Don't let this happen to you!

As I was reading a terribly one-sided and somewhat mis-informed newspaper article about exercise the other day, a thought struck me: Why is it that you rarely hear people say “‘I exercise to help prevent future bone density loss”, rather than the ever popular, “I exercise to fit into my size 6″?  I ask myself why more people don’t focus on the long term health reasons for exercise.  Because, in my humble opinion, they really should.

Let’s discuss.  Why else, other than weight loss, should you exercise? Sure, we all know that exercise is essential for a healthy body.  Nobody really questions that.  We also know that exercising helps to make us feel better, and is advocated by doctors because of the the positive health boost it gives us. But does anyone ask how they can benefit from staying committed to an exercise program over the long term?

If you are one of the population who manages to make exercise a positive habit in your life, and actually stick with this dedication over the years, you will indeed enjoy many positive health bonuses.  For starters, a handy little bonus is being better able to maintain a healthy weight. It’s a fact that fitness enthusiasts that stay motivated for years are more likely to stay at a healthy weight than people who exercise sporadically, or those who never work out at all.  Plus, we already know that strength and resistance training decreases fat, and the more muscle your body has than the more fat you burn.  Hence, a muscular body is a fat burning machine!  We all like that idea.  But exercising only for your appearance isn’t always enough to keep people motivated.  Is it?

The best part is yet to come!  Regular exercise can actually add years to your life, and life to your years. In fact, the more you do, the greater the benefits!  And now to list a few of these bonuses I keep teasing you with.  Regular long term exercise has helps to:

-Decrease your risk of Cardiovascular Disease.  Low fitness levels have been shown to be one of the biggest risks for cardiovascular disease (An even bigger risk than cholesterol and high blood pressure!)
- Decrease systolic blood pressure, which reduces strain on your heart.  This is also great news because high blood pressure increases the risk of heart disease, stroke, and kidney disease. Inactive people are two times more likely to develop high blood pressure than active people.
- Improve mental health, sleep apnea and even arthritis. (Regular exercise helps keep joints flexible and helps build muscle to support the joint, making it much harder for those arthritis symptoms to set in!)
- Increase bone density, and help prevent osteoporosis.  Regular exercise delays bone loss and promotes bone formation, which is extremely important for post menopausal women especially, as this is the time when Calcium is being stripped from your bones.
- Increase your strength, mobility and independence.  As we age, we are fighting against muscle loss and decreased bone density.
- Increase energy.  This will help you keep up with all those young whipper-snappers, even in your old age!
- Decrease your cholesterol level. A high blood cholesterol level increases your risk of heart disease. Regular exercise is what raises the level of “good” cholesterol and lowers the level of the “bad” cholesterol.
- Decrease the risk of Heart Disease.  Bet you didn’t know that inactive people are two times more likely to develop coronary artery disease (CAD) then active people.
- Decrease the risk of Type 2 Diabetes by 80% (Just by eating healthy, exercising regularly, and not smoking!).  Physical activity also increases glucose uptake for those who already have diabetes. Fit women have diabetes 66% less often than unfit women.  (Umm… wow.)
- Improve posture.  Musculoskeletal collapse is a major reason why people feel sore and unwell.
- Decrease the risk of cancer.  I didn’t know this one before!  But I was excited to learn that physical activity actually lowers your risk of colon and breast cancer.
- Decrease your number of sick days.  Did you know that exercisers feel sick almost 30% less often than non-exercisers? People who stick to a long term exercise program enjoy stronger immune systems, catching less colds and flus over a long period of time. Good news, except that means less days off work…
- Give you a longer life expectancy.  For the most part, fit people live longer than unfit people!

My personal favourite part?  Strength training increases muscular power, which helps with preventing “falls” in old age.  After watching my own grandmother struggle with this very issue, I like the idea of being able to take some small control of that in my future.

“Shannon’s Final Word” is this: Don’t just exercise to fit into your favourite skinny jeans.  Do it for your blood pressure, your bones, and your heart, too!

