August 27, 2010
Saturday - Aug 28, 2010
Tiffany, Jaz and Davida show the "woman makers" who is boss.
Skill Practice Warm Up: PNF stretch your hip flexors AND your hamstrings!
Workout:
5 rounds for time.
Wall ball (Advanced: 20lb/10ft, Intermediate: 14lb/10ft, Novice: 10lb/8ft)
Burpees
Advanced: 25 reps per round
Intermediate: 20 reps per round
Novice: 15 reps per round
Log your results online by clicking here.
Video: From this weekend's Eat Real Festival Website - Urban Farming
Everyone should make time to visit the Eat Real Festival this weekend! Find details here.
Posted by Jeremy Jones at 4:11 PM | Comments (8)
August 24, 2010
Wednesday - Aug 25, 2010 - Cool Shoes
One thing we will never lack at DCF. . . cool shoes (Tom Jones rocking some colorful Converse).
Skill Practice Warm Up:Proprioceptive Neuromuscular Facilitation (PNF) stretching - More hip flexor stretching!
Workout: Strict Press
3 - 3 - 3 - 3 - 3 - 3 - 3
Metabolic Conditioning Workout:
For time.
21 - 15 - 9
DB Hang Power Cleans (Advanced: 50lb, Intermediate: 35lb, Novice: 25)
Box Jumps (Advanced: 28in*, Intermediate: 24in, Novice: 20in -step ups allowed-)
*Use a 24in box with one 45lb bumper on top.
Log your results online by clicking here.
Article: Why Quick Cheap Food is Actually More Expensive.
Decent article. I think the largest stumbling block for most people we deal with is not the costs, but the time and skills involved in having a food plan. Not knowing where your next meal (or three) is coming from is a recipe for mistakes and problems.
Start backwards, write down the stuff that you know how to cook (and that you enjoy eating), and find one new recipe to learn each week. Take down the ingredients from your first list and create a shopping list, and then go and buy the food. With your ingredients and and list of dishes, figure out how much you need to cook and when you need to cook so that you have a every meal figured out for the next week (two weeks is better).
After one or two months, you'll have the hang of it and you can probably get away living 'by the seat of your pants' (i.e. you won't have to write everything down), and you'll have at least 4 or 5 new things that you now know how to make, and at least a couple that you can really make work for your diet/lifestyle.
What do you think is the biggest roadblock to eating the way you know you should? Post to comments. -jj
Posted by Jeremy Jones at 7:18 PM | Comments (17)
August 16, 2010
Tuesday - Aug 17, 2010
The hottest kickball team. . . like. . . ever.
Skill Practice Warm Up: PNF hamstring stretch (laying flat on your back with the leg being stretched straight up in the air. 5 seconds contraction, 10 seconds relax. 6 times each leg.
Workout: Squat
You pick! Choose either a Back Squat, Front Squat or Overhead squat. You can do whatever squat variation you want (one that you like the most, one that you need to work on the most, etc)
5 - 5 - 5 - 5 - 5
Metabolic Conditioning Workout:
Tabata Push ups
Tabata Squats
A "Tabata" is 20 seconds of work followed by 10 seconds of rest, repeated for 8 intervals. Count reps for each 20 second interval. The round with the lowest number of reps is your 'score' for that exercise. Add up the 'score' from the two exercises for a total score. No rest between exercises (other than the normal 10 seconds).
Log your results online by clicking here.
Article: You've got to be kidding me. . . Now they are considering handing out Statins at fast food restaurants.
(And if they start offering them at McD's. . . the end is nigh. -jj)
Posted by Jeremy Jones at 7:24 PM | Comments (11)
July 22, 2010
Friday - July 23, 2010
This is how you win $100 from Under Armour.
Workout:
10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1
Dumbbell Hang power clean - no 'curling' and hips must be at full extension at the top for the rep to count.
(Advanced: 45lbs, Intermediate: 25lb, Novice: 15lbs)
Burpee Pull up - hands must come off the deck every rep of the push up
(Advanced: pull up bar 8" above reach, Intermediate: bar at fingertips, Novice: bar in 'jumping pull up' range)
Log your results online by clicking here.
Article(s): I wonder if eventually people will be able to sue their employers for making them sit on the job for so long. -jj
Sitting, even after working out often, can cut lifespan
(thanks to Sara and Dave for the links. They don't take life 'sitting down'. -jj)
Charles Staley is only one week away!
Get certified with Olympic weightlifting coach and competitor Charles Staley next weekend. Make sure you sign up and reserve your spot online today! (Click Here).
Posted by Jeremy Jones at 6:25 PM | Comments (13)
July 13, 2010
Wednesday - July 14, 2010
Stav takes the Silver medal in the Triathlon portion of the Firefighter Olympics on Sunday then Julie took the Silver medal for the CrossFit portion on Monday (deadlifting 355)! Stav went on to compete in the CF stuff on Monday along with Kevin and Julie. Kevin got a personal record on his deadlift of 35 additional pounds in the middle of 3 other workouts! Click "continue reading" below for Stavros' full report. Way to represent!
Workout: As many rounds as possible in 15 minutes.
20 Box Jumps (Advanced: 24", Intermediate: 20", Novice: 12")
200m Bumper plate Farmer Carry (Advanced: 45lb, Intermediate: 25lb, Novice: 25lb dbs)
20 Push ups
Log your results online by clicking here.
Article: Exercise Bulimia hard to detect.
Olympic Lifting with Charles Staley This month!
July 31st and August 1st! $200 for DCF members (email jeremy for coupon code), $250 for non-members.
This seminar is open to the public and we do expect it to sell out Click here to sign up!
Charles runs a very successful gym, is a Masters competitor and runs a podcast called "Iron Radio" that you can listen to on his site or you can download from itunes.
Recently he had some CrossFit gyms on his show to talk about 'small group training' and one of the interviewees was yours truly! It is episode 58, and you can find it on itunes or listen/download it here!. After reviewing the podcast, I guess I ended up talking more than a lot of the other gym owners. . . I guess I am not surprised.
From Stavros:
"I did the triathlon on Sunday and got a silver medal in my division, I think I was the 5th Firefighter overall to finish. I was 6th in my age-group and 38th overall in the entire race. Today, Kevin, Julie, and myself competed in the Crossfit Comp. Julie took a silver medal! Kevin did amazing, he PR'd on deadlift by 35lbs (I'll check with him to be sure). I won my heat on the last WOD, the competition was amazing. Jeff Leonard took silver, so that should let you know how tough it was. Good stuff."
Posted by Jeremy Jones at 8:47 AM | Comments (12)
June 29, 2010
Wednesday - June 30, 2010
Laci trying for the Challenge of the Month. Today is the last day!
This month we will give an honorable mention to the people who had the longest handstands, but the real winners will be the people WITH THE MOST IMPROVED SCORE! If you made an official attempt, you can make another one and whoever has improved the most will win the Challenge of the Month!
Skill practice warm up: Handstand progressions and handstand holds for time.
Workout:"Disagreement Gone Bad"
1 minute at each station, count reps. 3 rounds total.
Row (count Calories)
Box Jump (Advanced: 20", Intermediate: 20", Novice: 12")
Medicine Ball Squat Clean (Advanced: 20lb, Intermediate: 14lb, Novice: 10lb)
Push Press (men: 45lbs, women: 33)
Record total reps (cal for row) and add them all up for a grand total score.
Log your results online by clicking here.
Article: Impulsive and weak willed. . . or just too much dopamine?
"Primal Nutrition Challenge" Participants Sign up Here!
Posted by Jeremy Jones at 8:27 AM | Comments (16)
May 19, 2010
Thursday - May 20, 2010
Paula's shirt says it all: "Building Better Bootys"
Workout:
5 rounds for time of:
10 Power Cleans (Advanced: 135lbs, Intermediate: 85lbs, Novice: 45lbs)
20 Wall Balls (Advanced: 20lb/10ft, Intermediate: 14lb/10ft, Novice: 10lb/8ft)
Record total time.
Log your results online by clicking here.
Video: Can we eat to starve cancer?
Posted by Jeremy Jones at 2:04 PM | Comments (26)
April 26, 2010
Tuesday - Apr 27, 2010
The power snatch is technically any time you catch the weight overhead with the thighs above parallel.
Skill practice warm up: Inversion under the rings. "Skin the cat" if you are ready.
Workout: "Randy"
In honor of Randy Simmons, 51, a 27 year LAPD veteran and SWAT team member who was killed February 6 in the line of duty. Our thoughts and prayers go out to Officer Simmons' wife and two children. First posted 13 February 2008 on CrossFit.com
75 power snatches (Advanced: 75lbs, Intermediate: 53lbs, Novice: 45lbs)
Log your results online by clicking here.
Bodyfat testing is this weekend! Check out the events page for details
Regular laughter has similar hormonal benefits as regular exercise (including appetite control).
Posted by Jeremy Jones at 6:47 PM | Comments (29)
April 22, 2010
Friday - Apr 23, 2010
Some of the finalist photos from the Primal Nutrition Challenge! All photos were taken 6 weeks after the start, no doctoring or 'Photoshopping'. All of the finalists were CrossFitting regularly before starting, and many were already eating fairly "well".
Workout: Split Jerk
3 - 2 - 2 - 2 - 1 - 1 - 1 - 1
OR
Make up a 'max effort' lift you have missed.
Metabolic Conditioning Workout:
As many wall balls as possible in 5 minutes.
Advanced: 20lb ball, 10ft target
Intermediate: 14lb ball, 8ft target
Novice: 10lb ball, 10ft target
Log your results online by clicking here.
Article: Another Study proves that higher intake of sugar increases heart disease risk factors.
Posted by Jeremy Jones at 8:24 AM | Comments (24)
April 6, 2010
Wednesday - Apr 7, 2010
Scott loves this stuff. . . so much he is smiling while competing at the sectionals!
Workout: Power Clean
3 - 3 - 3 - 3 - 3
Metabolic Conditioning Workout:
As many double unders as possible in 5 minutes. Only complete double unders count.
(novices can count attempts).
Log your results online by clicking here.
Article: Paleo in Moderation (From "Paleo Chix")
"I eat Paleo to live better, I don’t live to eat Paleo better. . ."
Click here for complete article.
(Thanks to Scott for finding the article. Some day your quads will be as large as Herm's. -jj).
Posted by Jeremy Jones at 7:20 PM | Comments (22)
March 30, 2010
Wednesday - Mar 31, 2010
Sarah leaving no questions about "Full Extension" on her kettlebell swings at the NorCal Sectionals. (I also like to think of this one as "You want to see FULL EXTENSION!?" -jj)
Workout: "Annie with a stroll"
For time:
50 Double Unders *
50 ABMAT Sit-ups
100m Waiter's Walk (Advanced: 53lb kb, Intermediate: 35lb, Novice: 26lb), switch arms often.
40 Double Unders
40 ABMAT Sit-ups
100m Waiter's Walk
30 Double Unders
30 ABMAT Sit-ups
100m Waiter's Walk
20 Double Unders
20 ABMAT Sit-ups
100m Waiter's Walk
10 Double Unders
10 ABMAT Sit-ups
100m Waiter's Walk
*If you are still working on getting a single double under consistently, sub 1/2 the number of attempts.
Log your results online by clicking here.
Article from ESPN: The Caveman Diet - Gaining Followers
Challenge of the Month (ChOM: "Gumby") Ends today!
Make sure you get your flexibility tested one more time before the month is over! We'll be announcing the next ChOM the first week in April.
Posted by Jeremy Jones at 6:43 PM | Comments (24)
March 22, 2010
Tuesday - March 23, 2010
+++ Gym Closed this Weekend! +++
Hurry up Edward - Don't let Sarah S. lap you!
Workout:
As many rounds as possible in 20 minutes
20 virtual shovels reps* (Advanced: use empty bar plus 45lbs on one side, Intermediate: use empty bar plus 25lbs on one side, Novice: use 33lb bar with 10lb on one side).
400m run
*A virtual shoveling rep is moving the bumper plate on the one end of the olympic bar over a 12" high parallette and back to the starting position. Switch sides (which hand is in front) as often as you'd like.
(compare this workout to the one were we start on the runs).
Log your results online by clicking here.
Article: Kissing lowers cortisol (the stress hormone) and boosts your immune system.
Click here for complete article.
Posted by Jeremy Jones at 5:50 PM | Comments (19)
March 2, 2010
Wednesday - Mar 3, 2010
The iCrossFit phone application has been officially released!
Our very own Brian "Brhabdo" Pandji and his pals have developed a cool app for the iphone and itouch for all CrossFitters to use. It turns your device into great workout companion with timers, round counters, benchmark workout lists, demonstration slides for the exercises, workout logs, and more!
Right now it is available for a limited time at $0.99. Click here to go to open itunes and go to the download page.
Workout: Front Squat
5 - 5 - 5 - 5 - 5
Metabolic Conditioning Workout: How many 'Newbies' in 9 minutes?
As many rounds as possible in 9 minutes:
400m run
10 pull ups
20 push ups
30 sit ups
40 squats
Record total number of "Newbies" as well as the fraction of the last one completed.
Log your results online by clicking here.
Article: Stress hormone cortisol linked to depression and obesity in teen girls.
". . . This is the first time cortisol reactivity has been identified as a mediator between depressed mood and obesity in girls," said Elizabeth J. Susman, the Jean Phillips Shibley professor of biobehavioral health at Penn State. "We really haven't seen this connection in kids before, but it tells us that there are biological risk factors that are similar for obesity and depression. . . "
Click here for complete article.
Video: Now that our Primal Nutrition Challenge is in full swing, I figured I'd re-post this video. This the author of the book "Good Calories, Bad Calories" doing a talk at UC Berkeley. There are 10 parts, watch them all. He makes a lot of great points regarding calories, nutrition, our ancestors, etc.
Posted by Jeremy Jones at 7:00 PM | Comments (3)
February 17, 2010
Thursday - Feb 18, 2010
Cabby has no problem with "Tower Balls" (14' wall balls).
Workout: For time.
21 - 15 - 9 repetitions
Plus penalty burpees*
Power Clean (Advanced: 155lb, Intermediate: 105lbs, Novice: 75lbs)
Chest to bar pull ups (Intermediate: do 12, 9 and 6 reps instead, Novice: use bands).
*For each rest in the set (dropping or letting go of the bar in the set of cleans, or dropping off the bar for pull ups for example) you have to do one penalty burpee at the end of the workout. There is no burpee penalty in between exercises or sets. (So make sure you 'rest smart'!)
Log your results online by clicking here.
Primal Nutrition Challenge Collected Articles.
In case you haven't been able to download it from the Primal Nutrition Challenge Google Group (check it out, a lot of people have been keeping good food logs). I have included it here. This is a collection of notes and tips for helping everyone succeed with their nutrition goals.
Primal Nutrition Challenge Collected Articles - PDF (right click, "save link as" is probably best)
Also - it is a REQUIREMENT to maintain a food log. If we do not see food logs from you at the end of the week, you forfeit your chance of winning. You do not have to update everyday if you do not want to, but we do need to see a full week of food logs each week.
Article: Building Fit Minds Under Stress
. . ."Our findings suggest that, just as daily physical exercise leads to physical fitness, engaging in mindfulness exercises on a regular basis may improve mind-fitness," Jha said. "Working memory is an important feature of mind-fitness. Not only does it safeguard against distraction and emotional reactivity, but it also provides a mental workspace to ensure quick-and-considered decisions and action plans. Building mind-fitness with mindfulness training may help anyone who must maintain peak performance in the face of extremely stressful circumstances, from first responders, relief workers and trauma surgeons, to professional and Olympic athletes." . . .
Click here for complete article.
Special Classes Today
Free Kettlebell Class with David Cohn at 11am.
Shopping for Primal/Paleo Foods with Mountain - Tonight at 6pm. Click here to sign up.
Posted by Jeremy Jones at 8:18 PM | Comments (13)
February 8, 2010
Tuesday - Feb 9, 2010
We had a great turnout for our first CrossFit class at Sports Basement. Come down Sundays at 12:30 for a free class (open to everyone!).
Workout: "Number 2" aka Workout B from the Elements Course
As many rounds as possible in 15 minutes of:
10 Wall Balls (adv 10ft 20lb, int 8ft 14lb, novice 8ft 10lb)
10 Sumo Deadlift High-pulls (adv 53lbs, int 44lbs, novice 26lbs)
10 Ring Push-ups
10 Double Unders
Post total rounds.
Log your results online by clicking here.
Article: "Caveman Diet" featured on The Colbert Report.
Article: Childhood obesity: It's not the amount of TV, it's the number of junk food commercials.
Among all children, commercial viewing was significantly associated with higher BMI, although the effect was stronger for children younger than 7 than for those older than 7, the study found. . .Non-commercial viewing, including watching DVDs or educational television programming, had no significant association with obesity . . .
. . . By the time they are 5 years old, children have seen an average of more than 4,000 television commercials for food annually. During Saturday morning cartoons, children see an average of one food ad every five minutes. The vast majority of these ads — up to 95 percent — are for foods with poor nutritional value, the researchers say. . .
Click here for the entire article.
We want to hear from you!
Make sure you check your email inbox for our member survey (it went out on Saturday).Posted by Jeremy Jones at 7:48 PM | Comments (7)
February 7, 2010
Monday - Feb 8, 2010
February Challenge of the Month: Maximum "Trucker Squats" in 2 minutes (See below for details). Thanks to Tyler and Carry for demonstrating.
Workout: Split Jerk
3-2-2-2-1-1-1-1
You should be using bumpers, so drop the weight after the last repetition of each set (don't lower it back down onto your collar bone to re-rack it).
Scaling: If still learning technique (this is the first or second time doing jerks) practice a lot of lightweight Jerks or do the following -
Push Press to Push Jerk.
10 - 10 - 10 - 10 - 10
Try to keep increasing the weight until you have to jerk it.
Metabolic Conditioning Workout:
5 rounds-
Sprint 200m
Rest 1 minute
Record times for each sprint.
(Or attempt the new "Challenge of the Month"!)
Log your results online by clicking here.
Challenge of the Month: February 2010
First - Congratulations to Sacha, Patrick, Jeniffer, and Katie, the winners of last month's ChOM. Make sure you collect your prizes from JJ. Everyone learned a little more about how the rower works, and will hopefully put a little more thought into their technique and the use of the damper.
This month's Challenge involves a little movement I like to call "Trucker Squats". Essentially this is a squat with a plate held out at arms reach (see picture above). The competition is maximum squats in 2 minutes. The plate must be held over a 24 inch box and it must be extended the entire effort (if you can't go 2 minutes that is okay, but the "set" ends when you can't keep it up anymore). If the arms drop to where the center of the plate is below the shoulders (see Tyler above), or if the plate touches the box, the "set" ends.
Full range of motion squats are required (that means crease of the hip must be below the top of the knee).
Women will use the 10lb bumper plates and Men will use the 25lb bumper plates.
A Note on ChOMs: Participation is completely optional, and you are allowed to try as many times as you like. But if you do make an attempt, it is mandatory that you write it on the whiteboard regardless of how you performed. The ChOMs are supposed to be completely transparent, and we want to see everyone's progress over the month (not just the people who do 'good'). At least two of the previous ChOM winners were able to win because they continued to practice throughout the month and made vast improvements over their original performances.
Video:
(I would categorize this under "Our Girls Can Crush Your Boys" -a CrossFit Balboa quote- Thanks to Kate A for the video. It is women like you that are going to help crush the stigma of what a "Fit" woman should look like in the popular media. -jj)
Upcoming Skills Clinics!
For those of you who don't know, "Skill Clinics" are classes in addition to our regular workout classes that cover movements, skills, techniques, nutrition. . . and generally any topic that applies to making people "Fit Beyond Expectation". They are set up so that they have limited spaces for attendees to make sure the classes are top quality as well as focused enough so that you get a lot of individual attention on the specific topic (many times you will probably leave with 'homework').
If you have an idea for a Skill Clinic, please email it to jeremy@diablocrossfit.com, and we'll look into scheduling it!
Thursday Feb 11 - 6pm "Rope Climbing"
Saturday Feb 13 - 1pm "Intro to Running Technique"
Sunday Feb 14 - 8:30am "Primal Nutrition Challenge Start!"
Tuesday Feb 16 - 6pm "Kipping pull up drills"
Thursday Feb 18 - 6pm "Shopping for Paleo/Primal Foods"
Click "Continue Reading" below for details on each class.
Thursday Feb 11 - 6pm "Rope Climbing" with JJ
Learn the techniques and progressions to move from never touching a rope to full ascents. Get your first rope climb, master the foot technique, or learn how to avoid rope burn. We will start with the most basic exercises and concepts and move up to advanced skills (such as upside down climbing, for people interested). ABILITY TO DO PULL UPS NOT REQUIRED.
Saturday Feb 13 - 1pm "Intro to Running Technique" with Sarah
Hate running? Most likely you need to learn better running technique. Come to this class to learn the basics of good running form, how to run so that you avoid injury, and what drills you should be doing to improve your running times as well as create more efficient technique.
Sunday Feb 14 - 8:30am "Primal Nutrition Challenge Start!"
That's Right! The 6 week Diablo CrossFit "Primal Nutrition Challenge" will be starting this Sunday at 8:30am. We will be signing people up all week. We will be taking 'before' pictures (kept completely confidential), distributing hand outs, as well as covering the basics of what it means to be 'paleo/primal'. We'll also be doing some performance testing. After 6 weeks, we'll take 'after' photos and the participants will vote for the top male and top female winner who will be awarded a cash prize! Stay tuned for more details this week.
Tuesday Feb 16 - 6pm "Kipping pull up drills" With JJ
Still working on getting your first pull up, or trying to get past that hump of just 1 or 2? Come to this clinic for drills and techniques to help master the art of the kipping pull up.
Thursday Feb 18 - 6pm "Shopping for Paleo/Primal Foods" with Mountain
If you are sold on the "Paleo" diet or "Primal" eating, but do not know what you should be buying and where you should be shopping this class is for you. We will provide shopping lists, great local places to get quality foods, as well as what you can make with the foods you have bought.
Posted by Jeremy Jones at 7:59 PM | Comments (19)
February 4, 2010
Friday - Feb 5, 2010
Workout accomplished. (Danny H.)
Workout: Clean (power or squat cleans acceptable, dropping the bar between reps is allowed, but rest between reps should be a few seconds maximum)
3 - 3 - 3 - 3 - 3
Record loads used for each round.
Metabolic Conditioning Workout: As many rounds as possible in 10 minutes.
20 Deadlifts (advanced: 135lbs, intermediate: 75lbs, novice: 45lbs)
30 Jumping chest to bar pull ups (use bar 2-4 inches above your head height)
1 min rest
Record total rounds.
Log your results online by clicking here.
Video From TED Talks: What is the optimum formula for longevity To find the path to long life and health, Dan Buettner and team study the world's "Blue Zones," communities whose elders live with vim and vigor to record-setting age. At TEDxTC, he shares the 9 common diet and lifestyle habits that keep them spry past age 100.
(Its 20 minutes long, but worth it! -jj)
(I don't agree with everything reviewed in the video, but it does have some really interesting points and observations. -jj)
Free CrossFit Classes at Sports Basement Walnut Creek!
For the next 4 Sundays (7th, 14th, 21st, and 28th) we will be doing free CrossFit classes at Sports Basement in Walnut Creek at 12:30pm. No experience necessary! Get your apprehensive friends and family to try it out. Of course, all Diablo CrossFit Regulars are welcome as well.
See you there!
Posted by Jeremy Jones at 7:18 PM | Comments (14)
February 2, 2010
Wednesday - Feb 3, 2010
Chris D, Matt C, and Ray M attempt some synchronized wall balls.
Workout: Front Squat
3 - 3 - 3 - 3 - 3
Record loads used for each round.
3 rounds for time
10 Burpees
10 Ring Dips (advanced: no band, intermediate: blue band, novice: green band)
40 ft overhead lunge* (advanced: 45lb plate, intermediate: 25lb plate, novice: 10lb plate)
*40 feet is 10 tiles the short way.
Log your results online by clicking here.
Article: CrossFit in the Wall Street Journal
" . . . Delgado never liked traditional gyms. "I felt like it was zombies walking around from machine to machine," he says. So when he discovered CrossFit centers, which tout military and police special-operation units among its proponents, he says he immediately fell for it. . ."
Click here for complete article.
Article: A great summary of the 'Big Fat Lies' that have led us to the obesity epidemic (from the other side of the pond).
"For the past 30 years we've been told to eat less and exercise more, to cut back on calories and on saturated fat and, on the whole, we're doing it.
Our calorific intake between the years 1974 and 2004 decreased by 20 per cent. We are eating about 20 per cent more fruit and vegetables than in the Seventies.
We are doing approximately 25 per cent more exercise than we were in 1997. . .
. . .The UK Government has suggested that to stop further weight-gain and help reduce weight, people need to do about 60 to 90 minutes of light exercise a day.
The average person with children and a job will, realistically, struggle to fit in this amount of exercise every day or even every week.
A little bit here and there is not enough to make any real difference to weight loss, especially if you are on a starch-rich diet.
So the Government's advice to eat a starch-rich, low-fat diet and to exercise more is based on inconclusive science, while the evidence we see all around us is that we are getting fatter following this advice. . . "
Click here for complete article.
(Thanks to Scott for the article. You're no fatty, and you don't believe the big fat lies either. -jj)
Posted by Jeremy Jones at 12:04 PM | Comments (12)
January 27, 2010
Thursday - Jan 28, 2010
Nathan reaching new heights with his kettlebell swings.
Workout: Overhead Squats
5 - 5 - 5 - 5 - 5
Record loads used for each round.
Metabolic Conditioning Workout: As many rounds as possible in 8 minutes
25m broad jumps.(82' or twenty 4 foot rubber floor tiles).
*Pull ups
*Sit ups
*Count the number of repetitions it takes to cover the distance, then do the same number of pull ups and then the same number of sit ups. That constitutes one 'round'.
Record total rounds completed.
Log your results online by clicking here.
Article: New Study Argues Even Thin People Can Face Health Risks From Fat; It's 'Normal Weight Obesity'
" . . .Based on results of the nine-year study, as well as U.S. Census and obesity data, Dr. Lopez-Jimenez and his colleagues estimate that as many as 30 million Americans may fall into the normal-weight-obesity category, many of them unaware they may be at increased heart risk.
The study "drills down on a population where we're making assumptions that everybody is healthy. It may well be that they're not," says Robert Eckel, an obesity and metabolic-syndrome expert at the University of Colorado, Denver, who wasn't involved with the study. . ."
Click here for complete article.
Skill Clinic Tonight at 6pm: Mixed Martial Arts with JJ
Sign up by clicking here!Sunday at 1pm- Self Defense (click here to sign up) The epitome of "Functional" - Learn the basics of 'detect, diffuse, defend', your natural weapons, and what the most important attribute is to winning a life and death fight is. This class will include lots of hands on training and the practice of skills on a resisting opponent. No experience necessary.(this is a two hour clinic, where you will have to sign up for both hours separately)
Posted by Jeremy Jones at 11:53 PM | Comments (10)
January 26, 2010
Wednesday - Jan 27, 2010 "Grace"
Diablo CrossFit welcomes Ashlyn Ruth Kalogirou to the family!
Workout: "Grace"
30 Clean and Jerks (135lb men, 95lb women)
(really 'overhead anyhow', just get it from the ground to full overhead lockout anyway you want).
Log your results online by clicking here.
Getting good sleep:
Performance, and especially weight loss progression, can be slowed and even halted if you aren't getting good sleep. When doing workouts such as ours (even just in general), the traditional 8 hours is what most (as in 95% of people) need. But we really mean 8 HOURS. Many people think they can get by with less, but all they are doing is "getting by" - not thriving and making good progress. Below are a couple more gadgets/ideas to help you master the art of "Elite Resting".
Monitor your sleep rhythms:
Click on this article from Life Hacker about an iphone app that will help you monitor your sleep patterns. You basically put the phone in your bed with you and it monitors your movements. (I don't know how it works for couples, but maybe there is a setting for two people).
Pitch black environment:
Sleeping in a "pitch black" environment is also very important, especially if you have shift work, etc. Our ancestors slept when it got dark. Candles and firewood were hard enough to generate, wasting them doesn't make much sense. Sleeping in was hard when the sun came out at 5 in the morning and they didn't exactly have 'blackout curtains'.
Eliminate all artificial light (cell phone charging, digital clocks, I won't even mention the TV/Cable box lights. . . ), as well as any light infiltrating through the window. Here is an article talking about blackout curtains you can install yourself behind regular curtains.
If you have decent curtains but they do not close far enough, you can always use paper clamp style clips (look bad but work) or magnets (more subtle) to get the drapes to do what you want.
Supplemental Aids:
A couple of good supplements that can help you get a better nights sleep is melatonin (I prefer the 'sub-lingual drops'). Another is magnesium. Ancient Minerals is a great brand, Natural Calm is also good.
If you want to be an All Star in the gym, and in life, you have to also be an All Star in bed. . .er. . .when sleeping. . . .you have to be a good sleeper. Man that came out wrong. -jj
Posted by Jeremy Jones at 7:47 PM | Comments (30)
January 14, 2010
Friday - Jan 15, 2010
Jennifer getting some air on her Double Unders.
Workout:
3 rounds for time.
7 muscle ups* (rings or bar)
50 wall ball
*substitute 2 rounds of 7 chest to bar pull ups and 7 ring dips for every round of muscle ups you cannot do.
Log your results online by clicking here.
Cool resource for 'Peak Season' food variety:
Epicurious has this wonderful "Seasonal Food Map" that can be used to find out what fruits and vegetables are in season. You can pick the month and the region you are interested in and it gives you a list of foods. Each food has links to all kinds of good information like shopping guides, tips, recipes, interesting information, pictures, etc!
Saturday 3pm class will be held at Sports Basement!
(so don't come to the gym, come to Sports basement. map here)Posted by Jeremy Jones at 6:44 PM | Comments (19)
January 13, 2010
Thursday - Jan 14, 2010
Chris Wa giving the typical 1000 yard stare post workout.
Workout: Strict Press
3 - 3 - 3 - 3 - 3
Record loads used for each round.
Metabolic Conditioning Workout: As many rounds as possible in 8 minutes:
5 burpees
10 kettlebell swings (men 54lb kb, women 35lb kb)
Log your results online by clicking here.
Article: Study suggests watching TV lowers lifespan, regardless of exercise level.
". . . People who watched more than four hours a day showed an 80% greater risk of death from cardiovascular disease and a 46% higher risk of all causes of death compared with those who watched fewer than two hours a day, suggesting that being sedentary could have general deleterious effects. The numbers were the same after the researchers controlled for smoking, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, an unhealthy diet and leisure-time exercise.
"What we showed was that irrespective of a person's exercise level, sitting for four or more hours watching television was linked to a significant increase in risk of death compared to watching lower amounts of TV . . ."
Click here for complete article.
"Gaming Workouts" Skill Clinic tonight at 6pm!
Learn how to maximize your performance to set personal records and win competitions. Learn about "pacing", working to your strengths, and how to look at workouts you have never completed and dissect them for the best times. Benchmark workouts will be covered and administered (you can choose which one).
Don't Forget about the Sports Basement Party This Saturday from 1:30 - 3:00pm!
Posted by Jeremy Jones at 8:51 PM | Comments (8)
January 12, 2010
Wednesday - Jan 13, 2010 - "Jackie"
Rowing time as family time (Cody, Moises and Jolie get in some rowing practice)
Olympic weightlifting warm up: overhead squat, 3 sets of 8. Beginners stick with the pvc. Intermediate/Advanced people can make it challenging and add more weight.
Workout:
Metabolic Conditioning Workout: "Jackie"
1000m row
50 thrusters (45lb bar)*
30 pull ups
*Ladies can scale down to 33lbs if they want (but I expect the elite women do it with 45lbs).
Record total time.
Log your results online by clicking here.
Article: "The 'best' way to loose weight. . ."
". . .If a diet plan recommends additional fiber or supplements, there’s a good chance it’s lacking key nutrients. While a supplement might help, it would take extensive lab analysis for you to know what nutrient and how much you might need, or whether there are needs that can’t be filled by an artificial supplement. Hands down, the best diet plan is one that is nutritionally complete using real foods.
A simple way to control calories and portions is to eat prepackaged, processed foods like shakes or food bars. . . "
Click here for complete article.
This article does make some good points (nutrition results can be very individualized, lifelong nutrition is better than temporary "dieting", slow weight loss is better. . . ) - but as the quote above demonstrates, there is some incongruity. The primary emphasis she is putting out is that "Whatever you eat, if portions are controlled in some way, either by eating less or by knocking out foods that are normally on your menu, you’ll eat fewer calories and lose weight." - and that it is the best way to loose weight.
This type of conventional thinking is what screws everyone up! Cutting calories will get you to loose weight - your body will say "hey, I am not getting enough calories, why don't I get rid of some of this muscle, it needs way more calories to sustain . . ." It is the same thing when a company/corporation has money issues, it has layoffs. Not enough money to go around. . . lay off some of the workers before spending the savings. The workers are 'costing' the company money, the savings is not.
Don't "lay off" your muscles. Eat enough good and "real" foods to sustain high energy outputs and lots of muscle. Don't cut calories in an effort to "loose weight". -jj
New skills clinic calendar!
Thursday, January 14th @ 6 PM - "Gaming the workout for competitions and PRs" with Jeremy
Monday, January 18th @ 6 PM - "Training for CrossFit Competitions" with Jeremy
Wednesday, January 20th @ 7 PM - "Olympic Lifting Prep" with Mark
Monday, January 25th @ 1 PM - "Kipping Pull Ups" with Sarah
Thursday, January 28th @ 5 PM - "MMA" with Jeremy
Sunday, January 31st @ 12 PM - "Self Defense" with Jeremy
Sign up for these clinics in our "Member Access Area!"
Posted by Jeremy Jones at 7:20 PM | Comments (14)
January 11, 2010
Tuesday - Jan 12, 2009
Ron and Lynn C went down to Calistoga for some "secret" training, the photo above is from a contemporary art gallery they visited! (Click on the picture to see a component of their program).
Workout: Deadlifts
Warm up with snatch grip deadlifts, then:
5 - 5 - 5 - 5 - 5
Record loads used.
Metabolic Conditioning Workout:
10-8-6-4-2
Dumbbell* push press R (men 45lb, women 25lb)
Dumbbell push press L (men 45lb, women 25lb)
40ft 45lb dumbbell Suitcase lunge ('suitcase" means you only use one db in one hand held at your side).
*Scale up to a 45lb barbell for an extra challenge.
Record total time.
Log your results online by clicking here.
Article: "The New Age Cavemen and the City"
". . .They regularly grumble about vegans, whom they regard as a misguided, rival tribe. But much of the conversation is spent parsing the law of the jungle. The most severe interpretations generally come from Vladimir Averbukh, a jaunty red-headed Web manager for the city who was born in Tashkent, Uzbekistan. Upon visiting Mr. Durant’s apartment for the first time, in August, Mr. Averbukh scowled at a tomato plant on his host’s roof deck. . ."
Click here for complete article.
Posted by Jeremy Jones at 7:22 PM | Comments (26)
January 7, 2010
Friday - Jan 8, 2010 "Fran"
Jasmine 9+ months pregnant. Just a few weeks (or less) left!
(I like to call this one "now you see the belly - now you don't!" Good luck Jaz, you are an inspiration to us all and we're all rooting for a fast and simple delivery! -jj)
Workout: "Fran"
21 - 15 - and 9 reps of
Thrusters (95lbs men, 65lbs women)
Pull ups
Record total time.
Log your results online by clicking here.
Video: "Weightlifting Fail" (Actually it is a deadlift, and it was successful -if not a little off form wise-, but watch what happens when the blood pressure effect sets in)
Article: Why You Should Step Up Your Workout - WSJ
". . . Dr. Williams' studies have shown that exceeding the federally recommended exercise guidelines can reduce the risk of stroke, heart attack, glaucoma, diabetes and other diseases by as much as 70% above the benefits of merely meeting the guidelines. "There is no gene or drug discovery that comes close" to the effects of more and more-vigorous exercise, says Dr. Williams, a staff scientist at the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory in Berkeley Calif. . ."
Click here for complete article.
At first I was excited to read about this 'heretic' challenging the Conventional Wisdom. Then I saw what he was prescribing. . . 40+ miles per week! Increase 1.4 weekly miles per year after middle age! Whoa. More is not necessarily better, but I will admit that his research does point to 'more' than the minimum is a step in the right direction. -jj
Post thoughts to comments.
Posted by Jeremy Jones at 7:14 PM | Comments (35)
January 6, 2010
Thursday - Jan 7, 2010
Laci hammering out chest to bar pull ups (Laci is another DCFer going to the CrossFit sectionals).
Workout:
As many rounds as possible in 20 minutes:
Run 400
20 Virtual Shoveling Reps* (men use empty bar plus 45lbs on one side, women use empty bar plus 25lbs on one side).
*A virtual shoveling rep is moving the bumper plate on the one end of the olympic bar over a 12" high parallette and back to the starting position. Switch sides (which hand is in front) as often as you'd like.
Record total rounds.
Log your results online by clicking here.
Article: The Hidden Benefits of Exercise.
"Medical experts say inactivity poses as great a health risk as smoking, contributing to heart disease, diabetes, hypertension, cancer, depression, arthritis and osteoporosis. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says 36% of U.S. adults didn't engage in any leisure-time physical activity in 2008.
Even lean men and women who are inactive are at higher risk of death and disease. So while reducing obesity is an important goal, "the better message would be to get everyone to walk 30 minutes a day" says Robert Sallis, co-director of sports medicine at Fontana Medical Center, a Southern California facility owned by managed-care giant Kaiser Permanente. "We need to refocus the national message on physical activity, which can have a bigger impact on health than losing weight." . . . "
Click here for complete article.
Don't forget to come to Sports Basement on January 16th at 1:30 for the Diablo CrossFit party!
DCFers, their families and friends will get 20% purchases! We are also planning on letting people try for some 1 rep maxes in the barbell movements (Clean, Snatch, Deadlift, etc). So you can show off your freakish strength to all your family and friends!
Posted by Jeremy Jones at 7:09 PM | Comments (35)
December 28, 2009
Tuesday - Dec 29, 2009
Derek almost gets 245lbs up for his split jerk (almost because he brought his front foot back before his back foot. . . then lost the weight out in front).
Workout: "Helen"
3 rounds for time.
400m run
21 kettlebell swings (men: 53lbs, women: 35lbs)
12 pull ups
Record total time.
Compare to "Upside Down Helen" as well as your regular "Helen Times".
Log your results online by clicking here.
Found this awesome parody on Mark's Daily Apple.
Article: Researchers find reasons why some people continue to eat even after they are full.
" . . . For this study, the researchers conducted two standard behavioral tests. In the first, they evaluated whether mice that were fully sated preferred a room where they had previously found high-fat food over one that had only offered regular bland chow. They found that when mice in this situation were administered ghrelin, they strongly preferred the room that had been paired with the high-fat diet. Mice without ghrelin showed no preference.
"We think the ghrelin prompted the mice to pursue the high-fat chow because they remembered how much they enjoyed it," Dr. Perello said. "It didn't matter that the room was now empty; they still associated it with something pleasurable.". . ."
Click here for complete article.
Posted by Jeremy Jones at 6:48 PM | Comments (24)
December 22, 2009
Wednesday - Dec 23, 2009
Meg H and Lauren L attack DT.
Workout:
4 rounds for time.
400m run
50 squats
Record total time.
Log your results online by clicking here.
Article: Children's fitness levels decreasing regardless of income levels or obesity.
". . . They found significant falls in fitness levels, concluding the average 10-year-old in 1998 could beat 95% of youngsters in 2008 in running tests. . . "
Click here for complete article.
(and you thought fitness levels were bad when you were in school! -jj)
Registration for the 2010 Sectionals starts at 1pm!
NorCal Sectional: March 27-28 (the same day as the "Fight for Air Climb!")
Archbishop Mitty High School, 5000 Mitty Avenue, San Jose, CA 95129
California (North of San Luis Obispo County)
Regional Seeds: 20 men, 20 women
UPDATE!
It looks like we'll have to enter the NorCal Sectionals (no opting to go to the ones down south instead).If you planned on doing the Climb for Air and watching the Sectionals, I recommend keeping your commitment to the climb (and we'll see you all on Sunday I hope!) If you were considering *competing* in the sectionals, I recommend doing that versus the Climb for Air for a few reasons:
(read my comments in 'comments' or click 'continue reading' below)
- Even if you don't run the stairs, you can continue to raise money for a good cause. I am sure you sponsors wouldn't mind paying the same amount for Lung Cancer research even if you went to the Sectionals instead.
- There will likely be many more people running the stairs than competing in the Sectionals (people who were not considering entering the Sec.). If even more people bow out of the sectionals to do the stair climb, we will not have a 'good' showing (not enough people competing for DCF at the CFSec. . . or CF Regionals for that matter!).
- CF is what we do! There is no experience like competing against other CrossFitters from northern California to see where you rank. It will also motivate you even more to attack your weaknesses and give you the excuse to be more consistent in your training and your diet.
- The Sectionals will also provide much needed experience for those who might be on the Affiliate Team this year, or for future competitions next year! I kick myself all the time for not entering back in 2007 or 2008.
On the cost. Pricey yes, but the way I read it is $25 per day (no word on parking costs ;) ). I seriously doubt that they'll charge for kids. $25 for an indoor all day event it terrible. Especially for an event that is not sponsored. Hopefully, they can drum up some sponsors who will provide free food and drink. Then $25 a day is a steal.
And I leave you with this:
Once more unto the breach, dear friends, once more;
Or close the wall up with our collapsed bodies.
In peace there's nothing so becomes a man
As modest stillness and humility:
But when the blast of war blows in our ears,
Then imitate the action of the tiger;
Stiffen the sinews, summon up the blood,
Disguise fair nature with hard-favour'd rage;
Then lend the eye a terrible aspect;
Let pry through the portage of the head
Like the brass cannon; let the brow o'erwhelm it
As fearfully as doth a galled rock
O'erhang and jutty his confounded base,
Swill'd with the wild and wasteful ocean.
Now set the teeth and stretch the nostril wide,
Hold hard the breath and bend up every spirit
To his full height. On, on, you noblest DCFers.
Whose blood is fet from fathers of war-proof!
Fathers that, like so many Alexanders,
Have in these parts from morn till even fought
And sheathed their swords for lack of argument:
Dishonour not your mothers; now attest
That those whom you call'd fathers did beget you.
Be copy now to men of grosser blood,
And teach them how to war. And you, good DCFer.
Whose limbs were made in The Shed, show us here
The mettle of your pasture; let us swear
That you are worth your breeding; which I doubt not;
For there is none of you so mean and base,
That hath not noble lustre in your eyes.
I see you stand like greyhounds in the slips,
Straining upon the start. The game's afoot:
Follow your spirit, and upon this charge
Cry 'Diablo CrossFit Rules!'
(I borrowed 'some' of that from Shakespeare)
-jj
Posted by Jeremy Jones at 1:44 PM | Comments (30)
December 20, 2009
Monday - Dec 21, 2009
Don't forget to put on your "Deadlift Face" when doing deadlifts (Raymond's is legit).
Workout: Deadlift
3 - 3 - 3 - 3 - 3
Record loads used each round.
Surprise Metabolic conditioning workout to follow.
Article: Disordered eating may affect 10 - 15% of women.
". . ."About 13.7 percent of women interviewed for this study reported binge eating one to five days or one to seven times per month," she says, noting 2.5 percent of women reported forcing themselves to vomit, use laxatives, or use diuretics to maintain their weight or shape. . ."
Click here for complete article.
Holiday Schedule!
THURS., 12/24 (Christmas Eve) - Closing at 3pm (2pm class will be the last class of the day). Elements "D" will be at 1pm.
FRI., 12/25 (Christmas Day) - Closed
THURS., 12/31 (New Years Eve) - Closing at 3pm, Elements "D" will be at 1pm.
FRI., 1/1/10 (New Year's Day) - Open 10am to 3pm (classes as usual during open hours; feel free to come in and try for your year end goals!)
All other days will be 'business as usual'!
Holiday Gift Ideas!
Desperate for a gift? Or tired of your friends and family making excuses for not trying Diablo CrossFit?
Buy them an "Elements Package" for $40! That's right folks, you can give the gift of health, longevity, fitness, and looking hot by purchasing these holiday packages containing the first 4 visits to the gym online and giving them out as gifts!
You'll have to start an "account" with their name on it, then buy it yourself. We'll take care of the rest!
Click here, and select "CrossFit Group Classes" then "Holiday Elements Package" and you'll be ready to go!
We also have Mark Sisson's book "The Primal Blueprint" at the gym for only $26.00! (That is less than if you could find it at Barnes and Noble).
So don't fret if you haven't finished shopping, we've got you covered.
Posted by Jeremy Jones at 7:18 PM | Comments (21)
December 10, 2009
Friday - Dec 11, 2009 "Team Rowing Regatta"
+++Don't forget to come to the "Shed Your Clothes at the Shed" party this Sunday!+++
The CrossFit Journal created an album called "Beauty in Strength - a tribute to the grace and beauty displayed by top female athletes in one of the world’s most rigorous proving grounds." And our very own Carry Warner made the cut!
Click here to go to the CrossFit Journal site where you can download the entire album for free.
Workout:"Team Rowing Regatta"
Teams of 3 will complete 5000m of rowing on the same rower.
The rowing distances and order can be split amongst the team members as desired (any order, any number of intervals). The other two teammates are required to provide vigorous encouragement. Use of strategy to maximize performance is a good idea.
Record total time (keep track of rowing distances if desired).
Holiday Party Next Friday!
Jasmine and Stavros have graciously opened their home to DCFers from all time slots to come to their house for a holiday party next Friday!
Time: 6pm
Location: 1961 Maybelle Dr. Pleasant Hill, CA 94523
RSVP by the 15th!
Fundraiser Workout at CrossFit Solano Tomorrow
The Matt Bishop charity fundraiser is Saturday at 9am. Click here for details.
Post to comments if you are going to make it.
Article: Coffee, Beer and Exercise May Reduce Prostate Cancer Risk.
(I assume they don't mean all at the same time. -jj)
Posted by Jeremy Jones at 3:38 PM | Comments (47)
November 24, 2009
Wednesday - Nov 25, 2009
+++Holiday Schedule Posted Below+++
Recognize Danny? That's okay, people wouldn't recognize you if you'd lost 50 plus pounds either.
Workout:
5 rounds for time of:
300 m Row
10 GHD Sit-ups*
Record total time.
Full range of motion GHD sit ups are one hand touching the floor to one hand touching the foot/ankle support of the GHD machine. Scale down by only going to parallel to the floor with the torso, or doing 2x abmat sit ups instead.
Article: Study finds that fat around the midsection nearly doubles the risk of Dementia
". . ."Anyone carrying a lot of fat around the middle is at greater risk of dying prematurely due to a heart attack or stroke," says Deborah Gustafson, senior lecturer at the Sahlgrenska Academy. "If they nevertheless manage to live beyond 70, they run a greater risk of dementia." . . ."
Click here for complete article.
Fat around the midsection? Sounds like classic insulin resistance to me. "Type III Diabetes" anyone? -jj
Thanksgiving Holiday Schedule posted to "Continue Reading" below
(Free!) Thanksgiving 'Turkey Drag' up Briones (bring your family and friends)
This will be the 4th year we've had our own version of the "Turkey Trot" up the Briones trail. Each year has been a different challenge so you can expect another optional variation this year as well.
Time: 9am
Place: Parking lot entrance off of Pleasant Hill Road (across from Alcalanes High School).
Workout length: at least an hour
Notes: It might be muddy. Wear shoes you can get messy with (and with good treads).
All other classes will be canceled on Thursday.
Friday we will have limited hours:
9am - 6pm (classes and open gym during those hours will be as normal).
Weekend Classes as Normal!
Posted by Jeremy Jones at 9:46 PM | Comments (13)
November 3, 2009
November 4, 2009 "Filthy Fifty"
The great wall of ball.
Workout: "Filthy Fifty"or "Dirty Thirty"
For time:
50 Box jumps 24 inch box (scale down to 20 or less if needed)
50 Jumping pull-ups,
50 Kettlebell swings (1 pood, scale as needed),
Walking Lunge 50 steps,
50 Knees to elbows,
50 Push press (45 pounds, scale as needed),
50 Back extensions,
50 Wall ball shots (20 pound ball, 10 ft target men, 14lb ball 8ft target, women),
50 Burpees,
50 Double unders.
35 minute time limit.
If you have never done the Filthy Fifty before or if you are newer to CrossFit, you should do the scaled down version, the "Dirty Thirty" (just do 30 of each exercise).
Record total time.
Specialty Clinic Thu, Nov 5 at 7PM: Double Unders with Jeremy!
Learn the skill necessary to master the very coordination dependent double unders. Covered in this clinic will be:
- Drills to practice when you don't have a single DU yet.
- How to get your first double under.
- How to connect DUs together.
- Biggest faults people make during workouts with DUs.
As usual, we are limiting this class size to maximize the attention each attendee will get.
Purchase a 10 pack of specialty classes by clicking here.
Future Skills Clinics:
Nov. 12: Kettle Bells
Nov. 19: The Snatch
Dec. 3: Rings
Article: Lower your bad cholesterol and have be less likely to have a heart attack right? . . . WRONG!
"A new national study has shown that nearly 75 percent of patients hospitalized for a heart attack had cholesterol levels that would indicate they were not at high risk for a cardiovascular event, based on current national cholesterol guidelines.
Specifically, these patients had low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol levels that met current guidelines, and close to half had LDL levels classified in guidelines as optimal (less than 100 mg/dL).."
Click here for complete article.
