Cheat Day Prep: Cheat Day Results, And Death By Snow Angel...

Death By Snow Angel...

“Our generation has an incredible amount of realism, yet at the same time it loves to complain and not really change. Because, if it does change, then it won't have anything to complain about.”

As Promised. Cheat day contest shenanigans. Damage Control Experiment; Pass or Fail? And Death by Snow Angel-what happens when you lose a cheating contest with me.

If you recall from some of our previous cheat day experiments here, here, and here, our goal was simply to monitor our blood glucose spikes dictated by the sudden surge in cheat day carbohydrates. And if that's not enough, how many folks get to roll out to an eatery and bust out the BG monitor so the whole table can find out their pre-meal readings....only CrossFitters. 

Anyway, we processed a regular Paleo day-Meat, and Fat. I attained fasting blood glucose, and one and two hours post prandial to get a relatively smooth baseline. Again cheapo BG monitors are cool but can error. It really is best to take three or so readings every time, then take a mean of that. I did this day one, but neglected to perform throughout.

My results after years of quality Paleo eating seemed rather impressive, but not uncommon for a fellow avoiding carbs, and eating things that lived and roamed once with souls and items incredibly heavy in fat. Ketogenic, not insulinogenic. Fasting was well under 70mg/dl. My baseline is actually around 80mg/dl.

Our first “naked” experiment (no special prep) found a one, and two hour post meal BG of 115mg/dl-quite good. The goal of the supplements, muscle contraction, and cocktail here, was to see if we could get that number under 100mg/dl. An impressive feat after 27 pieces of pizza.

So did it work? No. As far as the supplements consumed, and the measurements on paper, the experiment failed to produce the intended outcome. But was it a total failure? 

Variables:

 1. The pizza was different

2. I ate twice the normal amount. It was a contest after all, and being full 17 pieces in would not have been a victory.

3. It took forever, usually I eat in like no time, this was almost an hour of pillaging food.

Clearly I could simply duplicate the very first test and try again which I will, but if you remember, the devil is in the details, and BG numbers aren't everything. I wanted to see if I could feel, perform, and look better faster after such debauchery, simpling using the BG monitor as a tool not the objective of failure or success. 

With that in mind, the day after I had considerable less water gain, I felt lighter, I performed fine, and shirtless ehhh, not to bad after two pizza’s. Anecdotally I would state this experiment as a success simply for the fact of; the naked cheat I felt like shit, the drugged up cheat, I felt like shit for a far less amount of time, on far more deranged food....Success.

I will continue to tweak the stack here, hopefully finding the best way to occasionally enjoy food Paleo Nazi’s say would put you in your grave tomorrow. I would rather be an experimental Paleo Optimist. Live Paleo damn near all the time, occasionally veering left of our reservation once in a while, and not getting run over while I do it. Documenting it here is so that I can take as many folks with me along the way. Not buying into some weird food religion, simply making food work for you, and rarely against you.

Continue to check back with more experiments, more tests, and of course more contests and penalties. If you choose to employ any of these tactics, you do so at your own risk. Possibly the best risk you could take besides CrossFit.

Strength:

Every minute on the minute for 7 minutes perform:

Overhead Squat 3x60%1rm

For Time:

12-Burpee Wall-ball

3-Cycles 65/95

18-Box Jumps

4 Rounds

* A cycle equals power clean+lunge per leg+push press+back squat

 As Usual Post time to comments.

Cheat Day Prep: How To Make Bad Food Less Hateful...

Cheat Day Prep

Out of clutter, find simplicity.

As you may recall from our recent Cheat Day fanaticism documented here, and here we left promising an attempt to make that cheat day diet damage, a little less damaging. Some may even call it, damage control.

Before I go on this slippery slope let me say a word or two. First, cheating, binging, variety-is most assuredly always unhealthy, and to say less unhealthy is like saying a little pregnant but you get the idea. Second, the reason I perform tons of experiments isn't necessary for myself as you will find in tomorrows post detailing the results. Its more about the journey and what I can learn along the way to help others. I will never say to do what I did, but if your a grown ass adult and you wanna play, then more power to you. If in the end you wake up better your welcome. If you wake up fatter, at least you woke up.

Quick Supplement Rundown:

Probiotics-meant to unsure the breeding ground for proper gut health. It never has been about what you eat, its what you absorb. If your guts healthy enough to kick bad stuff, maybe you absorb less bad. Also, Probiotics may help that second day rot gut after the cheat day.

