Tues. June 1

15 Min AMRAP:

5 Burpees
10 Overhead Squats (95/65)
15 ABMAT
__________________________
SB:
Deadlift
5-5-5-5-5
Back Squat
3-3-3-3-3
__________________________
Cucumber Citrus Cubes
http://paleotron.blogspot.com/2010/05/cucumber-citrus-cubes.html

Fri. May 28

10 RFT:

10 KB Cleans (5 each arm)
10 Thrusters (45)
_________________________

We will be closed Saturday and Next Monday for Memorial Day Weekend. See you on Tuesday, June 1.

Thurs. May 27

10,9,8,7,6,5,4,3,2,1 of:

Burpees
Pull Ups
_________________________
Nutrition 101: The Basics That Will Keep You Healthy

http://www.fitnessspotlight.com/2008/06/04/nutrition-101-the-one-rule-to-remember/

Wed. May 26

Run 530m (1 Bldg. Lap)
50 Box Jumps
50 Wall Ball
50 Lunges (each leg)
Row 500m
_________________________
SB:
Front Squat
5-5-3-3-1
Press
5-5-3-3-1

Tues. May 25

30,25,20,15,10,5 of:

Deadlift (135/95)
KB Swings (53/35)
_________________________
marksdailyapple.com

How to Maintain Shoulder Mobility and Scapular Stability

More than perhaps any other joint in our bodies, the shoulders demand close and careful attention. We use them on a daily basis and they travel a wide-ranging path; it’s in our best interest to assure that the path is the one of least resistance.

The tricky thing about maintaining good shoulder function is that it doesn’t just require strong deltoids or big traps. Those are important for moving big weight and being strong enough to handle anything life throws at you, but real shoulder function – pain-free, unimpeded shoulder function – depends on certain supporting muscles and joints of which most people are simply unaware. I mean, did you realize just how integral the scapular are? And because the shoulders’ function seems relatively straightforward and because we can work out for years without lending serious thought to how our joints move and work, now’s the time to start thinking about proper joint function before it’s too late.

What I’m trying to say is this: you may be neglecting your shoulders and putting them at risk, even if you focus on only the classic multi-joint, compound exercises, like overhead presses and pull-ups, and even if you’re using good form. It’s difficult to admit this to ourselves, but doing the right things the right way may not be enough if we’ve lived regular lives hunched over keyboards, sitting in chairs, wearing shoes, and emulating incorrect posture (masquerading as good posture). Modern nutrition and fitness advice, coupled with the mundane realities of everyday life (chairs, shoes, eight hour workdays, etc) (unwittingly) has the effect of undoing millions of years of evolutionary pressures. It’s true that we’re born with predispositions – toward certain foods, movement patterns, joint articulations – but a few dozen years of doing precisely the opposite sets us on a different path. Deviating from that path is difficult, but it must be done.

I’m of the opinion that everyone should be doing shoulder mobility and stability work, even if you’re otherwise totally healthy and pain-free. Shoulder issues have the nasty tendency to develop gradually due to a deficiency. They don’t always happen immediately (unless we’re talking acute trauma like dislocations or sudden tears); as you read this, shoulder pain could be welling up beneath the surface, growing strength and gearing up to burst through and manifest as a conscious debilitating sidelining injury. Get on the prehab now, not after it happens. You know how it goes: better safe than sorry, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure, and any other bit of folk wisdom elevating careful prudence and preparedness over convenient short sightedness. And if you’re suffering from shoulder pain or poor mobility and stability, by all means, get on the rehab!
Self-evaluation

First, evaluate yourself. Stand up straight and relaxed – just assume your normal stance and posture. Grab two long, straight items to hold in each hand. Pencils, pens, rulers, sticks will all work. It’s got to be straight is all. Hold them in your fists and let your hands drop by your sides. Again, relax.

Your items should be pointing straight ahead. They should form an angle perpendicular to your body. If they’re angling inward, your shoulders are slumping forward, and you probably need to work on your scapular retraction.