Posted by Jeremy Jones at 8:07 PM | Comments (55)
October 20, 2009
091021 Wednesday "Christine"
Why Lauren is having so much fun and Justin is not. . .I have no idea (Probably because she is beating him).
Workout: "Christine" (at Travis' request, he's leaving us!)
Row 500
12 Bodyweight Deadlifts
21 Box Jumps (20inch)
3 rounds for time.
Record total time.
The alternate workout for those of you still a little tender from Monday's Deadlifts:
"Christine with a twist"
Row 500
12 Push Presses with half bodyweight
21 Box Jumps (20inch)
3 rounds for time.
Record total time.
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Article: Now I've always said that if you think it is expensive to eat good quality food, it is still a lot cheaper than paying for the hospital/pharmaceutical bills later. Apparently, this study says that nutritionally, vegetables, vegetable soups, and fruit are the best 'bang for you buck'. I am not sure I buy the soup thing, but the rest of this report does make some good sense.
I wonder how 'processed' versus 'unprocessed' foods compare? -jj
New affordable nutrition index is first measurement tool to evaluate affordable nutrition
"The ANI is guided by recommendations in the U.S. Dietary Guidelines for Americans and calculates a food score based on nine essential nutrients to encourage (protein, fiber, iron, calcium, potassium, magnesium, and vitamins A, C and E) and three nutrients to limit: saturated fat, added sugars and sodium.
Nearly 300 commonly eaten foods including fresh vegetables, fruits, grains from an independent food intake frequency questionnaire, and various convenience foods, including a variety of Campbell’s® soups, were assessed in the study. Results showed that dark colored vegetables, certain fruits and vegetable soups were among the most affordable, nutritious foods. . ."
Click here for complete article.
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Next Skills Clinic TONIGHT!: "Craig Coaches the Clean"
Wed, Oct. 21 at 7:00 PM
Sign up now by clicking here! (you'll have to sign into your Mind Body account).
Topics to be covered:
Proper Start position
The 2nd pull
The scoop
The catch
Drills to improve technique
The number of athletes who can attend is limited so make sure you sign up right away to reserve your spot! You can purchase 10 packs for specialty clinics by clicking here.
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Justin (pictured above) is also a video producer. Here is a video he was inspired to produce for the Green Day song "East Jesus Nowhere"
Road To Nowhere - Set to "East Jesus Nowhere" by Green Day from On Point on Vimeo.
(There are a few DCFers in the video as well, good luck finding them)
Posted by Jeremy Jones at 8:08 PM | Comments (30)
September 30, 2009
091001 Thursday "New Schedule Starting Oct 5th!"
+++New Schedule starting Monday October 5th. Check back soon for a complete schedule+++
Nancy doing GI Jane and Virtual Shoveling (not in the same day) HAPPY BIRTHDAY NANCY!
Olympic Weightlifting Warm Up: Hang Squat Clean (or Hang Power Clean to Front Squat for people having trouble with Squat Cleans). 3 sets of 8. Start light, if you feel comfortable, work up to a moderate amount of weight.
Workout: Strict Press
3, 3, 3, 3, 3
Record loads used for each round.
Metabolic Conditioning Workout:
As many wall balls as possible in 5 minutes.
Men: 20lb ball, 10ft target
Women: 14lb ball, 8ft target
Record total repetitions.
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Article: "Link between children who have large social networks in school and better long term health"
". . .For both men and women, the children who were furthest down the pecking order at school had the highest overall risk of serious health problems as an adult.
For instance, they were more than four times as likely to require hospital treatment for hormonal, nutritional and metabolic diseases as the most popular children.
And their risk of mental health problems was more than doubled.
The researchers said the findings could not be explained by social class. . ."
Click here for complete article.
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New Schedule Info - Starting Oct 5th
The primary change is that all the classes are going to be on the hour. So that means that the late morning classes will be at 9 and 10am, and the evening classes will be at 5, 6, and 7pm. All the other classes (the ones on the hour: 5am, 6am, 2pm, weekends, etc) will remain unchanged.
A complete schedule will be posted shortly.
Posted by Jeremy Jones at 8:14 PM | Comments (38)
September 28, 2009
090929 Tuesday 1/2 "Hansen"
DCF invades the Nutrition Certification seminar in CrossFit Monrovia. From left to right, Jordan (standing a little close to. . .), Jimmy (backward sunglasses dude), Kelly (I'm making a Jimmy and Robb 'manwitch'), Robb ("The Man") Wolf, Kate ("I'm a chemist and even I don't want to do the Zone diet"), Nick (aka "Ni-Jo"), Matt (6am rowing fiend), Scott ("Evan Almighty stole my image and I want royalties"). Click here for a slightly blurry group shot with more 'horns'.
Feel free to ask them for any nutritional advice from now on! I also expect all of them to post their favorite Robb Wolf quotes to the comments section.
Workout (in Honor of Bryn's Marine Husband returning home from Iraq): "1/2 Hansen"
5 rounds for time.
15 reps, 70lb Kettlebell swing (men) 53lb Kb swing women.
15 Burpees
30 abmat sit ups (or 15 GHD sit-ups)
Marine Staff Sgt Daniel Hansen died February 14th in Farah Providence, Afghanistan when an IED he was working on detonated. Daniel is survived by his mother Sheryll, his father Delbert, his younger sister Katie, and his twin brother Matthew (also a Marine).
(for ADVANCED DCFers who have a lot of time only - 45 minute time limit): Full "Hansen"
Five rounds.
30 reps, 70lb Kettlebell swing (men) 53lb Kb swing women.
30 Burpees
30 GHD sit-ups
Record total time.
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Article: "Apple a day keeps the calories at bay?"
". . . Before lunch, the participants were given either nothing, 1½ medium peeled, cut-up apples (about 125 calories), or a similar caloric amount of applesauce, apple juice with added fiber or apple juice without fiber. About 15 minutes later, participants were served an entree of cheese tortellini and tomato sauce.
Participants who had the raw apple consumed 187 fewer calories than at the meals when they had applesauce, juice or nothing. . . "
Click here for complete article.
Don't get me wrong, I love apples. But first of all, 60 or so calories is not that much of a difference for eating a snack 15 minutes before the meal (it makes sense you'd eat less because you'd feel full sooner). Second, 5 weeks of cheese tortellini and tomato sauce for lunch 7 days a week would get very old - maybe that is why they ate less calories! -jj
Post thoughts to comments.
Posted by Jeremy Jones at 7:49 PM | Comments (18)
September 23, 2009
090924 Thursday "Fran"
The coveted Leaderboard has a lot of room to be filled.
Workout: "Fran"
21 - 15 - 9
Thrusters (95lbs men, 65lbs women)
Pull ups
Record total time.
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Leaderboard Rules:
- Workouts must be completed as prescribed.
- Workouts must be witnessed and counted by a DCF trainer (other than the one doing the workout), or during class with a "designated counter" and a DCF coach supervising.
- Only the "top score" will remain on the Leaderboard. All other performances will be 'bumped off' as more people complete the workout better than the required benchmark performance.
- Must be posted as: Date - Name - score - Initials of trainer (i.e. 9/24/09 Kaiser Soze 3:01 JJ)
In short, if you want to get on the board, you have to do the workout with someone counting your reps and a trainer checking form. So for those of you shooting for a Sub 6 Fran (men) or a sub 7 (women), make sure you have someone counting for you!
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Article: "You are what you eat"
". . . According to Dr Humblestone, there are increased cases of young children and teens developing type 2 diabetes, and eventually obesity, which is normally prevalent in those over 35.
Childhood obesity issues are early signs of illnesses like diabetes, hypertension, coronary heart disease, gall bladder disease, respiratory problems, asthma and reproductive hormonal problems.
Ironically enough, he added, "one of the manifestations of civilisation is that we have half of the world dying of diseases caused by being overfed, and other parts where people are dying of starvation."
"But it's not just the amount of food people are eating, but the kind of foods as well," Dr Humblestone explained. "If your child is having a muffin or Danish and an orange juice for breakfast, they may feel energized to go to school, but it is very likely they will feel famished, experience a energy crash hours later, and need more carbs." . . ."
Click here for complete article.
Posted by Jeremy Jones at 8:37 PM | Comments (38)
September 8, 2009
090909 Wednesday "Vegas"
DCF's banner flying above the Pure Pankration ring (next fights scheduled for Sept 24th).
Workout: "Vegas" (courtesy of Mountain)
7 squat cleans (135lbs men, 85lbs women)
7 burpees
7 overhead lunge steps with bumper plate (45lbs men, 25lbs women)
As many rounds as possible in 21 minutes.
Beginners should stay extremely light on the squat cleans and work on form. Use a medicine ball or empty bar if you have to.
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Article: "What's really in supplements"
"When Dan Gerkey was trying to get into better shape a few years ago, he tried out a dietary supplement from a local store that promised to help build his strength. At first, the stuff worked. But after several weeks the police officer, who lives in Fraser, Mich., started feeling exhausted, and his wife noticed a yellowish tinge in his eyes.
Soon, Mr. Gerkey's skin also yellowed, and it itched so fiercely that taking a shower or pulling on his socks became agonizing. Eventually, a liver specialist at Henry Ford Health System in Detroit figured out the pills' ingredients list included the name of a steroid, which he linked to the liver damage that was the main cause of Mr. Gerkey's symptoms. Mr. Gerkey, 40, ended up losing 35 pounds before he recovered. . ."
Click here for complete article.
Posted by Jeremy Jones at 11:10 PM | Comments (16)
August 26, 2009
090827 Thursday
Fun with Luca on Saturday. Functional training for escaping a natural disaster (hurtling over non-CrossFitters).
Workout: For Time:
50 Wall Balls 10ft, 20 lbs men / 8ft, 14lbs women
50 Pull-ups
35 Wall Balls 10ft, 20 lbs men / 8ft, 14lbs women
35 Pull-ups
20 Wall Balls 10ft, 20 lbs men / 8ft, 14lbs women
20 Pull-ups
Post total time.
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Article: Sugar Consumption needs to be reduced (American Heart Association).
"The American Heart Association is taking aim at the nation's sweet tooth, urging consumers to significantly cut back on the amount of sugar they get from such foods as soft drinks, cookies and ice cream.
In a scientific statement issued Monday, the organization says most women should limit their sugar intake to 100 calories, or about six teaspoons, a day; for men, the recommendation is 150 calories, or nine teaspoons.
The recommendations are likely to prove challenging for many consumers to meet. Just one 12-ounce can of cola has about 130 calories, or eight teaspoons of sugar.
Data gathered during a national nutrition survey between 2001 and 2004 suggest that Americans consume on average 355 calories, or more than 22 teaspoons, of sugar a day. . ."
Click here for complete article.
(Here at DCF, generally we recommend even less 'added' sugar. . . NO SUGAR is best. I am confident the rest of society will catch up some day. -jj)
Posted by Jeremy Jones at 11:48 PM | Comments (7)
August 17, 2009
090818 TUESDAY
Kristine B. wearing her "Don't blow your WOD ('Workout of the day') on the first Jerk. . . Blowing your WOD is never a good thing. Shirt from American River CrossFit - Nice one guys!
Workout: NorCal Games Qualifier workout A
500m Row
30 Burpees
10 Shoulder-to-Overhead (165 lbs men, 95 lbs women)*
Post total time.
*Must be picked up from the ground -no racks- but cleaning the bar each rep is not necessary. Jerks from behind the neck okay.
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Article: "Carnitine for insulin resistance and diabetes"
". . .We can make carnitine but it is estimated that about 75% of our carnitine reserve comes from our diet. Carnitine is mostly stored in muscle tissue (meat) which means that vegetarians do not take in dietary carnitine. However, a healthy vegetarian diet is low fat and therefore vegetarians require much less carnitine. . . "
Click here for complete article.
My question is that how much carnitine is in what meats, and if you eat enough meat (as all good "Primal" eaters should), is there still a benefit to supplementing? -jj
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Upcoming Events
"Pure Pankration" fights Thursday, August 20th
"48oz Mile" competition and Barbecue Monday, September 7th (Labor Day)
"Fight Gone Bad" Fundraiser for Prostate Cancer Research and the Wounded Warrior Project. Saturday, September 26th. (Fight Gone Bad official site, FGB NorCal Site)
- Should we host the Fundraiser at DCF or should we bring a team to CrossFit Oakland? Post to comments.
Posted by Jeremy Jones at 7:46 PM | Comments (23)
August 14, 2009
090815 SATURDAY
DCF 'After hours'. . . (training videos for the new equipment that's on the way - yeah right. I honestly don't know what that thing is in the video. I just remember that it was completely ridiculous. -jj)
Workout: Team "JT"
Teams of 2 people will per form a total of:
42 - 30 - 18
Handstand Push Ups
Ring dips
Push ups
The work can be divided up between both people as desired, but only on partner can be exercising at a time. All of the reps for each exercise must be completed before moving onto the next movement (all 42 HSPUs must be completed before going onto 42 ring dips, etc).
Post partner and total time to comments.
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Article From Mark's Daily Apple: The Primal Blueprint for Busy People – Part 1: Sleep and Stress.
". . .In truth, we’ve done “on the run” posts before with tips on “Primal Pronto” food and exercise, and they’ve been among our most popular. Last week’s comments got us thinking then, why not expand the field? Here’s the first (or third actually) in a series that will put the PB into hyperdrive. Quick, cut to the chase, on the button, effective strategies for living all the PB laws – conveniently constructed with a hectic life in mind. Although the Primal Blueprint is itself designed for efficiency – the most bang for your buck and power for your hour, we all find ourselves in particularly tight circumstances now and then. Work picks up the pace. We add another child to the family. We take on another job or a big volunteer position. We take care of an ailing family member or friend. Real life hits us with a one-two punch that can send us reeling – and send us back to the drawing board to fit in taking care of ourselves. . ."
Click here for complete article.
Posted by Jeremy Jones at 1:24 PM | Comments (10)
August 12, 2009
090812 WEDNESDAY "400m Repeats"
The class goes over the hang power snatch.
Olympic Weightlifting Warm Up: 30 medicine ball squat cleans. Thighs must go below parallel. Use a few sets and rest as much as you want. Advanced athletes can use a bar and go heavier.
Workout: 4 rounds.
Run 400m
Rest 2 minutes
Record times for each round.
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Video: ESPN's "Outside the Lines: Carry On"
The story of two best friends and their power to overcome the "challenges" of their lives to excel in sport and in life. Warning - this video is a tear jerker.
Click here to watch the video.
I just have to ask - what's your excuse for not training or missing your last workout? -jj
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Article: Optimism Appears To Lower Women's Risk Of Death, Heart Disease
". . .Race also appears to modify the relationship between optimism and death, with a stronger association seen in African-American women as compared to white women. Among African-American women, optimists (vs. pessimists) had a 33 percent lower risk of death across eight years of follow-up. Among white women, optimists (vs. pessimists) had a 13 percent lower risk of death. Researchers also found that optimists (as compared to pessimists) were more likely to be younger (especially in blacks); live in the Western United States; report higher education and income; be employed and have health insurance; and attend religious services at least once a week.
Optimists were less likely to have diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol or depressive symptoms, smoke, be sedentary or have a high body mass index. However, the relationship between optimism and heart disease and death persisted even after considering all of these factors. . ."
Click here for complete article.
Posted by Jeremy Jones at 12:34 AM | Comments (35)
August 10, 2009
090811 TUESDAY "Number 2"
+++5am class canceled this Wednesday and Friday!+++
Mountain coaches Riley in the background, Juliana hammers out the deadlifts on her own.
Olympic Weightlifting Warm Up: 10 overhead squats with light to moderate weight, pausing at the bottom of each rep. 10 heaving snatch balances with light to moderate weight. Us as many sets as needed and rest often to keep good form (you don't have to do it all in one set).
Workout: "Number 2"
As many rounds as possible in 15 minutes of:
10 Wall Balls (20lb ball, 10' target for men. 14lb ball, 8' target for women)
10 Sumo Deadlift High-pulls (44lb kb men, 35lb kb women)
10 Ring Push-ups
10 Double Unders
Post total rounds to comments.
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" . . .One follow-up study of 40,842 longitudinal study participants showed poor fitness level accounted for about 16 percent of all deaths in both men and women. The percentage was calculated by estimating the number of deaths that would have been avoided if people had spent 30 minutes a day walking. This percentage was significantly higher than when other risk factors were considered, including obesity, smoking, high cholesterol and diabetes. The Aerobics Center Longitudinal Study also found that moderately fit men lived six years longer than unfit men.
More examination of 14,811 female patients in the ACLS showed that women who were very fit were 55 percent less likely to die from breast cancer than women who were not in good shape. This was after the researchers had controlled for BMI, smoking, family history of breast cancer and other possible risk factors. . ."
Click here for complete article.
Posted by Jeremy Jones at 9:25 PM | Comments (44)
August 9, 2009
090810 MONDAY "Happy Birthday Vickie!"
They aren't kickball champions, but they can make a mean human pyramid.
Workout: Back Squats
3, 3, 3, 3, 3
Post loads to comments.
Bonus Mini Metcon: (in honor of Vickie's 47th birthday)
4 rounds of
1 rope climb
7 box jumps (24" box)
17 double unders
Post time to comments.
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Video: Here is a Latvian named Konstantinovs squatting 727lbs "raw" (without aid of a 'suit' that assists in squatting).
Coincidentally, he "totals" (squat + bench press + deadlifts) 2,217 lbs. Just for reference here he is doing 55 consecutive pull ups:
.
Did I mention he weighs 308 lbs?
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Article: People get happier as they age.
"Most people get happier as they grow older, studies on people aged up to their mid-90s suggest.
Despite worries about ill health, income, changes in social status and bereavements, later life tends to be a golden age, according to psychologists.
They found older adults generally make the best of the time they have left and have learned to avoid situations that make them feel sad or stressed. . ."
Click here for complete article.
My question is. . . Is it that people that live until their 90's have become 'happier' or is it that people have to learn to be 'happy' if they want to live until their 90's? -jj
Post thoughts to comments.
Posted by Jeremy Jones at 10:02 PM | Comments (43)
August 7, 2009
090808 SATURDAY "Filthy Fifty"
+++Kickball Tournament Today!+++
+++"Fran for Cash" Today!+++
+++UFC Fight Night at the Gym Tonight at 7pm!+++
Hector knows how to get to full extension with his shoulders (and so should you)!
Workout:
For time:
50 Box jumps 24 (inch box),
50 Jumping pull-ups,
50 Kettlebell swings (1 pood, 35lbs),
Walking Lunge 50 steps,
50 Knees to elbows,
50 Push press (45 pounds),
50 Back extensions,
50 Wall ball shots (20 pound ball),
50 Burpees,
50 Double unders.
Post time to comments and Beyond the Whiteboard.
BEGINNERS - if you have never done this workout before you are required to do the "Dirty Thirty" first (30 repetitions of every exercise). Once you have completed the 30 rep version, you can then complete the full version at a later date.
Modifying for a large class - For this workout to be considered "Rx'ed" it must be completed in order, but the next best thing is to do all the movements in the order at which equipment becomes available up to the last two (burpees and D.U.s). Those must be completed last.
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Website - Our own Judy Phillips has created a great resource for locals looking for smarter food choices:
Weston A. Price East Bay Area: http://wapfeastbay.ning.com/
"Welcome to the Tri-Valley Chapter of the Weston A. Price Foundation, which encompasses Dublin, Pleasanton, Livermore and beyond. We are a non-profit organization connecting like-minded individuals to farmers and other sources dedicated to supplying nutrient-dense foods for our tables by educating, learning and community activism. Our goal is to provide you with accurate nutrition instruction, support a number of movements that contribute to this objective including organic and biodynamic farming, pasture-feeding of livestock, community-supported farms, honest and informative labeling, and prepared and nurturing therapies. As the Tri-Valley Chapter of the Weston A. Price Foundation, we promote the work of the Foundation at the local level. . ."
Posted by Jeremy Jones at 3:26 PM | Comments (25)
August 2, 2009
090803 MONDAY "NEW SCHEDULE STARTS TODAY!"
Craig coaches the class on some of the more advanced features of the Concept 2 rowing machines.
Workout: Overhead Squat
5, 5, 5, 5, 5
Post Loads to comments.
Coach's Corner: If this is a new lift for you, resist the urge to go heavy too soon. Keep it light and practice extra reps. Maintaining "Active Shoulders" is crucial.
Mini Metcon:
As many rounds as possible in 10 minutes.
10 burpees
3 weighted pull ups (men 25lbs, women 15lbs, or use a smaller band if you are still working on kipping pull ups).
Post number of rounds completed to comments.
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Article: Saturated fat is healthy? "The definitive guide to saturated fat." (from Mark's Daily Apple).
"It’s probably the one thing that prevents people from fully buying into the Primal Blueprint. Almost anyone can agree with the basic tenets – eating more vegetables, choosing only clean, organic meats, and getting plenty of sleep and exercise is fairly acceptable to the mainstream notion of good nutrition. The concept of Grok and a lifestyle based on evolutionary biology can be a harder sell, but anyone who’s familiar with (and accepts) the basics of human evolution tends to agree (whether they follow through and adopt the lifestyle is another question), at least intellectually. But saturated fat? People have this weird conditioned response to the very phrase.
“But what about all that saturated fat? Aren’t you worried about clogging up your arteries?” . . ."
Click here for complete article.
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New Schedule Starts Today!
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On a more somber note, an occasional DCFer and good friend, Ed T. is currently undergoing chemotherapy and radiation for nasal pharynx cancer. Our thoughts and Prayers go out to him and his struggle. We know that he will dominate this challenge like he dominates his CrossFit workouts.
Click here to go to his blog chronicling his journey.
Hurry up and whoop this cancer thing buddy - we miss you!
Posted by Jeremy Jones at 11:00 PM | Comments (20)
July 31, 2009
090801 SATURDAY "Happy Birthday Jeff!"
+++New Schedule Starts Monday! Oly Class Canceled for Oly Seminar at 11am!+++
Recognize the shaved head and lack of body fat? It is usually the guy passing you on the runs and it is Jeff B's birthday today!
Workout: As many rounds as possible in 20 minutes
Run 400
20 Virtual Shoveling Reps* (men use empty bar plus 45lbs on one side, women use empty bar plus 25lbs on one side).
Post rounds to comments.
*A virtual shoveling rep is moving the bumper plate on the one end of the olympic bar over a parallette and back to the starting position. Switch sides (which hand is in front) as often as you'd like.
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Article: "Health Benefits Of Physical Activity More Pronounced In Women"
". . . They found that over a 12 year period, all individuals who increased their exercise by about 180 metabolic units per week (equivalent to an additional hour of mild or 30 minutes of moderate activity per week) displayed decreased levels of triglycerides and increased levels of the "good" HDL cholesterol. However, statistically significant decreases in the "bad" LDL cholesterol were only observed in women, with particularly strong effects in menopausal women and African-American women. And total cholesterol levels were only significantly decreased in African-American women. . ."
Click here for complete article.
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Olympic Weightlifting Class is canceled for Angela Lim's Olympic Weightlifting Seminar that starts at 11am. There is still an extra spot if you are interested.
Posted by Jeremy Jones at 10:08 PM | Comments (19)
July 27, 2009
090728 TUESDAY "Rowing Repeats"
Chris and Heather. . . Post caption ideas to comments. I'll start "New couples therapy - working out while wearing matching outfits."
Olympic Weightlifting Warm Up: 20 overhead squats. Break up the sets as much as needed. Use a moderate weight for your ability allows it, otherwise use PVC or an empty bar.
Workout:
4 rounds
500m row
Rest 2 minutes (approximately if there is a large class and not enough rowers).
Post row time to comments.
Try to either A) pace all the rowing efforts so that the times are as close together as possible. or B) Set a PR on the first round, then just try not to throw up for the next 3 rounds.
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Article: "Short Stressful Events May Improve Working Memory"
". . .Researchers at the University at Buffalo have shown, in trials using rodents as an animal model, that acute stress can produce a beneficial effect on learning and memory, through the effect of the stress hormone corticosterone (cortisol in humans) on the brain's prefrontal cortex, a key region that controls learning and emotion.
Specifically, they demonstrated that acute stress increases transmission of the neurotransmitter glutamate and improves working memory. . ."
Click here for complete article.
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EVENTS
Saturday August 1st at 11am. - Olympic Weightlifting Clinic
We will be hosting a 2-hour clinic that will focus on the Olympic lift, the Clean ($75 per current member, or $85 for non members). The clinic will be conducted by USA Weightlifting Club Coach Angela Lim who has been weightlifting for the past eight years and has trained under the coaching of Olympic Coach Jim Schmitz. In this intensive clinic, we will focus on improving the efficiency of the student’s lift.
We will videotape and critique each participant’s lift as well as discuss techniques and exercises to enhance Olympic lifting. Each participant will leave with a one or two day program to reinforce and work on the techniques that were reviewed. The Clinic is open to anyone who is a member of Diablo Crossfit and has a basic understanding of the clean, but wants to focus on technique and increase power. The Clinic is limited to only 7 participants to ensure personal attention and feedback. To sign up, contact Jeremy at jeremy@diablocrossfit.com. Payment must be made in advance to ensure a spot in the clinic.
We are almost out of slots, so only those who have paid up front will be guaranteed a spot. After hearing stories about last weekends seminar, everyone should be thinking about going to this one. Especially if you want to work on your cleans.
Saturday August 8th - Kickball Tournament
Come cheer on the DCF Ladies as they compete in a Kickball tournament at Ygnacio Valley High School field (at Treat and Oak Grove). 10am until approx 4pm. Food onsite - $5 per adult, $3 per child.
Saturday August 8th - "Fran Off at CrossFit Sweat Shop!"
Teams of two (randomly selected teams) will compete in a bracketed double elimination style tournament to win $1000 cash. CHA-CHING! Click here to go to the "Fran Off" website for details.
Posted by Jeremy Jones at 10:17 PM | Comments (28)
July 25, 2009
090726 SUNDAY "DT"
Laci levitating? Or midway through a power clean?
Workout: "DT"
In honor of USAF SSgt Timothy P. Davis, 28, who was killed on Feburary, 20 2009 supporting operations in OEF when his vehicle was struck by an IED. Timothy is survived by his wife Megan and one-year old son T.J.
Five rounds for time of:
155 pound Deadlift, 12 reps
155 pound Hang power clean, 9 reps
155 pound Push jerk, 6 reps
Post time to comments.
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Article: Progressive strength training benefits older people in their daily life.
". . . Muscle strength decreases naturally as people age. This reduction in muscle strength could affect older adults carrying out daily activities. Progressive resistance strength training is a type of strength training that uses free weights, exercise machines, or elastic bands to strengthen muscles. Key to this type of this exercise is adjusting the resistance, or weight, according to the person's progress. This exercise can be prescribed to help older adults gain the strength necessary to carry out everyday activities such as walking, climbing stairs, bathing or doing housework. . ."
Click here for complete article.
Posted by Jeremy Jones at 9:10 PM | Comments (10)
July 24, 2009
090725 SATURDAY
Martin Pashov front squats 405 for reps.
Olympic Weightlifting Warm Up: One arm dumbbell squat snatch 10 reps right arm, 10 reps left arm. 2 sets. Men use 45s if you can handle it with good form. Women 25s.
Workout: For Time.
800m Run
100 Push-ups
400m Run
100 Sit-ups
200m Run
50 Push-ups
100m Run
50 Sit-ups
Post total time to comments.
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Article: "Footwear alters normal form and function of the foot."
". . . The research was funded by the Fund for Scientific Research – Flanders, and was based on dynamic measurements of pressure distribution under to foot sole during walking. It showed that he foot of habitual barefoot walkers differs, both in shape and in function, from that of habitually shod peers. . . "
Click here for complete article.
Posted by Jeremy Jones at 10:00 PM | Comments (19)
July 22, 2009
090722 WEDNESDAY
Running with the medicine ball looks like a ball of fun for all involved.
Olympic Weightlifting Warm Up: Strict press 5 reps. Push press 5 reps. Push Jerk 5 reps. Split jerk 5 reps. Start with the PVC or empty bar. Use the same weight for all sets. Try again with more weight if you feel comfortable with the movement.
Workout:
10 rounds for time.
10 pull ups
10 ring dips
Scale this workout down by doing less reps and using a harder band than you'd normally use (i.e. use a smaller band and do 10 sets of 5). This is a MUCH better way to scale for pull ups and ring dips than using more assistance and doing all 100 repetitions. Also, if you can do 10 - 15 repetitions in a row (without the bands for example), don't even think about using a band for this workout.
Post time to comments.
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Article: Stressed out parents may up asthma risk
". . . As expected, children exposed to more air pollution had a higher risk of asthma, but this risk was further increased if their parents were stressed and described their lives as "unpredictable", "uncontrollable" or "overwhelming". . . "
Click here for complete article.
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Make sure you email jeremy@diablocrossfit.com if you would like to go to the Concept 2 Rowing seminar this weekend at DCF. Space is limited, so reserve your spot right away! Go to our "Upcoming Events" page for more details.
Posted by Jeremy Jones at 12:14 AM | Comments (21)
July 18, 2009
090719 SUNDAY
Irish and Maynard. Tent dogs.
Workout:
Tabata deadlift (135lb men, 95lb women, barbell deadlifts)
Tabata dumbbell push press (men 45lb dbs, women 25lb)
Tabata burpee
A "Tabata" is 20 seconds of work followed by 10 seconds of rest. 8 rounds total (4 minutes). Count reps for each round. Your 'score' for each exercise is the lowest number of reps completed in any one round.
Add the 'score' for each exercise for a total score. Post total score to comments.
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Article: More evidence that short bursts of intense exercise fends of disease.
". . . "Within just two weeks, the young men experienced, on average, a 23-per-cent improvement in how well they used insulin, according to the findings published in the journal BMC Endocrine Disorders.
Dr. Timmons believes the "maximum effort" workout essentially uses up all the carbohydrates (complex sugars) packed away in the muscles. "If you deplete the muscle stores of carbohydrate, then they act extremely efficiently at taking up dietary glucose and storing it,". . ."
Click here for complete article.
Posted by Jeremy Jones at 7:18 PM | Comments (16)
July 15, 2009
090716 THURSDAY "Goodbye Prashant and Shilpa!"
Shilpa (and Prashant practicing bar levitation in the background) will be leaving us. Today is their last day!
Olympic weightlifting warm up: 30 medicine ball cleans. Take your time (use a few sets if needed) and really practice dropping quickly.
Workout (We came up with this workout for them):
2 rounds of:
10 Pull ups
20 lunges (alternating R, L for 10 each leg)
1 Rope climb
30 Double unders
Rest 1 minute
2 rounds of:
10 Pull ups
20 lunges
1 Rope climb
30 Double unders
Rest 1 minute
2 rounds of:
10 Pull ups
20 lunges
1 Rope climb
30 Double unders
Post total time to comments (include minute rests).
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Article: Chef Alan from Chevy's tells us how to eat Paleo at Chevy's:
(Here is a video of Alan talking about the fresh foods and dishes at Chevy's. For what it's worth, Alan is also over 20lbs lighter than when this video was made because of of his Paleo food choices - Nice Job Alan!)
Now on to the Paleo Stuff, From Alan:
"Ok, so for eating at Chevys paleo, I'll start by telling you what I eat religiously. Almost every day I eat at lunch at Chevys and I cross between three main items. . .
(click continue reading below for complete article.)
Fajita Salad, it's tossed table side, you get a choice of chicken, steak, carnitas, or shrimp. I usually go with anything but carnitas and usually double the protein. Must be ordered without cheese (jack and cotija), and no tortilla strips. It comes with 3oz chipotle apple vinaigrette and that is made with olive/canola oil blend or you can go with fat free salsa vinaigrette (salsa, vinegar, honey)
Santa Fe Chopped salad with salsa vinaigrette, must be ordered with no blue cheese, no bacon and no roasted corn salsa. So, basically you are getting romaine, avocado, chicken and roasted peppers. Pretty good actually. I usually order extra chicken and avo.
Fajitas.....any type, chicken, beef, shrimp, salmon, or carnitas. Always order...no beans, no rice, no tortillas, no sour cream (ask for extra pico and guac, it's free), NO CORN STUFF (tamalito), everyone loves it but it is Baaaad for you, shortening, butter, margarine, whole milk, sugar, corn, corn meal, flour. All the enemy.
We also have a vegetable medley that we serve as a veg fajita. green beans, broccoli, roasted garlic, zucchini, yellow squash, mushrooms, red bell peppers and carrots. Ok, so pick out the carrots and order this as a side veg and say "no butter please".
I always order, every day, a side of guacamole no cotija cheese on top please, and tortilla soup, no tortilla strips, cheese, or corn salsa.
NEVER chips but always salsa.
If you know Paleo and aren't afraid to bug your server with a ton of questions, we have found it really easy to eat Paleo out at our favorite places. I know I have an advantage being a chef, but with a few basic cooking principle "know hows" like steaming and grilling (and knowing that most kitchens are happy to create items using menu products) you can eat anywhere."
-Alan Skversky
Thanks a bunch for that input Alan! I know that the coaches at DCF order Chevy's take out all the time. Now maybe we can start a new trend with many other 'paleo diners' out there. And I leave you with Nick repping the "horns" at the Chevy's in Gilroy at the 2009 CrossFit Games. -jj
Posted by Jeremy Jones at 6:45 PM | Comments (34)
July 9, 2009
090710 FRIDAY
+++3pm classes will be canceled this weekend due to the games. But don't worry, I'll be posting workouts you can do at home so if you can't make the morning classes you can still get a workout in! Olympic lifting class and Muay Thai is canceled this weekend as well.+++
Setting up for the 2009 CrossFit Games - Notice where everyone's eyes will be.
Workout:
Strict Press
3, 3, 3, 3, 3
Post loads to comments.
Bonus Mini Metcon To follow.
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Article: Another study showing a reduced diet thwarts aging and disease.
"Writing today in the journal Science, a team of researchers at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, the Wisconsin National Primate Research Center and the William S. Middleton Memorial Veterans Hospital reports that a nutritious but reduced-calorie diet blunts aging and significantly delays the onset of such age-related disorders as cancer, diabetes, cardiovascular disease and brain atrophy. . .
Click here for complete article.
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Video: I don't think these monkeys are taking advantage of the whole life extension / reduced disease thing.
Posted by Jeremy Jones at 9:03 PM | Comments (21)
July 6, 2009
090707 TUESDAY "Helen"
Darren prepares for the Games; smile on his face, trashcan at the ready.
Olympic lifting warm up: Hang power clean from the mid thigh, 10 reps. Hang power clean from just above the knee, 10 reps. Hang power clean from below the knee, 10 reps. Keep it light. Use the same weight every round. Rest between sets. Make sure to pause at the bottom of the catch (don't just stand right up after catching the weight).
Workout: "Helen"
3 rounds for time.
400m run
21 kettlebell swings (54lb men, 35lb women).
12 pull ups
Post time to comments.
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"Participating in team sports is associated with a reduced likelihood of youths becoming established smokers, according to a new report. However, exposure to movie smoking appears to be associated with an increased risk of established smoking in both team sport participants and nonparticipants. . ."
Click here for complete article.
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We will be open different hours this weekend due to the CrossFit Games - Be sure to check back to see exactly what schedule changes are happening.
Remember to email laci.jackson@gmail.com if you plan on attending. We are organizing things like carpooling, food, etc.
Right now we are looking for folding tables, another BBQ, and some kind of carpet we can put down. to stay out of the dirt.
Events are starting at 9am on Friday. The Affiliate Cup teams will do 3 workouts. Darren and Jeff will be completing as many as 5 workouts on Saturday. The top athletes for each day will go on to do additional workouts on Sunday. . .
I predict it is going to be a CrossFit Massacre. Bodies strewn about. Blood. Tears. Cheering. Totally Epic.
Read more about the formats here: CrossFit Games Site - Scoring and Structure.
Posted by Jeremy Jones at 2:39 PM | Comments (48)
June 29, 2009
090630 TUESDAY
Jared Rosten looking more like 'Wolverine' than his brother Darren.
Olympic Weightlifting warm up:
10 Presses from behind the neck, empty bar. 10 Push press from behind the neck, if comfortable with the weight add two 10's. 10 Push Jerk (aka power jerk) from behind the neck, if comfortable add another set of 10's or 25's , 10 Split Jerk (aka jerk) from behind the neck, if comfortable add another set of 10's, 25's or 45's. Keep it light and work on form.
Workout: For time.
135 lb Thruster (95lb women. scale down as necessary), 10 reps,
50 Double-unders,
135 lb Thruster, 8 reps,
40 Double-unders,
135 lb Thruster, 6 reps,
30 Double-unders,
135 lb Thruster, 4 reps,
20 Double-unders,
135 lb Thruster, 2 reps,
10 Double-unders.
Post time to comments.
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Article: Lean mass better for developing bones in young people.
". . .“A larger child is going to have larger bones just because he’s heavier,” Wey said. “But if you have two kids at the same weight, the one whose weight is dominated by fat mass is more likely to have smaller bones than the one whose weight is dominated by lean mass. Smaller bones are weaker than larger bones.”. . ."
Click here for complete article.
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DCFers going to the Games!
Laci will be helping organize what people bring to the games, carpooling, etc. Please email her if you plan on making it out there.
Email her:
- How many people in your party (significant other, kids etc).
- Dates you will be attending.
- If you plan on driving each day or staying accommodations nearby (hotel, camping, etc).
- What you would like to bring food/beverage wise if you have a preference (our tents will be 'pot luck')
- What types of equipment you can provide (chairs, carpet, tent shade, etc)
Click here for Laci's email.
Posted by Jeremy Jones at 5:40 PM | Comments (52)
June 28, 2009
090629 MONDAY
Dean takes a leisurely stroll with some 45lb plates (ones that he will have to do burpees if he puts them down).
Olympic Weightlifting Warm up (in addition to class warm up):
Overhead squat - 10 reps with PVC, 10 reps with empty bar, 10 reps with empty bar again or light load.
Workout:
Deadlift
3, 3, 3, 3, 3
Post loads to comments.
Bonus mini metcon to follow.
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Article:
A little extra weight may protect against an early death.
". . . It may be that a few extra pounds actually protect older people as their health declines, but that doesn't mean that people in the normal weight range should try to put on a few pounds," said Mark Kaplan, DrPH, coauthor and Professor of Community Health at Portland State University. "Our study only looked at mortality, not at quality of life, and there are many negative health consequences associated with obesity, including high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and diabetes. . ."
Click here for complete article.
What this study doesn't seem to address is to the health of the underweight people (people who are sick tend to be very "underweight", cancer, etc) . . . And the fact that many athletic people are considered "overweight" due to the added muscle mass (I am borderline obese for example). Once again the BMI demonstrates it's flaws -jj
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Video: Highlights from the 1999 World Championships where Shahin Nasirinia wins the Gold Metal for the 85 KG weight class (187lbs). He is wearing red and black vertically striped singlet. I recommend watching the entire video, but you can see his snatch at 0:42 (175 KG, 385lbs! I believe), and 1:33. His clean and jerks are at 2:30 5:08 and 8:58. His final lift is 215 KG (which is 473 pounds!).
Posted by Jeremy Jones at 6:12 PM | Comments (26)
June 26, 2009
090627 SATURDAY
Mike C with "Fran Personal Record" in his eyes.
Workout:
3 rounds for time
200m Plate Farmer Carry* (45lb plates men, 25lb plates women)
Each drop or set down during the carry do 5 burpees (not including the drop at the finish line)
25 wall ball (20lb/10ft men, 14lb/10ft women)
Post time to comments.
"Plate Farmer Carry" - Two olympic style plates or bumpers carried at the sides with fingers through center hole.
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Article: How High Carbohydrate Foods Can Raise Risk For Heart Problems.
". . . "Looking inside" the arteries of students eating a variety of foods, Dr. Michael Shechter of Tel Aviv University's Sackler School of Medicine and the Heart Institute of Sheba Medical Center — with collaboration of the Endocrinology Institute — visualized exactly what happens inside the body when the wrong foods for a healthy heart are eaten. He found that foods with a high glycemic index distended brachial arteries for several hours.
Elasticity of arteries anywhere in the body can be a measure of heart health. But when aggravated over time, a sudden expansion of the artery wall can cause a number of negative health effects, including reduced elasticity, which can cause heart disease or sudden death. . ."
Click here for complete article.
Posted by Jeremy Jones at 4:55 PM | Comments (14)
June 16, 2009
090617 WEDNESDAY
Some of DCF's "She Devils" went to Catalyst Athletics for their Olympic lifting seminar last weekend.
Workout:
Hang power snatch 1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1 reps
Post loads to comments.
Bonus mini metcon to follow.
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Article:
'Shortcuts' Of The Mind Lead To Miscalculations Of Weight And Caloric Intake, Study Finds
". . . When estimating calories, study participants assumed portion sizes were culturally typical and guessed no caloric differences between small and large portions. . .
. . ."We have evolved in a very different environment," Geier said. "It used to be that food was scarce, and you ate what was available because you didn't know where your next meal would come from. That is not the case anymore. Although we have yet to prove this, we believe that the ecology of eating in the current food environment has become an example of the atypical situations demonstrated in this new article, which may be an explanation for why almost 70 percent of American adults are either overweight or obese. This represents a cognitive explanation for why America is gaining so much weight. The eating environment has morphed into an atypical scenario where our usually helpful mental mechanisms betray us."
Click here for complete article.
Posted by Jeremy Jones at 11:17 PM | Comments (16)
June 15, 2009
090616 TUESDAY
Kristine, Meg and Tami avoid rope burn with a little bit of preparation.
Workout: Rest Day.
Yes, you read that correctly - REST DAY.
Classes will go on as usual. You can come in and make up a workout you missed, or do a workout assigned by the trainer for that class.
"Resting" is a critical part of training. Read the article below for more details on resting and how many days per week you should be training.
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Article: "Training Volume"
One important yet often overlooked part of physical training is “Rest”. The ratio of days working out to days resting is usually referred to as “Training Volume”. Having a good training to rest ratio will ensure that you are making the progress and gains desired at a good pace while not overdoing it and suffering from slowed performances, injury and illness.
CrossFit is unique in that the workouts are so short compared to other training methods, people have a hard time grasping what is a good Training Volume for them. Many neophyte CrossFitters get so enthralled with the program and/or with getting better (or at least not sucking so bad), that they start coming 5, 6, and even 7 days a week! More is not better when it comes to the highly demanding workouts that CrossFit administers. It is easy to overdue, and the side effects can be glaring and even subtle.
How much training you can handle is primarily based upon your “out of the gym” habits; your sleep, nutrition, stretching/massage, baseline activity levels, etc. The more sleep you get, the better you eat, and better you handle everyday stress, the more often you will be able to train and make progress. Age and genetics can also play a roll, but these things are generally fixed for any individual, and once determined change little over time.
Below (and above) is a chart showing a few of the recommended training day schemes on a weekly basis. The first options are where we direct most new CrossFitters to start. If their bodies can handle that amount of Training Volume and they would like more training days per week, we recommend using the additional calendars listed. . .
The general concept is simple; spread the training and rest days throughout the week as much as possible, try to avoid having more than 2 rest days in a row, and more than 3 work days in a row.
The most training per week we recommend is the “3 on 1 off” regimen at the bottom of the chart. This type of training routine is about the maximum of what anyone can handle for any length of time, and it is also assumed that a rest ‘week’ or half intensity ‘week’ be used every 6 – 8 weeks.
Remember that if you have been training hard and your performances have plateaued, or even decreased, something needs to change. The most common reason we see performance dip with beginners is Over training (aka Under recovery).
Find a schedule that works for you and stick to it. Note in your journal how you feel so that you can reference it later.
Post your schedule to comments.
-jj
Posted by Jeremy Jones at 11:30 PM | Comments (15)
June 10, 2009
090611 THURSDAY "Rowing Repeats" and "Broke Caveman Shopping List"
Some of Vallejo and Concord's Finest get to know each other. . .
Workout:
4 rounds
500m row
Rest 2 minutes (approximately if there is a large class and not enough rowers).
Post row time to comments.
Try to either A) pace all the rowing efforts so that the times are as close together as possible. or B) Set a PR on the first round, then just try not to throw up for the next 3 rounds.
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CrossFit Games Accommodations Confusion!
Apparently, there are two "Motel 6"s near the games site. If you use a map program to look up which one is closer you might get an incorrect result.
The closer of the two Motel 6s is in
GILROY
not Watsonville. They still have some single bed rooms available if anyone is interested in switching over.Here is the info:
6110 Monterey Rd., Gilroy, California
Front desk 408-842-6061 Fax 408-842-6020
Special Code - CrossFit
Special Rates: $53.99 Thursday - $71.99 Friday & Saturday does not include Breakfast
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Diablo CrossFit Nutrition Article: "What to buy at Costco?" aka "Part 1 of the 'Broke Caveman' series"
One of the inherent flaws in shopping for “Paleo” or “Primal” foods is that the act of going to the grocery store itself is not “Paleo”. Where Grok the caveman usually had to search long and hard to get food (and not to mention, any food he did get was “good” food), the super markets and ‘Mega’ markets we have today create the exact opposite problem; buying the right foods in a sea of junk.
Places like “Trader Joe’s” (definitely a favorite around here), and “Whole Foods” (aka ‘Whole Paycheck’) can make it much easier to find the right foods, their locations and pricing can life tough if you are trying eat like a caveman. . . on a caveman’s income. . .
(Continued from above)
Costco has become one place where I can get large quantities of primal foods at a cost that wouldn’t make Grok take out a second mortgage on his cave, or sell one of his ‘groklings’. But like any modern market, a little caution must be used before you end up spending hundreds of dollars on food that will go bad before you can eat it, and maybe even an inflatable slide/waterpark.
First thing, make a list before you go. Don’t depend on memory, you’ll get distracted, and you’ll buy things you don’t need, and forget the things you do.
Eat a meal or snack before you go. You won’t be able to resist all the freebies if you are hungry, not to mention your food choices will be skewed.
Now here is a receipt you can use as a basic list of stuff you should look to buy at Costco. I’ll explain everything below
Eggs – ESSENTIAL! You can’t go wrong with 5 dozen eggs. That’s 60 blocks of protein for the Zone people out there. $0.10 a block is not bad at all.
Salmon – 6 cans of ‘Wild Alaskan’ salmon. Good stuff. I like it better than tuna. You can eat it right out of the can. About 40g of – omega 3 laden - protein per can, 240g of protein total.
Mixed Nuts – These do not have peanuts, but a lot of other good nuts. They are salted (I buy un-salted when they have them). I usually ‘cut’ these by adding lots of raw almonds, and cashews that are unsalted.
Apple chips – Ingredients = Organic Apples, Organic cinnamon . . . 30 apples in a bag! These things are awesome and cheap, but be careful with them. To many carbs per mouthful, and they are quite addictive.
Almond Crunch – Similar to above, very tasty. Also very easy to overdue. I use these as a desert, and sometimes with almond milk as a ‘cereal’ substitute. Throw some small fruit (berries) on top and you will have a bowl of crunchy heaven. The “MARBLU” below the almond crunch is something very similar with the berries already added. This is new, so I am not sure how it will turn out.
Broccoli – ESSENTIAL! Bag of broccoli florets. Don’t buy heads of broccoli unless you have a lot of time, and you can get it extra cheap. The bags are soooo much easier to work with.
Spinach – ESSENTIAL! I bought two boxes because this stuff is so good. Not to mention it cooks down to nothing.
Yogurt - I use this as a dessert, as a sub for sour cream, to make Tzatziki. . . I bought two of these because I am going to make a huge batch of Tzatziki.
Tillamoos cheese – Cheese isn’t paleo. . . but it is one of my “Fu-Q” foods. It is great as a fast snack that adds protein and fat to a meal.
Smoked Salmon – More “Wild Alaskan” salmon. This has preservatives, and is fairly pricey for what you get (I think this is only 14oz). But it is fast and easy. It will also last more than a week as ‘ready to go’ food.
Asparagus – Not something I buy every time because it can go bad quickly, but still a great easy dish to make.
Cucumbers – Also something that can go bad quickly, but is very versatile as a salad addition or just for snacking.
“BNSL” is Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts – ESSENTIAL! Easy to cook, easy to prepare. These usually come in 4 or 6 breast packages. I generally stick them right in the freezer when I get home unless I plan on cooking them that day or the next.
Extra Virgin Olive Oil – my primary cooking oil
Raspberries – Great with the yogurt or “almond cereal” mentioned above (Jax loves these). Make sure you get ones that haven’t already started to turn south.
Not bad for $150. I can also tell you that this food will fill your fridge. So make sure that you have a lot of space in the refrigerator part of your fridge (there will be a limited impact on the freezer).
Important Info:
I am buying for myself, my wife, and our 13 month old son, so that should give you an idea of volume for the price. This amount of food will usually get us through about 2 weeks, sometimes with some ‘supplementation’ from Safeway or other market (usually just milk for our son Jax, and sweet potatoes).
Some other “Regulars” that didn’t make the list are: Ground beef logs, apples, raw almonds, Fish Oil and a few others. These items might take the bill right up to $200.
One thing you will notice is the lack of foods that can be stored outside of the refrigerator. Remember that “good foods go bad”. Anything that can be stored for a long period of time without refrigeration is suspect. Unfortunately this means that you will have to make more trips to the store to buy food, just accept it.
Another thing you will notice is that all but two items are under $12, even though most of them are "certified organic".
I hope that this helps everyone make better choices while doing their own “hunting and gathering” in the treacherous land of boxed carbs, sugar laden booby-traps, and low fat concoctions that can all stick “healthy” on the label.
Post questions below.
Also, post any items that I might have missed, or even better, post your own shopping list!
-jj
(and for the record, I buy all my booze at BevMo).
