Monday WOD

Its supposed to warm up some and be sunny tomorrow so here is a fun WOD to start a new month.

You can pick an exercise to start but you have to do all three to make a round

3rds for time
Row 500
Run 400
100 Double Unders

Post times to comments

Barefoot running easier on feet than running shoes

http://barefootrunning.fas.harvard.edu/index.html

New research casts doubts on some major assumptions

January 27, 2010
Rebecca Hersher '11
Harvard College
New Harvard research casts doubt on the old adage, “All you need to run is a pair of shoes.”

Scientists have found that people who run barefoot, or in minimal footwear, tend to avoid “heel-striking,” and instead land on the ball of the foot or the middle of the foot. In so doing, these runners use the architecture of the foot and leg and some clever Newtonian physics to avoid hurtful and potentially damaging impacts, equivalent to two to three times body weight, that shod heel-strikers repeatedly experience.

“People who don’t wear shoes when they run have an astonishingly different strike,” said Daniel E. Lieberman, a professor in Harvard's new department of human evolutionary biology and co-author of a paper appearing this week in the journal Nature. “By landing on the middle or front of the foot, barefoot runners have almost no impact collision, much less than most shod runners generate when they heel-strike.

“Most people today think barefoot running is dangerous and hurts, but actually you can run barefoot on the world’s hardest surfaces without the slightest discomfort and pain. All you need is a few calluses to avoid roughing up the skin of the foot. Further, it might be less injurious than the way some people run in shoes.”

Here are videos of runners with and without shoes, and other extensive information about the findings.
And here's a video interview with Daniel Lieberman, produced by Nature.
Working with populations of runners in the United States and Kenya, Lieberman and his colleagues at Harvard, the University of Glasgow, and Moi University in Kenya looked at the running gaits of three groups: those who had always run barefoot, those who had always worn shoes, and those who had converted to barefoot running from shod running. The researchers found a striking pattern.

Most shod runners — more than 75 percent of Americans — heel-strike, experiencing a very large and sudden collision force about 1,000 times per mile run. People who run barefoot, however, tend to land with a springy step toward the middle or front of the foot.

“Heel-striking is painful when barefoot or in minimal shoes because it causes a large collisional force each time a foot lands on the ground,” said co-author Madhusudhan Venkadesan, a postdoctoral researcher in applied mathematics and human evolutionary biology at Harvard. “Barefoot runners point their toes more at landing, avoiding this collision by decreasing the effective mass of the foot that comes to a sudden stop when you land, and by having a more compliant, or springy, leg.”

The differences between shod and unshod running have evolutionary underpinnings. For example, said Lieberman, our early Australopith ancestors had less-developed arches in their feet. Homo sapiens, by contrast, has evolved a strong, large arch that we use as a spring when running.

“Our feet were made in part for running,” Lieberman said. But as he and his co-authors write in Nature: “Humans have engaged in endurance running for millions of years, but the modern running shoe was not invented until the 1970s. For most of human evolutionary history, runners were either barefoot or wore minimal footwear such as sandals or moccasins with smaller heels and little cushioning.”

For modern humans who have grown up wearing shoes, barefoot or minimal shoe running is something to be eased into, warned Lieberman. Modern running shoes are designed to make heel-striking easy and comfortable. The padded heel cushions the force of the impact, making heel-striking less punishing.

“Running barefoot or in minimal shoes is fun but uses different muscles,” said Lieberman. “If you’ve been a heel-striker all your life, you have to transition slowly to build strength in your calf and foot muscles.”

In the future, he hopes, the kind of work done in this paper can not only investigate barefoot running but can provide insight into how to better prevent the repetitive-stress injuries that afflict a high percentage of runners today.

“Our hope is that an evolutionary medicine approach to running and sports injury can help people run better for longer and feel better while they do it,” said Lieberman.

The Nature paper arose out of the senior honors theses of two Harvard undergraduates, William Werbel ’08 and Adam Daoud ‘09, both of whom went to Africa with Lieberman to help collect data for this study.

Lieberman’s co-authors on the Nature paper are Venkadesan and Daoud at Harvard; Werbel, now at the University of Michigan; Susan D’Andrea of the Providence Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Providence; Irene S. Davis of the University of Delaware; and Robert Ojiambo Mang’Eni and Yannis Pitsiladis of Moi University in Kenya and the University of Glasgow in Scotland.

