Write it down!

Here is a link to a yahoo post; Study shows value of food diary in losing weight. We all know the benefits of keeping a journal to track what we eat. Most of us don't like to do it because writing down what we eat makes us accountable and points out right away what we are doing right and where we are falling short.

QUOTE

Life isn't about finding yourself. Life is about creating yourself.

Humour

Someone asked me the other day if crossfit was like aerobic classes and right away I thought of this video. As I tried to control my laughter I emphatically said no. I invited the person to have a workout with me and let them decide for themselves. Anyone who has done a crossfit workout will appreciate this video and my likening the question to it. What we do is definitely not 'aerobic classes' Be carefull it is not work safe due to content.



This video was in response to this one which is just as funny if not more.....
Have a good weekend!

Results are fast when you do it right!

Today was a weigh in day for a client of mine. If you read my blog with any regularity you will know I hate these days. I hate weighing people because in my HUMBLE(haha) opinion, it doesn't mean anything. What is the weight consisting of, muscle, fat, water? etc. etc. So she got onto the scale and lo and behold the first number she sees is her weight. Drum roll please...... she had gone up in weight! shock and despair! She may have been a little confused at first but I then point out that her body fat has actually gone down a full % which is fantastic because she has only been with me for a month! She has been working damn hard and it is starting to show! It all became a little clearer when we did her measurements and found she had dropped an entire inch off each body part we measured meaning a full 6 inch loss in the month time frame we have been together! Now all these numbers don't mean much to me because I am a performance based trainer; but try telling a woman 6 weeks out of getting married that wants to look great in her dress that she can now do 15 modified pull-ups in a row instead of her 5 and she will look at you like... huh? Anyway, lesson learned, I am going to start with the measurements first, then the scale!

Point being results are dependent on effort. When the effort is there results follow. Just like the point on form following function. These results were from 3x a week work out and a progressing towards zone diet. Time to up the intensity and commit to more workouts and tightening the dial into the zone. In that place results will skyrocket!

Neat Commercial

This is a tough quote to live by, but rewarding if you can keep it in mind...

To give anything less than your best is to sacrifice the gift.
~Steve Prefontaine

QUOTE

"Blur the distinction between strength training and metabolic conditioning for the simple reason that nature's challenges are typically blind to the distinction." -Greg Glassman

SORE? TIME TO RECOVER

Everyone has been very sore from their workouts before. This is meant to happen; the muscles are breaking down when you workout and the time after is the most important. This time is the “Recovery.”

In the recovery process your muscles are rebuilding and getting stronger. It's important to treat your body well and give it what it needs, so you can get the proper recovery and maximum results from your workouts. Especially with CrossFit, recovery is that much more important because your body is taking a beating. Especially if you train with me! If you don't let your bod recover, then injury will most likely occur. Trust me on this one. I've made the mistake in the past and it's no picnic! Plus, letting yourself recover will ensure you more time to train and maximize your results!

“Recovery is the night to our exercise day” - Robb Wolf

There are 4 important parts of recovery:

1. Nutrition: I am sure you have heard many things of what to eat after a workout and heard a lot of controversy. Just keep it simple: your body needs protein and carbohydrates after a workout to replenish your glycogen stores and repair the muscles. Take in a lean protein and fruit or yams/sweet potatoes. And for those of you that follow the Zone, like most CrossFitter’s, keep to the same regime.

2. Sleep: For proper recovery you need 9-10 hrs of sleep in a completely dark room. If you don’t sleep properly your body can't function properly and it throws off all the other points on recovery.

3. Stress: If you are stressed, a hormone called cortisol is released. When coritsol is released it promotes fat storage in the abdominal area.


4. Contrast Hydrotherapy: I tell all my athletes about hydrotherapy and no one believes it until they try it! I think it is because they don’t want to try it because it is not fun. Contrast Hydrotherapy is the alternating of of hot and cold water soaking. Contrast is 3-5 minute in a hot tub and 30-60 seconds in an ice bath or cold bath. Repeat this process 3-5 times. Not everyone has a hot tub, so try it mimic as much as you can with a shower. Try it sometime, it works!

All of these aspects affect each other, if one is lacking, it will throw the others off. It won't be a catastrophe or anything but it can be a viscous cycle. If you are not getting your recovery, take a look at your personal recovery process compared to this one I have mentioned. If it isn't similar give this one a try and tweak it out for yourself!

The Front Squat

Today I had a question from a client about the front squat. The front squat is a fantastic exercise that really is a transition to the clean. Which is where I take all my clients. I will speak about the clean in more detail later but back to the front squat. It is essential when learning the front squat to also practice the rack position, which for some, is next to impossible due to inflexible wrists. The wrists are key Roger, we will be practicing wrist flexibility soon enough! One way is handstands.... but that is another story.

