Started as a maverick gym in Santa Cruz, CrossFit has spread worldwide, becoming the principal strength & conditioning program for police academies and tactical op's teams, military special operations units, champion martial artists, & hundreds of other elite and professional athletes worldwide. Why? Because CrossFit works...FAST.
CrossFit delivers a fitness that is, by design, broad, general, and inclusive. CrossFit's specialty is not specializing. Daily life, like many sports and professions, (and even combat) requires broad levels of fitness. CrossFit's program is designed for universal scalability making it the perfect application for any committed individual regardless of experience. The needs of Olympic athletes and our grandparents differ by degree not kind.
Click Here and Here for two great articles if you think CrossFit is too hard for you or beyond your ability.
To find out more about the principles and belief behind CrossFit, click here.
"Murph" on Veteran's Day. . . Can you name all the people in the photo? (no cheating by scouring flickr). Post ideas to comments.
Workout:
Run 400m
Rest 2 minutes
6 rounds
Post times to comments.
There are two ways to approach this workout. First is the "Fly and Die" method. In this method you go has hard as you can from the get-go, then just try and maintain the rest of the workout.
The second method is to pace your runs so that they all end up being within a few seconds of each other. With the last sprint or two being the shortest (but still within a few seconds of the other sprints if you paced correctly).
Compare to 080713 and even the 200m sprints on 081105.
Back at the beginning of July, Brett asked the question, “Is Cooking Manly?” The poll results were astoundingly lopsided: 95% yes, 5% no. It looks like a vast majority of us are convinced that being able to turn a heap of meat and vegetables into a delicious meal is a vital skill for a man to have.
Why then does it seem that so many men are unable to do something as simple as grilling a proper steak, much less doing something more involved like making a pot of soup (an exceedingly simple task)? Frankly, I know so many guys that would have trouble feeding themselves if a blizzard came through that it’s laughable.
Why do so many of us think it’s manly to cook, yet are unable to do so? Obviously the average male thinks it’s great to be able to slap a steak or some pork chops on the grill. But what about cooking in the kitchen? Is the kitchen the realm of women? Today, let’s look at some reasons that every man should be able to put together a meal, and by “meal” I mean meat AND side dishes, cooked on a grill, a cast iron skillet, or in the oven. . .
And unfortunately from CrossFit.com we have another Hero Workout (not to be completed the same day as the Deadlifts):
SO1 Joshua Thomas Harris, 36, drowned during combat operations, August 30th 2008 in Afghanistan. He is survived by his parents Dr. Sam and Evelyn Harris, his brother Ranchor and twin sister Kiki.
"Mr. Joshua"
Five rounds for time of:
Run 400 meters
30 Glute-ham sit-ups
250 pound Deadlift, 15 reps
They took saliva swabs from 17 male traders at a London stock-dealing firm twice a day and measured the samples for two hormones.
These were testosterone, which is associated with male aggressiveness and sexual behavior, and cortisol, which is summoned by the body to deal with "fight or flight" emergencies.
When the traders were in profit, their testosterone levels surged. But when they were in loss, or in fluctuation, it was their cortisol that rose sharply.
Testosterone encourages confidence and risk-taking, and has an accumulative effect, which could explain winning streaks in sports teams, for instance. . .
So fact one, we know were eating more sugar in general and more fructose in particular. We also know that fructose is metabolized differently than other sugars. Glucose, for example, can be used as is by virtually every cell in the body; fructose can only be metabolized in the liver (and in sperm cells). If we eat too much glucose, the metabolic process stores it away as glycogen–if we eat too much fructose, our livers convert it to fat and, typically, store it in the liver. Why? Because glucose metabolism is tightly controlled and fructose, in simple terms, jumps the main control point in the sugar metabolism pathway. . .
A couple of years ago my now-fiancée, Erin, told me I should read this book, "The Creative Habit" by Twyla Tharp. Tharp is one of the most prolific and acclaimed choreographers of all time. I thought the book sounded interesting and I would eventually get around to reading it. Well I finally did get around to reading it and it is amazing. I wish I had read it a couple of years ago when Erin first told me about it.
There is a lot of information in this book that appeals to me as a former musician and a current writer/blogger. However, there is also a lot of information that appeals to me as an athlete and coach. Being creative, according to Tharp, is about forming good habits and rituals. Being creative is about work and consistency and skill. These traits are no less important for athletes and coaches, in my opinion. . .