Posted by Jeremy Jones at 7:22 PM | Comments (35)
May 22, 2009
090523 SATURDAY
+++7am class on Monday Morning! Then open gym and barbecue from 11am - 2pm+++
New Diablo CrossFit shorts based upon MMA fighter shorts from Soldier Fight Gear (flexible, breathable, full drawstring, and more). Sub 2 minute "Grace" and Stav's calves not included.
Workout 10am - DCF qualifier A:
For time. 6 rounds:
5 reps Squat clean thruster (135men / 85women) or or squat clean and Jerk
200 Meter Sprint
(squat cleans must be utilized for the WOD to be "Rx'ed" - no power cleans then front squats)
Workout 3pm - DCF qualifier B -
Max rounds in 3 minutes of:
3 Deadlift (245lb men / 175lb women)
6 Ring Dips (small band assist for women)
9 Wall Ball (20/10 men, 14/8 women)
Rest 1 minute.
Repeat for a total of 5 cycles. Record total rounds completed for all 5 cycles. Start where you left off each round when counting (don't keep starting on DLs).
Post results to comments.
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Article from the Life Spotlight:
"The real truth about "healthy" grains"
". . . Many plants use lectins as a defense against hungry animals. Thus, an animal that is not adapted to the lectins in the plant it’s eating may suffer damage or death. … Grains and legumes (beans, soy, peas, peanuts) are rich in some particularly nasty lectins. Especially wheat. Some can degrade the intestinal lining. Some have the ability to pass through the intestinal lining and show up in the bloodstream. Once in the bloodstream, they may bind all sorts of carbohydrate-containing proteins in the body, including the insulin receptor. They could theoretically bind the leptin receptor, which also contains carbohydrate (= it’s glycosylated), potentially desensitizing it. This remains to be tested, and to my knowledge is pure speculation at this point. What is not so speculative is that once you’re leptin-resistant, you become obese and insulin resistant, and at that point you are intolerant to any type of carbohydrate. . . "
Click here for complete article.
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Don't forget to come to our Open house and Barbecue on Monday (Memorial Day). We will be having open gym, food, and beer from 11am - 2pm. Please stop by and say Hi! Click her for details.
Posted by Jeremy Jones at 8:14 PM | Comments (15)
May 19, 2009
090520 WEDNESDAY
Jimmy G, Eva Twardokens from CrossFit Santa Cruz Central, Rookie from CrossFit Endurance, Jeremy Jones, and Justin Lascek from CrossFit Witichta Falls at the CrossFit Football Certification seminar (and yes, Justin is wearing a "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles" t-shirt).
Workout:
4 rounds for time.
Run 400m
Rest 2 minutes
Record each rounds time to comments.
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Article:
". . .According to the Autism Research Institute and Defeat Autism Now, some children with autism cannot properly digest gluten. Instead of passing through the digestive system, the protein breaks down into peptides that leak into the bloodstream of children with ASDs and trigger an opiatelike effect in the brain. . ."
Click here for complete article.
Post thoughts to comments (and if you avoid Gluten).
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Workout C posted to "Continue Reading" Below
For time:
200 Meter Punching bag shoulder run (85lbs -large bag- men, 50lbs -small bag- women)
50 chest to bar Pull ups
100 meter sled drag, using black and red rope, 44lb/26lb kb inside sled, must put rope over shoulder
200 Farmer carry (45lbs men, 35lbs women)
75 Box Jumps
100 meter tire flips (Big tire men, Medium tire women)
100 meter sled drag, using black and red rope, 44lb kb inside sled, must put rope over shoulder
100 Air Squats
200 Meter Punching bag shoulder run (85lbs -large bag- men, 50lbs -small bag- women)
Posted by Jeremy Jones at 10:20 PM | Comments (19)
May 17, 2009
090517 MONDAY "DCF is CrossFit Football Certified!"
Jeremy Jones and Jimmy Greninger at the very first CrossFit FootBall Certification Seminar at CrossFit Balboa
Workout - Rocky Mountain Qualifier #2
3 rounds for time of:
10 Chest-to-Bar Pullups
10 Front Squats, 165 lbs (105 lbs for women)
10 Burpees
Post Time To Comments. Compare times to Rocky Mtn. Qualifier: Men & Women
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Article: President's Council on Physical Fitness Launches New National Adult Fitness Test
The President's Council on Physical Fitness and Sports (PCPFS) launched its new national Adult Fitness Test. The online self-test, available at www.adultfitnesstest.org, measures overall fitness levels by assessing aerobic fitness, muscular strength, endurance, flexibility and body composition. Read more here.
Editor's note: It's really easy to be incredibly cynical of this test. It's also quite sad just how pathetically out of shape Americans are. So, we have to start somewhere and I give the Administration credit for initiating the evaluation process.
Posted by Craig at 8:57 PM | Comments (31)
May 11, 2009
090512 TUESDAY "Happy Birthday Mountain!"
Happy Birthday Mountain!
Workout:
For time.
33 clean and jerks (or "overhead anyhow") 95 lbs men / 65lbs women, less for beginners
33 muscle ups -bar or rings- (sub 99 chest to bar pull ups and 99 ring dips, divided however you want), beginners should do only 50 reps of each
33 clean and jerks (or "overhead anyhow") same as above
(For the record, Mountain wants those who can to do it with 135lbs instead of 95).
Post time to comments.
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Article:
Research says that older people need more sun (vitamin D).
". . .Researchers at the University of Warwick have shown vitamin D deficiency is significantly associated with metabolic syndrome, a combination of medical and metabolic disorders that increase the risk of developing cardiovascular disease and diabetes. . . "
Click here for complete article.
Post thoughts to comments.
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Shannon and Bryan Stornetta are leaving the 'nest' to move to Colorado!
They are having a going away party Saturday Night. Details can be found here.
Post to comments if you plan on attending, and you can sign up in the link above.
Posted by Jeremy Jones at 9:56 PM | Comments (36)
May 9, 2009
090510 SUNDAY "Happy Mother's Day"
+++Class as usual today!+++
Part of the Gymnastics Workshop this Saturday at DCF with Roger Harrell and Andres De La Rosa of CrossFit Marin (why Heather and Tami are smiling, and everyone else isn't. . . is just part of the story).
Workout: "3 times a Newbie - Sympathy for Mom"
3 rounds for time. Rx'ed means doing it with a 20lb weight vest (optional for Mothers)
400m Run
10 pull ups
20 push ups
30 sit ups
40 squats
Post time, and thanks to your mother to comments.
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Article:
Undiagnosed Diabetes Takes an Economic Toll
"Approximately 6.3 million adults—or one fourth of the people in the U.S. with diabetes mellitus—are unaware they have the disease, and this undiagnosed population accounts for an estimated $18 billion in health care costs each year, according to a new study. . ."
Click here for complete article.
Post thoughts to comments.
Posted by Jeremy Jones at 9:24 PM | Comments (3)
May 3, 2009
090504 MONDAY "Darren Takes Second Place at the Regionals!"
Darren clearing the last turn of the 3rd workout. (You can see Jorgy cheering in the background).
Find Julie D checking Darren's pull ups in this one.
Congratulations to D-Roe for taking second place at the NorCal Qualifiers!
Workout:
Back Squat
5, 5, 5, 5, 5
Post loads to comments.
Bonus mini metcon to follow.
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Article:
Dietary fat triggers long term memory formation
"UC Irvine researchers have found that eating fat-rich foods triggers the formation of long-term memories of that activity. The study adds to their recent work linking dietary fats to appetite control and may herald new approaches for treating obesity and other eating disorders. . ."
Click here for complete article.
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Gymnastics and Parkour Seminar this weekend. Don't forget to sign up with jeremy@diablocrossfit.com to reserve a spot!
Posted by Jeremy Jones at 7:39 PM | Comments (34)
May 1, 2009
090502 SATURDAY
+++DCF CLOSED SATURDAY AND SUNDAY FOR NORCAL QUALIFIERS - Everyone should head down to Aromas and Cheer on your fellow DCFers!+++
A few DCFers headed out to a local track to work on some sprinting, and to find out what their mile times were (is Stavros making the "One World" sign? I can't tell -jj)
Workout (for those of you stuck at home):
6 rounds.
Sprint 1 minute
Rest 1 minute
Measure total distance traveled (i.e. "5 trips around the block, etc).
Use Map My Run or other online resource to measure distances.
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Article: From Mark's Daily Apple
"How Not to get the Swine Flu"
"Swine flu. Even the hype surrounding it is pandemic. It’s made headlines in every major newspaper and magazine. The CDC has a new press release every half hour. TV talking heads and radio pundits furrow their brows and express extreme consternation as they tell us to start “bracing for the worst.” President Obama has asked for another billion-and–a-half dollars (that we don’t have) to fend off this impending menace. Frightened school boards are halting classes everywhere until they are given a better action plan. Cruises are cancelled, trips are postponed, pigs are slaughtered, nations are blamed. It’s crazy. . ."
Click here for complete article.
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Fundraiser:
Diabetes Dash 5k fun run at UC Davis Arboretum May 31st at 10am.
All proceeds will go straight to UCD Medical Center for Diabetes research.
Download entry form here. Download waiver here.
Posted by Jeremy Jones at 9:16 PM | Comments (8)
April 25, 2009
090426 SUNDAY
Uhh. . . no comment.
Workout: Pull up ladder
1 pull up the first minute, 2 pull ups the second minute, 3 pull ups the third minute. . . continue until you cannot complete the number of pull ups in the 60 seconds allotted.
Post number of rounds completed plus additional pull ups completed to comments.
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POSE method of running clinic today!
"In order to excel at any sport and to avoid being injured you need to learn proper technique. Running is no different and yet most running instruction consists of "Run this far" and "Run with this intensity". Very few running coaches actually teach you how to run. At our running clinic you will learn HOW to run. Tim Hill, your clinic coach, is Northern California's only POSE Method of Running coach."
Click here to sign up ($75 per participant).
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Article: Even modest exercise can reduce negative effects of body fat.
. . . "Scientists now know that obesity is associated with a low-grade systemic inflammation. Obese people have higher levels of circulating inflammatory markers, such as C-reactive protein (CRP), which are produced and secreted by fat tissue. This inflammation then triggers the systemic diseases linked with metabolic syndrome, such as Type 2 diabetes and heart disease," he said. . .
Click here for complete article.
Posted by Jeremy Jones at 6:22 PM | Comments (7)
April 12, 2009
090413 MONDAY "Welcome Jace Anders Greninger"
+++Introduction to Elite Nutrition Workshop Sold out!+++
Diablo CrossFit's newest member: Jace Anders Greninger. Congratulations Coach Jimmy and Kelly!
Workout:
Overhead Squat
5, 5, 5, 5, 5
Post loads to comments.
Bonus mini metcon to follow.
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Article:
Study examines the power of exercise to prevent breast cancer
"A new federally funded University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine study aims to learn whether women at high risk of breast cancer can use exercise to meaningfully reduce their risk of getting the disease. Building on evidence that reducing estrogen in the body reduces cancer risk, and that elite female athletes experience a drop in estrogen levels that often cause them to stop ovulating and menstruating, the WISER Sister trial will investigate two different levels of regular treadmill exercise as a possible intervention for breast cancer risk reduction. . . "
Click here for complete article.
Posted by Jeremy Jones at 8:00 PM | Comments (34)
April 11, 2009
090412 SUNDAY "Happy Easter"
+++Schedule as usual today!+++
Macy completing her first workout for the second time 3 months later. . . and killing it.
Workout:
Tabata Sumo Deadlift High Pull (95# men, 65# women)
Rest 1 minute
Tabata L sit (count total seconds feet are off the floor)
Rest 1 minute
Tabata Kettlebell swings (2pood men, 1.5pood women)
Rest 1 minute
Tabata box jumps or step ups - choose one and use it for the entire interval (24" men, 20" women)
A "Tabata" is 20 seconds of work followed by 10 seconds of rest for 8 rounds (4 minutes total). Complete as many reps as possible in 20 seconds. Your 'score' is the lowest number of reps completed in any 20 second interval. Write your score down for each exercise during the rest interval.
Post reps for each exercise as well as total reps completed to comments.
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Article:
Sleep: Spring cleaning for the brain.
". . . Sleep — by allowing synaptic downscaling — saves energy, space and material, and clears away unnecessary "noise" from the previous day, the researchers believe. The fresh brain is then ready to learn again in the morning.
The researchers — Giorgio Gilestro, Giulio Tononi and Chiara Cirelli, of the Center for Sleep and Consciousness — found that levels of proteins that carry messages in the synapses (or junctions) between neurons drop by 30 to 40 percent during sleep. . ."
Click here for complete article.
Post thoughts to comments.
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Registration for the Nutrition Workshop is CLOSED. Hopefully we can have another one in the near future for those who missed this one. (and believe me, after seeing the results from the people who go to this one, you'll won't want to miss the next one. -jj)
Registration for the Gymnastics and Parkour Workshop is still $60 until the end of the day today (then it will be $75 from tomorrow forward).
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CrossFit Solano and CrossFit Vallejo raised over $13,000 for the fallen Oakland Police officers! Click Here to see CF Solano's comments about the event.
Posted by Jeremy Jones at 7:31 PM | Comments (11)
April 9, 2009
090409 THURSDAY
+++Regular Schedule this weekend (Good Friday and Easter Sunday). Come workout. God would want you to.+++
Ron and Kaela, two more of Diablo CrossFit's satisfied customers.
Workout: For time.
21 - 15 - 9
Burpees (chest to floor every rep)
135lb Hang Power Cleans (scale down if necessary)
GHD sit ups (touch the floor every rep, scale to abmat sit ups if necessary)
Post time to comments.
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Article:
"The whipping cream, butter, vegetable oil diet helps reduce seizures"
". . .Their approach has been effective, as seen in an as yet unpublished study of 43 patients at Children’s Hospital, between the ages of twelve months and 15 years. Of these children who started on the ketogenic diet between 2002 and 2006, half had a greater than 90 percent reduction in seizure frequency. . .
"The carbohydrate-restricted ketogenic diet also requires strong parental support, according to Zupec-Kania. “Fat comprises between 80 and 90 percent of the diet’s calories and is provided by foods such as whipping cream, butter and vegetable oils. The remaining calories are allocated to essential protein requirements from meat and fish, and secondarily to low-carbohydrate vegetables and fruit,” she says. “The elimination of carbohydrate-rich foods such as simple sugars, bread, pasta, cereals grains and milk makes this diet difficult for many patients to follow.". . . "
Click here for complete article.
(I find it interesting that they make such a big deal out of how hard the diet was, and how detrimental it can be to you health when there are entire societies -see Inuit, etc- that have lived on animals alone for thousands of years. . . In fact, I know people who have lived on this diet personally, and they have had no "side effects" -jj).
Post thoughts to comments.
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Events:
Oakland Police Memorial Workout at CrossFit Solano this Saturday (CrossFit Vallejo is also helping host)! It should be a great time, and an easy way to show your support to those who serve behind the shield every day. Try not to miss it!
The Nutrition Workshop roster is filling up fast, you better email jeremy@diablocrossfit.com or stavros@diablocrossfit.com to reserve your spot right away.
The CrossFit NorCal Qualifiers are May 2nd and 3rd, and we expect EVERYONE from the gym to come cheer on our competitors. At last year's CF Games, we had one of the largest groups from any gym (and we only had 1/3rd of the number of people). You can see pictures from last year's event by clicking here (as well as pictures of myself 20lbs fatter).
This year, I want at least 3 times as many people from The Shed.
Post to comments if you are going to the NorCal Qualifiers as either a competitor or as an athlete.
Also - Don't forget to reserve a spot for our Gymnastics Workshop on May 9th!
Posted by Jeremy Jones at 12:34 AM | Comments (29)
April 7, 2009
090408 WEDNESDAY
Stretching before a workout, or new dance class?
Workout: Team Workout!
2 partners working as a team. 1 person works out at a time, the other provides encouragement and counts reps. You'll want to trade off as soon as the person who is working out gets tired. Each athlete needs to get at least 5 repetitions in for each exercise each round (no "hogging the movements")
60 double unders (share the rope if you have to)
40 push presses with 95lb or 65lb barbell
100m walking lunges with 25lb dbs or 15lb dbs
As many rounds as possible in 30 minutes.
(If doing it by yourself, do half the reps/distance as many rounds as possible in 20 min).
Post number of rounds completed to comments.
(first posted on diablocrossfit November 22nd, 2008)
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Pizza vending machines?!
(I am distressed and yet vaguely hungry at the same time when I see this video -jj)
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Article:
20% of preschoolers are obese, study says
"A striking new study says almost 1 in 5 American 4-year-olds is obese, and the rate is alarmingly higher among American Indian children, with nearly a third of them obese.
Researchers were surprised to see differences by race at so early an age. . ."
Click here for complete article.
Post thoughts to comments.
Posted by Jeremy Jones at 10:08 PM | Comments (30)
April 6, 2009
090406 TUESDAY "Gymnastics Workshop May 9th"
Mike P. doing his part for the team farmer carry sprints.
Workout:
Back Squat.
5, 5, 5, 5, 5
Post loads to comments.
Bonus mini metcon to follow.
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Article:
Difference In Fat Storage May Explain Lower Rate Of Liver Disease In African-Americans
"Where different ethnic groups store fat in their bodies may account for differences in the likelihood they'll develop insulin resistance and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, researchers at UT Southwestern Medical Center have found. . ."
Click here for complete article.
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Events:
-Oakland PD Memorial WOD at CrossFit Solano Saturday. Heats start at 8am, so you will still have plenty of time to get stuff done the rest of the day. Post to comments if you plan on going
-Introduction to Elite Nutrition Workshop NEXT Tuesday night from 7pm - 9pm (NOT tonight!). . . If we get enough people, Stavros said he would wear his mullet and new shorts.
-Norcal CrossFit Qualifier is May 2nd and 3rd! Mark your calendar, start getting good sleep now. Post to comments if you have already signed up. If you haven't yet - WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR!?
NEW EVENT! Gymnastics Workshop/Seminar Saturday May 9th from 2 - 6pm!
The very skilled Roger Harrel and Andres De La Rosa from CrossFit Marin (these are the guys who pioneered the 'CrossFit Gymnastics Certs') will be coming to DCF to do a Basic Gymnastics and Parkour Workshop. This seminar will be for all skill levels and abilities, so don't be afraid to come down and get some stellar instruction from the specialists!
For more information go to our Events Page. And sign up by emailing jeremy@diablocrossfit.com Space is limited, so you should probably sign up right away to reserve your spot!
Posted by Jeremy Jones at 4:20 PM | Comments (24)
March 26, 2009
090327 FRIDAY "Elizabeth"
+++Oly and Muay Thai Canceled Tomorrow! (10am and 3pm class as usual)+++
Jan (center, in red) leads a group of cyclists back from one of his Saturday rides. The riders leave every Saturday at 7:45am from the DCF parking lot.
Workout: "Elizabeth"
For time.
21 - 15 - 9 reps
135lb squat cleans (sub 95, 65 or even a medicine ball if form work is needed)
Ring dips
Post time to comments.
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Article:
Another nail in the coffin for high fructose corn syrup: "Fructose metabolism in the brain increases food intake and obesity"
". . .M. Daniel Lane and co-workers at The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine in Baltimore have now pulled together work, largely in their laboratory (many papers beginning in 2000), dealing with the role of malonyl-CoA in the signaling system in the brain (specifically the hypothalamus) that has inputs into the higher brain centers that determine feeding behavior, most notably appetite. Two papers in the journal PNAS in 2007 and 2008 showed that glucose and fructose act quite differently in the brain (hypothalamus) - glucose decreasing food intake and fructose increasing food intake. Both of these sugars signal in the brain through the malonyl-CoA signaling pathway and have inverse effects on food intake. . ."
Click here for the complete article.
Post thoughts to comments.
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Events This Saturday!:
- Diablo CrossFit Ladies Night starts at Manora's, then moves over to the Holy Cow across the street. Email Yvonne if you'd like to attend.
- Don't forget to sponsor one of our 'Stair Climbers' climbing the Bank of America Building Tomorrow to raise money for Lung Cancer research.
- Also (for those of you not going to the San Francisco climb), CrossFit Oakland is hosting a fund raising event for the 4 Oakland Police Officers killed last weekend (Sgt Mark Dunakin, Officer John Hege, Sgt Daniel Sakai, and Sgt Ervin Romans), The event will go from 9a.m. to 11a.m at CrossFit Oakland.
Please post to comments if you wish to go (so we can arrange a carpool).
If you can't make it and would just like to donate some money. We are collecting at the gym. Just give a check or cash to any trainer and we'll make sure it gets to the families of the fallen officers.
Posted by Jeremy Jones at 8:41 PM | Comments (29)
080326 THURSDAY
Remember that Luca's Muay Thai class is open to all DCFers. No experience necessary!
Workout:
6 rounds for time.
24 Double Unders
12 "L" pull ups
If you cannot do "L" pull ups, do 10 assisted pull ups and accumulate 20 seconds of "L Hangs" each round. An "L Hang" is completed by hanging on the bar and pointing your legs parallel to the ground creating an "L" shape. If this is too challenging, bend the knees so that only the thighs are parallel to the ground (shins pointing straight down).
Post time to comments.
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Special Event at CrossFit Oakland this Saturday:
March 28th, from 9a.m. to 11a.m. CrossFit Oakland will honor the lives of Sgt Mark Dunakin , Officer John Hege, Sgt Daniel Sakai, and Sgt Ervin Romans. They will be doing a Hero WOD called "OPD" and asking that every participant donate a minimum of $10 to help the families of the slain officers.
If you want to donate directly to the trust funds that have been established:
Three trust funds have been set up to help the families of three of the slain officers. Checks can be made out to Dunakin Children's Family Trust, Romans Children's Family Trust and Sakai Family Trust. The checks can be mailed to the Oakland Police Officers Association, Attn: Renee Hassna, 555 Fifth St,, Oakland CA 94607.
Wire transfers can be made directly to Merrill Lynch accounts for the three families: Dunakin Children's Family Trust, a/c #204-04065; Romans Children's Family Trust, a/c #204-04066; Sakai Family Trust, a/c #204-04064.
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Article:
"Hunger Hormones" affected by poor sleep.
". . .On the face of it, a decreased level of ghrelin would seem to inhibit weight gain; it is an increase in ghrelin, after all, that stimulates appetite. But Motivala compared his findings with other, earlier studies on sleep deprivation and speculates that a switch may occur during the day: Sleep loss leads to increased ghrelin and decreased leptin, a "double whammy" that stimulates appetite. Motivala is currently working on a study to examine this switch. . ."
Click here for complete article.
Post thoughts to comments.
Posted by Jeremy Jones at 1:54 AM | Comments (47)
March 24, 2009
090325 WEDNESDAY "Helen"
Holly's dog Odin visits Diablo CrossFit.
Workout: "Helen"
3 rounds for time.
400m run
21 Kettlebell swings (54lbs, 44lbs)
12 pull ups
Post time to comments.
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New Event: DCF Ladies' Night! (and no it doesn't involve any of the CrossFit 'Girls')
Saturday, March 28th all DCF women are invited to come out to San Fran for a night of dinner, dancing and figurative debauchery at the "Holy Cow".
8:00 pm at a Thai restaurant located across the street from the Holy Cow, then over to the 'Cow' for drinks and dancing. Post to comments if you plan on going, or contact Vickie by clicking here.
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Article:
Robb Wolf nails all the points at once regarding the "Red meat causes cancer" rubbish and "Fish oil fad hurts the environment" B.S. (as well as many others).
Click here for the complete awesome complete article.
(After reading these articles separately over the last few weeks, and seeing Robb's response. . .as always. . .Robb is SO my hero. -jj)
Posted by Jeremy Jones at 10:34 PM | Comments (53)
March 16, 2009
090317 TUESDAY "Happy St Patrick's Day!" and the "Filthy Fifty"
The infamous "Flag Carry". (A photo from Andrew Lau's pictures of the Royal Rumble on our Flickr site - Click Here to see more).
Workout: "Filthy Fifty"
For time:
50 Box jump, 24 inch box
50 Jumping pull-ups
50 Kettlebell swings, 1 pood
Walking Lunge, 50 steps
50 Knees to elbows
50 Push press, 45 pounds
50 Back extensions
50 Wall ball shots, 20 pound ball
50 Burpees
50 Double unders
Post time to comments.
(Scaling option: The "Dirty Thirty" is another option for scaling - instead of just using reduced weights for the different exercises. If you don't think you can finish the full "Fifty" workout in 40 minutes or less, you should think about using this option).
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The first person who can name all the DCFers that went to Aromas this weekend will get a free DCF sticker.
Congratulations to everyone who completed the cert!
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Article:
Not enough Vitamin D could mean too much fat on adolescents.
"A Medical College of Georgia study of more than 650 teens age 14-19 has found that those who reported higher vitamin D intakes had lower overall body fat and lower amounts of the fat in the abdomen, a type of fat known as visceral fat, which has been associated with health risks such as heart disease, stroke, diabetes and hypertension. . ."
Click here for complete article.
Post thoughts to comments.
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The "California Climb" event is coming up on Sunday the 28th. Please sign up for the DCF team, or help sponsor a Diablo CrossFitter "Rise to the Challenge". (NTM we have go to show all the other gyms out there competing how badass we are).
Go to our "Events Page" for more details.
Posted by Jeremy Jones at 10:02 PM | Comments (39)
March 9, 2009
090310 TUESDAY "Happy Birthday Margaret H, Andrew L, Travis and Matt B's Twins"
Craig and Yvonne with John Welbourn of CrossFit Balboa
(John's shirt reads: "I wish I knew how to quit you. - CrossFit Brokeback Mountain). Not in this picture, Maximilian Mormont & Gillian Formaneck.
Congratulations to Matt B and his wife who just had twins on Saturday (Matt is so dedicated to training, he even made it into the gym for back squats yesterday).
Make sure you congratulate him!
Workout (for Margaret and Andrew's birthday):
400m walking lunges for time.
(scale to 200m or even 100m if needed).
Post time to comments.
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Article:
Don't listen to the "Corn Refiners Association" hype
New study finds missing link between high fructose corn syrup and insulin resistance.
. . ."Fructose is much more readily metabolized to fat in the liver than glucose is and in the process can lead to nonalcoholic fatty liver disease," he continued. NAFLD in turn leads to hepatic insulin resistance and type II diabetes. . .
Click here for complete article.
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ZONING UPDATE
The Zoning Commission will be meeting tomorrow at 7:30pm at the same place as last time. We have asked for an extension to weigh our options. Hopefully the only thing that will be happening at the meeting is the granting of an extension.
Attendance is not mandatory.
That being said. Please feel free to attend if you already planned on going and/or you have nothing else going on (we could use some ears in the house just in case).
Posted by Jeremy Jones at 11:09 PM | Comments (21)
March 7, 2009
090308 SUNDAY "Cindy"
Jordan deadlifts 475 for 3 reps. No wraps. No Straps. All heart. 500+ coming soon!
Workout: "Cindy"
As many rounds as possible in 20 minutes.
5 pull ups
10 push ups
15 squats
Post number of rounds completed to comments.
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Article:
Love handles put the squeeze on lungs
"There's more bad news for people who carry excess weight around their waists: Not only is abdominal obesity associated with diabetes, hypertension, cardiovascular disease and a host of other health problems collectively known as "metabolic syndrome," a new study has found that a high waist circumference is strongly associated with decreased lung function—independent of smoking history, sex, body mass index (BMI) and other complicating factors. . .
. . .Moreover, adipose tissue itself is known to be involved in a complex metabolic feedback cycle— the mass of adipose tissue in one's body directly and positively correlates with pro-inflammatory markers and negatively correlates with anti-inflammatory markers.
"[A]dipose tissue may act as an additional source of systemic inflammation." wrote Dr. Leone. . . "
Click here for complete article.
Post thoughts to comments.
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Royal Rumble at DCF Next Weekend at 11:00am. See our Events Page for details.
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Diablo CrossFit favorite Coach Mark Rippetoe has come out with a barbell training DVD:
Starting Strength: Basic Barbell Training DVD
And I'll leave you with some Coach Rip Wisdom:
"...what should my ideal body weight be for this program? Have you made a table for this, or what do you recommend?" - trainee
"Your ideal bodyweight as an ectomorph at 6' 0" will be 214.378 lbs. There. Happy? And if you lose or gain a pound, I will have you killed. It is important to be ideal.." - Rip
Posted by Jeremy Jones at 8:09 PM | Comments (9)
March 6, 2009
090307 SATURDAY "Disagreement Gone Bad"
Dan, Tami, Margaret, Brendhan (of Brand X), and Kaela get some ring dips under the Diablotron.
Workout: "Disagreement Gone Bad"
3 rounds for time
1 minute Rowing (count calories)
1 minute box jumps (24", 20")
1 minute Medicine ball cleans (20, 14lb)
1 minute push press (65, 45lbs)
1 minute rest
Post total reps completed to comments.
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Bike Ride 8am meet at the Shed
Trail Run: at the corner of Stage dr. and Reliez Valley Rd. at 2:45
Click here for more details (scroll down a bit).
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Article:
Starting to exercise in your 50s may add as much life as quitting smoking.
". . .The team found that those who were doing high levels of activity at the age of 50 lived 2.3 years longer than sedentary men and 1.1 years longer than those who reported medium levels of activity - once a range of factors such as weight, alcohol intake and smoking was taken into account.
But interestingly the researchers found that those who increased their activity level to high - whether they were in the moderate or low group - from the age of 50 to 60 also lived the longest. . . "
Click here for complete article.
Post thoughts to comments.
Posted by Jeremy Jones at 10:37 PM | Comments (3)
March 5, 2009
090306 FRIDAY
Dean is hitting his first Triathlon this season at Stanford this Saturday (we know he'll do great).
Workout:
Power Clean
3, 3, 3, 3, 3, 3, 3, 3
Post loads to comments.
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Pleasant Hill Meeting Back On! (Sorry for the confusion).
Tuesday, March 10th. Same place, same time as before (7:30pm P.H. City Hall).
No comments from us, but we will still get to hear the discussion and the answer from the Planning Commission.
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Muay Thai Seminars the next two weekends with Luca's trainer Doc Docto:
1. Sunday in Antioch 8 March 2009 from 1pm to 3pm.
2. Saturday in Sacramento 14 March 2009 from NOON to 3pm.
This weekend's flyer:
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Article:
Diet high in saturated fat may reduce allergic reactions
. . ."We certainly would not advocate eating a high fat diet because of its link to obesity implications and numerous health implications such as increased risk of heart disease and diabetes."
(Arrgh! Just when I thought I had found a mainstream article touting the benefits of a high fat diet, they throw that statement right at the end. How can the scientists who did this study be so damn ignorant? -jj)
Click here for complete article
Post thoughts to comments.
Posted by Jeremy Jones at 10:26 PM | Comments (22)
March 3, 2009
090304 WEDNESDAY
Happy Birthday Hylie! (on Tanya's back)
Workout:
For time:
135 lb Thruster, 10 reps
50 Double-unders
135 lb Thruster, 8 reps
40 Double-unders
135 lb Thruster, 6 reps
30 Double-unders
135 lb Thruster, 4 reps
20 Double-unders
135 lb Thruster, 2 reps
10 Double-unders
Post time to comments.
Reduce thruster weights as necessary (95lb intermediate, 65lb beginner). Count double under attempts if you cannot do double unders (if you can. . . ONLY count the ones that you make).
(originally posted on the CrossFit Mothership Saturday 080531)
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Video:
"A meal to die for"
Post thoughts to comments (thanks Tami for sending me this).
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Testimonial from daytime regular Tami L:
"In the past two months of Crossfit I've added 6 lbs. of muscle and lost 6 lbs. of fat. Body fat went from 25% to 17.8%. My BMR went from 1266 to 1419. LDL decreased, HDL increased, and a long list of other measurables that have gone through the roof! (in a positive way)
Dr. Bergman at Chiro Kenetics (an endurance athlete and coach to professional Ironmen athletes) was really surprised.
I've been going to Chiro Kinetics for two years and have never had such great results.
He asked me what I've been doing, I said, Crossfit :)
Thanks
Tami "
Posted by Jeremy Jones at 9:37 PM | Comments (23)
March 2, 2009
090302 TUESDAY
+++Bike rides and Trail Runs every Saturday! See below for details.+++
On Friday, Diablo CrossFit had close to 20 people do "Murph" as prescribed. With more than 5 20lb weight vests, I never expected there to be a time when there would be a line for people waiting to do "Murph" (Bryan, Jesse, Craig-wearing a weighted belt, Shannon-raising the roof, and Holly).
Workout:
30 muscle ups for time.
If you cannot do a muscle up, perform 90 "chest to bar" pull ups and 90 "shoulders touching rings" dips. Partition the reps as needed.
Post time to comments.
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Article:
Unhappy children end up Un-well in later life.
Researchers found those described as "miserable" or "unhappy" by teachers were five times more likely to be off work through ill-health in middle age.They said these children were also likely to be more prone to depression.
Click here for complete article.
Post thoughts to comments.
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Saturday Bike Rides and Trail Runs!
With the help of our resident Triathlon Guru: Jan Maynard, Diablo CrossFit is going to be helping host and organize training for Triathlons for those DCFers who are interested. It is also a fun way for us to get some additional variety in our training by doing some swimming, cycling, and running outside of the gym.
Bike Rides
From Jan:
"This will be a weekly ride leaving from DCF at 8:00 sharp try to be there by 7:45. All levels welcome. It will be a "no drop ride" meaning you will not ride alone. We will start with shorter rides and work are way up in mileage through out the next couple months so that everyone can become comfortable riding in a group. If there is rain in the forecast please check the DCF web page the evening before in case the ride is canceled due to torrential down poor. Be safe and wear proper bike attire (helmet).
This week we will be riding up to the turnout on Cummings Sky Way. This ride has a couple of easy to moderate climbs and once you get on to Alhambra there is very little car traffic. There is no water at the turn around so make sure that you carry enough water and nutrition to get you trough a 2 hour ride. It is 25 miles round trip from DCF. Please email Jan directly if you are interested in coming out so that he has a idea of who is coming. See you all out there."
Click here for a Google map of the route
Trail Runs
From Jan:
"We will meet at the corner of Stage dr. and Reliez Valley Rd. at 2:45 and the run will start at 3:00pm. The loop is 6 miles of very hilly running, I will be keeping the group together. This run will likely take 1:30 min to complete and is 90% on trail. There is water 3 1/2 miles into the run. I will be running rain or shine every Saturday that I am in town. Any one that can run close to 6 miles are welcome, your pace doesn't matter."
Click here to see the trail loop.
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The "Tri for Fun" is a series of Triathlons in the Pleasanton area that many beginner and intermediate Triathletes enter. Some of you might remember that Stavros entered last year and fairly well (with little to no 'Triathlon' training).
Here are the details:
Tri for fun #1 6/20/09
Tri for fun #2 7/18/09
Tri for fun #3 8/15/09 http://onyourmarkevents.com/TriForFunInfo.htm
Tri For Real 9/20/09 http://onyourmarkevents.com/TriForRealInfo.htm
Post to comments if you are interested in the weekly rides, trail runs or doing some Triathlons this year.
Posted by Jeremy Jones at 10:44 PM | Comments (23)
February 27, 2009
090228 SATURDAY
+++Dustin Fights Today! See yesterday's post for Details (and Muay Thai class is canceled today).+++
You'd think it was Chris' job to jump on stuff, but he is actually an amazing Dentist.
Workout:
5 rounds.
Strict Press to Failure
Push Press to Failure (or 10 reps)
Push Jerk to Failure (or 10 reps)
Use your 3 - 5 rep max for strict press. Increase weight each round as needed.
Bonus 'Metcon' to follow.
Post loads used each round to comments.
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Article:
Want to beat cancer? Just live cleanly.
Click here for complete article.
Post thoughts to comments.
Posted by Jeremy Jones at 9:21 PM | Comments (12)
February 22, 2009
090223 MONDAY
Some of the ladies at the "DCF Family Dinner" at Chevy's in Pleasant Hill (Jamie, Yvonne, Vicky, Donna, and Kelly).
Workout:
Back Squat:
5, 5, 5, 5, 5
Post loads to comments.
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Article:
"Eating your veggies" doesn't mean what it used to.
"If the economy isn't grim enough for you, just check out the February issue of the Journal of HortScience, which contains a report on the sorry state of American fruits and veggies. Apparently produce in the U.S. not only tastes worse than it did in your grandparents' days, it also contains fewer nutrients . . ."
Click here for complete article.
Post thoughts to comments.
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TUESDAY NIGHT - People interested in carpooling to the Planning Commission Meeting are meeting at the gym at 7pm SHARP. Everyone else who plans on going to the meeting directly, be there by 7:30.
Address: 100 Gregory Ln. Pleasant Hill, Ca
Specific directions and map will be posted tomorrow.
We really need your support! If you are a public servant, please wear your uniform. If not, just come as you are. We really appreciate anybody who can come down.
Posted by Jeremy Jones at 8:24 PM | Comments (18)
February 21, 2009
090222 SUNDAY
TIME!
Workout:
5 rounds for time -
5 Deadlifts (275lbs, 180lbs, or whatever you can handle safely)
10 Burpees (jumping to touch target 12" above your highest standing reach)
Post time to comments.
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Article:
Egg-irony: High cholesterol foods may lower blood pressure.
"Researchers in Canada are reporting evidence that eggs — often frowned upon for their high cholesterol content — may reduce another heart disease risk factor — high blood pressure."
Click here for complete article.
Post thoughts to comments.
Posted by Jeremy Jones at 8:19 PM | Comments (5)
February 19, 2009
090220 FRIDAY
++ DCF FAMILY NIGHT IS TOMORROW AT 5:00PM AT CHEVY'S IN PLEASANT HILL ++
Stavros tangles with GI Jane while wearing full turnouts and on SCBA air.
Workout:
With a continuously running clock do one pull-up the first minute, two pull-ups the second minute, three pull-ups the third minute... continuing as long as you are able.
Use as many sets each minute as needed.
Post number of minutes completed to comments.
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Article:
Post thoughts to comments.
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PLEASE SEE OUR EVENTS PAGE FOR DETAILS ON SATURDAY'S EVENTS:
CFO Affiliate Team Competition
Posted by Jeremy Jones at 9:36 PM | Comments (13)
February 18, 2009
090219 THURSDAY "Grace"
Abby makes sure that JJ and Daren are okay after "GI Jane"
Workout: "Grace"
30 reps clean and jerk (or overhead anyhow) for time. 135lbs is Rx'ed, but you can use any weight that is challenging.
Post time to comments.
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Article:
Dr. Eades gives some good examples of the paleo diet improving health
". . .The Paleolithic era refers to that period of history of the genus Homo, which began more than 2 million years ago and ran until the Neolithic period started circa 10,000 years ago. The Neolithic era dates to the time when early man set down roots both literally and figuratively when he started to cultivate plants for food and domesticate animals. The Paleolithic era ends and the Neolithic era begins with the advent of agriculture. . . "
Click here for complete article.
Post thoughts to comments.
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Rumble at CrossFit Oakland this Weekend (Saturday) at 11am.
And here is the complete "Rumble" schedule for the future:
Sat Feb 21: CrossFit Oakland
Sat Mar 7: CrossFit Silicon Valley
Sat Mar 14: Diablo CrossFit
Sat Apr 4: CrossFit Santa Clara
Sat May 9: CrossFit San Francisco
Sat May 30: CrossFit One World
Posted by Jeremy Jones at 11:39 PM | Comments (17)
February 17, 2009
090218 WEDNESDAY
Partner pull ups. Easier for the pullup-ee or harder for the pull up -or?
Workout:
6 rounds for time.
Run 400m
25 back extensions (light 'good mornings' can be subbed for back extensions).
Post time to comments.
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Article:
First brain study shows benefits of exercise on quitting smoking
"
. . . The study adds weight to a growing body of evidence that exercise can help manage addiction to nicotine and other substances. It backs up previous studies, which have shown that just one short burst of moderate exercise can significantly reduce smokers' nicotine cravings.. . . "
Click here for complete article.
Post thoughts to comments.
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Final day to get your emails in!
Please email support@diablocrossfit.com with your letters of support.
Please send them in by Noon today and help us keep our awesome new location.
Posted by Jeremy Jones at 7:32 PM | Comments (14)
February 16, 2009
090217 TUESDAY
Alan, Chris and Ron leave matching sweat puddles during "GI Jane".
Workout:
5 rounds for time.
1 Rope Climb
10 Ring push ups
One arm dumbbell power snatch (10 right, 10 left) 50lb/35lb/25lb
30 seconds of L-sit position (break it up as much as needed to get a cumulative 30s)
Post time to comments.
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Article:
Bigger waist line linked to Migraines.
Post thoughts to comments.
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Kelly Starrett (aka "K-Star") from CrossFit San Francisco will be putting on an event at CrossFit Santa Cruz.
Training the Injured Athlete with Kelly Starrett.
From Hollis: "Kelly is coming to our gym to explain the how and why we can keep training while injured. Injury is part of life. How do we deal with it? How does it affect our training and what can we do about it?" "
This is a one day event.
March 14th
9am-4pm
Cost $200
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Today is the last day to get your emails in!
Please send your emailed letters to "support@diablocrossfit.com" right away.
You can download an example letter here (in 'Word' format).
Our Planning Commission meeting will be held at 100 Gregory lane, Pleasant Hill, Ca, on Tuesday February 24th at 7:30pm. EVERYONE IS INVITED. WE NEED AS MANY PEOPLE TO COME AS POSSIBLE (no you won't have to say or 'do' anything unless you want to).
Posted by Jeremy Jones at 10:21 PM | Comments (13)
February 13, 2009
090214 SATURDAY
+++CLASS TODAY AND SUNDAY AT 3pm!+++
Sarah's shirt says it all.
Workout (originally posted 080531 on crossfit.com)
For time:
135 lb Thruster, 10 reps
50 Double-unders
135 lb Thruster, 8 reps
40 Double-unders
135 lb Thruster, 6 reps
30 Double-unders
135 lb Thruster, 4 reps
20 Double-unders
135 lb Thruster, 2 reps
10 Double-unders
Post time to comments.
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Article:
Exercise cuts colon cancer risk
Post thoughts to comments.
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Please send those emails for our meeting with the city.
Download this file if you concerned about what to say, and/or how to say it.
Send them to support@diablocrossfit.com right away!
Posted by Jeremy Jones at 10:49 PM | Comments (7)
February 12, 2009
090213 FRIDAY "GI Jane"
+++NEW WEEKEND CLASSES ADDED! SATURDAY AND SUNDAY 3pm class every weekend! (get your workout in before going out to party that night -or- sleep in after being out late)+++
Functional Fitness warm up (Dave carries Matt).
Workout: "GI Jane"
100 burpee pull ups for time.
Chest hits the deck and chin over the bar every time.
Post time to comments.
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Article:
From my new favorite CrossFit Blog - John Welborn's CrossFit Balboa
". . .A 2001 study in the Journal of Agriculture and Food Chemistry found that coffee has significantly more total antioxidant activity than cocoa, green tea, black tea, or herbal tea. And a study published in 2006 concluded that coffee "...may inhibit inflammation and therefore reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease and other inflammatory diseases in postmenopausal women.". . ."
Click here for complete article.
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DCF's very own Tami and Justine show you how to make beef jerky at home with just a regular oven:
You can expect more nutrition videos and articles from Diablo CrossFit in the future. So stay tuned!
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Monday around noon we plan on having a workout, then going around to the surrounding homes to get a census (see: petition) of what the neighbors think of having a gym in the Light Industrial part of Pleasant Hill.
We will provide the workout, forms, and possibly lunch. So if you can make it down (it is President's Day after all) please let us know.
And keep writing those emails!
Posted by Jeremy Jones at 8:17 PM | Comments (13)
February 11, 2009
090212 THURSDAY "One Bar Linda"
Nancy, Dave, Marnie, and Michelle (part of "Team 6am")
Workout:"One Bar Linda"
10-9-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1 reps of the triplet:
Deadlift: 1 1/2 body weight
Ring dips: +1/4 body weight
Weighted Dead hang Pull Ups: +1/8
Post time to comments.
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A few eggs a day will keep the doctor away: "Eating less eggs has no effect on cholesterol"
"A University of Surrey team said their work suggested most people could eat as many eggs as they wanted without damaging their health. . . "
Click here for complete article.
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Our prayers go out to Moises (local Alameda Cop and Long time DCFer) who will be going into surgery today to repair his torn pec (from grappling. . . not CrossFit!)
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Keep the letters coming!
Posted by Jeremy Jones at 11:38 PM | Comments (9)
February 4, 2009
090205 THURSDAY
Ramon Deadlifting over 400 for reps of three (no this was not his last set either).
Workout:
Back Squat
5, 5, 5, 5, 5
Post loads to comments.
Mini Metcon after.
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Article:
Practicing balance and coordination transfers over to less falls.
"The researchers found:• None of the trained participants fell on the slippery floor and seven of the eight never lost balance.
• The control group's performance on the slippery floor revealed their lack of training. Their performance was akin to the trained group's first training slip on the platform . . ."
Click here for complete article.
Post thoughts to comments.
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And since everyone keeps complaining about being sick. . . here is a great article from The IF Life on how to beat the flu for less than $4 a day.
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Event (in case you missed yesterday's comments): 22nd annual Willie Davenport Olympian Track and Field Clinic at James Logan High
"Two dozen Olympic track and field athletes and coaches will provide instruction in every event Saturday, Feb 7 at the 22nd annual Willie Davenport Olympian Track and Field Clinic at James Logan High.
The event, which is open to individuals and teams of all levels, will feature special guests Billy Mills, the 1964 Olympic gold medalist in the 10,000 meters, Stephanie Brown, gold-medal winner in the discus at the Beijing Olympics last summer, and Pittsburg native Eddie Hart, 4x100 relay gold medalist in 1972.
Registration is from 8-9 a.m. Saturday, with the clinic running from 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Lunch is included in the price. Fee is $25 for individuals, $10 for youths 12 and under, $350 for teams, and $500 for teams of 30 or more."
Online registration is available at www.logantrackandfield.com.
Posted by Jeremy Jones at 8:46 PM | Comments (12)
February 3, 2009
090204 WEDNESDAY "Angie"
Judy gets caught leaving another 'sweat angel' on the floor of DCF after a hard workout.
Workout: "Angie"
For time.
100 pull ups
100 push ups
100 sit ups
100 squats
All 100 reps of each movement must be completed before moving onto the next exercise.
Post time to comments.
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Article(s): Vitamin D getting some good press (so be sure to get some sun when you can! -jj)
Sun during pregnancy builds stronger, larger bones for babies
Vitamin D tied to muscle power in adolescent girls.
Post thoughts to comments.
Posted by Jeremy Jones at 8:51 PM | Comments (24)
January 30, 2009
090131 SATURDAY "Mike's 30th"
It is Mike's 30th Birthday!
Workout: "Mike's 30th"
3 rounds for time
10 man makers (35lb / 25lb / 15lb)
10 turkish get ups (use same weight dumbbell as above)
10 pull ups
10 wall ball (10' target 20lb ball, 8' target 14lb ball)
Post time to comments.
(Everyone be sure to thank Mike for the workout).
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Article:
Mark Sisson give some 'primal' comfort food suggestions.
Post thoughts to comments.
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Posted by Jeremy Jones at 3:45 PM | Comments (8)
January 28, 2009
090129 THURSDAY
Vikki hits the 400m loop hard during the 0600 class.
Workout:
For time.
21 'Chest to bar' pull ups (use a band if needed to get full ROM)
21 'Chest to floor' burpees
15 'Chest to bar' pull ups
15 'Chest to floor' burpees
9 'Chest to bar' pull ups
9 'Chest to floor' burpees
Post time to comments.
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Article:
Brief, High Intensity Interval Training may Thwart Diabetes
As little as three minutes of high-intensity exercise every other day may help sedentary people ward off diabetes, results of a small clinical study suggested. . .
Click here for compete article.
Post thoughts to comments.
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Don't miss "Doc" Docto's seminar in Martinez Feb 7th! (This one of the guys that trained Luca - so you know he doesn't get more legit than that)
Check our Events Page for details about the "Fish Tournament" at CrossFit One World on Saturday!
Also - This Sunday's 'special' event will be a 'Paleo Pot Luck' for those wanting to participate. Please bring your favorite Paleo or Zone dish with the recipe to share. Hopefully we can make this "Recipe Taste and Swap" a regular occurrence at DCF. Talk to or email jj for details.
Posted by Jeremy Jones at 7:31 PM | Comments (12)
January 26, 2009
090127 TUESDAY "Number 2"
Ron and Chris finishing the overhead tire carry during Saturday's workout (Ron looks kinda evil and ready for more, Chris. . . not so much).
Workout: "Number 2"
As many rounds as possible in 15 minutes:
10 wall ball (20lb ball, 10 ft target or 14lb ball 8 foot target)
10 sumo deadlift high pull (95lb, 53, 35 or 26 depending on skill)
10 ring dips (or ring push ups)
10 double unders
Compare to September 19th, 2008
Post number of rounds and fractions of rounds to comments.
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Video: CrossFit Oakland's Mike Minium interviews Jason Khalipa (CrossFit Santa Clara) and Tamara Holms (also from CrossFit Oakland) in front of DCF.
The Nor Cal Regional registration is OPEN! Click here to go to the website and register to compete.
"To register, you'll need to use the Google Checkout button at the upper right-hand side of the [regional qualifier] blog.You'll receive an email confirmation once your order has been placed, as well as a shipping confirmation email once we charge your credit card or debit card. We won't be physically shipping you anything, but this email will serve as confirmation of your registration.
The registration fee is $75 through the end of February. Beginning March 1, the fee will increase to $100. So get in while the getting's good!
(And in case you're wondering, you will be getting a t-shirt.)
If you have any questions about registration, contact us at NorCalCFRegionals@gmail.com."
