

From endurance athlete to Football player we all must do work. Our work even in daily life can be arduous. Your lactate threshold or your bodies ability to preform a given amount of work before tiring is the gold standard of performance. Irregardless of how you process oxygen, the physiological capability to 'go the distance' is what matters in the end. Lactate Threshold training therefore is developed through hard work. Pushing the boundaries of your muscle limits often in training will build the adaptation to process oxygen better. Essentially you train to do more with less!

Ask any Marine and they can tell you all about that!

CrossFit provides a sound foundation for Threshold training when done correctly. Like an elegant dance, you have to know when and how to push hard and when not to over do it. Muscle damage and injuries can occur when done incorrectly. 

A great way to train threshold outside the gym is by simply putting together a Sprint interval workout with work to rest at 1:3. Or even a body weight exercise circuit that uses reps or timing to do more each attempt. For instance, a workout done WK1 =10 reps per exercise at a moderate pace , the next week WK2 you can decrease the reps but perform them with higher intensity or increase them and match your previous time. 

The combinations are too numerous to mention but keeping your eyes on your threshold will build performance and produce the best version of you as an athlete. Work hard and never let yourself slide. Mental strength is a correlate of physical strength. 

Baseline:

Banded Tricep Stretch

Banded Pass Thru

Banded Press

Banded Hip Activation 

Banded Squats

C&J Warm Up

7X 

High Pull

Shrug, pull, catch

Front Squat +2 Press

Mid Thigh Pwr Clean to FS +2 Push Press

Below Knee Hang clean + 2 Push Jerks

Split Jerk (alternating Legs)

Take 12 Minutes building this complex,

2 Hang Power Clean

1 Press

2 Push Press

2 Split Jerks (Alternatning Legs)

WOD:

5X

5 Hang Power Clean 135/95

10 SHoulder To Overhead

*Goal is sub 10. No one should go over 12.

040117 "How to beat the Flu... Naturally"

New Years 2017 began with both my kids losing their voices, getting sore throats and essentially becoming completely useless and zombies. Great right? But it is that time of year, Flu Season. The aches, chills, fatigue, and just overall feeling crappy are just some of the fun ways that this virus can manifest itself. Well, if you are like me and run away from the flu shot, there is another more natural way to beat the flu this year. 

Vitamin D. Vitamin D has long been known to help out with the musculoskeletal-skeletal system and the immune system. For some time, science publications have backed up the essential Vitamins' ability to repair and boost the body's ability to ward off disease.  But anti- Viral?

The flu is a Virus. A virus works by implanting itself into your cells and then replicating over and over again, infecting certain areas of the body or many times the entire system. The flu virus many times is inhaled through the air which is why the common flu has an element of respiratory tract dysfunction. Vitamin D foods and supplementation are the natural way to boost the anti-microbial and anti-viral enzymes in your body. 

Vitamin D is unique in that your liver actually boosts its potency when certain peptides interact. Therefore, even if you are not absorbing as much sunlight during the winter months, you can still eat your way to immunity! Some great Vitramin D Foods are;

-Mushrooms (many different varietals)
- Salmon (lots of fatty acids as well!)
-Tuna
-Sardines
-Organic and Grass Fed Eggs
- Beef Liver (thus the correlation between absorbtion and synthesis)

Supplementation of Vitamin D3, D2 are also a possibility. I highly recommend the Pure Pharma brand D3 but other high quality supplements are good as well. In fact, many of our common foods are fortified with Vitamin D to make up for the fact that we simply don't get enough! 

Go wild with supplementation. The body can handle much higher levels of Vitamin D than what is listed as the RDA on your bottles of supps. During the winter months, (flu season), I actually encourage it. Off hand I think that you can take up to 10,000 IDUs per day and not be over doing it. A normal supplement dose is around 2-4,000 IDUs. 

Staying healthy this winter and during the peak sickened season is essential. We have training to do, dammit! So check out your food stocks and buy some Vitamin D laden foods and if you are not on a supplement year for Vitamin D, get on it! Train hard my friends but take care of your health. It's all we have in the end!

Baseline:
Banded Hip Distraction Mobility

Kettle Bell Warm Up

20X Reps At each with Light KB

-Twist around the head

-Trunk Twist

-Wood Chop L

-Wood Chop R

-one arm strict press L

-one arm Strict press R

-Sumo Deadlift

-high pull

-goblet squat

-single arm swing L

-single arm swing R

-Windmill L

-Windmill R

2X :20

-Up Dog Pose Hold

-Alternating Knee To Elbow

-V Ups

WOD:

3 X 5 Min AMRAPS. W/ :90 rest Between

6-9-12-15-18 - Rep Scheme

Single Arm Kb swing L

Toes To bar

Double Unders

Single Arm KB Swing R

*ascending rep scheme for each amrap, goal is consistency and speed. 

