Add-ons: How Marketing To Children Starts With Adults...

 Open WOD #1....Round #2 Fri @ 6pm

"We come from a generation of people who need their TV or stereo playing all the time. These people so scared of silence. These soundaholics, these quietophobics." 

As I Pull into a local Coffee shop drive through for a morning Injection Im welcomed yet again by a Barista saying, "good morning, what can I get for you"? Me="black coffee". Barista="would you like sugar and cream with that"?. Me="Like I said yesterday, black". Barista="Oh I forgot, nobody does that, Ok can I get you a fresh muffin with that"?

After that I burned the %#^$ing place down. Ok maybe not but, these conversations happen at this, and just about every coffee shop I frequent in our little hometown, and I don't particularly believe it is our little coffee bartenders fault either.

Of course they are instructed to offer such profitable items to the masses. Of course someone constantly getting the absolute bare minimum beverage a Coffee house can serve is a little boring and odd. Especially compared to Enorme triple espresso, skinny lady, soy infused heroin laced whipped top desert beverages, and cake on the side. Oh wait, if its the morning we call cake muffins then its ok.

Theses single serving "Add-ons" may not have added ever so greatly to our waistline,even though I'm sure they are a contributor. But apparently they seem to be taking more humanity out of the supposedly more human of us.

How They Get Kids:

We have becomes so clever at marketing, and up-selling we have trickled down to items like the below. Items that even I myself missed, but a friend made it painfully clear of a possible attempt to attract younger drinkers.

Several PCF folks have strolled in with a rather cleverly packaged new Pepsi item. An item that PCF sells in another form. "Gasp", yup its un-paleo as shit. Remember Paleo Poser, not Paleo Douch.

The offending agent doesn't necessarily stem from the fact that it has enough caffeine which is rather light for Rockstar. Its not that it has the fake B-vitamins that really don't do shit. Or even the the other ninety items on the ingredients list that don't pass a spell-check. Its the damn straw.

Some will argue the little straw pinkie up bullshit will sell well to the Sex and the City crowd who are just all to pretentious to place those pretty collagen filled lips over the ends of a lowly aluminum can...and this may very well be true. But the fact remains that it bears and odd resemblance to a juice-box of old. And juice boxes, or capri-sun esq designs find themselves all to frequent in the hands and lunch boxes of the young.

Personally I don't really find any form of canned bullshit to be ultimately healthy. In my very human hypocritical state I argue why having one a day or so most likely will do nothing negative to me. One justification leaves room for more. And even a little $%#^ed...is still $%#$ed.

Weather or not a Rockstar a day is the gateway justification for an ice cream finisher is still un-proven. The jury remains out weather the Rockstar straw was intended as mentioned above, or just an oversight by hypnotized adults who should know better.

How They Get Us:

Our official hatred of change, rampant cynicism, and hypocrisy make adults a much easier marketing target than kids who smell those bad behaviors a mile away, and once they catch us, our kids follow. The reason is, adults are just big kids who have allowed this behavior to go on longer, and at some point we began to fold our moral code into the code of the land. Its not that they target kids...its that they weaken us, kids stronger than thou will eventually follows suit. Kids don't make kids fat, we make kids fat.

"Im in a hurry, and can't cook so I just leave pizza money for my kids most nights". "I have no time for breakfast, anyways my kids love cereal". This is what we heard.....this is what we do...this is how we die.

Sprinkle those en-grained hypocritical tactics with a side of the "I deserve" American attitude, add a pinch of "you can't tell me what to do" topped off with a whipped "but they have it, so should I". And you essentially have a marketing strategy that simultaneous makes all of us more dependent on stuff, not ourselves. 

Five year olds everywhere beware. Its not falling out of a tree, failing to look both ways when crossing the street, or talking to strangers. Its that ever so hypnotized hypocrite in front you infected by advertising, paralyzed by persuasion that actually believes a bowl of sugar in the morning is ok, because that's what the T.V. says, and that's what my Mom said. The loaded gun in the house may not be at the top of the closet, it may be in the pantry, and take longer to go off.

*PCF will host Open WOD #2, beginning at 6pm, as many heats as necessary. After which Paleo meats most likely will be provided. Donations encouraged.

 Strength:

Rest

For Score:

Open WOD #2

9-Deadlifts 100/155

12-Hand Release Push-ups

15-Box Jumps 20/24

AMRAP 15 Minutes

Post rounds, and every additional rep to comments.

Groomed For Greatness: Todays Pain Is Tomorrows Salvations...

   Lisa...

"People you love will die. Nothing you treasure will last forever. And I need to accept and embrace that fact." 