Things to do for a perfect front squat

1. weight is solid on the heels
2. bar will rest on shoulders, not in the hands
3. good lumbar curve
4. chin and neck are neutral although a slight tilt up is ok
5. elbows are pointing up where the humerous is parallel to the ground if possible
6. knees track over the feet
7. hips drop below the patella
It's all outlined in this video but I have written it out here for you as well

Nutrition Part 2

I am being asked with more and more frequency about nutrition, about what I do, what I recommend, and how can someone get started. I always answer with my canned response in the gym (well you know _______, I am not a licensed dietician so I can't really suggest anything but I can tell you what I do, but can't give any specific advice for liability reasons) This response is not the one I like and I can tell the people that asked the question don't like it much either. What I can do and often do is tell people about the nutrition books I am/have reading/read and this is usually sufficient to get people going. I don't have to be as diplomatic on my blog because it's MY blog. I still won't tell people what to eat, but I will tell them what to look for in nutrition. Jack Lalane use to say if man made it, don't eat it. That was back in the 40's I believe and things have come full circle. Take for instance the zone diet. Awesome food plan by the way. Anyway, I linked to the main site last post but I want to link another section of that site I found to be a little burried. This LINK will help you get started in the zone, it has a sample day, ideas for snacks, groceries to get and my favourite, a description of blocks of food. (I always fumble my description to people because it is hard for someone to think of food in oz. and blocks) Enjoy the link and happy shopping!

Nutrition

The CrossFit dietary prescription is as follows:

Protein should be lean and varied and account for about 30% of your total caloric load.
Carbohydrates should be predominantly low-glycemic and account for about 40% of your total caloric load.
Fat should be predominantly monounsaturated and account for about 30% of your total caloric load.
Calories should be set at between .7 and 1.0 grams of protein per pound of lean body mass depending on your activity level. The .7 figure is for moderate daily workout loads and the 1.0 figure is for the hardcore athlete.

Follow link for more information:
Zone Diet">Zone Diet


What Should I Eat?

In plain language, base your diet on garden vegetables, especially greens, lean meats, nuts and seeds, little starch, and no sugar. That's about as simple as we can get. Many have observed that keeping your grocery cart to the perimeter of the grocery store while avoiding the aisles is a great way to protect your health. Food is perishable. The stuff with long shelf life is all circumspect. If you follow these simple guidelines you will benefit from nearly all that can be achieved through nutrition.

The Caveman or Paleolithic Model for Nutrition

Modern diets are ill suited for our genetic composition. Evolution has not kept pace with advances in agriculture and food processing resulting in a plague of health problems for modern man. Coronary heart disease, diabetes, cancer, osteoporosis, obesity and psychological dysfunction have all been scientifically linked to a diet too high in refined or processed carbohydrate. Search "Google" for Paleolithic nutrition, or diet. The return is extensive, compelling, and fascinating. The Caveman model is perfectly consistent with the CrossFit prescription.

What Foods Should I Avoid?

Excessive consumption of high-glycemic carbohydrates is the primary culprit in nutritionally caused health problems. High glycemic carbohydrates are those that raise blood sugar too rapidly. They include rice, bread, candy, potato, sweets, sodas, and most processed carbohydrates. Processing can include bleaching, baking, grinding, and refining. Processing of carbohydrates greatly increases their glycemic index, a measure of their propensity to elevate blood sugar.

What is the Problem with High-Glycemic Carbohydrates?

The problem with high-glycemic carbohydrates is that they give an inordinate insulin response. Insulin is an essential hormone for life, yet acute, chronic elevation of insulin leads to hyperinsulinism, which has been positively linked to obesity, elevated cholesterol levels, blood pressure, mood dysfunction and a Pandora's box of disease and disability. Research quot;hyperinsulinism" on the Internet. There's a gold mine of information pertinent to your health available there. The CrossFit prescription is a low-glycemic diet and consequently severely blunts the insulin response.

Caloric Restriction and Longevity

Current research strongly supports the link between caloric restriction and an increased life expectancy. The incidence of cancers and heart disease sharply decline with a diet that is carefully limited in controlling caloric intake. “Caloric Restriction” is another fruitful area for Internet search. The CrossFit prescription is consistent with this research.
The CrossFit prescription allows a reduced caloric intake and yet still provides ample nutrition for rigorous activity.

Become Legendary

FEEL THE BURN

I had the privilidge of working out with a fellow crossfitter at the gym the other day. We had a great work out and I hope to do it again soon.

10 box jump 20"/20"
15 ball slams 15#/8#
20 squats (air)

x5 rounds through
Our times were just seconds apart and we pushed each other through the workout which is what it's all about. We came in at 8:48 and 8:54. Great job and thanks Mark.

HOW AM I DIFFERENT?