Cash Out W/ 

100 Hip Touches

100 2ct. Flutter Kicks

2:00 PLank Hold

020117 "The 2 vegetables that you should eat this week"

Beginning the New Year is all about starting anew, a way to shrug off old ways and explore new pathways to success. Our diets should be constantly evolving. We need to break out of the comfort of our normal stops in the grocery store and challenge ourselves to the host of healthy foods that are right in front of us. Today I want to give you a New Years Challenge. Here are 2 vegetables that you should eat this week.

1) Swiss Chard. By now the kale fad has fully made it into your life. You steam Kale, saute Kale, eat it raw and potentially even have a bag of deliciously flavored Kale Chips in your pantry... Well if you have had it with kale, Swiss Chard is another SuperFood that you need to check out. Swiss Chard is a broad leafed vegetable that is usually displayed very close if not next to Kale in the grocery store. Unlike the overbearing leaves of Kale, Swiss Chard leaves are glassy and soft. The stalks are green and many times you can get a rainbow of colors which add depth to your plates as well. The Nutrients inside Swiss Chard are similar to other Superfoods, Vitamins A, B6, C, E, and K. Minerals include very high levels of magnesium, potassium, manganese, and iron. The phytonutrients that keep you from getting cancer are higher than blueberries and are very comparable to Beets! Needless To say, the green stuff is good stuff. 
Just like Kale you can saute, steam and eat raw. I find that when cooked with some oil and/or butter what you get is a silky vegetable that resembles bok choy or spinach. Mixing in some mushrooms, shallots, onions, nuts, and garlic can make a simple and nutritious side dish in just minutes. 

2) Winter Squash. Butternut, Acorn, Spaghetti are all types of the 'Winter' variety. While their name denotes the time of year they are traditionally eaten, they are actually harvested in late summer, fall time. Now we all look for ways to get a GOOD carbohydrate into our diet. Yes it is easy to walk over to the Mounds of white potatoes that are on display in your store or grab a big bag of rice but what about getting a carb thats super dense in nutrients. Squash offer as much carbohydrates as potatoes without the glucose boosting effects. Most squashes are chalked full of vital nutrients that help keep you running good and fight disease. For instance;
-Beta- Carotene. This is a cancer fighter found in mangoes, cantaloupe and other dense veggies. Squash has loads of it per serving. 
- Fiber. Unlike other starchy carbs, Winter Squashes keep your metabolism and Gut in check with loads of insoluble Fiber. They also will not bump your blood glucose levels like rice or potatoes will. 
- Vitamin C and B6. These are vitamins that help keep your heart and circulatory system healthy.
- Carotenoids and flavonoids. Ranging from bright yellow to brilliant orange, the color of the squash tells you there are some serious anti-oxidants and cancer fighters just inside. 
Cooking with Squash may look daunting because of the hard exterior but they are actually easier in many ways than cooking rice. Here are a few ways to prepare them;
- Simply cut them in half, place them in a pyrex dish with a little water, cover and bake for 30 minutes. 
- Peel and dice into cubes, roast with herbs and bacon.
- Peel and boil like you would a potato. Mash with butter and herbs for a healthier mash. 

SO there it is. Your first escape from the ordinary for 2017. Simple and healthy changed will snowball into optimal health over the course of a few months. The key is to be conscious and keep your eyes open to nutrition opportunities. Purchasing and cooking with these two ingredients is one way to make small changes to your diet. Remember that big changes only lead to struggle. Small ones are easy to maintain and count as small victories. Good Luck and stay healthy my friends. 

Baseline:

Baseline; 3 minutes of GLobal Extension drill

:20 At Each
- Shoulder Rolls
-Arm Circles
-pass thrus
-Scapula Push Ups
-Push Ups
-Piked Push Ups
-Seated Russian Twist
-PVC Good Morning
-Squats
-Mountain Climbers
-Elbow To Instep Lunges
-Divebomber Push Ups
-High Knees

Over Head Squat Prep 7-8 minutes
-work PVC drills, Work Barbell from floor
-determine loading

WOD:
18 Minute EMOM
-Go Every 3 Minutes
Row 300m
15/12 Wall Ball Shots
9 Overhead Squats 145/85  165/115

271216 "The 4 ways to Kick your Holiday Sugar Habit"

You have been under attack since Thanksgiving. Everywhere you have looked there has been cookies, cakes, refined grains and otherwise sweet treats to stuff in your mouth. While I know most of you have been true to yourself about keeping up the physical training, the Mental Grip that sugar has on you has slowly taken its toll. 

