Supplements

New stuff in today’s workout

In the October coaches meeting, someone asked me if there was a typo on the October 16th programming. Nosiree, that there is a 10-rep max back squat.
This will challenge you to:
1. Be mentally tough
2. Take in oxygen under load
3. Handle a heavy load over time (do it right & you’ll have a barbell on your back for 60-90 seconds)
HOW DO I CHOOSE A LOAD?
Well, you’ve got 15 minutes to get there.
But here’s my challenge to you – the last time we did sets of 5 back squats, what was your heaviest set?
Take that number, and do it 10 TIMES!
You’ll have to go at a slower pace…
And work on breathing between reps…
And concentrate… and stay tight…
And tell the demons in your head to shut the hell up.
But do it. Let me know how it goes…

And oh yeah, part B has something new for you too.
Carry something heavy – is it two kettlebells?
Is it a med ball?
Is it a weight vest?
Is it a sandbag?
Your choice… what’s heavy & challenging for you?
HAVE FUN!

SFH in da house

Our friend John from Stronger, Faster, Healthier will be at the box tonight with samples of post-workout protein and fish oil. Say hello and grab some recovery drink after you train tonight!

Alyssa reppin’ out some banded push ups

Today’s schedule

6a: All Levels CrossFit- Rebecca
7a: All Levels CrossFit- Rebecca
12n: All Levels CrossFit- Beka
5p: All Levels CrossFit- Lis
6p: All Levels CrossFit- Lis
7p: All Levels CrossFit- Raul
8p: Open Gym – Raul

Workout of the Day (WOD)

A. Back squat: In 15 minutes, find your 10-rep max back squat.
B. For time:
200m heavy carry (your choice)
20 burpees
200m heavy carry
20 sit ups
200m heavy carry
20 pistols (10L/10R)
200m heavy carry
20 lateral box jumps

And coming tomorrow…

A. Rope Climb: 10 minutes skill practice
B. 10-1 Ladder Not for time:
Deadlift
Burpee
*Begin your first set of deadlifts at 30-35% of your 1-rep max.
Add weight each set.
Set your weights in your sets to get to 85% your 1-rep max for your last lift.
Then we’re jumping rope or AirDyning so save your legs some for that. The point of this work is to lift a heavy load (WITH PERFECT FORM) as the reps get lower but not actually max out today. Save that for next week’s CrossFit Total.)
Rest 3:00
Then, for time: 100 double unders, 400 singles OR 20 AirDyne calories.
C: 2:00 hollow rock test or 100 sit ups for time.

WED 10.16.13 SFH samples & crazy stuff in today’s WOD Read More »

Food as Fuel recap

We had a great showing for last night’s Food as Fuel session. The basis of the paleo diet: eat meat & vegetables, nuts & seeds, little starch, some fruit and no sugar.
After you master those basics, I shared my TOP 6 NUTRITION RULES TO REACH YOUR GOALS:
1. Drink more water.
2. Drink less booze. When you do drink booze, stick to red wine or clear liquor mixed with with club soda or water. Sawwwwwy beer snobs. DISCLAIMER: alcohol is still broken down as sugar in your body. And it’s a neurotoxin, so if you wonder why you’re so depressed/anxious/ADD after a bender of a weekend, MAYBE it’s the booze (But maybe it’s also all the $ you spent. I digress).
3. Sleep 8 hours in a cool, dark room. If you have trouble with this, try winding down earlier, turn off the TV/computer/smartphone, turn down the lights and try a natural supplement that includes magnesium sulfate, melatonin, zinc and/or GABA… different stuff works for everyone.
4. Eat breakfast. It doesn’t have to be “breakfast food.” I often eat dinner for breakfast. Eff all that breakfast for dinner noise. Unless it’s bacon. Bacon goes with every meal.
5. Then throw in a few supplements: fish oil, vitamin D3, probiotics & digestive enzymes.
6. Post-workout is NOT the time to skimp on calories. Get some protein into your system within 45 minutes… preferably a high quality supplement like SFH.

Rowing class is taking the summer off

We’re gonna give Uran a few months off to make way for you guys to take advantage of our Tuesday Ninja Training & Gymnastics classes. But we have a super fun rowing event in the works for the fall, so stay tuned for details!

FREE PARK WOD SUNDAY AT 10a!

Join the Instructor Training Program students for a free park WOD in the Active Oval at Piedmont Park on Sunday morning.

Matt C won these abdominal muscles in last year’s Summer Challenge. You could be CFM’s next abtastic member. Register by Monday & you also get an awesome new CFM shirt!

