There has been a lot of talk lately along the lines of "what about abs", and having thought it over, I have to admit there does seem to be a lack of ab work in CrossFit. Probably the most challenging and effective moves for the abdominals involve the Swiss ball. I have hesitated to incorporate it because I'm not sure folks are really ready to handle this level of "intense" isolation.

WOD 090401

Three rounds for time of 21-15-9

Swiss Ball Pikes
Swill Ball Planks
Swiss Ball Exchange

Abs Exercise #1: Swiss Ball Pikes

Place your feet on top of the ball while your body is in the push up position. Lift your hips towards the ceiling and move your body into the piqued position. Keeping your abs tight, slowly lower to the starting position.

Abs Exercise #2: Swiss Ball Planks

Begin by placing your elbows on the Swiss ball. Keep your feet about hip width apart. Keep your abs pulled in and your back in good alignment.

hold for 30 seconds, rest 10 seconds, repeat

Abs Exercise #3: Swiss Ball Exchange

Begin by lying on your back with the ball between your feet and arms overhead. Bring your arms up to meet your feet and exchange the ball from your hands to your feet.

Photo: Tom Campitelli

So now we know that a double espresso before a workout works wonders, but what about afterward?  The topic of post-workout (PWO) nutrition is a hotly-debated one over in the bodybuilding territories of the internet.  Over there, the debate is typically not whether one should have anything post-workout, but rather which super-mega-extreme frothy tanker of aspartame and diheximethylcrapalose* (now in Fruit Punch flavor with real Acai!) will get you totally shredded (or pumped, I guess, depending on your goals).  Bypassing the hype, though, is there anything that sets the post-workout window apart from any other time for nutritional benefit?  Turns out, there is.

The Why
I'm going to geek out on you here for a second.  As you may or may not know, the body provides three separate pathways for generating and burning energy:  ATP/CP, Glycolitic and Oxidative.  In the first, the body burns adenosine tri-phosphate for extremely brief (under a second), maximum-effort movements.  In the second, the muscles burn through their reserves of glycogen at about 90% effort, which lasts about 12-15 minutes.  The final is the domain of the endurance athlete, in which the body combines oxygen from your lungs with bodyfat reserves to allow you to work at about 50-70% for, essentially, hours on end. CrossFit metcons specifically target the second pathway, focusing on intensity rather than strength or volume.  We will focus on strength (Max Effort) sometimes, and will occasionally dip into volume (Murph or a 10k), but the heart of CrossFit is the short, painful metcon (Fran is a classic example).  It is here that PWO nutrition is the most useful.

You see, immediately following a punishing workout, the muscles are desperate to replenish their spent glycogen stores.  The body can supply their needs by mobilizing body fat or by converting protein to glycogen, but these processes take time!  And your muscles are thirsty!  They need their glycogen NOW, dammit!  Here's where the magical non insulin mediated glucose transport comes in.  In the period of time immediately following a workout, we can fly in an emergency shipment of nutrients and amino acids directly to the muscles in a sugar airlift.  It's the most direct line from mouth to muscle you'll ever get, so it's a good idea to take advantage of it.

Why?  RECOVERY.  As you all know, 5-6 workouts a week is brutal, and there's nothing like a bad case of DOMS to wreck your day.  And it's not just about soreness:  faster recovery means you're able to hit the workouts harder more often, thereby providing greater stimulus and growth to your muscles and central nervous system.  Faster recovery means fewer injuries, and less likelihood of illness or overtraining.  Remember:  we do not get stronger in the gym.  All we do in the gym is controlled damage to ourselves.  We get stronger as a result of our body's response to that damage, so it is in our best interests to maximize our recovery by as many (legal/safe) means as are available to us.


The What

Hopefully by now I've convinced you that PWO nutrition is a good idea.  "But what," you're asking, "should I EAT?  Which is better, Gatorade or Muscle Milk?"  The answer, of course, is neither. Sure, you could lay out $50 for a tub of chalky-tasting chemicals specially formulated by marketing agents with a penchant for the letter "X," but why bother?  There are cheaper, healthier and tastier options.

When considering your choices, these are the things you want to keep in mind:  a generous amount of carbs, a small amount of protein, and as little fat as you manage.  Now, normally I'm not a very big fan of the carbohydrate, but in PWO-land all the rules go topsy turvy, so now they're good - and the higher their GI, the better (I know, right?).  As for protein, the ideal ratio of carbs to protein is 4:1, so about a quarter of the carbs.  Fat slows digestion/absorption, so while most of the time I'm huge fan o' the fat, this is not its time to shine.  So what fits the bill?

• Chocolate milk.  As crazy as it sounds, lowfat chocolate milk is just about perfect for post-workout recovery.  It has that great 4:1 ratio and is quickly absorbed by the body.  In clinical studies, it performed as well or better than the highly processed fancy supplements.  If I were to get really nitpicky, I'd advocate one made with sugar rather than high-fructose corn syrup, but whatever.
• Regular milk.  Rebecca's drink of choice.  Organic is better than not.  Lowfat versions have less fat, but whole has more nutrients, so I put that choice down to personal preference.
• Kefir.  This is what I drink.  I have my reasons.
• A sweet potato and a little jerky or salmon
  
• An apple or banana with some skim mozzarella or deli slice
• Applesauce with a little cottage cheese and cinnamon
  
• Lowfat yogurt or rice pudding
• Mix a little unflavored/unsweetened whey with some juice
  

You get the idea.  Eggs, tofu/legumes, brown rice etc are suboptimal, as the fiber and/or fat makes them slow to digest and absorb.  For 30-40 minutes of your day, fat and fiber are bad and sugar is good.