Today’s Workout:

* If you did the Wednesday WOD or are sore from Tuesday, do the buy - in then work on your goats - choose 3-4 skills and work technique with your coach with video if possible.*

Buy In - 3 rounds of: 10 front squats (bar), 10 kettlebell swings, 5 inchworms

WOD - “Scubey” (skyuuuuwbey)

Elite -  5 rounds for each exercise of 45 sec work, 15 sec rest for total repetitions of:

• Snatch (65/95)
• Situps
• Double Unders
• Perform 45 sec of snatches, switch to situps in the 15sec rest, 45 sec situps, switch to Double unders for 45 sec, rest 15 - that is one round, 5 rounds total

Zone 4:  Scale snatch to 55/75

Zone 3: Scale snatch to 45/65

Zone 2: Scale snatch to 35/45, 3 to 5 rounds

Zone 1: Scale snatch as needed, 3 rounds

Cash Out - Record your times on the board and on myfrantime.com

Running WOD

25 to 35 min tempo or hill run

Please post in the comments when and where you are doing your run if you would like people to join you! ]]> http://crossfitzone.ca/why-do-i-do-it-for-my-bones-of-course/feed http://crossfitzone.ca/paleo-recipe-energy-bars http://crossfitzone.ca/paleo-recipe-energy-bars#comments Wed, 10 Mar 2010 05:29:42 +0000 Deanna http://crossfitzone.ca/?p=2882

Thanks to Kathleen for finding the bars!

Energy Bars from Mark’s Daily Apple

Ingredients:

1/2 cup slivered almonds
1/2 cup pecans
1/4 cup almond or sesame seed meal
1/4 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
1/4 cup almond butter
1/4 cup coconut oil (check your local health food store)
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
1/2 tsp of raw honey
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 cup dried cranberries or blueberries

Method:

1. On a cookie sheet, toast nuts and shredded coconut until golden brown (you may need to shake the tray once or twice to make sure they cook evenly).
2. Once toasted, pour mixture into a food processor and pulse until nuts are chopped and the mixture becomes coarsely ground.
3. In a mixing bowl, melt coconut oil and almond butter (about 20 seconds). Remove from microwave and stir until smooth.
4. Add vanilla extract, honey and sea salt. Mix thoroughly.
5. Fold in nut mixture and almond (or sesame seed) meal until mixed thoroughly.
6. Fold in blueberries/cranberries.
7. Press mixture into an 8 by 4 loaf pan.
8. Refrigerate for 20 minutes or until firm.
9. Cut “loaf” width wise. Should make 6 good-sized bars.
10. Enjoy! (or, if you don’t plan to eat immediately, you can store the bars in the refrigerator, covered loosely with a paper towel and plastic wrap.

Kathleen and I have tried them and they are tasty. Give them a try and let us know what you think!

Just a reminder that the 700am class has been cancelled due to lack of attendance.  This takes effect today. Sorry Eric, no more one on ones!

Thanks, CrossFit Zone staff!

No I am not smelling my armpit!

There are 10 very important components of Fitness;  I am going to talk about one of them today that is widely forgotten and can be detrimental to your well-being. Flexibility, flexibility is the range of motion with-in a joint along the various planes of motion. One thing that people don’t really understand is the importance of stretching and is taken very lightly. The majority of the population think that you only need to stretch when you workout, and of that majority, very few do so. You should stretch various times throughout the day; in the morning before you start your day, during the day at work to release muscle tension, after sitting for a long period of time and when you feel tight.

Stretching is very important for your muscles’ health, it brings oxygen and nutrient rich blood to the muscles and relaxes them. Relaxed muscles will less likely tear or spasm. When you exercise you shorten the muscle; stretching elongates the muscle. I always say, “A long muscle is a healthy muscle.”

I would like to clear up a question that everyone of my clients ask me: “When do I stretch, before or after my workout?” The answer is simple, BOTH! It is essential to do a warm-up before your workout to decrease chances of injury, increase your core temperature and mobility in the joints. Once the body is warmed up then you should stretch out the muscles that you are going to work out, if not all the muscles in your body. Then do your workout, followed by a cool-down including a full body stretch.