Policosanol-may bring about a positive change in cholesterol. Raising HDL, and lowering LDL. Truly we are not concerned with this, but more to the anti-inflammatory retardation of oxidation effect it has on items like Trans-fats and rancid oils. Added to a mix meant to blunt insulin and you can't go wrong. 20mg.

Alpha Lipoic Acid-or Muscle Techs brainchild way back when Cell Tech was God, is a nice little compound making us very sensitive to insulin, therefore hopefully utilizing less of it to mop up the glucose. 300mg.

Green Tea (EGCG)-has a nice thermic effect as most of you know, but it may also stimulate a necessary chain reaction leading us to store less carbohydrates as body fat by way of diverting them to muscle walls. 300mg.

Garlic-Allicin in Garlic has shown up before. From antioxidant properties to other items of valor, we tossed this to the mix because it seems to inhibit fat gain while there is uddles of it present. Again the damage is there, we just want to have less of it. 200mg.

All of these supplements above were consumed the night prior, and again upon awakening. Prior to meal #1 we simply drop the Policosanol.

The day starts with a small meal of 20 grams of protein, and a little fiber. This is like setting the stage for the day. To be honest I never eat breakfast, and after testing this it served nothing more than to make me more hungry. Weather it helped the end result is yet to be seen, but from what I can tell you now, eating breakfast makes you eat more latter.

The Pre-Meal Cocktail described in the video is just another attempt at blunting the insulin response from the massive amounts of carbs. It tastes horrible, and that alone may be a good motivator not to cheat. I used this fifteen minute before.

Muscle stimulation prior, and post cheating hopefully sends more by way of the muscle walls, as opposed to the fat cells. A little will do, but have you noticed you feel less ill if your cheat comes directly after exertion, or is followed by it?

Why all the concern? I wanna eat pizza damn it why the hell else. I also want to provide the best possible environment to be abe to consume the occasion smorgasbord of shit food, and I want to be able to show others how they can as well. Instead of forcing myself and others into a never ending life on the food scale, how about a day off here and there to enjoy those treats free from as much damage as possible with the ability to hop right back on the Paleo horse the next day. The good diet you follow is better than the perfect one you don't.

Tune in tomorrow for Death By Snow Angel, and what happens when you lose a cheating contest with me.

Strength:

Rest

For Time:

"Elizabeth"

Compare Here

Full Squat Clean 95/135

Dips

21/15/9

Post time to comments. 

Will CrossFit Wonders Never Cease...

 

Monica...

Even people who aren't genius's can outthink the rest of mankind if they develop certain kinds of thinking rituals.

Testimonies come and go like references. I mean seriously are you ever going to put someone on a job application your not 100% sure will speak the world of you? And if you can't find a few friendly words, even out of pity, then are more serious issues than employment. But testimonies rarely come to us as Alicia's. Raw, honest, and evergreen-usuable today, tomorrow, and five years from now. As far as relating to someone akin to Alicia I am limited, just as we all are to vastly different personalities, but success, happiness, and determination speak a language we all understand. The reason I will continue to post such glorious CrossFit testimonies is that the entire community can take the below, and post, give to someone just like Alicia, and thanks to her work, someone else may be saved. 

Click For More Alicia

Hi.  I’m Alicia and I’m an overeater.  Oh wait; this isn’t the 12 step program, is it?  No, more like 2, eat right and work hard.  

So where to begin… I could say it all started in childhood.  That may be where I started picking up some bad habits, but the truth is I was a very skinny kid.  To the point that my mother frequently asked me if I was anorexic in high school.  I suppose I could blame it on pregnancy, the favorite excuse of mothers everywhere.  I was 125 lbs when I got pregnant, but the fact is that I got back down to 145 after he was born.  That doesn’t explain the next 60 lbs I gained over the last few years.  I’ve watched the infomercials, ordered from a few of them, gone on diets, and have a decent selection of workout videos.  I lost weight, and then I gained it back plus some.  

