Meet Annie, CrossFit Legend (CF through a member’s eyes)
“Yesterday is gone. Tomorrow has not yet come. We have only today. Let us begin.” Mother Teresa
CROSSFIT WORKS BECAUSE.. I’m obviously convinced of the efficacy of CrossFit for strength, athleticism and cardiovascular health: all the markers of fitness. I know why CrossFit works for me. I have tons of workout data to show it. But, my opinion of why CrossFit works so well for for the hundreds of thousands (maybe millions) of people who do it multiple times a week, is different.
When I say “CrossFit works” – I mean that CrossFit improves the physical and mental health of everyone who participates regularly. The performance data is in our measurable and repeatable workouts. But, while the methodology is proven, the real success of CrossFit is in the power of the community which keeps people coming back and wanting to get better.
The biggest challenge that Doctors, Nutritionists, Physical Therapists and Fitness Trainers face is patient compliance. Motivating patients or clients to establish new fitness or nutrition habits is an overwhelming, time-consuming and often, frustrating task. Outside influences are overwhelming: peer pressure, food & beverage marketing, work schedules, family obligations, and more.
CrossFit affiliate communities create a support structure akin to a church: everyone comes together for a shared purpose. The CrossFit affiliate is the catalyst and support network for a healthy lifestyle. CrossFitters establish friendships and adjust lifestyles to accommodate consistent, enthusiastic participation. You can’t make that fun Saturday 8AM class with your CrossFit friends if you party until 2AM on Friday night.
I’m 18 years into CrossFit and I still look forward to my afternoon session at Diablo. I got all the equipment in my garage, but I’d much rather drive 15-20 minutes to go head-to-head with my crew. CrossFit works for me because of the community.
COLD PLUNGE + SAUNA AT DIABLO – Our Ice Barrel has arrived, which completes our magical hot/cold treatment recovery room. It should be ready to go by Wed. Our Sauna is full-spectrum infra-red and heats up within 10-15 minutes. The max temp is 150 – kinda spicy for infrared. Recommended exposure time is 10-20 minutes. Be sure to use a towel. Our Ice Barrel will be chilled to 45 – 50 degrees, uncomfortable for almost everyone. Please limit cold plunges to 5 minutes! Beyond 5 minutes can lead to hypothermia. Be sure and watch Dr. Huberman’s podcast on deliberate cold exposure in my Craigslist below.
Ideal exposure windows: Sauna Heat – Post Workout, to stimulate heat shock proteins. Cold plunge – early morning or pre-workout (avoid post workout).
24 DAYS!! Diablo will be hosting “Friday Night Lights” each week, bringing our community together to compete in the Open. Register for The Open!
TWEET OF THE WEEK: If you need motivation to stop a habit of eating crappy foods or drinking alcohol:
- multiply your avg daily consumption by 365
- visualize the total number of items (beers, lattes, donuts etc) in a small room
- imagine what that does to your body & health
THE WEEK AHEAD: January Calendar & Newsletter.
- Mon: Snatch 5×3. Meton: 3RFT – 9 Press, 4 BMUs, 12 DL #75/115
- Tue: Pistol Skills. Metcon EMOM + FT: Shuttle Runs + Pistols + Burpees
- Wed: 5x E3MOM – 6 STOH, 9 HC, 12 DL. Metcon: Amrap 7m – 10T2B + 5 Clusters #95/135
- Thu: Amrap 16m – 10/15 ABike, 200m SB Carry, 15/20 AB, 2 Rope Climbs
- Fri: Open 22.1
- Sat: FT- 25 Thrusters, 25 Pull ups, 50 Sit ups, 25 Pull ups, 25 Thrusters #75/115
- Sun: 3RFT- 500m Row, 5/8 Ring Dips, 40 DUs, 300m Row, Rest 1 min.
CRAIG’S LIST:
Article / Research: To reduce appetite, skip late-night snacks – There is some irony in this title..and late-night snacks are hard to quit. But, studies show that late eating increases appetite and fat storage. Two recent randomized trials found that biasing food intake toward the end of the day increases appetite and may reduce energy expenditure. Great article from Peter Attia, MD.
Expert Analysis: Hip Break & Mortality After Age 60 – Peter Attia Podcast Clip. The connection is extraordinary. Break your hip, and die sooner. Reduce risk by increasing athleticism (foot speed & coordination) and strength. (CrossFit!)
Podcast: Deliberate Cold Exposure For Health Benefits – Huberman Lab Podcast
Research: Six Minutes of High Intensity Exercise Could Delay Onset of Alzheimers – Rhonda Patrick – Six minutes of high-intensity exercise substantially increases BDNF – a neurotrophic factor that helps keep the brain young. Check out the full study here!
Research: From Your Gut to Your Brain to Your Physical Performance: Researchers discover a gut-to-brain pathway in mice that increases exercise performance. In the study, researchers found that differences in running performance within a large group of lab mice were largely attributable to the presence of certain gut bacterial species in the higher-performing animals. I believe, in the next ten years, we’re going to see major breakthroughs in our understanding of our microbiome and our health and performance. This is just the beginning.
Article: ChatGPT Passed A Wharton MBA Exam – We’re just getting started. This is gonna be interesting to watch. I’m in awe of this human achievement and slightly nervous.
Crazy Video: And, speaking of Cyberdyne ..
Make it an awesome week!
Craig