The When
Note that this little trick only works if you've pushed yourself hard enough to deplete your body's glycogen stores.  So your special PWO meal/drink will only be effective if taken immediately after a hard metcon - the harder you worked, the better it will work, and the more immediate the better.  The window is only open for about an hour - after that, your body has returned to business as usual.  This is not to say that nutrition after a Max Effort workout would be bad for you, just that it wouldn't be any different from any other time of the day.

The How
This is not rocket science.  Obtain a portable drink container and/or some tupperware and make it happen, Einstein.  Try it for two weeks and see how you feel.

Personal Observations
For the last month or so, Rebecca and I have been following up our workouts with 16 oz of milk or kefir.  We have both noticed a decrease (not an elimination - this ain't voodoo) in DOMS, and a greater level of energy in our workouts through the week.  It's great stuff.  If you have questions or your own PWO nutrition strategy, please share in the comments.

Note that if your goal is weight loss, you might consider intentionally NOT eating in the hour after a workout.  In the absence of glycogen and and food, the body's response to a difficult workout will be to mobilize fat stores to replenish its immediate energy reserves.  The downside of this, of course, is that you're missing out on the benefits of increased recovery, so you need to be very careful about walking the line between healthy and overtrained - if you push too hard, you'll spike your cortisol and your fat won't be going anywhere.

*As far as I'm aware, there's really no such thing.  Not that any of us would know.

I am not a dietician.  CrossKitchen articles come from my personal experience, observations and research, and should not be construed as professional medical advice.

Polly On Her Coffee Run Photo: Tom Campitelli

It's Time to Make a Coffee Run

By GINA KOLATA

WELDON JOHNSON first tried caffeine as a performance enhancer in 1998. He was not a coffee drinker but had heard that caffeine could make him run faster. So he
went to a convenience store before a race and drank a cup of coffee.

For the first time in his life, he ran 10 kilometers in less than 30 minutes.

"I remember being really wired before the race," he said in an e-mail message. "My body was shaking."

From then on, he was a convert.

Mr. Johnson, a founder of LetsRun.com,
would avoid caffeine, even in soft drinks, for a few weeks before he
competed in a race, wanting to have the full stimulant effect.

"It may have been a huge placebo effect, but I swore by it," Mr.

Johnson said. "Having a cup of coffee exactly one hour before the race
was part of my routine."

Or maybe it was not a placebo effect.

Caffeine, it turns out, actually works. And it is legal, one of the
few performance enhancers that is not banned by the World Anti-Doping
Agency.

So even as sports stars from baseball players to cyclists to

sprinters are pilloried for using performance enhancing drugs, one of
the best studied performance enhancers is fine for them or anyone else
to use. And it is right there in a cup of coffee or a can of soda.

Exercise physiologists have studied caffeine's effects in nearly

every iteration: Does it help sprinters? Marathon runners? Cyclists?
Rowers? Swimmers? Athletes whose sports involve stopping and starting
like tennis players? The answers are yes and yes and yes and yes.

Starting as long ago as 1978, researchers have been publishing caffeine studies. And in study after study, they concluded that caffeine actually does improve performance.

In fact, some experts, like Dr. Mark Tarnopolsky of McMaster University
in Canada, are just incredulous that anyone could even ask if caffeine
has a performance effect.

"There is so much data on this that it's unbelievable," he said.

"It's just unequivocal that caffeine improves performance. It's been
shown in well-respected labs in multiple places around the world."

The only new questions were how it exerts its effects and how little caffeine is needed to get an effect.

For many years, researchers thought the sole reason people could
exercise harder and longer after using caffeine was that the compound
helped muscles use fat as a fuel, sparing the glycogen stored in
muscles and increasing endurance. But there were several hints that
something else was going on. For example, caffeine improved performance
even in short intense bursts of exercise when endurance is not an issue.

Now, Dr. Tarnopolsky and others report that caffeine increases the power output of muscles by releasing calcium that is stored in muscle. The effect can enable athletes to keep going longer

or to go faster in the same length of time. Caffeine also affects the
brain's sensation of exhaustion, that feeling that it's time to stop,
you can't go on any more. That may be one way it improves endurance,
Dr. Tarnopolsky said.

The performance improvement in controlled laboratory settings can be

20 to 25 percent, Dr. Tarnopolsky said. But in the real world,
including all comers, the improvement may average about 5 percent,
still significant if you want to get your best time or even win a race.

For years, researchers believed that you needed about 5 to 6

milligrams of caffeine per kilogram of body weight. An 80-kilogram, or
176-pound man, for example, would need about 400 milligrams of
caffeine, or 20 ounces of coffee.

Now, Louise M. Burke, the head of sports nutrition

department of the Australian Institute of Sport in Canberra, reports
that athletes get the full caffeine effect with as little as 1
milligram of caffeine per kilogram of body weight. Instead of 20 ounces
of coffee, a 176-pound man could drink 4 ounces of coffee, or about two
12-ounce cans of Coke.

It's also possible to get diminishing returns.

Terry Graham, chairman of the Department of Human Health and
Nutritional Sciences of the University of Guelph in Canada, found that
at 9 milligrams per kilogram, athletes actually did worse.

Many athletes and coaches are not caffeine fans. Mr. Johnson said he

has tried to spread the word and gets frustrated when runners don't use
caffeine -- so much so, he said, that when he sees the team his brother
coaches at Cornell, he thinks, why aren't they all going to Starbucks?