It was time to make a change.  I felt like I should look into going somewhere to work out since I was not getting my butt out of the recliner to do what I already had at home.  But I had never even walked into a gym before.  I would have no idea how to use the equipment, much less if I was doing it right.  I was praying about what to do when I decided to run the search engine for personal trainer Troy Ohio.  Guess who came up?  Of course, Practice CrossFit!  (Another gym too, but this isn’t their testimonial.)  I felt God told me He wanted me to go here.  So what did I do next?  You guessed it!  I argued with Him.  “Didn’t you see that crazy stuff they were doing?  I can’t do that!  I’m out of breath going up the stairs and I’m supposed to lift those huge barbells and do pull-ups and all that other stuff?!  No way.  Are You sure?”  There were no arguments back, just a soft voice saying again, “I want you to go there.”  All right, fine.  So I stopped by one evening to find out more about it.  I was nervous just walking in that day, not even working out yet.  Bonnie took some time to speak to me, giving me an on ramp packet so I could look it over.  She made sure to explain that no one starts all out fully as prescribed.   Everything is scaled and modified to you.  You work your way up.  

I went home and read the whole packet, still thinking I don’t know how I’m going to do this.  I kept praying about it, but did know that if God is sending me there then it will be for my best, even if it is hard.  He gave me a scripture, Phil 4:13, “I can do all things through Christ Who strengthens me” NKJV.  Maybe I can’t do this on my own, but He can.  And if He needs me equipped to do whatever comes next, then that’s where I want to be.  

About a week later, I finally decided I was all in.  I first came in on a Saturday, weighing 206.5 lbs.  I was nervous, but determined.  I warned Josh and Ryan right off the bat that I was completely sedentary.  Ryan worked with me very closely, modifying the warm up because even that was too much.  Part way through the warm up, I was already having trouble breathing, so went to get some water.  I couldn’t cool down or catch my breath, so ending up lying on the floor pretty much passed out in the front room in front of a fan.  Once I cooled down, I felt better physically, but was embarrassed to realize how out of shape I was.  I knew I was, but I never expected that.  But we all have to start somewhere and if that is where I was, then that is where I must start.  I started coming regularly after that, usually to the women’s boot camp with Chas.  Each day I have gotten better, stronger, and more able and each day I will continue to do so.   After not quite 4 months, I am now down to 180.5 lbs.  I eat mostly Paleo.  Not exactly as prescribed, but the goal is for all meals to be Paleo or at least close.  I come to class 3-4 times a week and sometimes do some extra jump rope, pushups, sit ups, etc. at home.    

PCF is not like the reality show gym.  These trainers are not trying to see if they can make you puke so they can feel accomplished (or at least not so they show it). Their goal is always to help you, to make you better than you were before, to teach you the things you need to know so you can go live your life in wellness.  There may be blood, sweat, and tears involved, but there will also be encouragement and a pat on the back to keep you going.  The trainers and fellow practitioners are all there to celebrate each success and each milestone with you.   Some will do extra burpees with you to help you finish and even hold your hand while you puke.  Now that is some PCF love!

Strength:

Every minute on the minute for 10 minutes perform:

Split Jerk 2x70%1rm

"Jumping Nicole"

75-Double Unders 

Max-Pull-ups

AMRAP 20 Minutes

Post total completed rounds, and pull-ups to comments.

Something To Believe In...

Banded Lunge...

“He who seldom speaks, and with one calm well-timed word can strike dumb the loquacious, is a genius or a hero”

Saturday's when we mean to steal a post for PCF's blog, we mean it to be spectacular, provoking, and motivating. Below, enjoy a piece from none other than a CrossFit icon Lisbeth. Lis does a spectacular job running our very own HQ Affiliate Page, which we cannot thank her enough.

Some of us are searching for something to believe in.

Some of us are not. Those folks are just happy to exist. And they CrossFit too.

For some of us, CrossFit is more than a workout, more than a way to sweat, just somehow more. We see a deeper meaning, a broader application, a more comprehensive thread woven throughout our lives. It’s a thread of struggle and effort and defeat and triumph and love and all of life, glorious life. CrossFit makes us feel better, fuller, deeper, more alive — and we see the lessons and rewards every single place we turn — and we see it all around our communities, and our nation, and our world. We have (for lack of a better term) a CrossFit Code of Conduct. We’ve never really defined it, but we feel it.

But for others, it’s just a workout, a way to get fit, a way to feel healthier. A fun time. Not a lot more.

And that’s okay. Really. It has to be okay with us, because you can’t force someone to believe. And you wouldn’t want to anyhow, because that would be kind of creepy.

So stop preaching. Smile and wave, help the other folks load their bars, move their jumpboxes, and just have a good time with them. If CrossFit helps you in all of your life, good. But don’t chase those who aren’t looking for something to believe in. The Tao says, “Do your work, then step back. The only path to serenity.” Good advice for the lifting platform, and for life . . .