(Warning: Tnation may not be considered 'work safe'. . . it depends how your work feels about a few cuss words and extremely muscular women wearing extremely small 'bikinis')
My favorite quote from the article:
Pediatricians, doctors, and orthopedic surgeons are trained in medicine, in how to repair things that are already damaged. That does not mean they know how to exercise. Just because your mechanic knows how to work on your car doesn't mean he knows how to get you around downtown Boston. - Mark Rippetoe
Last time, we started looking at the physiological effects of fasting. I first looked at it from the perspective of energy production. As we saw, fasting has several effects on hormones, such as glucagon, epinephrine, and adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH). These hormonal effects allow the body to tap into its stored energy reserves so you can keep on trucking. Today, I want to look at a few additional hormonal effects. Part of the problem we run into is that studies thus far have been done on long-term fasting of multiple days, whereas we’re more interested in the short-term effects of Intermittent Fasting. So we’re going to have to do some educated theorizing. . .
. . .If we look at growth hormone (hGH) and insulin-like growth factor (IGF), we also see increases during fasting. As Robb pointed out, these two hormones “are crucial in actions such as tissue repair, hypertrophy, DNA repair, lypolysis, and, to some degree, strength.” That seems to bode well for those of us engaged in intense activity and could explain why so many people report improved workout recovery while IFing. And while IGF has been linked to some forms of cancer, animals tested on IF protocols have shown increased IGF levels, but decreased levels of disease. . .
+++DON'T FORGET ABOUT OUR "FRIENDS AND FAMILY" DAY ONE WEEK FROM TODAY, PLEASE POST IF YOU ARE COMING AND WHAT YOU CAN BRING+++
There comes a time in every CrossFitter's life when you've gotta ask yourself: "What the HELL I AM I DOING?!" (For Dan, this came fairly early as he completed the Filthy Fifty as Rx'ed his first time! - NICE WORK).
You can see by Dan's expression that he is very happy with his decision.
An innovative study appearing in the August issue of The Journal of Sexual Medicine examined, for the first time, if noseless bicycle saddles would be an effective intervention for alleviating deleterious health effects, erectile dysfunction and groin numbness, caused by bicycling on the traditional saddle with a protruding nose extension. Results from this study may be useful for the estimated 5 million recreational cyclists to alleviate perineal discomfort and maintain sexual health. . .
"Almost no-one gets the recommended 40 minutes to an hour per day of exercise - for these people, if there was a way to mimic exercise, it would make the quality of exercise they do more efficient."
40 minutes to an hour a day!? Where did they get that statistic? That is a lot of working out. -jj
Some of you might have noticed a little link in the upper left of the main page that says "DCF Records". Go up and find it. . .good.
Logs It All is a website for logging things, and they have a whole database for CrossFit workouts (the ones that reoccur like the Girls and Heroes, as well as each and every CFmainpage one that shows up). Bill Patton who runs logs it all even posts the top 20 in the comments section many times a 'regular' shows up on the CrossFit mainpage.
For example from "Helen" on Tuesday:
median all (391 reporting):10:30
median women (29 reporting): 12:11
top 20 all:
Position Total Time Gender Approx. Age Bodyweight CF Gym Affiliation
[1] damon stewart 7 mins 10 secs M 31 168 WasatchCrossfit.com
[2] Ricky Frausto 7 mins 11 secs M 30 150 CrossFit Omaha
[3] Phillip (Raze) Pound 7 mins 24 secs M 25 245 The Body Lab
[4] Darren Ellis 7 mins 30 secs M 33 174 CrossfitNZ
[5] brendan gilliam 7 mins 35 secs M 31 190 Crossfit North Santa Cruz
[6] Tyson Patrick 7 mins 44 secs M 22 172
[7] Stavros Kalogirou 7 mins 44 secs M 32 180 Diablo Crossfit
[8] Darren Rosten 7 mins 47 secs M 28 213 Diablo Crossfit
[9] Jonathan Burns 7 mins 49 secs M 30 205 Northwest Crossfit
[10] josh jorgensen 7 mins 51 secs M 20 195 diablo crossfi
Notice anything?
We are doing pretty good, but I want to blow up Logs It All with Diablo CrossFit athletes. So go get an account, and make sure you update it when you do one of the workouts available there.
Brian St. does some dumbbell burpees (are those tears or sweat).