Why should I stretch?

Ø Prevent injury (a strong flexible muscle resists stress better)

Ø Reduce muscle tension and relax the body

Ø Increase speed and range of motion of the joint

Ø Prevent post exercise muscle soreness

Ø Help with co-ordination by allowing easier movement

Ø Maintain current flexibility level into old age

Ø Develop body awareness and feels good

Ø Improve muscle balance

In conclusion, if you want to be “Fit and Healthy” you must exercise all aspects of fitness, stretching included.

Sean Lind is running a stretching seminar today at 6:30pm!  He will also be incorporating some handstands.  Come on down and learn lots!

Today’s Workout:

Buy In - Hang Power Clean Technique - moving from mid thigh to a comfortable and stable rack position.  Instructor demo followed by 5×5, scale accordingly

WOD -

Two part wod - Add your two scores up for your total for the day.

Elite (Rx) -

1. Deadlift - 4×10, build up to a 10RM (this is your score)
2. Mini Cindy amrap - 5 minutes for total reps of 5 pullups, 10 pushups, 15 squats

Zone 2: scale pullups and pushups as needed

Zone 1: work technique on the deadlift, scale the Cindy as needed.

NOTES:  Deadlifts are touch and go, clean reps (minimize rounding through the back).  Practice lowering under control and reversing the motion as soon as you touch the ground.

Cash Out - Stretch and roll on your own

Running WOD

5 x 400 at 5-K pace or possible rest day

Please post in the comments when and where you are doing your run if you would like people to join you!

100 Day Burpee Challenge:

Burpees today: 99

Buy-in:  4950 ]]> http://crossfitzone.ca/why-should-i-stretch/feed http://crossfitzone.ca/park-your-ego http://crossfitzone.ca/park-your-ego#comments Mon, 08 Mar 2010 05:22:49 +0000 Shannon http://crossfitzone.ca/?p=2874

I’m sure you’ve seen the sign in our lobby urging you to “Leave your ego at the door!”  What does that entail, exactly?

When your ego gets in your way, especially within the context of CrossFit, you become resistant to help from others and are unwilling to make a change, and consequently you have lost the opportunity to increase your knowledge and skills about the exercises you’re doing. As we all know, we need our egos to survive and thrive. But within any growing and learning process, we must tone down our egos and focus on listening to the needs of our bodies, learning to improve, and working on our technique and form.

Ego-Lifting is by far the biggest mistake anyone can make when they are at any level of training. Lifting with your ego is classified as the act of lifting or pushing too much weight without the conscious effort of keeping form.  The reasons you might do this would be in the hopes of impressing your friends, coaches, possibly the opposite sex, or a more experienced lifter.  Although you might think this is cool, you are usually putting yourself in a dangerous position and injury is at high risk. Chances are, your CrossFit peers are not impressed with you anyways, as they are well aware that lifting using perfect form is more beneficial and a lot more difficult than tossing weights around like a maniac.

What does it mean to have an ego? Ego is essentially an inflated form of pride, an exaggerated sense of self-importance, and a feeling of superiority to other people.
If used in a positive way, a small dose of ego is important as it can help boost your self-esteem and confidence. But be watchful of it NOT to get over inflated, or it may
cloud your ability to take constructive criticism and learn new ways of doing things.

How many times have the coaches been talking to you about how you can make adjustments and corrections to your form, and you really didn’t give their advice an opportunity to set in? Or, have you ever been mid-WOD while your ego was going faster than the speed of sound in your attempts to impress everyone with all of your mad skillz?  If so, you’re not alone!

Possibly by now, you have had one or more these thoughts:

Of course I know that.
What do you think I am… stupid?
I know what I’m doing all of the time!

When we are “spewing out” reps and weight in the attempt to impress ourselves and others, we are truly in a high ego state. Our focus is not on productivity and functionality, but rather on ourselves.  You might even experience feelings of resentment or anger at the coaches and others for correcting you, or ‘calling you out’ on form.  This is exactly the reaction we are trying to prevent by encouraging you to “leave your ego at the door”.