Next, raise both arms as if you were waving goodbye. Your hands should be about ear height, and your elbow should be bent around 90 degrees. Maintaining that arm position, push your arms and elbows back by retracting your scapula. Ideally, both arms should go back equal distances. If one arm lags behind, you probably need extra work on that side.

I’m going to do drill recommendations a little differently than I have in past mobility posts. Before, I listed various exercises one could do to help with joint mobility, but there exists a totally free, public domain shoulder rehab program that gets rave reviews from pretty much everyone: the Diesel Crew Shoulder Rehab Protocol (Video).

This is the essential program for anyone currently suffering from, worrying about, or speculating on the development of shoulder issues. It’s free, it’s easy, and it’s all laid out for the user. It follows a seven day schedule. If you’re injured and taking time off, do what you can without causing pain. If you’re otherwise healthy and looking to shore up your shoulders, do the drills after your workouts. Once your shoulders are feeling better, don’t stop the drills altogether. Keep doing them, perhaps on a truncated schedule, but make sure you maintain your shoulder health.

Of course, not everyone requires the DC protocol. I would advise everyone to at least sample the routine, and even go through the full seven day cycle once in awhile to keep things fresh and fluid. I do like some other shoulder drills. The DC protocol can be a bit time-consuming, and I’m pretty pleased with my shoulder function, so I’m okay with basic maintenance. A few good ones:
Basic Maintenance Drills
Scapular Wall Slides (Video)

Stand with your back to the wall and your feet about eight inches away from it. Lean back into the wall and maintain contact between the wall and your head, hips, and back. With your hands over your head, press your forearms against the wall, squeezing your shoulder blades together. Slide your arms up the wall. Maintain contact the entire time.
Scapular Push-Ups (Video)

Get in the “up” push-up position: straight arms, tight core, straight legs. Retract your scapula, then protract it. (Tighten your shoulder blades, then spread them apart.) Keep your arms straight the whole time. Range of motion will be extremely short in this exercise.
Shoulder Dislocates (Video)

Using a flexible band, a broomstick, a piece of rope, a ribbon, a sedate pet snake, or even a dog leash, hold both ends with straight, locked arms. Starting at your hips, bring the band (or whatever you’re using) behind your head until you reach your hips on the other side while keeping those arms straight. At this point, you can go back the way you came, but I find going forward hurts the shoulders, so I just bring it back over with bent arms and go backwards again with straight arms. Your choice. Just avoid pain. Do shoulder dislocates as part of a rehab program or as a dynamic warm-up to loosen up your shoulders.
Tips for Avoiding Shoulder Issues
Scapular Retraction During Bench Press

This is essential. You’ve got to create the shelf when you press. Tighten your shoulder blades, have a buddy help lift the bar off the supports, and maintain the tight shoulder blades for the duration of the set. Too many people neglect this essential portion of the bench press. It helps to arch your lower back a bit (which is why you see the experts arching during the bench).
Scapular Retraction During Rows

Same goes for rows. If you’re doing bent over barbell rows, keep your scapular retraction going during both the concentric and eccentric motions of the lift. Everyone retracts the scapula during the concentric portion, but most protract the scapula at the end of the eccentric. Don’t. Instead, maintain those tight shoulder blades at the bottom. Straighten your arms, but do not let your shoulder blades drift forward, too.
Avoid the Wrong Types of Movements

Avoid upright rows. They are almost universally bad for your rotator cuffs, and they don’t work anything you can’t reach with better lifts. Besides, hoisting heavy weights up to your shoulders while standing by using just your upper body is ridiculous and inefficient; the hips are far better at propelling weights up to the clean position.

Another common mistake is doing lateral raises with your arms directly at the sides. I doubt most of us are even doing lateral raises (I find them unnecessary, but bodybuilding types will find them useful). This is unnatural and can pinch your rotator cuff. Instead, move your arms forward about 30 degrees and lift them that way.

You might also avoid the bench press altogether if you can’t seem to avoid shoulder pain. You could do floor presses or weighted push-ups instead.
Avoid Pain

Soreness is okay. Pain is not. Avoid the movements that cause pain in your shoulders.

