I am getting excited about this weekend! We are heading up early Friday morning to the Arnold Classic Fitness Expo. Some of us will be competing in the 12.2 open workout that will come out tonight. We return to the Expo after having a blast last year! I hope everyone has a great weekend I will talk to you all soon.
Here is a list of CrossFit info for the Arnold
CrossFit at the Arnold
CrossFit Inc., is coming back to the Arnold Sports Festival from March 2-4, 2012 in Columbus, Ohio.
There will be plenty of CrossFit activities to keep you entertained in this packed and exciting weekend
Friday, March 2
9 a.m.-5 p.m.
No registration needed to come and see CrossFit Games athletes teaching skills and performing workouts throughout the day.
Saturday, March 3
9 a.m.-3 p.m.
Register information will be released soon to compete/volunteer in the 2012 Reebok CrossFit Open Workout #2
7-10 p.m.
Reebok After Party(more information to come)
Sunday, March 4
CrossFit Kids “Gauntlet”
This one day competition will go down at the Arnold Sports Festival and calls for qualified teen CrossFitters in novice, junior varsity, and varsity divisions to hit multiple WODs in a mental and physical test of pure CrossFit athleticism. More information and registration.
Volunteers and Judges will be needed for both Saturday and Sunday events. To volunteer and/or judge, please contact arnold@roguefitness.com.
For more information, contact arnold@roguefitness.com.
Contact Information:
arnold@roguefitness.com
HotlinksPurchase Tickets
Schedule of Events
Parking Map
2011 CrossFit Kids PHOTOS
LocationsGreater Columbus Convention Center
400 N. High Str.
Columbus, Ohio 43215
Schedule
Friday, March 2, 2012
9 a.m.-5 p.m.
No registration needed to come and see CrossFit Games athletes teaching skills and performing workouts throughout the day.
Saturday, March 3, 2012
9 a.m.-3 p.m.
Register information will be released soon to compete/volunteer in the 2012 Reebok CrossFit Open Workout #2
7-10 p.m.
Reebok After Party(more information to come)
Sunday, March 4, 2012
CrossFit Kids “Gauntlet”
This one day competition will go down at the Arnold Sports Festival and calls for qualified teen CrossFitters in novice, junior varsity, and varsity divisions to hit multiple WODs in a mental and physical test of pure CrossFit athleticism. More information and registration.
READ MORE
Here is a list of CrossFit info for the Arnold
CrossFit at the Arnold
CrossFit Inc., is coming back to the Arnold Sports Festival from March 2-4, 2012 in Columbus, Ohio.
There will be plenty of CrossFit activities to keep you entertained in this packed and exciting weekend
Friday, March 2
9 a.m.-5 p.m.
No registration needed to come and see CrossFit Games athletes teaching skills and performing workouts throughout the day.
Saturday, March 3
9 a.m.-3 p.m.
Register information will be released soon to compete/volunteer in the 2012 Reebok CrossFit Open Workout #2
7-10 p.m.
Reebok After Party(more information to come)
Sunday, March 4
CrossFit Kids “Gauntlet”
This one day competition will go down at the Arnold Sports Festival and calls for qualified teen CrossFitters in novice, junior varsity, and varsity divisions to hit multiple WODs in a mental and physical test of pure CrossFit athleticism. More information and registration.
Volunteers and Judges will be needed for both Saturday and Sunday events. To volunteer and/or judge, please contact arnold@roguefitness.com.
For more information, contact arnold@roguefitness.com.
Contact Information:
arnold@roguefitness.com
HotlinksPurchase Tickets
Schedule of Events
Parking Map
2011 CrossFit Kids PHOTOS
LocationsGreater Columbus Convention Center
400 N. High Str.
Columbus, Ohio 43215
Schedule
Friday, March 2, 2012
9 a.m.-5 p.m.
No registration needed to come and see CrossFit Games athletes teaching skills and performing workouts throughout the day.
Saturday, March 3, 2012
9 a.m.-3 p.m.
Register information will be released soon to compete/volunteer in the 2012 Reebok CrossFit Open Workout #2
7-10 p.m.
Reebok After Party(more information to come)
Sunday, March 4, 2012
CrossFit Kids “Gauntlet”
This one day competition will go down at the Arnold Sports Festival and calls for qualified teen CrossFitters in novice, junior varsity, and varsity divisions to hit multiple WODs in a mental and physical test of pure CrossFit athleticism. More information and registration.
Whole9's Official Fish Oil (Omega-3) FAQ
Looking for the fish oil calculator? You don’t need it any longer, as we’ve greatly simplified things for you. (You’re welcome.) Refer to our general dose recommendations below.
Q: Where do Omega-3 fatty acids come from?
A: Omega-3 fatty acids are found in the green leaves of plants, like grass, phytoplankton, algae and seaweed. This is the food that OUR food is designed to eat, which makes grass-fed beef, pastured organic eggs, and most importantly, certain types of fish (wild-caught fish and fish lower on the food chain, like herring, anchovy, sardine and mackerel) are good, natural sources of omega-3′s. Unfortunately, due to poor meat quality, and over-consumption of fast foods, processed foods, and vegetable oils, most of our diets are lacking in these essential fatty acids (and overly rich in pro-inflammatory omega-6 fatty acids).
Q: So why can’t I just eat grass or seaweed to get my omega-3′s?
A: First, you don’t have the ability to digest grass properly. Moving on, omega-3′s are a family of fatty acids, and the “parent” molecule is called alpha-linolenic acid (abbreviated as LNA or ALA). The ALA from plants is converted by animals or fish to the potent anti-inflammatory omega-3′s called EPA and DHA by a long conversion process (see the discussion of ALA from plant seeds below). The ALA itself is not actually anti-inflammatory, and only a small percentage of ALA can be converted to EPA and DHA. Fish (and to a much lesser degree, land animals) do the metabolic work to convert the plant-based ALA into concentrated EPA and DHA. Fish oil is already a concentrated source of EPA and DHA, which is why fish oil has such potent anti-inflammatory properties.
Q: Why can’t I get my omega-3′s from flax?
A: There are countless problems with getting your omega-3′s from this particular plant source. It requires an extremely inefficient conversion process – meaning your body has to do a lot of work to get the EPA and DHA you want out of the kind of fat found in flax (ALA). And the conversion pathway is fraught with difficulties that can, in fact, lead to MORE inflammation – the exact opposite of the intention. Finally, even if everything works perfectly, the amount of EPA and DHA you can actually convert from flax is so small it practically doesn’t count. (By the way, the story is the same whether you’re talking about flax, chia, hemp or echium.) Just stick with your fish oil.
Q: Why do I need EPA and DHA?
A: You only need a quick web search for this one, because there is a wealth of information on this subject. Fish oil is not a magic bullet, but there are an infinite number of well-documented benefits for a whole host of lifestyle diseases and conditions. The short answer is that EPA and DHA are specific types of polyunsatured omega-3 fatty acids. Your body cannot produce these fatty acids – you must get them from the food you eat, or via supplementation. EPA and DHA are natural anti-inflammatory agents, and as such, play a role in brain health, heart health, protection against cancer, Alzheimer’s and depression, improvement of skin conditions like psoriasis and acne, fetal brain development, inflammatory bowel disorders, and arthritis, to name a few.
Our typical diets are rich in another type of pro-inflammatory polyunsaturated fatty acid called omega-6. When our dietary intake of omega-6′s far exceeds our intake of omega-3′s, our bodies experience a wide range of negative consequences, all with the underlying cause of increased systemic inflammation. Minimizing dietary intake of omega-6 fatty acids, and supplementing your intake of omega-3 fatty acids, helps to reduce inflammation, and the wide range of downstream effects.
Q: Is there an ideal EPA to DHA ratio?
A: This isn’t particularly important – but a supplement in the general neighborhood of 1:1 would be a good find. DHA converts to EPA easier than vice versa, so if you had to choose, choose a high-DHA oil.
Q: What else should I look for in a fish oil brand?
A: First and most importantly, squeaky clean ingredients. This means your fish oil should be free of soy (including lecithin), dairy, wheat, rice, sweeteners or other artificial ingredients. (Visit our Supplement Evaluation Checklist for more information.)
Then, look at the EPA and DHA amounts per serving – that’s far more important than the “total fish oil” amount. A concentrated source means you have to take fewer pills or teaspoons a day – it’s more efficient, and makes it more likely that you’ll actually take your recommended dose each day.
Finally, decide whether you want a liquid or capsule. We prefer liquid, because liquid forms are often more concentrated than pills, and don’t have the additional ingredients found in capsules or pills with enteric coating. (Some find the coating on fish oil pills irritating, even allergenic.)
Q: What fish oil brands does Whole9 recommend?