I can't tell you why your at where you are. No one can. Everyone's advice will annoy you. God will help but you most likely you won't notice because we never do, and even the most beautiful tattoo started with blood. 

The human condition still maintains its utter arrogance and weakness by constantly trying to figure out its immediate situation. We must explain everything to its most deconstructed, only to dispel the parts we do not grasp out of existence forgetting all the while, some shit we are just not bright enough to get right now, and we may never be. An this may be a huge blessing. Did you ever think you didn't want to understand, or get it. Maybe true knowledge is just too much....cultivate ignorance.

When most of us hear "groomed" we think about mans best friend taking a trip to the dog parlor. Maybe we think of a Father grooming his son to run his business, or even a teacher grooming children for the world to come. But do we ever step back from the seeming bucket of shit building ever so higher in front of us and think, "what is this making me better for"? What am I becoming strengthened for tomorrow"? Is this storm, helping me prepare for the hurricane a friend will face tomorrow?

Very few of us can be objective about bad situations while we are in them. Becoming absorbed in the now and trying to explain our very temporary pain is usually number one on the list. But expelling what lead us there, or why who did what is nowhere near as important as the take away you are guaranteed to hold. The very painful scar you are receiving now, will be permanent. A permanent reminder of just how strong you are. 

I can't tell you why your at where you are. No one can. Your groomed differently than me and your neighbors. As horrible as this sounds, good people die, saints are killed, children are beaten all because they had to be. And as horrible as that sounds, there was something to gain. Some of the best fixers, were horribly broken themselves. Sometimes your led down the darkest path, so you can show others the light.

Your scar from your past is someones umbrella in the biggest rainstorm they may ever face. She was beaten by her father because that's the only way she could be made aware of how very horrible certain men can be. Now she is so thankful for the man she married that is the exact opposite. Maybe there was a moment recently where the worst situation you could have possibly imagined actually happened. Its a guarantee that despicable moment was preceded by behaviors, signs, and warnings. Being groomed for greatness means painfully searching those memories, dealing with the aftermath, and finding salvation in the chaotic pattern that will make you more than you could have dreamed. Your scar of salvation, your tattoo of time.

Grooming is not step by step process from a boss to an employ. Grooming for greatness is happening to you right now, and it can be transparent, blissful, or the most painful thing you have ever experienced. And people always remember pain best. Pain is where we become great. All pain scars. All scars are forever. 

Strength:

Power Clean

8X2@70% 1RM

-45 second recovery-

For Time:

-Double Unders

40/30/20

-Power Cleans 95/135

20/15/10

Post weight used, and time to comments.

Snacking: Four Reasons Why Your Not Where You Want...

 "My whole life is about forgetting. It's my most valuable job skill." 

Pop quiz hot shot. Is it better to eat a 300 calorie meal, only to eat 300 calories worth of nuts and seeds two hours later because you weren't satisfied. Or, be it more glorious just to smash 600 calories at one sitting and eat at your next scheduled feeding?

You are correct you very argumentative creature in the back, and in my mind arguing with me as I write. Saying, "well that depends on what your goals are". Close the doors and turn off the text messages for thirty seconds and lets just assume we all have the same relative goal. Bad-Ass.

Bad-Ass= Lean. Not stupid lean, and a different lean for everybody, but void of that jiggly feeling, and with enough in the tank to still be fast. That kinda leanness where your family worries if you eat because you belly doesn't hand over your belt as theirs does. Muscular. Not cantaloupe biceps, or quads that only fit into cheerleader skirts or kilts...but damn cool functional muscles that draw attention and others wish they had....that's they say things like, "I just don't wanna be that big"....translation-"I don't want to work". And of course strong enough to lift a car off a pinned child, or fast enough to grab rex before he leaps in front of that car. All with the composure of a saint...until you need to bring out that inner demon you keep for those all to special occasions. You know, that kinda Bad-Ass.

Now that we have that out of the way, the right and simple path to Bad-Ass as far as snacking is concerned is don't. Even if its Paleo approved, and even if your under your normal caloric intake, grazing like a cow is worse than gorging like a lion. Think about it. Lions sprint, fight, and eat meat and fat, then sleep. They kinda mirror a CrossFitter. Quick all out short effort, then reward, then relax. Cows are vegetarians and graze all damn day. Lions gorge and are bad ass, cows asses are just bad.

Now if you are just famished beyond belief between meals I'm not saying the occasional snack will derail you plans. Nor am I saying avoid that 300 calories of nuts, until you almost gnaw your arm off until you order a pizza. I'm simply saying watch out for the offenders below, and ensure you employ tactics to ensure snacking becomes a distant happening, that has no relevance, as opposed to a daily offender giving you cow ass:

Four Snacking Killers

Insulin:

Right, like the millionth time we have went over this, but this is one of the main reasons why it would be better to eat fewer times in the day, and just bigger meal. Despite what the funny pages say. As you may know Insulin is simply a storage hormone. A variable cache of caloric energy shuttled to every hopefully healthy cell in the body. Spawned primarily from carbohydrate consumption.