Don’t let your ego get in the way of you becoming a great all around CrossFitter!  When we come together to WOD, to learn and to struggle together, it is important we come with respect for each other no matter what level of ability we are at. Listening to the well-informed suggestions of others, even people you might consider as “beginners”, is valid and important. They have the outside perspective, and can help you spot areas where you are weak in form.  Remember: You can learn from anyone at any time regardless of their level or experience.  Trust your peers.  Trust the coaches.  And trust yourself to make the right choice when it comes to your ego.  If we can put our egos aside and support each other we can have much more harmony in our gym, and our CrossFit community as well.

If you desire to increase your abilities and skills within CrossFit, remember to leave your big ego at the door. Focus authentically and genuinely on your technique and learning, and you will begin to see your abilities grow!

Tuesday night @ 6:30pm Sean Lind will be running a stretching seminar as well as spending some time on handstands.  If you are interested, come on down!

Today’s Workout:

Buy In - with an empty barbell - 10 presses, 10 back squats, 10 deadlifts, 10 front squats, 10 pvc dislocates, x 3 rounds.  Rest as needed between rounds

WOD - “Shoulder Stack”

For time,

Elite:

• 50 double unders
• 5 overhead squats (65/95)
• 40 double unders
• 10 overhead squats (65/95)
• 30 double unders
• 15 overhead squats (65/95)
• 20 double unders
• 20 overhead squats (65/95)

Zone 4: scale ohs to 55/75

Zone 3:  scale ohs to 45/65Zone 2: scale ohs to 35/45, sub double unders for 3x skips

Zone 1: scale ohs as needed, sub double unders for 3x skips

*Scale to Back Squats for individuals with shoulder issues or unfamiliarity with the technique of the OHS*

Cash Out - 40 toes to bar, knees to elbows, or double crunches (scale to your ability)

Running WOD

Rest or very easy recovery run (5K to 8K)

Please post in the comments when and where you are doing your run if you would like people to join you!

100 Day Burpee Challenge:

Burpees today: 98

Buy-in:  4851

See you then

Coach Dee

Get ready Zoner’s we have something different for you on Saturday!  My good friend and amazing gymnast Sean Lind is back to run a Gymnastic Rings Seminar this Saturday from 9:00am - 11:00am.  This is for all levels, so please come out and have fun and learn some new tricks on the rings.  I know this is last minute, but he is only in town for a short period of time.

We encourage all coaches and apprentices to come out and learn the techniques, and help coach and spot with Sean.

Today’s Workout:

Buy In - Squat clean technique

WOD - “Chips and Dip”

…cause if you ate them for lunch, you’ll see ‘em again… hahaha 

Elite:

4 rounds for time of:

Today’s Workout:

Buy In - Break into two groups, get the work done!

WOD - “KyleNESS”

Another 3 - parter, dedicated to our very own superbody, Kyle!  Yeah budday, keep representing.

Part 1:  Back Squat - 4×3 reps, work up to around 3RM (compare to Jan 21 2010)

Part 2: Floor Press - 4×5 reps, work up to around 5RM (compare to Feb 3 2010)

Part 3:  Half Tabata each of: situps, pushups, squats (4 cycles of 20s/10s at each station before moving on, add all reps from all exercises for your Tabata score.  Work quickly and don’t save yourself, only four rounds each!

Add up best weight in squat, floor press, and your total Tabata score to get your overall score!

Cash Out - Roll muscles as needed - hip flexors, glutes, upper back

Running WOD

25 to 35 min tempo or hill run or rest day

Please post in the comments when and where you are doing your run if you would like people to join you!

Burpees today: 94

Buy-in:  4465

You must be thinking, what the heck is a clock whore?  Well here is the definition from Hyperfit USA.