Strength:

Rest

For Time:

Rest

Practitioners Guide December 2010...

King

“The hardest thing to explain is the glaringly evident which everybody had decided not to see.”

Download Pracitce_CrossFit_Guide_December_2010

Oh What That Child Taught Me

"As he reached out his little mitten-uped hand he was strangled back unto his Mothers immediate vicinity just shy of his victory. His gaze never left his objective. He battled back yearning to accomplish this soul task that would seemingly give his life meaning. He began to call wildly. He seemed to thrash about in the white snow emitting no recognizable vocal tone other than sound."

Practitioner Of The Month

Alicia

"Alicia has the rare human commodity of faith. Faith in those dreams, visions, callings. Faith that if her heavenly Father told her to do something, not matter the discomfort, she will do it. Faith in him, and will inside her."

Define Success: Haiti Recount

"We promised to go and we went. We smiled at old women. We played and laughed with children. We worked beside young men and old men. We held hands."

Hyperactive Or Hypo-Stimulated

"If a child is not offered the ability to expend all that extra energy they have, then why wouldn’t they act out? This leads us right into a discussion about diet. Sugar is a drug, and getting kids hooked on it is one of the greatest sins we could commit."

Download Pracitce_CrossFit_Guide_December_2010

*Join PCF in our Urban Krag Climbing adventure tomorrow after the WOD.

*Also join us Sunday evening in a pizza cheat off and see if you have what it takes to match stomachs with some of the best cheaters out their. Email jbunch@gopractice.biz for specifics.

Strength:

Rest

For Score

"Teams Of Two"

-Ground To Overhead 85/115

-Double Unders

-Toe To Bar

-Partner Wallball Paleo Chair Toss (4')

5 Rounds

1 Minute Each Station For Max Reps 

* Every minute on the minute each team must perform a total of 7 burpees. After burpees are completed each member may add reps to their score. Only one bar per team.

Post teammate and reps to comments.

Intuition: When's The Last Time You Followed Yours...

 

Mitchell...

 Jb and Z, the best stretching partner ever.... 

“Intuition is the supra-logic that cuts out all the routine processes of thought and leaps straight from the problem to the answer.”

The first impression was my warning signal. I couldn't put my finger on it, but my gut told me something was wrong. The optimist in me gave way to better judgement and I argued my way out of this feeling and erred to a more politically correct stance of supposed tolerance. Less judgmental. Less emotional, and more stable. Later, I got screwed.

Nowadays the intuition miraculously stimulated upon us is somehow regarded as emotional. Somehow that semi-clairvoyant quality has parted ways with everyday life, to give way to more acceptable ways of thinking. Checklists, studies, formalities...bullshit. 

How many times are we lead through the day riddled with advertisements, corporate positioning, and "do what we say don't" "rock the boat mentality". All the while leading us farther away from true self-actualization. Farther away from our gut. Harder to flow the action we "know" we should do, in favor of the action we "think" we should do. How often could those apparent unavoidable circumstances been avoidable, if we simply listened to our gut?

Daniel Siegel M.D. author of Mindsight: The New Science Of Personal Transformation informs us of the link the gut and pre-frontal cortex employ. Essentially coining action oriented intuition as being in-tune with the wisdom of the body. Dr Siegel goes on to inform us that the right hemisphere of our brain receives information from our heart and intestines giving us that "heartfelt sense" or "gut feeling". Its now safe to say the reasoning ability we experience is no longer thought to be purely logical, but based on non-rational processes of our bodies.

So all those times you said "I knew I shouldn't have"....your were right. Your just to molested by society and its cages to believe that you had the capability to be right within a more supernatural reasoning. The reasoning of the gut. The intelligence of the body.

The book goes on to say we all have these feeling, its simply some of us learn to trust them. None more so important than leaders. Those out there with followers, leading others to the holy land need more so to follow their instinct than anyone else. Applying full decision making functions on analytics completely eliminates the human element. Completely eliminating our humanity...hence possibly one of the main reason our country is where it is. A system built on systems...not on people.

Ralph Waldo Emerson called it "The Blessed Impulse", and we all have it. That flash of the right thing to do. That inner voice guiding us. That shoulder devil from our Green Light Post prodding your ass into gear.