Chances are you are experiencing one or more of these sugar related side effects;

- Fatigue
-Cloudy thoughts or generally slow
- Mood swings
- Lack of motivation
- Excessive thirst
- Lack of physical Performance
- Disinterest in Healthy Foods (this is a big one)
- abnormal sleep patterns

If you answered yes to the majority of these, you need to kick your sugar habit. TODAY! Lets outline 4 ways to get you on the path towards better health and a positive new year.

1) Eat More Fermented foods. Chances are you have heard me talk about how the probiotic rich foods like Kimchee, Saurkraut, Yogurt, Kombucha. These foods are rich in the GOOD bacteria that inhabit your gut. Since you have been eating refined grains and sugars for the past month, your gut flora have changed with your diet. Bad bacteria LOVE sugar and you have been feeding them superfood. Since we know that GUT bacteria contribute to our health in a big way, repopulating your Gut is essential. I have given you a few fermented food options but there are many others out there. Explore.

2) Get on the Lean Protein again. Sugar does some weird stuff to our brains. Like any other drug it gives us temporary satisfaction but quickly leaves us wanting more to maintain satiety. The holiday season abounds with al kinds of easy to eat foods that are stuffed with sugar and refined grains. Chances are, your holiday work party had bowls of chips or bread or cookies and not jersey and beef skewers ?! The bowl of sweets that keeps you riding the roller coaster of sugar highs needs to be discarded for packs of jerky and some pre made meat that can be eaten on the go. Protein will certainly keep you full much longer and your body will process it without overworking your pancreas to increase insulin in the blood. Meal prepping a a great way to get this done.

3) A little fruit goes a long way. Fruit contains Fructose that your sweet tooth just loves. The sugar cookies and sweets  you have been enjoying are traditionally made with simple sugar that is Sucrose. Both have their own ways of being digested but generally Fructose takes less to be absorbed in the intestines....Ill leave that right there, as we can just say sugar is generally something we should avoid....
Sometimes to kick the sugar habit you need to come off it slowly with a few pieces of fruit. Fruit, wehen chosen properly has two things going for it, fiber and nutrient value. You can satisfy your sweet tooth as well as obtain some daily vitamins and fiber needed for optimal health . Some good fruits include, blueberries, strawberries, green bananas, watermelon, green apples, etc. Once again, search and explore.

4) Get some more Z's. The holidays are exhausting. You have been busy wrapping presents, staying up late at parties, drinking too much, stressing out.... you name it, it has been happening. Not only has your nutrition has been suffered get, but also your sleep patterns. When you are tired, your GUT and brain crave sugar to give you a quick boost to either get you going or to maintain when exhausted. 
Begin by cutting off ANYTHING sweet, 2 hours before bed. That means Nothing! Some sweetish herbal teas are ok but nothing that you have to chew. Turn the lights out or dim them 1 hour before bed. If you read at night, cool to use lights but no computers or TV. Sleep with a mask and windows blacked out. Set your alarm on the phone or clock and don't get up to check the time until you hear it go off. Sleep re-set will help curb the sugar craving for sure. 

Curbing your sugar craving is not easy and it is convenient to 'just have one piece' here and there. Perpetual use will lead to perpetual addiction. Following these steps will help you with rebalancing weight and mental health. This, my friends, is the greatest reward in life so take it seriously. Lets begin 2017 with a clear mind and healthy body. Have fun and Happy New year!

Baseline:
Lat Band Mobility/ Bully Stretch
Banded Hamstring

10X W/ KB
-Standing Toe Touch
- Goblet Squat
- Side Lunge
- Trunk Twists
-Wood Chops
- Russian Swing
-American Swing
-Press
-Windmills

WOD:

"Helen" 
3X
400m Run
21 KBS 53/35
12 Pull Ups

Rest = to Work Time... 
then,
Deadlift
5X5 @80%
Rest :90 Between Sets

*Use this workout as an opportunity to develop efficiency in recovery. Note the time it takes to control the breathing and heart rate. Note how long it takes to build to your 80% DEADLIFT. Keep your mind focused and work hard.

221216 "Farro.. Ancient Grain, Bright Future"

I admit it. I listen to cooking Podcasts. They intrigue me. There is always something to learn and I am constantly trying to better my skills in the kitchen for the sake of my kids.. I also learn about ingredients and foods that I don't always cook with, and the other day I was reminded of Farro. 

Farro is qualified as an 'ancient grain'. It lives in the same family of whole grains as bulgur wheat and buckwheat but the commercial production has not been so prevalent. Since the Farro grain is not so commercial, it is not a big GMO product!. Farro has been prepared for thousands of years, dating back to the Ancient Fertile Valleys of Egypt. 

