Blacking Out

No, the title does not mean by alcohol, though I am sure most of you have experienced that type of blacking out before (Guility). Rather, I am talking about that blacking out experience that you may sometimes feel during working out. Many, many weightlifters at some point in their careers have experienced this phenomenon of “blacking out.” This will usually occur during certain lifts where your breath is held for longer than usual for example; squat cleans, presses, regular squats, etc. This is a very confusing process and is very hard to explain. All I can say is that I have for sure felt this before while squatting. Maybe that is why in the beginning prior to joining CrossFit that I skipped leg days all time at regular gyms. I felt like I was going to pass out, I would kneel down and not be able to shake it, felt like the world was in slow motion and this scared me. Though I didn’t 100% completely pass out, and was able to catch myself and take a few breaths to recover, it was still a very scary feeling.

The most common two causes are dehydration and low glucose (blood sugar) levels. Most medical professionls refer to this phenomenon as syncope, as insufficient blood gets to the brain. This can be compared to sleeper holds such as headlocks that don’t allow the proper blood flow to the brain (those of you who use to watch WWF/WWE know exactly what I’m talking about). But of course there are no sleeper holds in working out, well at least not that I know of. So, where does it come from? As I stated before, dehydration and low glucose levels are the main ones.

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Hydration is the key to exercise success. When you are dehydrated your blood pressure is lowered (fun fact of the day), which of course can lead to blacking out due to the insignificant amount of blood flow to the brain. Lesson learned, is to stay hydrated during your workouts. H20 is your friend and will never hurt you. Water Boy Bobby B agrees.

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You should never train on a completely empty stomach, grab something light to snack on prior. Preferably something high in carbs or sugar to restore those blood sugar levels. These side effects that are shown by the picture do happen, I can 100% attest to it. Feeling weak, thirsty, dizzy, and tired can all lead to you laying on the ground (not in a relaxing way either).

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So, as we have learned, make sure your hydrated and eat something prior to engaging in physical activity. Make sure to breath normally between reps and take a big one at the start of a single. Try to keep breathing, I know it is tough during longer lifts but do the best you can. If you feel shaky prior to the movement, just throw the bar down and take your time, breath, and always have a spotter when you can. Now, drink some water, eat some food, and hit the gym. Until next time.

No Gym? No Problem!

The great thing about CrossFit is that you can find so many different workouts online and do them on your own. Of course you can’t do each and every workout as is because there is some equipment you don’t have access to (unless you buy on your own of course). For example, I attend Double Edge but I am also a member at 24hr fitness and I found the workout today online that my gym posts which consisted of back squats for the strength portion, and the WOD was as follows: 5 Pull Ups, 10 Push Ups, 15 Air squats, as many rounds possible in 20 minutes. This is one example of the, OH SO MANY workouts that you could do on your own. Many can even be accomplished outside with little equipment. The CrossFit WOD Generator is another one of the many sites that produces different daily workouts for you to see. Today’s workout on the site consisted of 75 Thrusters @ 95lbs, 7 push ups at the top of each minute, and a 3K run at the end. Obviously if you don’t have a bar for thrusters you can scale it or if you have a gym membership to a regular gym then just use one of their bars and move to an open area. Air squats or burpees would be options to substitute thrusters for.

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Perfect example to the left, no boxes? No Problem! You also see lots of workouts with tires, this is a great object to invest in, or even find one for free. I know that some workouts can not be done but you get what I am saying. Worst case you can pay for a few items of equipment (kettlebell, jump-rope, barbell, and a few weights) or just scale it to what works for you. Regardless of what you do, you will still be lying on the ground upon finishing. Not only will it be great workout, but it will also be at a time that is convenient for you but. Not to mention the tons of money you will save since CrossFit gyms can be a bit pricy, $130 for me.

CrossFit “Forging Elite Fitness,” is a great site to start off on. Not only does it offer workouts and eating tips, but it also has a FAQ page which discusses different substitutes for certain workouts that either are too advanced for you, or lack of equipment (genius I know). I think all of these websites are great ideas and should for sure be utilized if your not able to make it to a CrossFit gym due to time constraints or money. So give it a shot, try some on your own, have fun with it. I know that I plan to do a few on weekends when I can’t go to my gym. I plan on looking at a few different ones online and combining what I feel that I could do with the lack of equipment I have. Follow for more, have a great day.
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No bar? No Problem…. Just grab a log. Always remember, have fun with it, and be safe.