Workout:
50 Dumbbell burpees* for time (45lb dbs men, 25lb dbs women)
*hold dumbbells at side, drop dbs to deck, kick legs back, do a push up, bring legs in, stand up (with proper lower back form!), power clean weight to shoulders, push press dbs overhead, rinse repeat.
Your relationship with food is the most important determinant of your longterm well-being. The first thing that you should think about when you want to make a change in your life is your diet. Nutrition is the foundation of the development of an athlete and of humans in general. . ."
Some of the regulars might have noticed some little green and black striped rollers and balls being used at The Shed from time to time. I found out about Trigger Point Technologies back in January at the first CrossFit Running and Endurance Cert (a very informative seminar I might add). Jeff Alexander from Network Fitness introduced me to these wonderful little torture devices that allow you to massage yourself at an intensity people pay big bucks for.
Because CrossFitters push themselves harder than any other group of people when working out, they need a rest and recovery tool that pushes them just as hard. Utilizing these tools and techniques an athlete can increase the intensity and frequency of his/her workouts, while also reducing pain and injuries - and that's something every CrossFitter can appreciate.
I know that most of the DCF visitors to the Games stopped by the TPT booth to get some pain/healing, but even Darren got a mention in Jeff's Newsletter:
. . .
4. Tight Quads -- Devilishly tight quads
Diablo CrossFit is represented at right. Rolling the quads can be your own private hell if you've never done it. These massive muscles can carry numerous knots within the muscle fibers and still perform at very high levels of output. If you'd like to take a roll and see how tight your thighs are, grab a quadballer and get to work. You just might be surprised how much easier your squats can be once you clear hidden trigger points and adhesions.
And here is a video from the games of these things in action:
Check out both the TPT site as well as The Network Fitness sites for some great info.
-7 DB Circuits of:
5 Dumbbell Deadlift
5 Dumbbell Hang Clean
5 Dumbbell Front Squat/Push Press (aka-Thrusters)
30 Box Jumps
Loading equals 45% of bodyweight. New students should adjust down load and/or rounds of dumbbell work.
Video and review of the generic "Dumbbell Bear" can be found on Coach Rut's site HERE
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Coach Rutman's DVD's are chock full of good info, covering everything from unlimited dumbbell training tips, workouts, food, warm ups, and so much more.
(Don't worry about buying from them, their safe. Robb and Greg know that I'll throw dumbbells at their heads when they are not looking if anyone has any problems - and not one of the rubber coated ones either -jj).
*** TUES. 8AM CLASS CANCELED, MUAY THAI CANCELED THURS & SATURDAY *** (Luca is getting a much needed vacation).
Quote of the week: "I would say 'that the only easy day was yesterday', but I know that I won't be sore from yesterday until tomorrow."
Workout:
Power Snatch 1 rep
Overhead Squat 2 rep
Start at a moderate weight (50%-70% of your approximate OHS max), add increments of 10 lbs (if you can power snatch more than 95) or increments of 5 lbs until failure. Back off one increment and perform as many OHS as possible with that weight.
Raw power:
Craig is training for the Concept II race at the games. He is trying to be able to row a 2:50 or less 1000m sprint. Currently he can pull a sub 3:10, which is in the top 20 rankings (and WELL into the 90th percentile at 3:18.4) According to the Concept 2 website, the #1 time is 2:50.5 - The equivalent of two 1 minute 25 second, 500m sprints back to back.
I think he has it in him. Everyone should ask him how his training is going. -jj
Workout:
Four 500m sprints on the erg (rower).
Rest between sprints as needed.
Rhabdomyolysis is a very serious and life threatening condition that has the potential to sideline any CrossFit athlete. With a little experience, a little knowledge, and a little self control, the threat Rhabdomyolysis presents can be avoided if not completely negated.
The 'very simple' explanation is that "Rhabdo" is caused when muscle destruction causes the release of chemicals (broken down muscle components) into the blood stream. This muscle breakdown can be caused by exercise or even injury to muscles (such as in a car accident). The kidneys (that filter the blood) are overwhelmed, and soon fail. Extreme discomfort, a hospital visit, and/or death can follow.
CrossFit has a unique relationship with Rhabdo due to to the fact that it's appearance in any kind of 'fitness' environment was previously unheard of. After a few cases appeared during CF's early years (and many more cases since), "Uncle Rhabdo" (Pukie's angrier, darker cousin) is still an important threat to any CrossFit gym.