Post to comments if you are registered or plan to register and/or come just to watch (and cheer DCFers on).
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Article:
'Best Life' magazine presents a pretty in depth look at Omega-3s.
". . .We are, it is often--and accurately—said, what we eat. Recent diet trends, from Atkins to South Beach, have put the emphasis on upping our intake of protein or cutting out carbohydrates. Meanwhile, cholesterol, saturated fats, and trans fats have been stigmatized, leading to the belief that waging a total war on fat is the best way to get a slimmer waistline and a longer life. But fats are as crucial to a healthy body as protein is; they end up holstered into the heart, protecting organs, and building the cells of the brain, an organ that is itself 60 percent fat. The key to good health lies not in ruthlessly striking fat from our diets, but in eating the best possible fats for our bodies. And a growing chorus of nutritionists agrees that those fats are omega-3s. . ."
Click here for complete article.
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Don't forget about CrossFit One World's Fish Tournament this Saturday (There will even be a jumper house for the kids, and a keg for the 'big' kids).
Posted by Jeremy Jones at 9:37 PM | Comments (20)
January 21, 2009
090122 THURSDAY
Tami blocks Luca's kick in the DCF "Coliseum"
Workout:
For time:
95 pound Clean and Jerk, 50 reps
Post time to comments.
This is actually a two handed, overhead, anyhow, 50 reps for time. The best times will most likely power clean and push jerk.
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Article:
Sleep tips from 'sleep medicine'.
". . . Whether you suffer from insomnia or are just having an off night, the solution is mostly mind over matter.No gadgets, no pills, no hypnotism, just some sound advice from Northwestern Memorial Hospital's Dr. Lisa Woofe, a physician who specializes in sleep medicine.
Set your internal clock.
"Have stringent times for getting into and out of bed," Woofe said. "Your body has a clock that helps regulate your brain when you're awake and asleep, and your body will autoÂstart the sleep process accordingly."
Get steamed. "Before bed, take a hot shower and then enter a relatively cool bedÂroom," Woofe recomÂmended as a way to copy the natural effects of a warming sun setting.
"Imagine an ancient man living out on a prairie. . ."
Click here for complete article.
Post your sleep tips to comments.
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"Royal Rumble" this Saturday at DCF! See our "Events Page" for details.
Posted by Jeremy Jones at 8:51 PM | Comments (14)
January 19, 2009
090120 TUESDAY
The Saturday class puts the "Diablotron" through it's paces.
Workout:
5 rounds with 1 minute rest in between each round.
As many times as possible in 3 minutes:
3 handstand push ups (strict, hands to shoulders)
6 knees to elbows
9 double unders
Post number of circuits completed each round and total rounds to comments.
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Article:
Study links water pollution with declining male fertility.
". . .The study identified a new group of chemicals that act as ‘anti-androgens’. This means that they inhibit the function of the male hormone, testosterone, reducing male fertility. Some of these are contained in medicines, including cancer treatments, pharmaceutical treatments, and pesticides used in agriculture. The research suggests that when they get into the water system, these chemicals may play a pivotal role in causing feminising effects in male fish. . ."
Click here for complete article.
Posted by Jeremy Jones at 10:04 PM | Comments (10)
January 15, 2009
090116 FRIDAY
Stavros representing DCF at CrossFit 2008 Affiliate Cup winners (and awesome hosts): CrossFit Oakland.
Workout:
4 rounds for time
500m Row
15 strict presses (115lbs - for advanced, 75lb, or 45lb)
Post time to comments.
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Article:
Midlife coffee and tea consumption decreases risk of late life dementia.
. . .At the midlife examination, the consumption of coffee and tea was assessed with a previously validated semi-quantitative food-frequency questionnaire. Coffee drinking was categorized into three groups: 0-2 cups (low), 3-5 cups (moderate) and >5 cups (high) per day. Further, the question concerning tea consumption was dichotomized into those not drinking tea (0 cup/day) vs. those drinking tea (≥1 cup/day).The study found that coffee drinkers at midlife had lower risk for dementia and AD later in life compared to those drinking no or only little coffee. The lowest risk (65% decreased) was found among moderate coffee drinkers (drinking 3-5 cups of coffee/day). Adjustments for various confounders did not change the results. Tea drinking was relatively uncommon and was not associated with dementia/AD. . .
Click here for complete article.
Posted by Jeremy Jones at 8:14 PM | Comments (10)
090115 THURSDAY
The class enjoys some overhead squats on a nice sunny day.
Workout:
As many rounds as possible in 20 minutes:
10 GHD sit ups (or 30 abmat sit ups)
20 double unders
30 squats
Post number of rounds completed to comments.
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Article:
Discovery supports theory of Alzheimer's disease as form of diabetes.
Now scientists at Northwestern University have discovered why brain insulin signaling -- crucial for memory formation -- would stop working in Alzheimer’s disease. They have shown that a toxic protein found in the brains of individuals with Alzheimer’s removes insulin receptors from nerve cells, rendering those neurons insulin resistant. (The protein, known to attack memory-forming synapses, is called an ADDL for “amyloid ß-derived diffusible ligand.”)With other research showing that levels of brain insulin and its related receptors are lower in individuals with Alzheimer’s disease, the Northwestern study sheds light on the emerging idea of Alzheimer’s being a “type 3” diabetes. . .
Click here for complete article.
Posted by Jeremy Jones at 12:04 AM | Comments (12)
January 11, 2009
090112 MONDAY
Stavros leads the class (with Hardway Byan and Scott) back in after an awesome warm up. (Why do I hear "The Good, The Bad and the Ugly" whistling in the background? - jj)
Workout:
Back Squat - 5, 5, 5, 5, 5
Afterward: 'Surprise' Mini-metcon
Post loads used to comments.
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Article:A single gene might fuel overeating risk
. . .In the latest study, the UCL team offered 131 four to five-year-olds a mixed plate of sweet and savoury biscuits within one hour of finishing a full meal.Those who carried one or two of the key FTO variants were more likely to tuck in despite the fact that they should have been full.
Lead researcher Professor Jane Wardle said: "We believe this research tells us more about how some children are more responsive to signals in their bodies encouraging them to eat when full than others. . .
Click here for complete article.
Post thoughts to comments.
Posted by Jeremy Jones at 7:52 PM | Comments (27)
January 7, 2009
090108 THURSDAY
Mountain coaching a personal training session near the "Monkey Bars of the Apocalypse".
Workout:
With a continuously running clock perform one Sumo Deadlift High Pull the first minute, 2 SDHPs the second minute, 3 SDHPs the third minute. . . etc. Continue until you are no longer able to do the number of prescribed SDHPs in the allotted minute.
Rx'ed weight is 135lbs for elites, 95lbs for intermediates and 65 (or less) for beginners. But don't think that lighter is "easier" on this one.
Post number of rounds, and number of reps into your final round to comments.
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Videos from "Good Eats". Alton Brown nails the Carbohydrate / Fat / Protein breakdown explanation (at 2:57 of part 1) and the horrible ingredients of an 'off the shelf' bar at the beginning of part 2, but misses a lot of other points throughout (vilification of fat, etc). Not to mention his 'bars' all have gluten and/or soy in them (granted the video is more than a few years old, so I will cut him some slack).
DCF favorite Robb Wolf introduced a great recipe for 'pemmican' in one of the early issues of the Performance Menu.
'Steve's Club' in also has "Paleokits" - organic, free range beef jerky, nuts, seeds and berries in exact zone proportions. Proceeds go to supporting 'Steve's Club' a non-profit organization devoted to kids with 'an excess of life challenges' in the Camden, New Jersey area. Buy direct from them if you want to support a good cause.
Post to comments if you would like to see some Paleokits at DCF.
Posted by Jeremy Jones at 6:31 PM | Comments (15)
January 5, 2009
090106 TUESDAY
Our Flag, one of the pride pieces of our gym.
Workout:
As many rounds as possible in 20 minutes:
10 Ring dips
20 Kettlebell swings (54lb / 35lb)
30 ft Walking lunges with dumbbells (25lb/ 15lb)
Post number of rounds completed to comments.
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Article:
Disease awareness helps business blossom.
Experts trace the increase in diagnoses — which led to a boom in demand for gluten-free products — to the 2003 release of a landmark study by the University of Maryland Center for Celiac Research. It estimated nearly one in every 133 Americans, or about 2.3 million people, has the genetic disorder, although most are undiagnosed. The study helped spread awareness of the disease, according to Alessio Fasano, medical director at the center.U.S. sales of gluten-free food, roughly $700 million in 2006, are rising 15 percent to 25 percent a year, according to research firms Mintel International and Information Resources Inc. Manufacturers expect sales to remain strong because celiac sufferers don't outgrow the disease. . .
Click here for complete article.
Posted by Jeremy Jones at 9:20 PM | Comments (4)
December 26, 2008
081227 SATURDAY "Nicole"
Luca starts the clock and Darren is already talking trash to Rick (Kevin in the background takes the opportunity to get a head start).
Workout: "Nicole"
As many rounds as possible in 20 minutes:
Run 400m
Max rep pull ups
Post reps completed each round to comments.
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Article from Mark Sisson's Daily Apple:
"The many uses of almond meal"
"As you might recall from our pie and cracker recipes, and Son of Grok’s pizza recipe we like to use almond flour or almond meal as a foundation for Primal baking. It has a similar consistency to traditional flours (albeit denser and heavier), forms good batter with eggs and other fats, and it gives whatever you’re making a nice nutty quality. Almond meal is also fairly taste-neutral; it has a distinct nutty taste that coincidentally works well with many food combinations. So just what is almond meal (or almond flour, for that matter)? . . "
Click here for complete article.
Posted by Jeremy Jones at 8:22 PM | Comments (9)
December 23, 2008
081224 WEDNESDAY "Angie"
+++HOLIDAY SCHEDULE!!+++
Christmas Eve: Wednesday, December 24th - Class at 6am, 9:30 and 10:30. Open gym and evening classes canceled.
Christmas Day: Thursday, December 25th - NO CLASSES
New Year's Eve: Wednesday, December 31st - Class at 6am, 9:30 and 10:30. Open gym and evening classes canceled.
New Year's Day: Thursday, January 1st - COME HELP US MOVE TO OUR NEW GYM at 10am! Moving/Partying expected to last until the early evening (3 - 4).
Muay Thai is also Canceled for the next two Saturdays!
1030 turnout for "McFlurry." Notable visitors are Liz from CrossFit San Diego (who knew Miguel personally) gray tank top in the center, Herm aka "Quads" from CF Los Altos (baldy below Liz), Will. . . who doesn't know how to make diablo horns apparently (actually he is repping the CF One World sign, totally legit) red pants next to Herm, our own Big Dave on the far left, who worked the video camera the whole time, and Rick from CF Santa Clara (and also an original DCFer) behind Liz.
Thanks for coming out and showing us a good time everyone!
Workout: "Angie"
For time:
100 pull ups
100 push ups
100 sit ups
100 squats
Complete all 100 reps of each exercise before moving on to the next.
Post time to comments.
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Article:
Scientists show how Broccoli, Cauliflower, Cabbage, etc combat cancer.
". . ."These vegetables contain compounds called isothiocyanates which we believe to be responsible for the cancer-preventive and anti-carcinogenic activities in these vegetables. Broccoli and broccoli sprouts have the highest amount of the isothiocyanates. . ."
Click here for complete article.
(So make sure you grab some broccoli on the appetizer tray at the before the Christmas Dinner -jj).
Post thoughts to comments.
Posted by Jeremy Jones at 10:31 PM | Comments (6)
December 19, 2008
081220 SATURDAY "Kelly"
Rick may be "two timing" with Jason's gym CrossFit Santa Clara, but he will always be a "DCFer". Hector's face says how much he loves lunges.
Workout: "Kelly"
5 rounds for time.
Run 400 meters
30 box jump, 24 inch box
30 Wall ball shots, 20 pound ball
Post time to comments.
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Article:
Going outside -- even in the cold -- improves memory and attention
U-M psychology researchers Marc Berman, John Jonides and Stephen Kaplan found memory performance and attention spans improved by 20 percent after people spent an hour interacting with nature.Researchers believe the findings could have broader impact on helping people who may be suffering from mental fatigue.
"Interacting with nature can have similar effects as meditating," Berman said. "People don't have to enjoy the walk to get the benefits. We found the same benefits when it was 80 degrees and sunny over the summer as when the temperatures dropped to 25 degrees in January. The only difference was that participants enjoyed the walks more in the spring and summer than in the dead of winter." . . .
Click here for complete article.
Posted by Jeremy Jones at 9:07 PM | Comments (8)
December 15, 2008
081216 TUESDAY "Filthy Fifty"
Gwen dominates some tire flips, as Rebeka gets ready for her set with the tire.
Workout: The "Filthy Fifty"
Click here to see the last time we did the Filthy Fifty at the Shed.
For time:
50 Box jump, 24 inch box
50 Jumping pull-ups
50 Kettlebell swings, 1 pood
Walking Lunge, 50 steps
50 Knees to elbows
50 Push press, 45 pounds
50 Back extensions
50 Wall ball shots, 20 pound ball
50 Burpees
50 Double unders
Post time to comments.
(Scaling option: The "Dirty Thirty" is another option for scaling - instead of just using reduced weights for the different exercises. If you don't think you can finish the full "Fifty" workout in 40 minutes or less, you should think about using this option).
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Article: Pollution and Chemicals has the future male population on the run.
". . .Many have been identified as "endocrine disrupters" – or gender-benders – because they interfere with hormones. These include phthalates, used in food wrapping, cosmetics and baby powders among other applications; flame retardants in furniture and electrical goods; PCBs, a now banned group of substances still widespread in food and the environment; and many pesticides. . . "
Click here for complete article.
Posted by Jeremy Jones at 10:20 PM | Comments (8)
December 10, 2008
081211 THURSDAY "Daniel"
+++6am Thurs Morning Class Canceled+++
Shane always has a very nice smile while working out.
Workout: "Daniel"
For time.
50 Pull-ups
400 meter run
95 pound Thruster, 21 reps
800 meter run
95 pound Thruster, 21 reps
400 meter run
50 Pull-ups
Post time to comments.
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Article from Mike O'Donnel at The IF Life:
Surviving the Holiday Weight Gain Trap.
"Well the holiday season is upon us, and so is the chance that we could sabotage our fat loss efforts and pack on the holiday pounds. But it doesn’t have to be that way! Imagine if you were able to keep healthy, still look and feel great, enjoy holiday parties and still lose fat. It’s possible with a few tricks. Hey I’ll be the first one to tell you NOT to stay home and go out and have some fun, of course fun doesn’t have to mean drinking egg nog till you are sick or diving into a desert tray. It just means that you can have some fun, but also if you understand how to counteract a few “off” days you may have then things are not so bad. So here are some tips and tricks on how to survive from now until New Years. . ."
Click here for complete article.
Posted by Jeremy Jones at 8:49 PM | Comments (19)
December 9, 2008
081210 WEDNESDAY "Cindy"
From left to right: Miles, "Quads", Carry, Hector, Ashley, Jared, Amy, and Nancy "swing for the fences" against Helen.
Workout: "Cindy"
As many rounds as possible in 20 min -
5 Pull-ups
10 Push-ups
15 Squats
Post number of rounds completed to comments.
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Article: Personal care products might contain harmful chemicals.
. . .THE DIRTY DOZENAt least that's what the National Geographic Green Guide authors call the 12 chemical ingredients to avoid in cosmetics and other personal-care products. . .
Post thoughts to comments.
Posted by Jeremy Jones at 9:40 PM | Comments (10)
December 7, 2008
081208 MONDAY "Isabel"
Our very own Stavros representing at CrossFit NSC in Scotts Valley
Workout: "Isabel"
Snatch 30 reps for time (135lbs is Rx'ed, but a weight should be used that can be handled properly).
Post time and load used to comments.
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Article from Mark Sisson's Daily Apple
New links between exercise and cancer.
". . . And, as the Swedish medical school Karolinska Institutet so bluntly put it, exercise “cuts cancer death in men,” too. The Swedish researchers examined some forty thousand men of varying ages for seven years. Of that group, around 3700 developed cancer; 1,153 died from it. For those cancer patients who also walked or cycled for at least thirty minutes a day, the survival rate increased 33% against those who didn’t exercise at all. An extensive (60 to 90 minutes a day) exercise program was even shown to reduce the incidence of cancer by 16%. . ."
Click here for complete article
Post thoughts to comments.
Posted by Jeremy Jones at 7:55 PM | Comments (15)
December 6, 2008
081207 SUNDAY "Tabata This"
Jason shows good full extension while wife Amy counts reps.
Workout: "Tabata This"
From CrossFit.com FAQs:
"Tabata Intervals ( 20 seconds of work followed by 10 seconds of rest repeated 8 times) is applied in turn to the Squat, Rower, Pullups, Sit-ups, and Push-ups with a one minute rotation break between exercises. Each exercise is scored by the weakest number of reps (calories on the rower) in each of the eight intervals. During the one minute rotation time allowed the clock is not stopped but kept running. The score is the total of the scores from the five stations.
Scoring Example:
A total score of 53 (Execllent score, BTW) is determined by adding up the lowest number of reps in any set of each exercise.
18 squats
4 pull-up
6 push-up
13 sit-up
12 row (use the calorie counter and call each calorie a rep)
This score is a 53."
Post scores to comments.
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Article: Happiness is infectious, and your friends' friends' friends may influence your happiness.
"In a study that looked at the happiness of nearly 5000 individuals over a period of twenty years, researchers found that when an individual becomes happy, the network effect can be measured up to three degrees. One person's happiness triggers a chain reaction that benefits not only their friends, but their friends' friends, and their friends' friends' friends. The effect lasts for up to one year.The flip side, interestingly, is not the case: Sadness does not spread through social networks as robustly as happiness. Happiness appears to love company more so than misery. . .
. . . the researchers found that when an individual becomes happy, a friend living within a mile experiences a 25 percent increased chance of becoming happy. A co-resident spouse experiences an 8 percent increased chance, siblings living within one mile have a 14 percent increased chance, and for next door neighbors, 34 percent.
But the real surprise came with indirect relationships. Again, while an individual becoming happy increases his friend's chances, a friend of that friend experiences a nearly 10 percent chance of increased happiness, and a friend of *that* friend has a 5.6 percent increased chance—a three-degree cascade. "
Click here for the complete article.
Post thoughts to comments.
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DCF Crew Member Katy Stewart and her husband, Elan and son, Drake are featured in today's Conta Costa Times! They are innkeepers at the East Brother Light Station on East Brother Island near Richmond - how cool is that? The CC TImes reports that they are relinquishing their posts soon. Hopefully, they'll be closer to their DCF family - that's a heck of a commute for the DCF Girls class, Katy!.
Read article here: Historic Richmond B&B seeks innkeeper
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Posted by Jeremy Jones at 9:48 PM | Comments (10)
December 5, 2008
081206 SATURDAY "Elizabeth"
Jared, Carry and Herm do some synchronized pull ups during "Helen"
Workout: "Elizabeth"
21 - 15 - 9
Squat Clean 135lbs
Ring Dips
Post time to comments.
Alternate: "Team Elizabeth"
Choose two partners of equal ability for a group of 3 people total (if partners are of different ability, scale for each person i.e. medicine ball cleans and box dips vs full 135lb squat cleans and ring dips).
Each person performs Elizabeth as prescribed in succession with no two teammates working out at the same time. As soon as the first person is done, the second person can go, and so on.
Post times for individuals as well as teams. The winning team gets to stay at the Shed, while all the loosing teams have to run a 400m lap together.
Jolie from CrossFit One World doing Elizabeth at The Shed back in May (with Moises going head-to-head):
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Article from Mark Sisson's Daily Apple: "Cowpooling: Sharing a Side"
"You grow much of your own produce, visit your local farmers’ markets for the foods that you can’t grow yourself and have even started participating in a food co-op, but you’re still left high and dry when it comes to purchasing a decent steak.Enter Cowpooling, the latest buzz term for the practice under which a group of neighbors team up to purchase a whole cow from a local farm. The cow is then butchered to order and the various cuts divvied up among the neighbors (who presumably aren’t going to argue over who gets the last T-bone!)
But, beyond the nifty name (seriously, cowpooling? Genius!) how exactly is it any different to good ol’ fashioned cow-sharing? Well, typically when you sign up for a cow-share, you’re signing up to have access to the cow’s fresh raw milk as opposed to, well, the actual cow. In addition, when you’re participating in a cowshare, you generally have to pay for a portion of the cow’s upkeep, usually in the form of a holding fee to the farmer. . ."
Click here for complete article.
Are you interested in "Cowpooling" with some fellow DCFers? Post it to comments.
Posted by Jeremy Jones at 9:20 PM | Comments (31)
December 2, 2008
081203 WEDNESDAY "Fran"
'Hardway' coaches Holly during her last Fight Gone Bad experience (and no, this was not a posed picture).
Workout:
"Fran"
Three rounds, 21-15- and 9 reps, for time of:
95 pound Thruster
Pull-ups
Post time to comments.
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Article from Scott Kustes at Modern Forager:
What are Advanced Glycation End products:
"A reader sent in a question about Advanced Glycation End-Products, or AGEs. He basically wanted to know what they are, how they’re formed, and how the body deals with them. In this post, I’ll attempt to answer that question to see what this tells us about what to eat and how to prepare it. . . "
Post thoughts to comments.
Posted by Jeremy Jones at 9:56 PM | Comments (10)
November 29, 2008
081130 SUNDAY "Helen"
Julie, Paula, Katy and Jasmine do Fran. . . (and it's alright Katy, Fran makes most of the veterans cry too).
Workout: "Helen"
3 rounds for time.
400m run
21 kettlebell swings 1.5 pood or 54lbs
12 pull ups
Post time to comments.
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Article:
Researchers identify a potentially 'universal' mechanism of aging
Oberdoerffer found that a primary function of sirtuin in the mammalian system was to oversee patterns of gene expression (which genes are switch on and which are switch off). While all genes are present in all cells, only a select few need to be active at any given time. If the wrong genes are switched on, this can harm the cell. (In a kidney cell, for example, all liver genes are present, but switched off. If these genes were to become active, that could damage the kidney.) As a protective measure, sirtuins guard genes that should be off and ensure that they remain silent. To do this, they help preserve the molecular packaging—called chromatin—that shrink-wraps these genes tight and keeps them idle. . .. . ."We then began wondering what would happen if we put more of the sirtuin back into the mice," says Oberdoerffer. "Our hypothesis was that with more sirtuins, DNA repair would be more efficient, and the mouse would maintain a youthful pattern gene expression into old age."
That's precisely what happened. Using a mouse genetically altered to model lymphoma, Oberdoerffer administered extra copies of the sirtuin gene, or fed them the sirtuin activator resveratrol, which in turn extended their mean lifespan by 24 to 46 percent. . .
Post thoughts to comments.
Posted by Jeremy Jones at 7:10 PM | Comments (12)
November 23, 2008
081124 MONDAY
+++ Holiday Schedule for Thanksgiving - See Below +++
Jared looking lean during a power clean.
Workout:
Strict Press - 5, 5, 5, 5, 5
Weighted Pull Up - 5, 5, 5, 5, 5
Alternate between exercises. Post loads used to comments.
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Article from Mike O'Donnel at 'The IF Life'
Eating more meals DOES NOT speed up your metabolism Part II
In Part I of learning about how eating more meals does not speed up your metabolism, we covered many research studies that showed there was no benefit for so called accelerated thermogenesis with more meals. While eating 6x a day can work to lose weight, it’s not necessary and in some cases may actually cause MORE harm to your long term weight loss efforts.Here’s what some other extremely smart fitness writers (not that I am calling myself extremely smart, just saying these people know their stuff hands down) also touched on this subject. Once again could this whole myth finally stop gaining momentum…..or are we cursed to ongoing modern media health gossip not getting people real lasting results? . . .
Click here for complete article.
Post thoughts to comments.
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WED: Same as usual.
THURS: Turkey Trot at 8am (see post below)
FRI: 10am workout
SAT: 10am workout
SUN: 10am workout
NEW SCHEDULE COMING MONDAY DECEMBER 1ST! Stay tuned for details.
Posted by Jeremy Jones at 9:10 PM | Comments (5)
November 22, 2008
081123 SUNDAY
Super Shannon and Super Bryan move some serious weight (Bryan has 240lbs total). That is also Jenny V with the heavy bag in the background.
Workout (originally posted August 29, 2004 on CrossFit.com):
Complete as many rounds as possible in 20 minutes of:
95-pound Hang squat clean, 15 reps
12 Ring dips
21 Sit-ups
Post number of rounds completed to comments.
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Article from Scott Kustes' Modern Forager:
How the fat soluble vitamins A, D, E, and K work
. . .Vitamin A is probably most well-known from your mother’s admonitions to “eat your carrots, so you can see well.” One of the many roles of vitamin A is eyesight, but this vitamin is also key for proper gene transcription, immune function, embryonic development, bone metabolism, and (Teenagers take note!) skin health and acne prevention. Vitamin A also affects the production of growth hormone and testosterone. . .
Click here for complete article.
Posted by Jeremy Jones at 6:04 PM | Comments (5)
November 21, 2008
081122 SATURDAY and Turkey Trot Details
The sun goes down during the 5pm class.
Workout:
2 partners working as a team. 1 person works out at a time, the other provides encouragement and counts reps. You'll want to trade off as soon as the person who is working out gets tired. Each athlete needs to get at least 5 repetitions in for each exercise each round (no "hogging the movements")
60 double unders (share the rope if you have to)
40 push presses with 95lb or 65lb barbell
100m walking lunges with 25lb dbs or 15lb dbs
As many rounds as possible in 30 minutes.
(If doing it by yourself, do half the reps/distance as many rounds as possible in 20 min).
Post number of rounds completed to comments.
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Article:
Does eating Omega-3s lower violent behavior?
. . .Consider, for example, a study conducted by researchers in Finland. They tested prisoners convicted of violent crimes and found that they had lower levels of omega-3 fatty acids than ordinary, healthy subjects. Why? Omega-3's foster the growth of neurons in the brain's frontal cortex, the bit of gray matter that controls impulsive behavior. Having enough of these fatty acids may keep violent impulses in check. Violent criminals may not be the only ones who would benefit from more fatty acids in their diet. In a recent double-blind trial, when omega-3's were given to people with a history of substance abuse, the symptoms of "anger" fell by 50 percent. . .
Click 'Continue Reading' below for full article.
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DCF "Unofficial" Turkey Trot Details:
Date: Thu, Nov 27
Time: 8AM Meet & Greet we'll start up the hill no later than 8:30
Place: Lafayette, Hwy 24 & Pleasant Valley Road - Briones Park SE Parking Lot*
We'll be running to the top (and there might be a surprise or two thrown in for good measure), then walking (unless you want to run).
RSVP to the 'comments' link below so we know how many to plan for.
Bring:
Trail Shoes (if you got ‘em)
Water
Wrist stopwatch
*Directions: Hwy 24 to Pleasant Valley Rd Exit. North on Pleasant Valley Rd. ½ mile. Briones parking lot is on your left (no turns possible). Proceed on Pleasant Valley to stoplight at SpringHill Rd -make a U-Turn and entrance will be 100’ on the right.
Course Information: Running Map (click for course map)
This is a smooth crushed gravel 8’ wide trail with a 600’ net elevation climb over 1.13 miles. The 1st ½ mile is a gradual climb with some flat spots – a nice warm up. The 2nd half mile is laced with several steep pitches and deceptive “tops” forcing that extra push.
New York Times Magazine
April 16, 2006
Idea Lab
Does Eating Salmon Lower the Murder Rate?
By STEPHEN MIHM
Most prisons are notorious for the quality of their cuisine (pretty poor) and the behavior of their residents (pretty violent). They are therefore ideal locations to test a novel hypothesis: that violent aggression is largely a product of poor nutrition. Toward that end, researchers are studying whether inmates become less violent when put on a diet rich in vitamins and in the fatty acids found in seafood.
Could a salmon steak and a side of spinach really help curb violence, not just in prison but everywhere? In 2001, Dr. Joseph Hibbeln, a senior clinical investigator at the National Institutes of Health, published a study, provocatively titled "Seafood Consumption and Homicide Mortality," that found a correlation between a higher intake of omega-3 fatty acids (most often obtained from fish) and lower murder rates.
Of course, seeing a correlation between fatty acids and nonviolence doesn't necessarily prove that fatty acids inhibit violence. Bernard Gesch, a senior research scientist at Oxford University, set out to show that better nutrition does, in fact, decrease violence. He enrolled 231 volunteers at a British prison in his study; one-half received a placebo, while the other half received fatty acids and other supplements. Over time, the antisocial behavior (as measured by assaults and other violations) of the inmates who had been given the supplements dropped by more than a third relative to their previous records. The control group showed little change. Gesch published his results in 2002 and plans to start a larger study later this year. Similar trials are already under way in Holland and Norway.
What would it mean if we found a clear link between diet and violent behavior? To start with, it might challenge the notion that violence is a product of free will. "But how do you exercise that free will without using your brain?" Gesch asks. "And how, exactly, is the brain going to work properly without an adequate nutrient supply?" The belief that people choose to be violent may be irrelevant if the brain isn't firing on all cylinders. This may especially be the case for impulsive acts of violence, which are less a choice than a failure to rein in one's worst instincts.
Consider, for example, a study conducted by researchers in Finland. They tested prisoners convicted of violent crimes and found that they had lower levels of omega-3 fatty acids than ordinary, healthy subjects. Why? Omega-3's foster the growth of neurons in the brain's frontal cortex, the bit of gray matter that controls impulsive behavior. Having enough of these fatty acids may keep violent impulses in check. Violent criminals may not be the only ones who would benefit from more fatty acids in their diet. In a recent double-blind trial, when omega-3's were given to people with a history of substance abuse, the symptoms of "anger" fell by 50 percent.
Of course, omega-3's are widely hailed these days as a miracle substance, credited with boosting health in dozens of ways. But Gesch warns against what he calls "silver bullets." The state of the evidence, he says, "doesn't allow us to pinpoint which dietary fat is responsible for changes in behavior." In his new study, he will look into whether several interdependent nutrients may play a role.
Gesch further adds that we shouldn't expect nutrition alone to banish violent behavior. "The brain needs to be nourished in two ways. It needs to be educated, and it needs nutrients. Both social and physical factors are important." Simply throwing fish and vegetables at violent criminals is unlikely to have a lasting effect on its own.
Caveats aside, there's something that many people may find unnerving about the idea of curing violent behavior by changing what people eat. It threatens to let criminals evade responsibility for their actions. Think, for example, of the infamous "Twinkie defense," in which an accused murderer's lawyer suggested that junk food was partly to blame for his client's compromised mental state. More controversial, perhaps, is the brave-new-world idea of using diet to enforce docility and conformity to the rules, a sort of state-sponsored version of that timeless parental demand to children everywhere: "Eat your vegetables."
Then again, we already live in a society in which parents have resorted to drugs like Ritalin to quell unwanted outbursts and impulsive behavior. And when you approach it from that perspective, changing what people eat may not be so radical after all.
Stephen Mihm teaches history at the University of Georgia.
Posted by Jeremy Jones at 8:53 PM | Comments (19)
November 20, 2008
081121 FRIDAY
"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.
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Article from Scott Kustes on "The Art of Manliness"
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. . .
Read entire article here.
Post thoughts to comments.
Posted by Jeremy Jones at 9:50 PM | Comments (10)
November 18, 2008
081119 WEDNESDAY "Filthy Fifty" and Anne's Birthday!
Anne (left of Jamie and Ryan "aka DEATH") had one small request for her birthday. . . the FILTHY FIFTY! (and NO she is not fifty years old. . . she's something like 29 I believe - jj)
Workout: "The Filthy Fifty"
Check 080819 for the last time we did it at DCF
For time:
50 Box jump, 24 inch box
50 Jumping pull-ups
50 Kettlebell swings, 1 pood
Walking Lunge, 50 steps
50 Knees to elbows
50 Push press, 45 pounds
50 Back extensions
50 Wall ball shots, 20 pound ball
50 Burpees
50 Double unders
Post time to comments.
(Scaling option: The "Dirty Thirty" is another option for scaling - instead of just using reduced weights for the different exercises. If you don't think you can finish the full "Fifty" workout in 40 minutes or less, you should think about using this option).
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Article:
Lifespan varies between European countries, but so does the number of "good" years after 50.
Lead researcher Professor Carol Jagger, from Leicester University, said: "What we have here, for the very first time, is data we can really compare."And it really questions whether the countries with the longest life expectancies are the healthiest.
"In the case of the UK, we are looking pretty average, but slightly better than our life expectancy figures suggest."
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Video: The most powerful person on Earth (unless you know someone with 261 "horsepower").
There you have it folks. . .don't eat processed food, and possibly drink melted butter, eat raw mutton, and have sex 15 times a day. . . and don't sleep from birth. Seems easy to me -jj
Posted by Jeremy Jones at 9:14 PM | Comments (20)
November 15, 2008
081116 SUNDAY
Mitchel gets a personal record by repping out 185lb deadlifts (Husband Mike provides vigorous encouragement).
Workout:
Move as much weight as possible as far as possible in 20 minutes.
Examples for exercises: Farmer carry, waiter walks, shoulder carry, weighted vests, medicine ball throw, sled drag, even tire flips, etc.
Multiply the total distance traveled for each exercise to the weight moved (your bodyweight doesn't count). Add up each exercise for your 'score'
Example: 100lb farmer walk, 100m, 2 times. Plus a 400m sandbag carry with 50lbs added would be 100 x 100 x 2 + 400 x 50 = 40,000 lb.m in 20 minutes.
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Article from Mark Sission's Daily Apple:
10 steps to "Primalize" your pantry
The freezer has ice cream and frozen pizzas, but it’s the pantry that harbors the usual carb suspects - chips, cookies, crackers, pasta, cereal and bread galore. If you’re not careful this cool and dark space could derail your best efforts to eat Primally. So follow these 10 easy steps and you’ll be well on your way to having a truly Primal pantry. . .
Posted by Jeremy Jones at 7:50 PM | Comments (7)
November 13, 2008
081114 FRIDAY "The Chief"
Stavros and Jeremy do "Jason" at CrossFit Santa Clara (Jason Khalipa's affiliate) while Issiah (aka "Zay Zay") cheers us on. We didn't beat Jason or "Andy" (17:54!) but DCF was well represented.
Workout: "The Chief"
Max rounds in 3 minutes of:
135 pound Power cleans, 3 reps
6 Push-ups
9 Squats
Rest 1 minute. Repeat for a total of 5 cycles.
Post rounds completed for each of the 5 cycles.
From CrossFit.com:
Each year in the United States Navy, a highly qualified and elite cadre of Sailors are selected and promoted to the join the ranks of Chief Petty Officer. Since 1893, "The Chiefs" have been relied upon by subordinates and superiors alike for their personal example, technical expertise and above all, their unique leadership capabilities. As the induction process for newly selected Chief Petty Officers is now underway throughout the US Navy, we thought it appropriate to inaugurate "The Chief" in honor and recognition of all past and present CPOs. Thanks to them and their families for their self-sacrifice, ability to adapt, tireless dedication to mission and devotion to country.
Bionic and Heinz do "The Chief" at CrossFit Hardcore
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Article:
A study of almost 360,000 people from nine European countries found waist size a "powerful indicator" of risk.Each extra 2ins (5cm) raised the chance of early death by between 13% and 17%. . .
At the extremes, men with waists exceeding 47ins (119cm) had a doubled rate of death compared with those with waists under 31.5ins (80cm), and a similar statistic was found when women with waists over 39ins (99cm) were compared to those under 25.5ins (64.7cm).
An increase in risk of death could be plotted every time the belt was let out by another two inches - for two people with the same BMI, every additional 2ins (5cm) on their waistband added up to a 17% increase in risk for men, and 13% for women.
Click here for entire article.
Post thoughts to comments.
Posted by Jeremy Jones at 8:56 PM | Comments (15)
November 11, 2008
081112 WEDNESDAY
Super Bryan, Jared and Lauren do the Deadlift Burpee workout.
Workout:
4 rounds,
Row 500m
Rest 3 minutes
Post times for each 500m sprint to comments.
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Videos regarding high HDL, calorie restriction, SIR2, and insulin.
Part 1
Part 2
Post thoughts to comments.
Posted by Jeremy Jones at 8:53 PM | Comments (24)
November 8, 2008
081109 SUNDAY
Everyone gets a piece of CrossFit's "Angie"
Workout:
Tabata Hill Sprints (count total trips up an down 70m hill)
1 min rest
Tabata Knees to elbows
1 min rest
Tabata Sumo Deadlift High Pulls (95, 75, or 45)
1 min rest
Tabata Hill Sprints (again).
A "Tabata" is an interval of 20 seconds of working out followed by 10 seconds rest, repeated 8 times (4 minutes total for each exercise). Each interval, a separate count of reps is used (except for the hill sprints). The lowest number of reps for any given round is your "score" for that exercise.
Post your "scores" for each exercise, and your total score to comments.
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Article:
"Park Therapy" or "Green Quackery"? ('Green spaces reduce "health gap"')
. . .When the records of more than 366,000 people who died between 2001 and 2005 were analysed, it revealed that even tiny green spaces in the areas in which they lived made a big difference to their risk of fatal diseases.Although the effect was greatest for those living surrounded by the most greenery, with the "health gap" roughly halved compared with those with the fewest green spaces around them, there was still a noticeable difference. . .
(I live next to a park, so I guess I am covered. . .-jj)
Post thoughts to comments.
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Bonus Article:
"T-Nation" is a fitness and performance related site that has good as well as controversial information on it (it also sells supplements that I have first hand experience with). I check it regularly, even though they tend to take a fairly "anti-CrossFit" stance (sometimes I'd rather be behind 'so called' enemy lines than 'preaching to the choir'). It can also be NSFW depending on how your work feels about muscular men and women posing in next to nothing.
Here is an article that is a fairly un-biased opinion of CrossFit as a whole by Chris Shugart. (a respected author who's articles I read often).
Post thoughts to comments. . . (and Click below for a comment from Mr. Shugart after the article was posted.
(I also wanted to say that Troy Dodson at CrossFit Plano is someone I have met, and I can confirm that he is a cool guy as well as a stud).
Posted on Nov 6th (about 2 days after the article was posted).
"Quick Note: I just had a great two-hour conversation with Greg Glassman. Wish it could have happened while I was preparing the article, as it would have added much to it, but good to talk to him personally regardless.I was hoping to post much of our convo here, but we covered so many subjects that it would be impossible to pass along everything. Maybe I'll post a few topics later, as I did pick up a lot of interesting things. Or maybe Greg and I could do something in the future for the public: audio interview about what fitness really is, the CrossFit definition of it, etc. Just thinking out loud here.
For now, just wanted to let everyone know that we did talk, a little late for the article, but a good talk nonetheless. "
Very interesting. . . -jj
Posted by Jeremy Jones at 10:05 PM | Comments (4)
November 7, 2008
081108 SATURDAY
The elusive Craig. The slave driver behind the 'Suffer on Saturday' class (with Jenny V and Jasmine outside 'enjoying' the class)
Workout:
For time:
Run 800m
100 push ups
Run 400m
100 sit ups
Run 200m
50 push ups
Run 100m
50 sit ups
Post time to comments.
(compare to October 6th - 081006 -by clicking here)
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A GREAT article from Robb Wolf at CrossFit Norcal summarizing why we take the stance on nutrition that we do:
NorCal Nutrition: Are We Crazy?
You might have noticed that the nutrition approach we recommend at CrossFit NorCal is a bit...oh, shall I say, contrarian? Where the USDA, AMA and the rest of the Government sponsored entities recommend grains and legumes as the base of the diet, we recommend lean meat, fruits, vegetables, nuts and seeds.That’s crazy, right? aren’t we going to die from heart disease and cancer if we eat meat? How will we ever get fiber if we don’t eat grains!? I mean, fruit and veggies...what have they got to offer?! I’m being fecetious here, I hope you get that. I do understand our recommendations fly in the face of what we are told to eat from nearly every source you can find...what’s the deal? Well...the deal is, our nutritional approach, a diet the attempts to emulate that of our paleolithic ancestors, is without a doubt the best route to optimized performance and health. Big claim? Yep, but easy to back up. Folks start with us, tweak their food, then look, feel and perform better. Every measurable bio-marker such as cholesterol, triglycerides or blood pressure improve...depression resolves. It just works, because this is the way we are wired to eat. But hey, what the hell do I know? I’m just the crazy guy in the shed telling people to do weird stuff like sleep more, take fish oil and increase their protein intake. How could I possibly be right about this? Well...here are a few interesting things for y’all to consider . . .
Post thoughts to comments.
Posted by Jeremy Jones at 8:39 PM | Comments (6)
November 5, 2008
081106 THURSDAY "Disagreement Gone Bad"
+++CPR CLASS THIS SUNDAY, 10am - 2pm, SEE BELOW FOR DETAILS+++
+++MUAY THAI CANCELED TONIGHT+++
Sometimes, all the chalk in the world can't save your hands. Emily laughed it off before taping up and going back in for more pull ups.
Workout:
"Disagreement Gone Bad"
With a continuously running clock perform each of the following exercises for one minute. At a call of 'rotate' each athlete will move to the next station. Count repetitions for all exercises, and the cumulative total is your 'score'
1 min Row (count calories)
1 min Box Jump (20inch, or 12in box)
1 min Medicine ball clean (20lb ball)
1 min push press (75lb, 45lb, or 20lb bar)
1 min rest
3 rounds total. Post score to comments.
If you do not have a partner to count for you, keep a running total for each round and write it down during the rest interval (i.e. 15 calories, then box jumps start counting at 16, 17, etc).
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Article from the Blog of Dr. Micheal R. Eades:
Protein Power vs Intermittent Fasting
". . . MD and I feel strongly that we as a species have a genome that was molded by the forces of natural selection over the past few million years to operate optimally on the food that was at hand during those few million years. What was available? Mainly fairly high-protein, high-fat fare. There weren’t a lot of carbohydrates readily available until the advent of agriculture a few thousand years ago. For the time that we developed our ancestors ate meat, fish, insects, clams, reptiles and pretty much anything live they could get their hands on. This primarily protein and fat diet was supplemented with whatever fruits, nuts, berries, roots, shoots and tubers were in season. Work done by Loren Cordain shows that, based on the Ethnographic Atlas, modern day hunter gatherers get about 65 percent of their calories from animals and the other 35 percent from plants. Most researchers believe that Paleolithic man got more than that from animals because during Paleolithic times many more large animals roamed the earth than do today. In fact, Paleolithic man hunted many of these large animals to extinction. . .Taking 3000 kcal as being the average (it’s probably on the low side) daily energy intake of our Paleolithic ancestors and looking at how much plant food would be required to obtain those kcal is an eye-opening experience. I ran just a few foods through the USDA nutritional calculator and found that it would take 48 cups of blackberries–that’s 3 gallons of blackberries–to provide 3000 kcal. I don’t know how many readers have ever picked blackberries, but I have, and I can tell you that picking 3 gallons takes a lot of time. And, much though I love blackberries, I couldn’t come anywhere near eating 3 gallons of them in a day. How about blueberries? 36 cups; over 2 gallons. Spinach? 103 cups. Celery? 111 stalks. Apples? 42. . ."
Post thoughts to comments.
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CPR Class:
Contact jeremy@diablocrossfit.com if you are interested in going to our first CPR certification seminar at "The Shed". Our very own Stavros will be certifying everyone in Adult CPR, Child/Infant CPR, First Aid and how to use the AED.
We will be having it this Sunday from 10am to about 2pm. Space is limited, and there will be a small fee for going. So email me for more details -jj
Posted by Jeremy Jones at 8:38 PM | Comments (21)
October 30, 2008
081031 FRIDAY "Happy Halloween!" and "Happy Birthday Mark!"
+++5:30 and 6:30 CLASS CANCELED TONIGHT FOR HALLOWEEN PARTY+++
Happy Birthday Mark!
Workout: "Mark's Funky 40"
400m run
40 Pull Ups
40 Box Jumps (20" box)
40 HandStand Push-Ups
40 Walking Lunges (no weight)
40 Pushups
40 Knees To Elbows
40 Good Mornings
40 Double Unders
40 Burpies
400m run
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And here is an article especially pertinent to Mark from 'The IF Life':
Prevent Alzheimer's with your diet
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We'll see you all tonight at the Party!
Posted by Jeremy Jones at 7:55 PM | Comments (14)
October 26, 2008
081027 MONDAY
Holly squat jumps while Dustin. . . I don't know what Dustin is doing.
Workout:
As many rounds as possible in 20 minutes of:
10 Squat Jump (full squat: crease of hip below knee cap, to jump: touch target 12" above reach)
20 Sit ups
30 Double Unders
Post number of rounds and fractions of the last round completed to comments.
Video:
Anthony Bainbridge from CrossFit Federicton doing Tabata squat jumps (Hint: he and Jodi are badasses):
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Article:
From Mike O'Donnell's "IF Life"
Keeping an 'Energy' Log for Daily Success
There are days which we feel full of energy, happy, love life…and then sometimes there are days in which we may feel down, tired, depressed, or just uninspired. I think most of us would like more of days full of great energy and outlook, so what can we do? Well one thing is we need to see what in our lives is actually helping to give us that happiness, energy, positive outlook and also to see what is not. We need to become aware in our moments of positive and negative energies to see what is really influencing them. Only from that can we define what factors are important to us, and which ones we need to just let go of.How do we do that? Well we keep an energy log/journal. Try it for a couple weeks and you may be surprised at the results. . .
Posted by Jeremy Jones at 8:14 PM | Comments (8)
October 24, 2008
081025 SATURDAY "Cindy"
++++ 12:00 OLY CLASS CANCELED ++++
Eric loves 'dem pull ups. You can tell by looking at his face.
Workout: "Cindy"
5 pull ups
10 push up
15 squats
As many rounds as possible in 20 minutes.
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Articles:
Son of Grok's 'Primal' Pizza recipe
Amazing Cauliflower Pizza Crust Recipe
I don't know about you, but the worst thing I love to eat is pizza. . . this looks like a good alternative! Now who is going to volunteer to cook this for the next party we have at The Shed? -jj
Posted by Jeremy Jones at 7:47 PM | Comments (4)
October 22, 2008
081023 THURSDAY
Mark gives Katy some tips on her KB swing while Chase* overhead squats in the background.
*(I am going to call him 'Chase' because he is not a regular and I don't know his name, but he looks like a Chase. -jj)
Workout: 3 rounds
1 minute Row (count calories)
1 minute Kettlebell swings (54lb, 35lb)
1 minute knees to elbows
1 minute ring dips
1 minute rest
Count total reps each round and post them to comments.
Video: Annie demonstrates some KB swing form:
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Article:
Eating Quickly Linked to Obesity.
. . .The latest study looked at the relationship between eating speed, feelings of "fullness" and being overweight.Just under half of the 3,000 volunteers told researchers they tended to eat quickly.
Compared with those who did not eat quickly, fast-eating men were 84% more likely to be overweight, and women were just over twice as likely.
Those, who, in addition to wolfing down their meals, tended to eat until they felt full, were more than three times more likely to be overweight. . .
Post thoughts to comments.
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HALLOWEEN PARTY!!!
Yes, unfortunately group class will be canceled Friday October 31st in lieu of our Halloween bash at "Class" in downtown Walnut Creek. Enjoy appetizers, Drinks, and music at this DCF sponsored event. Costume contest and other games will be happening all night. So come join us for some fun outside the gym (doing something that many people meet pukie doing all the time).
Email: rsvp@anywhere-road.com to get on the guest list, and don't forget to post below if you plan on going.
Posted by Jeremy Jones at 6:53 PM | Comments (9)
October 18, 2008
081019 SUNDAY
Drake hammers out some pull ups for his warm up.
Workout:
For time.
Run 400m
100m of 5 broad jumps 5 push ups
Run 400m
Post time to comments.
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Article:
Obesity and lack of exercise linked to increased inflammation
A US team found levels of white blood cells were highest in men who were unfit and overweight.White blood cells are key to fighting infection, but high levels can be a sign of inflammation, which is linked to coronary heart disease. . .
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Big Girls Don't Cry Challenge Today!
The competitors:
"Feats of Strength" Mike at 10:30/1:00/3:30
"Super Bryan" at 11:00/1:30/4:00
"Jorgy" Josh at 11:15/1:45/4:15
"Stav" Stavros 11:15/1:45/4:15
"Super Shannon" 11:15/1:45/4:15
"JJ" Jeremy 11:30/2:00/4:30
"D-Roe" Darren 11:30/2:00/4:30
The Workouts:
"Fran"
"Karen"
"Grace"
Posted by Jeremy Jones at 7:28 PM | Comments (4)
October 17, 2008
081018 SATURDAY
Mike from CrossFit NYC sports his DCF shirt (not to mention a kick ass hat and shorts, I like this guy's style - jj)
Workout:
Clean and Jerk
3 - 3 - 3 - 3 - 3 - 3 - 3
Post loads to comments.
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Article:
10 quick and easy 'primal' recipes in 15 minutes or less - from Mark Sisson's Daily Apple
Many people think that cooking healthy meals has to be a difficult and time-consuming task. In fact, nothing could be further from the truth. (And even if it was true, isn’t the extra effort worth it?) Others of you, meanwhile, are new to this whole Primal Lifestyle and are looking for quick and easy recipes to help you adjust to this new, healthier way of life! . . .
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The "Big Girls Don't Cry" Challenge is this weekend at CrossFit Unlimited in Milpitas.
