NEW BLOGSPOT ADDRESS!

Workout of the Day

CrossFit Westchester WOD:

“3 Way”

A) Row 5 minutes for max calories
B) 21-15-9 (5 minute cap)
Thrusters (65/45)
Box Jumps (24/20)
C) Amrap 5 minutes
5 pullups
10 KB swings (53/35)
Rest 2 minutes between mini-workout

How do you wonderful readers like the new design? I have finally found a way to upload files, so the Paleo On-Ramp is up for download under the "Nutrition" page. I have got some neat things jogging in the the dome piece concerning future plans, workouts, expansion, etc. I do need everyone's help though. 1. Email me topics you'd like me to rant about. They could be questions or opinions, whatever floats your boat. 2. I would like to host this blog as a website, so I want a good name. I was thinking InvictusCoach.com would be perfect, but some duesch (douche) already has it. Some alternate names I was thinking of was TheInvictusCoach.com, InvictusPerformance.com. 3. Any ideas on how to make this look fresher? Any additional pages you would like to see? I was thinking of adding a " Scaling" page, no explanation needed. As for the website name, I don't want anything too long. Any feedback would be greatly appreciated!

Stay classy,

Coach A.

Workout of the Day

Pre-game
Deadlift 5-3-1-1-1

Game time
For time:
100 burpees. At the start of every minute perform 5 deadlifts @ 50% of your 1RM.

After party
AMRAP 6 minutes:
1 Deadlift @ 70% of 1RM
3 HSPU
5 Pullups

Workout of the Day

For time:
25 burpee pullups
25 burpee box jumps
25 burpee long jumps
25 burpees

Rest 5 minutes:

Tabata: 20 seconds on, 10 seconds off
Row
Pushups
L-holds
Squats

I feel like it has been awhile since I have had a "rant" post. This was something that I thought about yesterday, after a brutal "chipper" style workout. My CrossFit family knows, I had long workouts. Anything past the duration is 15 minutes i generally dread doing, hence rarely ever do workouts around that range. While examining myself I started to ask myself why I hated them so much. To me, it is simply not logical to work in that domain because my sport, wrestling, does not require me to. Then I started thinking why I stray away from some workouts that are done under 5 minutes, which is closer in time length to a match. Looking at my record books, the majority of my workouts stay within a 10 minute, give or take time frame. So with this information, I began to classify CrossFitters. I compared myself to my fellow CF coaches, friends, and clients.
I will begin with my first group the "met-con junkies". Yes, I am aware that a metabolic conditioning workout can range from all sorts of time domains, but I think it is safe to say that a crossfit met-con junkie are the group of athletes that are obessesed with "chipper" style workouts or anything that is in a longer time domain. Looking at this from a psychological prospective, I believe these athletes love the feeling of a "good workout", hence the time domain factor, but fear intensity. Yes, I said it, FEAR INTENSITY. A common excuse that is tossed around by this group is "that was too short" or "that wasn't so bad". These statements are true if you are working out at your "chipper pace", that is the 60-70% intensity that is set to pace yourself for a good time on your chipper. Working out at 70% of your max effort will leave you with a good workout feeling after at least 15 minutes of workout, but will diminish as the time frame gets smaller.
My second group are the "power-junkies". This group loves power and olympic lifts, and short range met-cons. Unlike the first group, this group despises anything that will blunt their power output, like time. As time goes further down the spectrum, fatigue sets in and power output decreases. This is an "all or nothing" category of athletes.
My last group are the underachievers. This group is very capable in both domains, but choose to stay within a "comfort zone". This group is very difficult to spot because the classification is not as concrete as the previous two. This group has a fear of time. Anything real short in time requires greater intensity and anything too long is not motivating. AMRAP style workouts are rarely seen in this group. Some athletes in this group may actually fear getting out of breath.
Time for me to get my workout on... test running Thursday's WOD... It should be a goodie!

Stay classy,

Coach A.

Workout of the Day

Lets not just ditch all the processed foods at once and go full Paleo right away. You’ll find yourself in a world of hurt. Rather, lets ease our way into this new lifestyle. For week 1, replace 1 meal per day with a Paleo style meal. Week 2, replace 2 meals with a Paleo friendly meal, and week 3 have all 3 main meals Paleo friendly.

What exactly is a Paleo meal?