Mike Perry, a friend who is a sculler who has competed nationally

and internationally, said that, with one exception, the rowers he knew
did not use caffeine.

"People would have psychological issues with using it," he said.

"They would see it as against the spirit of the law, even though it's
not against the law."

Still, Mr. Perry wondered whether caffeine would help him. When he

retired from rowing last July, he decided to do a randomized, blinded,
placebo-controlled experiment on himself.

He noticed that the 200-milligram caffeine pills look exactly like vitamin C

pills, allowing him to code the pills so that he would not know which
one he had taken. For eight months he tested himself once a week,
taking two pills an hour before working out on a rowing machine. Then
he worked as hard as he could for an hour, recording the results, also
recording his guess about whether the pills he took contained caffeine.
Mr. Perry, who also is a runner, said that an hour on the rowing
machine is the equivalent of an hour of very fast running on the road.

When he finished his study and broke the code late last month, he

was astonished to see how much the caffeine had affected him. He was
stronger -- his power output was 3 percent greater -- and faster. In
fact, he said the average speed for his tests when he used caffeine was
faster than his fastest speed when he was not using caffeine.

He also guessed right most of the time about whether the pills he

took were caffeine or vitamin C. Mr. Perry said he is now sorry that he
never used caffeine when he was competing. "It would have been a pretty
harmless way to do better," he said.

Others, including my son Stefan, disagree. I urged Stefan to try caffeine and he did. Once.

He took a caffeine pill before a track workout that involved
running a mile very quickly, resting briefly, and running a mile again,
repeatedly. Like Mr. Johnson, he was wired and shaking. But, Stefan
said, he could not recover between miles. His heart was pounding and
just would not slow down. He said he has no desire to experience that
again.

Then there is the problem my running partner Jen Davis and I have.

We love coffee and probably have caffeine in our blood all the time
except during the middle of the night (it lasts for hours).

SO would we do better if we weaned ourselves from caffeine and then took a pill or two before a race?
 
I asked Dr. Tarnopolsky. It turns out, he said, that you get

habituated to two of caffeine's effects right away. Caffeine can make
you urinate, but only if you are not used to it.

"Athletes do not get dehydrated from caffeine," he added, "contrary to popular myth."

And caffeine does increase the heart rate and blood pressure
in people who are not regular uses. "But after three or four days, that
potentially negative effect is gone," Dr. Tarnopolsky said.

The beneficial effects on exercise, though, remain. Even if you are

a regular coffee drinker, if you have a cup of coffee before a workout
or a race, you will do better, Dr. Tarnopolsky said. "There is no
question about it," he added.

He puts the caffeine research to use when he trains and competes.

Dr. Tarnopolsky is an elite triathlete, ski orienteer and trail runner
who has competed at national and international levels. And, he said, he
loves coffee: "I love the smell. I love the taste. It's heaven."

And before a race? He always has a cup.

Social Climbing at GWPC 6-9PM

Come climb with the CFEB crew. If you don't know how this is a great opportunity to learn to top-rope: you don't need to own equipment, but there is a nominal fee for harness and shoe rental.

Post routes completed or attempted to comments.

Polly on the way to her #1 performance at "OPD".

WOD 090329

11 & Noon

10 rounds for time:

10 Pull-Up (Men C2B)
15 Push-Up

Post time to comments.

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1PM - Firebreather (Advanced)

Throwdown:

AMRAP* in 90 seconds: Box Jump 24"/20"
AMRAP* in 90 seconds: Jumping C2B Pull-Up
AMRAP* in 90 seconds: Kettlebell Swing 1.0P
AMRAP* in 90 seconds: Walking Lunge Steps
AMRAP* in 90 seconds: KTE (Knees-To-Elbows)
AMRAP* in 90 seconds: Back Extensions
AMRAP* in 90 seconds: Push-Press 45#
AMRAP* in 90 seconds: Wall-Ball 20#/14# 10" Target
AMRAP* in 90 seconds: Burpees
AMRAP* in 90 seconds: Double-Unders

In this workout you move immediately from station to station for good score upon a call of "rotate" from the coach. There is no rest between movements. You may start at any station.

*As Many Reps As Possible

"OPD" WOD Fundraiser 090328 from 9 a.m. to 11a.m. at CrossFit Oakland 1060 39th Street @ Adaline, Oakland CA. DIRECTIONS

Please attend. CrossFit East Bay will cover the donation of students and others who cannot afford to donate. Minimum suggested donation is $10.00.

If you want to donate directly to the trust funds that have been established:

Three trust funds have been set up to help the families of three of the slain officers. Checks can be made out to Dunakin Children's Family Trust, Romans Children's Family Trust and Sakai Family Trust. The checks can be mailed to the Oakland Police Officers Association, Attn: Renee Hassna, 555 Fifth St,, Oakland CA 94607.

Wire transfers can be made directly to Merrill Lynch accounts for the three families: Dunakin Children's Family Trust, a/c #204-04065; Romans Children's Family Trust, a/c #204-04066; Sakai Family Trust, a/c #204-04064.

Saturday Workout Details

"OPD"

Run 400m
40 deadlifts @ 275#/185#
40 box jumps @ 24"
40 push presses @ 115#/85#
Run 400m

The number 4 is prominent, in honor of the four who were killed in the line of duty: Sgt Mark Dunakin, Officer John Hege, Sgt Daniel Sakai, and Sgt Ervin Romans.

There will be as many heats as needed to get through the workout, and the first heat will be shortly after 9 AM.

Scaling of loads and reps is allowed. This is a workout that anyone can do.