A: The brand we take personally is Stronger Faster Healthier’s OmegaMaine. We’ve tried lots of other brands, and like quite a few (including Carlson’s and Nordic Naturals), but we choose OmegaMaine for three reasons.
-First, the ingredients are squeaky clean – no soy, dairy, wheat, sweeteners or other artificial ingredients.
-Second, it has more EPA and DHA per teaspoon (1.8 grams!) than other high quality brands, and taking in a bunch of fragile PUFAs besides EPA and DHA isn’t a great idea. Prioritize the EPA and DHA, and minimize your PUFA intake in general.
-Third, it comes in five palatable flavors (lemon, tangerine, mint, chocolate and vanilla), and all taste pretty darn good… for fish oil.
*Click the OmegaMaine link above and automatically save 10% on your order. (Our discount code is “Whole9″.)
Q: Does liquid fish oil taste like fish?
A: Depends on the brand, but not usually. Most liquids come flavored (lemon and tangerine are popular), and though they’re definitely oily, most don’t leave a fishy aftertaste. If you’re having trouble taking a shot of oil, try this tip – “chase” your oil with a bite of fruit, like a raspberry or a grape. The tartness of the fruit tends to cut through the oil in your mouth.
Q: Do I have to be worried about mercury levels or other contaminants in fish oil?
A: In a word, no. The larger the fish, and the higher it is on the food chain, the more potential exposure it has to heavy metals and other contaminants. Fish oil is almost always harvested from small fish like herring, anchovy and sardines, all of which are very low on the food chain. Most high quality fish oil brands are tested to ensure that any mercury or other heavy metal levels are all below detectable levels (.01ppm). In addition, a 2006 ConsumerLab evaluation of 42 commercially available fish oil supplements found that all were free of mercury, PCBs and dioxins.
Q: Are there any contraindications for taking fish oil?
A: Because fish oil capsules have an effect on reducing the stickiness of platelets, it is recommended that if you have any of the following conditions, that you see your physician to discuss whether you should take fish oil capsules:
-You have a bleeding tendency
-You are on blood thinning medications
-You are about to have surgery
Of course, before starting any new medication or supplement, it is always a smart idea to consult your physician, right?
Q: I’m pregnant – is it safe to take fish oil?
A: First, consult your doctor before starting any medications or supplementation. The general consensus is that EPA, and especially DHA, provide excellent benefits for your baby’s neurological and early visual development, and may reduce the risk of pregnancy complications like pre-eclampsia, gestational diabetes, post-partum depression and pre-term delivery. Your recommended dose will be different, however… again, check with your doctor to find a range that’s healthy for you and your baby.
Q: How much fish oil should I take?
A: Our general recommendations are to aim for around 2-4 grams of EPA/DHA per day. However, if you eat lots of wild-caught salmon, grass-fed beef and other natural sources of omega-3 fatty acids, and generally avoid sources of omega-6 (like vegetable oils, factory-farmed meat, nuts and seeds), you may not need any fish oil supplementation at all.
Q: I’m pretty inflamed/sick/overweight. Can I take more than you recommend to jump-start results?
A: Hear us clearly – you can’t fish oil your way out of poor dietary choices, lack of sleep, over-training or any combination of the above. It’s of the utmost important that you get your dietary and lifestyle house in order! More fish oil is not better – and in some instances, can do more harm than good. So make better food choices, get to bed earlier, allow yourself more time to rest and recover and do your best to minimize stress – and don’t rely on any pill or supplement to fix your stuff.
Q: How do I take fish oil?
A: Most importantly, always take fish oil with meals. This reduces the chance of stomach upset or “fish burps”. We think about sandwiching our fish oil inside a meal – one bite of food, then our fish oil, followed by the rest of our meal. And split your dose up throughout the day, especially if you’re at a 0.5 factor or above. Finally, if you’re new to fish oil, ramp up to your recommended dose slowly.
Q: What happens if I take too much fish oil?
A: Your digestive tract will tell you – and things will “move along” far too quickly for comfort. We can’t imagine the moderate doses we recommend (no more than 4 grams of EPA/DHA per day) would cause digestive upset, however… unless your fish oil was of poor quality, with a low concentration of EPA/DHA. (Yet another reason to stick with a high quality, highly concentrated brand.)
Q: How do I store fish oil?
A: Keep fish oil in a cool, dark place. Your refrigerator is the ideal location, especially in summer. If your pills don’t have a dark capsule coating and/or come in a light colored bottle, this is especially important. Fish oil reacts to light and heat, and can turn rancid. Rancid fish oil – obvious based on the smell – should be immediately discarded.
Q: Do I count my fish oil as calories or fat grams?
A: First, why on earth are you counting calories? While different folks have different answers for this question, we say no. The way your body uses EPA and DHA is different than other types of fat – the eicosanoid biosynthetic pathway, the brain, and the retina have first dibs, and EPA and DHA are typically used in these pathways as opposed to being used as “fuel”.
Q: What about krill oil?
A: While some folks make grand claims about krill oil, we think it’s way too expensive, and isn’t a very concentrated source of EPA and DHA, and so just isn’t worth the additional cost. Stick with your fish oil.
Q: What about cod liver oil? I heard it’s a good source of fish oil PLUS vitamins A and D.
A: There have been some concerns about the level of vitamins A and D in cod liver oil. The excessively high levels of vitamin A can prove toxic at the levels our calculator recommends for your ideal EPA/DHA dose. In addition, the amount of vitamin D in cod liver oil are pretty low – meaning you’re not really getting a good boost of D. Plus there are some smart folks who believe that high levels of vitamin A will limit the effectiveness of vitamin D, which could potentially lead to a D deficiency. We sometimes take CLO, but only at smaller doses (i.e. our maintenance dose)
In summary, if you want to stick with the cod liver oil, do NOT use our Fish Oil Calculator for your dosage recommendations. A better choice, in our opinion, would be to stick with fish oil.
Q: I’m a vegetarian/vegan – are there any plant-based alternatives to fish oil?
A: Algae oil is the best alternative, although it’s nowhere near as effective or cost-efficient as fish oil. Most algae oil contains only DHA, and you’ll find even those that contain some EPA will have an extremely low concentration per pill. It’ll cost you an arm and a leg, but it’ll do the trick.
READ MORE
Looking for the fish oil calculator? You don’t need it any longer, as we’ve greatly simplified things for you. (You’re welcome.) Refer to our general dose recommendations below.
Q: Where do Omega-3 fatty acids come from?
A: Omega-3 fatty acids are found in the green leaves of plants, like grass, phytoplankton, algae and seaweed. This is the food that OUR food is designed to eat, which makes grass-fed beef, pastured organic eggs, and most importantly, certain types of fish (wild-caught fish and fish lower on the food chain, like herring, anchovy, sardine and mackerel) are good, natural sources of omega-3′s. Unfortunately, due to poor meat quality, and over-consumption of fast foods, processed foods, and vegetable oils, most of our diets are lacking in these essential fatty acids (and overly rich in pro-inflammatory omega-6 fatty acids).
Q: So why can’t I just eat grass or seaweed to get my omega-3′s?
A: First, you don’t have the ability to digest grass properly. Moving on, omega-3′s are a family of fatty acids, and the “parent” molecule is called alpha-linolenic acid (abbreviated as LNA or ALA). The ALA from plants is converted by animals or fish to the potent anti-inflammatory omega-3′s called EPA and DHA by a long conversion process (see the discussion of ALA from plant seeds below). The ALA itself is not actually anti-inflammatory, and only a small percentage of ALA can be converted to EPA and DHA. Fish (and to a much lesser degree, land animals) do the metabolic work to convert the plant-based ALA into concentrated EPA and DHA. Fish oil is already a concentrated source of EPA and DHA, which is why fish oil has such potent anti-inflammatory properties.
Q: Why can’t I get my omega-3′s from flax?
A: There are countless problems with getting your omega-3′s from this particular plant source. It requires an extremely inefficient conversion process – meaning your body has to do a lot of work to get the EPA and DHA you want out of the kind of fat found in flax (ALA). And the conversion pathway is fraught with difficulties that can, in fact, lead to MORE inflammation – the exact opposite of the intention. Finally, even if everything works perfectly, the amount of EPA and DHA you can actually convert from flax is so small it practically doesn’t count. (By the way, the story is the same whether you’re talking about flax, chia, hemp or echium.) Just stick with your fish oil.
Q: Why do I need EPA and DHA?
A: You only need a quick web search for this one, because there is a wealth of information on this subject. Fish oil is not a magic bullet, but there are an infinite number of well-documented benefits for a whole host of lifestyle diseases and conditions. The short answer is that EPA and DHA are specific types of polyunsatured omega-3 fatty acids. Your body cannot produce these fatty acids – you must get them from the food you eat, or via supplementation. EPA and DHA are natural anti-inflammatory agents, and as such, play a role in brain health, heart health, protection against cancer, Alzheimer’s and depression, improvement of skin conditions like psoriasis and acne, fetal brain development, inflammatory bowel disorders, and arthritis, to name a few.