I wish I could tell you the exact way to hear that voice. I think we have the volume turned down so far on all the glorious pieces of our internal beings we are unable to hear ourselves. I believe we are so engaged on consumption, we fall short of ever truly being full of life. I believe the only way to hear the right way, and miss the wrong way is to listen, and know yourself. And when is the last time you had a legitimate conversation with yourself? 

Strength:

Rest

For Score

2-Rope Climbs

7-Deadlifts 195/275

14-Burpees

AMRAP 15 Minutes

Post rounds to comments.

Cheat Day Experiments: How You Can Help Yourself Part 2...

Cheat Day Blood Glucose Video 2 of 2

“Civilization degrades the many to exalt the few”

Bonanza! Are we solving problems? Or are we creating them? From studies oddly constructed to meet demands of the massively unhealthy, to tests which have no relevance to humans who truly want to live unabridged in full health and full beauty.

As Im sure you recall, yesterday's post found us finding our fasting blood glucose, one and two hours post meal. The days menu included normal Paleo food; meat, nuts, seeds. No carbs unless from the nuts, no greens, no starch. Essentially we were base-lining the acidic level in our blood. The more sugar acid, the more insulin poison.

At first I was shocked when the results came back after our Blood Glucose experiment. I had out and out expected my BG to measure relatively off the charts compared to how poorly I feel after eating the rare non-paleo variety foods. I failed to take into account my own knowledge of just how amazing this diet to be, and the longer your on it, the more your insides tolerate the rare bombardment of toxins or allergens. Or so it may seem.

Its not to say if we saw Blood Glucose readings higher than mine in particular that the Paleo diet doesn't work, it is merely one expression of its massive benefits on someone employing its tactics for well over three years.

Our last Cheat Day experimental post found us describing the Blood Glucose values the ADA RXD. Needless to say they, and many others, may be recommending values that fir the parameters of common. And common sure as shit doesn't equal health in most cases. Look at the comparisons.

    ADA   

 Fasting BG <100mg/dl      

  Two Hours Post Meal <140mg/dl 

Me

Fasting BG 68mg/dl

Two Hours Post Meal 110mg/dl

       Essentially the main concern with elevated BG levels is the insulin required to shuttle it off to muscle, liver, brain, red blood cells....but mainly fat. The higher our BG and for longer the more insulin that roams the fatter sicker and deader we end up.

But in the immediate the low BG I experienced didn't necessary explain the absolutely horrible feelings I experience after each variety meal, which comes on less and less. Or do they?

A quick look at the ADA's BG recommendation's shows levels 40mg/dl apart from one another. On paper this may not be too terrible....once. But repeatedly is another story. And therein lies the truth. "Repeatedly". The ADA is commonly stating facts of most folks experiencing this 30% or so hike all the time. The "common" folks have a tolerance for it. An acceptance of the bad. They have learned how to function in a poor state from being there multiple times. Its the same as Alcoholics, your tolerance never goes up, you just get better at being drunk.

In fact a quick look at the numbers in my case shows a higher percentage rise from fasting to post prandial, even though it was well less that "common" recommendations. And the scarcity of the ingestion of such toxic compounds just enhances the effect. Essentially, when even one screw is loosened Paleo dieters feel the pull. "Common dieters" fail to notice a problem until the wheels fall off.

 This of course is only one small piece of the puzzle. It doesn't take into account the severely allergenic, anti-nutritious, and nutrient deficit producing compounds found in that rare hallowed cheat meal. However, to test this is only a syringe, or a strong deuce away. No doubt we will cover those bases with gluten intolerance panels, soy, yeast, and even egg sensitivity designs.

Join us for our next experiment with a few extra brave souls willing to down a slice or two after they tap into a special insulin blunting cocktail to see if we can lessen the dramatic rise all together.

A Few Future Topics On The Experimenting Table:

-Various Food Sensitivities

-Post Work Out Insulin Tactics

-Diet Pop And Blood Sugar Rise

-Artificial Sweetners

-Restaurant Menu Testing

-Electrical Innovation

-Spitting

What experiments would you like to see?

Strength:

Rest

For Time

55-Overhead Squats 65/95

55-Swings 35/55

55-Jumping Pullups

55-Wall-Ball

55-Box Jumps

55-Sit-ups

Post time to comments

Cheat Day Experiments: How You Can Help Yourself Part 1...

Cheat Day Vid 1 of 2

“The less routine the more life.”

Is that once a week variety causing unexplainable circumstances? Can we explain them? Can we use certain compounds to ensure that the Paleo diet works to its full beauty, but also that when we decide to leave the farm for a day, we don't feel like the entire month is shot?

