Live Starved: How A Controlled Catabolic Environment Is Your Ticket To Being Stronger, Faster, Healthier...
5am Ladies Only Killers...
"Confidence is a stain they can't wipe off."
Athlete after athlete, email after email, quest after quest. "What is the best way to perform at my utmost this CrossFit Games season?"
The answer may surprise you. The answer is just like everyone else's answer. Bullshit unless it works for you. And it only works if you try it. And trying it means real effort. Not a half-assed poke at the roadkill when you were a kid.
One way to ensure you are stellar during every workout this CrossFit Games season. Or for other top notch events that you may be training for this year is to make sure your training for that event, is putting you in a temporary, less than optimal state.
The idea of "starving" doesn't necessarily pertain to food although it definitely could. It pertains to leaving some things on the able only to be used at that most opportune time when you really need it. Or, if you don't have a specific event, whatever items you call events through the year. Therefore intermittently introducing periods of over 100% of your top performance, and then self-inducing the sliding curve back down. Essentially creating a negative loop feedback with the body, meaning every time you starve, or become catabolic, that the rebound effect is much better than the last, because every time thereafter you climb the ladder higher than before. This is called "Super-compensation".
Super-compensation is exactly what it sounds like. But to take advantage of this 100+% activity, absorption, or living, it must be preceded by a controlled catabolic state. As you may know, but I will tell ya anyway, catabolism can mean "wasting", or "regressing". While we will not let ourselves regress, we will essentially induce a state whee if PR's happen, or muscle gains occur they are truly to be honored because you didn't set yourself up for it. You are essentially positively planning ahead to peak by setting the negative stage today. Therefore stepping on the field, stage, or whatever on game day will make you feel like your bullet proof. Think about it, if you were good starved...how do you think you will feel fed?
There are several techniques described below to help induce the relatively sub-par state followed by the state at which may be so profound it is almost overwhelming:
Intermittent Fasting:
I have still been avoiding writing full posts on this glorious little tool because it would take a book. But I will soon figure out a way to put pen to paper, and always stash a reference here.
IF improves overall health, gut sensitivity, insulin sensitivity, protein synthesis, cancer prevention...see why the post would be huge. But applied to athletic performance periodically it can make you dig deep sometimes when it has been long bouts without food. Some folks feel better. Some take a while to adjust. But living in a caloric-ally restricted state is a great way to train your heart out, recover well, and prime the pump so when its time to introduce a few more calories, recover fully, and turn it on game day, you more than surpass the best version of you.
Supplement deprivation:
Setting PR's while snagging down Creatine, Beta-Alanine, Glutamine, Testosterone, Growth Hormone, Vodka is one thing. Setting them without, or at least getting really close will ensure once you ramp them up prior to or a couple weeks out of the event all but guarantees when that adrenaline starts pumping your old records will be new warm-ups.
Over-Training:
Not to the point of oblivious recovery. Or to the point you body hates you enough to tell you by injury. But more like just this side of too much. One or two WODs more than you for optimal performance. Essentially guaranteeing your working out tired. Then when you tapper down, and game day shows, you will be thankful for that endless energy.
Carb Depletion:
Ketosis is where good dieters live. Using their own fat for fuel. Keeping a nice steady state of energy no matter what. A steady state for one WOD per day that is. Ensuring you are almost completely void of carbohydrates right up until the multi event days come, ensuring you maintain the fat burning system you want, while taking advantage of the rocket fuel of a burst that rare light carb product can provide. Timed well, those horrible carbs can be lighter fluid on a fat burning metabolism fire.
There may be one or two more ways but they either look real close to the above and therefore would be a little repetitious, or too starved for our concern as we want just below optimal to spring board well beyond it when the time comes.
Planning this well in advance is the best course of options but fret not, there is still time before the CrossFit Games. Depriving yourself of some calories stating now if your already not by fasting, eliminating all supplements except for creatine which needs loading, and tossing in a couple extra workouts for a couple weeks could be just what you were looking for to kick start your season, by starving before it.
Strength:
Rest
For Time:
20-Double Unders
13-Box Jumps
10-Sumo Deadlift-Highpull 65/95
4 Rounds
Post time to comments.
semi-convinced the recent inclusion of bcaas has actually had a positive impact on daily recovery. you really suggesting removing it prior to the beatings planned in the next couple weeks?
Posted by: k | February 22, 2011 at 09:57 PM
5 am ladies you look like a fun group... and increasingly competitive judging by the white board. Too bad 5am and I don't get along so well! Keep up the awesome progress!