NECESSITY VS LUXURY

In my last blog discussing apparel I went over a few items that are sold by Rogue. I also included some brief information on Reebok and how it plays such a huge role with the sport that is CrossFit and how I bought into the whole aspect of it buying some gear myself. Today I will discuss some items that I believe are necessary to have, and items that are cool to have but I don’t believe is a necessity. Though not all of you will agree with me 100% especially because I have only been involved with it for two months that’s fine, comments can be made below. So let’s begin, What You Need vs. What’s Nice to Have.

Apparel

Reebok and Rogue, two brands that are ever so popular in the CrossFit community. It’s fitting that Reebok sells the official shoe of fitness, which I will discuss more about later in my blog. Apparel can be very expensive with CrossFit, more than your average pair of gym shorts or shirts. Reebok and Rogue are both sponsors of the CrossFit games hence the name, “Reebok CrossFit Games.” When you think of Reebok you usually think of, shoes for old people, a dead brand, a past hit but now, Reebok has aligned itself with an already established workout brand, CrossFit which as brought it back to life. . Fitness is where Reebok wants to be so, no better area of fitness to cover than Crossfit. Their value speaks for itself “Challenge and lead the fitness world through creativity and be…Fit for Life. Have Fun and Stay in Shape.”

Then theirs Rogue Fitness equipment that sets standard for quality. Only makes sense why Rogue equipment is all the CrossFit games use, my gym as well. What I love about Rogue is you don’t see endless commercials and advertisements on TV or salesman in every store you go to, it’s all word of mouth.

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Seeing people in my gym and around campus wear Rogue equipment made me want to purchase some even more. Which, is crazy because I have never heard about it prior nor saw any advertisements yet they are beyond successful. Not only is the clothing of great material, but it provides you with a sense of pride while you wear it. People see Rogue and they know you do CrossFit, it sets the standard for workout equipment. When I first started almost two months ago I told myself that I would not purchase any Rogue apparel until I felt that I was good enough to sport it. Well……that didn’t go as planned. I couldn’t help myself haha

As you can see, I purchased a few things since being apart of my gym. Though it may be a little more expensive, it’s all worth it. So, as of now I own a few shirts and one pair of shoes. Next on the list…..A Rogue Headband

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OK OK I’m just kidding, maybe one day who knows. Stay tuned for my next post which will discuss necessary equipment to have VS I just want it to look cool (my rogue shirts 🙂 ) As always, go hit the gym. Share and Follow. Stay Classy. Have a wonderful day.
WE ARE UNITED BY FITNESS..Enjoy!

Mobility (ouch)

Mobility, an important subject with the sport that is CrossFit, something that I don’t have much of (yet). Mobility is a broad concept that comprises joint range of motion (ROM), muscular tension, soft tissue and joint capsule restrictions, adhesions, tendon resilience, neuromuscular coordination, proprioception, the biomechanics of positioning, and knowledge of the proper form for a movement. As if a nice WOD wasn’t enough, you will be asked to use the following after a workout; a lacrosse ball, one of those bumpy foam rollers, a barbell (yes barbell),and those giant stretchy rubber bands. Today’s topic will be the great and wonderful torture of breaking up the fascia surrounding our muscles and loosening up our joints before we tackle the day’s workout, or following the workout or…..BOTH. Mobility exercises help us move our limbs through their full range of motion thus improving our ability to attain optimal positioning during difficult movements (pretty much all of CrossFit). All in all, Mobility is not the same as stretching so don’t think that because you stretched for 30 minutes prior to your workout that you conquered mobility for the day….NOPE not getting off the hook that easy.

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OH YES…The famous lacrosse ball smash, my favorite….NOTTTT!!! Mobilization brings out each and every movement and performance problem that you have, then makes it worse my putting pain on it by smashing, and thennnn loosens up the muscle and joints causing a significant amount of pain followed by “thank god that’s over because I’m sweating more now than I did in the workout.” I really didn’t see the importance of this all prior to joining my CrossFit Gym, BUT, I do now. Like everything else, in the long-run it will be worth it.