As mentioned in the introduction, cut out processed foods completely. To simply define a paleo friendly meal: If you can’t hunt or gather your food, DON’T EAT IT! Focus on every meal containing meat/fish, veggies, and a source of good fat. If you stick to that golden rule, you are eating paleo! Not that hard right? Here is an example of how to begin paleo eating:

This is a typical American diet compared with Paleo diet:

Notice week 1: you replace 1 typical meal with a Paleo meal.

Notice week 2: you are replacing 2 meals + snack

By week 3, all 3 meals should be paleo + snack

Feel free to mix and match what you eat. This is just a rough example of a typical Paleo meal plan. Do yourself a favor, google “Paleo meals” and get creative! There are hundreds of recipes out there to get your taste buds going. Also note, if you eat a ton of fruit you are adding a ton of sugar to your diet. Though fructose (fruit sugar) generally does not cause significant spikes in blood/glucose levels, if you are trying to lose fat, I suggest limiting yourself to 1-2 pieces per day. You’ll get a sufficient amount of vitamins and minerals if you are eating veggies with every meal.

To athletes or people who train like athletes:

Your protein and caloric needs are higher than that of the average person. Lets try to keep our protein intake at about 1g/lbs. of bodyweight. Though not Paleo, I do recommend adding protein shakes as a post recovery meal. Concentrate on the majority of your protein coming from food, rather than supplement sources. Speaking of supplements, I personally recommend supplementing fish oil, protein powders, BCAAs, and a multivitamin. Thats all I got for ya! I encourage everyone to do their own research. There is a ton of information out there, some true and some well... not so true. If you have a question, try finding it out for yourself. I love helping people, but I am by no means an encyclopedia of information. Not sure if I heard this quote or made it up, but my philosophy on life is "it isn't about knowing all the answers, it is about knowing how to find the answers". It is pretty self explanatory. So take it and run with it...

Stay classy,

Coach A.

Workout of the Day

'Kalsu"
100 Thrusters for time. Begin with 5 burpees every minute.
As Rx'd 135lbs... scale appropriately.

Gray areas of Paleolithic nutrition:

Paleolithic nutrition can sometimes be difficult to comprehend. With so many foods having “natural roots”, it is sometimes hard to tell what is considered paleo and what is not. These are what I call “the gray areas of Paleolithic nutrition”. The most common foods that fall into this category are:

Eggs

Dairy

Deli Meats

Fatty/processed meats

Peanuts

Eggs

Good or bad? We have heard this argument over and over again. One day they are the staple of our breakfast and the next day we must avoid it like the plague. Well here is the “411” on our beloved eggs. If you are consuming a low carbohydrate diet (i.e. Paleo) the cholesterol in eggs will not raise bad cholesterol levels (LDLs). However, if you consume a high carbohydrate diet, the opposite is true.

Dairy

Why is dairy non-paleo in the first place? Isn’t whole milk bad for you? Milk is non-paleo because it came about during the agricultural revolution (10,000-20,000 years ago). Believe it or not, cavemen were not sucking off the teet of a cow. I wonder whoever came up with the idea of sucking on the teet of a cow anyway?! Although milk is non-paleo, it is very nutrient dense. Providing the body with calcium, vitamin D, protein, and fat. As mentioned, fat is our friend. Fat is energy. Milk provides athletes with proper nourishment, is great for bulking and getting stronger. However, milk is not perfect. Lactose sugar causes a rise in our insulin levels. It can also cause acne and digestive problems for some people. I recommend dairy to any athlete looking for some size; otherwise you can do without it.

Deli Meats

Meat is perfectly Paleo. Deli meat is a very gray area subject because the processing is somewhat “unknown”. Deli meats are generally EXTREMELY high in sodium. Water follows sodium, so your body will retain some extra water weight. On a positive note: it is quick, convenient, and high in protein.

Fatty and processed meats

Bacon, sausage, hot dogs, ground beef, etc. Let me start off with saying that I could have made fatty and processed meats into two separate categories. Now for the nitty gritty. Sausage, hot dogs, and processed meats should not be staples of paleo nutrition. Concentrate on finding quality sausages, bacon, and other processed meats. Normally these processed meats have all types of meats blended in along with toxic chemicals. Although not as processed, fatty meats like bacon and most ground beef are believed to “set us up for a heart attack” because of the high amount of saturated fatty acids. If you are a relatively healthy human being, eat a low carb paleo diet, and exercise every now and then you should be fine. If you eat the typical American diet, based on the food pyramid, which promotes excessive carbohydrate consumption, you are setting yourself up for a world of disaster! (Pretty much the same reason as eggs).

