Started as a maverick gym in Santa Cruz, CrossFit has spread worldwide, becoming the principal strength & conditioning program for police academies and tactical op's teams, military special operations units, champion martial artists, & hundreds of other elite and professional athletes worldwide. Why? Because CrossFit works...FAST.
CrossFit delivers a fitness that is, by design, broad, general, and inclusive. CrossFit's specialty is not specializing. Daily life, like many sports and professions, (and even combat) requires broad levels of fitness. CrossFit's program is designed for universal scalability making it the perfect application for any committed individual regardless of experience. The needs of Olympic athletes and our grandparents differ by degree not kind.
Click Here and Here for two great articles if you think CrossFit is too hard for you or beyond your ability.
To find out more about the principles and belief behind CrossFit, click here.
"Disturbing a woman's instinctive attraction to genetically different men could result in difficulties when trying to conceive, an increased risk of miscarriage and long intervals between pregnancies. Passing on a lack of diverse genes to a child could also weaken their immune system. . ."
"After reviewing 30 studies carried out worldwide over periods ranging from one to 60 years, the Dutch professor said the effects of happiness on longevity were "comparable to that of smoking or not".
That special flair for feeling good, he said, could lengthen life by between 7.5 and 10 years. . ."
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 . . .
(Warning: Tnation may not be considered 'work safe'. . . it depends how your work feels about a few cuss words and extremely muscular women wearing extremely small 'bikinis')
My favorite quote from the article:
Pediatricians, doctors, and orthopedic surgeons are trained in medicine, in how to repair things that are already damaged. That does not mean they know how to exercise. Just because your mechanic knows how to work on your car doesn't mean he knows how to get you around downtown Boston. - Mark Rippetoe
Last time, we started looking at the physiological effects of fasting. I first looked at it from the perspective of energy production. As we saw, fasting has several effects on hormones, such as glucagon, epinephrine, and adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH). These hormonal effects allow the body to tap into its stored energy reserves so you can keep on trucking. Today, I want to look at a few additional hormonal effects. Part of the problem we run into is that studies thus far have been done on long-term fasting of multiple days, whereas we’re more interested in the short-term effects of Intermittent Fasting. So we’re going to have to do some educated theorizing. . .
. . .If we look at growth hormone (hGH) and insulin-like growth factor (IGF), we also see increases during fasting. As Robb pointed out, these two hormones “are crucial in actions such as tissue repair, hypertrophy, DNA repair, lypolysis, and, to some degree, strength.” That seems to bode well for those of us engaged in intense activity and could explain why so many people report improved workout recovery while IFing. And while IGF has been linked to some forms of cancer, animals tested on IF protocols have shown increased IGF levels, but decreased levels of disease. . .
Filed Tuesday, August 12 in Articles, Cool stuff, CrossFit Nation, Healthy Lifestyle, Nutrition, Rants and Statements, Testimonials, Workouts.
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!"
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. . .
Filed Monday, August 11 in Aging, Articles, Workouts.
Matt E and Sean P giving it all up on the Newbie WOD Squats.
Workout:
1 pull up the first minute, 2 pull ups the second minute, 3 pull ups the third minute. . . go for as many rounds as possible until you can't do the number of pull ups required in the allotted minute for that round.
Advanced: start with 45lbs added, then drop to 20lbs when you can't keep up, then go do no weight added.
The work tracked 500 older runners for more than 20 years, comparing them to a similar group of non-runners. All were in their 50s at the start of the study.
Nineteen years into the study, 34% of the non-runners had died compared to only 15% of the runners. . ..
Running not only appeared to slow the rate of heart and artery related deaths, but was also associated with fewer early deaths from cancer, neurological disease, infections and other causes.
And there was no evidence that runners were more likely to suffer osteoarthritis or need total knee replacements than non-runners - something scientists have feared. . .
How about a little Sunday Golf. . . Medicine ball golf that is (up-hill is even better).