Above you will find video 1 detailing a normal days eating behavior of a long time Paleo follower. The goal of which is to find a baseline blood glucose( I know I say insulin like seven times, leave the hate mail at home I use the terms interchangeably right or wrong) and then compare it to the values stimulated by a meal most assuredly off the Paleo reservation. That particular pizza joint vid is on par for tomorrow.

ADA Blood Glucose Guidelines:

 Healthy Fasting BG <100

Healthy Two Hour Post Meal BG <140

While this is all well and good we clearly know the reason for virtually all things unhealthy is stimulated through the excessive amounts of insulin coursing through our bodies. Insulin hanging out moping up the excessive blood glucose levels from improper eating, or two many carbs, or both.

Whats appears as "common" measurements much more so than "optimal" is what we seem to get out of the powers that be. And the last thing I wanna be is common. In fact fasting BG levels alone above 90mg/dl have been shown to be a surefire prediction of future diabetes. 

Optimal BG Levels:

Fasting BG <83

One Hour Post Meal BG <140

Two Hours BG <120

That's a little more like it when it comes to "common" and "optimal". To maintain the above levels looks much more akin to our ancestors who had none of the processed sugary items we think are even just treats. What we see as treats, our bodies see as death. Now we will measure that.

Watch the first video of two above. Two videos of many to come. Videos directly experimenting with any and everything we can do to find ways to make us feel better, look better, and perform better. Experimenting with how things truly work, not how we are told they do....lets take a solid look at the numbers. The above shows one day of eating Paleo stacked atop many months and years doing the same. the proof is in the numbers, and my numbers were pretty stellar, think of how we can use this to help others.

Next time join us for a table full of Pizza, and measurements to follow.

Strength:

Dead Stop Back Squat

3,3,3,3,3

For Time:

"JT"

-Handstand Push-up

-Dip

-Push-ups

21/15/9 

Post weight moved and time to comments.

What Shade Of Green Are You Waiting For...

 Chuck...

 Santa Chuck...

“We climb to heaven most often on the ruins of our cherished plans, finding our failures were successes.”

Weaving in and out of traffic. Eyes darting to and fro looking for ominous flashing blue and red lights. GPS like mentality with a turn by turn plan on the quickest way to get to your destination. Laser like focus at speeds that rival that of a formula one car from time to time. Only to be stopped behind a convoy of vehicles at waiting for the red to become green. It does, you don't move. You say "What Shade Of Green Are You Waiting For".

You monks out there with a zen like self-righteous focus may have never experienced this in the literal sense while actually behind someone at an intersection, but the rest of us surely have at one time or another. The thing about the intersection is-there is always another one right down the road. Life may not be so friendly.

Lets play the Angel/Devil Game. Cartoons and movies depict your good conscious and bad conscious whispering evil notions, or moral actions in your ears as you saunter through your day. But instead of good vs evil in the easily recognizable sense, play it more like this; the angel of what is, and the devil of what could be.

Our right shoulder is that little asshole behind us at the light who lays on his horn three seconds after it says go. He has no patience for misgivings, he cares not about what's going on now, he only cares that when that opportunity to progress is presented, you take it as fast as possible. No time for self-doubt. No time for "thinking it over", no time like the present. He's a devil only in the sense that more often than not you would argue with him, because he is the one asking you to do things that may put you out on that ledge all to fast. The devil may make you uncomfortable. This particular devil may make you legendary.

Our left shoulder finds the Angel of Deadlock. That light is as green as its going to get. The window of opportunity will open no farther. The only room left is room for failure. This little Angel is very opposite our Devil of change, Our little Angel is the Angel of death.

Those devil horns are painful...good. Pain more so than any other sensation promotes change. Promotes success. Promotes revolution. Promotes transformation. Our right shoulder contains a very real source of pain meant to shove something hot up our ass, and make us move-now-today. Without the possibility of great pain, there is no sacrifice, without sacrifice there is no success.

The Angel of Death impersonates the worst sensation we as humans can attain-comfort. To become truly comfortable means we are cool with things just as they are....and things are shit. Not only are children hungry, animals are beaten, and Americans are fat, but somewhere down the line we attached success to material. We are what we wear, drive, or live. Not how we believe, act, and give. 