Peanuts

I love peanut butter. Though non-paleo, peanuts are a good source of energy for the athlete. Lots of monounsaturated fats and some protein, not to mention Skippy’s natural crunchy peanut butter is crack. Now the downside is that peanuts contain that pesky thing called Lectin. As discussed in the beginning of this program, Lectin is not our friend. It causes all sorts of autoimmune disorders and gut irritation. Lets not get started on peanut oil. Loraine Cordaine, author of the paleo diet for athlete’s, has a good write up about peanuts and peanut oil: www.thepaleodiet.com

Workout of the Day

USAW/CROSSFIT OPEN

Snatch, 1 rep
Clean and jerk, 1 rep

As many rounds and reps as possible in 10 minutes of:
55kg Squat clean, 6 reps
12 Pull-ups
24 Double-unders

Since I don't know how to paste a link to download the Paleo On-Ramp guide, I figured I'd just post parts of it. This is just part 1 of 4, so stay tuned!

Nutrition Guide for Athletes: A Paleolithic approach

The beginners guide to Paleolithic Nutrition for athletes

The paleo on-ramp

Nutrition in general is a very controversial subject with many sports nutritionist recommending athletes to consume an excessive amount of carbohydrates. This approach has left many athletes performing below optimal levels and is generally poor for their overall health. This guide will cover the basics on what athletes should be consuming in order to perform at their best and to improve general health. This guide is an on-ramp for revamping your diet in order to conquer life and its challenges. For athletes, I encourage a Paleolithic approach to food choices + dairy + supplements.

Introduction: What is Paleolithic nutrition?

CrossFit’s Love Affair with Paleolithic Nutrition:
What it is, How it Works, and Why it Rocks Our World
- Sarah K. Johnson

Paleolithic nutrition or more commonly known as “Paleo Diet” defined. First, lets define “Paleo Diet”. The Paleo Diet (which should actually be termed Paleo lifestyle) is the “optimum diet for the human animal, based on the nutritional requirements established during its evolutionary path to its present form (the modern homo sapiens). The biologically appropriate diet” (Wiss 2010).

And… what does this mean, exactly? This means removing all foods that are products of agriculture or animal husbandry (i.e., dairy, beans/legumes, grains, sugar, potatoes, and processed foods). Ultimately, this diet consists of meats and vegetables, nuts and seeds, some fruit, little starch and no sugar.

What are the goals of the Paleo Diet? The main objectives of the Paleo Diet is to keep the human body’s internal environment well-balanced and clear of processed and pro-inflammatory food sources (see above). When followed correctly, this program will successfully encourage fat loss, maintain insulin sensitivity, lower LDL’s and blood pressure, cure and prevent diabetes… yes, really. And the list goes on.

But, aren’t grains good for you? You may believe that whole grain is “good for you” due to the amount of fiber per serving. Indeed, fiber is good for you, but you can acquire fiber from A TON of other sources that DO NOT contain the anti-nutrients found in grain (i.e., Lectin and Gluten). For example, fruits and vegetables are actually MORE nutrient dense than grains, regarding the fiber, vitamin and mineral amount per serving. Turns out you don’t actually need that empty calorie rich whole grain bagel every morning to get your fiber. Let’s define what those anti-nutrients were, again:

→ Lectin. A protein that binds to insulin receptors, the lining of our intestine, and a contributor to leptin resistance. Leptin resistance predicts an exacerbation of features related to metabolic syndrome independently of obesity. Lectin is also found in beans, utilized as a protective chemical to deter herbivorous insects and animals (and.. well, us!)

→ Gluten. When ingested (via grains such as barley and wheat), gluten stimulates a physiological response similar to that of a virus. This immune response triggers an attack on the protein and, consequently, the surrounding tissue. Not only does this induce inflammation, but also has the potential to exacerbate or set off many health problems throughout the body (see celiac disease).

Why no dairy? Although dairy has some benefits, it also has a fair amount of lactose per serving. Lactose is a milk specific sugar that can range from 11g to 14g per cup of milk. Not only does this have the potential to spike insulin levels, but also stymie fat loss.