Workout:
Tabata . . .
Dumbell Push Press (35lbs men, 25lbs women)
Sit ups (with ab mat)
Dumbbell Deadlift (35lb dumbbells men, 25lbs women)
A "Tabata" interval is 20 seconds of reps followed by 10 seconds of rest for 8 rounds (4 minutes total). Your 'score' is the lowest number of reps completed in any one set. No rest between sets. Total score is the combined total of the three exercises lowest score.
Filed Saturday, August 9 in Articles, Coaching and pointers, Continued Education (books, etc), Cool stuff, CrossFit Nation, Pregnancy, Videos, Workouts.
+++DON'T FORGET ABOUT OUR "FRIENDS AND FAMILY" DAY ONE WEEK FROM TODAY, PLEASE POST IF YOU ARE COMING AND WHAT YOU CAN BRING+++
There comes a time in every CrossFitter's life when you've gotta ask yourself: "What the HELL I AM I DOING?!" (For Dan, this came fairly early as he completed the Filthy Fifty as Rx'ed his first time! - NICE WORK).
You can see by Dan's expression that he is very happy with his decision.
An innovative study appearing in the August issue of The Journal of Sexual Medicine examined, for the first time, if noseless bicycle saddles would be an effective intervention for alleviating deleterious health effects, erectile dysfunction and groin numbness, caused by bicycling on the traditional saddle with a protruding nose extension. Results from this study may be useful for the estimated 5 million recreational cyclists to alleviate perineal discomfort and maintain sexual health. . .
Scientists have unravelled a potential mechanism for how top-level rowers develop enlarged strengthened hearts as a result of long-term intensive training. The research, published in the August edition of Clinical Endocrinology suggests a causal link between naturally occurring hormone levels and strengthening of the heart muscle in professional rowers. Elite rowers were found to have higher levels of insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1) compared to healthy sedentary volunteers. In these athletes, IGF-1 values correlate with enlargement and strengthening of heart muscle cells. . .
Filed Thursday, August 7 in Articles, Coaching and pointers, Cool stuff, CrossFit Nation, Events, Healthy Lifestyle, Nutrition, Videos, Workouts.
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).
. . . 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. . .
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. . .
"In CrossFit, the goal is to move large loads, long distance, quickly. But, which of those variable is most important - the load, the distance or the time? Is it better to be faster with a lighter load? Or move a heavier load more slowly? It all depends on your goals, but if you really want to push your limits, keep an eye on your power output. Let's do some theoretical calculations..."
Filed Monday, August 4 in Articles, Coaching and pointers, CrossFit Nation, Workouts.
As promised, Bryan and Shannon Stornetta sported their Diablo CrossFit shirts around camp after their 100mile race. And from the pictures below, who would question how "normal" most CrossFitters are?
(Shannon said she was too tired for a freestanding handstand)
(Bryan just looks like this most of the time, but I don't know why he is wearing a towel? -jj)
Workout:
As many rounds as possible in 20 minutes of:
10 Thrusters (125lbs, 95lbs or 65lbs depending on skill and bodyweight)
15 Kettlebell swings (70lbs, 54lbs, or 35lbs depending on skill and bodyweight)
20 Double unders
Post total rounds and fractions for rounds completed (as well as weights used) to comments.
"It is important to remember that torn calluses are an injury. Whenever you have an injury, you must give it time to heal. Altering your training to focus on lower body exercises is the preferred course of action. However, sometimes competition and personal factors makes it necessary for athletes to train or compete with an injured hand. What are you going to do to protect your hands and keep from aggravating the injury? Wear gloves? No way!"
"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
This month's (Issue 43 for August 2008) Performance Menu has a great article on POSE running. Be sure to check it out! (Click the link on the right --->)
Filed Friday, August 1 in Aging, Articles, Healthy Lifestyle, Nutrition, Workouts.
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.
"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