Here is the Google Map from our gym to theirs (Google says it is 40 minutes):
And here are the "important" heats to catch:
Heat 5 - 11:00a/1:30p/4:00p
Dalbir Atwal/Bryan Stornetta/Connor Banks/Gary Neil/Michaela Xavier
Heat 6 - 11:15a/1:45p/4:15p
Jason Luk/Josh Jorgensen/Stavros Kalogirou/Anthony Camacho/Shannon Stornetta
Heat 7 - 11:30a/2:00p/4:30p
Jeremy Jones/Paul Perez/Jason Feudale/Darren Rosten/Josh Johnson
Heat 8 - 11:45a/2:15p/4:45p
Brandon Banks/Tyler Begiebing/Jason Khalipa (not a DCFer, but a cool dude and winner of the 2008 CrossFit Games)/Herm Blancaflor/Candace Hamilton
There will be food and 'beervages' for all the spectators. So bring your family, and let's show once again why DCF is on everyone's radar.
Posted by Jeremy Jones at 8:22 PM | Comments (2)
October 16, 2008
081017 FRIDAY "Quarter Gone Bad"
From left to right - Yvonne, Liz, Mountain, Sarah, Jaz's friend, Vicky, and Jamie behind the rower. These ladies know how to party.
Workout: "Quarter Gone Bad"
5 rounds for total reps of:
135 pound Thruster, 15 seconds
Rest 45 Seconds
50 pound Weighted pull-up, 15 seconds
Rest 45 Seconds
Burpees, 15 seconds
Rest 45 seconds
(Thruster load can be scaled down, and weighted pull ups can be scaled down to strict or band pull ups if needed)
Post total number of reps to comments.
Video: Quarter Gone Bad in action
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Article:
10 REALLY good reasons why you shouldn't miss out on sleep.
You may literally have to add it to your to-do list, but scheduling a good night's sleep could be one of the smartest health priorities you set. It's not just daytime drowsiness you risk when shortchanging yourself on your seven to eight hours. Possible health consequences of getting too little or poor sleep can involve the cardiovascular, endocrine, immune, and nervous systems. In addition to letting life get in the way of good sleep, between 50 and 70 million Americans suffer from a chronic sleep disorder—insomnia or sleep apnea, say—that affects daily functioning and impinges on health. Consider the research . . .
Post thoughts to comments.
Posted by Jeremy Jones at 9:29 PM | Comments (7)
October 15, 2008
081016 THURSDAY
Jeremy goes in for some tire flips while Stavros provides encouragement (and Jamie and Jax yell from the sidelines).
Workout:
With a continuously running clock, perform 1 sumo deadlift high pull the first minute, 2 sumo deadlift high pulls the second minute, and continue adding one rep each minute until you can no longer complete the allotted reps in the minute.
The weight should be fairly heavy. If you are unsure about the weight, intermediate/advanced men should use approximately half their body weight, intermediate/advanced women should use about 1/3rd.
Post weight used and number of complete minutes and additional reps to comments.
Sumo Deadlift High Pull Video:
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Article from the Fitness Spotlight:
Do our ancestors tell us everything we need to know about diet and health?
I have been following the Palaeolithic lifestyle for nearly a year now. You may know it as the ‘caveman diet’, although this does not do justice to the concept.The premise is that by eating what our ancestors ate and exercising as they exercised, we optimise our health and fitness. Since they ate like this and exercised like this for hundreds of thousands of years, natural selection dictates that our bodies will be designed to function best under those conditions. . .
Post thoughts to comments.
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The "Big Girls Don't Cry" Competition is THIS SUNDAY. Please post below if you are going to be able to swing by and cheer some of our own as we compete against other top CrossFitters! (There is also a few open slots, so let me know if you are interested).
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Local Fundraiser Today!
Rocco's Pizza and Beer for a Purpose:
Download Flyer Here: Download file
From Michelle Rooney:
"For those of you who don’t know, I sit on the board as a medical advisor for a local non-profit melanoma foundation, SCARF. SCARF was founded in honor of Sherri Tennant, a nurse who worked with us at Diablo Valley Oncology. She was an amazing and courageous woman who unfortunately lost her battle with melanoma in 2006. SCARF’s mission is to educate the community about prevention and early detection of melanoma. Rocco’s pizzeria is hosting a fundraiser for SCARF on Thursday, October 23rd. All you have to do is either dine in or order take out from Rocco’s anytime on the 23rd, mention SCARF, and 25% of the net proceeds go to our NPO. I will be there most of the evening, eating pizza, probably drinking beer, and pretending to watch the world series…I would LOVE to see all of you. Please bring family and friends!"
If you don't come to the Shed tonight, I expect you to swing by Rocco's and support such a good cause. If you do come to the Shed, I expect you all to have some post workout nutrition at Roccos. DON'T FORGET TO MENTION SCARF! -jj
Posted by Jeremy Jones at 7:27 PM | Comments (6)
October 13, 2008
081014 WEDNESDAY
Mark, JJ and Darren all competed in a fitness event hosted by the "Raw" Gym here in Walnut Creek. Pics and an article should be up soon.
Workout:
5 rounds for time:
10 Overhead squats (95lbs)
15 Kettlebell swings (1.5 pood, 54lbs)
20 Wall ball (20lb ball, 10ft target)
Post time to comments.
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Article from Scott Kustes at "Modern Forager":
Does Red Meat Cause Colon Cancer
I was involved in a discussion recently where the statement of “red meat causes colon cancer” was spoken. Figuring that to be a gross over generalization, I decided to do some sleuthing and see what the record shows regarding red meat and colon cancer. I meandered over to Google, typed in “red meat” and came up with a screen full of search results. Of the first five hits, four are irrelevant (a comic strip called “Red Meat” and a honky tonk band called…”Red Meat”) and the fifth is to Wikipedia. . .
Post thoughts to comments.
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Diablo CrossFit Halloween Party!
DCF is co-sponsoring a very 'exclusive' Halloween party on Friday Oct 31st at "Class" (1321 Locust St). The party will run from 7pm to midnight.
More details to follow soon (a lot of promises today huh? -jj)
Download file">Download Flyer by clicking here.
Posted by Jeremy Jones at 10:42 PM | Comments (7)
October 6, 2008
081007 TUESDAY "Jackie"
Super Bryan rows while Super Shannon counts calories. Darren rows in the background while Rodil make sure Darren's form is correct.
Bryan, Shannon, Darren, Stav, Mo, Carry, Craig and Jeremy will all be competing in the "Big Girls Don't Cry" Challenge at CrossFit Unlimited.
The event is Sunday the 19th, and we expect all available DCF regulars to make an appearance, so mark your calendars now! REPRESENT!
Workout "Jackie":
For time:
1000 meter row
50 Thrusters (45 lbs)
30 Pull-ups
Post time to comments.
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Article:
Air pollution linked to appendicitis
Previous studies have shown that air pollution may promote other disease states through inflammation, and the researchers said this was the most likely explanation for their finding. . .. . .it was possible that air pollution had an impact on blood flow in the gut which in theory could make obstruction of the neck of the appendix more likely.
However, he said any impact was likely to be more longer term, with prolonged periods of air pollution possibly causing dehydration, which might raise the risk of damage to the appendix.
Post thoughts to comments.
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Video:
Ankle exercising with Dick Harzell and the Jump Stretch Bands:
Posted by Jeremy Jones at 9:08 PM | Comments (9)
October 5, 2008
081006 MONDAY
Mike with his game face on before FGB III.
Workout:
For time:
Run 800m
100 push ups
Run 400m
100 sit ups
Run 200m
50 push ups
Run 100m
50 sit ups
Post time to comments.
Afterward, Strict Press working up to max single.
1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1
Post loads to comments.
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Article:
Research team discovers brain pathway responsible for obesity
. . . The research stems from recent explorations into the problem called metabolic inflammation, a by-product of too much food or energy consumption. Unlike the classical inflammation typically observed in infections, injuries and diseases such as cancer, the metabolic inflammation seen in obesity-related diseases is much milder, doesn't lead to overt symptoms or cause tissues damage."Metabolic inflammation is a chronic, low-grade condition consisting of inflammatory-like responses at the molecular level. It has many downstream consequences," says Cai. "It causes cellular dysfunction, which can decrease the regulation of several physiological processes, including metabolism." . . .
Post thoughts to comments.
Posted by Jeremy Jones at 7:55 PM | Comments (16)
October 4, 2008
081004 SUNDAY
Daniel Pate decides that glory is greater than pukie.
Workout (from the CrossFit Mothership):
Five rounds for time of:
Deadlift, 15 reps (135lb, 95lb)
Hang power clean, 12 reps (135lb, 95lb)
Front Squat, 9 reps (135lb, 95lb)
Push Jerk, 6 reps (135lb, 95lb)
Post time to comments.
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Article:
Duke researchers show reading can help obese children loose weight
The Duke researchers asked obese females ages 9 to 13 who were already in a comprehensive weight loss program to read an age-appropriate novel called Lake Rescue (Beacon Street Press). It was carefully crafted with the help of pediatric experts to include specific healthy lifestyle and weight management guidance, as well as positive messages and strong role models.Six months later, the Duke researchers found the 31 girls who read Lake Rescue experienced a significant decrease in their BMI scores (-.71%) when compared to a control group of 14 girls who hadn't (+.05%), explained Alexandra C. Russell, MD, a fourth-year medical student at Duke who led the study and presented the findings at the Obesity Society's annual scientific meeting. . .
Post thoughts to comments.
Posted by Jeremy Jones at 8:28 PM | Comments (12)
October 2, 2008
081003 FRIDAY "Sarah Does Kelly For Her Birthday!"
Trainer Sarah (green tank, tattoos) leading the "Girls Class" through 400m of walking lunge hell! As a birthday gift, Sarah wanted to do "Kelly" so . . .
Workout: "Kelly". . .
but instead of 30 reps box jumps and 30 reps of wall ball, we are going to do 33 reps of each because it is her birthday.
5 rounds for time:
Run 400 meters
33 box jump, 24 inch box
33 Wall ball shots, 20 pound ball (10' target men, 8' target women)
Post time (and birthday congratulations) to 'comments'.
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Article:
New study proves that pain is not a symptom of arthritis, pain is the cause of arthritis.
Pain is more than a symptom of osteoarthritis, it is an inherent and damaging part of the disease itself, according to a study published today in journal Arthritis and Rheumatism. More specifically, the study revealed that pain signals originating in arthritic joints, and the biochemical processing of those signals as they reach the spinal cord, worsen and expand arthritis. In addition, researchers found that nerve pathways carrying pain signals transfer inflammation from arthritic joints to the spine and back again, causing disease at both ends. . .
So as I see it, stay active and take your fish oil to prevent pain and inflammation in the first place. -jj
Post thoughts to comments (and no jokes about Sarah's age and arthritis).
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GYMNASTICS WORKSHOP THIS WEEKEND!
From Roger Harrell and Andres De la Rosa and CrossFit Marin:
The gymnastics seminar on Sunday September 21st was a lot of fun and we had a great time! We wanted everyone to experience a little of what it’s like to be in a real gymnastics program so it was a bit of a whirlwind, especially since we actually got in at least a little bit of all the events. This time the format will be a little bit different. . .
Click "Continue Reading Below for Details".
"First off, Roger will run a 1.5 hour trainer’s seminar from 3:30pm-5pm with Russell “The Gremlin” Bruel and myself as assistant coaches. The material covered will include teaching ring progressions, including skin-the cat and lever progressions as well as spotting forward rolls and press to shoulder stand on rings. On floor we will be covering handstand progressions and drills. The focus here is teaching how to teach these skills.
Subsequently, I will be running another gymnastics workshop/class from 5:30-8:30pm. The emphasis here is to actually be in an intense CrossFit adult gymnastics class and while rookies and noobs are welcome, we will try to progress past the basic movements into beginner and intermediate skills. This time we’re not going to try to hit every event, but rather get into more depth on three events for the course of the class. The events covered will be floor (with a focus on back tumbling and back handsprings), parallel bars (swings, handstands, back up rises and pirouettes, and intermediate skills if appropriate), and rings (basic swing, press shoulder stand/handstand, crosses, back up rises and shoot supports, aka birdie-ups if appropriate). One of my personal projects in CrossFit is to get CrossFiters doing shoot supports on rings. I am especially curious to see who is going to be the first female CrossFiter to get one. The prerequisites involve good swing technique, spacial awareness while rotating, a strong support on rings, and explosive abdominal strength. Jolie Gentry has been coming to our gymnastics classes on Mondays, so she might be the one to do it first, but I wouldn’t be surprised if somebody else comes to our seminars and beats her to it. If you want to see a video of what it is check out this link to Roger’s gymnastics resource site: http://www.drillsandskills.com/video/display?path=ria007.mpg. The gymnast in the video does a really nice one. It’s really NOT as hard as it looks. I got one on my first or second try, (it was a long time ago, I can’t remember precisely) and if I can do it, you certainly will be able to!
Lastly, we will have our open skill request session from 8:30-9pm. If there is enough interest, we might even stay later than that. Last seminar, Chris Stroud from One World and Jason Khalipa from CrossFit Santa Clara took advantage of the open skill request session to work on their back-flip technique. They got spotted through some pretty descent ones! What particular gymnastics skill do you want to nail down?
Here is the pricing schedule for this Session:
Trainer’s session 3:30-5pm: $60
Gymnastics workshop 5:30-8:30pm: $60
If you sign up for both: $100 > save $20!
The address is:
300 Piedmont Ave, suite 604
San Bruno, CA, 94066
We are planning on keeping the coach to student ratio at about 1:8; we only have 3 committed coaches currently, so that’s only 24 slots. There was a waiting list of people that wanted to come to the last seminar but weren’t able to because it filled up, but will be attending this one, so there is a chance that this one might fill up as well. Please let me know right away if you are coming. I do apologize about the extremely late notice. I got injured last week which negatively impacted my productivity and I failed to get this out. I hope to see you guys there, and if you have any questions feel free to call or e-mail me.
P.S.: It’s CrossFit Marin’s 2nd birthday, so if you’d like to hang out afterwards and stay for some pound cake, (40% butter Fat, 40% Protein, urr a little bit of sugar.) we’d love your company! My parents can bake some exquisite deserts!
-Andres De la Rosa
Co-Founder, CrossFitMarin
Phone #: 415.260.0043
www.CrossFitMarin.com
Amadraeus@CrossFitMarin.com"
Posted by Jeremy Jones at 8:55 PM | Comments (16)
081002 THURSDAY
Dave hammers out some wall ball during his FGB performance.
Workout: "Push Up Annie"
Complete 50-40-30-20-10 rep rounds of the following exercises for time:
Double Unders
Abmat Sit ups
Push ups
Post time to comments.
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Article:
Performance Standards and Form by Mike Minium at CrossFit Oakland
. . .Why does this matter? It matters whether you care about competing or whether you don't.If you care about competing, then you want to make sure that you're on a level playing field and that the competition is fair. If I were to challenge someone to a 400m run and then run 300m while my competitor runs 400m, then our performances aren't really comparable (to say nothing of the fact that I cheated). In the same vein, if I challenge someone to max number of push presses in one minute, and then proceed to do push jerks while my competitor does push presses, then once again, our performances are not comparable. It's apples and oranges. I wanna level the playing field.
If you don't care about competing, but you do care about making improvements in the movements we do, then you'll want to take note of our movement standards as well. If you have it as a goal to squat 250 lbs, you'll want to know what the correct bottom of a squat is so that you can get it. If you load 250 lbs on the bar and then go down into a half-squat and come back up, then you really haven't done a squat. . .
Mike really lays it out nice in this article. I couldn't have said it better myself. -jj
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Video - recently featured on The IF life:
Dr. Ron Rosedale talks about common cholesterol myths. (The video is a little quirky, as it is an audio discussion pasted over some film footage, but the talking points are great).
Posted by Jeremy Jones at 12:32 AM | Comments (22)
September 29, 2008
080930 TUESDAY "Elevation"
Donna hitting the 8' mark during her fight gone bad wall ball.
Workout:
Workout: "Elevation"
In 20 minutes, try to accumulate as many feet of "Elevation" as possible using the following exercises. Next to each exercise is the number we used for distance at the SHED. If you are doing this at on your own, you may change the values to what you have to work with. We also gave two different scores based upon height (over 6 foot is on the left, under 6 foot is on the right).
Rope Climb: 6 foot and up = 11 / 6 foot and under = 12
Muscle Up (bar or rings): 5 / 4
Pull Up: 2.5 / 2
Ring Dip: 2 / 1.5
Box Jump (same for both heights): big box = 3, med box = 2, small box = 1
Step ups (same for both heights): big box = 1.5, med box = 1, small box = 0.5
Post total number of "Feet" accumulated in the 20 minutes.
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Article from Scott Kustes at Modern Forager:
Eight ways to lower your testosterone
. . .For those wondering what role testosterone plays in the body, here are just a few of the irritations brought about by this hormone: enhanced libido, increased energy, increased production of red blood cells and protection against osteoporosis. And who would want all of that stuff? Not me! Read on to learn the ways you can make sure you keep your testosterone levels as low as possible, ensuring a lack of sex drive and low energy levels. . .
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CrossFit One World does "Century Gone Bad". I am so jealous.
(Video may not be WSFS. . . I guess it depends how your work feels about people doing pull ups, drinking beer, and yes, vomiting.)
Posted by Jeremy Jones at 9:12 PM | Comments (20)
September 28, 2008
080929 MONDAY
Some of the spectators who came out for "Fight Gone Bad" on Saturday.
Craig really loves the box jumps on Fight Gone Bad
Mark's family ask him why he thinks this is "fun"
Email us if you have pictures from the event you'd like to load on our "Flickr" site.
Workout:
5 rounds for time,
10 power cleans (135lb men, 95lb women)
15 ring dips
400m run
Post time to comments.
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Article:
Half bar of dark chocolate a week is enough to promote heart health
By studying the participants recruited, researchers focused on the complex mechanism of inflammation. It is known how a chronic inflammatory state represents a risk factor for the development of cardiovascular disease, from myocardial infarction to stroke, just to mention the major diseases. Keeping the inflammation process un-der control has become a major issue for prevention programs and C reactive protein turned out to be one of the most promising markers, detectable by a simple blood test.. . . people having moderate amounts of dark chocolate regularly have significantly lower levels of C-reactive protein in their blood. In other words, their inflammatory state is considerably reduced." The 17% average reduction observed may appear quite small, but it is enough to decrease the risk of cardio-vascular disease for one third in women and one fourth in men. It is undoubtedly a remarkable outcome".
Chocolate amounts are critical. "We are talking of a moderate consumption. The best effect is obtained by consuming an average amount of 6.7 grams of chocolate per day, corresponding to a small square of chocolate twice or three times a week. Beyond these amounts the beneficial effect tends to disappear".
Posted by Jeremy Jones at 9:20 PM | Comments (12)
September 25, 2008
080926 FRIDAY
Not only did the 5:30 class do the "Dad" workout, but they all got matching "Bill" tattoos (mimicked after Bill's original tattoo) in honor of Craig's Dad.
Workout:
Back Squat
Weighted Pull up
5,5,5,5,5
Alternate between exercises. Add weigh each round (if possible).
Post loads to comments.
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Article:
Caffeine experts push for warning labels on energy drinks warning of health risks.
A regular 12-ounce cola drink has about 35 milligrams of caffeine, and a 6-ounce cup of brewed coffee has 80 to 150 milligrams of caffeine. Because many energy drinks are marketed as "dietary supplements," the limit that the Food and Drug Administration requires on the caffeine content of soft drinks (71 milligrams per 12-ounce can) does not apply. The caffeine content of energy drinks varies from 50 to more than 500 milligrams.
Post thoughts to comments.
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Fight Gone Bad Fundraiser Tomorrow 11am to 2pm - Don't forget to donate even if you can't make it!
Diablo CrossFit Team Website (click here)
Posted by Jeremy Jones at 9:27 PM | Comments (19)
September 21, 2008
080922 MONDAY
Shane fertilizes the bushes after "Fight gone to Failure"
Workout:
Perform 1 thruster the first minute, 2 thrusters the second minute, 3 thrusters the 3rd. . . continue until you cannot complete the number of repetitions in the allotted time.
Choose a weight that you will be challenged with (starting with your 3-5 rep max strict press is a good idea).
Post load used, and number of rounds completed to comments.
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Article:
How gut bugs could trigger cancer
Our guts provide a home to dozens of different types of bacteria, many of which actually provide a useful service, helping break down indigestible sugars in food by fermentation, or even "training" the body's immune system.However, in recent years, scientists have suggested that in certain, susceptible individuals, these bacteria can actually do harm.
Post thoughts to comments.
Posted by Jeremy Jones at 8:05 PM | Comments (24)
September 19, 2008
080920 SATURDAY
+++OLY CLASS CANCELED TODAY+++
Saturday class claims another victim.
Workout: "Number 2"
As many rounds as possible in 15 minutes:
10 wall ball (20lb ball, 10 ft target or 14lb ball 8 foot target)
10 sumo deadlift high pull (95lb, 53, 35 or 26 depending on skill)
10 ring dips (or ring push ups)
10 double unders
Post number of rounds and fractions of rounds to comments.
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Article:
Study Finds Longevity, Cancer and Diet Connected
Scientists studied a gene called TOR, which regulates cell growth and plays a role in the development of cancer. "In C. elegans, the tiny roundworm that our lab studies, as well as some other animals, a loss of TOR has been shown to slow aging. Our work with C. elegans reveals that TOR depends on a second gene called pha4/FoxA to control the aging process," says study co-author Susan Mango, PhD, HCI investigator and professor in the University of Utah Department of Oncological Sciences.The study also reveals calorie restriction plays a role in how these genes work. "When there's lots of food, TOR gets active, which decreases the action of pha4/FoxA down the line, and that in turn shortens the lifespan of C. elegans," says Mango. "When there's little food, there's little TOR and more pha4/FoxA, and that results in a longer lifespan." In short, a low calorie diet can affect the TOR and pha4/FoxA genes in worms, slowing the progression of aging.
Posted by Jeremy Jones at 8:30 PM | Comments (1)
September 18, 2008
080919 FRIDAY "Filthy Fifty"
Judy knows how to go hard on the push presses.
Workout: the "Filthy Fifty"
For time:
50 Box jump, 24 inch box
50 Jumping pull-ups
50 Kettlebell swings, 1 pood
Walking Lunge, 50 steps
50 Knees to elbows
50 Push press, 45 pounds
50 Back extensions
50 Wall ball shots, 20 pound ball
50 Burpees
50 Double unders
Post time to comments.
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Article:
10 primal meals in 15 minutes or less from Mark's Daily Apple
Post some of your favorite 'primal' meals to comments.
Posted by Jeremy Jones at 9:44 PM | Comments (10)
080918 THURSDAY
New 6am Firebreathers Alan and Nancy just got engaged last Friday! They are doing weighted lunge walks to prepare for their walk down the aisle next year. CONGRATS GUYS!
Workout:
As many rounds as possible in 20 minutes:
Row 500m
20 lunge steps with 35lb dumbells
15 ring dips
10 hollow rocks
Post number of rounds and fractions of rounds completed to comments.
Jeff Tucker explaining "Hollow Rocks" and the "Hollow Position" in relation to the hand stand (again):
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Article:
Cutting calories could limit muscle wasting in later years
. . .The researchers found increasing amounts of iron in the muscle cells of aging rats fed a typical unrestricted diet. The older the rats got, the more iron accumulated in the mitochondria and the more damage was done to its RNA and DNA. Rats of the same ages that were kept on a calorie-restricted diet — about 60 percent of the food typically ingested — seemed to maintain more normal iron levels in mitochondria, the researchers reported. . .. . .The problem occurs when metals such as iron accumulate in the mitochondria and react with oxygen. Iron can change the chemical structure of oxygen, triggering its metamorphosis into a free radical, an unstable atom that can upset the delicate balance inside the mitochondria. . .
(Now I hope they do an iron test on aging rats using the Intermittent Fasting protocol and compare them to these results. -jj)
Post thoughts to comments.
Posted by Jeremy Jones at 12:18 AM | Comments (4)
September 16, 2008
080917 WEDNESDAY "Diane"
Rhodes loves deadlifts so much, he cries when he does them.
Workout: "Diane"
21 - 15 - 9 rep rounds of
225lb deadlifts
Hanstand Push ups
Post time to comments.
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Article:
Living Healthily Makes You Live Longer (DUH! . . .but here might be one example why -jj)
Among 24 men asked to adopt healthy lifestyle changes for a US study in The Lancet Oncology, levels of telomerase increased by 29% on average.Telomerase repairs and lengthens telomeres, which cap and protect the ends of chromosomes housing DNA.
As people age, telomeres shorten and cells become more susceptible to dying.
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Benchmark Check Up:
The year is coming to a close very quickly and it is time for everyone to check on their goals for 2008.
Here are some previous posts regarding goals for the year:
And for those of you who haven't been around long enough. . . it is time to choose your three benchmarks to be completed before the end of the year. The requirements are that you choose at least one for each category:
1. Gymnastics (example 5 consec muscle ups, 30 consec pull ups, 10 hspus, etc)
2. Strength (double bodyweight deadlift, CFT 1000, strict press body weight, etc)
3. Metabolic Conditioning (sub 4 Fran, sub 20 Filthy Fifty, sub 4 min DCF Newbie, etc)
Then work as hard as you can to achieve that goal by the end of the year.
Post them here if you haven't got them listed on one of the older posts already. Do it now. It is important that you do it publicly. We will encourage and help you.
You have got to the end of the year to get them done, so don't cheap out and pick easy stuff. Go big, but realistic. You will be amazed what you can accomplish with a deadline (as opposed to a 'resolution')
Posted by Jeremy Jones at 9:22 PM | Comments (14)
September 15, 2008
080916 TUESDAY
Everyone should come to at least one sunrise class (you might like it).
Workout:
"Fight Gone to Failure"
2 rounds, counting total reps
1. Wall-ball, 8 ft target (Reps) to failure
rest 1 minute
2. Deadlift high-pull (Reps) to failure
rest 1 minute
3. Box jump (Reps) to failure
rest 1 minute
4. Push-press (Reps) to failure
rest 1 minute
5. Row (Calories) to failure
rest 1 minute
"To failure" for all the rep counting movements (everything except the row) basically means that if you have to rest for more than 3 seconds, the set is done. For the row you have to maintain a sub 1:45 minute 500m pace (look at the "/500" meter number) or less. When the "/500m" pace goes over 1:45 you are done. Look at total calories accrued at that pace.
Post total reps to comments.
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Article from 'The Fitness Spotlight':
Intermittent Fasting for Neurotic Athletes
Athletes are a persnickety, dogmatic bunch; we’re open to change in so long as it fits the narrowly constructed worldview that we perceive has brought us success. Be it training, diet, or mental preparation, we tend to bend ideas to fit into “our” box. So understand when I tell you that the idea of intermittent fasting (IF), while good in theory, didn’t quite fit into my athletic worldview. I was a skinny kid growing up and had worked hard for every pound of weight I had gained by eating large and often. I cared about being big and strong, not about longevity and gene expression! I was curious but had the nagging feeling that I’d lose all the muscle I had worked to gain. . .
Posted by Jeremy Jones at 8:42 PM | Comments (24)
September 13, 2008
080914 SUNDAY "Jax"
Jamie deadlifting 140lbs a few days before her birthday (and about 4 months after having Jax). Jamie is back to her pre-pregnancy weight (plus a few pounds of muscle). Nice work Jamie!
Click here to see the first time we did "Jax"
Workout: "Jax"
Not technically one of the ladies or one of the heroes, we dubbed this workout after the heroic effort that my son Jax is putting my wife through on her last legs of pregnancy.
All exercises completed with 20lb weight vest.
1 minute ring push ups
1 minute power clean 135 lbs
1 minute box jumps
1 minute rest
5 rounds for time.
Post total reps completed to comments.
Click here to download a video of Brand X doing "Jax"
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Article:
Broccoli may protect the lungs
Post thoughts to comments.
Posted by Jeremy Jones at 7:35 PM | Comments (19)
080913 SATURDAY
Ever wonder how Craig gets that body of his. . . Mickey D's.
Workout:
4 Rounds for time:
500m row
25 GHD sit ups
Post time to comments.
Video - Coach Glassman covers the elements of the Glute Ham Developer (GHD) sit up (Nicole Carrol models):
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Article:
Men are 'unhappy' with their bodies
"We know that 1 in 20 young people suffer from some degree of disordered eating and that at least 15% of them are men and yet that's a tip of an iceberg," he said."There are men who have problems with compulsive exercise and excessive bodybuilding who have an illness, but we haven't defined them. Our definitions of illness have been focused on women, rather than men."
I wonder if dieting for 'Linda' counts as an eating disorder. . . -jj
Post thoughts to comments.
Posted by Jeremy Jones at 7:57 AM | Comments (6)
September 9, 2008
080910 WEDNESDAY
Margaret sets a personal record at the deadlift in Sarah's 10am "Girls Class" (140lbs I believe).
Workout:
As many rounds as possible in 20 minutes,
100m sprint
100m of : 10 walking lunges then 10 broad jumps repeated for the entire distance
30 push press (45lb dumbbells)
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Videos: High Fructose Corn Syrup isn't that bad (apparently). If you believe everything you see on TV.
For some of the real scoop on High Fructose Corn Syrup (HFCS), check out this link from Dr. Eades' Site:
http://www.proteinpower.com/drmike/uncategorized/high-fructose-corn-syrup-follies/
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. . .
Post thoughts to comments.
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Article from Keith Wittenstein at CrossFit Virtuosity:
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. . .
Click Here for complete Article.
Posted by Jeremy Jones at 9:50 PM | Comments (4)
September 8, 2008
080909 TUESDAY "Rowing with the girls"
Abby Kalogirou (bottom) shows Paula and Christine good rower form.
Workout:
(for those of you who missed it)
"Rowing With The Girls"
Row 500m with "Fran"
21 Thrusters 95
21 Pull Ups
Rest 1 min
Row 500m with "Helen"
21 KB Swings (1.5p)
12 Pull Ups
Rest 1 min
Row 500m with "Nancy"
15 Overhead Squats 95
9 Pull ups
Post time to comments.
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Article:
Exercise blunts 'fat gene effect'
They found that while the expected link between the number of copies of FTO carried and increased body mass index could be seen in less active volunteers, that link was broken once in those who recorded high levels of activity - equivalent to three to four hours of moderately intensive activity.Dr Soren Snitker, who led the research, said: "Our results strongly suggest that the increased risk of obesity due to genetic susceptibility can be blunted through physical activity.
"Some of the genes shown to cause obesity in our modern environment may not have had this effect a few centuries ago when most people's lives were similar to that of present-day Amish farmers."
Post Thoughts to comments.
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GYMNASTICS WORKSHOP!
Many of you have commented that they would love to experience some extra gymnastics work. Now is your chance.
Andres "Tortuga" De La Rosa from Crossfit Marin is running a 'workshop' in our area. Read his comments for info:
I will be hosting/coaching a Gymnastics and Parkour Seminar on Sunday, September 21st from 5:30pm-8:30pm with an optional “skill request session” from 8:30pm-9pm at Gymtowne Gymnastics in San Bruno, California. The skill levels of gymnastics will range from complete and utter noobies, to intermediate athletes (a “noob” is considered a level or two below a “rookie” and has perhaps never done a roll in his/her life- so no excuses!). I will have several guest coaches in attendance, including CrossFit Marin’s Roger Harrell, the gymnastics writer for CrossFit, and Russell Bruel, our resident “Kinesthetic Freak”.Attendance will be limited to 32 athletes, as we wish to have a coach to student ratio equal to or better than 1:8. There will be three or four head coaches and a couple of junior coaches. Among the events covered will be floor (basic gymnastics positions, skills, and tumbling), pommel horse (mainly swinging elements and leg cuts), beam(basic jumps, mounts, & balance drills), bars and rings (swings, glide-kips, back-hip circles, strength moves), parallel bars (swings, walks, kips, etc), vault (run, hurdle, squat-ons, handsprings), and basic parkour (shoulder rolls, side/speed/Kong vaults).
Gymtowne Gymnastics features approximately 9,300sq ft of space and gymnastics equipment, including but not limited to a full size gymnastics floor, vault runway, 5 beams, 2 ring towers, 3 uneven bars, 2 High bars, 3 sets of parallel bars, and a couple of pommel horses. Attached are a few images from the first official CrossFit Gymnastics certification coached by Roger Harrell at Gymtowne in March 2008, illustrating some of the equipment available and skills to be covered.
Please email us if you are a regular and we might be able to broker a deal for a cheaper rate (the cost is $100 if you are not from an affiliate). Do it right away otherwise we may not be able to help you out. -jj
Posted by Jeremy Jones at 9:32 PM | Comments (9)
September 4, 2008
080905 FRIDAY
Steve from CrossFit Marina (in Huntington Beach) made sure our Luca had a good time on Labor day (and what Luca is looking at, we can only guess).
Workout:
As many rounds as possible in 20 minutes
10 Handstand push ups (or modified versions if needed)
30 box jumps (20 inch box)
Post number of rounds to comments.
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Article:
Exercise helps with memory function
Some volunteers were asked to complete three 50-minute sessions a week of moderate physical activity, such as walking, for 24 weeks. Others were not asked to increase their exercise levels.At the end of the study, the people in the exercise group achieved better scores in tests of their cognitive function, and lower scores in tests to determine signs of dementia.
Follow-up showed that the benefits persisted for at least another 12 months after the exercise programme was stopped.
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Fasting Articles from Scott Kustes at Modern Forager
What happens to your body when you fast Part 5 - Exercising and Rest
What happens to your body when you fast - Q and A
Posted by Jeremy Jones at 9:51 PM | Comments (11)
September 2, 2008
080903 WEDNESDAY "Nicole"
+++No Muay Thai This Thursday!+++
Our very on Mark Lind just got back from the CrossFit Kids Certification run by Mikki and Jeff Martin (left and center spots).
Workout:
"Nicole"
As many rounds as possible in 20 minutes:
Run 400m
Max reps pull ups
Post number of pull ups each round to comments.
CrossFit explaining the kipping pull up Video:
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Article:
Taking the stairs may prolong life
Banning the use of lifts and escalators led to better fitness, less body fat, trimmer waistlines and a drop in blood pressure, a study of 69 people found.This translates to a 15% cut in the risk of dying prematurely from any cause, calculate the University of Geneva team.
Post thoughts to comments.
Posted by Jeremy Jones at 8:08 PM | Comments (7)
August 31, 2008
080901 MONDAY - Happy Labor Day
++ NEW CLASS SCHEDULE FOR SEPTEMBER!! ++
From left to right: Brian Nesmith, Jeremy Jones, Jax Jones (being held), and the great Dan John at the 2008 Highland Games in Pleasanton.
Dan imparting some wisdom upon Jax and I:
And this is me enjoying some Haggis:
Workout: "Manual Labor"
Perform as many rounds as possible in 30 minutes of:
100m Farmer Carry (45lb dumbbells for men, 25lb dbs for women)
20 Sledge Hammer swings (16lb sledge for men, 10lb sledge for women)
20 Virtual Shoveling over 1' barrier (45lb bar +45lb plate for men, 25lb plate for women)
50m tire flip (men - large tire, women - smaller tire)
50m sled drag (tire sled on asphalt, men - 53lb, women - 35lb)
Post rounds and fractions of rounds completed to comments.
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Article:
Children in Great Britain are rewarded at Fitness Camp.
Post thoughts to comments.
Posted by Jeremy Jones at 8:36 PM | Comments (9)
August 30, 2008
080831 SUNDAY "FGB Fundraiser team website is up!"
Jasmine nailed her first kipping pull up last week (you can see by the expression on her face that it took a lot of concentration).
Workout:
Perform 1 thruster the first minute, 2 thrusters the second minute, 3 thrusters the third minute and so on until you can no longer complete the number of thrusters in the allotted minute.
advanced: 135lb, intermediate: 95lb, beginner: 65lbs
Post load used and number of rounds completed to comments.
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Article:
Blackberries slow cancer by altering hundreds of genes
The carcinogen affected the activity of some 2,200 genes in the animals' esophagus in only one week, but 460 of those genes were restored to normal activity in animals that consumed freeze-dried black raspberry powder as part of their diet during the exposure.
Post thoughts to comments.
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Below is a link to the Diablo CrossFit Fight Gone Bad Team web page. People wishing to participate at The Shed should register on the 'Athletes for a Cure' website and sign up for the DCF team.
Athletes for a Cure Website for Diablo CrossFit Link
Do it right away so you can invite lots of your friends and family to contribute to the cause. Spectators for the fundraiser are encouraged and there will be prizes and food as well as the event itself.
Make sure you mark your calendar on Saturday, September 27th!
Posted by Jeremy Jones at 6:24 PM | Comments (13)
August 24, 2008
080824 SUNDAY "Jimmy's 33rd Birthday"
Rhodes uses the keg as a base for his ring push ups (another picture of a keg? - gasp!)
Workout: "Jimmy's 33rd Birthday" (actually it was on Friday)
Ring push ups with 20 or 40lbs weight vest added.
175lb power cleans
Perform 33 reps of both exercises as fast as possible (mix the order any way desired).
Post time to comments.
Video of Nicole Carrol playing around with ring push ups:
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Article:
Steroids cause serious skin side effect in 21 year old man
(I do think it is interesting that the 21 year old "man" has been using steroids for a "while", and as far as muscle mass goes, it doesn't look like was actually that big. But it is bad news when you mess with your endocrine system. . . also, the pictures are pretty graphic, you have been warned -jj)
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Article:
Positive thinkers may decrease cancer risk
But the researchers admitted that women were questioned after their diagnosis, which might significantly change their outlook on life.
(I would expect it would change their outlook on life significantly. -jj)
Posted by Jeremy Jones at 8:26 AM | Comments (7)
August 20, 2008
080821 THURSDAY "Helen"
"Hardway" Bryan is telling Anne that something is wrong with her rowing form, can you guess what it is?
"Helen"
Three rounds for time:
Run 400 meters
1 1/2 pood Kettlebell X 21 swings (or 55 pound dumbbell swing)
12 Pull-ups
Or "Fat Helen" (completed with 20 lb - or 40 lb weight vest)
Three rounds for time:
Run 400 meters
2 pood Kettlebell X 21 swings (or 55 pound dumbbell swing)
12 Pull-ups
Post type of Helen, and time to comments.
Sub 7 minute "Helen" by OPT (James Fitzgerald):
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Article from Mike OD at The IF Life:
The biggest workout mistakes people make and what to do about them
(Many of these don't apply to the regulars at The Shed, but simple-and-effective wisdom like this is just too hard not to forward. -jj)
Post thoughts to comments.
Posted by Jeremy Jones at 11:47 PM | Comments (17)
August 15, 2008
080816 SATURDAY
++ 1PM OLY CLASS CANCELED TODAY ++
Moises (shown here doing some "fancy" box jumps) just nailed a 2:53 Fran! Nice work Mo!
Workout:
21 - 15 - 9 Rep/Rounds for time,
Burpees
Pull ups
Kb swings (70lb men, 44lbs women)
Post time to comments.
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Article (another article from Scott Kustes at Modern Forager):
Part 3: What Happens To Your Body When You Fast? - Inflammation and Blood
In our previous two posts, we took a high-level look at the hormonal effects of fasting, along with some of the benefits of these hormonal changes. Today, we’ll take a quick look at the effects on inflammation and blood . . .
Post thoughts to comments.
Posted by Jeremy Jones at 10:25 PM | Comments (12)
August 12, 2008
080813 WEDNESDAY "Anne's Testimonial"
Anne's testimonial:
"What has Crossfit done for me?
Well, yes, I've lost 50 lbs and 3-4 clothing sizes, so buying a new wardrobe has been fun. . .
But not having to go to a chiropractor for back and neck pains is even better.
There's pain in Crossfit, for sure, but the kind you earn and feel good about...the pain of accomplishment. See, it's not just about looking cute, it's about feeling amazing.
Feeling lighter, faster, more agile...getting my reflexes back!
At 37, I thought my aches and pains and slowness were from getting old. Nope, it's from carrying around what is the equivalent of kindergardener, all the time. Now, at 38, I feel healthier and fitter than when I was in my 20's, and my 19 year old daughter can barely keep up.
There are many things I love about Crossfit but the first thing is that there are no limits.
You think you've hit a limit and you come back a week or 2 later and you go even further or faster. I told people I did 600 squats total the past week and they looked at me like I'm insane...and I'm thinking "I could have done more".
The other thing I love most about Crossfit is that I'm never alone.
I've taken classes at other gyms and there can be 50 people in a room, but we weren't working together or helping each other or challenging each other. Not so with Crossfit...whoever is there that day is cheering you on and pushing you, or they may be the person you are trying to beat...total interaction.
Anyway, thank you JJ, for introducing me to a better living...and to being better to myself!"
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Workout:
"FrAnnie"
21 - 15 - 9 reps for time
Thrusters
Pull ups
Double Unders
Abmat Sit ups
Post time to comments.
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Article from Scott Kustes' Website "Modern Forager"
Part 1: What Happens To Your Body When You Fast? - Energy Production
As you know, I’m a big fan of intermittent fasting, but this is an area of it that I’ve never really looked at. I’m going to break this into several posts because there’s a lot going on here and I don’t want to burden everyone with a novella. Today, we’ll look at how the body handles energy production during the fasting period, a good starting point given that, when you get down to it, an energy source and water are the only two requirements for the body to operate. . .
Post thoughts to comments.
Posted by Jeremy Jones at 8:52 PM | Comments (20)
August 7, 2008
080808 FRIDAY "J.T."
Now is the time to bring all your friends and family to The Shed. Bring anyone who will come, especially the people who are on the cusp of getting started.
It is also going to be a going away party for Trainer Rick H. He is leaving us to go to school in San Jose (although secretly I think he might be trying to 'transfer' to CF unlimited or Jason Khalipa's affiliate - i.e. he has a man crush on him).
Workout: "J.T."
21 - 15 - 9
Handstand Push ups
Ring Dips
Push ups
Post time to comments.
Video of Annie Sakamoto from CrossFit Santa Cruz Central doing J.T.(she's my hero):
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Article from Scott Kustes at Modern Forager
What is a paradox? French, Atkins, and Inuit
. . . I tell you that story to tell you this one. One lady had not heard of the French Paradox, so I explained it as, “the nonsense notion that it’s the red wine that protects the French from disease due to their high-fat diet.” One girl asked, “And why is it nonsense?” in a humorous way. I replied, “We can go there if you want, but this isn’t really the place.” Anywho, we moved on with the discussion of wine and the beverage industry as a whole. But let’s discuss the French Paradox. . .
Post thoughts in comments.
Posted by Jeremy Jones at 9:59 PM | Comments (11)
080807 THURSDAY "2 Minute Defense"
"Travmeister" goes head to head with the workout "2 minute defense"
Workout: "2 Minute Defense"
5 rounds at 135lbs -
1 Power Clean
3 Hang Squat Cleans
2 Jerks
200 Foot run
Then rest 2 minutes
Then. . .5 rounds at 135lbs -
1 Power Clean
3 Hang Squat Cleans
2 Jerks
200 Foot run
Post total time to comments.
Video from CrossFit HQ of Pat Barber doing this WOD:
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Another Great Article from Mary Rigney at CrossFit Rockwall
Eat More, Weigh Less
I'm not eating much, I'm hungry, and I'm not losing weight.
If you've ever tried to lose weight, you've probably been in that dilemma before. What gives? It's time to take a look at what you're eating, rather than how much. You'll be surprised by how many calories some "small" meals contain. Let's compare a typical day of meals and see where you are missing out. . .
Read complete CrossFit Rockwall food article here.
Post thoughts to comments.
Posted by Jeremy Jones at 12:51 AM | Comments (10)
August 3, 2008
080804 MONDAY
It has been a week or two since we have seen the Wolfman. Where has he gone?
Workout:
Deadlift
3, 3, 3, 3, 3, 3, 3, 3, 3, 3 (that's 10 sets of 3). Keep adding weight each round.
Post Max load to comments.
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Article:
Obesity prevention efforts should begin at age 2
"More research is needed to determine the causes of early obesity including "information on family history and the dietary and exercise habits in infancy,"
Exercise habits in infancy!? That is just ridiculous. How about the dietary habits of the parents! -jj
Post Thoughts to Comments.
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FGB III is set for Saturday, September 27, 2008
Athletes For a Cure and the Wounded Warrior Project: Fight Gone Bad Fundraiser
Here is more Fight Gone Bad Videos from previous year fundraisers: Click here
Are you interested in participating at DCF?
Please post in comments.
Posted by Jeremy Jones at 7:56 PM | Comments (9)
August 1, 2008
080802 SATURDAY
Bryan and Shannon S. (doing Single Arm Snatches above) will be representing Diablo CrossFit this weekend on their 100 mile bike ride (with over 8000 ft of elevation!) wearing their new DCF T-shirts. Be sure to ask them how it was when they get back next week.
Workout (From the CrossFit Mainpage Today):
85 pound Thruster, 21 reps
15 Pull-ups
Row 750 meters
85 pound Thruster, 18 reps
12 Pull-ups
Row 500 meters
85 pound Thruster, 15 reps
9 Pull-ups
Rest 2 minutes between each round. Time each round separately and post times to comments.
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Article:
Brain plays key role in appetite by burning fat for energy and regulating free radicals
"Researchers at Yale School of Medicine have found the brain's appetite center uses fat for fuel by involving oxygen free radicals—molecules associated with aging and neurodegeneration. . .""In contrast to the accepted view, the brain does use fat as fuel," said Horvath. "Our study shows that the minute-by-minute control of appetite is regulated by free radicals, implying that if you interfere with free radicals, you may affect eating and satiety. . ."
The results also imply, added Horvath, "that each time a feeling of fullness or satiety is reached during a meal, you may be chipping away some time from your maximum lifespan as the most free radicals are produced when satiety-promoting brain cells are active."
Another clue to the lifespan and health benefits of Intermittent Fasting? -jj
Post Thoughts To Comments.
Posted by Jeremy Jones at 10:08 AM | Comments (4)
July 30, 2008
080731 THURSDAY
Our very own Moises represented DCF at his department's Sheriff's Challenge and placed 5th out of 30 (with a pulled hamstring on the last 1.5mile run)! Nice work Mo (he promised us pics soon).
Workout:
5 rounds for time,
200m run
20 pull ups
20 box jumps
20 push ups
20 knees to elbows
Post time to comments.
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Zen Habits has a great post on how to reclaim your time:
“The really efficient laborer will be found not to crowd his day with work, but will saunter to his task surrounded by a wide halo of ease and leisure.” - Henry David Thoreau
Are there a hundred different things you wish you could do with your life someday — anything from exercising to meditation or yoga to writing that novel you always wished you could write to reading more to relaxing and watching the sunrise?But perhaps you never have the time, like most people.
The truth is, we all have the same amount of time, and it’s finite and in great demand. But some of us have made the time for doing the things we love doing, and others have allowed the constant demands and pressures and responsibilities of life to dictate their days. . .
Click Here to read the article
Post thoughts to comments.
Posted by Jeremy Jones at 7:17 PM | Comments (9)
July 29, 2008
080730 WEDNESDAY
Not only did Meg just nail her first kipping pull up, she and hubby Darren (yes THAT Darren), just left for Africa to do some aid work for a few weeks.
Workout:
Front Squat
Weighted pull up
3,3,3,3,3,3,3,3,3,3
Alternate between exercises, rest as needed between sets, and keep adding weight until you reach or reach near failure.
Post loads used to comments.
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Article(s):
New York City adds Double Dutch jump roping as school sport
And that pesky Fructose is always fence hopping into the rock concert of the body:
Limiting fructose may boost weight loss
The researchers found that lipogenesis, the process by which sugars are turned into body fat, increased significantly when as little as half the glucose was replaced with fructose. Fructose given at breakfast also changed the way the body handled the food eaten at lunch. After fructose consumption, the liver increased the storage of lunch fats that might have been used for other purposes."The message from this study is powerful because body fat synthesis was measured immediately after the sweet drinks were consumed," Dr. Parks said. "The carbohydrates came into the body as sugars, the liver took the molecules apart like tinker toys, and put them back together to build fats. All this happened within four hours after the fructose drink. As a result, when the next meal was eaten, the lunch fat was more likely to be stored than burned.
Post thoughts to comments.
Posted by Jeremy Jones at 8:55 PM | Comments (10)
080729 TUESDAY
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.
Post time to comments.
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Another article from Keith Wittenstein at CrossFit Virtuosity:
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. . ."
Click here for complete article.
Post thoughts to comments.
Posted by Jeremy Jones at 8:36 AM | Comments (7)
July 27, 2008
080727 MONDAY
Tanya showing good dumbbell thruster form while Mark watches like a hawk for any flaws.
Workout:
10 rounds
100m sprint
1 minute rest
Afterward, 3 rounds of holding an L sit as long as possible.
Post total time for sprints and total time for L sits to comments.
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Article:
Stress in Men linked to higher Type II Diabetes Risk
The men with the highest levels of psychological distress were 2.2 times more likely to develop the condition than those with the lowest levels.Further analysis showed the link was independent of other factors including age, body mass index, family history of diabetes, smoking, physical activity and socio-economic background.
In the women assessed in the same study, there was no increased risk of diabetes in those with high levels of psychological distress.
Post Thoughts To Comments.
Posted by Jeremy Jones at 9:10 PM | Comments (9)
080727 MONDAY
Tanya showing good dumbbell thruster form while Mark watches like a hawk for any flaws.
Workout:
10 rounds
100m sprint
1 minute rest
Afterward, 3 rounds of holding an L sit as long as possible.
Post total time for sprints and total time for L sits to comments.
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Article:
Stress in Men linked to higher Type II Diabetes Risk
The men with the highest levels of psychological distress were 2.2 times more likely to develop the condition than those with the lowest levels.Further analysis showed the link was independent of other factors including age, body mass index, family history of diabetes, smoking, physical activity and socio-economic background.