Oh, and you’ll want to maintain good thoracic mobility, too.

Mon. May 24

21,15,9:

Push Press (115/85)
Rind Dips
Push Ups
_________________________
SB:

Back Squat
5-5-3-1
Deadlift
5-5-3-1

then

50 Push Ups
50 Air Squats

Fri. May 21

4 RFT:

18 Front Squat (95/65)
15 Box Jumps
12 Thrusters (95/65)
9 Knees to Elbows

Thurs. May 20

20 Min AMRAP:

10 Push Ups
10 Pull Ups
10 Jumping Air Squats
_________________________
8 Ways to Stay Motivated

http://paleotron.blogspot.com/2010/05/8-ways-to-stay-motivated.html

Wed. May 19

"Grace"
30 Clean and Jerk (135/95)
for time

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dvOVNJOrQRs
__________________________

SB:

Front Squat
3-3-3
3 Sets of 10 @ 50% of 3RM
Press
1-1-1-1-1-1-1

then

50 Pullups for time

Tues. May 18

40 SDHP (53/35)
40 Press (65/45)
Run 1 Mile (2 lot laps)
40 Press
40 SDHP
_________________________
marksdailyapple.com
How to Improve Wrist and Ankle Mobility

http://www.marksdailyapple.com/how-to-improve-wrist-and-ankle-mobility/

Mon. May 17

Back Squat
3-3-3-3-3

then

7 Min AMRAP:

6 KB Swings (heavier than your normal heavy bell)
9 Push Ups
12 Air Squats
__________________________
SB:

Deadlift
3-3-3
then
1-10-1-20 (go for 1 RM, then perform 10 reps at 80% of 1 RM, followed by another 1 RM, which will be less than previous 1 RM, then perform 20 reps at 70%)
Back Squat
5-5-5, 3 sets of 10 at 75% of 5 RM
__________________________
How to Get Stronger
By: Tony Schwartz

http://www.athleticmusclebuilding.com/how-to-get-stronger.html

Sat. May 15

5 RFT:
40 Doubleunders
20 GHD Sit Ups or 40 ABMAT
10 Handstand Push Ups

Fri. May 14

OPEN GYM!

Come in and work on any lifts, gymnastics, or weak points you want.

__________________________________
marksdailyapple.com

8 Signs You Are Overtraining

When you spend some time among the ever-growing circle of evolutionary-based health writers, thinkers, bloggers, and doctors, you notice a curious thing happening. Conventional Wisdom is becoming turned on its head. Saturated fat is generally healthy and excessive endurance training is generally unhealthy become the presiding narratives. Grains are either unnecessary or have the tendency to attack the gut lining, even guts with “clinically undetectable levels of sensitivity.” You don’t need six square meals a day to keep your metabolism up and running, after all; one or two a day will do just fine.

Less is more – as far as exercise goes – is becoming another accepted truth, especially when you understand that 80% of your body composition is determined by how you eat.

If you dial the diet in (Primal Blueprint, of course), you just don’t need to “burn off” tons of excess calories with a lot of hard work. Yet many people are still tied to that assumption and ride that fine line between training enough to maximize strength and unnecessarily reaching too far. Overtraining is a very real danger for those engaged in physical culture. In fact, while the majority of this country (and of many others) suffers from a massive physical activity deficit, a sizeable portion of my readers faces the opposite danger. Understanding exactly how much to exercise can be tricky. No activity is worse than some, while too much may be worse than none at all. The ideal lies somewhere in between – though not necessarily in the middle, but rather smack dab in the “just enough” section. Can “just enough” be quantified? Perhaps it could be quantified using a battery of round-the-clock tests and measurements of anabolic and catabolic hormones, various serum concentrations, lactate build-up, cortisol:testosterone ratios, etc, but that would be expensive, unwieldy, and completely individualized. These types of objective measurements, ironically, would be more subjective than anything else; you couldn’t accurately extrapolate an overtraining threshold for the entire population from a single trainee’s results.