“Definition of a Clock Whore: Person who is so obsessed with beating the clock/others that they will prostitute themselves and sacrifice important and vital components of training such as range of motion, repetitions or other performance metrics for a “better” time. “

“These people actually miss the whole point of the training. The point of physical fitness training, from my perspective, is to improve oneself both physically and mentally, not necessarily in that order. The people who have taken the time clock or score beyond the extreme and compromised range of motion, number of repetitions, etcetera are doing so at the expense of the utility of the training. If someone judges their performance solely based on their status relative to others it reflects a distinct lack of self esteem. The idea of the style training is to develop self-esteem to increase capacities in many, many different modalities. A person who compromises training in order to beat others harms their self esteem. People know inherently when they are doing something wrong and there is a price to pay when they go against what they know is right. “

Continue reading the post

Just thought it was an interesting read to share with the team.  I would hope that we do not have any “clock whores” in our gym.  I know that everyone loves a little bit of healthy competition, but not the extreme of cheating range of motion or reps.   I know that sometimes we all need a friendly reminder to get the chin over the bar, get the chest to the ground or go deeper in a squat.  Keep up the good work Zoners!

The Burpee challenge is nearing the end, we need to set up a time for everyone to complete the 100 burpees together.  Those of you that are still in the challenge, please post a time that works for you into the comments section.

Today’s Workout:

NOTE: The 6:30pm class is changed to an open gym due to an instructional class for the coaches and apprentices. 

Thanks, CrossFit Zone staff!

Buy In - 3x 10KBS, 10pvc OHS, 20 du’s or 50 single skips

WOD - Gymnastique

Complete the following not for time - focus on technique and accuracy:

• 30 ring dips
• 5 handstand holds of 15 seconds (free standing if possible!)
• 5 L Sit holds of 15 seconds 
• 30 pistol squats (15/leg)

*For each Zone, scale movements as needed

Cash Out:  Tabata Row (record lowest m achieved in any one interval)

Running WOD

8K to 10K run

Please post in the comments when and where you are doing your run if you would like people to join you!

Burpees today: 93

Buy-in:  4371

Carob Goodie
————
1 cup toasted unsweetened carob
1.5 cups pecan meal
1/2 cup or less coconut oil

Mix well together. It’s a little soft for fudge, but has a similar bittersweetrich experience as chocolate.

It helped me get off a significant chocolate addiction.
From: Lynnet Bannion on the PaleoFood list

Give it a try and let us know what you think!

Today’s Workout:

Buy In - Snatch technique with the bar - 10 mins.  Focus on a solid start position, keeping the arms straight while the hips are extending, and pulling the body quickly under the bar to finish.

WOD - “Chasing Isabel”

“Isabel” is a classic Crossfit named workout that involves 30 snatches (ground to overhead in one smooth motion).  This version takes a bit longer and involves running, thus creating more fun.  Enjoy,

Turts

Elite:  5 rounds of 6 snatches (95/135) and 200m run

Zone 4:  scale snatches to 75/115 

Zone 3: scale snatches to 55/95

Zone 2:  scale snatches to 35/65

Zone 1: scale snatches as needed, 3-5 rounds

Cash Out - 4×15 double crunch (scale to 3×10 Zone 2)

Buy-in:  4278

The time has come to address an important issue of gym etiquette:  Dropping weights.

In CrossFit, being able to drop weights is a safety issue. We fully understand that someone can really get hurt if they’re attempting a lift and worrying about not being allowed to drop the weight if they fail. The danger is that they may hold onto a heavy weight too long, or perhaps try to catch it and brace the fall on their legs. Hyperextension of the shoulders, joints and back are also common injury points when heavy weights are not dumped at appropriate times.  In any event, the dropping of weights is often necessary.  However, let’s talk about the idea of a “necessary” dump, versus an “unnecessary” one.

