Do you get this excited when you set a PR?

Bowling will always get the best of you…

SKILL/STRENGTH
HSPU
Ring Rows

WOD
Sprint 400m
4 Rounds. 1/1 Rest.

This is a story about a guy I know – we’ll call him ‘Magnus’ (he’d like that).  He likes to lift heavy things and has been known to grunt and swear while lifting these heavy things.  When he opens his (massive) gym bag it’s like taking a trip to GNC (if GNC also sold chalk) – there’s the pre-workout drink mix, the during workout potion, the protein packed post-workout magic muscle builder, a plethora of other random pills/powders and the mandatory ‘shaker bottle’.  Let’s just say ‘Magnus’ is VIP at GNC.  Now, I’m guessing you all have a picture of ‘Magnus’ in your head right now and maybe he looks a little like the dude on the cover of this month’s Muscle & Fiction Magazine…  Well, I hate to break it to you but ‘Magnus’ stands about 5’11” and likely tips the scale at a solid 160 (after lunch).  Yeah, downright burly – or something…

Alright, so my guess is you all know at least one ‘Magnus’ and even if you aren’t “that guy or gal” there is a pretty good chance you too own a ‘shaker bottle’ and massive tub of some type of protein powder.  Why am I assuming this?  One of the MOST common questions I get and see goes something like this, “What’s a good Paleo protein powder?” or  “What protein powder do you recommend?”  Well folks, here I am, once again ‘raining on your parade’.  Now granted in some situations – few and rare – a protein powder and/or liquid meal may have a place; but for the general population that’s Crossfitting, going jogging, lifting weights, etc these magic powders are not all they’re ‘shook’ up to be and in every case REAL FOOD is always the BEST choice!

Now you’re all thinking, but they sell it at my gym and everyone else says it’s good and it works for muscle building, fat loss, leaning out, recovery, energy, weight gain, insert your goal here___________.  That right there should be your first clue – one powder/shake that fits everyone’s goals – how does that work?  Sure, there are ‘lite’ and ‘mega-growth’ formulas – but when it comes down to the stick – they all ‘shake’ out about the same.  One may use a sugar substitute instead of sugar or have a different amino acid breakdown, but in truth you can’t trust what the label says anyway…

Supplement ‘Facts’

Let’s look at the label – sure it says it has 20 grams of protein, all the essential amino acids, is 100% ‘pure’ – blah, blah, blah…  Unfortunately, what you think you’re getting and what you’re actually getting can be two very different things.  Protein powders fall under the realm of ‘supplements’ in the eyes of the government and therefore are not regulated nor checked for purity or content.  A Consumer Reports investigation uncovered concerning amounts of arsenic, lead, mercury and cadmium  in several well known and darn right popular protein powders – we’re talking ‘exceeding maximum’ pharmacologically deemed ‘safe’ numbers here.  And do you really know what else could be in there?  There have been several cases and reports of seemingly innocent ‘protein powders’ being contaminated with anabolic steroids or like substances which have resulted in positive ‘doping’ test results.

Have you ever went to the meat counter and asked the butcher to cut you off a big slab of whey or cracked open an egg to be greeted with a white powder?  I’m guessing it’s a great big negatory on that one.  Believe it or not protein powders are a processed food.  Yes, you heard that correctly – these powders are far from a ‘natural phenomenon’.  You cannot milk a cow and get a powder, city kids you’re just going to have to trust me on this one.  So, where does the powder come from?  In the case of whey, it’s often a waste product of cheese making and unless you’re getting the super pricey, meat is a better deal, protein powder from grassfed animals you’re likely getting ‘grain-fed waste’.  Let’s also consider the process that makes the whey into a powder (it’s liquid in real life…) – this process be it whey or egg white often utilizes extremely high heat (like higher than cooking).  This ‘hot air’ denatures the protein to an extent that may increase its carcinogenic load.  And hold on, there’s more!!  Some of these powders even come with some bonus MSG!!  Remember that rule about food that comes in a package, needs a label and can live on a shelf for an extended period of time?  Apply that here.

But I Need A Post Workout Meal?!?!

Relax!!  Yes, the post workout meal is important but consider the goal of that meal along with your overall goals.  The primary purpose of post pain party fuel is to restore the muscle protein and glycogen that was depleted during the workout and to promote recovery.  If getting/staying lean and enhancing health and longevity are also on your list of ‘things to do’ – then liquid food will not the best choice make.  Why?  Two-words: Insulin Response.  Granted after you workout your insulin sensitivity is heightened and it takes less of it to clear the post workout meal glucose from the blood; but this phenomenon should be taken advantage of not hindered by a liquid induced blood sugar surge.  Liquids require less processing and digestion, so instead of the slow steady blood sugar rise that happens with a dose of starchy carb and some protein from real food sources; the ‘shaker bottle’ cocktail results in a zero to 60 increase in blood glucose levels.  This pedal to the metal rise requires insulin fast and even though sensitivity is heightened the end result is more insulin being produced to clear the sugar bombarded blood.  This folks – is NOT what we’re going for!  If you find this whole post workout eating thing a whole lot of confusing definitely check out Robb’s post about the ins and outs of the game.  But understand that you can’t do better than ‘real food’ regardless of what your friends or the label on a tub of powder say.