We will run, jump, climb, push, pull, lift, press, squat, carry, throw, and catch. We will use body weight, medicine balls, free weights, plyo boxes, jump ropes, and pull up bars. We do so using OUR ENTIRE BODY; not isolating a certain muscle group. By doing this, we properly and equally tax and exhaust every major muscle group, which in turn makes you work much harder, in turn burning more calories and increasing your heart rate more than you ever will with other methods. Remember if you can read while 'working out' you aren't working.

The workouts I will have you do, are the same workouts for everyone. They are the same workouts I do. The intensity and weight/load resistance is adapted to each individual’s current fitness levels. CrossFit requires less equipment, but requires professional expertise on my part. You will never be bored. The only time you repeat a workout is to benchmark progress.My style of training is geared for:

1. engaging and recruiting multiple muscle groups simultaneously
2. using intervals to exercise the body’s metabolic systems (cardio)
3. performance in a safe, effective and timely manner

The goal is performance; not weight gain or weight loss. Frequency, round/circuit times, pounds moved, rest periods taken and intensity are all measured, observed and repeated. This information is your personal motivational tool for your next attempt when benchmark workouts are revisited. Weight and body measurements are discouraging for most and often not an accurate gauge of fitness capacity, which is why I frown on administering them.

Training takes place in small groups. (IDEALLY) Group training offers a high level of personal attention with the addition of positive peer influence. Natural camaraderie, competition and fun of sport yield an intensity that is unparalleled and cannot be experienced in one-on-one training. You are motivated to push harder in a group dynamic. It is also less expensive.

This method fosters teamwork, camaraderie, motivation, focus, and a sense of belonging. I hope to foster a fitter, healthier person, rather than building bigger muscles and smaller waistlines. I combine strength training and cardio using a different workout every day that is both timely and effective because to routine is the enemy.

The only requirement I have is that you commit to giving me your best effort. I commit to providing safe, efficient and effective elite fitness to those who find me an attractive alternative to the mainstream workout!

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WHY ARE YOU SO INSANE ABOUT CROSSFIT?

I get asked this quite a bit. Why do you like CrossFit so much? Why do you push yourself so hard? A fellow trainer made a comment tonight and said 'Man you are pretty intense' I looked at him and said 'yup' like there was no other way to be when it comes to fitness. I understand that what I do will unfortunately be rejected by some and I also understand that my opinion may not be accepted but I try here to shed light on the burning question everyone wants to ask me when I am at the gym...

Why Do you workout like that?

Who really relies on the results of their fitness to preserve their lives? Military Personnel, Law Enforcement Officers and Fire Fighters.

What is being adopted throughout the Canadian Military, Special Forces communities (most notably The US Navy SEALS ), Secret Service, US Marshals, FBI, ATF and many other people who rely on fitness to preserve their lives? CrossFit. When it comes to an endeavor where being weak costs you your life, they do CrossFit.

Most of us do not require that level of fitness in our daily lives. So why train this hard? If you look at a continuum when on one side is residing in a nursing home and the other end the decathlete (Or similar well rounded capable individual), ask this simple question: Which place do I want to be in?

Time, aging, and lifestyle conspire to put us in long term care homes and alike. The harder we pull toward the elite fitness side of the continuum, the further away we are from the nursing home. If teaching a 57 year old woman to dead lift 200 plus pounds seems extreme, think of the grandmother who can’t pick up her 20 lb grandson. Which place do you want to be in?

Very few of us will get to the level of being on the main CrossFit website for some outstanding physical feat. However, we can ALL work diligently to give our best effort in order to accomplish the maximum results our age and ability allow us to achieve.

All the training I do is influenced largely by CrossFit principles. Whether it is Sport Conditioning, Personal Training, or Group Training, much of what I do is based on functional exercises (life activities, sport, survival), executed at high intensity that is varied to the point of near randomness.

Why? My goal is to create people who are capable in ALL aspects of fitness.

When the Navy SEAL Teams and Special Forces adopt Swiss balls as a major tool to keep them alive when it counts, I will use them. Until that time, we (myself and clients) will do CrossFit.

– Adapted from the writings of Doug Chapman

If it is good enough for these people, then it is good enough for me. Besides if I am going to spend time doing something, I want to make sure I am getting the most bang for my time. It's like Dad's everywhere around the world. If you are going to do something, you may as well do it to the best of your ability, otherwise why are you doing it?

WHAT I DO

What I Do

I design each training session utilizing fundamentally sound scientific principles. I employ a back to basics, minimalist style of training focusing on primal movement and total body, multi-joint exercises designed to benefit even the most sedentary individual while still punishing the elite athlete. Each plan is unique and is structured to maximize performance in the 10 Fitness Domains.