Posted by: Min | February 22, 2011 at 10:18 PM
7:31m
HAPPY BIRTHDAY SHELBANATOR!
Posted by: holly | February 23, 2011 at 07:12 AM
If you have been doing it, and noticed it took time to start working....which isn't how glycogenic amino's work...then Id say to keep it in....but BCAA work because they add to a resivior pool of aminos that can stave off muscle wasting, as well as provide energy by way of the majority of them being converted to immediate glucose or ATP eventually.
However, if your feeling atop your game, then keep it. If however you wanna try to ramp up..remove until one week prior to WOD 1..then introduce and increase as you go...its not a day this time...staying peaked for weeks is a whole different story
Posted by: jb | February 23, 2011 at 07:20 AM
HAPPY HAPPY BIRTHDAY SHELBY!!!!!!!!
Posted by: Angela | February 23, 2011 at 07:45 AM
Happy Birthday, Shelby!! Missed you this morning.
Posted by: chas | February 23, 2011 at 08:54 AM
5:59
Posted by: runmelrun | February 23, 2011 at 10:13 AM
8:22
Posted by: Mo | February 23, 2011 at 11:22 AM
Happy B-day, Shelby. No doubt you're spending the day recoverin' from your accomplishments yesterday.
9am-ers...wow. So enjoyed you all this morning. Appreciated you entertainin my warm-up request (pass and run was sooo much more fun w more people!) as well as my little form tantrum after class. Just wanna ensure ya'll are CF-in for a looong time.
Amber - McCormick's right. Now that we know you can use the bands...supine rows are history.
Ken and Matt...great to see you back...and for thrusters no less!
Posted by: k | February 23, 2011 at 11:35 AM
5:30
Kara - great class. Your passion for doing the movements currently is awesome. Love being in your class and your "tantrum" was actually a great teaching moment for all of us 9am'ers!
Amber - your kip looked awesome. Hope to see you on the bar w/ jacked up hands soon ;)!
Posted by: heather mc | February 23, 2011 at 12:00 PM
edit: Your passion for doing the movements CORRECTLY is awesome.
duh..
Posted by: heather mc | February 23, 2011 at 12:02 PM
6:39 Happy Birthday Shelby!!!!
Posted by: Franchise | February 23, 2011 at 12:13 PM
5:33+
McCormick: can I say I got you since I jumped the 24 in box? Just Kiddin. I tried for ya.
Posted by: chas | February 23, 2011 at 01:28 PM
Whaddo you think the chance is that Ms. Hershaw was savin' those Thin Mints for variety day? (bad humor fer sure but i hadta)
http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_ODD_FLORIDA_COOKIE_FIGHT?SITE=MSJAD&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT
Posted by: k | February 23, 2011 at 01:55 PM
Chas - you definitely can b/c I know I woulda been slower on the 24" box! I thought about it, but wanted to try and get Mitchell's time after she texted me this morning ;).
Love a little PCF competition....!!
Posted by: heather mc | February 23, 2011 at 02:43 PM
OOOOHHHHHH so that is how it is! I already told McCormick her time doesn't count cause she was a no show at 5am!
Posted by: runmelrun | February 23, 2011 at 03:09 PM
Yeah, what happened to the 5am time this morning, Heather?
Posted by: chas | February 23, 2011 at 03:16 PM
-about the thin mints...
HHHHHHalarious!!
I won't judge, catch me at the right moment...I don't know:)
Posted by: chas | February 23, 2011 at 03:19 PM
JB's little Death By Pushup/Pullup WOD at 6:30pm last night is what happened to me at 5am! At 4:30am I was laying bed w/ shaky achy arms. Had trouble sleeping last night b/c I was so shaky and achy and I didn't do nearly as many as some did.
Posted by: heather mc | February 23, 2011 at 05:25 PM
Happy Birthday Shelby!!!
Posted by: vicki | February 23, 2011 at 05:34 PM
5:17
Posted by: Min | February 23, 2011 at 08:07 PM
8:24m @ 65#
Posted by: Dave | February 23, 2011 at 09:26 PM
4:58.
Happy birthday Shelbster!
Posted by: Sammy | February 23, 2011 at 10:27 PM
9:02(m) @ 85 lbs
Posted by: JN | February 23, 2011 at 11:10 PM
9:49 (DUs unmodified :), still working on um, but it's a start!)
Posted by: Jen D | February 24, 2011 at 08:45 PM