---

Saturday 090328

Ironworks 11 & Noon

Clean and Front squat 1-1-1-1-1 reps

The athlete will clean the weight from the ground to rack position and perform two front squats. That is one rep.

Example at 1:16

Post loads to comments.

Enlarge image

Caddy - Kosice, Slovakia

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CrossFit Radio Weekend Edition with Dave Young - video [wmv] [mov]

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Coach Greg Glassman, along with Captain Brian Chontosh, USMC and Coach Mark Rippetoe, will introduce CrossFit to the American Society of Exercise Physiologists at their annual conference on Friday, April 3rd in Wichita Falls, TX. A special one-day CrossFit pass is available.

Friday 090327

Five rounds for max reps of:
Ring Dips
Pull-ups

Post reps for both exercises in all rounds.

Enlarge image

CrossFit Brand X 5th Annual Highland Games Workout

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Vocabulary and Terms Part 2 by Mark Rippetoe, CrossFit Journal Preview - video [wmv] [mov]

Thursday 090326

For time:
225 pound Deadlift, 21 reps
Run 800 meters
225 pound Deadlift, 15 reps
Run 800 meters
225 pound Deadlift, 9 reps
Run 800 meters

Post time to comments.

Compare to 070202.

Enlarge image

Baghdad

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"The Zone Chronicles with Pat Sherwood: LAX", CrossFit Journal Preview - video [wmv] [mov]

Andy at the Washington Monument

Wednesday 090325

If you own a Dynamax Ball (especially 14#), bring it! We have 8.

"Karen"

For time:
150 Wallball shots, 20 pound ball

Post time to comments.

Compare to 080807.

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Dave Castro on Technique and Intensity by CrossFit Again Faster, CrossFit Journal Preview - video [wmv] [mov]

By Daniel Olmstead

Hi guys! Max has generously agreed to give me weekly space for a feature on nutrition that I'm dubbing "CrossKitchen." It is my intention to use this space to provide you with some of the information that I've picked up in my nutritional research - things like recipes, DIY tips, articles and anything else I can think of to help fuel your fire. If you have any ideas or requests, please let me know! -Daniel

Trimming the Fat

Good weather is just around the corner, and like all good CrossFitters and Rock climbers, we will all soon be stripping down to our skivvies in public at the faintest pretext. It is what we do. But if the long, cold, harsh California winter has left you with an unwanted layer of fat to protect you from the elements, you may be looking to tighten up a little before emerging from your Polartec cave. I'm here to help.

The Number One Rule you must Always Obey

Get used to hearing this, 'cause I'm going to harp on it a lot. If you're into needlepoint, you might want to stitch it up and surround it with little broccoli flowers: EAT REAL FOOD.

Everything else I'm going to go into here is a technique, but this is the bedrock on which it all rests. If you ignore everything else I say, listen to this. It makes all the difference in the world. More on this at a later date.

All diets boil down to two things

All successful diets cover two bases: caloric deficit and hormone control. Most people know all about the first and nothing about the second. OK, yes, it is good to take in a little less than you burn. But it is far more important to keep your insulin in check and to maximize your HGH response. Two advantages of high-fat, low-carb diets is that they increase satiety, thereby causing you to eat less, and they decrease insulin sensitivity, the greatest cause of obesity. If you can keep your insulin and cortisol levels down and your HGH and glucagon levels high, fat should just melt off your body. The trick is figuring out how to do it.

For more information:

• http://lifespotlight.com/fitness/2008/2/25/fat-loss-101-master-the-basics/ (HIGHLY recommended read)

Diet Round-up

Here's a quick rundown of the pre-packaged diets that have seen success across the CrossFit community.

The Zone

If there is an official diet of CrossFit, it is the Zone. The basic premise behind it is that if you can eat all your meals in portions of approximately 30% fat, 30% protein and 40% carbohydrates, you will put your body into an optimized performance "zone" that burns fat and builds muscle. Personally, I am not a huge fan of the Zone (I can't be bothered with all the weighing and measuring it requires), but I cannot argue with its record: many athletes around the world have seen appreciable performance gains and fat loss when zoning, and nearly all of the CrossFit superstars (Nicole, Greg A, OPT, etc) zone.

For more information:

• http://www.zonediet.com/
• http://library.crossfit.com/free/pdf/cfjissue21_May04.pdf
• Max has a lot of experience with the Zone - if you have any questions, he can steer you to the right answers.

Paleo

Brainchild of Professor Loren Cordain, the basic premise of the Paleo diet is this: humans evolved over many thousands of years on a fairly specific hunter-gatherer diet. The relatively recent advent of agriculture has introduced a whole new generation of foods that our bodies are not "designed" to eat, and which consequently do us harm. Grains and sugar are strictly forbidden, dairy and legumes are discouraged. Basically, if you can't pick it up or chase it down and eat it, you shouldn't. This is probably the second most popular diet among CrossFitters, particularly those who find the Zone fussy (although it should be noted that you can do both Zone and Paleo at the same time - many do).

For more information:

• http://www.thepaleodiet.com/ (in particular, Paleo for Athletes)
• http://www.marksdailyapple.com/the-definitive-guide-to-the-primal-eating-plan/

Intermittent Fasting

More philosophy than diet, IF can be boiled down to this: "Eat. Don't eat for a while. Eat." This particular topic is near and dear to my own heart, so (again) I'll go into it in more detail at a later date. But the basic premise is this: occasional fasts of 16-24 hours are highly beneficial to the body in numerous way, including (but not limited to) insulin control, calorie control, increased recovery, performance and mental acuity, etc etc. Fasting means FASTING - nothing with more than 5 calories passes your lips, and intermittent means INTERMITTENT - some folks do it five days a week, some just one, and some whenever they feel like it, but you should definitely not do it all the time. It is possible to do Zone, Paleo AND IF all at once, but at that point I'd start accusing you of being orthorexic, and the mockery would commence.

