Established in 2008, CVSC is Cache Valley’s premier training facility with services ranging from personal training, program design, athletic team conditioning, HyperFit group classes and more.
If you are like the majority of today's workforce or students, you are sitting at a desk for hours a day. This usually means, 'tight' hips. Here's 8 great yoga moves that help loosen you up.
Basic Stretches For Tight Hips
Try out a little quiet yoga morning routine (even 5 minutes is a great start to your day) or incorporate a couple before a workout. Focus on your breathing & listen to your body - it shouldn't hurt!
Here's an article from Tabata Times about Midline Stabilization worth reading:
Coach Glassman defines midline stabilization as “…rigidity along the spine during functional movement.”
"I believe this is the first, and one of the most important skills, any CrossFit athlete should master. Why? It’s all about safety and efficiency. Anytime we let our head and spine come out of alignment during exercise, we increase the potential to injure ourselves. It’s pretty obvious to see how poor midline stabilization can lead to injury. Beyond the safety and proper mechanics involved when we have midline stabilization, it also allows us to be more efficient and powerful."
" I like to equate our midline to a transmission of a car, whereas our sexy butt and legs (throw in our shoulders and arms too) are our engine. A rock solid midline allows us to transfer all the power from our prime movers to whatever heavy, nasty object we are trying to sling around, including just your body. "
Read the article (link below) for 6 steps to achieving stabilization and avoid rounded deadlifts, 'slinky' pushups & painful thrusters.
"Lack of time is the most commonly cited excuse for not exercising. But surveys suggest that those who exercise regularly are just as busy with their jobs, families and other responsibilities as those who don’t work out. So the time excuse is just that: an excuse." - Matt Fitzgerald via Seven Tips For Balancing Training With Life
There are very few of us who have the luxury of training whenever it feels convenient, and for the rest of us, it often is very inconvenient. Waking up at the crack of dawn before the kids wake up, after a long day of work, during your lunch break, snuck in between classes, the weekends when you could be sleeping in, or just seasonally.
These sacrifices of time can sometimes feel daunting and in some cases, create job and family conflict. Its then you have to ask yourself what is most important and how to make it a priority. With good planning and realistic adjustments, working out can be a consistent, beneficial addition to your week. Courtesy of triathlon.competitor.com are seven tips for finding that balance between all the things that are important to you.
Make a Schedule
"Sit down and write out what you do and when you do it in a typical workday. Look for any waste or excess that can be addressed to create more training time."
Focus on Quality "...before you even look for ways to increase the quantity of your training, first increase its quality."
Be consistent "Consistency is the most important characteristic of an effective training regimen. So if you don’t always have time for what you consider a “full workout” every day, then at least try to do more than nothing every day."
Read the full list here and assess whether your habits and goals are insync. Eliminate those things that are wasteful or harmful and prioritize the good, whether that be more quality time spent with the gym, your spouse or your career. You don't have to pick one either, a healthy balance means honestly putting those things in order and devoting them the time they deserve. Make time for the things that matter.
For anyone that loves to watch their favorite CrossFit athletes compete amongst the best in the world, this past week was the best time of the year to turn on ESPN. The 2014 CrossFit Games in Carson, California crowned the fittest man, woman and team. If you didn't get a chance to watch live, here's some highlights of the week and footage of your fitness idols fighting for the podium courtesy of AllThingsGym.com
The 4th of July has long past, but for all Utahans, the second excuse to light fireworks and overeat is upon us. Pioneer Day, July 24th is coming up and there will be a lot of difficult food choices to be made. To make the barbeque a little easier, why not prepare a side dish that fits your nutritional goals and provides everyone with a healthier option to the marshmallow 'salad'. Courtesy of PaleOMG, here are 50 4th of July recipes that will work just fine for your next family get together. A few sure hits include :
Chunky Pineapple Guacamole with Sweet Potato Chips
Artichoke Lemo Pesto Chicken Pasta
Pulled Pork Waffle Sliders (yes, I said pork AND waffle)
or finish up with a Salted Caramel Ice Cream Sandwich
We all are guilty of it at some point or another. "I wish I had started Cross Fit when I was his age!" "I'm too old for that stuff." "Just think what I could do if I'd known about this 10 years ago."