Our typical diets are rich in another type of pro-inflammatory polyunsaturated fatty acid called omega-6. When our dietary intake of omega-6′s far exceeds our intake of omega-3′s, our bodies experience a wide range of negative consequences, all with the underlying cause of increased systemic inflammation. Minimizing dietary intake of omega-6 fatty acids, and supplementing your intake of omega-3 fatty acids, helps to reduce inflammation, and the wide range of downstream effects.
Q: Is there an ideal EPA to DHA ratio?
A: This isn’t particularly important – but a supplement in the general neighborhood of 1:1 would be a good find. DHA converts to EPA easier than vice versa, so if you had to choose, choose a high-DHA oil.
Q: What else should I look for in a fish oil brand?
A: First and most importantly, squeaky clean ingredients. This means your fish oil should be free of soy (including lecithin), dairy, wheat, rice, sweeteners or other artificial ingredients. (Visit our Supplement Evaluation Checklist for more information.)
Then, look at the EPA and DHA amounts per serving – that’s far more important than the “total fish oil” amount. A concentrated source means you have to take fewer pills or teaspoons a day – it’s more efficient, and makes it more likely that you’ll actually take your recommended dose each day.
Finally, decide whether you want a liquid or capsule. We prefer liquid, because liquid forms are often more concentrated than pills, and don’t have the additional ingredients found in capsules or pills with enteric coating. (Some find the coating on fish oil pills irritating, even allergenic.)
Q: What fish oil brands does Whole9 recommend?
A: The brand we take personally is Stronger Faster Healthier’s OmegaMaine. We’ve tried lots of other brands, and like quite a few (including Carlson’s and Nordic Naturals), but we choose OmegaMaine for three reasons.
-First, the ingredients are squeaky clean – no soy, dairy, wheat, sweeteners or other artificial ingredients.
-Second, it has more EPA and DHA per teaspoon (1.8 grams!) than other high quality brands, and taking in a bunch of fragile PUFAs besides EPA and DHA isn’t a great idea. Prioritize the EPA and DHA, and minimize your PUFA intake in general.
-Third, it comes in five palatable flavors (lemon, tangerine, mint, chocolate and vanilla), and all taste pretty darn good… for fish oil.
*Click the OmegaMaine link above and automatically save 10% on your order. (Our discount code is “Whole9″.)
Q: Does liquid fish oil taste like fish?
A: Depends on the brand, but not usually. Most liquids come flavored (lemon and tangerine are popular), and though they’re definitely oily, most don’t leave a fishy aftertaste. If you’re having trouble taking a shot of oil, try this tip – “chase” your oil with a bite of fruit, like a raspberry or a grape. The tartness of the fruit tends to cut through the oil in your mouth.
Q: Do I have to be worried about mercury levels or other contaminants in fish oil?
A: In a word, no. The larger the fish, and the higher it is on the food chain, the more potential exposure it has to heavy metals and other contaminants. Fish oil is almost always harvested from small fish like herring, anchovy and sardines, all of which are very low on the food chain. Most high quality fish oil brands are tested to ensure that any mercury or other heavy metal levels are all below detectable levels (.01ppm). In addition, a 2006 ConsumerLab evaluation of 42 commercially available fish oil supplements found that all were free of mercury, PCBs and dioxins.
Q: Are there any contraindications for taking fish oil?
A: Because fish oil capsules have an effect on reducing the stickiness of platelets, it is recommended that if you have any of the following conditions, that you see your physician to discuss whether you should take fish oil capsules:
-You have a bleeding tendency
-You are on blood thinning medications
-You are about to have surgery
Of course, before starting any new medication or supplement, it is always a smart idea to consult your physician, right?
Q: I’m pregnant – is it safe to take fish oil?
A: First, consult your doctor before starting any medications or supplementation. The general consensus is that EPA, and especially DHA, provide excellent benefits for your baby’s neurological and early visual development, and may reduce the risk of pregnancy complications like pre-eclampsia, gestational diabetes, post-partum depression and pre-term delivery. Your recommended dose will be different, however… again, check with your doctor to find a range that’s healthy for you and your baby.
Q: How much fish oil should I take?
A: Our general recommendations are to aim for around 2-4 grams of EPA/DHA per day. However, if you eat lots of wild-caught salmon, grass-fed beef and other natural sources of omega-3 fatty acids, and generally avoid sources of omega-6 (like vegetable oils, factory-farmed meat, nuts and seeds), you may not need any fish oil supplementation at all.
Q: I’m pretty inflamed/sick/overweight. Can I take more than you recommend to jump-start results?
A: Hear us clearly – you can’t fish oil your way out of poor dietary choices, lack of sleep, over-training or any combination of the above. It’s of the utmost important that you get your dietary and lifestyle house in order! More fish oil is not better – and in some instances, can do more harm than good. So make better food choices, get to bed earlier, allow yourself more time to rest and recover and do your best to minimize stress – and don’t rely on any pill or supplement to fix your stuff.
Q: How do I take fish oil?
A: Most importantly, always take fish oil with meals. This reduces the chance of stomach upset or “fish burps”. We think about sandwiching our fish oil inside a meal – one bite of food, then our fish oil, followed by the rest of our meal. And split your dose up throughout the day, especially if you’re at a 0.5 factor or above. Finally, if you’re new to fish oil, ramp up to your recommended dose slowly.
Q: What happens if I take too much fish oil?
A: Your digestive tract will tell you – and things will “move along” far too quickly for comfort. We can’t imagine the moderate doses we recommend (no more than 4 grams of EPA/DHA per day) would cause digestive upset, however… unless your fish oil was of poor quality, with a low concentration of EPA/DHA. (Yet another reason to stick with a high quality, highly concentrated brand.)
Q: How do I store fish oil?
A: Keep fish oil in a cool, dark place. Your refrigerator is the ideal location, especially in summer. If your pills don’t have a dark capsule coating and/or come in a light colored bottle, this is especially important. Fish oil reacts to light and heat, and can turn rancid. Rancid fish oil – obvious based on the smell – should be immediately discarded.
Q: Do I count my fish oil as calories or fat grams?
A: First, why on earth are you counting calories? While different folks have different answers for this question, we say no. The way your body uses EPA and DHA is different than other types of fat – the eicosanoid biosynthetic pathway, the brain, and the retina have first dibs, and EPA and DHA are typically used in these pathways as opposed to being used as “fuel”.
Q: What about krill oil?
A: While some folks make grand claims about krill oil, we think it’s way too expensive, and isn’t a very concentrated source of EPA and DHA, and so just isn’t worth the additional cost. Stick with your fish oil.
Q: What about cod liver oil? I heard it’s a good source of fish oil PLUS vitamins A and D.
A: There have been some concerns about the level of vitamins A and D in cod liver oil. The excessively high levels of vitamin A can prove toxic at the levels our calculator recommends for your ideal EPA/DHA dose. In addition, the amount of vitamin D in cod liver oil are pretty low – meaning you’re not really getting a good boost of D. Plus there are some smart folks who believe that high levels of vitamin A will limit the effectiveness of vitamin D, which could potentially lead to a D deficiency. We sometimes take CLO, but only at smaller doses (i.e. our maintenance dose)
In summary, if you want to stick with the cod liver oil, do NOT use our Fish Oil Calculator for your dosage recommendations. A better choice, in our opinion, would be to stick with fish oil.
Q: I’m a vegetarian/vegan – are there any plant-based alternatives to fish oil?
A: Algae oil is the best alternative, although it’s nowhere near as effective or cost-efficient as fish oil. Most algae oil contains only DHA, and you’ll find even those that contain some EPA will have an extremely low concentration per pill. It’ll cost you an arm and a leg, but it’ll do the trick.
What is Fitness?
"An evolving journey and exploration of the connection between spirit, mind and body WHILE attempting to discover physical potential WHILE leading to discovering purpose and producing longevity of oneself."-
-James Fitzgerald
READ MORE
"An evolving journey and exploration of the connection between spirit, mind and body WHILE attempting to discover physical potential WHILE leading to discovering purpose and producing longevity of oneself."-
-James Fitzgerald
I am very excited about getting together on a Sunday afternoon with people that I love being around and food that I love to eat!! Bring something Paleo and join us at CrossFit Instinct! Share some of your recipes and enjoy others. I know some of us will be enduring the fun of seven minutes of burbees in the morning before the potluck. Good luck to everyone! We can't wait to see you guys there. Send me an email, text, or call if you have any questions if not see you there!
