Yvonne Howard finished 4th in the world in the CrossFit Games Quarterfinals W60-64+! She’s moving on to Semi-Finals!
“Most everything that you want is just outside your comfort zone.” – Jack Canfield or, Payam Saljoughian’s version: “If you’re never out of your comfort zone you become a puss.”
TWISI (The Way I See It): I took my family to Hawaii for a 1 week vacation last week. It was amazing and incredibly relaxing. It had been more than 10 years since our last trip to Hawaii. We used to go every few years, but then we just stopped going, choosing weekend vacations or RV trips. We’ll not do that again – warm climate, lazy beach vacations are magical for the body & mind. And, a week away is necessary for full decompression in my opinion. In fact, 2 weeks would probably be better if you lead a busy, stressful life.
But, this trip was extra special because it marked the end of 2 years of a lot of stress, financial challenges, and hard work for me & Yvonne. During much of the pandemic we were operating way outside our comfort zones – at the edge of our experiences. But, the way I see it, because of the extraordinary experiences, our vacation became far more rewarding. Having nothing to do each day, getting lots of rest and focusing on ourselves was more amazing than ever because of the last two years’ work.
Interestingly, our bodies operate the same. As Rhonda Patrick says in the Huberman Lab podcast (see below), “humans evolved to intermittently challenge ourselves” – amazing physical & mental health benefits are unlocked when we intermittently expose our bodies to physical extremes: physical training, heat exposure (sauna), and cold exposure. Thus, the way I see it, is that success (physical, mental, emotional, relational & financial) requires us to operate at the extremes – outside our comfort zones. Spend some time outside your comfort zone every day and I bet your days get better.
MASTERS UPDATE: YVONNE MOVES ON! Diablo’s only athlete to move on to the next level, the SemiFinals, is Yvonne Howard in the Women’s 60-64 division. Yvonne had one of her best Opens ever and certainly, her best Age-Group Qualifier (Quarterfinals) ever with a 4th Place Finish! As of today, she is the 4th Fittest 60-64yo woman in the world – pretty cool. The next stage of competition will be online again, on Jun 2 – 5. She’ll be given 4-5 workouts to complete in the gym on video. I’ll keep you posted on the workouts and her workout times.
THE BELT SQUAT – Diablo just acquired a new Rogue Belt Squat Machine which will be stored in the Strong room. This is an amazing device designed to allow for full range of motion, heavy squats without any pressure on the spine. This is an excellent tool for anyone with back issues (or, fatigue) that limit squat loading. Just ask a coach how to operate!
SHOT OF THE YEAR (vacation circus trick) Not gonna lie, this took about 15-20 attempts. But I had fun trying!
TWEET OF THE WEEK: Diets are simply nutrition strategies to create a calorie deficit along with satiety and mouth pleasure.
CHALLENGE OF THE WEEK: Murph Prep! Daily: 20 Pull Ups, 30 Push Ups, 50 Squats broken up as needed.
WORKOUTS – May Focus: Strength & Foundation (Newsletter / Calendar)
- Primary Strength: Back Squat
- Secondary: Broken Down Power Clean
- Skill: Strict Ring Dips & Planks.
The week ahead:
- Mon: Clean Complex. Metcon: Amrap 8min – 12 KB Swings #35/53 & 35 DUs
- Tue: Back Squat 4×4. Metcon: FT: 9-15-21 Wall Balls & Air Bike (Women: 9/12/15 bike)
- Wed: Ring Dips & Planks. Metcon: FT 400m Run(x3) + 15-12-9 Burp over box
- Thu: Amrap 14m – 12 Deadlift, 6 Wall Walks, 3 Rope Climbs #155/225
- Fri: “Barbara” – 5 RFT: 20 Pull ups, 30 Push Ups, 40 Situps, 50 Squats – Rest 3m Between Rounds
- Sat: Amrap 15m: 500m Row, 4 C&J, 200m Run. 145/205
- Sun: 3 RFT – 60 DUs, 3 Rope Climbs, 12 DB Snatch, 200m Sandbag, 1m Rest. #35/50
CRAIG’S LIST (Stuff I’m Reading, Hearing, Watching, Using or Buying)
Dr. Huberman MD with Dr. Patrick, PhD: “You Have To Suffer” – this is a great podcast, but I had to really pay attention. They discuss the four major categories of micronutrients that regulate cellular and organ stress and antioxidants, inflammation, hormone regulation, immune system, and longevity. And Dr. Patrick talks about operating outside your comfort zone for deliberate cold and deliberate heat exposure to benefit metabolism, cardiorespiratory fitness, mental health, and lifespan.
Peter Attia, MD: “Are You Eating Enough Protein?” Probably not. The fact is that the RDA for protein is ridiculously too low. In this sort clip, Dr. Peter Attia talks about recommended quantities and the BEST way to achieve them. GREAT DATA! Here’s the full content.
“The Story of Breakfast Part 2” – Terrance Keeley PhD. – I heard Dr. Keeley speak at a CrossFit event several years ago, and his personal story of recovery from pre-diabetes was remarkable. At the end of the day, a traditional western diet breakfast is a metabolically terrible way to start the day. Read Part 2 1st, because he talks about all of the reasons why. Then, read “The Story of Breakfast Part 1” after to hear his story. The bottom line: time restricted eating, or Intermittent Fasting is incredibly beneficial for managing our metabolic health.
“The Story of Breakfast Part 1”, Terrance Keeley PhD.
Make it an awesome week!
Craig