We are presented with so many green signals it becomes hard to distinguish them from red and yellow. Oh really you gained thirty pounds in the last two years...hmmmm maybe that's not green enough. You say your Dad, and his Dad all died of heart attacks, and you choose to still avoid exercise like the plague...hmmmm still not green. Oh Shit really, your parents were raging alcoholics and you can't remember how you have returned home the last two weeks from various evenings of shenanigans...hmmmm nah still yellow. 

Our days are surrounded by bright ass lights hanging in every direction all around us everyday. To see them change all we need is open eyes. To remain at the intersection just keep doing what your doing. Regretting, fearing, losing. Green means go, it doesn't mean you have to know. Knowing is boring. Going, trying, being-that is glorious.

 Strength:

Rest

Skill:

Dip/Muscle-Up Progression/Muscle-up/Strict Muscle-up Practice

3 Attempts Max Time Hollow Rocks

3 Attempts Max Time Ring Support

10 Minutes

For Time:

5-Full Squat Clean 105/155

30-Double Unders

3 Rounds

Post impressions and time to comments.

Connections: Just How Important You Are...

 

 PCF Xmas...

Franchise Apparel...

Kingly Sexy...

"If privacy had a gravestone it would read; don't worry, this was for your own good."

A tree falls in the amazon, the earth quakes in California. A butterfly flaps its wings, tornado's arise on another continent. One activity-every activity-promotes another. Are we all connected?

This weekend I was lucky enough to engage in holiday celebrations with a group of people I couldn't be happier to be around. True holiday celebration void of people putting on heirs, fake faces, or impersonations. True holiday friends together because we wanted to be, not because we felt obliged to be. Coincidence, or universal certainty?

EPR Paradox:

Einstein-Poldolsky-Rosen paradox comes to us from way back in the thirty's. The readers digest version of this Quantum Physic's related phenomena is the act that two or more like items placed together, then pulled apart and sent light years away, like protons electrons and the like, would still have a direct effect on how the other behaved. Einstein didn't much celebrate the likes of the so called spider-web of universal connectedness, and therefore celebrated the paradox as simply shit we don't understand.

Scientifically this paradox gets muddy as hell, but philosophically, or CrossFitically it's bearing is much more in tune with how we may function as coherent beings, and why we may need each other more than we think, or sometimes like to believe or admit to.

Theory Of Non-Locality:

 Every time you read this one it's interpreted differently, so instead of the definition, how bout a story. A family of monkeys lives on island One. You remove half of those monkeys to island Two. The monkeys on island One consume a fruit much like a coconut, hard shelled, fat pulpy inside. Island One Monkey's learn to take a spear like rocks to pierce their main food source making it much easier to get at the treat inside-evolving. At almost the exact same time the monkey's on island Two figure out the same process to get at the same food source. Eerily like they maintained a connection unexplainable in our immediate sense of cognition. Almost like they can still sense what the other is doing.

What Does That Mean For Us:

 CrossFit works because its not solitary, but but because its combined. That life in this world works better when we do it connected, not consumed. That the reason for your success comes from me, her, and the guy next door learning doing and applying. That this spider web we tug on locally, vibrates wordily.

 Sometimes we are meant to be alone, pray, meditate, create. To be completely un-impinged by another soul in the immediate. But also realizing that just because there isn't another visible character in the room with you, doesn't mean your not connected to me, him, her. Just getting away for short bouts is supposed to strengthen your time with those folks who sure-up your foundation. Like the folks in the pictures above. We may not have to spend every waking moment together, but our connection somehow makes us all stronger, more capable, more CrossFit.

This holiday season pay attention to those folks making you stronger. To the world and all the characters in it you may most definitely be connected to. Let them know, as I'm doing here, that without all those fine people in your immediate surrounding, you wouldn't have grown to the person you are today, and that their "connection" is better than any "present" you could ever unwrap. Detail you connectedness in the comments below. Show how your words today, are inherently connected to the success of another tomorrow.

Strength:

*Rack Push Press

5/3/1

For Score:

AMRAP 8 minutes

*"Cindy"

5-Pull-ups

10-Push-ups

15-Squats

3 minute rest

3 Rounds

* Strength is performed in between max round Cindy attempts. Begin the WOD with eight minutes of "Cindy". At eight minutes log a five rep max set of Back Rack Push Press in three minutes. Immediately begin "Cindy" round two, then BRPP triple. Culminating with third round "Cindy", and one Max Rep BRPP.

Post Cindy Rounds from all intervals, and weight achieved on all rep schemes.