Seize the DAY!
mbryant3220@gmail.com
217-741-1456
READ MORE
Seize the DAY!
mbryant3220@gmail.com
217-741-1456
Check this out guys, for those of you preparing for the BURPEE storm of seven minutes take a look at what Carl and Kelly have to say about preparing for the workout. These are to great breakdowns of the workout and I know I am forever thankful to have such an awesome community of coaches sharing all their knowledge. Thanks to K-Starr and Carl for making us better coaches, so we can help make others better!!
Love it!
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Love it!
I hope everyone is creating a great day! I wanted to put this out there for anyone interested in the Conjugate System by Louie Simmons. We roadtripped to Westside last September for the CrossFit Powerlifting certification and learned from some of the great powerlifters at Westside Barbbell. It was great working on our weaknesses and learning how to flat out get stronger. This is an article about the Conjugate System if you were to strictly use it for Powerlifting. We have adopted this knowledge and put it into our CrossFit training. Using Louies ideas has given me a boost in all of my training. Check it out!
Using the Conjugate System
Louie Simmons
Westside has always used the conjugate method. I realized I could only squat, bench, or deadlift so much by doing only those three lifts. I was using several pin levels, different box heights, and many forms of benching such as board pressing and floor pressing in the early 1970s. I found out early on that after 3 weeks of doing the same lift I regressed. That’s how the 3-week pendulum wave became a constant fixture at Westside.
Westside max effort day is designed with the best of three systems. The Bulgarian max effort day is distinguished by lifting as heavy a weight as possible on that day. Their max effort day may not be the most ever lifted, but rather the heaviest weight possible on that day. They would concentrate on just a few lifts after mastering technique in the classical lifts. They were, remember, model athletes, built for their sport.
The former Soviet Union claims to have invented the conjugate method at a club known as the Dynamo Club. They had 70 highly ranked lifters and used 25 to 40 special exercises to complement the Olympic lifts. A study of this system showed that only one lifter was satisfied and the rest wanted more exercises to choose from. Many times they would do the heavy effort method. This means weight over 90% but not an ultimate record. This develops a higher total volume but less than 100% intensity. They would push the number of classic lifts near contest time and decrease special exercises.
Westside’s conjugate method follows the Bulgarian system of maxing out on each max effort day. We want a new all-time record, not even 90% or 97½%, but something we have never done. Like the Soviet system, we use a multitude of special exercise during the weekly or monthly plan. Each week we use different exercises to max out on. We can train at 100%+ each week, year in and year out. Do you want to lift 1% under your best or 1% over your best? I feel this is superior to all other systems. It trains a lifter mentally, psychologically, and physically. In our training we are used to breaking new records each week, making it easy at contest time.
Here are some examples of max effort workouts for the squat and deadlift.
1. Light front squat for warm up; rack pulls with one pin for max single; 3 to 6 sets of glute/ham raises; 3 to 6 sets of low pulley 8 to 12 reps; 3 to 6 sets of Reverse Hyper machine; 8 to 12 reps of abs while standing up, as heavy as possible.
2. 6 trips of sled pulls 60 yards with 2 to 4 45-pound plates; Safety Squat bar to max single on 12-inch high box; 3 sets of pull-through, high reps; 3 to 6 sets of chest-supported rows; 3 to 6 sets of Reverse Hyper machine, 8 to 12 reps; 3 to 6 sets of abs lying on a 6-inch roller.
3. 3 sets of hanging leg raises as warm up; rack pulls with 350 pounds of band tension for max single; 3 to 6 sets of heavy shrugs, dumbbell or barbell; 3 to 6 sets of heavy Reverse Hyper machine; sled pulls, 8 trips of 60 yards with moderate weight; 3 sets of straight-leg sit-ups.
4. Concentric good morning max 3 reps; 6 to 8 sets of belt squats heavy; 6 to 8 sets of dumbbell row; 3 sets of 45-degree back raise; 3 to 6 sets of Reverse Hypers; 3 to 6 sets of leg lifts with ankle weights.
5. Box deadlift on 4-inch box max single; front squat, work up to 6-rep max; pull-through 4 sets; Ukrainian deadlifts 2 sets of 20 reps; low-pulley rows 3 to 6 sets heavy; 6 to 8 reps of 3 to 6 sets of Reverse Hyper machine, heavy; straight-leg sit-ups with weights.
6. 14-inch cambered bar off of a low foam box, 10 sets heavy; 4 to 6 45-pound plates sled pulls 60 yards; 4 sets of chest-supported rows heavy; 3 to 6 sets Reverse Hyper machine heavy; 6-inch foam roller sit-ups heavy.
7. Max deadlift on floor with 280 pounds of band tension; 3 to 6 sets of belt squat heavy; barbell rows, 4 sets of 6 reps heavy; 4 to 6 sets of low-pulley rows heavy; 3 to 6 sets of Reverse Hyper machine heavy; 3 to 6 sets of heavy straight leg sit-ups.
8. Zercher lift off of the floor to max single; 6 sets of sled pulls 4 to 6 45-pound plates; 3 sets of heavy dumbbell shrugs; 3 to 6 sets of chest-supported rows heavy; 3 to 6 sets of Reverse Hyper machine heavy; 3 to 6 sets of hanging leg raise with weight; walk ½ mile with 10-pound ankle weight and 50-pound weight vest.
9. Safety squat bar with 300 to 450 pounds of band tension max single; 45-degree hyper for 6 sets heavy for 6 reps; 3 to 6 sets of low-pulley rows heavy; 3 to 6 sets of dumbbell rows heavy high reps; 3 to 6 sets of Reverse Hyper machine heavy; 3 to 6 sets of straight-leg sit-ups heavy; walk with wheel barrow heavy for ½ mile.
10. Floor deadlifts plus 370 pounds of band tension for a max single; 2 sets of 20 reps Ukrainian deadlift; 6 sets for 60 yards sled pulls using 5 45-pound plates; 6 sets of dumbbell rows heavy 8 to 10 reps; 3 to 6 sets of Reverse Hyper machine heavy; 3 to 6 sets of 6-inch foam roller sit-ups heavy; 1 mile walk with 10-pound ankle weights.
11. Low box squat on foam; 14-inch cambered bar to max; speed pulls 60% plus 220 pounds of band tension 8 singles; 45-degree back raise; 3 to 6 sets heavy plyo swing; 5 sets of 6 reps jumps; barbell rows 6 sets heavy; 3 to 6 sets of Reverse Hyper machine heavy; hanging leg raises with weight for 6 sets.
12. Buffalo bar and good mornings for 5 sets of 5/8-inch chains to max 3 reps; 3 to 6 sets of glute/ham raises; 6 trips of sled pulls 60 yards; 5 45-pound plates dumbbells shrugs 3 to 6 sets of 10 reps; straight leg sit-ups 6 to 10 reps.
13. Rack pulls with plates 6 inches off floor max; low-pulley rows 3 to 6 sets heavy; wheel barrow walk heavy 10 trips for 60 yards; Reverse Hyper machine 3 to 6 sets heavy; 6-inch foam roller sit-ups heavy.
14. Box deadlift on 4-inch box max single; chest-supported rows 3 to 6 sets; 3 sets of Ukrainian deadlift 20 heavy reps; 3 to 6 sets of glute/ham raise heavy; 3 to 6 sets of Reverse Hyper machine heavy; 3 to 6 sets of hanging leg raises touching toes to bar.
15. Heavy sled pulls 4 to 6 45-pound plates for 10 trips; front squat light for 6 sets on low box; low-pulley rows for 6 sets heavy; 3 to 6 sets of Reverse Hyper machine heavy; straight-leg sit-ups for 6 sets heavy.
These workouts can be arranged in any way you want. After the core exercise is done for a max single the selection of small exercises can also be mix and matched any way you want. The most advanced lifters should do 2 max effort and 1 squat workout or 1 squat and 2 max effort workouts. Remember that you have to back down on the fourth day. Friday is squat day, and max effort day is on Monday. Every 72 hours a high-volume or high-intensity workout can be done on either the bench training or the squat/deadlift training day.
During the bench max effort day the volume must change from large to small, from dynamic effort on Sunday to max effort on Wednesday. A 500 bench lifter would do about 200 pounds plus mini bands for 10 sets. This is 6,000 pounds with low intensity or low percentage.
On max effort day, if you have a 500 floor press, you start at only 70% to calculate the weights. A lesser percent won’t contribute to max strength. A workout would look like this:
Warm up to 315 for reps. Now add:
365×1
405×1
435×1
470×1
485×1
505×1 (personal record)
This is 2665 pounds.
The Olympic lifting rule of 60% is that one workout should be 60% volume of the most recent workout for the same muscle groups. In powerlifting the rule is 30% give or take 5%. Why? Powerlifting commonly jumps 50 or 90 pounds per set. Olympic lifters jump 11 or 22 pounds per set. This rule of 30 is true for benching or squatting workouts.