Gluten Free cooking and baking is something that I recommend to curb inflammation and disease. Farro, like its other grain cousins, does contain gluten. There are varying degrees and amount of gluten in particular grains and Farro falls on the low end of the gluten spectrum and can be decreased even further if you soak it in water before baking with it. 

A major benefit of this grain is the high fiber content. Eating a high fiber diet from grains, nuts and vegetables helps keep the metabolism in check, reduces the chance of stroke, and can lower your blood cholesterol. Because the grain is primarily produced in a non-GMO form it contains a much higher nutrient profile than wheat and even quinoa! Vitamin B, Zinc, Magnesium, and iron are contained in each kernel of grain. 

If you want to know how to cook with it, just look to the italians. Italians use this in their cooking more than most. Farro can be boiled and served like a pasta, Farro can be ground down to flour form and then made into many different things, put into salads like other grains, and added to stews for extra thickness. 

This grain is stuffed with protein. Recently I wrote a post about how and why to Sprout your grains before you eat or cook with them. Go back and see or just google what 'sprouting grains' is and you will surely see the benefits. By soaking the grains you break down the anti-nutrients that nature has put in them to ensure the survival of the species. As the grains sprout, you unlock the nutrients and a high amount of protein!

Farro is pretty popular now and can be found in many supermarkets. If you cannot find it, i am positive you can order it online and have it shipped. I encourage you to try this great grain if you do not have a gluten intolerance or perhaps a minor intolerance. Thinking outside the box and trying new things expands not only your ability to cook food well but also allows for a greater nutrient profile in your diet. Get some, try some, and train optimal my friends. 

Baseline:
Lacrosse Ball Mobility for 8 minutes
-Thoracic Spine
- Teres Minor/Major
-Calves

10X :30 Erg :30 Rest

Snatch Warm Up
7X High Pull
7X Muscle Snatch
7X OHS
7X Snatch balance
7X Power Snatch to OHS
7X Hang Squat Snatch
7X Sotts Press
7X Squat Snatch

Skill Development:
16 Minutes to Practice Complex
Snatch
-1 hang Squat Snatch
-1 Snatch
*go Every 2:00, ascending weight each time

WOD:
21-18-15-12-9-6-3
Push Press
Bar Facing Burpee

 

211216 "The Psychology of Food Marketing"

There is much to be understood about what and why we eat the way we do. Do we eat what we crave? Do we eat what was taught to us as good food? Do we eat what is SOLD to us? The Psychology of our food consumption is as divergent and complex as piecing together our Ancestry.com lineage. 

In a study published yesterday in the Annals of Internal Medicine, doubts are being cast about the USDA and World Health Organizations findings about sugar consumption. The standards for sugar consumption were reconsidered in recent years as the growing epidemic of obesity keeps pushing higher and higher. While it seems common knowledge that sugar is empty calories and to curb disease we must cut back on it, there is a GIANT industry of sugar sweetened beverage producers that is not going to let that happen without a fight. 

The study does not discount the fact that sugar consumption should be lowered but what it does is throw a psychological wrench in our thinking. Let me explain.

The human mind is a stubborn thing to break and change. Since the guidelines that the WHO and USDA brought about have us re-defining our overall eating patterns, we can classify this as new and disrupting information. These two organizations and the information must fight a truly uphill battle in order to sink into our consciousness. The new study that I am referring to is spinning the guidelines as "negative" and 'undefined'. Our psychology is naturally quick to jump on the negative band wagon as it allows us to sneak out the back door and keep on the same path we are already going down. Simply, its an easier path than changing things up!

For every 100 positive pieces of science in defense of lowering sugar intake, all there needs to be is 1 or 2 pieces of negative science to derail the entire process. It is psychology and it is being to used against you each day. 

Correlations between this subject, the Climate Change discussion and even the Big Tobacco fight are easily observed. The fight over, "my science is better than yours" keeps positive change from happening. Slowing down how imperative you think the problem is, allows companies to keep making money and the population getting sicker and sicker.

I am proposing a COMPLETE BAN on Sugar Sweetened Beverages and empty calories in your diet. Our history on this earth has shown that we will survive without it.  The fact that science is being used to manipulate the public's thinking makes me shake my head in disgust. The tactic is not new and will inevitably be used again and again as we approach controversial topics. Keeping your eyes open and reading between the lines takes time and effort but we all must be critical of all the information to presented to us. 

And if you don't have time to do it all.. keep reading each day... right here... Because that is all I do!