But not entirely from carbohydrate consumption. Everything we eat potentially releases some insulin, and when we are in that fed state we fail to continue to burn fat. Eating until satisfaction, as opposed to stopping short, just to eat more soon after just means your bathed in the storage state more. And what do you wanna be better at..storing fat for hibernation, or burning fat for fuel?

Discipline:

Eating whenever you pass a bowl of anything demonstrates weakness and avoidance. Especially if it happens to be carbohydrate of sugar based. When this behavior is allowed to occur, your essentially putting up a wall to whatever is truly nagging that brain of yours, and your trying to silence it with dopamine released by the sugar...ahh addicts we are...its unavoidable. So pick another addiction.

Even the constant need to eat Paleo snack after snack is some form of crude self-therapy preventing us from dealing with a deeper issue, or stress. Hiding behind food, even Paleo food is a spiral that will end badly. Keep you hands off desk candy, brunch specials, and numerous Paleo picnics...carry a big jug of water, and every time you would snack...drink.

Leptin:

 Discovered in humans in 1994, and discussed via our blog heavily, Leptin is essential the master hormone of our entire existence. Produced oddly enough from our fat cells. And you thought fat was bad. Just as one can become resistant to insulin, one can be resistant to Leptin. And without going into a full on Leptin assault, the gist of it is, the fatter you are, the more resistant you are. The more resistant you are, the more hungry you feel because Leptin Satisfies hunger.

To ensure proper Leptin levels one must eat what this beautiful hormone comes from. Fat. Instead of 50% of your calories from protein, some from fat and some from carbs. Ensure that at least 60% of your total daily caloric intake comes from fat, followed by 30% protein or so, then the rest can be incidentally laced with trace carbs. Satisfy Leptin, end snacking.

WKO fed:

That little pre-workout "I'm a runner from the mid-ninety's and I need to carb load" bullshit meal your still pounding prior to a WOD is at the very least ensuring you wont be burring anything during that WOD except for those particular calories. If your already where you want to be, and performing well, go for it, but if not, working out fasted should be your path everyday. And fasted is at least five hours without food.

The best pre-workout meal today, was yesterdays post workout meal.

Yes Bad-Asses snack. But its hard to be as Bad-Ass as possible with handful of food every thirty minutes because you think your stomachs eating itself. Its mush easier to simply eat more at each feeding, and keep the in-between meals to an absolute emergency, as opposed to a habit. Not only will your family and friends back off you about your ravenous hunger, but you may become even more predatory like our Carnivorous CrossFit friend the lion, as opposed to our vegetarians scale tipping cow. 

Click Here For PCF Kids Info, and get ready for a fun class adjustment for the young-ins.

Strength:

Rest

For Time:

-Supine Ring Row

-Wall-Ball

-Rack To Overhead 65/95

10/9/8/7/6/5/4/3/2/1

Post time to comments.

Under The Gun Antics: Pressure Is A Motivator, Preparation Is Insurance...

   Jen...

Doug and Mindy...

"We'll paint the skyscrapers with huge totem faces and goblin tikis, and every evening what's left of mankind will retreat to empty zoos and lock itself in cages as protection against the bears and big cats and wolves that pace and watch us from outside the cage bars at night." 

Delivering on a dime, perform an activity you have yet to see, or function well on demand are all well to do traits successful people usually maintain. But Batman was Batman because he had all that and and then-some. Added to working incredibly well under immense pressure, Batman prepared for everything. And who the hell doesn't want to be Batman?

An interesting anomaly presented itself the week prior, and during the first Open WOD. PCFers new and old stayed after classes, showed up early, wrangled down trainers and athletes all to master a skill they hadn't yet achieved. For beginners this may have been the pressure needed to force the time. For veterans this could have very well worked the same, and some of us do function beautifully under pressure. But functioning well under any and every kind of pressure should be basic human survival instinct. Preparation is so basic and instinctual even squirrels do it. 

One is not to confuse preparation with paralyzation. It damn sure doesn't mean to stay planted as opposed to passionately moving ahead. Preparation for CrossFit or anything else in life, may present  alongside one ability to demonstrate drive, and will.

I don't really have to say if that voluptuous chest of yours can hit the bar on several chest to bar pull-ups and your shoulders clearly graze the rings on multiple successful dips you should be preparing your Muscle-up do I? After you failed your first spelling test while you were a young whippersnapper, strictly due to lack of preparation, you were blessed with a clear and concise demonstration of what lack of proper prep work will do. 