The research was funded by the American School of Prehistoric Research, the Goelet Fund, Harvard University, and Vibram USA.

With a continuously running clock do one 135 (w - 95#) pound Clean and Jerk the first minute, two 135 pound Clean and Jerks the second minute, three 135 pound Clean and Jerks the third minute... continuing as long as you are able.

http://media.crossfit.com/cf-video/cfj-nov-05/clean-n-jerk.wmv

This is the last WOD I am programming before I deploy. Dave will take over beginning next week. I want to thank everyone for making our box such a great place to train and helping create such an awesome community!! We have a ton of new Level 1 certified trainers and you can expect to see them helping with classes shorty.

If you want to keep up with what WODs Andy, Phil and I are doing downrange, click the picture of the Soldier on the left side of the blog. It will take you to Centurion CrossFit Fort Hood Forward, where we will be posting all the CrossFit fun we will be enjoying in Iraq. Here is the link: http://crossfitforthoodforward.blogspot.com/

We have four people training for the CrossFit Games Sectionals. Please plan a road trip to Austin to cheer them on and support them, when they compete March 13 - 14. If you have never been, you cannot believe the energy and community at a Games qualifier. It's also a great place to pick up CrossFit kit. All the rowers in last year's Regionals were brand new and shipped in the the competition and then sold at a large discount.

Finally, if you are wondering why I have not been in the gym hitting WODs, I had a CT scan of my lungs yesterday and I have lower left lobe pneumonia. I have had pneumonia since late December but they have been slow to properly diagnose and treat it (I was wondering why last week's WOD sucked so bad!) I am on some strong antibiotics now and hopefully, that will fix me. Hopefully I will be back in the box hitting a WOD with you guys at least once or twice before I deploy.

Thursday's WOD

Deadlift:

3-3-3-3-3-3-3

http://media.crossfit.com/cf-video/CrossFit_DeadliftIntro.wmv

AMRAP in 15 minutes of:
10 Kettlebell Swings (m - 1.5 pood / w - 1 pood)
8 Push Ups
6 Thrusters (m - 75# / w - 50#)

Tuesday's WOD - Strength Training! Compare to 23 Oct 09

"The Bear"


7 Sets of the Sequence:
Power Clean

Front Squat

Push Press

Back Squat

Push Press

5 Rounds - rest between rounds as needed, increase weight each round

The Rules:

• you CANNOT set the bar on the ground at any point during your 7 set sequence - even to regrip it!


• break up or combine the movements in any way so long as the following are met:


• the clean starts at the ground and finishes standing at full hip extension


• the squats must go below parallel and the presses finish locked out overhead


• jerking is acceptable, as are squat cleans and deadlifting then hang cleaning


• the squats and push presses can be distinct or combined into thrusters


• you cannot receive the clean in a squat and go directly into a thruster, you must stand first


• there is no time component, rest anywhere but on the ground

Good bye to great friends and trainers!

Joel & Reagan, you guys will be missed!! Good luck and if you guys ever need anything, don't hesitate to ask!

Congratulations to all the new Fort Hood Level 1 CrossFit trainers! Thanks to CrossFit HQ for holding the cert here and a huge thanks to Todd, Jon, Bobbi, Stephan, Miranda and Crystal for the outstanding training!!

5 rounds of:
15 Push press (m - 95# / w - 65#)
10 Burpees (must jump and touch pull-up bars with hands for burpees to count)
25 Box jumps (m - 24" / w - 20")

Fish Oil
Macronutrient

OVERVIEW



Summary
Fish oil contains a powerful form of essential fatty acid called omega-3 — a healthy, "good fat." Because survey's indicate as much as 90% of the American population is deficient in good fats, such as those found in fish oil, many people are turning to fish oil supplements to support optimal health and performance.

Other names for Fish Oil
omega-3, EPA, DHA

Where to find Fish Oil
Fish oils are found in cold water fish, such as salmon, mackerel, tuna, trout, halibut, and sardines.

Note All fish oils deteriorate rapidly when exposed to light, heat, and metals.


PERFORMANCE BENEFITS



Why athletes use Fish Oil
People from all walks of life use fish oil to support the overall health of many of the body's major systems, including the immune, cardiovascular, nervous, and reproductive systems. Active individuals especially are finding that fish oils and other essential fatty acids are not only essential for optimal health but improve performance as well.