WOD:

"Opens Test"
20 Minute AMRAP
50 Wall Ball
50 DOuble Unders
40 Box Jump
40 Toes To bar
30 Burpee
30 Chest To bar
20 Clean 145/100
20 Jerk
10 Snatch
10 Muscle Ups

201216 "Anaerobic Training. Going to an 11"

Unless you are new to athletic training you know that the days that your coach programs a 5 k you think, ok... I'm going to buckle down, focus on form and get it done. But the days that your coach programs 200m repeats... you think; holy shit I hope I don't shit myself and pass out! And why is that? Because sprinting is HARD. Anaerobic training is hard. Pushing yourself to that level is very frickin HARD!

No matter your goals in training, whether it is mass or cardiovascular endurance, breaking through your anaerobic threshold will yield you the results that you want. But you have to work for them. So what is this type of training exactly?

Anaerobic means "without oxygen". So during high intensity bouts of sprinting, lifting, jumping, etc., your body is running on stored energy on the cellular level. You know how much I love explaining biology and I know how much your eyes glaze over when I do so I'll just throw a couple words at you; ATP and Mitochondria. Energy for work is ATP and it is synthesized by the mitochondria in the cells. Blood glucose has a lot to do with anaerobic training so keeping your metabolism in tip top shape is also a prerequisite to making gains! Bouts of anaerobic exercise last from mere seconds all the way up to 2 minutes. The longer you can go in this state, the better shape you are in both mentally and physicallly . 

When training in the anaerobic arena a few really cool things can happen that make you a better overall athlete.
1) EPOC. Excess Post-Exercise Oxygen Consumption. And you are like .... HUH? This is an important physiological benefit if you are wanting that shredded body by losing body fat. When changes happen in your body composition and performance they don't happen right after that last lift or sprint; they happen in the hours after training. Your body's residual oxygen demands require it to work and consume calories long after each session. More calories burned from good nutrition will yield your most badass physical self. This process can happen up to 48 hours after training so it is vital that good nutrition does not stop !
2) You get stronger. Muscle growth and Hormone balancing are byproducts of anaerobic training. If your body begins to think that every time you train it has to not only chase the prey but also must be strong enough to eat it, the primal self will come out and assist you in doing so. For men, there has been shown to be a greater boost in testosterone due to anaerobic training than in other forms of training. 
3) VO2 Max will increase. Because your body will get very efficient with the little oxygen it does have on board when you are crushing sprint drills or barbell cycling, when you go out for the 800m run or break up your barbell workouts with less intense exercises; you will be cruising! Your VO2 Max is a metric that has been used for a very long time as a test of your cardiovascular endurance, muscular limitations and overall health. If you can increase this number by adding interval training and kicking your own ass, the benefits will abound my friends. 

Once again, you have to work for it. The output of anaerobic training is not just about breathing a little heavy or doing a few more reps before putting the weights down. You have to push the envelope, almost scare yourself and then get right back up after and do it again. 

So finally I will say that you need good coaching for this to be effective. One fault I was privy to when I started CrossFit was that there was a 0-100 approach with all atheltes.Building your range of anaerobic threshold takes time just as in nutrition and standards training. Making sure you have someone who knows how to properly warm you up, cool you down and feed you after these bouts of high intensity is key. You are no good if you decide to go blow the doors off one day and  are laid up for the entire rest of the week. No gains there. Make sure your coach explains the stimulus for each training session and how far you should be taking it. Some days should NOT be anaerobic days so as to let your body recover and benefits to happen. Proper training leads to better health. 

So haw bad do you want those goals? Are you ready to really dig in and work for them? Are you ready to take it to an 11? I will say that the gold is right on the other side of that pain wall. You just have to break through it. 

Baseline:
400m Run
3X
10m Elbow To Instep
10m Side Lunge 180
10m Frog Hops

Squat Flow
Lat Band Mobility

Skill Development:
Build to a new 1 RM Back Squat.
*Here is the day to;
-Kit up.. wear the belts, wraps, etc.
-Keep rep count low
-Make big Jumps in weight earlier
- Rest Much More between Lifts
*This should take 18 Minutes.

WOD:
400m Run
21 Thruster 95/65
800m Run
15 Thruster 115/75
1 Mile Run
9 Thruster 135/95
*This workout is about pacing, I want you to load the bar before you go on the run so you have no excuse but to grab it as soon as you come in the door! Run all the way to the bar, don't walk.

191216 "The top 3 ways to Diet without Dieting"

Here it is y'all. The answer you have all been waiting for and asking me about. I give you all kinds of information to help you on your road to optimal health and performance but where do you start? As I have said many times before, the path towards success begins with small and manageable steps. 

Today I want to offer 3 very easy ways to manipulate your diet so that you keep your metabolism high but don't have to change your whole existence and food experience to do it. 
Disclaimer ** These may be methods that allow for quick adjustments but the overall nutrition plan I am suggesting is one that embodies a whole food, pre/probiotic, organic, non-GMO, and conscious form of eating. 