People are unique. Sure, nutritional requirements for human physiology adhere to a set of overarching principles, yet a single, universally specific macronutrient profile cannot be nailed down for all humans. In the end, each of us must craft his or her own identity, plan, regimen, and discover his or her own weaknesses, vulnerabilities, and sensitivities. In short, we must each become our own test subject (as well as astute observer) if we wish to optimize our health and our fitness. The concept of overtraining is similar. There’s a clinical definition – a state of chronic fatigue, depression, and underperformance that persists despite rest – and there’s a more general, working definition – a basic imbalance between work and recovery. Overtraining can also be highly personal and goal-dependent. Overtraining might describe anytime your training is working against you, and where adding more of it makes the problem worse. If you want to avoid overtraining, there are some grand, overarching principles to follow, but you’ll also want to pay attention to certain personal, entirely subjective cues.

What follows is my basic list of signs that indicate you may be overtraining. Some are objective measures, while others derive from my own personal experiences with overtraining. There are overlaps, and I’ve probably missed more than a few, but I’m confident what’s listed will be invaluable to anyone who trains, and trains hard.
1. You repeatedly fail to complete your normal workout.

I’m not talking about normal failure. Some people train to failure as a rule, and that’s fine. I’m talking failure to lift the weights you usually lift, run the hill sprints you usually run, and complete the hike you normally complete. Regression. If you’re actively getting weaker, slower, and your stamina is deteriorating despite regular exercise, you’re probably training too much. Note, though, that this isn’t the same as deloading. Pushing yourself to higher weights and failing at those is a normal part of progression, but if you’re unable to lift weights that you formerly handled with relative ease, you may be overtrained.
2. You’re losing leanness despite increased exercise.

If losing fat was as easy as burning calories by increasing work output, overtraining would never result in fat gain – but that isn’t the case. It’s about the hormones. Sometimes, working out too much can actually cause muscle wasting and fat deposition. You’re “burning calories,” probably more than ever before, but it’s predominantly glucose/glycogen and precious muscle tissue. Net effect: you’re getting less lean. The hormonal balance has been tipped. You’ve been overtraining, and the all-important testosterone:cortisol ratio is lopsided. Generally speaking, a positive T:C ratio means more muscle and less fat, while a negative ratio means you’re either training too much, sleeping too little, or some combination of the two. Either way, too much cortisol will increase insulin resistance and fat deposition, especially around the midsection. Have you been working out like a madman only to see your definition decrease? You’re probably overtraining.
3. You’re lifting/sprinting/HIITing hard every single day.

The odd genetic freak could conceivably lift heavy, sprint fast, and engage in metabolic conditioning nearly every day of the week and adequately recover, without suffering ill effects. Chances are, however, you are not a genetic freak with Wolverine’s healing factor. Most people who maintain such a hectic physical schedule will not recover (especially if they have a family and/or a job). Performance will suffer, health will deteriorate, and everything they’ve worked to achieve will be compromised. Many professional athletes can practice for hours a day every day and see incredible results (especially if they are using performance enhancing substances), but you’re not a professional, are you?
4. You’re primarily an anaerobic/power/explosive/strength athlete, and you feel restless, excitable, and unable to sleep in your down time.

When a sprinter or a power athlete overtrains, the sympathetic nervous system dominates. Symptoms include hyperexcitability, restlessness, and an inability to focus (especially on athletic performance), even while at rest or on your off day. Sleep is generally disturbed in sympathetic-dominant overtrained athletes, recovery slows, and the resting heart rate remains elevated. Simply put, the body is reacting to a chronically stressful situation by heightening the sympathetic stress system’s activity levels. Most PBers who overtrain will see their sympathetic nervous system afflicted, simply because they lean toward the high-intensity, power, strength side.
5. You’re primarily an endurance athlete, and you feel overly fatigued, sluggish, and useless.