Mobility not only increases your range of motion, but it also helps decrease your chance of encountering an injury. Your muscles must be ready for any range of movement and by smashing out your thighs, back, etc, you will be. Kelly Starrett states the following in CrossFit Journal, “You guys know the 23:59 rule? ‘I stretched for one minute. I don’t understand why nothin’ changed.’ Well, ’cause for 23 hours and 59 minutes you did nothing else and your body was like, ‘Well, what’s the default?’” he explains. “One of the reasons this is very effective is that we reinforce this new range with movement. We immediately go train.” A little stretching here and there WON”T be enough. Trust me I know, my range of motion is awful so I hope that mobility stretching after my workouts and prior will soon help. And when I say awful I mean AWFUL!! I think it’s due to not really stretching ever in my life before and working new muscles and joints that I never did prior to CrossFit. Become close to your lacrosse ball, you will be hanging out with it everyday. 😦

So, we have learned to work on mobilization because not only will it help make us stronger but also, increase performance, increase efficiency in movements, increase your range of motion and lastly, decrease the chance of injury. I would say those all sound pretty good yeah? YES! Now, Grab a lacrosse ball and smash on!! Like always, Go hit the gym. Follow and Share. Have a wonderful Thursday day.

My Box!!

Today I will be switching things up a tad bit. Rather than discussing information on the sport that is CrossFit, I will discuss the exciting things happening at my gym, Double Edge. Yes, the title says my box, CrossFitters refer to the gym they belong to as their box, their community, their home. It’s only fitting that my gyms tagline is, “fitness founded on community.” My gym is fairly new as they just opened up in January. Double Edge encompasses over 14,000 sq ft including 11,000 square feet of training space, two private massage rooms, fully supplied women’s and men’s bathrooms, a members lounge, and a designated kids area. The classes vary from CrossFit, to mobility training, to TRX training. The picture shown below is my gym… I know you could say I’m lucky.

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Here is a little short clip that was broadcasted on TV that discusses my home and how it is revitalizing our community.

The reason I chose today to discuss a little more about my gym is because tomorrow (Saturday March 15th) happens to be theeeeee GRAND opening of Double Edge Fitness. For all of you following this blog and are in the area of Reno I suggest you find a way to get down there. I mean come on, look at all the great stuff that is planned.

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This gym has changed the way that I look at fitness, I now feel like I was never even getting a good workout prior to joining this gym even though I would go home feeling tired. NOW, I go home feeling exhausted knowing that I physically pushed myself to the limits each day. Protein shakes are well, well, well deserved now. At Double Edge they do a great job programming so that every workout is different by constantly varying workouts throughout the week. This not only keeps us from the same routine (back bi/chest tri days)but, it trains us to be ready for life’s “UNKNOWN”. This is the place to be if you want to get into the best – and healthiest – shape of your life. So, COME ON OUT.

Remember the grand opening is tomorrow, click on the hyperlink above (Come On Out) for directions and details. Those of you that are not in the Reno area or apart of a box of your own I suggest you hop on board. Stay classy followers and as always….GOOOO hit the gym. Follow Me, Comment, Tweet, Favorite, all the above. Have a good one.

In the ZONEEEE

In my last post I discussed the Paleo Diet, or as myself and many others refer to it as, a lifestyle. Corny yes, but 100% true. In today’s wonderful blog I will be discussing the second diet (or lifestyle) that many CrossFitters adhere to, the Zone Diet. Most of the fittest people on the earth (CrossFitters) do one or the other, maybe even a mixture of the two together. One last bit of info prior to getting in depth of the Zone……Diet comes from the Greek language and means “way of life,” you do the math. Currently, I am not doing the Zone Diet so I am not too knowledgeable on it yet but, I will do my research and teach myself as I teach you all, sounds like a typical College Professor doesn’t it? Haha JK JK

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The Zone Diet is not just about targeting one type of food like a low-carb, a high-protein, high-fat, etc. But rather, a balance between them all which in turn, helps you control the three major hormones generated by the human diet: insulin, glucagon, eicosanoids (yep I went scientific 🙂 ). The system of the Zone Diet is broken down into total blocks that are dependent on your body type..as shown below.

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If you have done weight watchers before then it’s pretty much the same system in that with Weight Watchers you were aloud a total number of points a day (foods making up certain points) and with this your meals make up blocks. Confusing yet? For example, a one block meal consists of one choice from the three food types discussed in the beginning. Two blocks consist of 2 choices from the list so like a fat and a protein (2 each). Three blocks is three choices and so on.