1) Drink "BulletProof" coffee. While the Hyperlink will take you directly to the commerce site which aims at selling you on the bulletproof brand of ingredients, I still will recommend that you can do this with ingredients from your local grocery store or Costco. 

Bulletproof coffee is simply coffee with added grass-fed butter and high quality coconut or MCT oil. The reasoning is in the way that your brain works off fat. Fat fuels the brain, not carbohydrates. Combining a good source of saturated and polyunsaturated fat with some good antioxidant containing coffee, you have a better start to your day than any bagel or cereal. The calorie count is low and if you begin your day with this, I ensure you that your body will get straight to work using them and keep your satisfied for HOURS to come.

2) Eat 2 "Super Foods" with each Meal. Click on the hyperlink or google a list of superfoods and you will find that they are everywhere and that this recommendation is not hard to put into play. Superfoods, as their name denotes, are foods that are topped up with vitamins, minerals and chemical properties that will help keep you healthy from the skin down to the cells. 

If you were to make a quick grocery list out of them and found a way to cook with them in each meal or tote them along with you through the day, you will be on the right path in no time. Superfoods help balance the metabolic system by digesting slowly and/or creating a thermogenic effect in your body which boosts your metabolism.

We have all gone down the road of eating crappy food, feeling like dog shit and constantly being hungry. Basically dumping poor nutrition and excess calories in our GUT. When you are consuming Superfoods your body will run more efficiently on less, creating high fuel performance without all the cravings! Perfect for those who want to eat often, lite, and don't want to feel guilty. 

3) Drink More Water. If I you have trained with me for any length of time you know you have heard it a million times. Hydrate, Hydrate, Hydrate.. It comes for my Firefighting days where life was about managing heat through hydration. 

Consuming 4-8 liters of water per day fills the stomach and maintains satiety. We have experimented with this during nutrition challenges and water consumption can go a bit overboard. If you drink a lot of water, you pee a lot. Water intake and your desire to keep yourself full should not push you too the point where you need to start wearing a diaper! Drink enough throughout the day to keep you healthy and full but don't guzzle it and expect that it is a meal replacement. Trail and error my friends. 

Inching and working your way towards better nutrition and health is the way to go and these three tips are a great place to start or to add into your current plan for success. The goal is to find balance so before you go jumping in head first, check out how feasible your life will accommodate it. Changes must be made though. The path is not set in stone and it takes dedication but believe me you are not alone. Keep yourself conscious and stoked on the journey. 

Baseline:
Banded Squat and Lunge Mobility
1:00 Banded Good Mornings
2:00 Med Ball Up and Overs (single Leg)

10m Spiderman Crawls
10m Crab Walk
10m Marching High Kick
10m Frog Hops
10m Single Leg Hops
 
Skill Development:
*Today begins 4 weeks of Deadlift prep that will help build to 1 Rm by the 5th week..

Deadlift
4X5 @70%

WOD:
5 Rounds For Time
20 cal Bike
20 Hang Power Clean 115/75
1 Gasser (sprint 10m out/back, sprint 20m out/back)

 

161216 "The Healthier French Fry Recipe"

Winter time is all about cooking with your hearty vegetables and exploring new and old forms of dense carbohydrates. Our diets need to stay as flexible as our training so simply roasting your sweet potatoes or mashing them up every day can sometimes stifle you... and make you bored. 

Today I want to show you just how easy the Sweet Potato Fry can be. Its easy because you only need a few ingredients to make something that I guarantee you will love. Unless you burn them. 

You simply need;
- 1-2 Large Sweet Potato
- 1/2 cup of Coconut oil
-1 Tablespoon of sea salt
-1 Tablespoon of Paprika
-1 Tablespoon of Cinnamon

After you have cut the potatoes up in nice french fry shape (not too skinny, not to fat) then you can place potatoes and all other herbs in a bowl and stir them up until the potatoes are completely glisteny! Place On a baking sheet and in the oven at 450 degrees. Spin them a bit every 10 minutes until nicely browned and crispy. ( about 35 mins) 

By going with Sweet Potatoes you are getting a carbohydrate that is nutrient dense, high in fiber and has lots of Vitamins A and C. Shaking them up in Coconut oil guarantees that good fats are in your diet and getting creative with herbs brings out your own flare. 

Pair this with a grilled chicken and a kale salad and you have a meal fit for training. You will be closer to achieving your goals and remaining inflammation free. 