Various preparation tools exist well out of the CrossFit walls but are usually no-where as simple as what we are blessed with at CF. At CF If your ass sucks at pull-ups your ass either needs to lose a little bit of itself to pull-up easier, or grab one of the folks who would love to spend time making you better.

Maybe your not so hot at another non-CF skill. The preparation solution may very not be as easy as grabbing a trainer and grabbing a bar. It may take the one ingredient we all have, but are perpetually scared to use. Creativity;

Creatively Preparing:

1. Meditate. Preparation requires insight. Insight can very well be an instant magical gift allotted by God on random occasions. But the majority of our insight is gained through paying attention to ourselves, diligently evaluating why we are good at one task, but not another. After truly honest self-provocation, and evaluation, meditate on the torah all day, and all night. Watch yourself first in your mind and prepare how you need to, then go do it, perfect your preparation mentally before physically, and it will be second nature even when the pressure is on.

2. Read. Reading saturates the soul with a collective knowledge of endless topics like nothing before it. We are blessed with seemingly unlimited knowledge to help us prepare for whatever challenge we could dream of, or ones we have yet to ponder. Take the time to read creative works, prophetic, biblical, didactic, and anything else pertaining to your chosen art regularly.

3.Disconnect. Some of us need a rare hiatus. Some need more frequent breaks. But we all need time away. Every human needs time away from Facebook, Digg, Twitter, Phones, T.V's, News, lovers, friends, crowds and the like. The only way to truly connect on levels beyond bland pleasantries is to disconnect long enough to develop valid thoughts void of Facebook tags, marketing tactics, and beeping phones.

4. Surround yourself with betters. I am blessed to have such a wonderful and diverse group of friends around me everyday. There always seem to be a light I can shine on them in the areas I am good at, but damn sure if that light doesn't come back on me ten fold in the areas, I fail at. You must have a surrounding of friends that help strengthen all aspects of you, and you must have friends you give back to. 

Being Batman takes a hell of a lot more than tremendous preparation added to enormous confidence under pressure. But its a start. The tactics above are just some I use, and some I learned from other very prepared Batman Esq characters. Go forth, find your group of Ninjas to train with. Train for what does happen, what could happen, and creatively what has never happened.....CrossFit.

Strength:

Rest

For Score:

1-Climb

3-Squat Cleans 105/155

9-Box Jumps

AMRAP 15 Minutes

Post rounds to comments.

Practitioners Guide March 2011...

    Kati

"It's the Marilyn Monroe school of medicine where enough of any drug will cure any disease." 

This month's overdo Practitioners Guide comes to us straight with much needed old school flavor. A blast from the past if you will, almost as far back to the three plus years we have been riding CrossFit high. Beginning Crossfitters take special note of a thing or two veterans take for granted. Veterans, stop taking stuff for granted and re-educate yourself.

If your un-familiar with our free monthly publication, become versed by downloading below. Some months its table talk, and quite light. Other months submissions pour in and we have a hard time keeping it within the fifteen page limit I do my best to enforce. If you are interested in submitting email me a jbunch@gopractice.biz. The guide currently has subscribers into the thousands and has found a nice niche among novice CrossFitter, affiliates and the like as just another tool to help keep us all motivated from the knowledge we are supposed to share as a group...not charge for as a franchise.

Download Pracitce_CrossFit_Guide_March_2011

Lets make the next month as basic as possible, beginning with the guide. Lift heavy shit, get un-tight in your tight areas, move fast even when your in the lead and nothing is chasing you eat meat, nuts, seeds, green vegetables with water on the side...as basic, and as good as it gets. Viva la CrossFit.

PCF Guide March 2011 Content:

From The Vault, February 2009. "Sore, Hurt, Injured."

“Muscles ache. Backs get tight. Legs feel like lead. Hands bleed, days after they tear and make washing ur hair feel awesome.”

From The Vault August 2008. "To Bail, Or Not To Bail."

“You never know if someone is moving stations right behind you. If you decide to just get away from the bar while it is six feet overhead for no good reason, u could inadvertently slam the person next to you.”

Practitioner Of The Month-Melissa F

Sometimes the difference between success and failure, is doing, and delegation, and some of the best delegators in the world today forgot how to do.....they could learn from Melissa.

"We're Off To See The Wizard"

“In other words, even if this hCG deal did work, you’d have a better chance of getting your hands on it without a prescription by sucking on a pregnant belly-button!” 