In the women assessed in the same study, there was no increased risk of diabetes in those with high levels of psychological distress.
Post Thoughts To Comments.
Posted by Jeremy Jones at 9:10 PM | Comments (9)
July 26, 2008
080727 SUNDAY "Helen"
Have you been to the "Girls Class" yet? If you are a woman or a girl, and you can make time on Monday, Wednesday or Friday at 10am, you shouldn't miss this class with our first rate trainer Sarah.
Workout: "Helen"
3 rounds for time.
400 meter run
1.5 pood Kettlebell swing x 21
Pull-ups 12 reps
or you can try "Fat Helen"
3 rounds for time.
100 meter sled drag
2 pood (72lb) Kettlebell swing x 21
35lb weighted Pull-ups 12 reps
Post workout choosen and time to comments.
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Another DCF Shirt from around the CrossFit Community:
Send pictures of you sporting your DCF shirt everywhere (working out, checking out the website, drinking, helping your favorite charity, etc) and we'll try and post them.
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The wrong bras during exercise can damage breasts
They said that during exercise, breasts move up to 21cm (8.26inches), up and down, in and out and side to side - but most bras just limit vertical movement. . .The research team has tested about 50 bra designs on hundreds of women during the past three years. . .
Post thoughts to comments (ladies).
Posted by Jeremy Jones at 9:28 PM | Comments (19)
July 21, 2008
080722 TUESDAY
Some of our evening class "Team 1800" doing the 'walking lunges of death' workout (a workout with over 400m of weighted walking lunges).
Workout - This one is great when you don't have any equipment (such as when you are in a hotel, in a waiting room, incarcerated, etc), but you want to work on strength and not just push ups and air squats.
As many rounds as possible in 15 minutes:
5 one legged squats (aka pistols) right leg
5 one legged squats (aka pistols) left leg
5 handstand push ups
Use a wall (counter top, etc) for balance or assistance on the pistols. And a wall for balance on the HSPUs.
Post number of rounds completed to comments.
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Article:
More Seniors Hit the Gym (from USA Today)
. . .
In a study published in January, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found that regular use of Medicare-sponsored health club benefits was associated with lower long-term health care costs. Researchers determined that Silver Sneakers members who went to the gym two or more times a week over two years averaged at least $1,252 less in health care costs than those who visited a gym less than once a week over the same period.
Click 'Continue Reading' below for entire article.
By Maureen McKinney
Four years ago, Andrew Dancy, 80, received a card in the mail advertising a free gym membership through his Medicare provider, Humana, and the Silver Sneakers Fitness Program. Dancy, who had never belonged to a gym, absentmindedly added the mailer to a stack of papers on a kitchen shelf.
A few months later, after his wife of 52 years died, Dancy was wandering around the house when he saw the edge of the card sticking out of the pile.
"I pulled the card out, saw that it wasn't expired and thought, 'Well, I guess I'll give this a try,'" Dancy says. "I must have kept that card for a reason."
After a brief tour of the YMCA near his home in Cicero, Ill., just outside Chicago, Dancy began attending Silver Sneakers group fitness classes and exercising in the center's upstairs weight room. It wasn't easy, Dancy says, but after a few visits, he was hooked.
For many, it's the first time
Silver Sneakers is just one of the many programs aimed at the growing senior fitness market. The company partners with more than 40 Medicare health plans and Medicare Supplement Providers nationwide, which then offer the program to their members at no additional cost aside from their premiums, says Tricia Grayson, director of external communications for Silver Sneakers.
The average age of participants is 73, and 57% of those say they have never had a gym membership before joining, says Jennifer Fitzgerald, Silver Sneakers' account manager. After joining, 68% of members say they are exercising for 30 minutes at a time, three or more days per week.
In a study published in January, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found that regular use of Medicare-sponsored health club benefits was associated with lower long-term health care costs. Researchers determined that Silver Sneakers members who went to the gym two or more times a week over two years averaged at least $1,252 less in health care costs than those who visited a gym less than once a week over the same period.
"The insurance industry and other large organizations are focusing much more energy on preventive maintenance like this," says Cheryl Green, director of fitness and wellness at the Pav YMCA in Berwyn, Ill., where Dancy works out.
"Seniors who exercise often don't need to go to the doctor as much. They can come here and spend time with their peers, and then they feel better able to do things like grocery shop for themselves. They're also more committed to the program because they realize how precious their quality of life is."
Although the Silver Sneakers Fitness Program has been around since the early '90s, interest has been increasing steadily in recent years, Grayson says. In the past year, enrollment in the program grew by 32%, and participation also rose by 25%, she says. "We expanded into 24 new markets in 2008 and 27 new markets in 2007."
Personal trainers are taking notice, says Janie Clark, president of the American Senior Fitness Association, which specializes in education and certification for senior personal trainers. "When we started in the early 1990s, personal training for anyone was still very rare, and it was basically unheard of for seniors," Clark says. "Now we're getting calls from senior centers and gyms, clamoring for specialized trainers and information about the correct activity choices, equipment and recruitment."
Several factors are behind the shift, Clark says. For one, research has demonstrated the importance of regular exercise for seniors.
"Twenty years ago, personal trainers were afraid to do any kind of real, strenuous training with older adults," she says. "They were so cautious that the exercises they were doing were often not even effective."
Now, after much-needed research, Clark says, it is more widely known that strength training improves seniors' cardiovascular health and can help prevent falls. As older adults become better educated about the benefits of exercise, they also seek out programs on their own, Clark says.
"They want to be independent for as long as they can be, and they know that physical fitness is a big part of that."
Something to look forward to
Staying independent was a motivating factor for Dancy, who says he has increased strength and mobility after three years of frequent exercise. Now he wakes up before the sun rises just so he can be waiting when the fitness center opens its doors at a quarter to six. He is at the YMCA for an hour and a half each day, seven days a week, he says.
"It's something I look forward to," says Dancy, who also enjoys the social benefits of going to the gym. "It got me out of the house and now, I feel like I can get around easier and faster than a lot of people who are quite a bit younger than me. I feel like a spring chicken."
Posted by Jeremy Jones at 10:27 PM | Comments (4)
July 20, 2008
080721 MONDAY
Carry, Chanda, Jimmy and Mark spend some time on the floor after today's WOD.
Workout:
4 rounds for time.
10 Sumo Deadlift High Pull (135lb men, 95 women)
10 Floor wipers to each side (20 total) use the same bar as above.
10 Floor circles (5 clockwise, and 5 counter clockwise)
10 Walking lunges each leg (20 total) 45lb dumbbells men, 25lb dbs women
Post time to comments.
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Article:
Lessons from Luigi (and Mike from The IF Life)
. . .an individual who was dying at 40 years of age brought himself to a state of good health in less than one year, and through the careful exercise of self-control prolonged his life to 102 years of age with the full preservation of all his faculties to the very end. The living of each day was a joy in his life at all times.
Posted by Jeremy Jones at 8:50 PM | Comments (2)
July 19, 2008
080720 SUNDAY
Jorgy feels that you can never have enough chalk (or yelling).
Workout: Deadlift
5, 3, 3, 2, 2, 2, 1, 1, 1, 1
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Article(s):
. . .Average weight loss for those in the low-carb group was 10.3 pounds after two years. Those in the Mediterranean diet lost 10 pounds, and those on the low-fat regimen dropped 6.5.More surprising were the measures of cholesterol. Critics have long acknowledged that an Atkins-style diet could help people lose weight but feared that over the long term, it may drive up cholesterol because it allows more fat.
But the low-carb approach seemed to trigger the most improvement in several cholesterol measures, including the ratio of total cholesterol to HDL, the "good" cholesterol. For example, someone with total cholesterol of 200 and an HDL of 50 would have a ratio of 4 to 1. The optimum ratio is 3.5 to 1, according to the American Heart Association.
The ratio declined by 20 percent in people on the low-carb diet, compared to 16 percent in those on the Mediterranean and 12 percent in low-fat dieters.
The study is not the first to offer a favorable comparison of an Atkins-like diet. Research published in the Journal of the American Medical Association last year found overweight women on the Atkins plan had slightly better blood pressure and cholesterol readings than those on the low-carb Zone diet, the low-fat Ornish diet and a low-fat diet that followed U.S. government guidelines.
In other news, these researchers totally missed the memo that fat is not the enemy and that Low-Carb diets lower cholesterol:
Regular walking protects the Masai against cardiovascular disease
Their results are based on examinations of the lifestyles, diets and cardiovascular risk factors of 985 middle-aged men and women in Tanzania, 130 of who were Masai, 371 farmers and 484 urbanites. In line with previous studies, their results show that the Masai not only have a diet richer in animal fat than that of the other subjects, but also run the lowest cardiovascular risk, which is to say that they have the lowest body weights, waist-measurements and blood pressure, combined with a healthy blood lipid profile.
Oops. I guess someone should have told them that fats are good for you (not just that walking is good for you). -jj
Posted by Jeremy Jones at 8:30 PM | Comments (7)
July 18, 2008
080719 SATURDAY
Doug S does some thrusters in the hot Shed. You can see by the expression on his face that he is enjoying himself.
Workout:
10 rounds for time
10 Thrusters (35lb dumbbells men, 25lb dumbells women)
100m sprint
1 minute rest
Post total time to comments.
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Article:
Obesity increases in the United States
In 2005, 23.9 percent of adults in the United States were obese, or had a body mass index greater than 30, while in 2007, the percentage had grown to 25.6 percent, data issued by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) showed.
Being that I am not a big fan of the BMI (I am considered "overweight" at sub 10% body fat), I still think it does give a decent showing of 'non-athletic' people. I wonder how long it will be before the trend changes direction. -jj
Posted by Jeremy Jones at 8:40 PM | Comments (2)
July 13, 2008
080714 MONDAY
Darren gives the Double Diablos
Workout:
Overhead Squat
5,5,5,5,5
Post loads to comments.
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Article:
Scientists learn how food affects mental health
Omega-3 fatty acids — found in salmon, walnuts and kiwi fruit — provide many benefits, including improving learning and memory and helping to fight against such mental disorders as depression and mood disorders, schizophrenia, and dementia, said Gómez-Pinilla, a member of UCLA's Brain Research Institute and Brain Injury Research Center. . ."Dietary deficiency of omega-3 fatty acids in humans has been associated with increased risk of several mental disorders, including attention-deficit disorder, dyslexia, dementia, depression, bipolar disorder and schizophrenia," he said. "A deficiency of omega-3 fatty acids in rodents results in impaired learning and memory.". . .
Preliminary results from a study in England show that school performance improved among a group of students receiving omega-3 fatty acids. In an Australian study, 396 children between the ages 6 and 12 who were given a drink with omega-3 fatty acids and other nutrients (iron, zinc, folic acid and vitamins A, B6, B12 and C) showed higher scores on tests measuring verbal intelligence and learning and memory after six months and one year than a control group of students who did not receive the nutritional drink. This study was also conducted with 394 children in Indonesia. . .
A long-term study that included more than 100 years of birth, death, health and genealogical records for 300 Swedish families in an isolated village showed that an individual's risk for diabetes and early death increased if his or her paternal grandparents grew up in times of food abundance rather than food shortage.
"Evidence indicates that what you eat can affect your grandchildren's brain molecules and synapses," Gómez-Pinilla said. "We are trying to find the molecular basis to explain this."
Controlled meal-skipping or intermittent caloric restriction might provide health benefits, he said.
Excess calories can reduce the flexibility of synapses and increase the vulnerability of cells to damage by causing the formation of free radicals. Moderate caloric restriction could protect the brain by reducing oxidative damage to cellular proteins, lipids and nucleic acids, Gómez-Pinilla said. . .
In patients with major depression and schizophrenia, levels of a signaling molecule known as brain-derived neurotrophic factor, or BDNF, are reduced. Antidepressants elevate BDNF levels, and most treatments for depression and schizophrenia stimulate BDNF. Here, too, omega-3 fatty acids are beneficial, as is the curry spice curcumin, which has been shown to reduce memory deficits in animal models of Alzheimer's disease and brain trauma. BDNF is most abundant in the hippocampus and the hypothalamus — brain areas associated with cognitive and metabolic regulation.
The high consumption of curcumin in India may contribute to the low prevalence of Alzheimer's disease on the subcontinent. . .
Posted by Jeremy Jones at 8:02 PM | Comments (5)
July 10, 2008
080711 FRIDAY "Interval Elizabeth"
Diablo CrossFit sure had a lot of kids to cheer them on at the CrossFit Games (this isn't even all of them).
Workout: "Interval Elizabeth"
5 rounds for time:
1 minute squat cleans with 155lbs (men) 100lbs (women)
1 minute ring dips
1 minute rest
Post total reps to comments.
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Video:
The next class to come to The Shed?
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Article:
Being fat can lower your sperm count.
Simple biology fluke, or evolution at work? -jj
Post thoughts to comments.
Posted by Jeremy Jones at 9:05 PM | Comments (3)
July 1, 2008
080702 WEDNESDAY
+++GO TO THE CROSSFIT GAMES BLOG FOR COMPETITION DETAILS WED NIGHT+++
+++REMINDER: The Shed will be closed Friday, Saturday, and Sunday for the CF Games. Anyone who would like to meet us there will receive a free workout.+++
Sheriff Bryan had to stop by and give Jorgy (above) and Rick (below) speeding tickets. . .
For doing "Fran" in sub 3 minutes and the "Filthy Fifty" in sub 14 minutes!!! F-ing Strong work guys!
Workout: 2 rounds for time,
50 doubleunders
40 pull ups
30 lunge steps with two dumbbells (alternating R,L) women: 25lb dbs, men: 45lb dbs
20 Deadlifts, women: 135, men: 225
10 Handstand push ups.
Post time to comments.
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Load up on your good cholesterol to avoid Alzheimer's
The researchers found that people with low levels of HDL were 53% more likely to suffer memory loss compared with the people with the highest levels of HDL.
Post thoughts to comments.
Posted by Jeremy Jones at 9:21 PM | Comments (19)
June 22, 2008
080623 MONDAY
Carry Overhead Squatting the Slosh Pipe.
Carry will be representing DCF at the CrossFit games. If you aren't going to make it to the games, make sure you wish her luck (and stay out of her way when she's training, she'll run you over).
Workout: Rotate through each exercise, add weight each round as needed.
Back Squat 5, 5, 5, 5, 5
Strict Press 5, 5, 5, 5, 5
Deadlift 3, 3, 3, 3, 3
Post loads to comments.
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Articles:
Vitamin D evidence
"Studies increasingly are suggesting the value of vitamin D – often known as the sunshine vitamin, because that’s one way you can obtain it – in everything from bone metabolism to maintaining muscle strength, immune function, reducing hypertension and possibly even playing a role in prevention of cancer and autoimmune disease. "
Sun / Vit D to help fight heart failure
"About 5.3 million Americans have heart failure, a progressive, disabling condition in which the heart becomes enlarged as it is forced to work harder and harder, making it a challenge even to perform normal daily activities. Many people with heart disease or poorly controlled high blood pressure go on to experience a form of heart failure called congestive heart failure, in which the heart's inability to pump blood around the body causes weakness and fluid build-up in lungs and limbs. Many people with heart failure, who tend to be older, have been found to be deficient in vitamin D. . .
The new heart insights add to the growing awareness that widespread vitamin D deficiency—thought to affect one-third to one-half of U.S. adults middle-aged and older—may be putting people at greater risk of many common diseases. Pharmaceutical companies are developing anti-cancer drugs using vitamin D analogs, which are synthetic compounds that produce vitamin D's effects. There's also increasing interest in using vitamin D or its analogs to treat autoimmune disorders. . ."
Posted by Jeremy Jones at 8:53 PM | Comments (7)
June 18, 2008
080619 THURSDAY
++== 8:00 AM CLASS CANCELED TODAY!! ==++
Jimmy and Brian dominating with the 20lb weight vests.
Workout:
5 rounds:
1 minute max reps weighted pull ups (20lb vest or 45lb dumbell)
1 minute max reps OHS (65lb or 115lb)
200m sprint timed
1 minute rest
Add up total reps for the pull ups and OHS, add up all the seconds from the sprints. Divide reps by seconds for score. Post total reps, total seconds, and score to comments.
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Quadruple Whammy of sleep study articles:
Lack of sleep linked to mortality in older men
Another key study finding is that men with more robust rest/activity rhythms had much lower mortality rates. Having greater levels of activity during the day and/or lower levels of activity during the night (better sleep quality) are characteristics of robust rhythms.
Teens perform better when starting school an hour later
Delaying an adolescent’s school start time by one hour has a positive effect on his or her cognitive performance. . .
Restricted sleep causes increases in high carb 'snack foods'
According to the results, when bedtimes were restricted to five-and-a-half hours study subjects consumed more energy from snacks. The carbohydrate content of ingested snacks also increased for this group.
The authors concluded that factors such as longer exposure to an environment with unlimited access to food and changes in reward seeking and motivation may underlie the increased consumption of snacks associated with recurrent bedtime curtailment.
Bright lights and melatonin helps elderly patients with dementia
The researchers found that bright light lessened cognitive deterioration by a relative 5 percent, reduced depressive symptoms by a relative 19 percent and diminished the gradual increase in functional limitations by a relative 53 percent.
Melatonin reduced the time to fall asleep by a relative 19 percent and increased total sleep duration by 6 percent, but adversely affected caregiver ratings of withdrawn behavior and mood expressions. The addition of bright light improved the adverse effect on mood. In combination with bright light, melatonin reduced aggressive behavior by a relative 9 percent.
Post thoughts to comments.
Posted by Jeremy Jones at 9:23 PM | Comments (11)
June 15, 2008
080616 MONDAY "That was Easy"
*** 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.
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"The only fat loss guide you will ever need"
From "The IF Life" Blog (Mike's Stuff is phenomenal).
Posted by Jeremy Jones at 9:50 PM | Comments (8)
June 10, 2008
080610 WEDNESDAY "Uncle Rhabdo"
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.
CrossFit Journal 33, May 2005 "Killer Workouts" PDF article
CrossFit Journal 38, Oct 2005 "Rhabdo" PDF article
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.
-jj
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Workout:
Overhead Squat
5,5,5,5,5
At weight each set. Post loads used to comments.
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A short Video Article about, CrossFit, New Jersey CrossFit (aka CrossFit Jersey Shore) and Rhabdo.
http://abclocal.go.com/wpvi/story?section=news/special_reports&id=6173089
Posted by Jeremy Jones at 6:50 PM | Comments (7)
June 7, 2008
080608 SUNDAY
What Jenny is doing with the box over Jorgy's head, we can only guess.
Workout: Hill Sprints
Find the steepest hill you can find (the DCF hill works great, but a nice sand dune would be even better). Mark off 30 meters.
Perform 10 runs up the hill with a 2 minute rest and a walk back down after each sprint.
Post total time to comments.
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A better angle on our BBQ! Everybody (including DCF babies) is on camera! Nice horns, gang!
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Article: Brief, Intense Exercise Can Benefit The Heart, Study Shows
Short bursts of high intensity sprints--known to benefit muscle and improve exercise performance--can improve the function and structure of blood vessels, in particular arteries that deliver blood to our muscles and heart, according to new research from McMaster University. . .
"As we age, the arteries become stiffer and tend to lose their ability to dilate, and these effects contribute to high blood pressure and cardiovascular disease," says Maureen MacDonald, academic advisor and an associate professor in the Department of Kinesiology. "More detrimental is the effect that blood vessel stiffening has on the heart, which has to circulate blood".
The research compared individuals who completed interval training using 30-second "all-out" sprints three days a week to a group who completed between 40 and 60 minutes of moderate-intensity cycling five days a week.
It found that six weeks of intense sprint interval exercise training improves the structure and function of arteries as much as traditional and longer endurance exercise with larger time commitment. . .
Posted by Jeremy Jones at 6:57 PM | Comments (9)
June 6, 2008
080607 SATURDAY
Bryan, Carry and Kelly duke it out with Fran.
Workout:
3,3,3,3,3,3,3,3
Alternating between the following two exercise (doing 8 rounds of each)
Squat Clean
Split Jerk
After warming up, work in the 80% of your max single or higher. Add weight each round if possible.
Post loads to comments.
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Article:
Some defects in DNA might be able to be fixed with vitamins and minerals
"Our studies have convinced us that there is a lot of variation in the population in these enzymes, and a lot of it affects function, and a lot of it is responsive to vitamins," Marini said. "I wouldn't be surprised if everybody is going to require a different optimal dose of vitamins based on their genetic makeup, based upon the kind of variance they are harboring in vitamin-dependent enzymes." . . .
"Our soldiers, like top athletes, operate under extreme conditions that may well be limited by their physiology," Rine said. "We're now working with the defense department to identify variants of enzymes that are remediable, and ultimately hope to identify troops that have these variants and test whether performance can be enhanced by appropriate supplementation." . . .
Since this experiment, the researchers have found 30 other variants of the MTHFR enzyme and tested about 15 of them, "and more than half interfere with the function of the enzyme, producing a hundred-fold range of enzyme activity. The majority of these can be either partially or completely restored to normal activity by adding more folate. And that is a surprise," Rine said. . .
Most scientists think that harmful mutations are disfavored by evolution, but Rine pointed out that this applies only to mutations that affect reproductive fitness. Mutations that affect our health in later years are not efficiently removed by evolution and may remain in our genome forever. . .
"There are over 600 human enzymes that use vitamins or minerals as cofactors, and this study reports just what we found by studying one of them," Rine said. "What this means is that, even if the odds of an individual having a defect in one gene is low, with 600 genes, we are all likely to have some mutations that limit one or more of our enzymes."
The subtle effects of variation in enzyme activity may well account for conflicting results of some clinical trials, including the confusing data on the effect of vitamin supplements, he noted. In the future, the enzyme profile of research subjects will have to be taken into account in analyzing the outcome of clinical trials. . .
Posted by Jeremy Jones at 7:52 PM
April 22, 2008
080423 WEDNESDAY "Jax", a couple birthdays, and the FF Challenge
Jimmy and JJ represent.
Workout: "Jax"
Not technically one of the ladies or one of the heroes, we dubbed this workout after the heroic effort that my son Jax is putting my wife through on her last legs of pregnancy.
All exercises completed with 20lb weight vest.
1 minute ring push ups
1 minute power clean 135 lbs
1 minute box jumps
1 minute rest
5 rounds for time.
Post total reps completed to comments.
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"Perls said the secret to a long life is now believed to be a mix of genetics and environmental factors such as health habits. He said his research on about 1,500 centenarians hints at another factor that may protect people from illnesses such as heart attacks and stroke - they appear not to dwell on stressful events.
"They seem to manage their stress better than the rest of us," he said. "
Post thoughts to comments.
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Speaking of Birthdays, today is Team 0600 Kelly's Birthday! She opted to use her birthday to get some 'all too important' sleep, but we can't wait to see her Friday.
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CrossFit Affiliate Article:
The Toughest Two Minutes
by Jon Gilson, Again Faster
Dubbed "the toughest two minutes in sports" by ESPN, the Scott Firefighter Combat Challenge is tailor-made for CrossFitters. The participants, all active firefighters, scale a five-story tower with a 45-pound high-rise pack, pull a second pack up from the ground, rocket back down the tower, and hit every step en route. Picking up a 9-pound plastic hammer, they drive a 160-pound slug three feet along a skid. Abandoning this setup, the firefighters sprint through a serpentine course, pick up a charged fire hose, and drag it thirty feet through a pair of saloon doors. Pulling a handle, they unleash a jet of water on a circular target.
Ten feet distant, 175 pounds of dead weight waits for rescue. Grabbing the man-sized dummy around the torso, the firefighters backpedal fifty feet to the finish line, collapsing to the ground to the sound of a buzzer. The best athletes run the course in under 1:30.
Click here to continue reading. (Link: http://www.againfaster.com/articles/the-toughest-two-minutes.html)
Brandon Cunningham from Patrick Cummings on Vimeo.
Posted by Jeremy Jones at 8:34 PM | Comments (12)
April 20, 2008
080421 MONDAY
Carry, Kelly and Ana go head to head for "Quarter Gone Bad"
Workout (From the CrossFit Mainpage)
Back Squat 5-5-5-5-5 reps
Post loads to comments.
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Article:
Vitamins may shorten your lifespan
"After various factors were taken into account and a further 20 studies excluded, the researchers linked vitamin A supplements to a 16% increased risk of dying, beta-carotene to a 7% increased risk and vitamin E to a 4% increased risk."
". . .Another nutritionist who has formulated supplements described the review as a "stitch-up", arguing it only looked at studies which examined the effect they had on reducing mortality, rather than other advantages."
Post thoughts to comments.
Posted by Jeremy Jones at 9:18 PM | Comments (2)
April 14, 2008
080414 MONDAY
The workout "Randy" elicits some of the same responses as "The Bear".
Workout:
"Running Angie"
Run 800m
100 pull ups
Run 800m
100 push ups
Run 800m
100 sit ups
Run 800m
100 squats
Post time to comments.
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Article:
Adults who eat apple products have lower risk for metabolic syndrome
"Dr. Victor Fulgoni analyzed the data, specifically looking at the association between consumption of apples and apple products, nutrient intake and various physiological parameters related to metabolic syndrome. When compared to non-consumers, adult apple product consumers had a 27% decreased likelihood of being diagnosed with metabolic syndrome. . .In addition to having a 30% decreased likelihood for elevated diastolic blood pressure and a 36% decreased likelihood for elevated systolic blood pressure, apple product consumers also had a 21% reduced risk of increased waist circumference – all predictors of cardiovascular disease and an increased likelihood of metabolic syndrome. Additionally, adult apple product consumers had significantly reduced C-reactive protein levels, another measurable marker related to cardiovascular risk. . ."
Personally, I think that at least part of the apple's benefits might be part of what is mentioned in the last paragraph. -jj
". . . apple product consumers’ diets were healthier than non-consumers – they had an overall greater intake of fruit and key nutrients, including dietary fiber, vitamins A and C, calcium and potassium. These consumers also ate less total fat, saturated fat, discretionary fat and added sugars. "
Post thoughts to comments.
Posted by Jeremy Jones at 9:14 AM | Comments (7)
April 10, 2008
080411 FRIDAY
Ana is one of our newest 0600 fire breathers. GET SOME ANA!
Workout (From the CrossFit Mothership):
Deadlift: 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1
Post loads to comments
DCF bonus: Max reps of 200m sprint with 1 minute rest in-between runs for a total time of 10 minutes
Post number of runs completed
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Article: Sleep more to slim down, Scientists say
The sleep loss caused a 23 to 24 percent increase in hunger, Spiegel said, translating into an extra 350 to 500 kilocalories a day, "which for a young sedentary adult of normal weight could lead to a major amount of added weight." . . .Each extra hour of sleep cuts a child's risk of becoming overweight or obese by nine percent, according to an analysis of epidemiological studies by researchers from Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.
By contrast, children who got the least sleep had a 92 percent higher chance of being overweight or obese than children who slept enough, said the study published in the journal Obesity.
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Double unders hurt, in the beginning, as Mike E. will attest. Language may not be suitable for children:
Posted by Jeremy Jones at 8:36 PM | Comments (8)
April 4, 2008
080405 SATURDAY
Blood on the bar, blood on the mat. Jimmy sacrifices a little blood for our Hero Randy Simmons.
Injuries do not have to be a part of training, but if you are ramping up intensity and trying to find your limits, injuries can (and will) happen. Going too intense too often or too soon will usually guarantee and accident and injury. How hard an athlete pushes them self is entirely personal and arbitrary. Don't push hard enough, and progress will be slower. Push too hard and progress will stop (and possibly regress) due to catastrophic injury.
Generally I believe in the 80 / 20 rule here. 80% of the time you should be doing movements with as much intensity as possible while adhering to strict form and safety. About 20% of the time (sometimes at the end of the workout, the last round, during a PR, etc) the 'intensity dial' should be turned up to find out where your current limit is (your limit will be ever changing, and it improves most the more you test it). Sometimes you won't even hit your limit, and sometimes you will bash your shin with the bar during "Randy" and draw a little blood - then don't even notice until a few minutes after you yell "TIME!". -jj
Workout (From Catalyst Athletics):
* Power snatch + snatch balance - 60% (of snatch) x 3 sets
* Power clean + push press + jerk – 55% (of clean) x 3 sets
* Overhead squat - 80% of snatch x 2 x 3
4 rounds for time:
100 m sprint
8 box jumps - mid-thigh height+
Post numbers and questions to comments.
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Article:
Post thoughts to comments.
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Stavros after giving it his all:
Posted by Jeremy Jones at 8:11 PM | Comments (15)
April 3, 2008
080404 FRIDAY
***NO 0600 CLASS THIS MORNING - FRI APRIL 4th***
Stav no feel so good. Post "Helen."
DCF WOD
For time:
10 - 9 - 8 - 7 - 6 - 5 - 4 - 3 - 2 - 1
Pull Ups
Overhead Squats 95lbs
Ring Push-Ups
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Article: No benefit in drinking eight glasses of water a day, scientists say
I've suspected this for a long time. I drink water when I'm thirsty. When I workout, I drink a bit more before, during and after.
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What Jorgy does in the Shed when he's all alone.....
Posted by Craig at 8:00 PM | Comments (9)
April 2, 2008
080403 THURSDAY MORNING
ATHLETE PROFILE: CARRY WARNER
Carry has been CrossFitting for 3 1/2 months, she's already a monster in the gym
she brought her CFT up to 400, she dropped over 4 min on her Fran
Her goals for this year are:
20 Pull ups (consecutive)...."I think I can do 14 on a good day"
Body Weight Clean (yikes)...."haven't even come close to trying"
Filthy Fifty sub 30Min..."no comment"
And she's going to participate in the CrossFit games this summer
Favorite exercise: Pull ups (because I could never do them before!)
Least Favorite exercise: Running (but I'm working on it and it's getting better.....slowly)
Favorite work out: Muay Thai...even though my leg has an ugly bruise :)
Thanks Carry, it's fun working out with you, keep up the good work
Lose your breakfast with Luca:
For time:
BW DL 15-12-9-6-3
Pull Ups 30-24-18-12-6
Rope 5-4-3-2-1
Post time and comments
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There's been a lot of questions about energy drinks and they safety read some bad stories about it, you'll think twice before taking them energy drinks.
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Somewhat motivational.
Posted by at 8:30 PM | Comments (12)
April 1, 2008
080402 WEDNESDAY
North Santa Cruz CrossFit sweat demon spotted at the shed.
Workout:
"Randy"
75 lb power snatch, 75 reps for time
Post time to comments
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Irregular Exercise schedule linked to weight gain
"The study, conducted by Paul Williams of Berkeley Lab’s Life Sciences Division, found that the key to staying trim is to remain active year-round, year-after-year, and to avoid seasonal and irregular exercise patterns. Most of all, don’t quit. Failure to do so may be a contributing factor in the nation’s obesity epidemic."
". . .Specifically, Williams compared 17,280 men and 5,970 women who decreased their running distance with 4,632 men and 1,953 women who increased their running distance over a 7.7-year period. He found that runners who decreased their distance from five to zero miles per week gained four times as much weight as those who decreased their distance from 25 to 20 miles per week. He also found that people who started running after an exercise layoff didn’t lose weight until their mileage exceeded 20 miles per week in men, and 10 miles per week in women. "
Post thoughts to comments.
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Luca isn't the only one who can find great motivational posters!
Posted by Jeremy Jones at 7:50 PM | Comments (6)
March 31, 2008
080331 MONDAY
We've created a monster: Mo with his 449 "personal record" deadlift.
Workout: "Fran"
"Fran"
Three rounds, 21-15- and 9 reps, for time of:
95 pound Thruster
Pull-ups
Post time to comments.
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Article:
Life expectancy increase only for educated, others reap no benefit
"It's no secret that over the last few decades, life expectancy in the United States has been rising. However, recent data shows that not everyone has benefited from this encouraging trend. New findings from Harvard Medical School and Harvard University demonstrate that individuals with more than 12 years of education have significantly longer life expectancy than those who never went beyond high school."
Post thoughts to comments.
Posted by Jeremy Jones at 9:13 AM | Comments (19)
March 28, 2008
080329 SATURDAY
++ 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).
Workout:
"Helen"
Three rounds for time:
Run 400 meters
1 1/2 pood Kettlebell X 21 swings (or 55 pound dumbbell swing)
12 Pull-ups
Post time to comments.
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Article:
Continued online support helps with weight loss success
Post thoughts to comments.
Posted by Jeremy Jones at 8:33 PM | Comments (5)
March 27, 2008
080328 FRIDAY
Sometimes that Wall Ball target just seems so far away.
Workout:
5 rounds
Back Squat 5 reps
Rope Climb 3 reps (15')
Post time and loads used for back squat to comments.
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Article:
More evidence that the Resveratrol in Red wine is good for you and bad for cancer.
Happy Friday, now go have some red wine (or grape juice).
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More powerful words from Lisabeth Darsh at CrossFit Watertown.
Did you hear the story about the guy who died doing CrossFit? It's true. He didn't go hard enough on "Helen" so his trainer killed him.
All joking aside, CrossFit is one intense MoFo. Usually, your trainer is motivating you to work harder, faster, and stronger and, usually, she/he is right. As CrossFit trainers, intensity is one of our obsessions, along with pull-ups, squats, thrusters, and any of ten thousand other ways to ahem,inflict pain,ahemhelp you to achieve your fitness goals. (Although, like the wonderful t-shirt over at Training Anarchy reminds us: "Obsession is what lazy people call dedication.") We push you to go harder because the simple fact of life is that most people don't go hard enough. Yet we also understand health, recovery, and the human body; so we know that, despite all our clamoring and exhortations, you simply cannot CrossFit at the same intensity each day, no more so than you can breathe the exact same number of breaths each day. (And we've tried counting, believe us. Although it wasn't exactly a full day. We had to get some pull-ups in. And we're really not that obsessive-compulsive.) . . .
Posted by Jeremy Jones at 8:27 PM | Comments (5)
March 26, 2008
080326 WEDNESDAY
Myself showing the camera how much I enjoyed the 30 muscle up workout on Monday.
Sorry for the late post folks. The day got busy. . . and then I ended up at the hospital last night.
I ripped both my wrists during the 30 muscle ups for time workout from the CrossFit mainpage on Monday. No big deal, done it a few times. In fact, they didn't even bleed. I just lost a layer of skin. Tuesday afternoon I noticed a red line of inflammation going up my left arm.
I have seen it before, and I was pretty sure what it was. I called the advice nurse and they confirmed that I needed to go to the hospital right away because the little 'scratch' I had was "streaking" and that was a sign of blood poisoning.
After about 5 hours at the hospital, I was discharged after 1am. I got my Tetnus booster shot, an IV full of antibiotics and a bandage on my wrist. In the wait room, I also determined that "American Idol" has got to be one of the most annoying shows and that I'll never understand why people enjoy it. I think I would rather watch television in Japan (and that's saying a lot).
I guess the lesson is to pay attention even to minor injuries you have experienced in the past, and make sure you clean and cover any open cuts or abrasions before going on with your daily stuff.
I would like to mention that I do not think it was the rings that caused the infection. I believe that it happened some time in the next 24 hours when I didn't address my wrist at all.
Thanks to Jimmy and Kelly for holding down the fort and running the 0600 class for me. It is probably a good thing I didn't try and make it. I would have been very grumpy and it would have been hard not to take it out on our 0600 team.
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Article:
Women need to eat more protein. Especially when they get older (link)
"The researchers, from the University of Nottingham in the UK and Washington University School of Medicine in the US, speculated that the inability of the female body to perform the same function as effectively was linked to the hormonal changes of the menopause."
". . .From the age of 50 onwards, people lose up to 0.4% of muscle mass every year.
This can make them less mobile and at a higher risk of a life-threatening fall. At present, half of all elderly people who suffer a serious fall die within two years. "
Posted by Jeremy Jones at 1:29 PM | Comments (13)
March 20, 2008
080321 FRIDAY
+++ SEE CHANGES TO SCHEDULE ON GOOD FRI & EASTER +++
Ronnie is an awesome fighter who does Shootfighting in the Fairfield and Vallejo area (Check out the "Tracy's Karate Studios" link on our friends list). He stopped by our 0600 class to get some Fight Gone Bad love (you can tell he really enjoys the sumo deadlift high pulls).
Workout:
From CFHQ
Four rounds for time:
Run 400 meters
Rest 2 minutes
Post time to comments.
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Article(s):
It turns out we missed this announcement in January, but set your TiVos to find and record the special "Fit to Live" that aired in January.
When Fitness Means Life or Death: NYT article
If anyone can find some clips, feel free to send them to me at jeremy (at) diablocrossfit.com
(Thanks to Rodil for the heads up)
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An update on Dustin Carter. . .
(click here to watch a video we posted about Dustin a while back).
He is going to the State Championships (click on the link to the left for the full article).
Posted by Jeremy Jones at 8:06 PM | Comments (14)
March 13, 2008
080314 FRIDAY
***0600 FRIDAY MORNING CLASS CANCELED THIS WEEK (MARCH 14th)***
Jorgy loves the Concept 2 rowing erg.
Workout:
Deadlift
5,3,3,2,2,2,1,1,1,1
Post loads to comments.
Afterward - practice handstands.
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Article(s):
Are you taking your Fish Oil pills?
At DCF we do feel that natural foods are the best way to go, and any supplementation is ancillary with few exceptions. One of them is Fish Oil, or more specifically Omega-3 Fatty Acids.
Why are our diets so lacking? First of all, if you eat wild tuna, mackerel, sardines and salmon regularly (almost every day) you probably aren't lacking. These fish are full of 'fish oil' (hence the name). But if you also eat wild game meat (Buffalo, Elk, Deer, etc) you are probably in the clear as well. Grass fed beef also is a winner when it comes to Omega-3s. These meats are are not fed with grain or corn, therefore their meat is has about the same amount of Omega-3s as the fish!
You read that correctly. Grass fed beef and wild game meat is full of the best type of fat, and is probably as healthy as eating fish. So if you aren't a big fish fan, start ordering buffalo instead, and get to Trader Joe's for some pretty decent grass fed beef. Coincidentally, our hunter-gatherer (see genetic) ancestors only had access to wild fish and game, therefore their diets were chock full of these good fats.
All that being said, fish and grass fed beef are hard to get every day. And if you don't cook and eat grass fed beef right away it can take on that "gamey" flavor everyone hates. That is where Fish Oil Pills come in. Go out, buy some fish oil pills and take a few with every meal. Reap the rewards without dealing with "fishiness" or "gameyness".
Today's articles focus on Omega-3s and brain function, but the benefits don't stop there. Look through the archives for a ton of more articles on Fish Oil and Omega-3s.
Typical low Omega 3 diet of Americans place kids brains at risk
Fish Oils could protect the brain from decline
Omega 3's protect against Parkinsons, study says
Eating Fish, Omega-3s, fruit and veggies lowers risk of memory problems
Posted by Jeremy Jones at 7:52 PM | Comments (5)
March 11, 2008
080312 WEDNESDAY
Bryan loves kettlebell swings so much he just winks at the camera, while Carry shows good range of motion form in the background.
Workout:
Run 5 k
Post time to comments.
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Video: Dutch From CrossFit ATM in Texas doing 34 rounds of Cindy.
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"Hump Day" Article:
Sexual performance may hold key for men's health
“What is less well known is that not only blood vessels to the heart are affected by obesity but similar effects occur with the blood vessels to the penis with resulting erectile dysfunction and poor urinary tract function. "
Sounds like evolution at work to me. -jj
Post thoughts to comments.
Posted by Jeremy Jones at 7:48 PM | Comments (3)
March 7, 2008
080307 FRIDAY "CrossFit Total"
Moises is one of the most recent inductees to the Muscle Up Club (a few weeks ago anyway).
Workout:
"CrossFit Total"
Work up to your 1 rep max in the following exercises, taking as much time as needed.
Back Squat
Strict Press
Deadlift
Post loads and combined total to comments.
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Video: Attitude means more than limitations.
(He plays baseball too)
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Article(s):
Low testosterone linked to depression
"A study of about 4,000 men aged over 70 found those with lowest testosterone were three times more likely to be depressed than those with the most."
"They found those men whose level of free testosterone was in the bottom 20% were three times more likely to be depressed than those in the top 20%."
"A previous study of 800 men over the age of 50 found that those with low levels of testosterone had a 33% increased risk of death over an 18-year period than those with higher levels."
"Testosterone replacement therapy has also been shown to help elderly men with mild Alzheimer's disease.
Research has suggested that levels of testosterone in men of all ages are falling."
Exercise prescribed to help depression in UK
Posted by Jeremy Jones at 8:16 PM | Comments (6)
March 4, 2008
080305 WEDNESDAY "Filthy Fifty"
Darren left a puddle at the Shed so big it didn't go away after 4 hours (after we disinfected the floor). He also just completed "Linda" as prescribed at 215 bodyweight! (322 deadlift, 215 bench, and 162.5 clean) STRONG WORK.
Workout:
"Filthy Fifty"
For time:
50 Box jump, 24 inch box
50 Jumping pull-ups
50 Kettlebell swings, 1 pood
Walking Lunge, 50 steps
50 Knees to elbows
50 Push press, 45 pounds
50 Back extensions
50 Wall ball shots, 20 pound ball
50 Burpees
50 Double unders
Post time to comments.
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Video: You're never too old to start. You're never too old to lift. You're never too old to kick ass.
Now shut up and go lift.
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Article(s):
Exercise linked to lowered stroke risk
“This study is the first to suggest that there may be a significant independent association between cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) and fatal and nonfatal stroke in men and nonfatal stroke in women,”
"Men in the top quartile (25 percent) of CRF level had a 40 percent lower relative risk of stroke compared to men in the lowest quartile."
"Among women, those in the higher CRF level had a 43 percent lower relative risk than those in the lowest fitness level."
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For more information about training into the "golden years" be sure to check out Clarance Bass' website (it is on our "Friends" list for a reason!)
Posted by Jeremy Jones at 8:27 PM | Comments (15)
March 3, 2008
030408 TUESDAY
THE GOODS, THE BADS AND THE UGLY
Nutrition is just as important for your performance as your training so eat things from the left side of the picture, avoid foods from the right and work out with the guy in the middle and all of the other trainers from The Shed.
Loose your Breakfast with Luca:
4 Rounds For Time of:
10 Turkish Get-up/Lunge/Lunge/Lie Down
10 DB Power Cleans
400M Run
Post time and comments
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Alittle more about nutrition:
Food to avoid
These foods are best avoided as they have little - if any - nutritional benefit.
* Bread (inc. bagels, croissants, crackers, etc.)
* Cake, muffins, scones etc.
* Refined sugar and associated products (inc. sweets, chocolate, etc.)
* Table salt
* Fruit juices, smoothies, juice bar drinks
* Soft drink
* Breakfast cereals (eliminate processed brands and those high in sugar and salt)
Food to reduce
These foods may be eaten in moderation, and replace them with other, better options when possible.
* Processed meats (inc. salami, bacon, sausages, hotdogs, etc.)
* Potatoes, sweet potatoes, yams and potato products
* Pasta
* Rice
* Processed foods
* Coffee
* Tea
* Alcohol (especially spirits and beer)
* Dried fruits
Food to include
These foods should form the basis of you diet, they are packed with nutrients and your body is designed to digest them.
* Lean meats (trimmed of visible fat, preferably grilled not fried)
* Fish
* Seafood
* Eggs (remove the yolks)
* Soft cheese
* Fruit
* Vegetables
* Nuts ( no salted nuts)
* Seeds
* Water
Posted by at 8:30 PM | Comments (23)
February 29, 2008
080301 SATURDAY
Mo and Jimmy crank out Fran.
Workout:
5 rounds for time of:
* 7 pull-ups
* 7 thrusters (75#)
* 7 burpees
(This one comes from the "Ass Whooping Chronicles" posted on the CF mainpage)
Post time to comments.
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Article:
How the media disses low-carb diets from Dr. Eades
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Woman's Weightlifting Athens Olympics:
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(a great article from Lisabeth Darsh at CrossFit Watertown)
"Why Not Roar?"
"I’m a woman and I’m confused: I love CrossFit even though, according to the dominant theories on women and competition, I should not. CrossFit, with its quasi-military culture, posting of standings, and inherent performance-oriented hierarchy should make me want to run screaming in the other direction toward some scrapbooking club or, at least, a nail salon. (Lucky for me, I don’t like either place. In fact, I’d rather have my nails pulled out than endure another vacuous conversation centering on hair or nails or whether somebody’s butt looks big in a pair of jeans.) CrossFit is a competitive beast. We grunt, lift heavy weights, talk about “snatches” and, when someone fails to meet our standards, we call them the pejorative term for a kitty. I’m not certain this is what our grandmothers would call “normal” behavior for women. . ." (Click the link above for the full article.)
Posted by Jeremy Jones at 7:47 PM | Comments (6)
February 25, 2008
080225 MONDAY "Sleep Special"
+++ OUR CALENDAR HAS CHANGED!! 18:00H Class Now 18:30 ++++
Our namesake: Mount Diablo
Workout:
As many times as possible in 20 minutes:
Run 200m
20 sit ups
20 lunge steps
Post rounds completed to comments
Then,
Shoulder press 1-1-1-1-1 reps
Push press 3-3-3-3-3 reps
Push Jerk 5-5-5-5-5 reps
Post loads to comments.
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Articles:
Today is Monday and I am feeling particularly sleep deprived. On that note, here are some recent studies relating sleep, health and longevity.
Nighttime light linked to cancer
" The findings of the study, which combined satellite images with local breast cancer statistics, support the theory that too much light at night raises the risk of breast cancer by interfering with the production of melatonin, The Washington Post reported Wednesday.
The researchers found the breast cancer rate in areas with average night lighting to be 37 percent higher than in communities with the lowest amount of light. "
Daytime Dozing Stroke Warning
"These included while watching TV, sitting and talking to someone, sitting quietly after a lunch without alcohol and stopping briefly in traffic while driving.
The risk of stroke over the next two years was 2.6 times greater for people who reported "some dozing" compared to those with no dozing.
Among those who reported "significant dozing" the risk was 4.5 times higher.
Previous research has shown that people who suffer from sleep apnoea - short periods when breathing stops during sleep - have an increased stroke risk.
It could be that daytime sleepiness is a sign of sleeping poorly at night because of sleep apnoea.
Every year around 150,000 people in the UK have a stroke. "
Sleepers blood pressure at risk from jet noise
"Volunteers' blood pressure increased after exposure to a noise louder than 35 decibels - whether it came from overhead aircraft, or snoring."
"Aircraft noise caused an average increase in systolic blood pressure of 6.2 mmHg and an average increase in diastolic blood pressure of 7.4 mmHg."
"The researchers have calculated that for every extra 10 decibels of aircraft noise the risk of hypertension is increased by 14%."
There is no such thing as a good night's sleep
"Those who changed their sleep habits by cutting the time in bed from 7 to 5 or less hours were 1.7 times more likely to die, and twice as likely to die from cardiovascular problems."
Early rising no good for the heart: study says
"You can use those weekends to get some recovery sleep," she said. "It does seem to be, that certainly for your cognition and memory and reaction time, all those things can recover quite quickly, but you have to give yourself that good opportunity for sleep."
Posted by Jeremy Jones at 9:36 AM | Comments (0)
February 20, 2008
080221 THURSDAY
The other wonderboy and 2nd placer in the December contest Rick Heilmann
Lose your Breakfast with Luca:
Deadlift 3x3
Crazy Cindy
15 rounds for time of:
5 Pull-Up
10Push-Ups
15 Squats
Post time and comments
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I like to take some time to talk about mental state and intensity in your work-out. Your mental approach is vital to the success of your work-out, been a Met-Con or a heavy lift. If you start with an "..it's too heavy or it's too hard.." attitude you are setting yourself up for failure. So attack the weight attack the WOD give it all you got, get mad , take out all of your frustrations and then go, amazing things will happen, believe in yourself.
Luca Z.
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Video: Jon Blaise
Learn more about Jon Blaise click here
Learn more about ALS (Lou Gehrig’s Disease) click here
Posted by at 8:30 PM | Comments (12)
February 15, 2008
080216 SATURDAY "Fast Filthy"
Trainer Nate shows excellent "Post Workout Nap Form". Good job Nate.
Workout:
Do you want to know what it takes to get a 20 minute "Filthy Fifty"?
Try this one on for size:
"Fast Filthy"
Perform as many repetitions as possible in 2 minutes for each of the following exercises:
Box jump, 24 inch box
Jumping pull-ups
Kettlebell swings, 1 pood
Walking Lunge, R,L,R,L steps
Knees to elbows
Push press, 45 pounds
Back extensions
Wall ball shots, 20 pound ball
Burpees
Double unders
Post total repetitions to comments, or post total for each exercise if you can keep track.
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Video: Maybe we should get this instead of hanging our rope back up? Aren't machines great?
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Article:
Probotics may protect endurance athletes from illness
"Probiotic supplements reduce the number and length of infections suffered by long-distance runners, Australian research has found."
". . . Over the four months, all 20 received two month-long courses of pills - one containing the bacterium Lactobacillus fermentum, and the other containing no active ingredients.
All the athletes then recorded any days in which they were suffering from symptoms such as coughs and runny noses.
They then compared the toll of illness across the group, finding a total of 72 days in which people taking the "dummy" pills complained of symptoms.
When the same number of "probiotic" days was examined, only 30 were hit by illness. "
Too bad they only studied endurance runners. They are notorious for being overtrained and under rested (leading to injury and illness), and Professor Jeremy Nicholson does make the good points at the end. But I do hope they are able to do more studies using a more diverse (and larger) pool of athletes in the future. -jj
Post thoughts to comments.