Below are two articles that were provided in the CrossFit Journal about Rhabdomyolysis.
Any CrossFit workout of sufficient intensity has the possibility of inducing Rhabdo to some degree, but the following factors seem to play the biggest roll.
1. Negative contractions (i.e. eccentric movements) - anything with an abundance of 'decelerating weight receiving' activities done at with high repetitions such as burpees, jumping pull ups, etc. Eccentric movements tend to cause more muscle soreness than other movements, so this can be your guide.
2. Ego - The drive to beat a fellow gym member or to best some score can sometimes cause an athlete to ignore the 'inner voice' that warns that you might need to hold back today. Generally it takes a certain type of person to drive far enough past your comfort zone to enter into muscle destroying territory. That being said, at CrossFit we challenge our comfort zone and our egos every workout. The good news is that with regular CF training, your experience and your body's conditioning will lessen the possibility of Rhabdo. The bad news is that people who used to be in 'great' shape before coming to CrossFit, or have long ago participated in sports that demanded the mental fortitude for maximum output are in the most danger. These people have generally developed a mental pushing force that far exceeds their bodies current capabilities. They will need to be 'reined' in by more experienced CF players.
3. Heat - Warm weather and humid weather also play a roll. When working out on extremely hot days, try to stay as cool as possible (shade, etc), and pay more attention to intensity.
4. Dehydration - Due to either a lack of water, or a night of heavy drinking before, can also lead to muscle breakdown. Drink your water. Be extra careful working out hard after a night of '12 oz curls'.
Symptoms (when to get worried):The primary symptoms observed by athletes are generally
Muscle fatigue (fairly normal after a CF workout)
Extreme muscle soreness (somewhat normal after a CF workout)
"Tea" or pink colored urine (BINGO)
With the third symptom being the most telltale, and the time you should think about calling the hospital. The second symptom will need to be judged based upon 'how sore' you think you are. And the first symptom isn't much to work with because it is all too common after a good hard CF workout.
When you do go in for blood/urine examination, make sure you tell them that you suspect Rhabdomyolysis - otherwise it may take many hours for the doctor to figure out exactly what is wrong with you (as that Rhabdo isn't common from working out). Depending on the severity (we are fairly confident that many CF athletes have experience mild forms of Rhabdo without even knowing it), you may be in the hospital for a couple days to weeks. And you may not be able to train for weeks or months. Either way, you can expect a loss hard earned performance and muscle mass.
Be careful with "Uncle Rhabdo". Watch your intensity on hot days, drink water, and make sure that you keep your ego in check. As with any time you risk serious injury, it is better to err on the side of caution than to loose not only the future time training, but also dozens of hours already spent in the gym.
Andres from CrossFit Marin showing the DCF crew some Parkour basics. Parkour has been dubbed "street gymnastics" but it is so much more than that. Not only is it extremely functional, it is also a ton of fun.
You can have Roger or Andres and crew come do a special seminar at your gym, or you can head out to their facility for some HIGHLY skilled gymnastics and/or Parkour training (ask Craig about the quality of Roger's instruction, and anyone else in the picture above about Andres' great coaching abilities).
Regarding Diet: What did our ancient ancestors eat? The truth is that we can’t say for sure. It almost certainly varied from time to time and place to place.
The short answer, says Forencich, is “whatever they could.” Their primary challenge was simply “getting enough calories to stay alive.”
Regarding Exercise: Our primal ancestors didn’t use stopwatches, and they didn’t count sets and reps. Think rhythm or activity patterns.
What did they do from day to day?
Forencich says primitive man lived a “high contrast” life. They worked very hard, and then rested. “Hunting is hard work,” he writes. “You may have to push it really hard for a couple of days to lay in a good supply of meat. Add in some river crossings, predator encounters and navigational errors and you’ve got a [high intensity] challenge.”
++ NO OLY LIFTING CLASS TODAY ++ FitDay is a free online food log you can use to track your diet. It requires that you do some weighing and measuring of your fuel intake, but it does have the nutritional information of most foods as well as a "create your own" for foods that you eat all the time and can't find on their database. Each day the macro content (fat, protein, carbs, alcohol. . . yes alcohol is a macro nutrient! - at least in my book), of what you have been consuming (for what it's worth, alcohol counts as carbs for the zone).