Workout of the Day (WOD)

A. Deadlift: 3-3-3+
B. 10 min goat work
C. Grace:
30 clean & jerks for time 135/95#

And coming tomorrow…TEAM WORKOUT

Team Chipper:
20 hands-behind-head abmat sit ups (strict: don’t swing arms for momentum)
20 supermans
20 air squats
20 double unders (sub 20 burpees)
20 kettlebell swings 53/35
20 pull ups
20 hand-release push ups (MODIFY WITH BAND ON HIPS)
20 mountain climbers
20 walking lunge steps
200m row
Teammate 1 starts at station 1. Teammate 2 goes to station 1 once teammate 1 moves on to station 2. Teammate 3 goes to station 1 once teammate 3 moves to station 2 and teammate 1 moves to station 3. Teammate 4 moves to station 1 once teammate 3 moves to station 2 and teammate 2 moves to station 3 and teammate 1 moves to station 4. Athletes cannot advance stations until station in front is clear.

FRI 06.13.13 Food as Fuel recap Read More »

Food as Fuel Nutrition Q&A is Thurs night!

We LOVE it when you share your goals on the board every month at CFM. Many of this month’s goals revolve around “getting shredded” or “finding my abs” or some other form of losing body fat. Well guess what… your nutrition is about 70% responsible for your physique. If those ab muscles are covered up with body fat, you’re never gonna see them.
So come out Thursday night to learn how basic eating habits like eating whole foods, using proper supplements, and pre/post workout nutrition can help you look, feel and perform better… and maybe even bring those abs out to play this summer.
If you have specific questions or concerns, post them here in the comments OR on the FB event page and we’ll be sure to cover it!

Join the fun with Lindsay’s Ninja Training class tonight at 7p (meet at CFM at 7 or Piedmont Park Active Oval at 7:15p)
Gymnastics class with Coach Cassie is tonight at 8p. WE ARE WORKING ON BODYWEIGHT EXERCISES NOT TRAINING FOR THE OLYMPICS. Don’t be afraid to give it a try!
Tonight’s 8p Gymnastics Workout:
Skill: Handstand Push Ups (kipping progressions)
WOD:
3 Rds for Quality of –
5 In/Outs (with push up and dip) on parallettes
10 Ring Rows (feet elevated above ring height)
10 sec L-Hold on Rings

Workout of the Day (WOD)

A. Hang clean: 2-2-2-2-2
B. Complete 4 rounds (30 min cap)
Complete the following cycle 7 times:
Power Clean
Front Squat
Push Press
Back Squat
Rack Jerk
Rest 90 seconds between rounds

*Do not drop the weight during a round. Stay connected through the round.
*If weight is dropped, count number of drops and perform an equal amount of burpees as a penalty.
*Work up the heaviest weight possible.

And coming tomorrow…

A. Press: 3-3-3+
B. Kelly:
Five rounds for time of –
Run 400 meters
30 Box jump, 24/20″
30 Wall ball shots, 20/14#

*Newbies: scale down rounds, jump height and ball weight as needed!

TUES 06.11.13 Food as Fuel is THURSDAY 7p Read More »

The answer is NOT more cardio

I want to clear up a BIG misconception that several of our students have about what’s going to make you look better at the pool this swimsuit season.
THE ANSWER IS NOT MORE CARDIO!
Running ’til you fall down, hitting extra spin classes, doing “two-a-day” workouts and skipping meals is not the way to a better physique. That’s actually going to cause your body extra stress and increase your chances of keeping the dreaded MUFFIN TOP!
Over the next week I’m going to post about the top three things that will help you reach your aesthetic goals. They are 1) SLEEP, 2) NUTRITION & 3) LIFTING HEAVY WEIGHT. I have recently been sleeping better, eating cleaner, and ONLY LIFTING HEAVY (no Zumba, FlyWheel or long runs… no two-a-days… not even typical CrossFit metcons!*). I am leaner than ever!
Let’s start with SLEEP & RELAXATION – whether you want to lose fat or put on muscle, ANY GOAL will be derailed if you’re not sleeping. Tips to better sleep include winding down well before bedtime (turn of the TV, put away the iPad, turn down the lights), making your bedroom cool and dark (pitch black. I’m talking black-out shades), and, when necessary, working some natural supplements into your routine. I’ve been taking the Nighttime Recovery formula we sell in the Pro Shop, along with an herbal supplement called “Tranquil Mind” just before bedtime. My new apartment is super cool & dark. And guess what? I’ve been sleeping like a baby (that Nighttime Recovery is also helping me lean out nicely!).
Shoot for 7-9 hours of sleep to speed mental & physical recovery, aid in fat loss & muscle gain. Bad sleep stresses your body and makes you produce more cortisol – that’s a stress hormone – which leads to dreaded love handles. RELAX, REDUCE STRESS IN YOUR LIFE WHEREVER POSSIBLE & GET MORE SLEEP. I promise it will work!