Let’s look at some max effort workouts for the bench.
1. Rack lockouts to max single; 2 sets of moderate dumbbell press flat; 6 to 8 sets of dumbbell triceps extension roll backs; 6 to 8 sets of chest-supported rows; 8 sets side and rear delt raise; hammer curl 3 to 4 sets.
2. Floor press plus 200 pounds of chain, singles; 5 sets of low-pulley rows; 3 sets of dumbbell power cleans for 20 reps; 6 to 8 sets rear and side delts; hammer curls.
3. Incline press to max single; light weight for 15 reps close and wide; dumbbell rows 6 to 8 reps sets heavy; face pulls high reps 2 sets; 6 sets straight bar triceps extension; hammer curls.
4. 2-board press raw max single; 3 to 6 sets of dumbbell extensions with elbows out to side; 6 sets of lat pull-downs; dumbbell power cleans for 20 reps for 2 sets; hammer curls.
5. Max bench with mini-bands; J.M. press 4 to 6 sets for 3 to 5 reps; 2 sets of dumbbell incline; low-pulley rows 4 to 8 sets heavy; rear and side delt raises; hammer curls.
6. Decline press to max single; incline dumbbell press for 5 sets heavy; dumbbell roll back extensions 8 sets of 8 reps; lat pull-downs for 6 sets; face pulls for 4 sets; hammer curls.
7. 2-board light band press max; drop down with close grip for max 5 reps; 2 sets of seated press 10 to 15 reps; elbows out dumbbell extensions; 6 sets of push downs; 6 sets of 15 reps of dumbbell power cleans; 2 sets of 15 reps hammer curls.
8. Foam press to max single; 6 sets of dumbbell flat bench 10 to 15 reps; low-pulley rows 6 sets; dumbbell rows 6 sets; superset dumbbell roll back with light push-down; hammer curls.
9. Floor press with monster minis to max; kettlebell press 6 sets of 10 to 15 rep max; dumbbell extensions with elbows out 8 sets of 8 reps; barbell rows 6 sets of wide grip; hammer curls.
10. Pick a dumbbell 100, 125, or 150 pounds for a 3 set max rep, no less than 10 reps per set; lat pull-downs 8 sets; face pull 3 sets dumbbell power clean; 2 sets of 15 reps hammer curls.
11. Future band press to max single; 2 sets of decline press with close grip and light weight for 20 reps; upright rows for 6 sets; hammer curls.
12. 4-board press to max 3 reps; J.M. press, work up to max 3 reps; superset with light push-downs 15 reps; dumbbell power cleans 2 sets of 15 reps; low-pulley rows for 6 sets heavy; hammer curls.
Three other max effort workouts will be with a bench shirt. Use a shirt about every 3 or 4 weeks. Last shirt workout is 3 weeks away from meet day. This comes to 15 max effort workouts to rotate in any system you want. You must after time make your own programs. No two people are totally alike, so some workouts will work better for one lifter than they do for another.
All the exercises I have discussed are similar to the classical lifts–squat, bench press, and deadlift–and will contribute to success in the contest lifts.
The Westside system makes it possible to lift a max each week all year long. I know of no other system that can do this. The Monday and Wednesday max effort days make one very strong. The speed days of Friday and Sunday make one very explosive, and all workouts with high volume make one very big through special exercises. This also helps you to perfect form by shoring up your weaknesses. What more can you ask for?
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Using the Conjugate System
Louie Simmons
Westside has always used the conjugate method. I realized I could only squat, bench, or deadlift so much by doing only those three lifts. I was using several pin levels, different box heights, and many forms of benching such as board pressing and floor pressing in the early 1970s. I found out early on that after 3 weeks of doing the same lift I regressed. That’s how the 3-week pendulum wave became a constant fixture at Westside.
Westside max effort day is designed with the best of three systems. The Bulgarian max effort day is distinguished by lifting as heavy a weight as possible on that day. Their max effort day may not be the most ever lifted, but rather the heaviest weight possible on that day. They would concentrate on just a few lifts after mastering technique in the classical lifts. They were, remember, model athletes, built for their sport.
The former Soviet Union claims to have invented the conjugate method at a club known as the Dynamo Club. They had 70 highly ranked lifters and used 25 to 40 special exercises to complement the Olympic lifts. A study of this system showed that only one lifter was satisfied and the rest wanted more exercises to choose from. Many times they would do the heavy effort method. This means weight over 90% but not an ultimate record. This develops a higher total volume but less than 100% intensity. They would push the number of classic lifts near contest time and decrease special exercises.
Westside’s conjugate method follows the Bulgarian system of maxing out on each max effort day. We want a new all-time record, not even 90% or 97½%, but something we have never done. Like the Soviet system, we use a multitude of special exercise during the weekly or monthly plan. Each week we use different exercises to max out on. We can train at 100%+ each week, year in and year out. Do you want to lift 1% under your best or 1% over your best? I feel this is superior to all other systems. It trains a lifter mentally, psychologically, and physically. In our training we are used to breaking new records each week, making it easy at contest time.
Here are some examples of max effort workouts for the squat and deadlift.
1. Light front squat for warm up; rack pulls with one pin for max single; 3 to 6 sets of glute/ham raises; 3 to 6 sets of low pulley 8 to 12 reps; 3 to 6 sets of Reverse Hyper machine; 8 to 12 reps of abs while standing up, as heavy as possible.
2. 6 trips of sled pulls 60 yards with 2 to 4 45-pound plates; Safety Squat bar to max single on 12-inch high box; 3 sets of pull-through, high reps; 3 to 6 sets of chest-supported rows; 3 to 6 sets of Reverse Hyper machine, 8 to 12 reps; 3 to 6 sets of abs lying on a 6-inch roller.
3. 3 sets of hanging leg raises as warm up; rack pulls with 350 pounds of band tension for max single; 3 to 6 sets of heavy shrugs, dumbbell or barbell; 3 to 6 sets of heavy Reverse Hyper machine; sled pulls, 8 trips of 60 yards with moderate weight; 3 sets of straight-leg sit-ups.
4. Concentric good morning max 3 reps; 6 to 8 sets of belt squats heavy; 6 to 8 sets of dumbbell row; 3 sets of 45-degree back raise; 3 to 6 sets of Reverse Hypers; 3 to 6 sets of leg lifts with ankle weights.
5. Box deadlift on 4-inch box max single; front squat, work up to 6-rep max; pull-through 4 sets; Ukrainian deadlifts 2 sets of 20 reps; low-pulley rows 3 to 6 sets heavy; 6 to 8 reps of 3 to 6 sets of Reverse Hyper machine, heavy; straight-leg sit-ups with weights.
6. 14-inch cambered bar off of a low foam box, 10 sets heavy; 4 to 6 45-pound plates sled pulls 60 yards; 4 sets of chest-supported rows heavy; 3 to 6 sets Reverse Hyper machine heavy; 6-inch foam roller sit-ups heavy.
7. Max deadlift on floor with 280 pounds of band tension; 3 to 6 sets of belt squat heavy; barbell rows, 4 sets of 6 reps heavy; 4 to 6 sets of low-pulley rows heavy; 3 to 6 sets of Reverse Hyper machine heavy; 3 to 6 sets of heavy straight leg sit-ups.
8. Zercher lift off of the floor to max single; 6 sets of sled pulls 4 to 6 45-pound plates; 3 sets of heavy dumbbell shrugs; 3 to 6 sets of chest-supported rows heavy; 3 to 6 sets of Reverse Hyper machine heavy; 3 to 6 sets of hanging leg raise with weight; walk ½ mile with 10-pound ankle weight and 50-pound weight vest.
9. Safety squat bar with 300 to 450 pounds of band tension max single; 45-degree hyper for 6 sets heavy for 6 reps; 3 to 6 sets of low-pulley rows heavy; 3 to 6 sets of dumbbell rows heavy high reps; 3 to 6 sets of Reverse Hyper machine heavy; 3 to 6 sets of straight-leg sit-ups heavy; walk with wheel barrow heavy for ½ mile.
10. Floor deadlifts plus 370 pounds of band tension for a max single; 2 sets of 20 reps Ukrainian deadlift; 6 sets for 60 yards sled pulls using 5 45-pound plates; 6 sets of dumbbell rows heavy 8 to 10 reps; 3 to 6 sets of Reverse Hyper machine heavy; 3 to 6 sets of 6-inch foam roller sit-ups heavy; 1 mile walk with 10-pound ankle weights.