You can also create reports showing your the overall macro content of your foods over a period of time as well as track your calorie intake and expenditures - among many other things I have not figured out yet.
I have been using it now for a couple of weeks, and I like the results. I discovered that my "paleo - ish" diet has been starving me! I don't consume nearly enough calories even to maintain my body weight let alone put on a few pounds of muscle.
Check it out if you are looking for some new gimmick to make the boredom of weighing and measuring your food more interesting. And yes, you have to weigh and measure. It doesn't do you any good to lie to the machine (many studies have shown that we all underestimate how much we are eating).
"Coach Rip" is a pillar in the CrossFit community as well as the owner an operator of CrossFit Wichita Falls. His no bullshit coaching and life lessons have made him a favorite at Diablo CrossFit for a long time.
Darren, Bryan and Mo do some double unders at sunrise.
Workout:
"DCF Newbie" for time -
400m run
10 pull ups
20 push ups
30 sit ups
40 squats
The DCF Newbie workout is administered to all new potential clients as an evaluation of their current fitness level, as well as a baseline for people to track progress.
Then strength work:
3,3,3,3,3
Strict Press
Back Squat
Use enough weight so that you approach failure each set.
Post DCF Newbie times and weights used to comments.
VERY interesting article. I wonder what all the psychologists would say about the "Kool-Aid Drinkers" at CrossFit. . . -jj
Post thoughts to comments.
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Homework: "Baselines"
A "baseline" is a point of reference usually denoting a beginning or starting point.
By now everyone should have their 2008 goals planned and written down. And if they aren't in the comments section of this post, you are slacking (don't even ask me about what a lazy puke you are if you haven't even picked your goals at all yet).
Now everyone's homework is to make an attempt for each goal and note exactly where they currently stand on making that goal and establish a "baseline". If it is consecutive muscle ups, and you have zero - that's easy. If you are trying for a CrossFit Total, it is time to do it (if you have already tried in the last month, you can use this as your baseline score).
Use the same weight for the cleans and jerks. Scale the weight up or down if needed. All double unders must be attempted (no multiples of regular jumps), but count each attempt as one rep.
And from that site, here are the fitness tests from the WWII era: 1946 Army Physical Fitness Test
You better believe that we will be having a WOD with these movements in the near future. -jj
As a side note, The CrossFit Journal issue 30 from February 2005 highlighted the Navy's Gymnastics and Tumbling book from 1944.
Not only is this journal FREE. . . Yes FREE for download by clicking here. It is actually a gateway to download the scanned version of the Gymnastics and Tumbling manual (all 463 pages of it). Luckily it is broken down into sections, or you can download the entire manual at once. . . it happens to be 254 MB.
With great stuff like this coming out every month. . . why don't you have a subscription yet!?
Our post wod discussion centered on why anaerobic exercise is far superior to aerobic (aka: long slow distance) exercise for losing weight and building muscle. The above book has been met with some criticism from the lsd community. However it really explains well the superior benefits to interval style training. Read the first chapter on Amazon. Now, mix in functional exercises, lots of variety, and intensity and you have CrossFit.
CrossFit HQ and The Canadian Forces at Base Gagetown have put together an innovative resource to help educate people about the importance of Combat Fitness.
To get to some of the best parts (videos of Coach, Eddie Lugo and Nicole Carrol), use the following directions. There are 3 drop down menus at the bottom of the screen. Select “Combat Fitness Program” for the first drop down. Choose “Exercises” in the second drop down. And then select whatever exercise you want in the third drop down.
A "Tabata" set is eight rounds of 30 seconds - 20 seconds of work followed by 10 seconds of rest. Only score your the least number of repetitions for any one round. Add the low round scores for each exercise and post the total to comments.
0700h WOD - Power
Warm up
Row 500m
1/2 Tabata (4 Rounds) of:
- Squats
- KB Swings
Burgener Warmup
Burgener Snatch Transfer Skills
Power Session - The Clean
Full Squat Clean: 3, 3, 2, 2, 2, 1, 1, 1
Form is the key!!
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Great website for instruction on the finer points of the Clean, Clean & Jerk, and the Snatch: Olympic Weightlifting
"Free of the Cage"
This used cage had only adjustable hooks for working inside of the cage (a Craig's List buy of about $200, including cheap Oly bar and bench). With a slight welding modification, it can now be used for presses and overhead work outside of the cage like any other pair of squat stands (and this about triples the functionality of the device).