For more information:

• http://lifespotlight.com/health/2008/02/27/intermittent-fasting-101-how-to-start-part-i/
• http://lifespotlight.com/health/2008/08/11/part-1-what-happens-to-your-body-when-you-fast-energy-production/

The Anabolic/Ketogenic/Velocity/Warrior/Atkins Diets

There are minor variations among them, but they all follow a consistent theme: by lowering your daily input of carbohydrates to under 30g, you will put your body in ketosis, whereby you are no longer deriving your energy from glucose like the rest of us, but rather from ketones manufactured from fat by your liver. This also has the effect of turning your body's focus to its fat stores for energy, particularly since all that fat and protein you're eating has increased your satiety such that you're on caloric deficit. Some people report remarkable success on these diets, but they seem (to me) to be in the minority. They also tend to be really heavy to begin with. Personally, I think these diets can work well in the short term, but are not very sustainable and tend to kill your metabolic conditioning. There's also a danger of yo-yoing with such an extreme diet. And if you're vegetarian, forget it.

For more information:

• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ketogenic_diet
• http://stronglifts.com/anabolic-diet/
• http://www.board.crossfit.com/showthread.php?t=35868

Diets that suck

You know this already. Any diet that requires you to buy their branded "food" (ie, slim-fast). Any diet that pushes the old-fashioned high-carb, low-fat philosophy (yeah, ok, it works for some people, but they are few and far between). Any diet that relies on limiting your choices so severely that you could never hit caloric surplus ("I can eat whatever I want, as long as it's pickles and muenster"). Any diet that uses fancy chemistry to bypass food's inherent natures (ie, sugar-free soda, no-carb pasta, etc). Any diet that focuses exclusively on caloric deficit with no regard to hormone control (this can work, but isn't great for athletes). Any diet that promotes starvation.

You are a beautiful snowflake

Everybody is different. What works for me may not be the best option for you. It will take some experimentation and documentation for you to determine your own optimal method of weight loss. Since everyone needs to do it from time to time, and it typically sucks, it's in your best interest to figure out the most efficient method for yourself. That said, here are some tips and tricks from my own experience:

• Eat real food. Quality trumps quantity.
• Write it down. Keep a food log. Fitday is an extremely useful tool, but it can be a bit high-maintenance. The easiest thing is to add a food component to your own workout log (you are keeping a workout log, right? RIGHT?). Blogger is free and easy, and if you give us the link we can all leave snarky comments when you break down and eat an entire box of Thin Mints. A notepad and pen is also cheap and easy. Just the simple act of writing down what you eat will make you more aware of what you're putting in your body, which is invaluable.
• Set reasonable goals. Don't crash diet. It never works. You might knock off ten pounds in one punishing week, but you'll burn yourself out and, in a fit of drunken rebelliousness, gain back twelve pounds in one night of gluttonous self-mutilation. Plus, you'll mainly be losing water, and the elevated cortisol will burn your muscles and kill your performance. I recommend a goal of ONE POUND PER WEEK. It's nice and maintainable, and easy to remember.
• Find a metric that works for you. If the numbers on the scale send you into a panic of doubt and self-recrimination, don't use them. Get a tape measure and use your waist measurement. Stand in front of a mirror naked, grab your bouncy bits and jump up and down - less jiggle, more better. Learn how to use bodyfat calipers, or get yourself tested.
• Cheat. You will get out what you put in. If you are 90% strict with your diet, you can expect to reap 90% of the reward. 90% is really, really close to 100%. If that 10% difference is the difference between sticking to it and dropping it for being too hard, I'll take it. When you cheat, cheat hard, but be aware that you're setting the rules aside for this one meal, and get back on the horse when you're done.

My own snowflake story

Before CrossFit, I lost 40 pounds by simply eating less and cycling more. I bottomed out at 12% bodyfat, though, and couldn't get below that for about a year. Ultimately, I found that the following plan works extremely well for me, and can get me below 10% whenever I want it to:

• A diet that is approximately 50% fat, 30% protein, 20% carbs, ~2500 cal/day
• Fasting 4-5 times/week, 16-20 hours per fast
• Morning workouts while fasted:

  • High-intensity intervals (either Sprint-8 or sets of 10 burpees), followed by ~30 minutes of very mild cardio (ie, running at 6mph)

I'd be happy to share more info with anyone who's interested.

Whew! That was a mouthful (so to speak). I hope you found something useful in there - if not, hopefully next week. If you have any questions or notes from your own experience, please share them in the comments.

Social Climbing at BIW 6-9PM

Come climb with the CFEB crew. If you don't know how this is a great opportunity to learn to top-rope: you don't need to own equipment, but there is a nominal fee for harness and shoe rental.

Post routes completed or attempted to comments.

James C. L-Pull-Up, Ana Kip

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11 & Noon

Snatch 1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1, weather permitting

Rain check:

Kettlebell Snatch Test:

Perform as many repetitions as possible in 10 minutes of 1.5P/1.0P kettlebell snatch.

Post loads to comments

You may switch arms as much as you would like or not at all. You may place the kettlebell on the deck when you rest.

Firebreather (advanced) -rain or shine

Throwdown:

In this workout you move from each of five stations after a minute. This is a five-minute round from which a one-minute break is allowed before repeating.