Baseline:
Banded hamstring
Banded Pigeon
Banded Good Mornings

3X
30 Double Unders
15 Jump Lunges
10 Divebomber Push Ups

Skill Development:
Deadlift
3X5 - Build to 75% and then perform sets

For Time
2X
50 Cal Row
50 Box Jump Overs 20"
Rest 2:00
2X
40 Deadlift 180/120
40 Wall Ball
Rest 2:00
2X
30 handstand Push Ups
30 Burpee Over Bar

151216 "The top 5 things you need to know about stretching"

While stretching may be tough to get into, especially on cold mornings; the benefits are immediate. No matter if you are about absolute performance or just all around fitness, you should be stretching each day. What you will find is that not just your physical abilities will continue to progress, but your daily life will be more pain free and your ability to react to any situation will be guaranteed.

Warm Up and Cool Down stretching is simply the best hedge against injury. All the physical training that you do in between does wonders for health but you are nothing if you cant move or have good range of motion about the joints. In general, stretching does the following for your muscles and joints;
- Increases blood flow to muscles .
-Breaks down and prevents scar tissue from forming. 
-Develops better coordination through neuromuscular training.
- Improves balance.
- Improves Range of Motion and feels pretty damn good!.

Developing muscle flexibility will not only make you better at the splits but you help train your brain. 

Have you ever stretched your hamstring so far that it begins to do a little (or large) contraction almost like its bouncing or fighting you? That is a stretch reflex, a message sent from your muscle to the brain saying , WOOH big daddy... we don't go that far! The feedback from your brain is a natural defense mechanism against over stretching and injury. So don't curse the leg bobble, train it!

Holding your stretches for a long duration and often will train the muscle spindle to go farther and relax when taken to its limits. If you train your brain to not just shut off and contract when stretched then you have less chance to tear your muscles when shocked. This is important when you are constantly exposing your body to new and challenging positions. 

Now for timing out your daily stretches. By design there is pre workout and post workout stretches. Both are all about taking you joints and muscles to their full range of motion but with different stimulus. Pre workout stretching should be dynamic. So instead of holding a hamstring stretch it is recommended that you instead do leg swings and squats. Obviously we are not going for intensity at this time rather easing into it while bringing our heart rate up. After your workout is when the longer holds take place. Static stretching allows for not only your heart rate to come down but by holding your muscles at their full range of motion, it imprints on your brain that the new established ROM is where their contractile end range truly is. This is where brain training occurs. 

Keeping mobility in mind will literally add years to your life and make you the optimal athlete you wan to be. Yogi's have done it for millennia, literally designing their athleticism by it. Maybe we should listen up. Remember the difference between dynamic and static and keep crushing and achieving your goals

.Baseline:
7 x romanian deadlift
7 x snatch high pull
7 x muscle snatch
7 x tempo overhead squat @ 23X1
7 x snatch balance
7 x power snatch to OHS
7 x snatch pull under
7 x hang (squat) snatch

SKill Development:
15 Minutes of Quality Movement
In the complex,

3 Snatch Lift Off
1 Hang Power Snatch to OHS
1 Snatch Balance
1 OHS

WOD:
3 Rounds for TIme
10 Squat Snatch 155/105
15 Shoulder to Overhead
20 Toes To Bar

* This is an oldie but a goodie. Use your hamstrings and use a weight that you are able to cycle at least 5 at a time. 

131216 "Saturated Fat and what you should know"

Many years ago to have the big round belly represented wealth and good health. Around the turn of the century diets that were rich in animal proteins were very common. I once heard that the societal shift away from eating so much saturated fats came about when politicians began dying at alarming rates from heart disease. This has since spurred the cautionary stigma that we still have against these fats to this day. 

Saturated fats are 'saturated' with hydrogen molecules and do not have the double chemical bonds that other fats like nuts and fish have. Because of this fact, Saturated fats earn the label of being LDL (low density lipoproteins) and boost the cholesterol level in our blood; But we should not cut Saturated fats out of our diet all together.

Inside the body, saturated fats do more than just clog the blood vessels. We need these fats to synthesize vitamins and minerals like calcium and magnesium, they help boost the immune system,  keep the liver free of environmental poisons and obviously feed the brain! So, the importance cannot be impressed enough. 

But how much should you consume each day? 

There are conflicting views from the USDA and the American Heart Association but they both agree that you should consume no more than 10% of your daily calories through saturated fats. So if you are consuming 1800-2200 calories per day you get to indulge in somewhere in the area of 180-200 calories or 18-25 grams. I give ranges because each person is different. Activity levels and your dietary needs are very unique. 

Not all fats are created equal. 

Saturated fats are primarily from beef, pork, lamb, butter and dairy so I will encourage you to source your saturated fats from the cleanest possible places. Organic, grass-fed, Non-GMO and local will ensure that the nutrient profiles of the foods are high as well as the fats are the best they can be. 

Eating good fats like monounsaturated and polyunsaturated can fill the gap. 