My approach is consistent with what is practiced in elite training programs associated with major university athletic teams and professional sports. No one would argue that athletes in these programs are some of the fittest people in the world – but make no mistake, these individuals have to work extremely hard to reach and maintain those levels of fitness.

My goal is to bring these coaching and training techniques to both athletes and the general public who do not have access to current technologies, methodologies and research.

It is true that genetics do play a role in this equation; however the most elite athletes in the world dedicate a great deal of time practicing and training. Unfortunately, TIME in the gym does not necessarily correlate to results. It is quality of work and not quantity that Forges Elite Fitness rather than pretend fitness.

In other words, doing “an hour of cardio is going to turn you into someone who is capable of doing an hour of cardio. Twenty minutes of hard sprinting will turn you into someone who can sprint, jump, lift, AND do an hour of cardio. Everyone thinks they work hard. Most of them are wrong. The harder you make ‘hard work’, the more progress you will make”.
(Jon Gilson – CrossFit Affiliate / Owner)

Half Life

I learned today that the polyunsaturated fat (the bad fat) has a half life of 115 days. Interesting huh? Why is this important to know? It isn't. All it means is that if you have a serving of fries from your favourite fast food joint, it would be in your system for infinity unless of course your energy system burned it off (which it would, so you will not be carrying it infinitely) Thanks to Dan for correcting me on my math.
Here is the formula for you nerdy people out there.

M=c(1/2)^t/h

But never mind the technical stuff. All you need to take away from this lesson class, is that polyunsaturated fat is bad...... read food labels, it's in more than you think. But you already knew that right?

Heeeeere's Johnny!

Yes the blog did to sleep for a while, but no Dan, it definitely did not die. I am alive and well, and so is the blog. Between everything that I have on the go now, I don't have much spare time for blogging. I apoligize to all my readers. I had those right? Oh well start from scratch again...

This time around will be a little different because this will be used as a blog for my clients as well. I will write articles on different things fitness related and hopefully you find it helpfull. If not always write in and comment or email works too.

I'm back!

Charles Schultz Philosophy

Think about this...

The following is the philosophy of Charles Schultz, the creator of the 'Peanuts' comic strip. You don't have to actually answer the questions. Just read it straight through, and you'll get the point.

1. Name the five wealthiest people in the world.

2. Name the last five Heisman trophy winners.

3. Name the last five winners of the Miss America Contest.

4. Name ten people who have won the Nobel or Pulitzer Prize.

5. Name the last half dozen Academy Award winners for best actor and actress.

6. Name the last decade's worth of World Series winners.
How did you do?

The point is, none of us remember the headliners of yesterday. They are not second-rate achievers. They are the best in their fields. But the applause dies. Awards tarnish. Achievements are forgotten. Accolades and certificates are buried with their owners.

Here's another quiz. See how you do on this one:

1. List a few teachers who aided your journey through school.

2. Name three friends who have helped you through a difficult time.

3. Name five people who have taught you something worthwhile.

4. Think of a few people who have made you feel appreciated and special.

5. Think of five people you enjoy spending time with.
Easier?

The lesson: The people who make a difference in your life are NOT the ones with the most credentials, the most money, or the most awards. They are the ones who care.

'Don't worry about the world coming to an end today.
It's already tomorrow in Australia . '
(Charles Schultz)

Quote

"To think bad thoughts is really the easiest thing in the world. If you leave your mind to itself it will spiral down into ever increasing unhappiness. To think good thoughts, however, requires effort. This is one of the things that discipline - training - is about." -- James Clavell, in his novel "Shogun"

Boxing

Last night was boxing. It was a good workout. Lots of met-con work. The format of our workouts are pretty simple. Our warm-up consists of stretching out legs arms shoulders legs and trunk. Then there are 5 different stations we do for 3 min. rounds x3. There is a minute rest in between rounds. Included are shadow box,skipping, heavy bag work, speed bag work and med. ball drills. Sometimes we are called out to the ring for individual work like focus pads ( wail on the mitts held by a coach), sometimes it's to learn new punches or combos. I am not at the stage where I spar yet but that requires a medical (which isn't cheap) so I won't be getting that in the near future anyway. Training lasts about an hour and fifteen minutes where we do speed drills which is a combination of things. Most often it is fast rabbit punches or hard head/body shots on the heavybag for quick intervals. When it's not our turn on the heavy bag we a re doing squats/pushups/crunches/lunges/ jumping jacks or running on the spot. After this I am normally spent but we aren't done. Next is abs. We take turns running abs drill. Most people do legs raises/planks/knees to elbows/flutter kicks and rows are the ones I remember. All in all it is a great metabolic workout but I find doing this 3x per week my strength has gone down quiet a bit. I am working on incerasing my endurance and ability to recover so I can work out heavier during the week. I'll keep you posted w/ results.
Flickr credit: soulshiftr