11. Low box squat on foam; 14-inch cambered bar to max; speed pulls 60% plus 220 pounds of band tension 8 singles; 45-degree back raise; 3 to 6 sets heavy plyo swing; 5 sets of 6 reps jumps; barbell rows 6 sets heavy; 3 to 6 sets of Reverse Hyper machine heavy; hanging leg raises with weight for 6 sets.
12. Buffalo bar and good mornings for 5 sets of 5/8-inch chains to max 3 reps; 3 to 6 sets of glute/ham raises; 6 trips of sled pulls 60 yards; 5 45-pound plates dumbbells shrugs 3 to 6 sets of 10 reps; straight leg sit-ups 6 to 10 reps.
13. Rack pulls with plates 6 inches off floor max; low-pulley rows 3 to 6 sets heavy; wheel barrow walk heavy 10 trips for 60 yards; Reverse Hyper machine 3 to 6 sets heavy; 6-inch foam roller sit-ups heavy.
14. Box deadlift on 4-inch box max single; chest-supported rows 3 to 6 sets; 3 sets of Ukrainian deadlift 20 heavy reps; 3 to 6 sets of glute/ham raise heavy; 3 to 6 sets of Reverse Hyper machine heavy; 3 to 6 sets of hanging leg raises touching toes to bar.
15. Heavy sled pulls 4 to 6 45-pound plates for 10 trips; front squat light for 6 sets on low box; low-pulley rows for 6 sets heavy; 3 to 6 sets of Reverse Hyper machine heavy; straight-leg sit-ups for 6 sets heavy.
These workouts can be arranged in any way you want. After the core exercise is done for a max single the selection of small exercises can also be mix and matched any way you want. The most advanced lifters should do 2 max effort and 1 squat workout or 1 squat and 2 max effort workouts. Remember that you have to back down on the fourth day. Friday is squat day, and max effort day is on Monday. Every 72 hours a high-volume or high-intensity workout can be done on either the bench training or the squat/deadlift training day.
During the bench max effort day the volume must change from large to small, from dynamic effort on Sunday to max effort on Wednesday. A 500 bench lifter would do about 200 pounds plus mini bands for 10 sets. This is 6,000 pounds with low intensity or low percentage.
On max effort day, if you have a 500 floor press, you start at only 70% to calculate the weights. A lesser percent won’t contribute to max strength. A workout would look like this:
Warm up to 315 for reps. Now add:
365×1
405×1
435×1
470×1
485×1
505×1 (personal record)
This is 2665 pounds.
The Olympic lifting rule of 60% is that one workout should be 60% volume of the most recent workout for the same muscle groups. In powerlifting the rule is 30% give or take 5%. Why? Powerlifting commonly jumps 50 or 90 pounds per set. Olympic lifters jump 11 or 22 pounds per set. This rule of 30 is true for benching or squatting workouts.
Let’s look at some max effort workouts for the bench.
1. Rack lockouts to max single; 2 sets of moderate dumbbell press flat; 6 to 8 sets of dumbbell triceps extension roll backs; 6 to 8 sets of chest-supported rows; 8 sets side and rear delt raise; hammer curl 3 to 4 sets.
2. Floor press plus 200 pounds of chain, singles; 5 sets of low-pulley rows; 3 sets of dumbbell power cleans for 20 reps; 6 to 8 sets rear and side delts; hammer curls.
3. Incline press to max single; light weight for 15 reps close and wide; dumbbell rows 6 to 8 reps sets heavy; face pulls high reps 2 sets; 6 sets straight bar triceps extension; hammer curls.
4. 2-board press raw max single; 3 to 6 sets of dumbbell extensions with elbows out to side; 6 sets of lat pull-downs; dumbbell power cleans for 20 reps for 2 sets; hammer curls.
5. Max bench with mini-bands; J.M. press 4 to 6 sets for 3 to 5 reps; 2 sets of dumbbell incline; low-pulley rows 4 to 8 sets heavy; rear and side delt raises; hammer curls.
6. Decline press to max single; incline dumbbell press for 5 sets heavy; dumbbell roll back extensions 8 sets of 8 reps; lat pull-downs for 6 sets; face pulls for 4 sets; hammer curls.
7. 2-board light band press max; drop down with close grip for max 5 reps; 2 sets of seated press 10 to 15 reps; elbows out dumbbell extensions; 6 sets of push downs; 6 sets of 15 reps of dumbbell power cleans; 2 sets of 15 reps hammer curls.
8. Foam press to max single; 6 sets of dumbbell flat bench 10 to 15 reps; low-pulley rows 6 sets; dumbbell rows 6 sets; superset dumbbell roll back with light push-down; hammer curls.
9. Floor press with monster minis to max; kettlebell press 6 sets of 10 to 15 rep max; dumbbell extensions with elbows out 8 sets of 8 reps; barbell rows 6 sets of wide grip; hammer curls.
10. Pick a dumbbell 100, 125, or 150 pounds for a 3 set max rep, no less than 10 reps per set; lat pull-downs 8 sets; face pull 3 sets dumbbell power clean; 2 sets of 15 reps hammer curls.
11. Future band press to max single; 2 sets of decline press with close grip and light weight for 20 reps; upright rows for 6 sets; hammer curls.
12. 4-board press to max 3 reps; J.M. press, work up to max 3 reps; superset with light push-downs 15 reps; dumbbell power cleans 2 sets of 15 reps; low-pulley rows for 6 sets heavy; hammer curls.
Three other max effort workouts will be with a bench shirt. Use a shirt about every 3 or 4 weeks. Last shirt workout is 3 weeks away from meet day. This comes to 15 max effort workouts to rotate in any system you want. You must after time make your own programs. No two people are totally alike, so some workouts will work better for one lifter than they do for another.
All the exercises I have discussed are similar to the classical lifts–squat, bench press, and deadlift–and will contribute to success in the contest lifts.
The Westside system makes it possible to lift a max each week all year long. I know of no other system that can do this. The Monday and Wednesday max effort days make one very strong. The speed days of Friday and Sunday make one very explosive, and all workouts with high volume make one very big through special exercises. This also helps you to perfect form by shoring up your weaknesses. What more can you ask for?
Good read on NSAIDS Cathletics.com love these guys.
What’s your opinion about ibuprofen?
I know it’s a subject that some of you probably aren’t hip to. Based on what I’ve seen on Catalyst Athletics, I think we’ve got pretty educated readers. It’s obvious from the comments I see on this website that many of you do thorough research on things, so I’m sure there are a lot of you who have done some reading on ibuprofen.
Consequently, I’m betting that many of you have negative opinions about it. Yes? No? Maybe? I’m making that assumption because it’s a pharmaceutical, which is something that a large section of the population seems to be against. I have a feeling that most of us, being strength athletes and coaches, try to preach healthy eating and whatnot. And there has been some documentation about potential negatives associated with ibuprofen and other NSAIDs. According to some people, it’s pretty risky stuff… right up there with pork chops, Diet Coke, rated-R movies, lifting weights, and a long list of other things that basically provide 90% of the pleasure I get in life. But you know what? I’m gonna be a gangster and just write about it anyway. Straight outta Compton.
Up until I was thirty-seven, ibuprofen was a regular part of my weightlifting life. I definitely wouldn’t say I was ever a full-blown junkie for the stuff, but it was part of my toolbox. For the last eight or nine years, I’ve been taking it twice a week before big workouts (usually 800-1000 milligrams). I usually increased the dosages a little when I was getting close to competitions and taking a lot of heavy attempts in training, and then I would stop taking it for a few weeks after the meet. But I got my ACL surgery last summer, and obviously I wasn’t lifting big weights for several weeks after the operation. Because I wasn’t training hard, I just stopped taking ibuprofen completely.
When I started training the Olympic lifts again back in October, I decided that I wanted to start taking ibuprofen again but in drastically reduced amounts. So I decided to only take it one week each month when I’m going heavy. My monthly training routine now basically looks like this:
Week One- light
Week Two- moderate
Week Three- heavy
Week Four- deload
That’s a really simple way to describe it without going into too much detail. That heavy week is when I take ibuprofen. The rest of the month, I don’t use it at all.
And let me tell you something right now, brothers and sisters. During that week when I take it…holy buckets of whale crap. I guess I know what crystal meth feels like now. I’m twice as fast and nothing hurts. As you probably know, ibuprofen is something you build up a tolerance to. Now that I rarely use it, I don’t have a tolerance built up. So when I take some, the effects are hellacious. I’m like a combination of Hunter S. Thompson and Jim Morrison, walking around in a drug-fueled haze. Okay, maybe that’s a bit of an exaggeration. But my workouts do feel pretty good.
I’m glad that I’ve reduced the amounts I take, and I’m actually surprised that I feel as good as I do. During those weeks leading up to my heavy week, I’m not handling huge weights. That could be a reason why I’ve been able to adapt and train well without ibuprofen. But still, I’m almost forty and I’m actually relying on the stuff a lot less now than I did five years ago. That’s a good thing, and it’s not the way I thought it was going to be.