Posted by Jeremy Jones at 8:28 PM | Comments (7)
February 11, 2008
080212 TUESDAY
Lorenzo another of my students embarking in a long a hard journey to top physical shape, with crossfit and a balanced zone diet he's got the right tools to make it there
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So you all made those promises to yourselves about how much better and stronger you will be in 2008 as compared to 2007.What about your lifestyle, your diet and your vices as well.
It's time for a different type of New Years Resolutions!
Here some ideas you might want to consider for yourself:
* quit smoking(everything)
* give up coffee (and other caffeine-based drinks)
* call a long lost friend and say 'hello'
* aim for 8 hours of sleep every night
* allow time to talk to your partner every single day
* eat less pizza
* get out and exercise for 30 minutes every day
* drink more water
* stop speeding when driving
* join a sports team
* drink less beer
* spend more time with your kids
HAPPY 2008!
Have you got something to add?
LOSE YOUR BREAKFAST WITH LUCA:
TURKISH FRAN:
21-15-9 reps for time of
TGU (30# 15#)) 21-15-9 each side
Pull-Ups
Post time and comments
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That's what Muay-Thai training looks like, if you want to try it, come to my classes!
Posted by at 8:30 PM | Comments (4)
February 7, 2008
080208 FRIDAY
This main website for the graphic is Weight.com. I found it on Ross Enamait's training blog
Workout: (from Eva T's blog)
Run one mile, stop every minute to do 20 air squats.
Post time and number of squats to comments.
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There is a new CrossFit Box in Santa Cruz, brought to you by Eva, Annie, Michele, Robb, and Jim!
With a line up like that, you can expect more big things in the Mecca of CrossFit.
Crossfit Santa Cruz Central.com
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And since Eva's many talents include breaking records, hearts, and plaque buildup. . here is a tooth related article:
Treating your periodontal pockets will help your pocketbook
"Researchers found that cumulative health care costs were 21% higher for those patients with severe periodontal disease than those with no periodontal disease."
Maybe we can start getting the major healthcare providers to start taking dental into account (for their own sake). -jj
Post thoughts to comments.
Posted by Jeremy Jones at 7:55 PM | Comments (5)
February 4, 2008
080203 SUNDAY "A big Fat myth"
Clip from a new movie called "Fat Head - You've been fed a load of bologna"
Workout: Complete as many rounds as possible in 20 minutes -
200m run
30 push press (45lb men, 25lb women)
20 walking lunges (25lb dbs for men, 15lb dbs for women)
10 pull ups
Post number of rounds and fractions of rounds completed in comments.
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Article:
Cholesterol appears to be critical for strength and muscle gain
"At the conclusion of the study, the researchers found that there was a significant association of dietary cholesterol and change in strength. In general, those with higher cholesterol intake also had the highest muscle strength gain.
Cholesterol circulating in the blood also appeared to have contributed to greater muscle gain in the participants, Riechman said.
“One possible explanation is through cholesterol’s important role in the inflammation process,” he noted.
“As you exercise, your muscles can become sore because they are rebuilding muscle mass. More cholesterol may result in a more robust inflammatory response. We know that inflammation in some areas, such as near the heart, is not good, but for building muscles it may be beneficial, and cholesterol appears to aid in this process.” "
Posted by Jeremy Jones at 8:22 AM | Comments (3)
February 1, 2008
080202 SATURDAY
Don't mess with this Chick.
Workout:
Max pull ups in one set
Overhead Squat going up in weight each round until failure:
5, 3, 3, 3, 3, 3,
Max pull ups in one set again.
Post most pull ups completed and highest OHS weight used to comments.
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Video:
I guess it is time to sell the bumpers and the rings. . . we need space for a fleet of these chairs! -jj
P.S. yes it is a 'real' "fitness" device.
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Article:
Current training for back pain and "back belts" shown ineffective for worker's back pain
Post thoughts to comments.
Posted by Jeremy Jones at 8:36 PM | Comments (4)
January 28, 2008
080129 TUESDAY
No matter what the WOD the end result is always the same
Lose your breakfast with Luca:
As many rounds as possible in 20 minutes of:
1/4 BW DB Deadlifts - 20
1/4 BW DB F. Squats - 20
1/4 BW DB Push Presses - 20
400m Farmers Walk (1/4 BW DB)
***The Catch: Count the number of times you have to put down the DB's during the 20 minutes workout time. Add 3 burpees everytime the DB's hit the ground. After the WOD, perform all burpees for time.
Post reps and number of burpees.
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Article:
Gain up to 9 years just by exercising
"It all appears to boil down to the length of structures called telomeres -- which protect the DNA on the chromosomes, the researchers from King's College London wrote in the Archives of Internal Medicine.
Many studies have shown telomeres get shorter over time, suggesting the cells are ageing or dying. The study, which extracted a DNA sample from their volunteers, found people who exercised more each week had longer telomeres."
". . .The study found people who exercised vigorously 3 hours each week had longer telomeres and were biologically 9 years younger than people who did under 15 minutes."
Posted by at 8:30 PM | Comments (3)
January 25, 2008
090126 SATURDAY
DCF's JJ with Matt from Motor City CrossFit where he did the following workout:
12 - 9 - 6
Rep rounds for time of:
Burpee squat clean thrusters (45lbs)
Weighted pull ups (40lbs)
Post time and loads (if modified) to comments.
(aftermath)
With Matt's "encouragement" I was able to finish in sub 10. . . with 9:59:66.
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Article:
Staying active and moderate drinking healthier than abstaining
"Non-drinkers consumed less than one drink a week, moderate drinkers had between 1-14 drinks a week, and heavy drinkers drank 15 or more a week."
"Within each level of physical activity, non-drinkers had a 30-31 per cent higher risk of IHD compared to moderate drinkers. However, non-drinkers who had a moderate or high level of physical activity had a reduced risk of IHD of 31 and 33 per cent respectively compared to physically inactive non-drinkers. People who drank at least one drink a week and were physically active had a 44-50 per cent lower risk of IHD compared to physically inactive non-drinkers."
I have been saying this all along! -jj
Post thoughts to comments.
Posted by Jeremy Jones at 11:34 PM | Comments (2)
January 17, 2008
080118 FRIDAY
A picture is worth a thousand words, I borrow this one from our friends at One World:
We are trying to achieve our goals for 2008, but remember that to get there you have to reach and break through the pain's threshold, not an easy thing to do, mentally, but a must for any crossfitter.
Lose your breakfast with Luca:
For time:
Run 400m
30 Pull Ups
Run 400m
50 Push Ups
Run 400m
70 Sit Ups
Run 400m
90 Squats
Post times and comments
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Remember, harder isn't necessarily better.
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Link: the ultimate weight loss guide
What do you think?
Posted by at 8:31 PM | Comments (7)
January 16, 2008
080117 THURSDAY
0800
Filthy Fifty
50 Box jump, 24 inch box
50 Jumping pull-ups
50 Kettlebell swings, 1 pood
Walking Lunge, 50 steps
50 Knees to elbows
50 Push press, 45 pounds
50 Back extensions
50 Wall ball shots, 20 pound ball
50 Burpees
50 Double unders
For Time
Post time to comments.
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Video: Another goal is to snatch Body Weight, but how about doing 1.6 more than body weight?
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Article:
Obesity becoming a 'Lifestyle Choice' for Americans.
Post thoughts to comments.
Posted by at 8:30 PM | Comments (13)
January 3, 2008
080103 THURSDAY
Best DCF Picture of 2007: Rick and Josh mid thruster, June 29, 2007.
Workout- Let's start the year with a bang
For time:
One Round of HELEN
400m Run
21 KB Swings (M 24kg/W 16kg)
12 Pull-ups
Put 2008lbs. over your head from the floor using any exercise/load/rep scheme you want, e.g. Clean & Jerk 100lbs. X 20 reps + 10lbs one-arm DB snatch (yes, the extra 8lbs. must be accounted for - this is 2008 after all, not 2000!)
One Round of CHRISTINE
500m Row
12 Deadlifts (BW)
21 Box Jumps
Post time and schemes.
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Article:
Free Weight Training Gets Workers With Rotator Cuff Injuries Back On The Job
"Resistance training, some of it job-specific, was successful in getting 90 percent of workers with severe rotator cuff injuries back to work, the majority (75 percent) at their previous job, after traditional physical therapy had failed to do so. Furthermore, all but one of the 42 employees in the study (98 percent) reported satisfaction with the resistance-training program and its outcome. . ."
". . . All 42 of the employees had been through surgery to repair their torn muscles or ligaments. All had already gone through weeks of traditional rehabilitation and physical therapy. Even so, none had been judged capable of going back to work and thus were eligible for disability and workmen's compensation settlements."
"Ninety-six percent of patients met or exceeded the physical function levels of their previous job, and 90 percent went back to work, most at their previous job. . . "
I can't say that I am surprised, but it is nice to see a study with some numbers. What I wish everyone understood is that an injury (work related OR FITNESS related) will not get 'better' if you just ignore it or quit using it altogether - i.e. it won't get 'better' than it was prior to injury, and you'll be lucky if it gets almost as good as it was. You have to let it heal, establish functionality, then make it stronger so that it won't happen again.
If you have an injured shoulder, exercise the other one until you can re-establish function. Have an injured knee, exercise the other one and work on upper body stuff. Stopping all training is probably the worst thing you can do. -jj
Posted by at 8:48 AM | Comments (7)
December 18, 2007
071218 WEDNESDAY "Badger"
This morning Aaron read an excerpt from "Lone Survivor" Marcus Luttrel's book about Operation Redwing and the story how Lt. Michael Murphy ("Murph") was killed in Afganistan.
It is important to remember that the Hero workouts are not just devastating workouts. They are homages to great warriors who lost their lives fighting for their country. It is with deep regret that Diablo CrossFit presents a new Hero to honor:
"Badger"
Complete three rounds for time of:
95 pound Squat clean, 30 reps
30 Pull-ups
Run 800 meters
Post time to comments.
In honor of Navy Chief Petty Officer Mark Carter, 27, of Virginia Beach, VA who was killed in Iraq last week.
Go here for more information about CPO Mark Carter, and click "Continue Reading" below for some comments about Mark Carter from the CrossFit comments page.
"It is foolish and wrong to mourn the men who died. Rather we should thank God that such men lived." General Patton (thanks to Brian McGlynn for the quote)
Now get out there and kick some ass for Mark "Badger" Carter.
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Health Article:
Fitness Level, not body fat, may be stronger predictor of longevity
SEAL chief killed in Iraq, Navy says
Staff writer
Posted : Friday Dec 14, 2007 12:03:13 EST
A Virginia-based SEAL who received two Bronze Stars with “V” devices was killed Tuesday in Iraq, according to a Navy release.
Chief Special Warfare Operator Mark Thomas Carter, 27, of Fallbrook, Calif., was killed in enemy action somewhere in Iraq. Carter was with Tactical Development and Evaluation Squadron 2, based in Virginia Beach, Va.
Carter joined the Navy in 1998, according to Navy records, and graduated from Basic Underwater Demolition/SEAL school the next year. He was assigned to SEAL Team 3, based at Naval Base Coronado, Calif., then SEAL Team 7.
In April 2004, Carter was assigned to Naval Special Warfare Development Group at Dam Neck, Va., according to information provided by Navy Personnel Command. That group, formerly known as SEAL Team 6, is an ultra-secretive unit that reports to Joint Special Operations Command, which includes Delta Force.
He received his current assignment in July 2006. Carter was selected for chief earlier this year.
“I am honored to serve with and lead men and women like Chief Mark Carter. He was an outstanding SEAL, teammate, and great American,” Carter’s commanding officer, who was not named, said in a statement. “On behalf of my command, I extend my condolences and heartfelt sympathy to his family and friends. His ultimate sacrifice, the most noble act for any American warrior, is our tragic loss, and I urge those who knew him to honor his life, in the best way we know how.”
In addition to his Bronze Star, Carter received a Joint Service Commendation Medal with “V” device, two Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medals, two Combat Action Ribbons, and an Afghanistan Campaign Medal, among other decorations.
“Losing any of the warriors serving in Naval Special Warfare is a significant loss, but losing a chief petty officer makes that loss even tougher,” said Lt. David Luckett, Naval Special Warfare Group 2 spokesman. “Like so many of his brothers in the SEAL community, Chief Carter lived the SEAL Code, and his actions on and off the battlefield embodied everything noble about serving in the Navy and in Naval Special Warfare.”
Carter is survived by his father, mother, three brothers and four sisters.
From the CrossFit Comments Page:
"badger was one of the most humble, kindest respectable down to earth team guys i've ever met and worked with. he was one of the first people to expose and introduce me to crossfit. i can vividly remember waking up and starting my day off and hearing the rev of the c2 or the slamming of home-made balls or the dragging and pulling of weighted tires...then to see badger sweating his ass off with his earphones plugged in and zoned out. that was over a year ago and seems like yesterday that i just saw him. godspeed bro and thanks for everything. it was an honor and my pleasure to have worked for you and with you...rip and my prayers are with your family and everyone else in tacdevron 2.
sk1 russell"
"While I join everyone else in wishing Godspeed to CPO Carter, I also wanted to point out (assuming the caption is correct) that the man made E-7 by the age of 27...
That should say quite a bit about the man.
AH"
"It's hard reading through all these comments, my eyes keep welling up. #16 AH said it, not only did Carter put on Chief by 27, he did it in 9 years, and all that time in the teams. He was assigned to DEV GRU and had two bronze stars with Valor devices. This SEAL was amazing. I always find it ironic that the best among us are the ones who volunteer to put themselves between our safety and those who would destroy it. Thank you, all of you who are out there keeping us safe. God bless you Chief, I hope He is welcoming you with open arms.
HooYah Chief Carter!
adamulm"
Posted by Craig at 9:57 AM | Comments (9)
December 17, 2007
071217 MONDAY
Jimmy demonstrates amazing patience and strength as he is the only one at The Shed able to do a Turkish Get Up with the Slosh Pipe.
As many of you now know, December is "Girls Gone Wild" month at The Shed. Many of us are trying to do as many of the 'girl' workouts, hero workouts, or other CrossFit 'classics' as possible before the end of the month.
Today the 0600 class we did the "Filthy Fifty" (see the Sunday workout for the full description).
On the menu for later is
"Elizabeth"
21 - 15 - 9 reps for time:
135lb clean
ring dips
Post time to comments.
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Gary Taubes Lecturing at UC Berkeley
Gary Taubes is the author of "Good Calories, Bad Calories" and is a major player when it comes to presenting research regarding low carb diets.
You can read his pivotal NYT article here.
And you can check out what I think is the "End all, Be all" proof to quell the low carb nay-sayers at the Berkeley University lecture page here. Just send this link to them. You can watch it streaming or save it. . . just so you know - its 1 hour and 48 minutes long and 181 MB.
And thanks to Robb Wolf for the tip! (he is so my hero -jj)
Posted by Jeremy Jones at 9:32 AM | Comments (7)
November 28, 2007
071128 WEDNESDAY "BarTendaz" and "CrossFit Total"
These guys are from www.bartendaznyc.com and they promote Physical Fitness, Alcohol Awareness & Self Empowerment through exercise and community.
Workout:
"CrossFit Total"
Working up to a one repetition maximum for each lift:
Back Squat, 1rep
Strict Press, 1rep
Deadlift, 1 rep
Add up the weights for each one repetition maximum for your "CrossFit Total".
Here is a link to a PDF regarding the CFT and the idea behind the creation of it.
Post your numbers for each exercise and the total to comments.
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Hump Day Article:
Too much sugar turns off the genes that control the sex steroids.
"Estimates suggest North Americans consume 33 kg (72.8 lbs!)of refined sugar and an additional 20 kg (44.1 lbs!) of high fructose corn syrup per person per year."
Post thoughts to comments.
Posted by Jeremy Jones at 10:15 AM | Comments (6)
November 27, 2007
071127 TUESDAY
Mike E. (age 59) does a pull up with 71 lbs. Something tells me that Rob was impressed. -jj
08:00 WOD with Luca
Leftover Helen, since we did it on Thanksgiving, and both Ryan and Lorenzo weren't there
I dished a second serving. We also worked on cleans technique and some abs. I made sure that they were nicely warmed up and stretched, it's getting colder and you want those muscles nice and ready, so take some time before and after to stretch.
Anyway see you on Thursday
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1800 & 1900 Play Together
As the 1800 hour class ran over time, we all joined up as one big happy DCF family and ran through this lil relay together. Some of these newbies - especially Ed - are going to kick some serious ass!
Three teams of 4 and 3 rounds
Row 400 M
Push Ups
Push Press @ 45 lbs
Pull Ups
Some folks counted reps, but we based the race on whoever finished the full boat first. Great work by all!
Ed nailed a muscle up (before Craig - hehe)
Jorgy mentioned some 40 club, based on 40 straight pull ups - I joined that tonight (he didn't, hehe)
I think Matt B. was slowed by his fresh new facial hair.
Article:
McSubway Study: Why we eat more than we think at "Healthy" restaurants
Posted by Jeremy Jones at 11:18 AM | Comments (5)
November 16, 2007
071116 FRIDAY "Fran on Friday"
Brian prods Matt about his Deadlift form (as Matt sports some sexy, and high tech, shin protectors).
Workout:
"Fran"
Three rounds, 21-15- and 9 reps, for time of:
95 pound Thruster
Pull-ups
Post time to comments.
-Also, don't forget to compare your times against everyone else's in the world at "Logs It All" or at the CrossFit Mothership-
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Article:
Low-Carb diet may stunt prostate tumor growth
This reminds me of a recent article on Robb Wolf's blog regarding Low Carb and the reduction of tumors. His great question is why the HELL are we so afraid to start clinical human trials, especially in the case of terminal patients? Low Carb or "Ketosis" diets are have been proven to not be 'unhealthy' if done correctly. -jj
Discuss in comments.
Posted by Jeremy Jones at 9:48 AM | Comments (3)
November 11, 2007
071111 SUNDAY
Jorgy broke out the "fgb" for today's wod. What does "fgb" mean? Pick it up and you'll know immediately. "gb" = green bag.
DCF Workout:
Body Carry
Carry your body weight 1/2 mile or,
1/2 body weight 3/4 mile or,
1/3 body weight 1 mile or,
1/4 body weight 1.5 miles.
Post time to comments.
Rope Climb Techniques: Rope Video
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Article:
People who fast seem to have heart health benefit
Posted by Jeremy Jones at 9:00 AM | Comments (8)
November 6, 2007
071106 TUESDAY
Craig & Jeremy on the bookends with Freddy and Jolie from CrossFit OneWorld - shortly after a "friendly" affiliate challenge wod at this weekend's CrossFit Certification. Freddy & Jolie kicked our butts (more on that in comments)! CrossFit One World is in Union City and is hosting a Stretching Seminar on Saturday, Nov 10 @ 1:00PM. Visit their site for details.
CrossFit WOD: BackSquat 1-1-1-1-1-1-1 reps
Post loads to comments.
DCF WOD - Luca
For time:
Box Jumps 25-20-15-10-5
Kettlebell Swings 15-15-15-15-15 (20kg)
PushPress 5-10-15-20-25 (65lb)
Complete one set of Box Jumps, move to KB Swings for one set, then one set of PP, repeat.
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Freddy & Jolie at CrossFit One World (Union City) challenged Jeremy and Craig to a wod during a lunch break at the Santa Cruz Certification.
DCF vs CFOW
Each team must complete the following:
12 Rope Climbs
50 Dumbell Thrusters - 1/2 Body Weight
100 Deadlifts - Body Weight
Team members may not do same exercise at same time.
CFOW spanked us! I confess a weakness in the rope climb (I did 4 and ripped up my hands - JJ did 8 - thx buddy). We nailed the Deads, but think there was a miscount (not enough to give us victory). Brutal wod, nonetheless - it took me at least 45mins to recover. Freddy and Jolie are metcon badasses!.
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So, which fat is good fat?
Article: Out With the Trans Fats, In With a Whole Lot of Others
By Julie Jargon, Wall Street Journal, Nov 6, 2007
Food companies are scrambling to replace trans fat in everything from french fries to cookies, but health experts worry that what's good for the nation's heart might be bad for its waistline.
HEALTH JOURNAL, WSJ: November 6, 2007
Out With the Trans Fats, In With a Whole Lot of Others
By JULIE JARGON
Food companies are scrambling to replace trans fat in everything from french fries to cookies, but health experts worry that what's good for the nation's heart might be bad for its waistline.
Trans fat is created when hydrogen is added to vegetable oil. The resulting ingredient, known as partially hydrogenated vegetable oil, is what makes french fries crispy and croissants flaky. But trans fat's effect on cholesterol -- it raises the bad kind and lowers the good -- has made it a food-industry villain.
Ever since the Food and Drug Administration required food companies to disclose the amount of trans fat in their products last year, the industry has been searching for replacement ingredients. Kraft Foods Inc., the world's second-largest food manufacturer by revenue, has removed trans fat from numerous products, including Oreo cookies, Wheat Thins crackers and Jell-O pudding snacks. PepsiCo's Frito-Lay has eliminated trans fat from all of its chips.
So what's going in food instead of trans fat? Some food makers are going back to ingredients high in cholesterol-raising saturated fat, such as palm oil, palm kernel oil and coconut oil. In Kellogg's Eggo blueberry waffles, for example, trans fats have been replaced with palm oil and palm kernel oil, while Oreos now contain "palm oil and/or canola oil."
Kraft says that while the saturated fat content of Oreos is higher, the overall fat content is the same, at 7 grams per serving. "The effort wasn't just about removing trans fat, but about keeping the nutrition profile the same," says spokeswoman Laurie Guzzinati.
Thuy-An Wilkins, a spokeswoman for Kellogg, says the company has removed the trans fat in most of its products without increasing the amount of saturated fat, but it's still "a work in progress."
Other products are achieving trans-fat-free status through interesterification, a process in which fatty acids are redistributed on a fat molecule to make liquid fats behave more like solid fats. Products made with interesterified fat include Promise Buttery Spread and Enova cooking oil. Unilever, the maker of Promise, conducted its own study 10 years ago that found no adverse effects from food made with interesterified fat, says Doug Balentine, Unilever's director of nutrition sciences for the Americas.
But other nutrition experts say not enough is known about the safety of interesterified fat. There was little interest in researching the ingredient until the recent push for trans-fat alternatives. David Baer, a research physiologist at the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Beltsville Human Nutrition Research Center, says his own research has studied only blended fats, and offers no insights on interesterified fats specifically. "We're interested in trying to figure out the health effects," he says. "The nutrition community is puzzled by what might be the most healthful alternative to trans fat."
K.C. Hayes, director of the Foster Biomedical Research Lab at Brandeis University, says that while the ingredient is in relatively few products now, its use may grow before the health-care community fully understands its impact. Dr. Hayes, who conducted a small study funded by the palm-oil industry that did find negative health effects from interesterified fats, says, "The point is, we should know more before we go off trans fat and onto something else."
The American Heart Association recommends replacing trans fat with monounsaturated fats, which are found in olive, canola, peanut and sunflower oils, or with the polyunsaturated fats found in soybean, corn and safflower oils. For instance, a lot of the chicken sold at KFC is now fried in a type of soybean oil, and McDonald's in the U.S. is switching to a proprietary blend of canola, soybean and corn oils for its french fries.
The biggest danger of the trans-fat swap-out could be that consumers will eat more junk food because they think it's healthier. For one thing, zero doesn't necessarily mean zero. Products can still have up to half a gram of trans fat and carry a "zero trans fat per serving" label. So if someone eats more than a serving of cookies, they could still be consuming a few grams of trans fat.
Posted by Craig at 9:56 AM | Comments (3)
November 5, 2007
071105 MONDAY - Back From Certification!
+++ OUR NEW SCHEDULE STARTS TODAY - PLEASE SEE OUR CALENDAR +++
Diablo CrossFit was well represented at the Certification Seminar at the brand new North Santa Cruz CrossFit (NSC) facility in Scotts Valley. Surrounding the devilish vixens Nicole and Eva are Josh, Jeremy, Craig, Luca, Rick and Brian (from left to right). See more pictures of the AMAZING NSC facility after the jump.
0600h WOD
21 Kettlebell Swings (men 1p / girls 35lb)
21 Ring Push Ups
1 Rope Climb
15 Kettlebell Swings
15 Ring Push Ups
1 Rope Climb
9 Kettlebell Swings
9 Ring Push Ups
1 Rope Climb
Post time to comments.
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Article:
Post thoughts to comments.
North Santa Cruz CrossFit Facility Pictures:
Unfortunately (for you) the pictures do not quite do it justice. There is still a lot you can't see in the photos (such as all the rowers, rings, ropes, and a lot of things that don't begin with "r"). Check out the video tours on the CrossFit Affiliate page for a more thorough tour (November 4th and November 5th postings).
Posted by Craig at 10:32 AM | Comments (6)
November 1, 2007
071101 THURSDAY MORNING
Ryan grinding through some 45# Thrusters.
0800h Wod with Luca:
This morning Ryan walked in and spoked this challenging words "...Bring on the pain...", so I did. I put him through his first F.G.B. I wasn't going to, but he dared me. Let's just say that he was humbled, but he knocked out a 229 - a good starting number (and, almost met Pukie).
See you on Tuesday morning.
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Article:
Smoking Causes Saggy Breasts, Not Breastfeeding
Posted by at 10:44 AM
October 31, 2007
071031 Happy Halloween!
Quote:
"In the merciless environment of intense competition, some people thrive and some people dive." - Jeremy Jones
Rick and Craig (left) lost by a single tire flip in the Halloween 100m Tire Flip Relay race against "Team J" (Jorgy and Jeremy).
Workout:
10,9,8 . . .3,2,1 rep rounds of the following triplet:
Pull ups
Kettlebell swings (1.5 pood or 55 lb dumbell)
Box jumps (20in box)
Post time to comments.
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Article:
Emotions Run Amok in Sleep Deprived Brains
So get some sleep this Halloween!
Posted by Jeremy Jones at 11:34 AM | Comments (7)
October 30, 2007
071030 TUESDAY MORNING
Tue Morning W/ Luca:
Today we had Josh, Rick and Ryan joining me for the 8 o'clock work-out.
I put them through a Clean and Jerk torture:
7 Rounds of Clean and Jerk
1min of work 1 min of rest count your total reps at the end
Follow by Tabata L-Sits
Good times,good times, see you on Thursday
Post weight and reps to comments.
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Article:
If you can't squat, you will die earlier
Post thoughts to comments.
Posted by at 9:27 AM | Comments (1)
October 29, 2007
071029 MONDAY
Jimmy, enjoying his Maui vacation (CrossFit Maui). What kinda nut drives 45 minutes in the middle of a Maui vacation/conference to do a brutal CrossFit wod? Diablo CrossFit nuts. Hurry back Jimmy & Kellie.
0600h WOD
A scaled version of the CF main site's Sunday brutal wod, for time:
50 Ring Dips
400m Run
50 Push Ups
400m Run
50 Press (men 75#, ladies #45)
Post time to comments.
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Article:
The crazy Japanese are at it again,
Seven Metabolic Samurai
I have to admit, it is pretty hardcore that someone died on the show, and the rest of them just kept going. -jj
Post thoughts to comments.
Posted by Craig at 9:42 AM | Comments (4)
October 19, 2007
071019 FILTHY FIFTY FRIDAY
JJ was in San Diego this week and visited a couple CrossFit locations. You will find lots of love in the CF world when you travel - so no excuses! "This is Mike Hom (left) and Rhjesh Huntley (right) from CrossFit San Diego, and they both kicked my ass." jj
0600h WOD: Filthy Fifty
For time:
50 Box jump, 24 inch box
50 Jumping pull-ups
50 Kettlebell swings, 1 pood
Walking Lunge, 50 steps
50 Knees to elbows
50 Push press, 45 pounds
50 Back extensions
50 Wall ball shots, 20 pound ball
50 Burpees
50 Double unders
We set a cutoff time of 40minutes, and the entire morning crew made it all the way through!!
Post time to comments.
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Article:
Hunters Donate Record Amounts of Meat to Charities
(Click "Continue Reading" for entire article)
Damn, I wish I could get some of that all natural, grass fed meat for free. Oh well, I guess it is going to a good cause. Remember folks, organic grass fed meat (just like our ancestors used to eat) is just as good for you as fish, so make sure you buddy up with your local hunter pal and mooch some of his harvest. -jj
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COME WATCH JJ FIGHT AT SIX FLAGS WILD KINGDOM ON SATURDAY @ 6PM!!
Bring the family, enjoy the park and catch the ISC Shootfighting Championships. Here's the details: Event Details
*UPDATE MAY 2008** Our friends the Tracy's Karate Studios (in Vallejo, Fairfield, Vacaville, and Davis California) will be hosting the first Shootfighting Summit on the west coast (second Shootfighting Summit ever actually). You can read my review of the first Shootfighting Summit here.
The Summit will include all the top Shoofighting coaches from around the world (Yoshiaki Fujiwara aka the 'Godfather' of MMA, Bart Vale, Yuki Ishikawa, Marcus Marinelli, Keith Curts, John Busto, Barry Polonitza, Robert Yard, and Mike Dancull to name a few). All parts of mixed martial arts (mma) will be covered in addition to kickboxing, submissions, and most importantly how to blend the two together to forge a fluid, supreme, complete fighter (not just one who has been pieced together from different parts that don't necessarily fit together).
I am looking forward to this momentous event, and so should you! Reserve your spots right away space is limited. Info on the TracysKarateStudios.com events page. -jj**
In soup-kitchen freezers, more meat from hunters
By Patrik Jonsson Thu Oct 11, 4:00 AM ET
BOGART, Ga. - As the whiff of fall descends in northeast Georgia, Victor Devine readies his bow for an annual rite he's observed since boyhood: the deer hunt.
ADVERTISEMENT
His family of five eats about 100 pounds of venison a year. But in recent seasons, Mr. Devine has returned to the woods to take one or two extra animals, for the benefit of strangers.
He's part of a national "hunters for the hungry" campaign that is racking up record amounts of donated deer, wild hog, and squirrel meat to bolster soup-kitchen chilis during the coldest, leanest stretch of the year for poorer Americans.
Such field-to-kitchen charities draw the ire of animal rights groups, but game managers say they play a role in keeping America's deep woods healthy by curtailing wildlife overpopulation. As the number of hunters declines in the US, and as wild herds grow in many locales, a new market for surplus meat helps overcome many hunters' reticence against taking animals that won't be used, they say.
"A lot of hunters think it's wasteful to take three or four deer if they can't eat it all," says the flannel-shirted Mr. Devine, a middle-school teacher. This program, he says, provides high-quality protein to people who need it, not to mention helping to "get deer out of people's pea patches."
Dozens of programs, often run jointly by states and nonprofit groups, have cropped up since Safari Club, a pro-hunting organization, began donating unused game in the 1980s. But in the past five years, as more rural "deer coolers," or processors, have signed up to take part in such programs, the total pounds donated has risen dramatically, increasing 30 percent nationwide last year alone.
"No chemicals. No hormones. It's field stuff – free-range deer," says Mary Weisenburg, a food pantry coordinator at the Urban Ministry in Athens, Ga. "[Recipients] love the venison chili, and when we serve it in burgers they don't know the difference."
Farmers and Hunters Feeding the Hungry (FHFH), a ministry based in Hagerstown, Md., collects meat in 26 states, with collections rising from 170,965 pounds in 2003 to 282,194 pounds last fall. Last year, about 4,000 hunters contributed enough venison to cook more than 1 million meals, the group says. Georgia's Hunters for the Hungry program calculates it will serve its one-millionth meal in November. Similar programs in Texas and Virginia are also reaching milestones.
"In some ways, [hunters for the hungry] is a program that's formalizing what man has been doing since the dawn of civilization," says Mark Damien Duda, executive director of Responsive Management, a polling firm in Harrisonburg, Va., that specializes in natural-resource issues and counts hunting groups among its clients. "Right now, from a wildlife-management standpoint, it's a very important program. There are fewer hunters and more deer. What could be a better solution?"
Today, the abundant white-tailed deer population is getting blamed for causing all kinds of mayhem – from traffic accidents among early-morning suburban commuters to the denuding of crucial forest undergrowth. At the same time, the US Fish and Wildlife Service reported this summer that the US hunter population dropped 10 percent between 1996 and 2006, from 14 million to about 12.5 million.
In Georgia, which has the nation's second-largest deer herd, those trends mean the seasonal bag limit per hunter has increased from three deer to 12 in the past 20 years. Still, less than 1 percent of Georgia hunters take more than 10 deer in a four-month season, says Brandon Anderson, a state wildlife biologist.
"We need the [deer] population to be lower and healthy, so one way of encouraging hunters to harvest additional deer is to have an avenue where they can donate the meat," he says.
While three-quarters of Americans support responsible hunting, according to Responsive Management, hunters still have an image problem in the broader culture. Animal rights groups, in particular, object to violations of the "fair chase" principle, including trophy hunting exotic animals in enclosed preserves and the practice of bear-baiting, in which hunters put food in a feeding station and then shoot the bears when they appear. What's more, in private, hunters acknowledge that some game processors who promote hunters for the hungry programs instead sell the meat on the black market rather than donate it to charities. (The US Department of Agriculture does not permit the sale of hunted venison due to inspection safeguards.)
"It's great to help others in need, but there are ways to help others that do not involve the recreational killing of animals," says Andrew Page, director of the United States Humane Society's hunting campaign in Washington, D.C.
Food pantries for the most part welcome the addition of lean, organic meat, says Josh Wilson, national operations director for FHFH.
"[Meat] is a food item that is usually in very short supply for food banks and food kitchens, and it's not hard to understand: Fresh meat is perishable and usually ... stores aren't going to have lots of leftovers," says Mr. Wilson.
Syble Dove, a resident of Bogart, Ga., who grew up eating venison, says the staple is part of the patchwork of charity that fills the gap between her food needs and a meager Social Security check.
Last winter, Ms. Dove took home a five-pound "chub," or package, of venison, which she dressed with barbecue sauce. She says it came at the right time, when even here in the most southern Appalachian foothills the nights get cold and the calories more precious. "It's a wonderful blessing," she says.
Posted by Craig at 11:31 AM | Comments (2)
October 17, 2007
071017 - WEDNESDAY
Deya knocks out correct push ups. She's training for San Jose FD's Fire Academy!
0600h WOD
NICOLE
as many rounds as possible in 20 mins:
Max reps pull ups
400 meter run
Record rounds and lowest set of pull ups.
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Article: Obesity epidemic isn't limited to America
Report warns Britain of rising obesity
By TARIQ PANJA Associated Press Writer
LONDON—Most British citizens could be obese by 2050, a new government report warns, and the nation's health secretary called Wednesday for a fundamental shift in the way the nation tackles obesity.
Report warns Britain of rising obesity
By TARIQ PANJA Associated Press Writer
LONDON—Most British citizens could be obese by 2050, a new government report warns, and the nation's health secretary called Wednesday for a fundamental shift in the way the nation tackles obesity.
Health Secretary Alan Johnson didn't blame British eating habits, calling obesity "a consequence of abundance, convenience and underlying biology."
"As this report starkly demonstrates, people in the U.K. are not more gluttonous than previous generations and individual action alone will not be sufficient," he said in a speech to Parliament.
The obesity analysis by the Foresight program, run by the Office for Science, concludes that excess weight has become the norm and described Britain as an "obesogenic" society.
Obesity costs Britain the equivalent of $90 million a year already. Obese people have a greater risk for life-threatening conditions, including diabetes, heart disease, and cancer.
The number of overweight and obese people has tripled in the last 25 years. One in four adults are now obese, according to the most recent Health Study for England.
By comparison, about one-third of adults in the United States are obese; two-thirds are overweight.
The Foresight report projects that by 2050, 60 percent of British men, 50 percent of women and a quarter of children and young people will be obese unless drastic action is taken.
The study's authors, who based their findings on research from 250 experts over two years, said there was scant proof that current anti-obesity policies worked. The government pledged to draw up new plans to combat bulging waistlines.
Solutions to the problem will not be found "in exhortations to greater individual responsibility or in the futility of isolated initiatives," the health secretary said.
The report made a series of proposals:
—Earlier action when young children start gaining too much weight.
—Targeting people who are at increased risk.
—Controlling high-calorie foods.
—Changing the design of towns to make them more physically demanding.
—Increasing employer responsibility.
"There is a danger that the moment to act radically and dramatically will be missed," said Sir David King, the government's chief scientific adviser and head of the Foresight report. "It is a problem that is getting worse every year."
King and his fellow authors said obesity was inevitable in developed societies like Britain, where convenience foods, labor-saving devices, cars and sedentary work are part of daily life.
"We are facing a far worse scenario than even our gloomiest predictions," said Philip James, chairman of the International Obesity TaskForce, in a statement. "We need to respond rapidly and decisively."
Posted by robarnum at 10:53 AM | Comments (1)
October 10, 2007
071010 WEDNESDAY
Sarah practices some basic Olympic Weightlifting with a new perspective on "center of gravity".
Workout:
Perform one complete Tabata Circuit for the following exercises with one minute rest in between stations.
Double Unders
Kettlebell Swings (1.5 pood, or 55lb dumbell)
Pull Ups
Wall Ball (men: 20lb women: 14lb ball, 10 ft target)
A "Tabata" circuit is 8 intervals of 20 seconds of work followed by 10 seconds of rest, so each interval lasts 30 seconds, with a total circuit time of 4 minutes (if you count the last 10 s rest). In this workout you will be completing all 8 intervals of an exercise before resting and moving on to the next exercise.
Your Tabata 'score' is the lowest number of repetitions in any given interval for the exercise in that particular circuit. Add up the minimum score from each exercise for a total score for the workout.
Post score to comments.
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Article:
Overeating, Inflammation, and Metabolic Diseases
Post thoughts to comments.
Posted by Jeremy Jones at 8:28 AM | Comments (1)
October 5, 2007
071005 FRIDAY "Fran"
Workout: "Fran"
(Compare with results on: 070613)
For time:
21-15-9 reps of
Thrusters (95# men, 65# women)
Pull ups
Post time to comments.
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Article(s):
Study links low cholesterol levels and cancer
". . .But raising HDL levels is difficult. One drug that does it, niacin, has bothersome side effects.
Attempts by several companies to design drugs to raise HDL cholesterol have not yet been successful. . .
. . . The alternative is to "become lean and become very active. That's probably as effective as anything we have at the moment. But most people who try don't succeed," Barter said. "The biggest frustration is that we don't have the magic bullet like we do for the LDL.""
Eat right, and become lean and active. . . with the alternative being a 'magic bullet' that increases your risk for cancer. The choice seems simple to me. Maybe the reason more people don't just exercise and eat right is because it is too cheap. For the prices these drugs cost, the insurance companies could hire someone to follow a person around and make them eat right and exercise. With the added benefit of not having to take care of all the additional people getting cancer. -jj
Post thoughts to comments.
Posted by Jeremy Jones at 8:22 AM | Comments (2)
October 4, 2007
071004 THURSDAY MORNING
WOD w/Luca
This morning we did a nice combinations of movements, for a good work-out:
10-9-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1 of
95lb Thrusters
K-B Swings
Box Jumps
All done for time
Cause and effect.
We had Archie, Ariel and Josh, which was working with the gravy.
Nice work everyone and see you in a couple of weeks.
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Article (s):
Pregnant Women should eat more fish
With this article:
Study shows Fish Oil supplements improve brain development of children.
Gives more reasons to eat more fish.
Without failure, the more studies that involve fish oil, the more good results we find out about. If you aren't eating fish every day, you should be TAKING YOUR FISH OIL. I recommend Kirkland Brand from Costco (the "Enteric" kind). They are cheap and doesn't give me the 'fish burps' if I take more than a few.
Personally I take 15 capsules a day because I eat a lot of other fats and it is good to balance the 'bad fats' with the 'good fats' (each Kirkland brand cap has 440mg Omega-3 fatty acids - 200 DHA and 240 EPA). But if you just take a few a day you will notice the results. -jj
Posted by at 9:54 AM | Comments (4)
October 3, 2007
071003 WEDNESDAY
+++ Leadership Class Cancelled - Reschedule to Follow +++
HAPPY BIRTHDAY SARAH!
Our assorment of homemade medicine/slam balls. Why homemade? Because, with all the tossing, slamming, dropping, etc., ALL medballs will eventually break. We save quite a bit of money by making our own. Here's the recipe: The Slammer
For time:
Run 400 meters
60 Wall-ball shots, 20 pound ball (ladies 14#)
30 Handstand push-ups - bench assisted
Run 400 meters
40 Wall-ball shots, 20 pound ball
20 Handstand push-ups - bench assisted
Run 400 meters
30 Wall-ball shots, 20 pound ball
15 Handstand push-ups - bench assisted
Run 400 meters
Post time to comments.
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Article:
Finnish Grandmothers Give Details on Evolution
Post thoughts to comments.
Posted by Craig at 9:22 AM | Comments (4)
October 2, 2007
071001 TUESDAY MORNING
Archie working on getting strong for the SWAT TEAM Test
0800h WOD w/Luca
5 Stations Circuit
2 min on 30 sec. rest
twice through
Box Jumps
Dumbells Sit ups
Rowing
K-B Swings
Tire Flipping
Count your reps for each movement, distance for rowing
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Article:
Can a high fat diet beat cancer?
Post thoughts to comments.
Got this from Robb Wolf's new website www.robbwolf.com, which is turning out to be another great resource available to all. Nice work Robb.
As far as the articles go, I completely agree with Robb on this one. Why are people so afraid to try (or even test) a nutrition program that is completely natural and healthy, when they are currently using poison as a treatment? -jj
Posted by at 9:20 AM
September 26, 2007
070925 WEDNESDAY "Cindy"
The 0600 regulars at sunrise (after the workout).
Workout:
Cindy
Complete as many rounds as possible in 20 minutes of the following:
5 pull ups
10 push ups
15 squats
Post rounds (and fractions of rounds to comments).
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Hump Day Article:
It has been a while since we had a "Hump Day" Article, so here one is:
Senior Citizens More Sexually Active than Previously Thought
Now all we need is a study relating sexual activity and longevity. . . I-MEAN-how long you are going to LIVE (not the other kind, you bunch of sickos). -jj
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And here is a bonus article (just because it is so damn interesting):
Omega-3s fight Type I Diabetes
Posted by Jeremy Jones at 10:51 AM | Comments (4)
September 25, 2007
070925 TUESDAY MORNING
Sarah swinging the kettlebell for two. Congrats J & S!!
0800h WOD with Luca
Today Archie and I had some fun with the new Dumbells
5 sets of:
5 Dumbells Deadlift
5 H.P.C.
5 Front Squat
5 Push Presses
Increasing the weight each round with a 1 min round rest in between.
Finished off with some Flutter abs for fun. Good work, Archie, keep at it your 6pack will come soon.
####
070925 TUESDAY NIGHT DANCING WITH HELEN (AND NATE IN CHARGE!)
Warmup:
Jog
Two Sets:
10 pushups
10 situps
10 back extensions
10 squats
First-timer Ed set off on the Newbie WOD and blasted his way through it in 5:24 despite a long layoff from working out. It's true what they say, firemen do do it better.
"Helen"
3 rounds of-
400M run
21 KB swings
12 pullups
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Article:
I find the study interesting, although the recommendation at the end that 7 hours is optimal is a little off the mark, especially when taking ill people into account. -jj
Posted by at 9:28 AM | Comments (2)
September 10, 2007
070910 MONDAY
Another day of fun at The Shed.
Workout:
Warm up Metacon -
3 rounds for time:
Run 200m
20 abmat situps
20 push ups
Then some max effort training with the Overhead squat (OHS):
3,3,3,3,3,3,3,3,3,3 (that's 10 sets of 3 reps)
Post results to comments.
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Article:
Food additives may cause hyperactivity: study
Post thoughts to comments.
Posted by Jeremy Jones at 10:58 AM | Comments (1)
September 7, 2007
070907 FRIDAY "Filthy Fifty" aka "The Chuck Norris"
Craig finishes his last few Double Unders as Burton, Jon (with the thumbs up), Jimmy and Kelly give him encouragement.
Workout: "Filthy Fifty" or "The Chuck Norris" (also today's WOD from the CrossFit Mothership)
For time:
50 Box jump, 24 inch box
50 Jumping pull-ups
50 Kettlebell swings, 1 pood
Walking Lunge, 50 steps
50 Knees to elbows
50 Push press, 45 pounds
50 Back extensions
50 Wall ball shots, 20 pound ball
50 Burpees
50 Double unders
Post time to comments.
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Article:
Here at Diablo CrossFit, we promote all health and fitness, and that includes your food mashers (teeth). Don't ask me about what supplements to take, argue with me about flax seed oil vs fish oil, or ask how linear periodization works for building muscle in men, if you don't brush and floss your teeth regularly (that also includes going to your dentist). Start with the basics, sleep, drink water, take care of your teeth, then we'll talk. -jj
Tooth Loss Linked to Higher Heart Disease Risk
Posted by Jeremy Jones at 10:37 AM | Comments (2)
September 5, 2007
070905 WEDNESDAY
Great Muscle Up Instructional Video from Jerry Hill who runs CrossFit classes at his Fit Force Camp
Workout: "Grace"
135lb Clean and Jerk, 30 reps for time.
After workout: Practice Muscle ups.
Post results to comments.
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Article:
Workout Performance May Depend on Time of Day
Post thoughts to comments.
Posted by Jeremy Jones at 9:19 AM | Comments (2)
September 4, 2007
070903 - TUESDAY - BACK IN ACTION
Rachelle lovingly deemed this workout 'Box Jumps From Hell'...
40, 30, 20, 10 - Box Jumps
40, 20, 10, 10 - Push Ups
21, 15, 9, 3 - KB swings
Post time and KB weights to comments
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Article:
Exercise May Boost Levels of "Good" Cholesterol
Posted by robarnum at 9:28 PM | Comments (3)
August 31, 2007
070831 FRIDAY "Gravy"
Workout: "Fight Gone Bad"
In this workout you move from each of five stations after a minute. This is a five-minute round from which a one-minute break is allowed before repeating. The stations are:
1. Wall-ball - 20 pound ball, 8 ft target. (Reps)
2. Deadlift high-pull 75 pounds (Reps)
3. Box Jump - 20" box (Reps)
4. Push-press 75 pounds (Reps)
5. Row � calories (Calories)
The clock does not reset or stop between exercises. On call of "rotate," the athlete/s must move to next station immediately for good score. One point is given for each rep, except on the rower where each calorie is one point
Post score to comments.
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Luca found this on the CrossFit New York City Website:
Which I found quite interesting. On another note, I recently read this article:
Italian Town To Pay Residents To Shed Flab
"Men living in the northwestern Italian town of Varallo will receive 50 euros ($70) for losing 4 kg 9 pounds) in a month, Mayor Gianluca Buonanno said. Women will get the same amount for shedding 3 kg (7 pounds).
If they can keep the weight off for 5 months, they will get another 200 euros ($280), he told Reuters."
The article also says that:
"Around 35 percent of Italians are overweight or obese, according to European Union figures, with waistlines expanding as the country's healthy Mediterranean diet has given way to processed foods rich in fat, sugar and salt"
Even if the two sources don't exactly agree (probably due to different definitions of "overweight or obese"), I am fairly confident that the chart accurately places each country relative to each other. With that in mind, it is remarkable that the Italians (4th from the skinniest on the chart) are taking what most Americans would consider 'drastic' measures to fight obesity.
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Bonus Rant: "Gravy" (click 'continue reading' below for more)
No, I am not talking about the brown stuff you put on potatoes and pot roast. I am talking about a different type of gravy; it is still something that you add at your discretion to ‘spice things up’ . . . This gravy is something you put on top of a workout to make it harder.
“Gravy” can be a weighted vest, an extra round, not using the assigned rest periods etc. When training for a specific event (a sporting event, ‘Fight Gone Bad’, any of the ‘Girls’), it is good to add gravy to the movements to help keep up the “varied” part that we so wholesomely preach hear at CrossFit.
“Routine is the enemy” so we want to avoid getting burned out (i.e. bored) and the negative effects of overspecializing when trying to prepare for an up and coming event. For example, a Martial Artist training for a fight that will last 15 minutes without rounds should center some of his workouts around 15 minutes, but some should go 16 or even 20 minutes at the highest level of intensity possible. If you are training for ‘Fight Gone Bad’ you may want to do it with a weighted vest, added weight on the applicable exercises, or zero rest periods. If you want to set a personal record at Fran, you should think about doing the “Fat Fran” versions (added weight to the pull ups and heavier than prescribed weights for the thrusters).
So next time you are working on a benchmark workout, think about what type of gravy you want to add, and keep track of what you did so you can reference back to it as a new benchmark (or the next time you do a “vanilla” workout). -jj
Posted by Jeremy Jones at 2:13 PM | Comments (2)
August 28, 2007
070828 TUESDAY
Luca held his first class today at 0800H!!
0800H WOD w/ LUCA
Rose's Revenge:
21, 15, & 9 reps for time of
Burpees
Pull Ups
Kettlebell Swings
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Article(s):
Mississippi Ranked Fattest State in U.S. for 3rd year in a row
Obesity Rates Still Climbing in U.S.
Both articles were written from a report called "F as in Fat: How Obesity Policies Are Failing in America, 2007".
Is it any surprise considering that Mississippi happens to be the poorest state? - State Rankings from the U.S. Census Bureau. It has been established for a while that in the US, obesity etc. has been linked to economic status. As obesity related health issues cripple our health care system, I begin to wonder at the slippery slope we have created. This is especially evident when the majority of people with obesity issues require government assisted health care, and a good portion of the severely obese get government assisted incomes. Obesity increases, poverty increases, then obesity increases, then poverty increases, etc.