Shown to decrease muscle breakdown, decrease inflammation, increase muscle growth, speed recovery time, support hormone secretion, and support healthy joints and connective tissue, fish oils have a wealth of benefits for any athlete.

Ways that Fish Oil can enhance Muscle Gain & Recovery:

Reduce inflammation in muscles and joints to speed recovery time
Maintain the health and structure of connective tissue and joints
Support testosterone levels for optimal muscle development
Ways that Fish Oil can enhance Longevity:

Dramatically decrease triglyceride levels to reduce the risk of heart disease


HEALTH BENEFITS



Signs of Fish Oil deficiency
No deficiency conditions are known to exist.

Potential uses for Fish Oil
Research indicates that Fish Oil may be useful in the treatment of:

Asthma
Skin conditions, such as eczema or psoriasis
Skin allergies
Cardiovascular disease
Arthritis
Inflammatory bowel disease
Cancer
Hypertension (high blood pressure)
Menstrual pain


DISCUSSION



More about Fish Oil
Fish oil contains a powerful form of essential fatty acid (EFA) called omega-3. But unlike most forms of omega-3 EFA's, fish oil contains high amounts of linolenic acid, which is converted into EPA (eicosepanteanoic acid) and DHA (docohexaenoic acid). These essential fatty acids are needed to make a family of hormones called "eicosanoids." They are made in the body from alpha-linolenic acid and are essential for normal brain functioning and are also involved in regulating blood pressure and immune response.

EPA and DHA have been shown in research to dramatically decrease triglyceride levels and significantly reduce the risk of heart disease. Recent research published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition examined the effects of omega-3 fatty acids on improving blood pressure and reducing the risk of ischemic heart disease. During the 7-week study, 38 middle-aged men and women who had elevated cholesterol levels took either eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), or a placebo. While the placebo group experienced no change, both groups on the omega-3 fatty acids enjoyed significant declines in plasma total triacylglycerol amounts, which appears to help prevent cardiac risk by improving the elasticity of large arteries.

Researchers have also found that DHA influences mood because it is the major EFA in the central nervous system. In fact, studies have found that people with low levels of DHA tend to have higher levels of depression.

In addition to their well-known heart benefits and possible mood-enhancing effects, the EFA's in fish oil also regulate prostaglandins, which are essential hormone-like substances that support many of the major systems in our bodies, including the immune, cardiovascular, nervous, and reproductive systems.

What does this have to do with performance?
Fish oils may support athletic performance in a number of ways. Studies show the EFA's in fish oil decrease muscle breakdown, increase muscle growth, reduce the time it takes muscles to recover after exercise, aid in the transfer of oxygen from the lungs to the bloodstream, and enhance a wide range of metabolic and hormonal functions.

In addition, studies have drawn a close correlation between diets low in omega-3's and decreased testosterone production. For example, one study found that individuals with a 36% dietary fat intake compared to individuals with a 7% fat intake had an average of 22% higher testosterone levels.

This finding is of particular interest to male athletes on reduced-fat nutrition plans. Because testosterone plays such a key role in building muscle size and strength, athletes with low fat intakes may be compromising their muscle development. But keep in mind, we're not talking about just any kind of fat. We're talking about the "good unsaturated fats" (omega-3 essential fatty acids) and not the artery-clogging saturated fats found in burgers and fries.

Cell protectors of the most impressive kind, omega-3 EFA's also help construct the membranes in every cell in our bodies, protecting the cells from harmful invaders and contributing to their structural integrity. For this reason, fish oil is often recommended for people who suffer from arthritis and other painful joint conditions. Research shows that the omega-3's in fish oil lubricate dry, brittle joints, decrease inflammation, and help maintain the health and structure of the connective tissue surrounding the joints.

In truth
Loading up on fast foods is not the solution. If that were the case, most Americans would not have to worry about getting enough EFA's. The challenge is we don't get enough of the right kinds of fats. In fact, surveys indicate that as much as 90% of the American population is deficient in the "good fats" found in fish oil.

Eating plenty of cold water fish is one solution, although it's not a guarantee. Unfortunately, a number of factors can block the conversion of linolenic acid into EPA and DHA, including excessive alcohol consumption, zinc deficiencies, a diet high in processed vegetable oils and sugar, and high cholesterol levels. That's why so many people are turning to fish oil supplements rich in linolenic acid and omega-3 EFA's in addition to making dietary changes.