Download Pracitce_CrossFit_Guide_March_2011

Strength:

-Thrusters 

8X2 @ 70% 1 RM

-1 minute recovery-

*Perform 1 strict pull-up after set number 1. Then two pull-ups after the second set and so on. Continue until all eight set are complete, or you are incapable of completing higher pull-up numbers. Thrusters must be completed every round. Add weight to your pull-ups if necessary.

For Time:

25-Pull-ups

25-Burpees

25-Squats

25-Sit-ups

*Add a weight vest if everything can be done unbroken. 

Post weight used, pull-up impressions, and time to comments

Six Ways Poor Sleeping Habits Jack You Up....

10...

"Theres always skin left, and sometimes others pain is the best motivation".

Our following "Saturday Stolen Post" comes to us from Elizabeth at Living A Nourished Life, interestingly enough packed by Zen To Fitness. Two sites for the price of one so take a second and browse their selection to see if you need add them to your blog roll.

The topic below is one I really have avoided simple because I am at a loss if weather or not I can convey my full sleep message in small blogging parameters. In fact in all the studies, andexperiment's I have done, Sleep, and Intermittent Fasting are two of the biggest bright and shinning lights in the world of health today...and I have never produced a manifesto of each. I leave that, for now, to the folks below who are willing to give the frost, and leave the ground underneath untouched. So delve into and enjoy the simplicity below which also has a link to a sort of "benefits of sleep" article.

Few of us put sleep on the pedestal where it belongs. We all know a lack of sleep can make us feel groggy and unfocused the next day, but in reality the impact of sleep problems goes much deeper. Sleep has a direct and powerful impact on our metabolic health.

When we understand the influence sleep has on metabolic and hormonal function, it ís much easier to realise why sleep needs to be prioritised in our lives.

6 Reasons Sleep Can Impact Your Metabolic Health

1) Sleep Problems Predict Metabolic Syndrome

Do you have trouble falling asleep? Trouble staying asleep? Do you snore? People who experience these sleep problems are far more likely to suffer from symptoms of metabolic syndrome (high triglycerides, high blood sugar, excess abdominal fat and high blood pressure) says one study. This connection will likely be the focus of more research in the future.

2) Sleep Depravity Can Induce Insulin Resistance

There’s a camp who thinks that insulin resistance is all about carbs. However, insulin sensitivity is also affected by other factors. How much sleep we get directly affects the way we handle insulin. Research has shown that just a few nights of bad sleep can induce insulin resistance in young, healthy individuals. If you want to improve your insulin sensitivity, sleep is a must-have on your priority list.

3) Sleep Affects Your Cortisol Levels

Getting eight hours of sleep every night is one of the best ways to regulate stress hormones like cortisol. Although getting your rest at night is best, making up for lost hours by taking a nap during the day can still help normalize your cortisol levels. Since high cortisol can cause a myriad of health problems (like elevated blood sugar, food cravings, high blood pressure, mood swings, irritability, acne, muscle loss, and more), keeping cortisol in the normal range is pertinent for good health.

4) Lack of Sleep Can Make You Fat

I knew that would get your attention. Yup, sleep can directly impact your waistline. And don’t take my word for it. Research agrees: the less sleep you get, the more likely you are to be overweight or obese. Getting less than eight hours per night is associated with a higher body fat percentage. This may be largely explained by the fact that sleep directly affects the hormones that influence our appetite and fat storage mechanisms (like cortisol, leptin and insulin).

5) Quality Sleep Can Prevent Cancer

Researchers found that women who were physically active were less likely to get cancer if they got at least seven hours of sleep at night. Read more about the study here. Cancer is a degenerative disease greatly influenced by metabolic function in the body. The fact that a lack of sleep is associated with an increased cancer risk is just one more reason to connect sleep with metabolic health.

6) Sleep Promotes Growth Hormone Production

Both quality and quantity of sleep can affect growth hormone production. If you don’t get enough sleep, or if your sleep is restless or broken, growth hormone production will decline. Growth hormone is vital for maintaining appropriate levels of body fat, muscle mass and bone mass. Lack of growth hormone can also impact your moods, causing you to feel listless and tired.

Putting It All Together: Sleep and Metabolic Health in Perspective

Of course, it’s important to keep in mind that the body functions as a whole. Sleep can obviously impact metabolic health, but metabolic health impacts sleep as well. So it’s sort of a chicken or egg issue. But in the end it doesn’t really matter what started the vicious cycle of sleep depravity and metabolic dysfunction, it’s just important that you start addressing the issue at some level.

Taking steps to improve your sleep and adjusting your sleep habits will likely influence your metabolic function in a positive way. Likewise, addressing other factors that impact metabolic health (such as diet, exercise and stress levels) will also make it easier to achieve great quality sleep.

Strength:

Rest

For Time:

Rest

Steal This Video: Open WOD #1...