I’m not totally sure that there’s a message to this post. Maybe it could be food for thought in case any of you are hammering the NSAIDS pretty hard. If you’re on a lifting break right now, maybe you could try going without it (or using a lot less) when you start training again. If you’re in the middle of a hard cycle, maybe starting to scale back the dosage little by little would work. Something like that.
And if you don’t take ibuprofen at all, that’s just wonderful.
However, let’s make sure we all understand that this isn’t designed to be a propaganda promotion for ibuprofen. I’ve written about some of the positive effects I get from it, but I’m not telling anybody to run out and start popping pills. If any of you go nuts with painkillers after reading this and you get sick, it’s not my fault. If you try to sue me, you’ll have to deal with my lawyer, Bernie Slapasucka. He drives a Prius, so you don’t want to mess with him.
Matt Foreman | February 16 2012
[Editor's Note: Catalyst Athletics, Inc. and its contributors do not prescribe the use of ibuprofen. Talk to your doctor before using NSAIDs or any other drug.]
READ MORE
What’s your opinion about ibuprofen?
I know it’s a subject that some of you probably aren’t hip to. Based on what I’ve seen on Catalyst Athletics, I think we’ve got pretty educated readers. It’s obvious from the comments I see on this website that many of you do thorough research on things, so I’m sure there are a lot of you who have done some reading on ibuprofen.
Consequently, I’m betting that many of you have negative opinions about it. Yes? No? Maybe? I’m making that assumption because it’s a pharmaceutical, which is something that a large section of the population seems to be against. I have a feeling that most of us, being strength athletes and coaches, try to preach healthy eating and whatnot. And there has been some documentation about potential negatives associated with ibuprofen and other NSAIDs. According to some people, it’s pretty risky stuff… right up there with pork chops, Diet Coke, rated-R movies, lifting weights, and a long list of other things that basically provide 90% of the pleasure I get in life. But you know what? I’m gonna be a gangster and just write about it anyway. Straight outta Compton.
Up until I was thirty-seven, ibuprofen was a regular part of my weightlifting life. I definitely wouldn’t say I was ever a full-blown junkie for the stuff, but it was part of my toolbox. For the last eight or nine years, I’ve been taking it twice a week before big workouts (usually 800-1000 milligrams). I usually increased the dosages a little when I was getting close to competitions and taking a lot of heavy attempts in training, and then I would stop taking it for a few weeks after the meet. But I got my ACL surgery last summer, and obviously I wasn’t lifting big weights for several weeks after the operation. Because I wasn’t training hard, I just stopped taking ibuprofen completely.
When I started training the Olympic lifts again back in October, I decided that I wanted to start taking ibuprofen again but in drastically reduced amounts. So I decided to only take it one week each month when I’m going heavy. My monthly training routine now basically looks like this:
Week One- light
Week Two- moderate
Week Three- heavy
Week Four- deload
That’s a really simple way to describe it without going into too much detail. That heavy week is when I take ibuprofen. The rest of the month, I don’t use it at all.
And let me tell you something right now, brothers and sisters. During that week when I take it…holy buckets of whale crap. I guess I know what crystal meth feels like now. I’m twice as fast and nothing hurts. As you probably know, ibuprofen is something you build up a tolerance to. Now that I rarely use it, I don’t have a tolerance built up. So when I take some, the effects are hellacious. I’m like a combination of Hunter S. Thompson and Jim Morrison, walking around in a drug-fueled haze. Okay, maybe that’s a bit of an exaggeration. But my workouts do feel pretty good.
I’m glad that I’ve reduced the amounts I take, and I’m actually surprised that I feel as good as I do. During those weeks leading up to my heavy week, I’m not handling huge weights. That could be a reason why I’ve been able to adapt and train well without ibuprofen. But still, I’m almost forty and I’m actually relying on the stuff a lot less now than I did five years ago. That’s a good thing, and it’s not the way I thought it was going to be.
I’m not totally sure that there’s a message to this post. Maybe it could be food for thought in case any of you are hammering the NSAIDS pretty hard. If you’re on a lifting break right now, maybe you could try going without it (or using a lot less) when you start training again. If you’re in the middle of a hard cycle, maybe starting to scale back the dosage little by little would work. Something like that.
And if you don’t take ibuprofen at all, that’s just wonderful.
However, let’s make sure we all understand that this isn’t designed to be a propaganda promotion for ibuprofen. I’ve written about some of the positive effects I get from it, but I’m not telling anybody to run out and start popping pills. If any of you go nuts with painkillers after reading this and you get sick, it’s not my fault. If you try to sue me, you’ll have to deal with my lawyer, Bernie Slapasucka. He drives a Prius, so you don’t want to mess with him.
Matt Foreman | February 16 2012
[Editor's Note: Catalyst Athletics, Inc. and its contributors do not prescribe the use of ibuprofen. Talk to your doctor before using NSAIDs or any other drug.]
Ingredients:
1 lb. Italian sausage
1 package sliced mushrooms
10 oz. frozen spinach, thaw before cooking
12 eggs
1/2 yellow onion, diced
1 red bell pepper, diced
sea salt (optional) & fresh ground pepper
Directions
This was prepared in a 12 inch cast iron skillet. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
In skillet (cast iron OR oven safe) over medium, heat cook Italian sausage until crumbly. Remove from pan. Add onions, mushrooms, bell pepper and saute in sausage drippings. Add spinach to pan. Cook thoroughly for about 8 minutes. Add sausage back to pan, and mix well over medium-low heat. While that’s cooking, in a separate bowl, whisk eggs, and season with salt and pepper. Pour egg mixture into skillet, DO NOT MIX, and cook for about 10 minutes.
Then place skillet in oven for another 6-10 minutes to lightly brown top of the frittata. Remove from oven and let cool slightly. Carefully cut into 8 slices.
Enjoy the frittata with a side of fruit salad (strawberries, blueberries, and raspberries).
You can wrap up the leftover slices, and freeze them for snacks and lunches!
Enjoy!
Hello friends,
Hydration for athletes is something that can make or break an athletes performance. Hydration for the average person can make or break their performance. Hydration for the below average person can make or break their performance. Hydration for.. ok you get the point. Hydration rocks guys and if anyone is missing out on benefiting from it jump on board and make it happen you will not be disappointed. It is directly linked to the way that you feel throughout the day. Have you ever wondered why you feel tired all the time or might have moody sections of the day? Listen I'm not saying that hydrating properly will fix all your issues but I am saying what a spectacular place to start! Check out this video with Max, awesome dude he blessed us with his presence at my CrossFit Endurance certification. He is a wealth of knowledge in the endurance and CrossFit world. Hear what he has to say about hydrating!
Create a great day!
READ MORE
Hydration for athletes is something that can make or break an athletes performance. Hydration for the average person can make or break their performance. Hydration for the below average person can make or break their performance. Hydration for.. ok you get the point. Hydration rocks guys and if anyone is missing out on benefiting from it jump on board and make it happen you will not be disappointed. It is directly linked to the way that you feel throughout the day. Have you ever wondered why you feel tired all the time or might have moody sections of the day? Listen I'm not saying that hydrating properly will fix all your issues but I am saying what a spectacular place to start! Check out this video with Max, awesome dude he blessed us with his presence at my CrossFit Endurance certification. He is a wealth of knowledge in the endurance and CrossFit world. Hear what he has to say about hydrating!
Create a great day!
MENTAL ATTRIBUTES OF ELITE LEADERSHIP
Endurance
Mental skill: The ability to maintain belief in self and others.
Stamina
Mental skill: The ability to create and maintain intense
mental effort, focus and resilience.
Strength
Mental skill: The ability to maintain resolve of decision.
Flexibility
Mental skill: (1) The ability to independently choose an
emotional reaction to a wide range of external circumstances.
(2) The ability to apply versatile methods to the
accomplishment of a fixed goal.
Power
Mental skill: (1) The ability to encourage self and
others in the pursuit of a worthy goal. (2) The ability to
immediately generate an intense state of motivation
and positive expectancy.
Speed
Mental skill: The ability to make immediate command
decisions in the face of opposition, challenge and
uncertainty.
Coordination
Mental skill: The ability to invoke the most productive
emotional response at a given time and place.
Agility
Mental skill: (1) The ability to support the needs of
others while ensuring personal goals and challenges
are fulfilled. (2) The ability to respond to environment
and circumstance with deliberate attitudes and beliefs
so as to achieve a desired end state.
Balance
Mental skill: (1) The ability to maintain individual
physical, mental and emotional wellness. (2) The ability
to maintain a state of mind or attitude regardless of
external stimuli.
