HARDASS FITNESS

Alice came to the fork in the road.
"Which road do I take?" she asked.
"Where do you want to go?" responded the Cheshire cat.
"I don't know," Alice answered.
"Then," said the cat, "it doesn't matter."
-Lewis Carroll, Alice in Wonderland


Above:  One of our new members, Todd, gets some air during his Squat Jump (left).  Denise and Kenny show great hip power at the top of their Squat Jump (right).  Jump, jump, jump!

"Do not wait for extraordinary circumstances to do good action; try to use ordinary situations."
-Jean Paul Richter

No 6am class tomorrow. We will still be having the 11am, 4pm & 6:30pm.

The Zone Diet Explained (http://www.zonediet.com/)

Diet is not a dirty word. It comes from the Greek root meaning "way of life". This is what the Zone Diet is. It's a way of life to help control gene expression to give you the longer and better life we all aspire to.

The Zone Diet gives you the power to turn some genes on and turn other genes off. As a result, you feel your energy soar, watch your waistline shrink, and say goodbye to hunger. In the Zone you are now taking wellness into your own hands.

Any diet that uses the word high or low to describe it is hormonally unsustainable. The only diet that can maintain hormonal balance for a lifetime must use the word moderate to describe it. That’s what the Zone Diet is.

It’s moderate in:
• Low-fat protein
• Low glycemic-load carbs(mostly fruits and vegetables)
• Heart-healthy monounsaturated fats

The Zone Diet is about balancing your hormones within a specific range to control hunger on fewer calories while still getting the proper nutrients your body needs for long-term health. The Zone Diet can best be described as a moderate-carbohydrate, moderate-protein, moderate fat diet that has approximately one gram of fat for every two grams of protein and three grams of carbohydrates (the Zone 1-2-3 Method™). These ratios represent the newest dietary recommendations from the Joslin Diabetes Research Center at Harvard Medical School for the treatment of obesity and type 2 diabetes.
With the right balance of protein, carbohydrates and fats, you can control three major hormones generated by the diet – insulin, glucagon and eicosanoids.

Insulin – A storage hormone. Excess insulin makes you fat and keeps you fat. It also accelerates silent inflammation
Glucagon – A mobilization hormone that tells the body to release stored carbohydrates at a steady rate, leading to stabilized blood sugar levels. This is key for optimal mental and physical performance.
Eicosanoids – These are the hormones that ultimately control silent inflammation. They are also master hormones that indirectly orchestrate a vast array of other hormonal systems in your body.

I've been on STRICT zoning for a week now and can see a change in my appearance as well as feel a change in my fitness. The other day, when I could only do 20 Kipping Pull-Ups in a row, I did 27 in a row. When I could only do 3 mediocre Handstand Push-Ups in a row, I did 5 perfect head to ground Handstand Push-Ups. Last but not least, I've been able to do things that I couldn't do since high school (when I was 10 lbs. lighter and 7 years younger), like an Ariel (no-hand cartwheel). In fact, I did 5 Ariels! You might be thinking, I don't need to be doing a no-hand cartwheel, so why should I go on the Zone? Well, for those of you who aren't "performance whores" like me, the Zone Diet will still benefit you in so many ways outside of CrossFit. If you can get through the first 2 weeks without cheating, including weighing and measuring (WAM-ing), you will notice a significant difference in the way you look and feel. I'll be honest, its not easy, especially if your body is used to chronically elevated insulin levels, but it is so worth it. There really is no sacrifice too large for a lifetime of health, not to mention a longer life in general. So don't put this on hold, make it your pre-holiday goal to be a Zoner, build some courage, be strong, be disciplined, (you can do it) and break that addiction to hyper-insulinimia!


Really awesome Zone sources:
http://www.zonediet.com/
Zone Block Calculator - RARE CrossFit
The Zone: Quick Start Guide
CrossFit Journal: Meal Plan - really great source for block breakdowns
"Mastering the Zone" by Barry Sears, Ph.D.
"A Week in the Zone" by Barry Sears, Ph.D.
"Zone Perfect Meals in Minutes" by Barry Sears, Ph.D.

Get your CrossFit on!
Elyse

Today's Workout:
"In the Zone"
For time:
650 M Run
3 Rounds, of:
25 Wall Ball
25 KB SDLHP
25 Tire Jump
25 Push Press

Post time to comments.

Above: What's your limit? Would bloody, torn up hands make you quit a workout? Not for our warrior MK! Check out this picture of her hands from this morning! These battle wounds are a sign of her perservearance and mental as well as physical toughness!