Too much resistance training can cause sympathetic overtraining; too much endurance work can cause parasympathetic overtraining, which is characterized by decreased testosterone levels, increased cortisol levels, debilitating fatigue (both mental and physical), and a failure to lose body fat. While I tend to advise against any appreciable amount of endurance training, chronic fatigue remains an issue worthy of repeating. Being fit enough to run ten miles doesn’t mean that you now have to do it every day.
6. Your joints, bones, or limbs hurt.

I’m unaware of any clinical tests that can identify overuse injuries specifically caused by overtraining, but don’t you think that pain in your knee might be an indication that you should reassess how you exercise that knee? In the lifts, limb pain can either be DOMS (delayed onset muscle soreness) or it can indicate poor technique or improper form; DOMS is a natural response that should go away in a day or two, while poor form is more serious and can be linked to overuse or overtraining. With regard to endurance training, if you creak, you wince at every step, and you dread staircases, it may be that you’ve run too far or too hard for too long. The danger here is that your daily endorphin high has over-ridden your natural pain receptors. You should probably listen to them more acutely. I tuned them out for longer than I should have and it cost me my career as a marathoner (so I got that going for me, which is nice).
7. You’re suddenly falling ill a lot more often.

Many things can compromise your immune system. Dietary changes (especially increased sugar intake), lack of Vitamin D/sunlight, poor sleep habits, mental stress are all usual suspects, but what if those are all locked in and stable? What if you’re eating right, getting plenty of sun, and enjoying a regular eight hours of solid sleep each night, but you find yourself getting sick? Nothing too serious, mind you. A nagging cough here, a little sniffle or two there, some congestion and a headache, perhaps. These were fairly normal before you went Primal, but they’ve returned. Your immune system may be suffering from the added stress of your overtraining. It’s an easy trap to fall into, simply because it’s often the natural progression for many accomplished athletes or trainees looking to increase their work or improve their performance: work harder, work longer. If you’ve recently increased your exercise output, keep track of those early morning sore throats and sneezes. Any increases may indicate a poor immune system brought on by overtraining.
8. You feel like crap the hours and days after a big workout.

Once you get into the swing of things, one of the great benefits of exercise is the post-workout feeling of wellness. You’ve got the big, immediate, heady rush of endorphins during and right after a session, followed by that luxurious, warm glow that infuses your mind and body for hours (and even days). It’s the best feeling, isn’t it? We all love it. What if that glow never comes, though? What if instead of feeling energetic and enriched after a workout, you feel sketchy and uncomfortable? As I said before, post-workout DOMS is completely normal, but feeling like death (mentally and physically) is not. Exercise generally elevates mood; if it’s having a negative effect on your mood, it’s probably too much.

Thurs. May 13

30,20,10:

Deadlifts (225/155)
Box Jumps
Dumbell Push Press or KB Push Press (kettlebell held upside down)
___________________________

Fish oil and the real cost of health
By Robb Wolf | March 25, 2009

I had a comment in the Red Meat, Global warming post that asked me to describe how the various health care systems stack-up. This, in response to my statement that socialized medicine tends to become a serious mess. My response to that question, instead of weighing the merits of the US system vs say the Canadain system, was to point out that veterinary medicine is a pretty good example of what the real costs of medicine are when we do not have a 3rd payer system inflating costs. Here is that response:

Sure V-
Veternary medicine. it reflects the REAL costs of treatment, people pay as they go, even in installments and there is not a sense that one should get treatment for free. What about the poor? I have never seen a vet that did not have some sliding fee scales or who did not do some percentage of free work for folks who actually are in significant need.

(Interestingly, they CAN do this because their business is profitable, they WANT to do this because of a deep sense of compassion…hence their chosen profession. Perhaps this will be the case for human medicine one day…)

V- This is almost comical. but you are wanting me to compare one fucked up system (ours in the US) with another fucked up system (lets say the UK or Canada) this is the same path to endlessly chasing one’s tail as comparing the french diet with the american diet…one might be slightly better than the other, both are woefully sub-optimal.