Believe it or not, dumping the weights is part of the technique for Olympic Lifts. You can’t go to failure or a 1 rep max safely if you are trained NOT to drop when necessary. Don’t feel badly if sometimes a ditch is just what happens when you push yourself to complete failure.  Hence, this kind of a drop is necessary.  However, that doesn’t mean you need to drop the weights on every set, or purposely do it with force to create a satisfying bounce.  This is UNNECESSARY.  Not only is it unnecessary, it’s also harmful to our equipment and creates dangerous surroundings in the gym.  You may not be aware that in certain exercises, dropping the weight rather than holding onto it in the descent can actually take extra time.  It isn’t always the faster option, making it unnecessary.

One last point on unnecessary dumping and violent tossing of weights: Please remember that at CrossFit you need to check your ego at the door.  Ask yourself why you’re unnecessarily tossing the weights, and remember that everyone in the gym does not need to know how much weight you just lifted.  If you think you might be inadvertently alerting people of your strength by crashing weights to the floor, this is not an appropriate way to gain attention.  You’ll impress everyone more with your respectful and considerate behaviour!

The bottom line is this:

PLEASE RESPECT OUR EQUIPMENT WHEN DROPPING WEIGHTS. If you really must drop, consider the following…
1. BE AWARE OF YOUR SURROUNDINGS -Communicate with those around you. If you think you need a spotter for safety purposes, let people know and discuss how it’ll work.  If you think you might have to dump the bar, let people know.  If you don’t want them in your line of sight then let them know.  Make friends.  Talk to people.
2. DO NOT DROP JUST THE BAR - Never drop an empty bar!  Also, try not to drop a bar with only the metal 2.5lb, 5lb, or 10lb plates on it.  But if you have to, then that’s ok!  We’d rather dent a plate or a bar than dent your skull.  Barbells with rubber bumper plates are designed to be dropped. Empty barbells are not, especially the lighter ones. This also applies to the kettlebells. Please be respectful of the equipment.
3. CONTROL YOUR BOUNCES - If you have to drop your bar, do it in a safe and controlled manner.  Bumper plates bounce, usually sideways, especially the lighter ones.  Never, ever drop your bar and walk away!  We would hate to see your bar smash the shins of your fellow athlete beside you, or get underfoot of someone else mid-WOD. This can easily happen, especially in a crowded gym.  You MUST keep your hands in contact with the bar as you drop and control where it goes.
4. PRACTICE SAFE AND PROPER DUMPING - When dropping the bar, the athlete should keep his/her hands on the barbell or dumbbell until it has passed the chest.  There should be no dumping or “tossing” the bar from overhead intentionally.  Take time to practice safe dump technique beforehand with a light weight.  This sounds a bit silly, but it is a necessary part of your lifting experience, and can save you from serious injury.  Do it.

Every time the coaches hear the clang of a mishandled barbell, or the thud of an unnecessarily and violently tossed dumbbell, you will find yourself with a 25 burpee penalty. We’re doing this because we care!  Inappropriate handling of the weights weakens the integrity of our equipment, creating safety issues for our clients and causing costly damage.  In addition, we can only guarantee the safety of our clients to a certain point if all you Zoners aren’t helping to keep our classes safe by using the equipment respectfully and watching your surroundings carefully.

Let’s take care!

TODAY’S Workout -

Buy-in: Thruster technique - vertical torso, elbows up, fast out of the squat to full extension - 10 min

WOD: Own the Podium

*This is a three part wod - combine your scores from the following tasks to get your overall tally for the day*

• Thruster 3RM - 10 minutes to hit a 3RM in the thruster (partner up if need be)
• Overhead Squat 3RM - 10 minutes to hit a 3RM in the overhead squat (no racks unless you go heavier than 150)
• 5 rounds for max reps of:  30sec pullups, 30sec wallballs, 30sec rest
• Elite:  for men is ctb pullups, Rx women get 2x reps for ctb, all Rx wallballs CLEARLY ABOVE red dot - i.e. 11feet)
• Zone 3: regular pullups and wallballs
• Zone 2: assisted pullups, scale wallballs, 3-5 rounds
• Zone 1: scale pullups and wallballs as needed, 3 rounds

Cash-out: Add up your scores and post on the whiteboard AND myfrantime.com