1. Wall-ball: 20/14 pound ball, 12 ft target. (Reps)
2. 180 degree 2P/1.5P Kettlebell Swing
3. Double-Under/Burpee Complex
4. 1.5PX2/1.0PX2 Push-Press
5. Run 50 meters (complete passes only)

The clock does not reset or stop between exercises. On call of "rotate," the athlete/s must move to next station immediately for good score.

Post reps completed to comments.

For time:
Run 400 Meters
1.5/1.0P Kettlebell Push press, 42 reps
Run 400 Meters
1.5/1.0P Kettlebell Push press, 36 reps
Run 400 Meters
1.5/1.0P Kettlebell Push press, 30 reps
Run 400 Meters
1.5/1.0P Kettlebell Push press, 24 reps

Post time to comments.

Snatch Set-Up 3-3-3-3

Snatch Deadlift 1-1-1

Post loads to comments.

Thursday 090319

"Murph"

For time:
1 mile Run
100 Pull-ups
200 Push-ups
300 Squats
1 mile Run

Partition the pull-ups, push-ups, and squats as needed. Start and finish with a mile run. If you've got a twenty pound vest or body armor, wear it.

Post time to comments.

Compare to 090101.

Enlarge image

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Tucker Down Under, by CrossFit Again Faster, CrossFit Journal Preview - video[wmv] [mov]

Aaron and Zack cleaning 2P mid-metcon

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WOD 090318

Clean & Jerk 3-3-3-3-1-1-1

Post loads to comments.

Best score is highest weight lifted.

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New CFEB women's pull-up standard:

Chin over bar will continue to count as RX. However, if a female athlete performs C2B pull-ups in a WOD that score will trump all non-C2B RX scores.

Example:

Athlete "A": "Cindy" 15 rounds RX (non-C2B)
Athlete "B": "Cindy 10 rounds RX (C2B)

Best performance - Athlete "B"

CFEB Team 2 (Thunderbird) in action. Somehow we got no photos of CFEB Poster Boy Raph, but he worked hard as hell - if anyone has pics of him in action send them to me please!

CrossFit East Bay Team "Comfort" @ DCF Royal Rumble

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The CrossFit Games take place July 10-12 in Aromas, Ca, about 90 minutes from the Bay Area.

Go to the Games Website to register as a spectator. $30.00 for all three Days. Classes will be canceled, all should plan to attend.

CrossFit East Bay will compete in the Affiliate Cup Competition on July 10th. The team will be chosen, by me, once the WOD is posted from the people who participate in the Norcal Throwdowns:

Sat Feb 21: CrossFit Oakland
Sat Mar 7: CrossFit Silicon Valley
Sat Mar 14: Diablo CrossFit
Sat Apr 4: CrossFit Santa Clara
Sat May 9: CrossFit San Francisco
Sat May 30: CrossFit One World

It occurs to me that we should take a little recognizance mission to CFSC to see if we can guess what they might use as a home court advantage, who is in?

Finally a few of us will be competing in the Norcal Qualifier for the 2009 CrossFit Games. Since the games no longer have open admission, this is as close as most (but perhaps not all) of us will come to competing at the games. Only $75.00 for an experience that is definitely going to inspire you to take it to the next level.

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I have been thinking about a set of standards to ensure we are able to compete RX in throwdowns. This is a work in progress, and meeting these targets would make you not just able to compete, but fairly competitive. This is still not enough to hang with the big dogs however.

• 1RM Clean & Jerk 225#/165#
• 1RM Snatch 185#/135#
• 1RM Deadlift 315#/250#
• 1RM Back Squat 250#/185#
• 1RM Press 165#/120#
• C2B Pull-Ups 15
• Dips 15
• Muscle-Up 3 consecutive from full lock-out
• Handstand Push-Up 10 consecutive
• Rope climb, no feet
• Double-Unders 50 consecutive
• Metcon ability - advanced (sub-5 Fran, 300+ FGB, etc.)
• "Distance" ability - Sub 21 5K run/ Sub 20 5K row

If you can do all of this, everything else will automatically be at a decent level, assuming you practice the movements on a regular basis.

Post thoughts on World Domination to comments.

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Social Climbing at GWPC 6-9PM

Come climb with the CFEB crew. If you don't know how this is a great opportunity to learn to top-rope: you don't need to own equipment, but there is a nominal fee for harness and shoe rental.

Post routes completed or attempted to comments.

v

CFEB Team 3 in action.

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CFEB Teams 1, 2 and 3.

CFEB Team 1 (Polly, Gita, Andy, Max) took 3rd place in a field of 14.

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WOD 090315

Ironworks 11 and Noon

4 rounds for time:

10 Kettlebell hang clean right 2.0/1.5P
10 Kettlebell hang clean left 2.0/1.5P
10 L-Pull-Up
10 Burpee

Post loads to comments (best 1RM is best of day)

Firebreather Throwdown:

Fight Gone Bad - five rounds

In this workout you move from each of five stations after a minute. This is a five-minute round from which a one-minute break is allowed before repeating. We've used this in 3 and 5 round versions. The stations are:

1. Wall-ball: 20 pound ball, 10 ft target. (Reps)
2. Sumo deadlift high-pull: 75 pounds (Reps)
3. Box Jump: 20" box (Reps)
4. Push-press: 75 pounds (Reps)
5. Row: calories (Calories)

The clock does not reset or stop between exercises. On call of "rotate," the athlete/s must move to next station immediately for good score. One point is given for each rep, except on the rower where each calorie is one point.

Post score to comments.

Right before the comfort.