The direction health care is going would be like home insurance that covers your light-bulbs and lawn maintenance or auto insurance that covers gas and oil. The purpose of insurance SHOULD be to offset catastrophic occurrences. If medical insurance was like this, then we paid out of pocket for health maintenance…ya know, the REAL cost, the system would be like auto insurance. I’m not saying it’s perfect, but its infinitely better than medical insurance…interestingly, it got BETTER when one was allowed to shop around and find the best policy for YOU. You know…that free market stuff again. Also, no one is talking about an “auto-insurance” crisis. Why? because it’s market based and it works.

Here is an irony that ties into the earlier global warming post. Glaxosmithklien unleashed Lovaza last year. For those unfamiliar with the product, it is a PRESCRIPTION fish oil. Andy Deas sent me this link to Dr. William Davis’ blog. Dr. Davis has a great analysis of the situation which boils down to this: Prescription Lovaza is $3360/year for the recommended dosage, Costco’s Kirkland brand (which I’ve recommended for over 5 years…Brad and I put their QA/QC department through the ringer….their product is legit) is $150/year for the same amount of EPA/DHA.

As Dr. Davis points out, Lovaza is a prescription and thus eligible for insurance reimbursement. He also points out that those costs do not disappear, we all take it in the fanny. If people had to pay out of pocket (or from a Health Savings Account) they would REALLY want to know why they should pay $3360/year vs $150/year. The bullshit of “Lovaza is a prescription drug which has been studied and is USDA approved” sounds pretty hollow when you look at the disparity in price. Especially when there are thousands of studies showing significant health benefit from fish oil, none of which happened to be Lovaza.

You know what would be funny? to get glazosmithklein to go kick the collective asses of the people saying fish oil is not as effective for health as was thought (all the while changing tactics and talking about sustainability). Let big pharma go after the anti-fishoil-nutters while we promote grassfed meat, single payer medicine and lululemon pants for all hot women (lululemon is scientifically proven to make averages asses look amazing, amazing asses almost too good to view).

Adendum:

I forgot that Andy sent a follow-up post from Dr. Davis. I get some fishy comments that I can not figure out if they are spam or something like this…an industry shill who is trying to shed some doubt on the obvious.

The product thing is interesting…I want to sell a book off this blog, perhaps a DVD or two at some point. We’ve had a food product in the works for YEARS. I’d like to develop and sell that. Perhaps one day I will have some kind of fish oil offered from the site and in the gym, but I’ll never hype that product as the end-all. There are no magic pills or solutions (well…unless you can hit a pharmacy in central America…ohhhh winstrol…). I’m not super familiar with Dr. Davis but he seems like a pretty stand-up guy. He appears to send his patients to Costco to get their fish oil…what I like about that is you are paying the person for their expertise/coaching. Not an overhyped, overpriced product. If you recall I love open markets, I’m all for people making money but I have serious issues with entities that prety on peoples fears and ignorance to make a buck.

Wed. May 12

"Angie"

100 Pull Ups
100 Push Ups
100 Sit Ups
100 Air Squats
____________________________
SB:

Front Squat
3-3-3-1-1
Press
3-3-3-1-1

then

Take 65% of 1 Rep Max on Press
Do: 3 Min AMRAP with that weight.
____________________________
marksdailyapple.com

Primal Primer: Prebiotics

http://www.marksdailyapple.com/prebiotics/

selection from the above article...

What Are Prebiotics?

Prebiotics are, quite simply, indigestible food ingredients that stimulate the growth and maintenance of beneficial gut microbiota. I suppose “indigestible by humans” is more accurate, because they are being digested – just not by our host digestive system (about 90% of prebiotic fiber makes it through the small intestine intact). Instead, it’s those oft-thankless, microbial workhorses of our colons doing all the work while we reap the benefits. They are getting free meals, so don’t feel too bad about putting them to work.