*To be clear here, I’m not saying you never need intense exercise. I just happen to be in training for a powerlifting meet for which I need to actually gain some wait. When it comes to exercise, I encourage you to do what you like. We need to sweat the demons out from time to time. But moderation is the key. If you overdo it, you’ll stress your body further, causing it to produce more cortisol & hang on to extra body fat.

Join Alison & your CFManiacs for happy hour tonight 6-8p at Steamhouse Lounge!

Jonathan, Stuart & Levy sack racing on Field Day. Join us in the park again this weekend – Sunday at 10am we’re doing a FREE Park WOD in the Active Oval and HOOVERBALL returns at 10:30a. Come out and play!

Workout of the Day

A. Back Squat: 3-3-3+
B. 10 min goat work
C. Annie:
50-40-30-20-10
Double Unders
Sit ups

And coming tomorrow…

Regular classes at 9, 10 & 11a. AND OLYMPIC LIFTING OPEN GYM WITH USA OLYMPIAN CHERYL HAWORTH 12n-2p. Open Gym counts as a class session OR guests can pay a $25 drop in fee.

A. Make up a lift you missed earlier in the week
B. Team WOD:In teams of 4, ONE PARTNER WORKS AT A TIME*, complete the following for time-
Run 1 mile
60 pull ups
60 hollow rocks
60 wall balls
60 kettlebell swings
Row 2k meters
*Resting teammates hold hollow position, bottom of squat or superman (one in each position) while teammate is working.

FRI 06.07.13 Increasing the cardio won’t make you leaner Read More »

Who’s sore?

Your first month of CrossFit can be full of muscle soreness. Here are some tips to help you through it:
1) Get moving: I know, it’s the hardest thing to do when your muscles are sore, but GET MOVING! Go for a walk or easy jog, come to yoga class (included in your membership – classes are Wed 12n, Thurs 8:15p & Sun 6p) or get back to the box for another workout (if you’re super sore, it’s okay to move at half-speed or modify the workout).
2) Hydrate! Drinking more water will help flush toxins and lactic acid from your body.
3) Eat well! The Paleo diet* is designed to reduce inflammation in your system. Increase the protein in your diet and cut out inflammatory food groups like processed carbs (grains & gluten & sugar), dairy and legumes. Unfortunately, that post-WOD beer also won’t speed your recovery (but it might temporarily numb the pain :)).
4) Use healthy supplements NOT pain killers! Ibuprofen and other pain killers can inhibit muscle growth and stress your liver. Instead, invest in some good recovery supplements like SFH Recovery protein, fish oil & the new Nighttime Recovery formula sold in the CFM Pro Shop. These will help reduce inflammation, increase muscle growth and speed recovery so you get back to 100% faster! Like all other SARMs, Ligandrol was developed to aid the treatment of medical conditions like osteoporosis and muscle wasting.
5) Use other recovery aids. Soak in a warm Epsom salts bath, get a massage and/or use a foam roller or lacrosse ball to help get the lactic acid and soreness moving out of your system.
Hang in there & keep up the good work. Your coaches are here to help. Let us know if you have other recovery questions!

*Food as Fuel class

Join Lis next Thursday night 6/13 at 7p for a free workshop to learn the details of the Paleo diet and get answers to all your nutrition & supplement questions.

Bridget hearts wall balls.

Workout of the Day

A. Deadlift:3-3-3+
B. Every minute on the minute for 10 minutes:
12 walking lunges (odd rounds)
10 hand release push ups (even rounds)
C. Planks: Accumulate 2 min each in center, left & right side plank

And coming tomorrow…Benchmark Friday

A. Back Squat: 3-3-3+
B. 10 min goat work
C. Annie:
50-40-30-20-10
Double Unders
Sit ups

Sub 3x singles for DUs

THURS 06.05.13 Who’s sore? Read More »

Fish Oil: do it

Fish oil and Beta-Alanine are very important supplement if your body is inflamed due to soreness from CrossFit, aches, pains, injuries, illness and a slew of other factors…
Do you eat a perfect diet? Don’t lie. You’re also causing inflammation to your system on days you splurge on chocolate cake, pizza, or one too many drinks at happy hour.
Do you lead a stress-free life and always get eight hours of sleep a night? I didn’t think so. Those are a few more ways you’re causing inflammation to your body.
A few of us even suffer from neurological disorders like anxiety, depression and ADHD. Fish oil has also been proven to help these conditions. Try the supplements from healtharticl.com, to increase your health and prevent inflammation.