As a CrossFitter you learn to love your scars. Callused hands are no different. Personally, when my hands are callused, it reminds me that I just survived a "sucky" WOD and made myself a little tougher mentally and physically. However, at the same time, as much as I've learned to value those calluses, I also know that healthy hands are very valuable in both CrossFit and life; thus, I try to avoid ripping my hands open as much as possible.

The first time I ever did "Angie" (100 Pull-Ups, 100 Push-Ups, 100 Sit-Ups, 100 Squat for time), after about the 40th pull-up, large blisters formed on my hands and by the 70th, they ripped open. However, after months of CrossFitting and a lot more practice with pull-ups, I can get through "Angie" with minimal damage to my hands. As the demands on our hands increase, our hands get stronger and the skin on our hands become more resistant to rips. Moreover, with proper hand maintenance, painful tears and blisters can be kept to a minimum, even during a workout like "Angie". Trim or file callouses if they build up to prevent them from pinching up during pull-ups. Also, make sure to tape the hot spots on your hands before attempting a high number of pull-ups.

But, what if your blisters do rip open?
1. Using sterile clippers/scissors, trim away all the torn skin
2. Clean the area thoroughly
3. If the wound is deep (i.e. if fluid or blood is present), try and keep it moist with Neosporin and use a band-aid for the first 36-48 hours. If necessary, wrap athletic tape over the band-aid to keep it on.
4. Once healed enough to expose to air, try and keep the area moisturized (lotion or chapstick work well) so the skin does not dry out and begin to crack, which is most definitely uncomfortable.

What if a blister forms, but doesn't rip?
1. Pierce the skin with a sterile pin/needle and drain the built-up fluids
2. Follow steps 1-4 from above.

More importantly, wipe the memory of those painful moments from your minds and get back on that bar as soon as you can! Remember, the increase in demand of your hands will strengthen them and with enough CrossFitting, your hands will become more and more resistant to blisters! Love your battle wounds and scars!

Go get your CrossFit on!
Elyse

Other links:
In depth articles about hands, blisters, and more, by CrossFit Virtuosity: click here.

Easy to follow directions and diagram to construct your own "athletic tape" hand grips: click here.

Today's Workout:
"World P's"
10 rounds for time, of:
5 Power Cleans
10 Pull-Ups
15 Push-Ups

Post time to comments.

Today's Workout:
"Get to the Poles"
5 rounds for max reps.
30 seconds each:
KB SDLHP
Toes to Wall
Med Ball Squat Clean
Toes to Wall
DB Shoulder Press
Toes to Wall

Post score to comments.

Above: "The Gun Show" featuring Tyler and his awesome triceps!

Recently there was an article in the CrossFit Journal, which was written and featuring Greg Amundson, one of the coaches at the CrossFit Certification Camp I attended 2 weeks ago. "Greg Amundson is arguably the most famous early CrossFit monster." Not to mention he demonstrated at the camp, perfect Burpees and effortless-looking Muscle-Ups. In his article, Greg talks about good housekeeping, specifically set-up, counting, and active rest. Properly setting up a work space, how you manage your repetitions (i.e., counting DOWN rather then up keeps you motivated), and slowing the pace to allow recovery rather than stopping completely, are all ways to shave time off your workout. Here's a couple of paragraphs from the article:

But if you want to get the most out of your training, you do have an identical need for good housekeeping, standardized organization, and a wellthought-
out workout strategy. After all, CrossFit is all about intensity, and to maximize intensity, you have to pay attention to technique and smooth workflow between
various exercises. Disrupt those for a few seconds here and there by, say, forgetting where the chalk is, searching for your water bottle, or being mispositioned for the next exercise, and your time, training, and fitness will suffer....

(The Bottom Line:) The housekeeping and strategic concepts of Set-Up, Counting and Active Rest work independently and in harmony with each other. They work for elite and beginner CrossFitters alike. They keep you psychologically motivated and physically efficient as they speed you up and help maximize the benefits of your workout. If you implement them, don’t be surprised to set new CrossFit PRs quickly. After all, everything being equal, efficiency wins.

When every seconds counts, when every repetition matters, when its the difference between 1st and 2nd place, its important that you have good housekeeping so your workout is efficient and effective! 3, 2, 1... Get your CrossFit on!

Elyse

Today's Workout:
"10's"
Max rounds in 20 minutes, of:
10 KB Swings
10 Air Squats
10 Burpees
1 Circle Run (about 100 meters)

Post score/rounds to comments.