Use your lowest score for each Tabata round, except in the case of the rower, use your total calories, then divide it by 8. Add up all your scores from each exercise for a total score.
A MUST read for all our professional warriors as well as those who know that violence doesn't just happen to 'the other guy' and being prepared doesn't make you a 'violent person'. Once I picked this book up, I couldn't put it down. It covers all sides of human to human confrontation including psychology, physiology, wounds, post event mental care, etc. I use it's teachings and examples in my martial arts coaching/training every day and I recommend it to all students.
Unfortunately the only place I could find it was on Amazon (so you can't thumb through it at any major chain that I found), but the price and the wait for shipping is more than worth it. -jj
Today is a special day for CrossFit. Two years ago today the United States lost some great warriors fighting in Afghanistan. Mike Murphy, Jeff Taylor, Mike McGreevy, Danny Dietz, San Healy, Erik Kristensen, James Suh, Matt Axelson, Shane Patton, Jeff Lucas, Jacques Fontan as well as the air crew from the helicopter that went down.
The first three individuals were avid CrossFitters and have workouts named after them.
"Murph"
1 mile Run
100 Pull-ups
200 Push-ups
300 Squats
1 mile Run
(For time)
"Michael"
Run 800 meters
50 Back Extensions
50 Sit-ups
(3 rounds For time)
"J.T."
Handstand push-ups
Ring dips
Push-ups
(21-15-9 rep/rounds For time)
Pick one of the workouts from above and post your results to comments.
Score your lowest number of repetitions for each exercise. In other words, if your worst set of 8 sets of squats yielded only 10 repetitions, then your score is 10.
Take a one-minute rest in-between each movement to set up.
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Tabata Intervals consist of 20 seconds of maximum intensity exercise, followed by 10 seconds of rest. This cycle is repeated 8 times (for a total of 4-minutes).
"Duke University researchers also found that the fattest workers had 13 times more lost workdays due to work-related injuries, and their medical claims for those injuries were seven times higher than their fit co-workers."
Post thoughts to comments.
Although Dr. Tabata used a mechanically braked cycle ergometer, you can apply this protocol to almost any exercise. A few popular examples include hitting a heavy bag, sprinting, jumping rope, or performing bodyweight calisthenics (ex. squats and pushups).
Your first reaction might be, “How effective can this protocol be with just 4 minutes of exercise?”
Let me answer this question for you… VERY EFFECTIVE!
You will be amazed at how intense 4 minutes of exercise will feel. These intervals will tax both the aerobic and anaerobic energy systems. Tabata Intervals are excellent for those athletes who participate in high intensity sports such as boxing, MMA, or wrestling.
After just 6 weeks of testing, Dr. Tabata noted a 28% increase in anaerobic capacity along with a 14% increase in V02Max. These results were witnessed by physically fit athletes. Many tests are conducted on deconditioned subjects, which leads to results that are difficult to evaluate. Dr. Tabata's test was much more effective, as it produced a positive response on individuals who were already in shape.
HAVE YOU READ YOUR CROSSFIT JOURNAL THIS MONTH?? Appropriate Rest Between Interval Sets By Energy System Focus
The above chart was taken from an article entitled, "Rest and Recovery in Interval-Based Exercise," CrossFit Journal, April 2007, Issue 56. Tony Leyland, Senior Lecturer at the School of Kinesiology, Simon Fraser University in Vancouver, Canada, is the author.
In this excellent article, Tony describes appropriate rest periods for interval training for all three metabolic pathways (& muscle types). I have been using intervals for more than 20 years for powerlifting and endurance running, operating on instinct and coaching input for recovery times. This article debunks many of my preconceived notions about recovery time and identifies correct rest periods by intended training focus: power, strength recovery, or cardiovascular endurance.
In short, the above article is brilliant in my humble opinion. I will not print it here, but will display a couple cool charts on energy consumption and commentary on muscle fiber types. The CrossFit Journal is only $25 per YEAR. The above article is worth $25 or more alone.
If you have not yet subscribed, please do so by clicking on the above chart. Your $25 helps support CrossFit's vast resource of free information, coaching videos, pictures, and website.