Now, this doesn’t mean you can have 100 grams of protein and it counts as one block, would be nice though. Rather, each amount is one block. I have prescribed you with a few examples below;

PROTEIN : 7grams= 1 Block… 14grams= 2 Blocks…21grams= 3 (for those non mathematicians every 7 is block
CARBS: 9grams= 1 Block…18= 2 Blocks (every 9 is a Block)
FATS: 1.5grams= 1 Block…3grams= 2 Blocks (Yes, every 1.5 now were getting it)
Here would be an example of a Large 4 Block Breakfast for those serious CrossFit athletes:

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Just like everything else it will be difficult at first because like me, I’m sure your not use to weighing out your food. But just like CrossFit, the hard work is well worth it. Meal planning is key!!! Check it out. Barry Sears is the man to thank for this genius of an idea, best of luck with it if you choose to do it and let me know how it is. Like always…GO HIT THE GYM…MAKE SOME GAINS… ANDDDDDDD FOLLOW ME FOR MORE ALL THINGS CROSSFIT!!!! Have a great day.

The Paleo Lifestlye!

Nutrition, a very important part in the sport that is, CrossFit. With nutrition comes a type of diet that I am sure you have all heard about, Paleo. You couldn’t have a conversation with a CrossFitter for 20 minutes without hearing the word Paleo come up. If it’s not Paleo then it’s “The Zone Diet,” which I will cover in later blogs. Paleo comes from the word Paleolithic (prehistoric period of human history). The name was coined from the Greek meaning Stone Age in which the period was characterized by the use of chipped stone tools to catch food. Food… what kind of food does the Paleo Diet consist of? Easy, pretty much anything a caveman could of ate, nothing processed. It’s an effort to eat like we use to back in the day. If it doesn’t swim, fly, walk, have green color, or grow in the ground you SHOULDN’T be consuming it– beef, poultry, fish, nuts, leafy greens, fibrous veggies, and seeds are the GOODS. So easy a caveman can do it.

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We existed as a species 150,000 years ago, the agricultural revolution didn’t happen until 10,000 years ago, which means we had 140,000 years without grains. So, we were forced to learn to thrive as a species without grains (or else we wouldn’t be here). The Paleo Diet is considered a lifestyle change because lets be for real, who likes to count calories or weigh their foods every time. Counting calories isn’t even considered equal, is 400 calories of chips the same as 400 calories of vegetables? UMMM NO. Some critics call it a fad diet , but lets be honest, Paleo is here to stay.

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The hardest part about Paleo for me has been the no grains. I have always eaten brown rice with my meals. Also, the dairy part as well because I grew up eating yogurt and drinking milk with my breakfast. Now, I have leaned towards almond milk which I absolutely love and I have brown rice and quinoa with some of my meals still. So, I guess you can say I’m not “strict-strict” paleo, maybe around 80% because I also have my cheat meals on the weekends. I never have eaten sweet potatoes until just recently, way better for you than regular potatoes because your avoiding those unnecessary starches and substituting it for unprocessed carbs. Our bodies weren’t designed for massive dairy consumption and that’s why animal don’t consume milk past infancy, and Hunter-gatherers didn’t lug cows around with them while traveling.

When it comes to the meats we want them GRASS-Fed rather than grain fed. Vegetables of course are great for you (unless they are fried,duh). When using oil think NATURAL, coconut oil, olive oil, avocado oil, etc. You get your sugars from fruit and fruits are GREAT carbs just make sure you limit intake if your trying to lose weight. My go to snack is almonds, they are high in calories and better than snacking on Hot Cheetos. I also eat sweet potatoes for lunch after a workout to replenish my glycogen levels, as should you. Think about the following:
OUR genes are 99% the same as our caveman ancestors and grains were NEVER a part of their diet, so why should it be apart of our everyday consumption.

Going out to eat can be tough, just think about this; a normal breakfast in the US consists of bagels, muffins, toast, cereal, or donuts. NONE of those things have any nutritional value and are loaded with useless carbs and calories, not nutritious at all. Go for something along the lines of a few eggs with broccoli, some avocado , and a handful of almonds. BOOM EASY AS THAT. Paleo can be done with careful planning and will-power, if I can do it then so can you. Try it for 30 days and you will see a change in your body and if your like me, and can’t 100% throw away grains or another item, then just work on minimizing those foods and you will see your body adjust (FOR THE BETTER). More things on Paleo to come…Now as always, GO HIT THE GYM. Until next time, have a great day.

Personal Record (PR)

The two letters that keep CrossFitters and pretty much anyone that goes to a gym coming back for more every week..PR. Yes, the two letters that means more to an individual that you could ever imagine. PR stands for personal record. In today’s blog rather than just give more information and tips about the sport that is CrossFit, I will be explaining why PRing is so important and how it pushes you to do more, to lift more, to reach higher heights, OK OK I think you get the point. I will also go over some of my PR’s since joining my CrossFit gym one month ago, Double Edge.