NOTES ON USAGE



Amount
Some experts recommend 2 to 9 grams (1 to 2 teaspoons) of fish oil to prevent omega-3 essential fatty acid deficiencies and 9 to 18 grams per day to support optimal health and performance. Studies have shown that as little as 2.6 grams a day can reduce arthritis pain.

Timing
It appears to be best to consume fish oils with (or as part of) meals.

Tip
When consumed with hot liquids, fish oils are more likely to create the well-known fishy breath. This isn't a good thing if you're on a date or looking forward to intimate discussions with friends.

Synergists of Fish Oil
No synergists have been noted.

Toxicity of Fish Oil
No known toxicity.

Bans and restrictions
None reported.


RELATED RESEARCH




Alexander, J.W., "Immunonutrition: The Role of Omega-3 Fatty Acids," Nutrition 14.7-8 (1998) : 627-33.

Anderson, G.J., and Connor, W.E., "On the Demonstration of Omega-3 Essential-Fatty-Acid Deficiency in Humans (editorial)," Am J Clin Nutr," 49.4 (1989) : 585-7.

Brilla, L.R., and Landerholm, T.E., "Effect of Fish Oil Supplementation and Exercise on Serum Lipids and Aerobic Fitness," J Sports Med Phys Fitness 30.2 (1990) : 173-80.

Horrobin, D.F., "The Importance of Gamma-Linolenic Acid and Prostaglandin E1 in Human Nutrition and Medicine," J Holistic Med 3 (1981) : 118-39.

Nestel, P., et al., "The N-3 Fatty Acids Eicosapentaenoic Acid and Docosahexaenoic Acid Increase Systemic Arterial Compliance in Humans," Am J Clin Nutr 76 (2002) : 326-30.

Prisco, D., et al., "Effect of Medium-Term Supplementation with a Moderate Dose of n-3 Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids on Blood Pressure in Mild Hypertensive Patients," Thromb Res 91.3 (1998) : 105-12.

Sargent, J.R., "Fish Oils and Human Diet," Br J Nutr 78.S1 (1997) : S5-13.

Schmidt, E.B., and Dyerberg, J., "Omega-3 Fatty Acids. Current Status in Cardiovascular Medicine," Drugs 47.3 (1994) :405-24.

Yehuda, S., "Essential Fatty Acids Are Mediators of Brain Biochemistry and Cognitive Functions," J Neurosci Res 56.6 (1999) : 565-70.

Friday's WOD

For time:

Lunge 400 meters

Jenn and Erin preparing for sectionals by running the Fort Hood Stadium with body armor on!

Joel and Reagan will be back this Wednesday! Stop by at noon to tell them good bye and thanks for everything!! They will be at the "stink & drink" following the first day of the Level 1 cert on Wednesday - this will be their last time in the box before they head to Fort Campbell - you guys will be missed!!!

Also, tomorrow at 1900, i will be at the box setting up for the Level 1 cert, if you are free, come on out and help!

Remember - there will be no classes held Wednesday or Thursday due to the Level 1 cert. We will be back to normal on Friday.

WOD:

AMRAP in 12 minutes of:

10 Box Jumps (m - 24" / w - 20")
8 Burpees
6 Front Squats (m - 135# / w - 80#)

Some running shoes no better than high heels?

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/34824451/ns/health-fitness

Running shoes, decked out with the latest cushioning, motion control and arch support technologies, may not be as beneficial to your feet and joints as you might think.

A new study finds that running shoes, at least the kind currently on the market, may actually put more of a strain on your joints than if you were to run barefoot or even to walk in high-heeled shoes, and the increased pressure could lead to knee, hip and ankle damage. The scientists don’t recommend ditching your high-tech sneaks, however, as going barefoot on man-made surfaces could also prove harmful,

While exercise is no doubt beneficial for overall health, running and walking put stresses on your joints that may predispose you to getting osteoarthritis in those areas, said Dr. D. Casey Kerrigan, who conducted the study while at the University of Virginia, where she was a professor of physical medicine and rehabilitation. Osteoarthritis is the breakdown of cartilage in your joints, which can lead to bone rubbing on bone, causing pain, Kerrigan explained. Walkers and runners should try to minimize forces on their joints to prevent this damage, she said.

In previous work, Kerrigan and colleagues had shown that women's high-heeled shoes cause an increase in pressure on the knee joint, specifically in areas where osteoarthritis typically develops, compared with walking barefoot. Since cushioning in running shoes can also create a slightly elevated heel, Kerrigan decided to investigate whether or not these shoes also increase these potentially damaging forces.