Accuracy
Mental skill: (1) The ability to set and achieve specific
and concise goals. (2) The ability to listen and correctly
identify internal thoughts, emotions and energies.
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Endurance
Mental skill: The ability to maintain belief in self and others.
Stamina
Mental skill: The ability to create and maintain intense
mental effort, focus and resilience.
Strength
Mental skill: The ability to maintain resolve of decision.
Flexibility
Mental skill: (1) The ability to independently choose an
emotional reaction to a wide range of external circumstances.
(2) The ability to apply versatile methods to the
accomplishment of a fixed goal.
Power
Mental skill: (1) The ability to encourage self and
others in the pursuit of a worthy goal. (2) The ability to
immediately generate an intense state of motivation
and positive expectancy.
Speed
Mental skill: The ability to make immediate command
decisions in the face of opposition, challenge and
uncertainty.
Coordination
Mental skill: The ability to invoke the most productive
emotional response at a given time and place.
Agility
Mental skill: (1) The ability to support the needs of
others while ensuring personal goals and challenges
are fulfilled. (2) The ability to respond to environment
and circumstance with deliberate attitudes and beliefs
so as to achieve a desired end state.
Balance
Mental skill: (1) The ability to maintain individual
physical, mental and emotional wellness. (2) The ability
to maintain a state of mind or attitude regardless of
external stimuli.
Accuracy
Mental skill: (1) The ability to set and achieve specific
and concise goals. (2) The ability to listen and correctly
identify internal thoughts, emotions and energies.
This might be a little over the top and slightly intense for some but it can be applied to whatever your passion is. It is from the Indianapolis police department.
Stay positive and friendly today! Try your best to bring someone elses spirts up by simply being positive and friendly!
"Create a great day!"
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Stay positive and friendly today! Try your best to bring someone elses spirts up by simply being positive and friendly!
"Create a great day!"
The important thing is this:
To be ready at any moment
to sacrifice what you are
for what you could become.
- Charles Dubois
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To be ready at any moment
to sacrifice what you are
for what you could become.
- Charles Dubois
Had a blast this weekend at TNT with my good buddy and fellow Coach Timmy Hahn and tons of other really great CrossFitters. There were four workouts on Saturday and two on Sunday. I think CrossFit TNT did a nice job of picking well rounded workouts. I really can't wait to do another competition.
The CrossFit Open Sectional is starting on February 22. It will be a five week event with one workout per week. I can't wait to do the workouts at CrossFit Instinct with everyone!
Check out the link www.crossfitgames.com
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The CrossFit Open Sectional is starting on February 22. It will be a five week event with one workout per week. I can't wait to do the workouts at CrossFit Instinct with everyone!
Check out the link www.crossfitgames.com
"It is our attitude at the beginning of a difficult task which, more than anything else, will affect its successful outcome."
~William James~
Stay Positive and Be Happy! ENJOY THE WEEKEND!
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~William James~
Stay Positive and Be Happy! ENJOY THE WEEKEND!
Watch a live stream online of The battle for the Cup here at TNT
Crossfit TNT is excited to announce that STLSportsProductions.com will be hosting a Live Broadcast (audio-visual) of the 6th Battle for the Cup. Friends and Family who can't make it to our gym can watch you compete live by:
1. Going to STLSportsProductions.com
2. Clicking on Live Broadcasts>Battle for the Cup - CFTNT
Live online scoring and user profile for Battle for the Cup
Attention Battle for the Cup Competitor: On behalf of the Battle for the cup we the folks at wodtime.com are proud to present our real time online scoreboard and social fansite for the event, www.battleforthecup.wodtime.com.
READ MORE
Crossfit TNT is excited to announce that STLSportsProductions.com will be hosting a Live Broadcast (audio-visual) of the 6th Battle for the Cup. Friends and Family who can't make it to our gym can watch you compete live by:
1. Going to STLSportsProductions.com
2. Clicking on Live Broadcasts>Battle for the Cup - CFTNT
Live online scoring and user profile for Battle for the Cup
Attention Battle for the Cup Competitor: On behalf of the Battle for the cup we the folks at wodtime.com are proud to present our real time online scoreboard and social fansite for the event, www.battleforthecup.wodtime.com.
Quote from the movie "Rocky Balboa":
“But it ain’t how hard you hit; it’s about how hard you can get hit, and keep moving forward. How much you can take, and keep moving forward. That’s how winning is done. Now, if you know what you’re worth, then go out and get what you’re worth. But you gotta be willing to take the hit, and not pointing fingers saying you ain’t where you are because of him, or her, or anybody. Cowards do that and that ain’t you. You’re better than that!”
This is something that may be a little cheesy as you picture it coming from Mr. Balboa but it really is true and helps me put the hits into perspective. Think about some hits that are taken and how we handle them.
Have a spectacular day!
“But it ain’t how hard you hit; it’s about how hard you can get hit, and keep moving forward. How much you can take, and keep moving forward. That’s how winning is done. Now, if you know what you’re worth, then go out and get what you’re worth. But you gotta be willing to take the hit, and not pointing fingers saying you ain’t where you are because of him, or her, or anybody. Cowards do that and that ain’t you. You’re better than that!”
This is something that may be a little cheesy as you picture it coming from Mr. Balboa but it really is true and helps me put the hits into perspective. Think about some hits that are taken and how we handle them.
Have a spectacular day!
Kale chips rock!!! They are just like chips. I put some salt and a little garlic to give them taste and they are awesome!!. You can season to your liking.Rough Recipe:
Preheat oven to about 375*
Use about 1 OXO salad spinner’s worth of kale (which was a stuffed grocery store veggie bag). Tear the leaves off the thick stems into bite size pieces. Spread out on cookie sheets.
Drizzle with about 2 tsp of olive oil
Sprinkle with your seasonings of choice.
Bake for about 15 minutes, until edges are brown and kale is crispy when moved in pan.
BAM! Enjoy!
Hip StretchGreg Everett January 30 2012
I’ve mentioned the Russian Baby Maker a few times now on the website but have only managed to describe it briefly within a long article about warming-up. It’s a bit tough to describe without images and the name is sufficiently intriguing enough to generate quite a few requests for more information (Yes, I named it; no, I won't explain. You may be assured it's funny.)The most important thing to know when doing the RBM is that the point is to spread the hips, not the knees. We’re trying to push the proximal ends of the femurs out to the sides, not the distal ends. Put your feet a little wider than where you would normally squat, toes turned out only slightly, and lean down to grab the tops of your feet. Bend your knees a bit and push your elbows back inside your thighs toward your groin; your elbows should be bent, not straight. Push your elbows out against the insides of your thighs as you drop your hips until you’re in a partial squat, pushing out hard with the elbows, and resting at least part of your bodyweight on the arms so that your own weight further spreads the thighs. Don’t try to sit all the way down into a full squat with an upright torso; you may actually be leaned quite far over and only slightly below parallel. If you don’t feel a stretch in your adductor/hamstring/inner-leg-parts origins, you’re doing something wrong. This is definitely one of the static stretches that I find appropriate for pre-training. Hold for 10-30 seconds or so for 1-3 sets and see how your squats feel afterward.
I would first like to say I did get these shoes and I have enjoyed them very much. The Nano is very comfortable and has enough stability to the heel that I feel more grounded during barbell movements than I do in my 230 Inov8's. I love my 230 Inov8's for running and jumping but they still had a slight lack of stability for Olympic lifting. So far the Nano's have made rope climbing a little more enjoyable because of the tougher sole. The U-Form technology made me worry at first but it does give the shoe a really nice fit. The only issue I had was that I ordered the Red pair and received the Yellow ones. It really wasn't a big deal for me because I like the Yellow pair and I am not that picky. I could see that being an issue for some, so make sure you are very clear on your order if you don't want that to happen. I will write a better review after I have more experiences in the shoe, but so far the Nano does look and feel like a shoe that was designed specifically for CrossFitters.
CrossFit Nano
Introducing the world's first shoe designed and developed by and for CrossFitters. With enough stability to keep you grounded while lifting, a minimalist platform and enough cushioning for cardio and endurance movement, this lightweight training shoe is the perfect PR breaking companion. U-Form technology gives this shoe a proven custom fit, and the carbon rubber outsole and side wall lug wraps provide durability for any movement.
Check out the Reebok Link at the bottom of the page to puchase the shoes.
READ MORE
CrossFit Nano
Introducing the world's first shoe designed and developed by and for CrossFitters. With enough stability to keep you grounded while lifting, a minimalist platform and enough cushioning for cardio and endurance movement, this lightweight training shoe is the perfect PR breaking companion. U-Form technology gives this shoe a proven custom fit, and the carbon rubber outsole and side wall lug wraps provide durability for any movement.
Check out the Reebok Link at the bottom of the page to puchase the shoes.