What is insulin sensitivity and insulin resistance? Produced by the pancreas, insulin is a hormone in charge of regulating the body’s energy and glucose metabolism. This means that, when any food is digested (with special emphasis on sugary foods or highly processed carbohydrates), insulin is released to lower blood sugar levels and return the body to homeostasis. When the body becomes insulin resistant, however, muscle, fat and liver cells are less receptive (or less sensitive) to insulin. This results in the overproduction of insulin due to a diet HIGH in refined sugar, carbohydrates, and overall processed garbage (and of course does not help if you’re genetically predisposed). Ultimately, insulin resistance goes hand in hand with decreased insulin sensitivity and, consequently, metabolic disorders such obesity, diabetes, high cholesterol and increased rates of heart disease can occur.

Is the Paleo Diet “Low Carb”? The Paleo Diet is as carbohydrate rich, fatty, or sugary as you design it to be. One can eat too much fruit, and have too much sugar; too much bacon or avocado, and have too much fat. However, by default, yes, it is lower in carbohydrates than the average American diet because it does not include foods such as breads, pastas, or other processed carbohydrates. Carbohydrate sources come exclusively from fruits and vegetables.

OK.. Anything else? Yes, one more thing: remember to take Fish Oil. Rich in Omega 3 Fatty Acids (i.e., EPA and DHA), this supplement reduces inflammation (i.e., joint pain) and LDL’s, in addition to being imperative in maintaining brain and cardiovascular function. It is recommended at .5g per every 10lb of body weight

_____________________________________________________________________________________

If you want the complete guide just email me: InvictusCoach@gmail.com

Stay classy,

Coach A.

BEAST!!

Workout of the Day

Complete 50 squat cleans (135/95lbs.) for time with 5 burpees at the start of every minute.

- Courtesy of CrossFit Westchester

Today’s WOD is going to suck. I did it yesterday and my heart felt like it was going to explode out of my chest. It is pretty brutal, same style as the workout "Kalsu", which we will be seeing some time next week :). It was a good reality check for me, considering I have not hit a good met-con in about 2 weeks. On my restful Columbus Day, I got my annual physical exam. Not to my own surprise, my blood pressure came back very low 118/70. For those of you who do not know, that is VERY good. When I get my blood work back in a few days I will post up the rest of my results. I predict everything will be in above average ranges. And Dr. Ozz and those bozos say that eating bacon and eggs everyday is setting me up for a heart attack! Psh… I can’t wait to get my results back so I can rave about how eating more animal fat and lowering my carbohydrate intake has in fact made me a healthier human being.

Oh, I also took my CrossFit Level 1 Trainer’s certification test on Sunday. At first I was very annoyed that I had to get there and sit through the programming lecture and the Q & A lecture. After listening to both lectures, it refreshed my memory quite a bit and got me back down to the basics when it comes to programming. “Live your life in couplets and triplets”. In other words, the majority of your workouts should constitute two or three functional movements. The time and task priorities can be set in a countless number of variations. The only thing I thought that was kind of weird was when a person asked, “what is the normal time length of a CrossFit workout?” Pat Sheerwood, the dude running the certification, response was 15-20 minutes. Umm… if I followed the CrossFit main page strictly, I know for a fact the majority of the workouts would not take me 15-20 minute to complete. I’d say more close to a 10-15 minute range, which I personally think is more appropriate. Maybe Pat’s response was for your “average CrossFitter”. Anyhow, the lectures were great, covering things such as scaling for people with injuries, fitness levels, and experience. Overall, going to CrossFit Virtuosity in Brooklyn for the CFL1 test was a very motivating experience. Not to mention just an absolute cool, big, bad ass box!

Stay classy,

Coach A.

CrossFit Virtuousity in Brooklyn... absolutely awesome box!

Workout of the Day

Pre-game

Find 1RM for squat clean in 7 minutes

Party

Add total amount of reps for score:

Pullups- 1 minute

Pushups- 2 minutes

Squats- 3 minutes

Double unders- 4 minutes

Situps- 3 minutes

Dips- 2 minute

HSPU- 1 minute

After party

For time:

Row 1000m

This is a rough draft! I did not have the time to proof read it... so don't judge me... Readers: if there is any information that you think may be inaccurate or you do not agree with, please feel free to comment. I do not consider myself an expert at nutrition, yet. As long as you have a valid argument I will comment back. Also, feel free to comment with any questions!