So, what’s a ‘Magnus’ to do??  Put the shaker bottle away and stop paying for the college educations of the “I work on commission” GNC salespersons kids and “JUST CHEW IT”!  Your body, taste buds and wallet will be MUCH happier in the end.

What are you ‘whey’ting for?

Thanks to Amy Kubal at Robbwolf.com for the great post.

Reclaiming your overhead position:

The most basic movement to get weight from your shoulders to overhead is the press. If you want to increase the load and incorporate your legs a push press will get the job done. To fully maximize your capacity to get weight overhead from your shoulders you must use the push jerk.

The set-up for all three of the overhead presses is the same:
- first you must clean the weight to the front rack position or take it from supports
- your hands are positioned just outside your shoulders with your elbows slightly in front of the bar
- feet are no wider than shoulder width apart, or a jumping position

Action Cues:
- take a deep breath in, squeeze your ribcage down and engage your entire core
- dip into a quarter squat keeping your hips under your shoulders and torso upright
- without hesitation at the bottom of your squat violently drive through your heels
- at full extension of your knees begin pressing the weight overhead as you return to a partial squat
- catch the bar with your arms locked out overhead in the partial squat
- return to a standing position with the weight overhead

Homework:
The role of your abdominal muscles in this exercise is crucial for maintaining a neutral spine as you dip and drive the weight overhead. A drill to teach your muscles what this upright dip feels like is to practice with your back up against a wall using a PVC pipe as a barbell.  Start with the PVC pipe in the front rack position with your heels, hips and shoulders in contact with the wall. During the dip and subsequent drive, keep all three points in contact with the wall.

SKILL/STRENGTH
Press

WOD
5 Hang Power Cleans
5 Front Squats
5 Jerks
5 Rounds. For max weight, not time.

TIMES and SCORES (being tabulated)

We’ve got to dig back into those heels: The CrossFit Quads

SKILL/STRENGTH
Back Squats

WOD
10 One arm thrusters (5L/5R)
5 Burpees
10 KB Swings
AMRP in 12 minutes

TIMES and SCORES (being tabulated)

Only The Strong Survive: Lift To Live Longer

SKILL/STRENGTH
Deadlifts

WOD
7 Box Jumps
7 Pushups
7 OH Squats
AMRP in 9 minutes

TIMES and SCORES

WOD
Box Jumps
SDHP
21-18-15-12-9-6-3

TIMES and SCORES

Everybody should have a pistol, don’t you think?

SKILL/STRENGTH
Ring Rows

WOD
Squat Cleans
KB Swings
21-15-9

TIMES and SCORES

Have you ever tried to use the tabata protocol on anything else in your life? Tabata text messages (not while driving of course), tabata Facebook, tabata tequila shots? Time management is what I fight with everyday, specifically my work-rest cycles. By far and away the hardest and most beneficial piece of succeeding in CrossFit is developing a healthy work-rest routine.

We keep journals to log every aspect of our workouts in the gym an effort to gain insight on what we need to improve upon, so why not do it in other realms of our lives? If you’re anything like me you will be infuriated by the realization of how much time we spend on the phone, sending emails, answering text messages, wasting time on Facebook or Youtube…etc… all while still not getting any work completed. Take control of your time and life, tabata it!

SKILL/STRENGTH
Press

Tabata
Squats (Bottom to Bottom)
Situps
Pushups
Box Jumps

TIMES and SCORES

The overhead squat is a natural progression from the basic air squat and at the heart of the Olympic snatch. It will magnify any flaws in the setup or execution your air squat with the addition of an external weight overhead.

A short list of key points to the air squat:
- feet at shoulder with toes slightly pointed out
- keep chest up and reach back with your hips as you descend to the bottom of the squat tracking your knees over your feet
- hip crease is below your knees, weight is back in your heels at the bottom of the squat
- squeeze the glutes/hamstrings without rocking forward as you return to a standing position

Finding the overhead grip can be done easily with a series of progressive “pass-throughs” using the PVC pipe and narrowing your grip until you can no longer complete the movement without bending your elbows or ‘hitching’ your shoulders. This is the width you will typically use for an overhead squat.

Next, you need to identify the frontal plane where the bar will travel overhead as you descend into your squat. The frontal plane divides your body in to two halves, front and back, passing through both shoulders and mid-foot. The starting position for the overhead squat is the same as for the air squat with the addition of the weight held in the frontal plane overhead. As you descend to the bottom of your squat it is important maintain the positioning of the bar in the frontal plane. This will not automatically happen and you will have to pull the weight back overhead to maintain its position.

Making small increases in weight are crucial to your future success as you learn this movement. The development of the overhead squat will lead to an increase in core strength and the stability gained will transfer to your snatch.

SKILL/STRENGTH
Back Squats

WOD
10 Deadlifts
50 Double Unders
3 Rounds

TIMES and SCORES
COMPARE TO March 21st 2011