This is a fantastic chart really demonstrating your body's energy sources for physical exertion as it correlates to time. Keep in mind that this chart assumes MAXIMUM power outputs. In other words, if you get out of your chair and walk to the door for 10 seconds, your body will use the oxidative system, which could last for hours. A full sprint for 10 seconds will use the phosphagen system to maximize muscular effort (power).
Finally, here's what Tony has to say about appropriate interval rest periods for training muscle groups:
"So I am going to simplify things considerably here. There are three types of fibers:
• Type 2b fast-twitch fibers are recruited for very short duration high intensity bursts of power such as maximal and near-maximal lifts and sprints. These fibers produce high force levels quickly but they fatigue quickly also.
• Type 2a fast-twitch fibers are more fatigue-resistant than type 2b fibers but cannot produce force quite as rapidly. They are used more in sustained power activities like sprinting 400m or doing repeated lifts with a weight below your maximum (but not very light weights).
• Type 1 slow-twitch fibers are used in lower intensity exercises like light resistance work aimed at muscular endurance and long duration aerobic activities like running 5K and 10K.
So now you have a sense of what energy system and muscle fibers you are using, how long you should recover between exercise bouts? The answer depends on which energy system you are stressing and the purpose of your training that day. This is why rest periods are not always specified in exact terms in the WOD."
070324 Saturday - Semi Private Sessions at the Shed
++ Semi-Private Sessions at The Shed w/Brian @1300H ++
Heart disease presents a major threat to firefighters, study says Contra Costa Times, Mar 24, 2007
Death by Heart Attack???
Who would have thought the greatest risk of dying for Firefighters may be a heart attack?? I guess I understand, since most Firefighters are idle for long periods of time and then are periodically immersed into random intense physical activity. Most have only trained themselves with extended periods of low intensity cardiovascular exercise. And, firehouse diet may not be helping.
CrossFit is quickly becoming a fitness staple for many Firefighters and Fire Departments. CrossFit readies the body for the intense, physical activities of a FireFighter life and everyday life that come in short, varied bursts (climbing a ladder with weight, lifting the kids into the car seat, swinging an axe, lifting a 50lb bag of dog food, etc.).
Read on below.
Posted on Sat, Mar. 24, 2007, Contra Costa Times
Heart disease presents a major threat to firefighters, study says
By Alicia Chang
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Firefighters face a far greater risk of dying of heart problems while battling a blaze than was thought, suggests a large U.S. study that offers more evidence of their need to stay in shape.
The risk of a heart-related death while putting out a fire is up to 100 times higher than the risk during down time, Harvard researchers found, even though fighting fires accounts for only a small percentage of the workers' time.
About 100 firefighters die in the line of duty each year, and previous research has shown that nearly half of the deaths are due to heart disease. The vast majority -- about 70 percent -- of the nation's roughly 1 million firefighters are volunteers.
Experts say diet and exercise should be priorities at the firehouse.
"You may not be able to prevent all these deaths, but to the degree you can prevent some deaths by paying attention to underlying risk factors and better fitness programs, that's the goal," said Dr. Linda Rosenstock, dean of the UCLA School of Public Health, who was not involved in the study.
The study, published in Thursday's New England Journal of Medicine, doesn't address whether firefighters have an overall higher risk of dying from heart disease than the general population.
Rosenstock said fire departments could do more to improve health by requiring annual physicals and fitness tests. Departments also should have wellness and fitness programs to reduce heart disease risk factors such as obesity and high blood pressure, she said.
Firefighting is a physically demanding job that involves heavy lifting of equipment and exposure to toxic chemicals. Recruits are generally healthy and physically fit, but their health can decline over time because many firehouses don't require regular exercise or yearly medical exams. Also, the health requirements are usually less stringent for volunteers, who tend to continue firefighting as they age, a time when most heart problems occur.
In the Harvard study, researchers examined a federal registry of 1,144 on-duty firefighter deaths between 1994 and 2004. Excluded were the 343 firefighters who perished in the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.
Nearly 40 percent, or 449, of the on-duty deaths during that period were due to heart disease. Thirty-two percent of the heart-related deaths occurred while fighting blazes; 13 percent while responding to an alarm; 17 percent while returning from a call and 13 percent during physical training.
The researchers also calculated the odds of dying from a heart attack by taking into account the estimated amount of time spent performing different duties.
They found the risk of death from heart disease was highest during active firefighting -- up to 100 times greater than the risk of dying during administrative work -- though firefighting made up no more than 5 percent of a firefighters' time. Increased risk of death was also found for other emergency duties such as responding to a call and returning from the scene of a fire.