Is it time for a "fat tax"? A tax that can be applied to foods that are deemed unhealthy, to help steer lower income households from the 'bad' foods. Maybe food stamps should limit the amount of 'bad' foods that can be purchased? But who would set the standards for what is bad? Considering how far behind the Government has been on their health guidelines, I am concerned that their red marker might miss the most critical offenders and end up slashing some of the foods that aren't as bad as the previous norms would have you believe (see: High Carb, Low Fat diets).
If you were wondering how your state competes (and even some statistics by county) here is an interesting site for Statistics by State of health related Issues:
Side note, I do find it interesting here that in California in 2005 we spent almost $71 million dollars on HIV Prevention and about $15.6 million on Chronic Disease Prevention / Health Promotion (with another $5.8 mil tacked on for Diabetes Control). In case you don't want to do the math. . . that is more that 3.3 times as much spent on HIV prevention than what is is spent on all Chronic Disease Prevention / Health Promotion / Diabetes Control).
I might be crazy, but I think that Obesity, Diabetes, Heart Disease (etc.) MIGHT be a little more applicable to the general population than the risk of contracting HIV / AIDS. . . Just maybe.
Posted by Jeremy Jones at 8:17 AM | Comments (5)
August 3, 2007
070803 Friday "Dig Your Grave"
+++ Sat Metacon Class @ 0630h / Strength & Power Class @ 0715h+++
Virtual Shoveling. Bar is loaded on one side only. 1 rep is going from one side, over the obstacle, then back to the starting side. Stepping with the lead foot is encouraged (as shown in the middle frame).
Workout:
4 rounds for time,
12 virtual shovels, 85lbs total (for example Oly bar + 35lb plate in picture above)
15 pull ups
18 box jumps
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Article:
US 'experts' issue new physical exercise guidelines
The good news. . . they updated the recommendations. The bad news. . . the new recommendations are about 10 years old. At least we are making SOME headway. -jj
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Adults should engage in moderately intense exercise for at least 30 minutes five days a week or vigorous exercise at least 20 minutes three days each week, experts recommended on Wednesday.
Two leading health groups issued new guidelines on physical activity, updating influential recommendations issued in 1995 while also crafting advice tailored specifically for those 65 and older.
The guidelines from the American Heart Association and the American College of Sports Medicine recommend weight lifting and vigorous aerobic exercise while also being more specific on how many days a week people should work out.
The advice comes amid rising health problems stemming from sedentary lifestyles and obesity among Americans, as well as people in many other nations.
"I think physical inactivity is the biggest public health problem we face. I think it actually accounts for more morbidity and mortality than anything except maybe cigarette smoking," said Steven Blair of the University of South Carolina, one of the experts who crafted the recommendations.
The 1995 recommendations, issued by the American College of Sports Medicine with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, had stated, "Every U.S. adult should accumulate 30 minutes or more of moderate-intensity physical activity on most, preferably all, days of the week."
The new guidelines call for healthy adults to engage in moderate-intensity aerobic physical activity for at least 30 minutes five days each week, or vigorous-intensity aerobic exercise for at least 20 minutes three days a week. The guidelines also state that exercise above the recommended minimum amounts provides even greater health benefits.
Moderate-intensity aerobic activity can be a brisk walk, light jogging or other exercise that noticeably accelerates the heart rate. Vigorous-intensity exercise like jogging causes rapid breathing and a substantial increase in heart rate.
The guidelines called for weightlifting exercise to work on muscular strength and endurance, with eight to 10 different exercises on two nonconsecutive days a week.
The new guidelines offered specific advice for people 65 and older, urging them to consider lifting weights, improving their strength to prevent falls, and working on flexibility exercises and balance training.
"If you want to stay out of the nursing home, probably the best approach is to be sure you're physically active and fit," Blair said.
Ailments linked to physical inactivity include cardiovascular disease, stroke, high blood pressure, diabetes, osteoporosis, obesity, colon cancer and breast cancer.
Posted by Jeremy Jones at 8:22 AM | Comments (3)
August 1, 2007
070801 Wednesday
Josh N doing a straight legged dead lift (maybe with a little too much knee bend at the start, but not bad).
I tend to follow Coach Rippetoe's opinion on the SLDL and the differences between a SLDL and a "Romanian Deadlift" (from the CrossFit comment archive on August 26, 2006)
"If anybody's interested in my take on the difference between a Romanian deadlift and a stiff-legged deadlift:
The RDL starts at the hang, usually out of the rack if one's available, or off of blocks.
The SLDL starts on the floor, like a deadlift.
The RDL focuses on the lower back, and as such it only goes down as deep as hamstring flexibility will allow the low back to stay in solid extension. Most people stop above mid-shin.
The SLDL focuses on the glutes/hams, essentially a deadlift without the quads. Rock solid low back extension off the floor is not possible for most people of normal flexibility.
The RDL requires that the bar be pushed back into the thighs and legs as the shoulder stays in front of the bar. In the RDL, the butt goes back, the bar goes back, the knees go back, and the shoulders go forward.
The SLDL pulls off the floor and comes up the shins close, but not right on them, because that would require the knees to be bent. It is locked out at the top like a normal deadlift.
The RDL starts and stops with the knees unlocked, because the quads don't move - it's all hamstring and low back.
The SLDL locks everything out at the top." - Coach Rippetoe
Workout:
Quick warm up workout with max reps in 6 minutes of dumbbell/kettlebell burpees (one dumbbell, alternate sides, bring DB full extension overhead instead of jumping).
Then:
5, 5, 5, 5, 5
Straight Legged Deadlifts.
post results to comments.
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Article:
Breaking up workouts may burn fat faster
(The article comments that they exercised at 60 percent of their max level of exertion, could it be that after a rest, they could do more work at 60 percent (i.e. exert more power)? At least more research is moving toward disproving LSD type of exercise for fat burning. -jj)
NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Breaking up an exercise session, by adding a rest period in between, may boost a workout's fat-burning efficiency, a team of Japanese and Danish researchers reports. . . (Click continue Reading for the rest of the article)
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NEWS FLASH
Bally's Total Fitness Files for Chapter 11 Bankruptcy
I wonder if their "membership declines and too much debt" has anything to do with the number of CF affiliates coming online in the last few years as well as the rising cost of those pretty chrome machines.
NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Breaking up an exercise session, by adding a rest period in between, may boost a workout's fat-burning efficiency, a team of Japanese and Danish researchers reports
When men exercised for two 30-minute stretches, taking a 20-minute rest break in between, they burned more fat than when they exercised for a single 60-minute session, and then rested afterward, Dr. Kazushige Goto of the University of Tokyo and colleagues found.
Current recommendations on exercise for preventing or treating obesity emphasize longer exercise sessions, Goto and his team note in the Journal of Applied Physiology. But there is evidence that following one exercise session with another workout may increase fat metabolism, they add.
To investigate, the researchers had seven healthy men complete one long workout and then two shorter workouts on exercise bicycles, measuring several different indicators of fat metabolism. All exercised at 60 percent of their maximum level of exertion.
When the men performed the two shorter exercise sessions, their blood levels of free fatty acids and other substances rose during the rest period, indicating greater fat metabolism. Levels of these substances also were higher during an hour-long rest period after the two-part exercise session.
Greater fat metabolism was recorded during each of the rest periods in the two-part session than during the rest period following the single, longer workout.
The men also showed lower levels of insulin and blood glucose during the second phase of the two-part exercise session.
While the proportion of total calories burned did not differ between the two workouts, fat represented nearly 77 percent of the calories burned in the recovery period after the two-part exercise session, compared with about 56 percent of calories burned in the recovery period after the single long exercise session.
Although a single bout of prolonged exercise is often performed in response to a physician's advice to exercise more, exercising for the same amount of time but with rest periods in between may be more effective, especially for sedentary or overweight individuals, the researchers conclude.
SOURCE: Journal of Applied Physiology, June 2007.
Posted by Jeremy Jones at 9:05 AM | Comments (7)
July 30, 2007
070730 MONDAY
Dan's last day of using the assit bands! (Pic taken several weeks ago) Dan is now a kipping master - and does not blink at wods with 50+ pull ups. Great progress, man!
0600h WOD
5 Rounds For Time Of:
Overhead Squats x 10 (95#)
Ring Dips x 5
Knees to Elbows x 10
Record time & subs to comments.
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Exercise, caffeine fight skin cancer
By RANDOLPH E. SCHMID AP Science Writer
WASHINGTON—Can adding a cup or two of coffee to the exercise routine increase protection from skin cancer? New research indicates that just might be the case. Read more below..
Exercise, caffeine fight skin cancer
By RANDOLPH E. SCHMID AP Science Writer
WASHINGTON—Can adding a cup or two of coffee to the exercise routine increase protection from skin cancer? New research indicates that just might be the case. Read more below..
The combination of exercise and caffeine increased destruction of precancerous cells that had been damaged by the sun's ultraviolet-B radiation, according to a team of researchers at Rutgers University.
Americans suffer a million new cases of skin cancer every year, according to the National Cancer Institute.
In mice there is a protective effect from both caffeine and voluntary exercise, and when both are provided—not necessarily at the same time—protection is even more than the sum of the two, said Dr. Allan H. Conney of the laboratory for cancer research at Rutgers.
"We think it likely that this will extrapolate to humans, but that has to be tested," Conney said in a telephone interview.
Nonetheless, he added, people should continue to use sunscreen.
Exposing the mice to ultraviolet-B light causes some skin cells to become precancerous.
Cells with damaged DNA are programmed to self-destruct, a process called apoptosis, but not all do that, and damaged cells can become cancerous.
The researchers report in Tuesday's issue of Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences that they studied hairless mice in four groups. Some were fed water containing caffeine, some had wheels on which they could run, some had both and a control group had neither.
"The most dramatic and obvious difference between the groups came from the caffeine-drinking runners, a difference that can likely be attributed to some kind of synergy," Conney said.
Compared with the control animals, those drinking caffeine had a 95 percent increase in apoptosis in damaged cells. The exercisers showed a 120 percent increase, and the mice that were both drinking and running showed a nearly 400 percent increase.
Just what is causing that to happen is not yet clear, though the researchers have several theories.
"We need to dig deeper into how the combination of caffeine and exercise is exerting its influence at the cellular and molecular levels, identifying the underlying mechanisms," Conney said.
"With an understanding of these mechanisms we can then take this to the next level, going beyond mice in the lab to human trials," he said. "With the stronger levels of UVB radiation evident today and an upward trend in the incidence of skin cancer among Americans, there is a premium on finding novel ways to protect our bodies from sun damage."
Conney said the researchers were originally interested in the effects of green tea in preventing skin cancer and were doing tests on regular and decaffeinated teas.
They found the regular tea had an effect, but not the decaffeinated brew.
And, he said, researchers also observed that mice drinking caffeine were more active than those that didn't get it, so they decided to study the effects of exercise too.
They put running wheels into some of the cages. The mice "love to go on it," he said, and will jump on the wheels and run for several minutes, then get off for a while, and then get on and run some more.
And they found that both caffeine and exercise helped eliminate damaged skin cells, but the combination worked better than either alone.
"What we would like to see next is a clinical trial in people," Conney said.
Dr. Michael H. Gold, a Nashville, Tenn., dermatologist and a spokesman for the Skin Cancer Foundation, said he believes "the concept of systemic caffeine should be addressed further."
"I think the concept potentially has a lot of merit," he said in a telephone interview. But mice and humans are different and studies need to be done to be sure this also applies to people.
In the meantime, he said: "If you go outside, you have to wear a sunscreen ... it has to be caffeine and exercise with your sunscreen."
Posted by Craig at 10:20 AM | Comments (5)
July 18, 2007
070718 WEDNESDAY
Josh at the top with his KettleBell.
0600H wod
For time, 3 rounds of -
400m Run
21 Kettlebell Swings (1.5p)
10 Ringdips
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Today's reading: Don't believe the hype from vegetarians. A very extensive 7 year study found women with breast cancer did not reduce their risk of dying.
Women with breast cancer fared no better on fruit, vegetable diet
Half of patients in study added vegetable juice and cut fat from their diets, but equal numbers suffered relapse, died of disease
By Judy Peres
CHICAGO TRIBUNE
Posted by Craig at 12:50 PM | Comments (3)
July 13, 2007
070713 FRIDAY
Sarah, Jorgy, and Anne show us todays workout.
Workout
5 Rounds for time:
50m farmers walk (weight should total about your bodyweight for men, and 50-75% for women)
10 burpees (full push up and jump)
Post weight used an time to comments.
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Article:
Sex to Earthquakes: What Causes Heart Attacks
Post thoughts to comments.
Team 6 results:
Sarah: 7:47 with two 44lb kbs, knee push ups
Anne: 11:33 with two 44lb kbs
Jorgy: 8:12
Rick: 11:43
JJ: 7:44
Posted by Jeremy Jones at 11:22 AM | Comments (3)
June 29, 2007
070629 FRIDAY
Jorgy & Rick find out how a 45lb bar can make a grown man cry (150 Thrusters!).
Workout:
Ten (10) 100m sprints. Rest in between sprints as needed (practice skill based exercises like handstands, Lsits, etc).
Post times for each sprint in comments.
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Article:
"It's also estimated that almost one-third of U.S. cancer deaths are attributable to smoking, while 14 percent to 20 percent are attributable to being overweight or obese."
Post thoughts to comments.
DCF Team 6 Results:
Posted by Jeremy Jones at 9:53 AM | Comments (2)
June 15, 2007
070614 Thursday "Helen"
"Helen"
3 rounds for time:
400 meter run
1.5 pood (54lbs) Kettlebell swing x 21
Pull-ups 12 reps
Post time to comments.
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Timed "baby" L-sits. How long can you go?
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Article:
Exercise Reverses Aging In Human Skeletal Muscle
Post thoughts to comments.
Posted by Jeremy Jones at 10:53 AM | Comments (6)
June 13, 2007
070613 Wednesday "Fran"
Rick doing Fran.
"Fran", for time:
21 Thrusters
21 Pull ups
15 Thrusters
15 Pull ups
9 Thrusters
9 Pull ups
Post time to comments.
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Article:
Overdose on Sports Creme Causes Death
If you are doing it right, CrossFit can make you more sore than anything else you have tried. Try not to over do it on the muscle creams. I know I have thought about it before. -jj
Posted by Jeremy Jones at 9:49 AM | Comments (2)
June 8, 2007
070607 Thursday "Taking It Easy"
Take it easy with Jackie today! Remember when workouts used to be easy? Don't remember those days? You've been CrossFitting a long time then.
Last night we welcomed two new people to the Shed: Jessica and Sean. With all the new folks joining our gym its been challenging to find appropriate workouts for everyone. Now, one of the strengths of CrossFit programming is it's infinite scalability. We can all do the same workout but say with fewer rounds, less weight, etc. Here is a workout that beginners can try right away; skill helps but is not a necessity.
We did 'Jackie' last night, a CrossFit benchmark workout. A benchmark workout is one you do every once in a while to compare your times and see how your improving.
It goes like this:
Row 1,000 meters
45# thrusters 50 reps
Pull ups 30 reps
Once through for time.
Since this is a benchmark you will go all out. This is a race against yourself and others. Several in the class were surprised by what a lively little lady Jackie is. Seems easy, not much weight, you only go through it once. Three people ended up on their backs and we had a visit from Pukie.
The finisher was fifty knees to elbows or best effort.
Rich, Deanna, Jessica, Dan(great coaching on the rower), Nikola, Carrie, and Sean. A great class and expect to see Jackie again in a few weeks time.
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Article:
Sun exposure may reduce malignant lymphoma risk
This is more evidence that getting some sun fights certain types of cancer. Go catch some rays. -jj
Post thoughts to comments.
Posted by at 8:31 AM | Comments (2)
June 6, 2007
070606 Wednesday
Josh N. Showing good "Shin to Chin" form on the Sumo Dead lift High Pulls.
Workout:
For time,
Hang Power Snatch (click "continue reading" for a written description)
10,9,8,7,6,5,4,3,2,1
alternated with -
Jumping pull ups
5,10,15,20,25,30,35,40,45,50
(i.e. first round 10 HPS, 5 jumping pull ups, then 9 HPS, 10 jumping pull ups, etc).
Use between 30% and 50% of your bodyweight for the Hang Power Snatches.
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Article:
Dental Care may Fight Diabetes, Stroke, Cancer
Spending wads of cash on healthy foods and supplements could be a waste if you are neglecting your dental health. Now go floss and brush those chompers. -jj
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A hang power snatch starts with the bar in the snatch grip (arms wide enough so the bar is about where the top of your zipper usually is), standing up so the bar is 'hanging' from your arms.
Bend the knees, and stick your butt back allowing you to explosively jump and shrug, taking the bar to full lockout overhead. Ideally, the arms should not aid in the movement. Only the jump and shrug should bring the bar overhead.
The results from the gym:
Posted by Jeremy Jones at 8:59 AM | Comments (2)
June 4, 2007
070604 Monday
Diablo CrossFit 6:00am class. . . eat our dust.
Workout (see results in extended entry below):
One round through the following exercises:
Tabata Squats
Tabata Push ups
Tabata Pull ups
Tabata Sit ups
One "Tabata" is -
For twenty seconds do as many reps of the assigned exercise as you can - then rest 10 seconds.
Repeat this seven more times for a total of 8 intervals, 4 minutes total exercise.
The score is the least number of reps for any of the eight intervals.
In this workout there is no rest between tabatas, just enough time to go to the next station.
Your score is the sum of all the individual tabata exercise scores.
Post your score to comments.
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Article:
Snooze and you might Loose (Fat)
Post thoughts to comments.
RESULTS:
Posted by Jeremy Jones at 1:12 PM | Comments (3)
May 25, 2007
070525 Friday "Fight Gone Bad"
+++ Next Shed Session on Saturday @ 0600h +++
Friday Fight Gone Bad Team 1
Workout:
In this workout you move from each of five stations after a minute. This is a five-minute round from which a one-minute break is allowed before repeating. We will be doing 3 rounds today (but you can try 5 rounds if you'd like).
1. Wall-ball 20 pound ball, 10 ft target. (Reps)
2. Sumo Deadlift high-pull 75 pounds (Reps)
3. Box Jump 20" box (Reps)
4. Push-press 75 pounds (Reps)
5. Row : calories (Calories)
The clock does not reset or stop between exercises. On call of "rotate," the athlete/s must move to next station immediately for good score. One point is given for each rep, except on the rower where each calorie is one point.
Post your score to comments.
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Article:
Post thoughts to comments.
Posted by Jeremy Jones at 8:40 AM | Comments (9)
May 22, 2007
070522 Tuesday
Craig gives rowing tips to the class
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What A Race!!!
10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1
Cleans
Dead Lifts
Ring Push Ups
Starting with cleans, team rotates through each workout, one by one (first guy did ten cleans, then second guy, third, fourth). Ran through all sets of cleans before moving to dead lifts, then ring push ups. Very intense as you reach those low #'s!
Post results to comments
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Article:
Vitamin Mania: The Truth about Antioxidants
Post thoughts to comments.
Team A - Dan, Anne, Annie & Grant
Team B - Rick, Josh, Nate & Rob
We scaled the weight as appropriate for each team (Team A used the 45 pound bar / Team B used 135 pounds, with Dan, Grant & Nate also jumping in on the 95 pound bar once they started feeling zesty)
Congratulations to Team A, who nosed out a victory! Great work by all!
Posted by robarnum at 11:10 PM | Comments (1)
April 24, 2007
070424 BMI on Kids Report Cards
NY Times Article: As Obesity Fight hits Cafeteria, Many fear note from school.
PBS Article: Body Mass Index Report Card
Now I am not a fan of the Body Mass Index (BMI) as a hard fast rule, I do believe it can help 'flag' kids as having potential weight problems.
While some people believe that putting the score on the report card is a little tough, I tend to disagree. If a child is failing math, he/she (with the help of their parents) has to do something about it. The BMI is not nearly as clean cut as math problems, but the adequate action by the parents is: Find out if your child is at risk (either overweight OR underweight). If the BMI doesn't apply to them because of their body type (athletic/muscular people can show up as 'overweight', as can very tall thin people), disregard the information and congratulate your child for being special.
It is time for us to leave behind the "don't hurt the child's feelings" ideas, and start preparing them for the REAL WORLD. Obesity, heart disease and insulin resistance (Type II diabetes) are where our children are headed. These (and many more health issues) are the price that children will pay for a 'good body image' at the risk of being healthy. They are the prices we will all pay in health care costs. It is the job of our educators and parents to protect our children and to teach them that ultimately THEY will be responsible for their health, not the government, not the advertisers, not the food itself.
As far as eating disorders go. . . these stem from ignorance and lack of education. Kids develop eating disorders from bad body image when they lack the knowledge and tools to understand their body and what healthy options are available to them. Educators and parents have to step it up and get themselves educated and be ready to step in before the child gets to the point of developing an eating disorder.
We tried the 'sheltering' thing with the "everybody is special and important". The "No Child Left Behind" thing is lowering standards and hurting the kids that would excel. This stuff is not working. It is time for adults to start 'preparing' kids for adulthood with all of it's challenges and tribulations. We need to teach them that 'responsibility' and 'hard work' are not just essay topics from a Ernest Hemingway short story.
-jj
Posted by Jeremy Jones at 1:06 PM | Comments (1)
April 22, 2007
070422 Sunday Funnies
++ Next SHED Session, Mon Apr 23 @0600h ++
I enjoyed the analogy of this clip on "Why Stay Fit?" Click on the link below and cut the crap out of your diet!
Link: Why Stay Fit?
Posted by Craig at 12:23 PM
April 20, 2007
070420 Friday - Strength Day
++ Next SHED Session, Mon Apr. 23 @0600h ++
Luca Grinding Out A Press. Click on pic for a cool demo on press power.
A shoulder press produces less power than a push press. A push press produces less power than a push jerk.
Today was strength day at DCF. Lots of recovery in between sets of 5 repetitions of Push Press. Recovery is key for strength training! I recommend a 1:20 or 1:30 ratio of exertion to rest, if possible. If your lift takes 10 seconds, then rest 200 - 300 seconds (3'20" - 5').
Friday wod
Shoulder Press 5,5,5,5,5
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Article:
Eat Well, Get Fit, Stop Smoking - Prevent Cancer
"Estimates hold that 20 to 30 percent of the most common cancers in the United States stem from being overweight or physically inactive. Research has linked weight gain to common cancers such as breast and colon cancer, as well as uterine, esophageal and renal cancers. "Women who lose weight in their adult years reduce their risk of breast cancer significantly," Colditz notes.
Furthermore, he asserts that a clear connection exists between higher levels of physical activity and lower incidence of cancer. "For example, even after diagnosis of breast cancer, physical activity has an impact on recurrence and survival," he says. "
Posted by Craig at 1:35 PM | Comments (2)
April 11, 2007
070411 Wednesday
DCF's fleet of different balls.
Workout -
21, 15, 9 of the following triplet:
135 lb. dead lifts
wall ball
kettlebell swings
Great work by Jason and Ward this AM!!! You guys rocked.
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Article:
A few 30 second jogs as good as long run
"Just six minutes of intense exercise a week could be as effective as an hour of daily moderate activity suggests new findings from researchers at McMaster University"
Posted by robarnum at 7:53 AM | Comments (4)
March 31, 2007
070331 Saturday - Killing Birds On A 5K
Get out and run! Tips for making running easy and fun...
My Motivation: great partners and beautiful hills. Picture location: Shell Open Space Preserve in Walnut Creek - Awesome Trails. Colby & Bosco (left to right).
The best way to make your 5k fun and productive? Kill two birds with one stone! In my case, I exercise my dogs, and I take in the awesome scenery (now green!)and knock out my 5k or 10k.
Read on for more pics and my tips on how to make your 5k & 10k wods easy & fun.
1. Lose the watch. Seriously - don't worry about your time until your conditioned for running. I rarely carry one.
2. Get off the pavement and treadmill! The first is painful and the second is friggin' boring. There are hundreds of miles of trails within 20 minutes of The Shed. http://www.ebparks.org/resources/resources_maps.htm">East Bay Maps
3. Start slow - I mean really slow for your first 20 minutes or so! You can always finish hard for your last 10 - 20 mins. People always start too hard and burn out. It takes a good 15 minutes to losen up, get warm and control breathing. Walk if you need a break.
4. Take your dog, if you have one! They'll love you. If they suck on a leash or are hard to control, just stick with it - they'll learn. My dogs are great on and off leash because I take them out often.
5. Buy NEW shoes with good cushion and arch support. Go to a good running store and spend money - Forward Motion in Walnut Creek, or Road Runner Sports in Concord have great professionals to fit you. Seriously - do not skip this step. Poor shoes cause pain and injury.
6. Run with your buddies or a running club once a week. When I trained for marathons, I got together with all my buddies every Saturday for a long run, a swim in Barton Springs (Austin) and a big breakfast. This tradition kept me motivated - I wanted to be part of this group.
More pics from my run last week at the Shell Open Space Preserve. Why would anyone run on a treadmill on a day like this?
Bosco hunting ground squirrels.
Now thats a running trail!
Colby on the chase.
Posted by Craig at 10:04 AM | Comments (5)
March 16, 2007
070316 Friday
++Next workout Monday the 19th!++
++ANNOUNCEMENT++
We have been inundated with spam lately (part of being a often visited site). Until we figure out how to get this MovableType software to do what we want, we must ask for people to register before making comments. Thank you for your patience. You can always email us: info@diablocrossfit.com
Our own 'black boxes'!
The first person to post the source of the quote "Lasciate ogne speranza, voi ch'intrate" or "Abandon all hope, you who enter here" gets a free sticker!
Workout: Thursday's cousin
5 Rounds for time:
20 Wall ball shots
15 Box jumps
10 Pull ups
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Articles:
Breast Growth In Boys May Be Caused By Lavender And Tea Tree Oils
Common chemicals lowering sperm count, testosterone, increasing obesity:
Chemicals are chemicals people. Just because something is "organic" or "all natural" it doesn't mean it is good for you. That being said, I wonder if there is a relation to the earlier female puberty onset that we have been noticing in the last few decades as well as the 'de-masculination' of our society and these hormone altering substances. -jj
Kevin figured out it was the inscription was from Dante's Inferno. Who (other than Kevin) can tell me where it was in that 'Divine Comedy'?
(there is another sticker available)
The contest is still On! Email me the answer at jjones@diablocrossfit.com.
Posted by Jeremy Jones at 11:15 AM | Comments (1)
February 5, 2007
070205 Monday
CrossFit veteran Brian gets some with our new "Monster Box" . . . and laughs at it's massive 30 inch height.
Workout:
10,9,8,7,6,5,4,3,2,1 of:
Wall ball
Slam ball
Kettle bell
Push ups
Post time to comments
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Article:
Diet, Exercise take off equal pounds - Study finds
"So long as the energy deficit is the same, body weight, fat weight, and abdominal fat will all decrease in the same way."
"The distribution of the fat on the body was not altered by either approach -- helping prove that there is no such thing as "spot reducing," Ravussin said in a telephone interview."
Great statements, then this one:
"Ravussin has published other studies that also dispute the idea that exercise builds muscle that helps people lose weight."
"If anything, highly trained people are highly efficient, so they burn fewer calories at rest," Ravussin said.
While I might agree that having more muscle doesn't necessarily mean you will burn more calories while "resting", I do know that there is evidence that having more muscle mass and lower body fat makes burning fat easier. Maybe it is because it takes more energy to move 'larger' muscles. Maybe it is because the muscles that have been 'challenged' and are in a state of repair take more energy to heal. I am not sure.
The gist is that a calorie is a calorie. If you want to live longer, you have to eat less and exercise more. -jj
Posted by Jeremy Jones at 3:01 PM | Comments (4)
February 2, 2007
070202 Friday
++ Next Group Workout Monday, Feb 5 @ 0600H at THE SHED++
Matt B. Cranks out some deadlifts
Workout:
For time:
225 pound Deadlift, 21 reps
Run 800 meters
225 pound Deadlift, 15 reps
Run 800 meters
225 pound Deadlift, 9 reps
Run 800 meters
Post time to comments.
(If 225lbs is too much weight to maintain form for that many reps, scale back the weight).
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Articles: Alternative Fitness Programs for Kids -
"Dance Dance Revolution" to slim down kids
My teenage cousin was on the path to a life of obesity and diabetes before achieving mastery of DDR (Dance Dance Revolution). Now he is in great shape . . . seriously. As serious as about 50 lbs of weight lost in a matter of months. His new found fitness has allowed him to be more self confident and to take up many more physical activities such as bike riding and other sports.
Some might argue that DDR (Dance Dance Revolution) and Skateboarding are not 'functional' for the real world. They aren't technically. Considering the current state of our obesity plaguing our youth, I'll take any kind of fitness we can get these kids to try - in the hopes that they will continue to enjoy a healthy lifestyle and exert themselves on a regular basis. I see these activities as 'gateway' sports (get them hooked early on, before the 'hard' stuff).
Besides, you haven't lived until some gangly kid 'pwns' you on DDR, or or you bash the hell out of your shin trying a kick flip. -jj
Posted by Jeremy Jones at 11:58 AM | Comments (1)
January 19, 2007
070119 "Farwell Gone Bad!"
Stavros says goodbye to Devil Duck.
He is leaving us for a while to complete the training course a the Sacramento Fire Academy (one of the toughest I hear). He should be stopping by periodically to get a workout in or to say hello.
Hopefully we were able to give him a little edge when he enters the CrossFit training now being used at the Sacramento Fire Academy.
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Workout: FIGHT GONE BAD!
(From the CrossFit FAQs page).
"In this workout you move from each of five stations after a minute. This is a five-minute round from which a one-minute break is allowed before repeating. We've used this in 3 and 5 round versions. The stations are:
1. Wall-ball: 20 pound ball, 8 ft target. (Reps)
2. Deadlift high-pull: 75 pounds (Reps)
3. Box Jump: 20" box (Reps)
4. Push-press: 75 pounds (Reps)
5. Row: (Calories)
The clock does not reset or stop between exercises. On call of "rotate," the athlete's must move to next station immediately for good score. One point is given for each rep, except on the rower where each calorie is one point."
We did 3 rounds. If you think your tough enough, you can try a 10' wall ball target and 85lb SDHP like some of the guys did today (do to a slight clerical error).
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Article:
Following Wednesday's article, I wanted to throw out a cancer prevention method that most people neglect . . . flossing.
Gum disease linked with pancreatic cancer in study
"They found that men who had periodontal disease had a 63 percent higher risk of developing pancreatic cancer than men with healthy teeth and gums. Men who lost teeth within the past four years were especially likely to develop pancreatic cancer, they reported in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute. . ."
"Most convincing was our finding that never-smokers (with gum disease) had a two-fold increase in risk of pancreatic cancer," said Dominique Michaud of the Harvard School of Public Health, who led the study. . ."
"Nonetheless, this study is not proof, Michaud said.
"More research is needed both to confirm this finding in other populations and also to explore the role of inflammation in this particular cancer," she said. . ."
I do like it when the researchers admit that the study doesn't prove anything, just that there is some kind of relation.
I don't know about everyone else, but I am going to start carrying floss on me more often. I already started flossing more after hearing about it from Coach Dan John, and then Super Athlete / Dental Hygienist / Everyone's Favorite Exercise Model - Eva Twardokens wrote an article about it in the Performance Menu.
Posted by Jeremy Jones at 10:09 AM | Comments (5)
January 17, 2007
070117 Wednesday "More cancer, less deaths"
The first test shirts are in. They aren't available to the public yet, but we should be getting a full order soon.
Workout:
Clean
1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1
If you aren't familiar with the clean, keep the weight low and do 5 sets of 5 hang power cleans.
If you still have some juice left, or don't have access to a bar, try this-
5 rounds for time:
10 power cleans from the floor with press overhead (use a weight that allows you to maintain form throughout each round)
10 ring dips
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Article:
Cancer Deaths Drop for Second Straight Year
I don't think anyone can complain that having less cancer deaths is bad. That is just wonderful. The interesting thing is that the overall instances of cancer is still going up (an estimated 1.4 million new cases in the next year).
This means that our medical community is doing a progressively better job at handling cancer once it has been discovered, but not addressing the causes of cancer more thoroughly.
I know that some research is being done. It seems like every week a new verdict stating this food or that habit causes cancer. Only to have the findings overturned the next week. At least they pinned down that tricky tobacco stuff.
Can we really blame the medical industry for trying to 'cure' cancer rather than 'prevent' it?
I don't think so.
When was the last time you went to the Doctor and said "I feel great and I just wanted to let you study me to help others feel as good as I do."? Doctors just don't usually deal with healthy people.
I think the real problem is with the potential patients. We usually don't do what is good for us until there is a problem. Stop smoking, eat healthier, get exercise, stop putting things up your nose, etc. Everyone knows that they should do these things, yet most people choose not to do them. It is even worse when they latch on to one thing and assume it is going to solve the rest of the problems ("It is okay that I smoke a pack a day, I get some exercise and eat tomatoes.").
So I guess the answer for most of society is to work toward curing the symptom (cancer) and not spend money trying to nail down what exactly is causing the symptom (cancer) in more and more people every year. They wouldn't listen anyway.
I expect the future to be a time where everyone gets cancer and/or diabetes before they turn 40. Then they will just have to get the treatments/shots/diet/exercise plan like everyone does, and try to live their life as healthy as possible from that point on.
Posted by Jeremy Jones at 9:07 AM | Comments (1)
January 4, 2007
060104 Thursday - "De Plane Boss! De Plane!"
Not only are Americans contributing to oil consumption with their cars. The national obesity problem has had a serious impact in fuel costs for airlines.
Obesity Raising Airline fuel costs
"Through the 1990s, the average weight of Americans increased by 10 pounds, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The extra weight caused airlines to spend $275 million to burn 350 million more gallons of fuel in 2000 just to carry the additional weight of Americans, the federal agency estimated in a recent issue of the American Journal of Preventive Medicine."
350 MILLION more GALLONS in the year 2000 alone!
$275 MILLION in additional cost!
No wonder the airlines are crying "Mercy!" and threatening bankruptcy.
Posted by Jeremy Jones at 11:51 AM
December 20, 2006
061220 Wednedsay - "Hump Day"
++ Next Group Workout: Friday 12/22 @ 0600H @ DCF HQ ++
Workout:
3 rounds for time -
400m row
15 push press with 1.5 pood (53lb) kettlebell, alternate arms as needed
15 push ups on paralletes (full range of motion)
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The bed is the single greatest piece of exercise equipment ever invented. - Men's Health magazine
"Sex does it a body good" from MSN
The above article details quite a few benefits to "Horizontal Jogging" that many people might not know about. Don't expect any of these workouts happening at DCF, this is for 'homework' only.
Posted by Jeremy Jones at 9:05 AM | Comments (1)
December 19, 2006
Tuesday 061219 - Report From Tahoe
++ Next Group Workout: Wed 12/20 @ 0600H @ DCF HQ ++
Why CrossFit?
For Your Children!
I took my 3 year old daughter sledding today -we had a blast! At 3 years old, she couldn't climb the steep, slippery hill to really enjoy the experience. So, Papa carried her, sled and all - again and again and again - until she was too cold to carry on. All those deadlifts, cleans, lunges and hill climbing runs yielded a spectacular day for my daughter with her Papa. I was thrilled for the workout and we shared an awesome experience.
Frankly, I felt sad for other kids whose parents were unable to ascend multiple times with their kids. Most stood by, trying to stay warm while their children played - and when the kids couldn't climb anymore, the parents took them home. Bummer.
So, why CrossFit? Well, one good reason: so you can keep up with your kids!! You owe it to your children to be fit. Set an example. CrossFit.
Craig
Posted by Craig at 7:54 PM | Comments (1)
December 7, 2006
061207 Friday - Weight Lost?
A recent study of girls who weigh themselves often was concluded in St. Paul, MN.
Girls study: More weighing, more trouble
Some of the findings included statistics like:
"The junior high girls who reported weighing themselves frequently gained an average of 33.3 pounds over five years, compared with just 18.6 pounds for girls their age who didn't weigh in frequently. There was no statistically significant weight difference among girls who were in high school when they were first surveyed."
My verdict. . . liberate your scale. When you relentlessly chase performance, form will follow.
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Our next workout will be Monday December 11th. While we start the move in to our new box! Pictures soon to follow.
Posted by Jeremy Jones at 4:10 PM | Comments (1)
November 21, 2006
061124 Tuesday "Fat is not a 4-letter word."
Great article on the problem with the bureaucracy of the American Diabetes Association.
Men's Health Article: The Cure For Diabetes
Exerpts. . .
"A University of Pennsylvania study reports that doctors prescribe a low-fat diet to their patients 67 percent of the time, yet when it comes to their own diet, they more often go low-carbohydrate."
". . . Feinman is referring to studies on Greenland Eskimos, who prior to the 1980s had perhaps the lowest prevalence of both heart disease and diabetes on the planet. One 25-year study found that only one out of the 1,800 people monitored developed diabetes. Their diet: almost entirely fat and protein, and only about 3 percent carbohydrates."
". . .in 2003, researchers at Duke University set out to test Dr. Vernon's findings in a laboratory setting. The results of their 16-week study: 17 out of the 21 diabetic patients who participated were able to significantly reduce their medication or discontinue it altogether."
Mmm. . . keep eating starchy foods and sugar, or self administer injections every day for the rest of my life? I know my answer.
Posted by Jeremy Jones at 11:07 AM | Comments (1)
November 9, 2006
061009 Thursday
++ Next Workout is Tomorrow, Fri, 0600H @ Larkey Park ++
WORKOUT:
Row 500m as fast as you can 3 times. Rest inbetween rounds as needed.
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LOW CARB, HIGH FAT DIETS GREATLY REDUCE RISK OF HEART DISEASE!
The article below was buried in today's Contra Costa Times. The article references a New England Journal of Medicine study that discovered that contrary to popular belief, eating higher amounts of fat doesn't increase cardiac risk for women and eating higher amounts of vegitable fat greatly reduced the chance of heart disease!
Why is this not front page news? Why is there still strong media resistance to accept what Dr. Sears and Dr. Atkins have tried to tell us for many years?
Low-carb diets not a cardiac risk, study finds. Researchers add that eating higher amounts of vegetable fat cuts women's chances of heart disease.
By Denise Gellene
LOS ANGELES TIMES
Low-carb diets not a cardiac risk, study finds
Researchers add that eating higher amounts of vegetable fat cuts women's chances of heart disease
By Denise Gellene
LOS ANGELES TIMES
Casting fresh doubt on a widely held dietary belief, a new study of low-carbohydrate diets found that eating higher amounts of fat doesn't increase cardiac risk for women.
The report in today's New England Journal of Medicine also found that consuming higher amounts of vegetable fat greatly reduced the chance of heart disease.
The findings mean "you don't have to restrict everything to lose weight or reduce your risk for heart disease," said Kathleen Rigol, a spokeswoman for the American Heart Association, who was not connected with the study.
But Gary Foster, an obesity researcher at Temple University in Philadelphia, cautioned against interpreting the study as an excuse to load up on bacon and fatty meats, which are key attractions of the popular low-carbohydrate Atkins diet.
"It would be a mistake to go out and overeat any one nutrient," he said. "Quantity still counts."
Scientists from Harvard University and UCLA looked at dietary information collected over 20 years from 82,802 women who participated in the Nurses' Health Study, a federally funded research project begun in 1976.
Researchers divided the women into 10 categories depending on the proportions of carbohydrate, protein and fat in their diets.
Consumption of carbohydrates, such as pasta and bread, in the women's diets ranged from a relatively high 58.8 percent of calories to a moderately low 36.8 percent. All participants consumed more than 7 percent of calories from saturated fat, above the level recommended by the American Heart Association.
Researchers counted 1,994 cases of coronary heart disease during the study. After adjusting for various risk factors, such as smoking, scientists found no differences in cardiac risk among the groups.
In a separate analysis, researchers divided the women based on their consumption of vegetable fat, such as olive oil. Women who derived the highest percentage of calories from vegetable fat had a 30 percent lower risk of heart disease than those who ate a higher proportion of animal fats.
"I think the take-home message is that not all low-carb diets are the same," said lead author Thomas Halton, an instructor at Simmons College in Boston, who did the research while a doctoral student at the Harvard School of Public Health.
"There is no risk in doing a low-carb diet, but you can reduce your risk by picking healthier sources of fat," he said.
Posted by Craig at 9:04 PM
August 15, 2006
060815 Tuesday "MicroWhat?!"
Just because most CrossFitters prefer to eat Paleolithic foods doesn’t mean that we have to cook like our less advanced cousins. I am not a great cook by any stretch of the imagination, but being a busy person, and somewhat mechanically inclined, the microwave has definitely become a forte of mine.
Much of my experience has come from trial and error. I endured through a lot of over and under cooked food through my molecularly excited journeys. At times, as if some joke of the cosmos, finding my food simultaneously burnt and frozen. Recently I decided to take my lessons to the web and find out what other tips I could get.
(click below to read more)
How the “Oven” Works
The microwave works when the high voltage is converted to waves of electromagnetic energy, which is a combination of electrical and magnetic energy. This energy is in the frequency band of radio waves, NOT X-RAYS. A wave guide and stirrer blade work together to make sure the energy reaches all areas of the oven interior. When the door is opened or the timer reaches zero, the energy automatically stops, so no microwave radiation leaves the oven.
The microwaves make the water molecules contained in food vibrate and 'wiggle', which produces heat. This is what cooks the food, and also why the oven itself doesn't heat up. That's why foods that have a lot of water, like fruits and vegetables, cook more quickly. Foods high in fat and sugar also cook more quickly. Metal reflects the microwaves, and the energy passes through glass, plastic and paper. As soon as the microwave energy is absorbed by the food, it is converted to heat - so the microwave energy can't 'contaminate' the food.
Although heat is produced directly in the food, microwave energy doesn't cook food from the inside out. More dense foods like meat are cooked primarily by conduction of heat from the outer layers, which are heated by microwaves.
In combination microwave/convention ovens, you'll notice that the interior is metal. A convection oven's special feature is a fan that constantly circulates hot air around the food, so it cooks more quickly and browns very evenly. Follow the cooking instructions to the letter if you have one of these appliances.
Most recipes are developed for use in a 700 watt oven. If yours is a different wattage, here is a great chart that will convert cooking times for you:
http://www.microwavecookingforone.com/Charts/
Microwave Stove/Grill. . .?
The microwave is more like the stove or grill than the oven. A microwave does not bake, although because of it’s shape people tend to think of it more like the baking oven. Just like cooking in a pan or on the grill, the food needs attention. A little TLC if you will. You must check on it frequently, stir or re-arrange, and adjust power levels according to what you see. With a little practice and experience, you will be able to tell when to increase or decrease the power level, when to stir, when to flip, and when to walk away. The beep is just an ‘idiot alarm’. Your stove does not have a beeper on it. It doesn’t tell you when your eggs are done. Your grill doesn’t have a digital timer with a chart on it (I hope). Just because your microwave has a built in timer, doesn’t mean you can walk away and expect the machine to know when to stop.
Also like the grill or stove, the microwave is designed for thin or small food, not basketball sized chunks of culinary fuel. You can cook larger types of food, but be prepared to spend a considerable amount of time moving and/or rotating, as well as checking on the dish.
Unlike the grill or stove, while it is okay (and encouraged) to peer in at the food periodically while cooking, standing directly next to the microwave the entire time should be avoided. Sure everything is shielded, but we all know what happened in that urban myth with the old lady’s wet poodle. Best to be on the safe side and keep your distance most of the time.
In the effort of time, there is nothing wrong with cutting something up to cook it more evenly and faster. You are just going to cut it up to shove it in your pie hole anyway, why not do it before you cook it to ensure that you will have evenly cooked food. If you are serving others and a little creative, you can arrange your pre-cut food into something artistic or appealing to the eye.
LEARN TO USE THE POWER SETTING. Most modern microwaves have a power setting from 1 – 10. This changes the output power of the microwave by cycling the wave guide on an off. This will lengthen your cooking time, but it will prevent hot spots, as well as give you a larger window for cooking the food properly. If you are unsure how a food will behave in the microwave oven, try setting the power to 5 or below. You can always increase the power if the food isn’t cooked yet.
A wet paper towel is your microwave’s best friend. If the food you are cooking/reheating comes out dried out or crumbly it is because the water is evaporating out. Try laying a wet paper towel over the dish or wrapping the food in the wet towel (great for non-zone frozen burritos). It is not a good idea to have the paper towel touching the food if it is going to be sticky or wet (you might end up eating some of the paper towel).
Use a lid. Covering the food will help keep some of the steam close to the dish, aiding the cooking process. If you are cooking a food with a lot of oil or fat, it can pop and splatter making a big mess. Using a second plate over the top of the food can lengthen the time between cleanings (make sure you check out the lemon cleaning trick below). It usually isn’t a good idea to make a tight seal between the lid and the container holding the food. The food is going to give off steam, and pressure will build up. Sometimes this just means the cover will bounce as the dish heats, other times this means you can have a steam powered mess on your hands.
Your microwave plays well with others. Many people use their microwave to defrost, but not many people will use it to pre heat or even partially cook the food before finishing it off in the pan or on the grill. Raw veggies steamed in the microwave then lightly blackened come out great (in a lot less time).
If you are thawing a frozen block, be prepared to do a lot of hands on work. A lot of the time I will use the microwave to break apart a food that has frozen into one large clump, sometimes even taking our or cutting off the parts that have begun to thaw so that I don’t over cook them. Thawed meat can be cut off of the outside of the meat popsicle so that it doesn’t burn or get dried out. Once something is thawed, don’t leave it in the microwave while the rest of it continues to thaw. Take it out so that the food can be redistributed later for more even heating and cooking.
Don’t use plastic in the microwave. Not only does plastic have the tendency to melt, it also gives off chemicals when heated. Glass is best. Metals are dicey depending on your microwave, and the type of metal. If possible, avoid metals as well.
Other Microwave Do’s and Don’ts
The following are some tips I found on the internet, (some of these I have never heard of until I wrote this article).
-There can be cold spots where the food doesn't get hot enough to kill bacteria. Follow stirring and rotating instructions carefully.
-To easily clean the microwave, place 2 Tbsp. of lemon juice in 1 cup of water in a 2 cup liquid measuring cup. Microwave on HIGH for 2-3 minutes, until the liquid is boiling. Let the liquid remain in the microwave, without opening the door, for 5 minutes. Remove the measuring cup. The microwave will easily wipe clean with a paper towel.
-Round dishes heat food more evenly. The square corners on a dish receive more energy and the food in those corners will overcook.
-Food should be cut in same-size pieces so they cook in the same time. If you must cook some uneven pieces, place the thickest pieces at the edge of the plate. The food closet to the outside edge of a dish cooks fastest.
-To cook small, same-size foods, arrange them in a circle, an even distance apart around edge of the dish.
-Never cook a whole egg in its shell - it will explode.
-If your microwave doesn't have a liner, put a microwave-safe plate or paper towel underneath the food.
-Glass cookware is a good choice for the microwave because you can see what's happening to the food throughout cooking.
-Prick skins on potatoes, eggplant and squash to let steam escape.
-Vegetables retain their natural fresh color and texture when cooked in the microwave.
-Fish cooks in its own juices and will be moist and tender.
-Allow ample standing time after you remove your dish from the microwave oven.
Recipes and Ideas
Have you ever tried cooking artichokes in the microwave? Four artichokes, arranged in a shallow dish and sealed airtight with a double covering of plastic wrap (NOT TOUCHING THE ARTICHOKES), cook perfectly in less than 15 minutes, in about a quarter of the top-of-the-stove cooking time and without all the fuss. Fat spears of asparagus cook in 5 minutes, retaining their emerald green color and fresh-picked flavor. Brussels sprouts do an amazing thing when you cook them in a microwave. The leaves actually separate as the sprouts cook in about 7 minutes to a delicate flavor and leafy texture. A small head of cauliflower, cored and cut into flowerets, cooks in just 6 minutes with its natural, delicate cabbage flavor and flowery aroma intensified.
No need to husk your fresh corn before cooking, just arrange the corn still in its husks like spokes of a wheel on the floor of the microwave oven with the small ends in the center. Four ears of corn will take 10 minutes on HIGH. Using an oven mitt, remove the corn from the oven and carefully pull off the husks and silks (they will separate easily from the corn). Be careful as the corn will be cooked all the way through the cob. As the Persians do, dip the cooked corn on the cob briefly in a pot of lightly salted water and offer wedges of fresh lime to squeeze on the corn just before eating. You won't miss the butter!
Squash Ribbons with Garlic Lemon Sauce
(Adapted from the The Joslin Diabetes Gourmet Cookbook © by Bonnie Sanders Polin, Ph.D. and Frances Towner Giedt, Bantam Books)
(makes about 3 servings)
2 medium zucchini, about 1/2 pound (225 g), washed well
2 medium yellow summer squash, about 1/2 pound (225 g), washed well
1 Table spoon olive oil
1 small garlic clove, minced
2 teaspoons (10 ml) fresh lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon (1.25 ml) salt (optional)
1/8 teaspoon (0.6 ml) freshly ground pepper or to taste
ground nutmeg to taste
1. Using a sharp vegetable peeler, cut the squash lengthwise into thin ribbons. Place the ribbons in a large microwave-safe dish with a lid. Cook on HIGH for 1 to 2 minutes, until wilted.
2. In a glass measuring cup, combine oil, garlic, and lemon juice. Microwave on HIGH for 20 seconds, until margarine is melted. Pour over squash ribbons and add salt (if using), pepper, and nutmeg. Toss well and serve.
Per serving: 7 g carbohydrate, 4 g Fat,
Sources:
http://www.winndixie.com/food/tips/microwave_tips.asp
http://busycooks.about.com/od/microwaveovens/a/microwavehow.htm
http://www.diabetic-lifestyle.com/articles/jan98_cooki_1.htm
Posted by Jeremy Jones at 2:07 PM | Comments (1)