Gray areas of Paleolithic Nutrition

Eggs

Dairy

Deli Meats

Fatty/processed meats

Peanuts

Eggs

Good or bad? We have heard this argument over and over again. One day they are the staple of our breakfast and the next day we must avoid it like the plague. Well here is the “411” on our beloved eggs. If you are consuming a low carbohydrate diet (i.e. Paleo) the cholesterol in eggs will not raise bad cholesterol levels (LDLs). Explanation: insulin is like a bus driver for nutrients, dropping them off at various places in the body. It is necessary for life, but not in excessive amounts. Picture cholesterol as the midget with Napoleon complex. It has got a big mouth and wants to start trouble, but is still relatively not a threat. Now our bus driver, insulin, drives fast when a lot of kids, carbohydrates, are on the bus. The bus driver is rapidly dropping off the midgets (cholesterol) in unwanted places due to the bus being overcrowded with too many kids (carbohydrates). Following me? Therefore, if there are not a lot of kids on the bus, the midgets stay on the bus longer thus preventing cholesterol levels to rise.

Dairy

Why is dairy non-paleo in the first place? Isn’t whole milk bad for you? Milk is non-paleo because it has only came about during the agricultural revolution (10,000-20,000 years ago). Believe it or not, cavemen were not sucking off of cow teet. I wonder whoever came up with the idea of sucking on the teet of a cow anyway! Although milk is non-paleo, it is very nutrient dense. Providing the body with calcium, vitamin D, protein, and fat. As mentioned, fat is our friend. Fat is energy. Milk provides athletes with proper nourishment, is great for bulking and getting stronger. However, milk is not perfect. Lactose sugar causes a rise in our insulin levels, milk causes acne and digestive problems for some people. I recommend dairy to any athlete looking for some size; otherwise you can do without it.

Deli Meats

Meat is perfectly Paleo. Deli meats are a very gray area subject because the processing is somewhat “unknown”. Deli meats are generally EXTREMELY high in sodium. Water follows sodium, so your body will retain some extra water weight. On a positive note, it is quick, convienient, and is high in protein.

Fatty and processed meats

Bacon, sausage, hot dogs, ground beef, etc. Let me start off with saying that I could have made these into two separate catergories. Now for the nitty gritty. Sausage, hot dogs, and processed meats are non-paleo, period. There are all types of different meats with toxic chemicals so I would stay away. Although not as processed, fatty meats like bacon and most ground beef are sought out to “set us up for a heart attack” because of the high concentrations of saturated fatty acids. If you are a relatively healthy human being, eat a low carb paleo diet, and exercise every now and then you should be fine. If you eat the typical American diet, based on the food pyramid which promotes excessive carbohydrate consumption, you are setting yourself up for a world of disaster!

Peanuts

I love peanut butter. Though non-paleo, peanuts are a good source of energy for the athlete. Lots of monounsaturated fats and some protein, not to mention Skippy’s natural crunchy peanut butter is crack. Now the downside are that peanuts contain that pesky thing called Lectin. As discussed in the beginning of this program, Lectin is not our friend. It causes all sorts of autoimmune disorders and gut irritation. It also plays a big role in developing CVD.

Stay classy,

Coach A.

Workout of the Day

Overhead squat 10-8-6-4-2

50-40-30-20-10

45/75lbs Power snatch

Box Jumps 30”

I’m done procrastinating. I have decided to light a fire under my own ass and give myself a deadline for the long awaited Paleo On-Ramp. Friday, October 15^th I will officially have it ready and possibly for download via this blog. I just got to figure out a way to post a download link. The write-up is largely based on my personal Paleolithic adventures and my research from Lorraine Cordain and Robb Wolf’s Paleo books. I will do my best to answer common questions and cover the basics. Please do not email me with questions that you can answer yourself. Questions that will generally piss me off include: can I have wheat bread? Can I eat Cereal? Etc… Simply, if you cannot hunt or gather your food, you CANNOT eat it. Period. Ya digg? As you can tell I have no tolerance for laziness mixed with stupidity.

Stay classy,

Coach A.

Workout of the Day

Pre-game:

Front squat 5x5

Game time:

For time 21-15-9 reps:
75/95/135lbs Squat cleans
Sit-ups

After party:

AMRAP 7 minutes:
75/95lbs. Thrusters- 5 reps
Burpees- 10 reps

Workout of the Day

Find 1 rep max for strict press.

