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!
Friday, June 27, 2008
Tuesday, June 24, 2008
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!
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
Saturday, June 14, 2008
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
Friday, June 13, 2008
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!
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!
Thursday, June 5, 2008
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
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
Monday, June 2, 2008
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!
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