Running on a ‘bathroom scale’
The study enrolled 37 women and 31 men who ran recreationally, at least 15 miles (24 km) per week. The subjects were then studied in a "gait laboratory," running either barefoot or with a typical running shoe. The subjects had markers on their knees, hips and ankle joints, and as they ran, cameras picked up these markers, allowing the researchers to see how the joints moved.

The subjects ran on a treadmill that contained a forceplate, a device Kerrigan describes as a "glorified bathroom scale." With each step, the forceplate provided measurements of the magnitude of their bodyweight forces on the joints, and the direction of those forces.

They specifically looked at torque, twisting force, which in this case mainly came from the participants’ bodyweight. For example, if you stand on one leg, your bodyweight would put more pressure on the inside part of your knee than on the outside part, causing a torque at the knee, Kerrigan explained.

The researchers found an increase in this torque for the knees, hips and ankles when the participants were wearing running shoes, as compared with when they were running barefoot.

Specifically, they saw a 38 percent increase in torque in areas of the knee where osteoarthritis develops, Kerrigan said. Such a large increase was surprising, she said, because it was greater than the increase in knee torque she had observed for women wearing high heels, which was only 20 percent to 26 percent.

Kerrigan noted the study only provides an estimate of the joint forces, and not the exact forces, because the methods used do not directly measure the forces inside the knee and other joints. However, there are other studies to support that these types of estimates do match up fairly well with the actual forces inside the joints.

Is barefoot better?
Should you ditch your running shoes altogether? While the results might seem to suggest that you should go barefoot — a way of running that has recently become popular thanks to the best-selling book "Born to Run," by Christopher McDougall, in which the author argues that barefoot running is better for you — Kerrigan says that’s not the case.

"I'm concerned, I don't think this study should promote running barefoot," she said. "I think people should run in what they feel most comfortable running in ... and whether that's in a pair of running shoes or in a minimum kind of running shoe, that's just fine."

The problem with running sans shoes is that most of the man-made surfaces we run on are not "compliant" — they don't give, or compress, at the right time to absorb the peak forces on your joints, Kerrigan said.

"We've evolved to run on compliant surfaces, not on asphalt or concrete," she said. "You run on something hard, your body has to work that much harder to help absorb those forces, and that can lead to stresses and strain, wear and tear, really throughout the whole body."

Also, while certain aspects of shoes, such as arch support, may not be the best for your knee joints, they do protect the foot itself, and may help prevent other injuries, such as shin splints, Kerrigan said.

Kerrigan does have what she believes is a better running shoe system in mind that she thinks would help to minimize the harmful joint torques. She is currently developing her patented shoe design through JKM Technologies, LLC, a manufacturing and information technology service company of which Kerrigan is chairman.

The results were published in the Dec. 2009 issue of the PM&R, the journal of American Academy of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation.

Is the Military Getting Soft?

Robert Nickelsberg/Getty, for The New York Times - A U.S. Marine does pull ups while wearing nearly 50 pounds of gear and ammunition in Khan Neshin, Afghanistan.

January 13, 2010, 11:36 am

Is the Military Getting Soft?
By TIM HSIA

Rank doesn’t matter, nor does it count if your father was a general or a sergeant major: Anyone who reports to his or her unit on Day One in poor physical condition has lost the respect of fellow soldiers.

One company commander in my previous unit enjoyed testing his new lieutenants with a five-mile run at a blistering pace the day they arrived, followed by pull-ups, push-ups and a gamut of other calisthenics.

Perhaps this commander was channeling his inner Gen. David H. Petraeus, who once said, “When we bring a new guy in, I take him out for a run …. I want to know how he’ll react and respond to the challenge, what his strength of character is.”

While the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq have changed the military’s doctrine and equipment, physical fitness is still a trait that commanders state is of paramount importance. When my unit was deployed, the battalion commander, Lt. Col. Rod Coffey, stressed the importance of physical fitness by holding several athletic competitions. My previous commander, Maj. Charles Ford, often stressed the importance of physical fitness by citing statistics that correlated survivability on the battlefield after receiving a wound with one’s physical fitness level.

As a platoon leader I tried to inspire my privates at 6:30 a.m. to be motivated about their physical fitness, telling them, “Besides professional athletes, the military is one of the few places where you get paid to work out.”