5 rounds for time:
1 Press 90% of 1 RM
1 Strict Pull Up
1 Press 90% of 1 RM
3 Strict Pull Ups
1 Press 90% of 1 RM
5 Strict Pull Ups

*Compare from July 14th*


Interesting fat study... I stole this from CF Football... Dietary Intake of Saturated Fatty Acids

Pretty impressive!

Workout of the day

Pre-game
20 rep max back squat

Party:
Ten rounds of ten reps:
Deadlift 135
Pushups

After party:
20 rep max back squat

* 20 rep max back squat should be UNBROKEN. Since the pre-game set might be under your true 20 rep max, the after-party set should be about right*


Remember a little while when I had a quick pointless rant on gymnastic movements? I think I mentioned something on how they don't have to be constantly varied? I'm probably repeating myself and am entirely too lazy to read my own previous post. But building onto that, I believe gymnastic movements need not to be constantly varied, but constantly practiced. See, gymnastic movements are extremely difficult to be good at. What better way to get good at em than practice them! Why do we do gymnastic movements in workouts? Why do they pertain to the wrestler? Coordination,accuracy, flexibility, and body awareness! Wrestlers get put in all sorts of pretzel looking positions so joint flexibility is important: it may decrease risk of injury. Body awareness is self explanatory. All and all gymnastics help wrestlers tremendously with defense. Having the flexibility and mastering body control can get you out of a lot of sticky situations. Be prepared to see more gymnastic movements!
Also, on days that a WOD is not posted you should be working on weaknesses or goin heavy on an O-lift or even hitting a nice met-con if your little heart desires.

Stole this from undergroundstrengthgym.com... I need to get a poster of this!

Workout of the Day

5 rounds for time:

"Burpee Complex"

5-4-3-2-1
Burpee Deadlift
Burpee Power Clean
Burpee Front Squat
Burpee Press

Each complete round of movements is 1 rep. For example: 1 deadlift + 1 power clean + front squat + clean and jerk = 1 rep, so perform that 5 times for the first set, 4 for the second set, etc. The workout is not for time, just max weight. Keeping your hands in contact with the bar, perform a burpee before each lift. Hands are only allowed to re-grip.
*Time priority: round of 5- 2: 30 mins, 4-2:00, 3- 1:30, 2- 1:00, 1- :30 seconds. If you do not finish in the allotted time frame, a 10 burpee long jump penalty will be enforced for each offense!

Intermittent fasting yesterday was no bueno. This was the first time where I felt so hazy that I had to break my fast at hour 15. Though I did not feel lethargic, i had a lot disorientation. Constant dizzy spells, light headedness (not sure if thats a word), and I kept losing my train of thought. Now lets break down the variables. They were very identical to last week: massive amount of caffeine (around 500mg), lack of sleep, and BCAAs. Differences: I had more caffeine this week, a little less sleep, and... I think that is it. Although my source of caffeine probably had a big factor, I think the factor that had the greatest impact was my lack of sleep. Last week I had a few days of 6-7 hours that night. This week I have been on 3-5hours, with the night before the fast being at about 4. I was feeling lethargic throughout the week because of it, so caffeine was necessary for my existence. Fasting definitely kept that light headed feeling going, as my body was already a complete shitwreck. However, I have had a history of fasting, because of wrestling, so fasting isn't anything new for my body. I think the combo of lack of sleep and trying to overcompensate it by taking in an absurd amount of caffeine gave me that "1,2 punch". The fasting was more like insult to injury. I think I may lay off of the intermittent fasting for a bit or I will try it again but with a full nights rest. Will keep you updated!

Stay classy,

Coach A.


Bear complex... same style as Burpee complex

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0WOP9J7QPwI

Workout of the Day

Each movement for time:

100 Kettebell swings 70/53lbs.

Rest 3 minutes

100 Box Jumps 30/24”

Rest 3 minutes

Can you believe it is already Thursday?! Man, time is flying by. Today’s WOD is pretty wacky, kind of a little experiment. Speaking of experiments, today is a nice day for some intermittent fasting. Like last week, I am going on an 18 hour fast with 3 doses of BCAAs and sleep deprivation (which was not done on purpose). Last week, I hypothesized that energy levels and yadi yada where at decent levels because of triggering or “tricking” my body into releasing my survival hormones. This week I will be under just about the same variables, so lets see if I can yield similar results. The WOD I will be doing today is extremely similar to last weeks. I want to see if I will yield similar results, which I think I will. Why am I doing this? Well, there are a few reasons: The main reason is to educate my wrestlers on the effects of fasting, feeding, and proper weight cutting. Throughout high school, I was a big weight cutter. As a lightweight, I regularly cut anywhere from 15-20lbs. Wrestlers know this is a sufficient amount of weight to cut for a lightweight with low bf%. Just to clarify, my “walk around” weight was 15-20lbs heavier then my competition weight. Anyway, my point is that I do not want my athletes to follow my route. I was uneducated, undisciplined and reckless with my weight. If I went into details on my extremely dangerous weight cutting methods you would be shocked that I am still alive. What does this have to do with fasting? Believe it or not, there is a proper way to cut weight and fasting to do so. I can only hypothesize on the proper way to fast and keep energy levels at decent levels. See why I am using myself as an experiment? I am a practice what you preach kind of individual, so there ya go! BReeZe.

Stay classy,

Coach A.

Workout of the Day

Deadlift 5-3-1-1-1

5 rounds for time:

5 Deadlifts @ 60% of 1RM
10 Burpees

G'day everyone! This is the first time in a few weeks that I don't feel like a caffeine induced zombie. Yes, the devil has been knocking on my door again. I am back on my addiction: caffeine. With this new hectic schedule, it is extremely difficult to get a sufficient amount of rest so I have to take in a cup of Joe to survive the day. No worries, I only limit myself to two cups per day :) Anyways, I actually got a full 7 hrs of sleep and am feeling fantastic because of it!
On other news, I am done reading Robb Wolf's book, "The Paleo Solution". The book has done a tremendous job of informing the reader everything behind Paleolithic nutrition. Some of the stuff seems a little far fetched, but I believe this way of eating to be the most beneficial and efficient way of eating whether your an elite athlete, disgustingly obese, or your average Joe. I highly recommend this book, especially over "The Paleo Diet" and "The Paleo Diet for Athletes". I have read both and although they are both good reads, unless you have a sciencey (made up word, I know) it can be hard to follow. I am trying to find some time to finish my Paleo On-ramp as well as a PowerPoint that I will have up for download on the site. I cannot make any promises on when I will have that complete, maybe a month or two.

Stay classy,

Coach A.

Due to the hectic schedule of life and Invictus Wrestling starting back up, CrossFit class schedule is changing up. Class will now be 3 days a week: Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday. Classes run opposite days of wrestling for obvious reasons. With this being the case I can go one of two ways on this. I could either till post WODs daily, which will be most likely my own personal workouts. OR just post the WODs the 3 days a week I run my classes, since I originally created this blog for that purpose. As of right now, it looks like I will just be posting WODs Tueday, Thursday, and Friday. It makes more sense for me and stays true to my programming for my athletes. It may look like I sometimes throw random shit on here for a workout, but trust me there is actually SOME periodization (scary word) and theory put behind each workout. I don't just throw random things together and hope for the best. Checkout CrossFit Westchester for WODs if your blood is still itching. Anyhow, I will be on here tomorrow for the post. I hate Mondays...

Stay classy,

Coach A.

Workout of the Day

For time, max reps:

Thruster, 65/45lbs.
Rest 5 minutes
Thruster, 95/65lbs.
Rest 5 minutes
Thruster, 135/95lbs.

*This is not a continuous clock. Each set is until failure and will be timed to calculate power output*

A few weeks ago I experimented with intermittent fasting + BCAAs + caffeine. As noted before the effects were not favorable. A few factors that may have included this were sleep quality and fiber supplementation and... I can't think of the other one at the moment. Either one or a combination of the factors could have most definitely effected the hormonal release I was intending. Last time, I attempted a strength workout with good energy levels but my strength and power output felt like that of an infant. This time, I did a short strength met-con with a TON of caffeine, no fiber supplement, an even longer intermittent fast (on an empty stomach)and 6 hours of sleep. Energy levels were pretty decent, despite the lack of sleep. My performance was much better this time around. Strength and power felt good and overall met-con was average. The only con was I did feel a bit "burnt out" during the hang cleans, kind of like an empty gas tank. This was probable due to low glycogen stores and my body not quite being in a ketogenic state, so my metabolic engine was... I guess confused. Overall, I think the caffeine helped with mental clarity, and the fasting mixed with the lack of sleep may have tricked my body into a "fight or flight" response. I will be sure to do this again with the same variables except next time with a decent amount of sleep. Time to get back to work!

Stay classy,

Coach A.