"It’s pathetic how we can’t live with the things we can’t understand. How we need everything labeled and explained and deconstructed."

The CrossFit Games 2011 Open Forum has surpassed past regional and sectional events by leaps and bounds, and it doesn't look like it will stop anytime soon. The CrossFit Games are like .5% of what we are. And just like the Games, CrossFit as a movement seems to surpass even the dreams of the wildest on-lookers by a growth that turns even the heads of the biggest corporations.

In a newly implemented Practice CrossFit series, at least for the time being when we want to do something else, Practice CrossFit will toss up some sort of Video every Friday. This is to say we won't only do videos on Fridays, but it's safe to say some form of tutorial, nutritional education, motivational, or how to will be posted as long as the ideas keep rolling in.

Interestingly this idea stemmed from a question I get very often, and the reason for "Steal This Video". The question pertains to all those awesome individuals, clans or partners across America excited to death about CrossFit, ready to take that plunge, but still being held back by life, and all the chains it attaches to you. 

The conversations usually start out the same. I want to open a CrossFit. How did you begin? What problems have you had? What would you do, or not do again? As you would expect all valid questions, all almost impossible to answer because every one is so different. One in particular may be hard to put an exact tangible answer to. What do you attribute your success to?

To answer that I always come back with, "whats your definition of success?" Here is where the numbers, and BS go far away, and the important stuff comes out. We define success as; The first time a newbie gets a pull-up. The smile and fear when someone touches the ceiling the first time up the rope. The wave of death and accomplishment after they survive Fran. The hug you get after a WOD. The two-year veteran chomping at the bit to help the two-week CrossFitter squat better. The massive number of people who have keys to our box going in extra just to play. The first time a Mother of three runs around the block. How heavy your athletes feel when they collapse in your arms after a regional, section, or any competition. The look on an athletes face when they are ecstatic-compared to weeks past when it was the very opposite. The fact that CF is the best part of our day...this is how I define success, and thankfully I have such an amazing team, they all think the exact same. 

If your definition of success contains money, numbers, pie charts, and glory I can't really help you, but I'm sure you will do fine as CF is just that amazing. Success to us is just like the video above. A whole mess of awesome people together caring legitimately about what the others are engaged in, working harder than yesterday, and cheering their asses off until they end with nothing left...except tomorrow. That's success. That's CrossFit.

Strength:

Rest

For Score"

Max Rep- Bear Complex 65/95

AMRAP 3 Minutes

5 Rounds

*Each three athlete team must complete 20-Push-ups, and 20-Pullups every round for any bear complex to count. Two working bars per three athlete team.

Post team and time to comments. 

Hummus: Paleo Staple Or Diet Disaster...

   Cledith...

Cindy...

"Most guys will fight to know you. Some guys will deny you're a real person, and some will just ignore you." The zealot. The atheist. The agnostic." 

I have received questions over many seemingly attractive diet items in the past. To Paleo, or not to Paleo, that's is the question. Hummus seems to be at top of the list of many Paleo well wishers, and they are wishing to keep it there.

Hummus is essentially Chickpeas lemons and garlic all mashed together. Um, um good right. Many Middle Eastern dish's contain this rather rich concoction, and the more Paleo-tuned folks tend to question on a regular basis weather or not if Hummus is from the Paleo train, or if it derails the train all together.

Simply looking at the main ingredient-Chickpeas-leaves us with the simplest of answers. No. Hummus/chickpeas are not Paleo. Paleo avoids legumes and Chickpeas are pulses.

But I can hear the riff-raff in the background now, somehow vying for this apparent Middle Eastern delicacy on their plate. "Can I make it more Paleo"?

It pains me to make something "fit" into a system that was just really meant to employ good habits, not religious dogma. First, dispel with the Paleo religion and just apply the beneficial portions without the caveman doctrine.

Hunter gathers didn't have pancakes, microwaves, silverware, stoves or the like, so using any makes you very un-paleo, and condemning those who do from your Paleo throne makes you a"Paleo-Douche". Instead lets call ourselves "Paleo-Posers" until we coin a better term. A Paleo Poser doesn't fret if his ancestors killing dinosaurs ate what he ate, he simply eats the shit that doesn't hurt him, and eats what makes him better at life...meat, nuts, seed, green vegetables, coconut, clarified butter. And again, Pulses, Grains, Legumes are not in the good category. The why, the how, and the maybe not are below.

Quick Lectin Primer:

Again Lectins are proteins present in legumes, grains,nightshades and the like. Along with other very inflammatory items, these little suckers wreak havoc on the gut as we have addressed before. 