Researchers believe mental stress and overexertion combined with factors such as being overweight and in poor shape may increase the risk of dying from heart disease.
"There's direct evidence to support that certain specific activities that firefighters do could trigger coronary heart disease events," said lead author Dr. Stefanos Kales of the Harvard School of Public Health.
The study was funded by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health and the Massachusetts Public Employees Retirement Administration Commission. Kales and another author have served as paid expert witnesses in workers' compensation cases, including some involving firefighters.
Fire Sgt. Jeff Brause of Michigan had a heart attack in 2004 while responding to a house fire. Brause, who was 45 at the time, didn't have a family history of heart disease.
"I started getting a burning sensation in my chest," he recalled. "I thought I must be getting old or maybe pulled a muscle."
The pain worsened during the ride to the scene, and Brause sought an ambulance. On the way to the hospital, paramedics had to deliver a defibrillation shock to restart his heart. Doctors later told Brause he had a blockage in his heart.
Before his heart attack, Brause said he often ate greasy fast food and didn't exercise regularly. "I didn't eat the world's greatest," he admitted.
Since then, Brause has given up junk food and hits the treadmill and lifts weights three times a week.
Firefighter groups are increasingly taking notice of heart risk. The National Volunteer Fire Council in 2003 began an awareness program promoting fitness and nutrition, and volunteers offer free health screening and demonstrate healthy cooking and fitness techniques.
Online
New England Journal of Medicine: www.nejm.org
Harvard School of Public Health: www.hsph.harvard.edu
Jeremy with a homemade 10lb grip ball, using a palm down grip. (Click Continue Reading below for more information about the balls).
Workout:
Go to the steepest hill you can find (the steeper the better), measure out 40 meters, and see how many times you can sprint up it in 15 minutes.
If you are stuck working out in a gym (I feel sorry for you), set the treadmill on it's highest incline and crank up the speed to your max. Leave the hamster wheel running while you complete as many 20s sprints as possible in 15 minutes.
Many people have caught on to the 'core' strength training craze (possibly because they still believe in 'spot fat reduction' - and their 'cores' look less like an apple core and more like an untouched pear).
While true 'core' (aka 'trunk') strength is important, an injury to this area can be very debilitating. As I combat a back injury that has yet to be diagnosed for 3 months and is still causing pain, I have looked to my extremities as an area to develop new capacities.
Today's picture is a mini basket ball bought at Target for approximately $9.00. Using Pierre's (From Capital CrossFit) method for making medicine balls (drill hole, fill with sand, plug with car tire repair plug and rubber glue), I was able to make a great 10lb mini ball for scaling workouts and is a great grip strength training tool. You can see the little nubs where I patched the holes in the picture By tossing the ball and catching it palm down, the hands and fingers get a great amount of work in the wide open position (a place where most grips fail).
If this type of training is familiar. You are probably familiar with things like block training and John Brookfield (hand strength guru and strongman athlete). His book "Mastery of Hand Strength" is a great resource for training your fingers, hands, and wrists. While the book is brief, it has great ideas on making your own implements for hand strength, as well as training methods, and a little bit of the history of hand strength.
Hopefully I can turn this halt of my regular training into something positive and develop my hands and wrists, so when I do get back to full shape, the time will not have been waisted. -jj
The CrossFit Journal is a "must read" for anyone remotely interested in exercise. We encourage all our gym members and site visitors to set up a subscription.
This gem is electronically published and distributed. Yearly subscriptions cost $25 (a steal!) and every back issue is available for $5 an issue (if you get them in bulk, I am sure a discount can be arranged).
You can see a few of the many, many, many articleshere
Consequently, I have built all of the afore mentioned equipment and can vouch for their effectiveness. . . I should also mention that the author Jamila Bey is an avid CrossFitter. - Jeremy
++ Next Workout Scheduled for Friday, Sept. 15th, Larkey Park, 6am ++
The CrossFit Journal: One of the most diverse, useful, insightful, easily followed, authoritative guides to general physical fitness and life in general.
Next month will be their 50th issue, and I can’t wait to see what goes into the next 50.
This gem is electronically published and distributed. Yearly subscriptions cost $25 (a steal!) and every back issue is available for $5 an issue (if you get them in bulk, I am sure a discount can be arranged).