Nuts, seeds, poultry, fish and whole grains provide these types of fats that increase your HDL (high Density Lipo-protein) and decrease the cholesterol levels in the blood. Additionally you should stay away from other organ damaging and blood poisoning substances that contain sugar. 

Fat is so very essential to maintaining a healthy body and mind. From inflammation to how you do fractions, we need it and should not be afraid of getting it in our diets. Choosing wisely and understanding the differences in fats is important to outlining your nutrition plan. Keep your eyes open and even though you feel like you can eat a pound of bacon, it probably isn't such a good idea...

Baseline:
Lat band Mobility
Banded Hamstring Stretch
Pitchers Stretch

WOD:
30min EMOM
Against a 3 minute clock, complete the following work;

400m Run or 400m Row
9 Ring Dips
15 Kettlebell Swing 70/53

Repeat for 10 Rounds

121216 "The 3 P's for Success in setting Goals"

Each year in December I like to round up my thoughts, reestablish my center and focus on the short, medium and longe term goals for the next year. In doing so I revist my 3 P's for success. I don't know exactly where or how I came up with them but If you ask anyone who has known me for a while they will likely tell you that I am as concerned with developing mental toughness as much as I am about Nutritional Health. That is what these three 'cornerstones' of success represent; a better grasp on who you are is the first step in developing true mental toughness!

The 3 P's laid out are quite simple;

-Principles
-Purpose
-Persistence

You've heard of the acronym "KISS" ? Keep It Simple Stupid. You may be super intelligent but for me, the simplicity of form keeps it accessible and easy to fall back on. The P's are just that. Each very simple in their message and they progressively build up from each other in pursuit of a clear goal. 

Let's take a look at each;

Your principles are the values and ethos you live by each day. Many times they are so ingrained how you make decisions, that you actually have to sit and think about what they are. They lie right in front of you. Whatever they may be; a dedication to healthy living, equality amongst all people, mental fortitude... whatever. This does not need to be a 100 point list, rather it can be short because as you will find out, the main points branch out into all aspects of your life. Try and limit the list to 5. 

Next is a more subjective understanding of Purpose. I say subjective because there is not a clear list that can be drawn, rather a feeling of self-worth and a greater consciousness of you in the greater world around you. Without purpose life is literally about you just spinning your wheels. I believe it is also where most people get lost and become quite unattached from the world. Purpose by my definition is, 'conscious understanding of oneself, the role you play in the lives and environment around you, and the effectiveness you can have on the world in both a positive and negative way'. Your purpose is unique and built upon the Principles you outlined in the prior step. Your purpose steers you in the direction you must go in life. Whether it be professionally, spiritually, emotionally... whatever. Purpose puts you on YOUR path.  

Surely you can see how objective it can be and how since much of defining purpose is about confidence, many people get stuck and bummed out because they simply lack confidence and don't have the support of those around them to help build confidence. (This fact is quite a sad state of our society and a topic for a later blog entry)

Lastly you must develop the unwavering virtue of Persistence. I place Persistence in the 'virtue' category because it is developed in the same way as Patience. As both a goal setter and a father I can tell you that it is learned rather than given. Persistence is best paired with simple Principles and a good dose of Purpose; sprinkle in a good bit of discipline and anything that you deem meaningful can be accomplished. Persistence is hugely self-satisfying as along the way you get to prove to yourself that YOU ARE STRONGER THAN YOUR WEAKNESSES. 

Persistence, just as the other P's, takes conscious engagement at all times. If you want to be victorious you must remain vigilant, standing atop your purpose and Principles like they are being attacked in war. Some people use a white board on their refrigerator, a goal board at the gym, a daily mantra; whatever works for you to stay mission focused, use it. 

Riding strong into 2017 means that you should sit down and think about YOUR 3P's. Just as important as any gift you will receive this christmas is a better understanding about where you want to go and how you will get there. No matter how mundane the goal you set for yourself or how great it may be, achievement begins with understanding these simple and effective components. Have fun along the way and celebrate life always. Hug your kids, tell your other half just how much you love them. Live for today and always keep pushing forward!!

Baseline:

10X Ladder Drills
-out 10m, back pedal 10m
-out 20m , Back Pedal 20m
*Each set should be progressively aggressive. Rest :15 Between runs

10 Walking Lunges
10 Push Ups
10 Squat Therapy
10 Alternating Plank Reaches
10 Side Lunges
10 Mountain Climbers

Skill Development:
Back Squat
3X5 @ 85% 
*next week we retest 1 RM

Front Squat
2-2-2 @ 90%

Gymnasty 15:
5-7 Supine Ring Pull Up
3 L-sit Muscle Up Ring Pull Through (butt on ground, arm at full extension)
3 Back Tuck or Back Roll
-jog or row 200m before beginning next round