So you could say that prebiotics are food for your flora, those living organisms that contribute to our health and well being. For our intents and purposes, prebiotics are classified as soluble fiber. Conversely, insoluble fiber is the stuff that the human digestive system – neither host cells nor gut flora – cannot process nor digest, instead acting as a lubricant stimulant for our bowels (literally tearing our insides up, prompting the release of natural lubricant to speed up processing and limit damage). When most people discuss the so-called benefits of dietary fiber, they’re talking about insoluble fiber’s effect on stool passage and volume. Yeah, it speeds up the process and makes for bigger toilet paper bills. But I’m not interested in mere bulking agents. I’m interested in soluble fiber, in the type of fiber that our gut flora can actually consume and ferment. I’m talking inulin and oligofructose, along with fructooligosaccharides (FOS), galactooligosaccharides (GOS), and other oligosaccharides. Pectin, too, appears to have some prebiotic potential, but inulin and oligofructose are the big ones. Of course, all of these can be obtained by adhering to the Primal Blueprint Food Pyramid and eating a few servings of vegetables and fruits each day.

Researchers distinguish between long chain, short chain, and full spectrum prebiotics. Inulin is a long chain prebiotic fiber; long chain prebiotics contain 9-64 links per saccharide molecule and are digested more slowly, providing food for bacteria in the left side of the colon. Oligofructose is a short chain prebiotic, containing 2-8 links per saccharide molecule and fermenting in the right side of the colon, considerably faster. A full spectrum prebiotic supplement would be something like oligofructose-enriched inulin (OEI), which contains all possible saccharide links.

Tues. May 11

For Time:

30 Air Squats
30 Med Ball Deadlifts
30 Wall Ball
30 Toes to Bar
30 Push Ups
30 Ring Pull Ups (or sub ring rows)

_____________________________
paleochix.com

http://paleochix.com/?p=1620

Mon. May 10

"Fran"

21,15,9:
Thrusters (95/65)
Pull Ups

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xJ27XzR3HJc

___________________________
Strength Bias:

Deadlift
3-3-3-3-3
Back Squat
3-3-3-3-3

then

100 ABMAT for time.

Sat. May 8

4 RFT:

20 Push Ups
Sprint 50m
20 KB Swings (53/35)
Sprint 50m
20 Push Ups
Sprint 100m
20 Push Ups
Sprint 50m
20 SDHP (53/35)
Sprint 50m
20 Push Ups
Sprint 100m

Fri. May 7

3 Rounds, 1 Minute Stations:
Overhead Plate Lunge (45/25)
SDHP (53/35)
Pull Ups
Dumbell Squats

rest 1 min between rounds,
total reps for score.
_____________________________
*marksdailyapple.com
The Definitive Guide To Sugar

http://www.marksdailyapple.com/the-definitive-guide-to-sugar/

Thurs. May 6

Run 1 Mile (3 building laps)
20 Burpees
30 Box Jumps
40 ABMAT
____________________________
Strength Bias:
Front Squat
5-5-5-5-5
Press
5-5-5-5-5

then

5 Min AMRAP:
10 GHD Sit Ups
10 Back Ext.
______________________________
THE BEGINNER’S DILEMMA: NOT JUST FOR BEGINNERS

Article courtesy of CrossFit Evolution Newsletter

Of course we love it when people new to crossfit training find us and start training, all excited, ready to go right away. What we don’t like, is when the beginner gets frustrated because they can’t: do a push-up, a snatch, do a movement correctly, go faster, do more, be less tired, lift heavier… etc. Sometimes, they just get overwhelmed learning “all there is to know”. Just remember, we don’t expect you to get it all and right away. Even the best professional lifters still get coached, and they have to practice and train all the time. You are no different, in that respect.

Practice. Practice. And then go practice some more.
Correct form and movement is essential to crossfit training. This means learning and repeating movements over and over until you always get it right. This takes time. While trying to learn the body dynamics involved in the front squat, now is not the time to load up some weight. If so, it is a sure path to injury or at the very least, disappointment.

We may start with a stick or empty 15, 33 or 45 lb bar. If the form is not sufficient, there is no point going faster or heavier. There are many, many movements to learn at our gym and you must learn to do them all correctly. Good news: many exercises are related and of similar concepts. This is because our exercises are functional and involve universal motor recruitment patterns. This will make your task not so daunting.