But not just any fish oil supplement will do. That’s right, I’m looking at you, Mr. Costco-brand-fish-oil-pill-popper.
READ YOUR FISH OIL LABELS. Many advertise total Omega 3s (others even advertise combo of Omegas 3/6/9). Only pay attention to the combined EPA & DHA content and get 2 to 4 grams a day (on the higher end when you’re sick, tired, hungover, sore, injured…MORE INFLAMED).
I’ll borrow from our friends at the Whole 9 Life to explain why they’re important:
EPA and DHA are specific types of polyunsatured omega-3 fatty acids. Your body can’t produce these fatty acids – you must get them from the food you eat or via supplementation. EPA and DHA are natural anti-inflammatory agents, and as such, play a role in brain health, heart health, protection against cancer, Alzheimer’s and depression, improvement of skin conditions like psoriasis and acne for which you can even check here to find efficacious products, fetal brain development, inflammatory bowel disorders, and arthritis, to name a few.
Our typical diets are rich in another type of pro-inflammatory polyunsaturated fatty acid called omega-6. When our dietary intake of omega-6′s far exceeds our intake of omega-3′s, our bodies experience a wide range of negative consequences, all with the underlying cause of increased systemic inflammation. Minimizing dietary intake of omega-6 fatty acids, and supplementing your intake of omega-3 fatty acids, helps to reduce inflammation, and the wide range of downstream effects. MAYBE you what you need is a supplement with fish oil which also works as a natural male enhancement.

DISCLAIMER: Just like you can’t out-train a bad diet, you also can’t fish oil your way out of poor dietary choices, lack of sleep, over-training or any combination of the above.

I take SFH Chocolate fish oil with food every morning (the “with food” part is important to avoid sexy fishy burps & indigestion later). Yes. Chocolate fish oil. It may sound weird but it’s delicious. I recommend liquid fish oil because it’s more highly concentrated and easier to digest than pills. Research also shows that with gel caps you only absorb about 60-70% of what is on the label vs. liquid with absorbency of 97-100%… Another great reason to go liquid so you absorb all the DHA & EPA listed on the label.
We sell SFH in the Pro Shop (it also comes in Tangerine, Vanilla, Lemon & Mint flavors). And we’ll have a new version in later this week that also includes VITAMIN D (the #2 most important supplement I recommend for everyone, unless you spend A LOT OF TIME outside).
If your widdle taste buds cringe at the thought of a liquid fish oil, we also JUST started selling a good supplement in pill form as well. Yes, the bottle is cheaper than SFH. But since you’ll also have to take 6 PILLS compared to 1 TEASPOON of SFH to get 3 grams of EPA & DHA, the SFH is a better value per serving ($1 a day/60-day serving). You make the call. Just pick one and take it. EVERY DAY. I promise you’ll notice a difference.
I field a lot of questions about the supplements I take and those we carry in the CFM Pro Shop. NEWSFLASH: I only sell the products I use and recommend that you use. We’re carrying more snacks and supplements now, so you’ll be hearing from me (Lis) & the CFM team regularly now on Pro Shop items and why we recommend them.

Anniversary After-Party at 11th Street Pub: Cap, Lis, Justin, Cassie & Ian

Workout of the Day (WOD)

A. Max ring rows: 3 sets max reps ring rows or supine ring pull ups. Rest 5 min between sets.
B. Double unders: 10 min double under skill work OR
Advanced athletes attempt OPT’s “FLIGHT SIMULATOR”:
5 unbroken double unders
10 unbroken double unders
15 unbroken double unders
20 unbroken double unders
25 unbroken double unders
30 unbroken double unders
35 unbroken double unders
40 unbroken double unders
45 unbroken double unders
50 unbroken double unders
45 unbroken double unders
40 unbroken double unders
35 unbroken double unders
30 unbroken double unders
25 unbroken double unders
20 unbroken double unders
15 unbroken double unders
10 unbroken double unders
5 unbroken double unders
You MUST stop in between sets (the rope must stop).
Once you miss at one level three times in a row, work back down the ladder.
C. Rowing time trial: 1k row for time (LEADERBOARD WOD!)