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11AM and Noon

WOD 090314

3 rounds:

Run 800 Meters
50 Kettlebell Swings 1.5P/1.0P
25 Burpees

Post time to comments.

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11AM

Royal Rumble at

DIABLO CROSSFIT

ROYAL RUMBLE WORKOUT!

Prior to working out, each team will be required to:

1. Show up. In its entirety.
2. Sign waivers.
3. Staple them together.
4. Write the name of your team at the top.
5. Turn the stack into one of our staff.
6. At that point they will be able to choose which heat their "Qualifier" goes through as well as which heat their team goes through.

This means that the earlier and more organized your team is, the bigger the advantage you will have.

If you do not have a complete team. Still come as early as possible and sign a waiver. We will assign teams to the best of our ability.

There will be two workouts. A "Qualifier" and the "Team Workout".

Each team will choose one person to go through the "Qualifier" workout listed below. Their time will then be deducted from the team's "As Many Rounds As Possible in 25 minutes" time. The athlete chosen is expected to compete with the team as well as do the "Qualifier".

"Qualifier" Workout (For time):

1. Pull Up Plyo ladder, over and back, no feet. Must start and end with both hands on the lowest bar.
----- a. Feet touch ground or part of 'Diablotron' for support: 1 minute penalty
----- b. DNF: 3 minute penalty
2. 500m row
3. Olympic Bar 'Flag Carry' 100m (pick up and take off rack each time)
----- a. 1 minute penalty first drop or touching the handle at all
----- b. 2 drops = DNF and 3 minute penalty
4. Step over hurdles, run around cone, step over hurtles
5. Crawl under hurdles, run around cone, crawl under hurdles
6. Strict press 95lbs 10 reps
----- a. Scaled down: 65lbs 10 reps: 1 minute penalty
7. Sprint 200m

After the teams have had their chosen athlete complete the qualifier, they will complete the "Team Workout":

As Many Rounds As Possible In 25 minutes minus their "Qualifier" time.

Team Workout: "Royal Rumble Part Deux"

1. 10 reps "Overhead Anyhow" 95lbs, change weights
2. 10 reps Power Clean 135lbs, change weights
3. 10 reps Deadlift 205, change weights
4. 5 "Medicine Ball Bull's-eyes (Rx - 14lb ball, Scaled - 10lb)
----- a. Only shots that make it in the 'bulls-eye' count
----- b. Run out and retrieve ball each time
5. 100m "Cradle Carry" slosh pipe (Rx - 50lb, 10', 4" diameter, Scaled - 32lb)
----- a. Pipe touches the ground during carry = 5 burpees
6. 100m "Partner Keg Carry" (two person carry, one hand each)
----- a. Rx: 95lbs
----- b. Scaled: 65lbs

Rounds and fractions of rounds will be counted rounding down to the nearest exercise completed.

GENERAL RULES:

1. One person works out at a time.
2. Each athlete must complete the movement once they have started (no changing out during a set).
3. The exercises must be completed in order (no jumping around).
4. The entire team must stay together (no setting up equipment separate from the team, or leaving a team member laying down somewhere, etc). Basically the team must stay within 10' of the event they are working on.
5. No scaling is allowed for team to take 'Overall Winner'.
6. Equipment will be on a 'first come first serve basis' so if there is not enough equipment, get in line.
7. Breaking any equipment, fixtures, walls, cars, etc. may be grounds for disqualification.
8. Rules subject to change at the event (don't get bent about it, this is a free, 'for fun' event).

Water will be available for free, but PLEASE BRING YOUR OWN CUP/BOTTLE!

Beer will be available for a small fee.

Shits and free beer (the best kind) will be awarded to the winning team.

Rise To the Challenge, and lets have a good time!

Posted by Jeremy Jones at 9:50 PM | Click Here For Comments (1)

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Description

Ok, so maybe more does need to be said...

Let's play ALL-NIGHT LASER TAG!

http://www.laserquest.com/pdfs/Locations/CentresEvents/3/Mountain%20View.pdf

It costs $40 bucks each ($35 if you reserve in advance) for unlimited games between midnight and 6am.

This is super fun, I have done it before.

No presents required except your presence.

Cheryl bringing intensity and focus.

WOD 090301

"Milk & Cookies"

Run 400 Meters
25 Squats
25 Push-Ups
25 Burpees
25 Squats
Run 400 Meters

Post time to comments.

Thursday 090312

Complete as many rounds as you can in thirty minutes of:
Five pull-ups
Five ring dips
15 Sit-ups

Post rounds completed to comments.

Compare to 030710.

Enlarge image

CrossFit Bogota

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"Muscles of the Pelvis" by Kelly Starrett, CrossFit Journal Preview - video [wmv] [mov]

Via CrossFit Oakland:

We are a bit late to the party, but let's jump in. Details of any changes to Saturday class Schedule (if any) to follow. I have also asked OC Mike Minium. If we can host a Throwdown @ GWPC.

Update to NorCal Team Competition Schedule

A quick update to the schedule of team competitions heading into the games...

CrossFit Silicon Valley has jumped into the fray and will be hosting an Affiliate team competition on Saturday, March 7, beginning at 12pm.

So now the full schedule looks like this:

Sat Feb 21: CrossFit Oakland
Sat Mar 7: CrossFit Silicon Valley
Sat Mar 14: Diablo CrossFit
Sat Apr 4: CrossFit Santa Clara
Sat May 9: CrossFit San Francisco
Sat May 30: CrossFit One World

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Royal Rumble at DCF!