Consistency Leads to Speed
Now that the movement is embedded in your muscle/mind memory, it’s time to start moving faster. As you do, you’ll notice that some form deteriorates. That is normal and is okay as long as it’s within an acceptable range (don’t worry, we got our eye on you, and we’ll let you know). If it is acceptable, you’ll progress to the next level, if not… you’ll be told to slow down and correct the movement deficiencies. Your training at CrossFit Evolution is not just about getting the workout done in the fastest time. It’s also about correct form and proper reps (no cheating, cause you’re just cheating your fitness level). Do it, do it right, and then do it faster.

Bring on the Weight
Now you’re ready to load up. The amount of the load is directly dependent upon your form and of course, your strength. Once the form goes, you don’t get to add more weight just for the sake of lifting more. We are here to help you become better and that means injury free and progressed properly with your performance improvement in mind. Your vanity and ego can stay at home. Your “trash-talking” and playfulness are welcome. Bring it on!

Keep in mind that sometimes the training stimulus for the day may be to elicit a particular response. Maybe you can do the super heavy Rx weight, but our planned 15 minute workout will turn into a 1 hour slugfest. You’ll become frustrated or possibly injured, may be told to stop (and then you’ll really be pissed), or maybe you just won’t be able to train for a couple days. Remember the first thing I listed? This was a planned 15 minute workout. To take anymore than twice as long as expected, doesn’t produce any desired outcome that we may be looking for, for your performance improvements. I think we fill up the hour well enough without going into any overtime.

Conclusion
Stick to mastering the fundamentals or basics first. Want it spelled out? I want perfect push-ups with chest touching the floor and full extension at the top. I want perfect pull-ups with the chin over the bar and full extension at the bottom. I want perfect squats with the chest pulled upright, the arch clearly visible and tight, and breaking parallel without the pelvis dipping under.

We constantly strive to introduce everyone to more complex movements in bite size pieces, often. So don’t worry, you are not going to miss anything just because you’re new. Everyone gets exposure, the level of that exposure, just like the workouts, will be scaled individually.

Trying to speed up your advancement on your own will increase the chance of injury, delay performance improvements, and blunt the rate of return on your efforts. Why would you want to do that? You put your trust and money into us to coach you, so let us do it.

Rules for the Hardened Crossfitter
Even the ones who have been around can fall prey to the Beginner’s Dilemma. Be watchful.

* Leave the ego at home
* Sometimes you hit it with everything you’ve got, and sometimes you’ve got to scale it down.
* Going heavy is only cool if you don’t injure yourself in the process
* Watch your reps and be sure of your count
* Full range of motion required, slow down and do it right!
* Always seek to improve your technique, trust me, you still need work.
* Go fast, but don’t get sloppy.
* Biggest Pet Peeve: lack of full range of motion. You know what it is and you know what doesn’t cut it. Man-up!! Do it right. Stop being a girly-man.
* And for the ladies that do it… stop trying to prove that you are not the weaker sex. You are. Get over it. Focus on getting better, focus on improving.

Wed. May 5

23,18,12 of:

Wall Ball
KB Swings (53/35)
Handstand Push Ups
_________________________
How to Regain and Maintain Hip Mobility

http://www.marksdailyapple.com/how-to-regain-and-maintain-hip-mobility/

Tues. May 4, Back Open

"Cindy"
20 Min AMRAP:
5 Pull Ups
10 Push Ups
15 Air Squats

Strength Bias:
Deadlift
5-5-5-5-5
Back Squat
5-5-5-5-5

then

100 Push Ups for time

Closed Mon. May 3

We will be closed until Tuesday. Hopefully everything will dry out tomorrow. If you need help, post what you need to comments with your contact info and we'll do what we can. Stay safe.

Sat. May 1

"Task Priority FGB"
Three rounds for time of:
Push Press 20 reps (75/53)
Sumo Deadlift High Pull 20 reps (75/53)
Wall Ball 20 reps (20/14)
Box Jump 20 reps
Row 20 calories