Today’s military has spiced up physical fitness in numerous ways such as incorporating crossfit, which has a large military following. It also encourages soldiers to move beyond calisthenics by utilizing the weight room in gyms. Additionally, combatives (grappling) competitions or playing soccer while wearing body armor are some ways in which leaders have creatively incorporated physical fitness into their military training.

Despite the military’s stress on physical fitness, many senior officers and noncommissioned officers I have spoken to are adamant in their beliefs that today’s soldiers are physically softer than the soldiers of yesteryear.

One recent study substantiates this notion, as a Pentagon estimate stated that close to one-third of youths in America are physically unfit to serve.

These statistics point to a troubling trend for the services as the quality of future recruits could deteriorate. Lt. Gen. Mark P. Hertling, in the Training and Doctrine Command, has stated that the physical fitness of new recruits is his number one priority. But is this push for physical fitness too late in the recruits’ lives to effect meaningful changes in their physical fitness level? And will the downward trend in society in terms of obesity and general health inevitably lead to a softer, less capable military?

Many leaders complain that more of their soldiers gain weight while deployed than lose weight. They cite the lack of mandated time set aside for physical training and the “all you can eat” buffet style of military dining facilities overseas.

While the conditions in Afghanistan and Iraq vary from base to base, in the majority of the large bases, the food in the dining facilities overseas is better, and the portions are larger, than ones Stateside. So while some defense analysts worry that the United States is falling behind in terms of cyberwar capabilities, at the other end of the spectrum is the fear that American troops today are just not physically tough enough.

Toughness beyond just physical fitness is a trait that cannot be quantifiably measured. In one instance when the Taliban scavenged the equipment from fallen American soldiers, they “took nothing … other than their boots”, presumably because they lacked proper footwear. Stories like these, and the Taliban’s ability to defeat the Soviet Union, are why many in the military have a healthy dose of respect for their adversaries.

Holiday Schedule

There will be no organized classes Friday or Monday due to the MLK holiday. Feel free to come in and do a WOD on your own though. The next Foundations class will be Friday 22 Jan.

Also, we are hosting a Level 1 cert Wednesday and Thursday so there will be no classes either day. We'll be back to our normal schedule on Friday the 22nd. The gym should also start being open on the weekends beginning in February - stay tuned!

Thursday's WOD

"Lynne"

Five rounds for max reps of:
Body weight bench press
Pull-ups

ATTENTION: Friday is a training holiday so there will be NO Foundations class taught! The next Foundations class will be Friday 22 Jan 1130 - 1300.

Just found this link - it's video from the Killeen Daily Herald article they did on the box - check it out here: http://www.kdhnews.com/multimedia/

Wednesday's WOD

For time:

100 Tire flips and jumps

Tuesday's WOD - Strength Training!

Good job today everyone!! That was a smoker but everyone hung in and attacked it. Look for yourselves in Wednesday's paper.

Back Squat

3-3-3-3-3-3-3

Monday's WOD

"Legal Drinking Age"

3 rounds for time of:

21 K2E

21 KB Swings (m - 1.5 pood / w - 1 pood)

21 Push-ups

21 Double Unders

21 Box Jumps (m - 24" / w - 20")

21 Wall Balls (m - 20# / w - 14#)

42 Walking Lunges

Okay, looks like the Killeen Daily Herald personnel will be there for Monday's noon WOD. I'll finally be back as well, thanks to modern antibiotics!

Friday's WOD

Three rounds for time of:

Deadlift, 15 reps (m - 225# / w - 155#)
5 Handstand push-ups
10 Pull-ups
Thruster, 15 reps (m - 95# / w - 65#)

Also, we will have a reporter and a photographer from the Killeen Daily Herald at the WOD tomorrow so wear your best CrossFit stuff and get in the paper!

Thursday's WOD

For time:

10,9,8,7,6,5,4,3,2, & 1 rep rounds of:
Ring dips
Burpees

5 rounds for time:

50 ft OH walking lunges (m - 45# / w - 25# bumper plate)
15 KB Swings (m - 1.5 pood / w - 1 pood)

Sorry I have not been there this week. I currently have some crappy virus and am running a temperature several times a day. As soon as it breaks, I'll be back!

Tuesday's WOD - Strength Training!