Saturday, March 14th at 11:00 AM

2447 Estand Way in Pleasant Hill

Come down and RISE TO THE CHALLENGE. Bring your team of 4 athletes with at least one male and/or one female (if you can't, come down anyway - we'll assign athletes accordingly)

Please PRE-REGISTER by emailing support@diablocrossfit.com with your team and which gym you are coming from.

Stick around after the event for a little post workout beer and party!

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Wednesday 090311
Complete as many rounds as you can in twenty minutes of:
5 Handstand Push-ups
10 L Pull-ups
15 Steps, Walking Lunge

Post rounds completed to comments.

Compare to 080121.

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Best performances from our illustrious neighbors CFO:

Women: Candace 8 rounds + 3 HSPU
Men: Daniel 10 rounds

The above photograph is by the preeminent Southwestern nature photographer Nolan Nitschke.

Nolan Nitschke Photography 

Mr. Nitschke's ability to capture the unique magic of the desert southwest, is, in my opinion, without peer. If Ansel Addams is the paragon of Yosemite photography, Mr. Nitschke is his modern-day counterpart in the desert southwest.  His ability to capture both the intimate smaller spaces, as above as well as colossal vistas with equal aplomb is striking. He even manages to pull off both at once. A giant of American contemporary photography.

CFEB is planning a trip to Zion National Park in late June.

For some years I have wanted to climb the abandoned trail up Lady Mountain: towards the entrance of the park across from, and above, Angel's Landing (considered by many the best hike in Utah). When walking up refrigerator canyon, the sheer walls of Lady Mountain are on the left. Of course we would have to do 100 Burpees at the top.

Ten people could get quite luxurious lodging fairly cheaply. We could also rent a large van also fairly cheap. We might have some *ahem* connections along these lines...

Lady Mountain at a Glance
Photo Album: Lady Mountain Pictures
Trail Map: Lady Mountain Map
Trail Distance: 1.9 miles one-way, 3.8 miles round-trip which includes a portion of the Middle Emerald Pools Trail.
Difficulty: There are three short sections of technical climbing, so at least one experienced climber needs to be in the group.
Sun Exposure: You will be in full sun most of the day, therefore, carry plenty of water.
Permits: Not required.
Trail Conditions: This is a narrow trail with high altitude drop-offs and up to 5.7 rated climbing or scrambling sections including several steep pitches. We suggest that all hikers bring an 80' rope.
Trailhead : Zion's shuttle runs from mid-March until late October. If hiking during this time, take the bus to the Zion Lodge. The rest of the year drive into the canyon and park at Emerald Pools parking area. Use the footbridge to cross the Virgin River, then begin the hike up the Middle Emerald Pools Trail.
Best Season: This route should not be attempted in the winter. Depending on weather, March through October are usually good times to go. If you hike in the summer, begin early and complete as much of the route as you can in the cooler times of the day.

Elevation: Total elevation gain is 2675 feet in 1.9 miles. Once you begin the ascent up the mountain, you will climb 2345 feet in only 1.6 miles. The elevation at the summit is 6945 feet.

See our vacation planning section for classic Zion National Park trails or glance at our favorite Zion National Park trails list or choose from a complete Zion National Park hiking guide. Get on the Zion Canyon Shuttle to hike the trail on this page.

Post interest, and logistical ideas or concerns to comments.

Social Climbing at BIW 6-9PM

Come climb with the CFEB crew. If you don't know how this is a great opportunity to learn to top-rope: you don't need to own equipment, but there is a nominal fee for harness and shoe rental.

Post routes completed or attempted to comments.

WOD 090308

11 & Noon

5 Rounds For Time:

Run 200 Meters
10 "KettleBear" 55#/35#

The "KettleBear": without putting down the Kettlebell, perform:

Deadlift left
Clean left
Front Squat left
Push-Jerk left
Overhead Squat left
Deadlift right
Clean right
Front Squat right
Push Jerk right
Overhead squat right

That is ONE rep. A momentary touch on the second DL is acceptable. Resting the KB on the floor is a miss, and the rep must be repeated.

Compare to: 080430

1PM - Ironworks

Firebreather (advanced) Class

Throwdown:

FGB Rules

Swing
Clean
Goblet Squat
Push Press
Snatch

Men 1.5P/Women 1.0P

WOD 090307

Clean and Jerk 1-1-1-1-1-1-1

Post loads to comments.

Max at CF Virtuosity hosted by CF Black Box, wearing a CF Black Box SB shirt...

WOD 090306

Deadlift 3-3-3-3-3-3-3

Post loads to comments.

Gita - Jungle CrossFit

WOD 090306

Walking lunge 100 ft.
21 Pull-ups (Men C2B)
21 Sit-ups
Walking lunge 100 ft.
18 Pull-ups
18 Sit-ups
Walking lunge 100 ft.
15 Pull-ups
15 Sit-ups
Walking lunge 100 ft.
12 Pull-ups
12 Sit-ups
Walking lunge 100 ft.
9 Pull-ups
9 Sit-ups
Walking Lunge 100 ft.
6 Pull-ups
6 Sit-ups

Post Time To Comments

WOD 090304

AMRAP* in 20 minutes

5 Honest Push-Ups
10 2 P/1.5P Kettlebell Swings
15 2P/1.5P Goblet Squats

Post rounds and partial rounds completed to comments.

*As Many Rounds As Possible

Social Climbing at GWPC 6-9PM

Come climb with the CFEB crew. If you don't know how this is a great opportunity to learn to top-rope: you don't need to own equipment, but there is a nominal fee for harness and shoe rental.

Post routes completed or attempted to comments.