The readers digest version is this; if well tasting nutritious, protein and carbohydrate containing items like Legumes had no defenses to endless animal predators, they would have become extinct long ago. Their germ or endosperm is very toxic to all consuming, it is just demonstrated differently, and some creatures who get a taste are just brighter than others. For instance, we are usually not immediately sensitive on the surface in any recognizable way like a much smaller creature, so we tend to neglect the health concerns that develop over the months and years which could be entirely contributed to gut health, molested by Lectin consumption.

Lectins, among others things, not only possess an anti-nutrient effect on every other item you ingest, but they have a magical way of permeation the gut lining, entering the blood stream, and making the body essentially attack itself. Otherwise known as auto-immune, cancer, MS, ALA, Celiacs...get the picture...bad juju.

I'm not on a pulpit, I could give a rats ass if caveman had Donato's Pizza or not. If I could make a large deluxe pie healthy I'd eat that shit every night. And though I have tried making it Paleo, pizza is still out. But others believe chickpeas and like items may be able to be put back in.

Sprouting, Pressure, Selling-out:

As I mentioned in the above I am all to willing to forgo any and every type of caveman declarations in favor of a chocolate cake fest. That is to say as long as that chocolate cake did not wreck my insides, and add mounds to my outsides. But while the cakes on the chopping block, legumes are in the colander waiting for the germ to....you guessed it germinate, or sprout. 

In an advent to make those ever so toxic chickpeas, alfalfa, seeds, or legumes allowable again...not Palao, just non-injurious. Many folks advocate pressure cooking said items, or soaking them until the drastically inflammatory enzymes sprout themselves clean away.

 Sprouting legumes, and or grains for that matter, is said to break down the more complex negative factors of the foods into simple more beneficial ones. Sprouts may have increased digestive capabilities, higher protein, less starch, and a less combative nature as far as gut irritants and intoxicants go. But is less bad ok?

True the Phytic Acid (a well known anti-mineral offender found in grains and legumes everywhere) does diminish, but it does not leave. Other hazardous enzymes may become non-existent within the process, but Lectins as we spoke of above still remain, along with saponins which bear an odd resemblance to Phytates. 

If you will recall just recently form When Helping Becomes Hurting, alcoholics don't just drink less. Addicts stop the bad, or they remain under its control. Taking a bad and making it slightly less bad by letting it sit in a rather humid environment rinsing it several times a day to ensure it doesn't go sour sounds like a lot to do for some "not as bad chickpea lemon dip". The long and short of it is, Most things aren't Paleo perfect and that's ok, as long as they don't jack us up. Legumes most certainly do damage in various degrees to everyone, and pressuring them into submission, or drowning doesn't seem to make them surrender anytime soon.

*Attention PCFers. If you have yet to post your OPEN WOD #1 scores, do so here, and now. As you may know CFHQ did not publish OPEN WOD #2 this week. Next week the game picks back up. However PCF will continue "Fridays Fittest" @ 6pm every Friday until May. This Friday the 25th we will make teams, and work together.

Strength:

Rest

For Time

20-Double Unders

10-Swings 55/70

20-Box Jumps

10-Burpees

3 Rounds

Post time to comments.

So You Know Better Than The WOD GOD....

 

Post Open WOD #1

"All human beings search for either reasons to be good, or excuses to be bad." 

The WOD God isn't the guy who wrote "For Time" this morning. He's not the maniacal character mulling over recent, past, and future programming ideas like they are scripture. He's not even the guy posting WOD after WOD each night via the thing that killed T.V. Mainly because he's not a guy...it's the whiteboard. Amen whiteboard.

The WOD GOD loves no one, and hates no one. The WOD GOD believes everyone can do what is written on it. The WOD GOD is objective, prescriptive, reactive, just, and un-compromising. With the WOD GOD there is only Black and white. You WOD in the dark, and record in the light...the WOD GOD knows no grey.

Sometimes CFer's try to cheat the WOD GOD. They think even though it demandeth 15 reps, they know better. "Ahh if I can do 10, I could have done five more", they reason to themselves. the almighty WOD GOD may reward them with praise for the day. But praise for what...fastest cheater, biggest liar, most deceptive. For the WOD GOD doesn't care when you cheat. In fact at CrossFits around the world CFers only care you try, not that you win. No, The WOD GOD doesn't care if you right down faster times than you really achieved, but everyone else involved with WOD GOD may. And interestingly, WOD GOD may call you out one day.

The WOD GOD could give two shits about your drunk fest last night. Your beer bloated ass is still gonna have to Double Unders to finish. And no those sexy burn victim wrapped hands won't buy you a spot in the sit-up corner come pull-up day. The WOD GOD careth-not....bleed some more.