Deadlift

5-5-5-5-5

Monday's WOD

“The Hangover”

As many rounds in 20 minutes:

400m Run
30 Wall Balls
15 Ring Dips
7 Pull-ups
20 Double Unders

Excellent Nutrition Site I just discovered

This is a new site I found a few days ago and has some excellent info - it reinforces that which we already know: http://www.paleonu.com/

Here is his 12-step process for getting started with your Paleo diet:

PaNu - A modified paleolithic diet that can improve your health by duplicating the evolutionary metabolic milieu.

How do you do it?

Here is a 12- step list of what to do. Go as far down the list as you can in whatever time frame you can manage. The further along the list you stop, the healthier you will be. There is no counting, measuring, or weighing. You are not required to purchase anything specific from me or anyone else. There are no special supplements, drugs or testing required.*

1 Eliminate sugar (including fruit juices and sports drinks) and all flour

2 Start eating proper fats - Use healthy animal fats to substitute fat calories for carb calories. Drink whole cream or half and half instead of milk.

3 Eliminate grains

4 Eliminate grain and seed derived oils (cooking oils) Cook with butter, animal fats, or coconut oil.

5 Get daily midday sun or take 4-8000 iu vit D daily

6 Intermittent fasting and infrequent meals (2 meals a day is best)

7 Fruit is just a candy bar from a tree. Stick with berries and avoid watermelon which is pure fructose. Eat in moderation.

8 Eliminate legumes

9 Adjust your 6s and 3s. Pastured (grass fed) dairy and grass fed beef or bison avoids excess O-6 fatty acids and are better than supplementing with 0-3 supplements.

10 Proper exercise - emphasizing resistance and interval training over long aerobic sessions

11 Eliminate milk (if you are sensitive to it, move this up the list

12 Eliminate other dairy including cheese- (now you are "orthodox paleolithic")

If you can do step 1, that is about 50% of the benefit and alone a huge improvement on the standard American diet (SAD) By about step 6 you are at about 75% , by step 9 about 80% and at 10 you are at 99% for most people.

Here is the skeleton of the theory:

Insulin is a phylogenetically old hormone. It is a biological messenger that in excess, is metabolically saying the following to your tissue and organs: "Go ahead and store energy, and go ahead and mature, reproduce and die." Excess insulin in humans is linked to diabetes, alzheimer dementia, metabolic syndrome, obesity, coronary disease and cancer.

We did not evolve under conditions of insulin excess. Food was intermittently available and not superabundant like today. Scarcity and famine were frequent everywhere until recently in evolutionary time. Preferred foods were available year round and dense in calories and nutrients. Animal products, including organs and bone marrow of mammals, fish, and invertebrates (insects) were the preferred foods, supplemented by edible plants (not grains) until the dawn of agriculture. Fruit was seasonal and not yet bred for maximum sweetness. Food was eaten less frequently, had lower carbs than the typical American diet which is about 60%, and was supplemented by often involuntary periods of intermittent fasting and lower calories overall.

We are not adapted to chronic hyperinsulinemia.

We are also not adapted to eating grass seeds, to which we have been significantly exposed for only about 10,000 years. They contain molecules that are specifically designed to discourage consumption, as well as other problematic chemicals.

The diet is not about eating exactly what "cavemen" ate, or killing your own food. It is solely about duplicating what I believe are the key elements of the internal hormonal metabolic milieu that we evolved under from especially less than 1 million years ago to about 10,000 years ago. This is likely to be achieved not by eating specific things, but more by not eating specific things.

Calorie restriction is a severe, uncomfortable way to have low insulin levels and if calorie restricted (starving) your insulin levels can be reasonable even if your carb percentage is high. However, with calorie restriction you can get muscle wasting, fatigue and weakened immune function. In animal models, calorie restriction increases longevity substantially. Remember the metaphorical message of insulin? It says, "Mature, Reproduce and then Die". This message is attenuated by having low insulin levels.

Is there another way to live in a world of abundant food without being hungry all the time, yet avoiding the risk of immune dysfunction associated with eating grass seeds that cannot even be eaten without mechanical processing and cooking ?

Yes, you can work your way down this list.

Check the website occasionally for more details - I will elaborate as time allows - or you can post questions in the comment section of the blog.

* This is not medical advice. I am confident this is the healthiest way to eat based on currently available science. However, if you have any serious medical condition that requires treatment and in particular if you take medication for diabetes, thyroid disorders or autoimmune diseases, make dietary changes only in consultation with your physician. Your medications may need to be adjusted, as you may well need less of them!