Shown above is a picture of myself doing a front squat with 350lbs… Ok I’m just kidding. More like 175. This was the second time that I have ever done a front squat because like I said in prior blogs, I skipped leg days at the gym about 97% of the time. So on this day, Feb 12th, was my current PR. We did 5 sets of two this day and on the last set I went up to 175. After I left class I knew that I could do more than that the next time we did squats (it’s all mental). This helps you because the next time you do that same workout you will start at a higher weight and push yourself to do more, it’s crazy what your brain will do to you. So, the following week when we did front squats of 7×2, I started at 175 because I now knew that I could achieve this. As you can already guess I ended up getting a new PR of 195 which I was happy about, though it’s not much compared to about 100% of other crossfitters worldwide, it was still good to me and that’s all that matters. If you are showing gains then you know your doing something right, just never give up.

The first week that we did Deadlifts of 8×3 I started at 175 and by the last set I got up to 225. This again, helps you because the next time this comes up it forces you to start at a higher weight and finish at a heavier weight than last time. So, once again the following week of March 3rd we did 9 sets of 2 and rather starting at 175, I started at 195 and finished the last two sets at 235. Yes!!! A another PR, gotta love it. I could go on and on about other PRs but I think you get the picture. It is a great idea to jog down your scores after each workout so you can look back and see how you have progressed… BOY it’s a great feeling. ITS ALL ABOUT IMPROVING!!!!

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PR, two powerful letters that you will hear each and every day at a CrossFit gym. The more you see others achieving this, will make you strive to do the same. Take me for example, I’m not making HUGE gains but, there still gains. More and more will come in time and a year from now when I look back at all my scores from this first month of CrossFit..let’s just say I will of come a LONGGGGG WAY. So now it’s your turn, go set some PR’s, go push yourself. We all fail, but it’s the strength and motivation that gets us through. Follow for more #GAINS #PR #CROSSFIT. Have a great day!!

Recovery! Recovery! Recovery!

Well, the first Open workout (14.1) is finished and over with. On to the next, 14.2 will be announced this week followed my thousands, and I mean THOUSANDS of CrossFitters waiting anxiously at the edge of their seats to know what workout will be kicking their butt this time. In between workouts is one very important factor that plays a huge role in how you perform and function day-to-day, can you guess it? Well, if you read the title I’m sure you know what this secret is, yes…RECOVERY

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Prior to starting CrossFit I really didn’t pay much attention of how important recovery really was because I wasn’t working out as hard and I was rarely ever sore. This is probably because I skipped legs days 97% of the time and by starting CrossFit I was now working muscles that I NEVER, EVER, EVER worked before. How you go about recovering is huge and I will be discussing a few tips on what you should be doing. Most people think that by just taking a day or two off is considered “recovery,” ummm no!!!

One of the most important ways to recover is to drink enough fluids, and no were not talking about alcohol here. Water supports every metabolic function and nutrient transfer into the body. We lose tons of fluids when we sweat in a workout so making up for that is huge, some say you should consume half of your body weight of ounces in fluids. So, for me 192 x .50=96…so roughly 2.8 liters a day, tough I know. Sleep is another, you should be shooting for 8 hours (9 if possible) and going to sleep by 10pm. Also, proper supplementation and I’m not talking about just pre/post workouts and protein shakes. I’m talking about your vitamins, your omega-3s, and Vitamin D. ZMA is another nutrient consisting of zinc and magnesium along with some B6 tossed in. Nutrition being another road to recovery, and I don’t mean the double big fat tacos with a large coke from Del Taco nutrition plan either (unless its cheat day of course). Generally, you should try to eat within 60 minutes of the end of your workout and include those high-quality protein and complex carbohydrates. Maybe some chicken with sides of vegetables and sweet potatoes (quinoa also works great). Stretching is also a major factor in the road to recovery, 30-40 minutes prior and after the workout, this being a simple way to help your muscles recover. DON’T over train, 4-5 days is plenty so don’t push your body to an extreme and hurt yourself. Active recovery also works well, don’t just go sit on the couch for the day after your workout letting your muscles tighten up, get out, go for a walk. LASTLY…. The Ice Bath, also known as Cryotherapy (cold therapy). As you can see he enjoys it almost as much as I do.

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Well, those are a few helpful hints to speed up your recovery time. I din’t go into much detail about it all so you will see them broken up in later blogs. Stretching is huge, I could write a novel on everything that in entails and why it’s so important. Thanks for reading and as always, go hit the gym and follow my blog 🙂 Until Next Time!!