So your day at work was shit and all you want is to come in and blast through your favorite CrossFit move...but Overhead squats are preached from WOD GODs clouds, and that damn sure ain't your bread and butter. Well suck it up. WOD GOD knows better than we all do, and your worst day at work, is someone else's &%#$ing vacation, and trying something you suck at is always better than smashing something your good at....live by this.

WOD GOD presents it disciples with a sure fire way to the promise land, and even though we may not quite get all the verses memorized, we may forever scale a move or two, and sometimes we may curse the very heavens from which it came. Its not about WODing sinless-ly free from scale or MOD. Its about living consistently at the shrine always willing to do whats right to make us better, and ask for forgiveness when we inevitably fail. And of course bringing outsiders to worship with us.

So cherry pick the WOD GODs gospel if you like..inevitably you will begin to do this in life, and life loves to bite you in the ass, and every-ones knows, cherry pick enough, and there will be no orchard left. Cheat if you desire, your growth will be sluggish at best physically, and mentally it may just go backwards. Scaling and modifying are not only accepted but praised when done to make the WOD harder, shunned when used to make the WOD easier. Tithe before you leave with your signature and record in as many places as possible with a promise to return, and pray another day.

*Attention all Open WOD competitors. If you have yet to enter your score do so here, and now. I must verify them after you enter them. 

 Strength:

Press

1,1,1,1,1

Push Press

3,3,3,3,3

Push Jerk

5,5,5,5,5

Post weights used to comments.

Does The Color Of The Chess Pieces Really Matter If We Are All Pawns...

"Once you realize what a joke everything is, being a Comedian is the only thing that makes sense." 

Everyone is a King once. Or once a day, or even multiple times. A queen for a day, can be a Queen for a minute. Knights are glorious when your a rook. But at some point, we are all someone else's pawns, and someone is always ours. 

Cannon Fodder is a military term used to describe troops who are expendable. Usually front line men, infantry. Young and boorish fighting to keep the old and indigent alive, or the spoiled and repugnant lazy. In the game of chess Cannon Fodder would essentially be the pawns in the front row meant to draw out the forces across the board for a sure victory. In chess victory is impossible without losing a piece or two..chess is life.

Black and White:

In the game of chess, just as the game of life, there are sides. Opposing forces with different ideals, regions, religions, goals and the like. Essentially different colors. At the exact moments we become Kings or Queens we seem to exalt ourselves above the pawns on our side and the side opposing us forgetting that every King was a pawn, and that every reigning monarch is somebodies bitch sometime. Kingship is temporary just like life.

That being said how is it possible to fight so vigorously against other pawns. Is it just because they are on the other side? Is it just because they are a different color? Is it just because we are still following some kind of "Voluntary Servitude" to a King? A sort of "do as I say" mentality, followed by a promise to provide nationwide order, protection and solace....and oh yeah pay your %$#&ing taxes.

Once An Enemy Always An Enemy:

We seem to rate folks based off of first impressions. A sort of instinctual guide hopefully keeping the naysayers behind the line where we can see them. However, people change, we sometimes look through the eyes of the self-righteous knight as opposed to the humble pawn. When this happens, is your pride so much to bear you will no longer let the other-side of the board join your own, hopefully to dispel with the eternal chess board all together.

Fanaticism is when too much zeal combines with eternal pride, and instantly we lose forgiveness forever. We spend our time burning down the ideas, and attacking the pieces on the other side forgetting that once its burned there is no coming back...ashes make poor allies.

Its Good To Be The King:

A just King will realize sacrifices will need to be made to achieve the goals best suited for his people as a whole. Remember there is a heaven and a Hell, and folks will go to both. When it comes your chance to wear the crown, be it frequent or infrequent, will you recall what it feels like t be a pawn? Will you do your best to keep a few saintly knights around, or will you sacrifice even he Queen at your side for your own personal success? Will you sacrifice your Queen for the success of the entire board?

Forest Gump had his shit all twisted up because life isn't at all like a random box of chocolates. Life is a board set out for us to read with necessary sacrifices that need to be made for the greater good of all those around us. Placing yourself at the front line ready to take one for the team, makes you appreciate the crown a lot more when its your turn. And true appreciation coupled with a heart for others, enabling choices that serve the many, as opposed to the few is a King others will remember, and hopefully aspire to be.

Strength:

Rest

For Score:

Run-800 Meters 

Max Rep-Deadlift 135-185

AMRAP 7 minutes

Rest One Minute

Run-400 Meters

Max Rep-Muscle-up

AMRAP 5 Minutes

Rest One Minute

Run-100 Meters

Max Rep-Lunges

AMRAP 3 Minutes

*Each Separate WOD begins with a single run effort. The remainder is spent accumulating reps at the RXD event for a total rep score.

Post total reps to comments.