We feel too old, and too late to really achieve our 'prime' fitness. Now its just trying to hold things together & 'get through this'.
But this believe that physical fitness, athletic prowess is reserved for 18-24 year olds is a fallacy. Just because you didn't discover the power of High Intensity Training, mountain biking, swimming or weightlifting until you were in your 30's, 50's or 80's does not mean you can not achieve a level of fitness new to you. Of course, your training will have to be different, and less aggressive than if you were 18, but you have the capacity to still do things and feel how you never have before. Matt Foreman wrote about getting into weightlifting later in life and why its not such a bad thing compared to his lifetime of work:
"I hit all of my best lifts when I was 26. I snatched 341 back then. Now, I’m 41 and I snatch around 280. I’ll probably never get back to 341. That means I’ll never set another lifetime PR. But those of you who are starting at an older age still have a long run of PRs ahead of you. Maybe you’re not going to compete in the Olympic Trials, but you’re still on the way up. You’ve just learned how to do the OLifts. Even if you’re an old person, you’re still going to get that climbing-the-ladder phase we all experience in our early training years. You probably won’t be lifting the same weights as the young studs in their 20s, but so what? What you’re doing is still awesome."
-Matt Foreman via "A Weightlifting Lesson from Miley Cyrus"
So you can't compete with the 20- somethings, but you also have the chance to hit numbers and times and lifetime goals that you have missed out on when you were too young to care about fitness & nutrition. Some kids have the unique capacity to become masters in their sport as a young age, but most of us were too busy trying to get a date to focus or too poor to eat anything but frozen chimichangas and stay up all night. And luckily, we were young enough that our bodies thrived anyway.
But as you age the importance of regular exercise increases dramatically. Without it, our bodies are losing muscle mass, bone density & mobility. You aren't just 'holding it together' with regular metcons; every day you choose to be active and healthy you are strengthening your bones, improving mental clarity & fighting Alzheimers, preventing heart disease, and living longer in general, and with consistency, achieving similar health benefits to those who have been exercising their entire lives!
And finally, understand that some of the best 'athletes' in any given gym are not necessarily those finishing first or lifting the most. The great thing about discovering new hobbies and passions later in life is the capacity to approach it with the humility of being a novice at 50 & the wisdom of knowing your body has limits. Or as Oscar Wilde put it, "I'm too old to know everything". When you are young, your body will take the abuse of poor movement patterns & overly-heavy weight but as we age your body won't tolerate bad form or poor mobility. You may be slower to load up the bar & quicker to correct mistakes - markers of a great client and habits of a 'lifetime athlete'. A good coach will recognize that the presence and persistence of athletes at every stage of life are the markers of a truly successful gym.
The choices we make every day and at every age can help shape our golden years to be a lot more gold. Channel your inner Jacke LaLanne and do not let age be your excuse or crutch.
1. How did you find out about CrossFit?
I started looking for a gym after I started reading that exercise, in particular weight bearing exercise, was an excellent way of staving off osteoporosis and dementia. I was on my own and i wanted to do what i could to maximize the chances that i'd grow old strong and self-reliant. I started at a gym where you do your own thing. I went regularly for 6 months but i really didn't know what i was doing. So, I started asking around and Jozanne, a mom of Manning's friends, told me about it.
2. What is your favorite Crossfit exercise or WOD?
My favorite wod? I can't think of any. But that's what I love. The variety. I come in and with trepidation and excitement both, I check out the board and it's almost always like opening up a gift.
3. How long have you been CrossFitting for?
I'm embarrassed to say but I think like 6 years now. Embarrassed because I still refuse to whip myself doing double unders, still struggle to get my chin over the bar twice in a row. But on the other hand it's a testament to how amazing this gym has been for a middle-aged lady who never knew anything about exercise her whole life to return week after week. I remember how excited I was when I finally could do 1 toe push up. I hadn't even been trying, had been doing knee ones. Now, wherever I go, I ask people to show me how many toe push ups they can do without stopping. My 90- year-old Dad got to the floor, for instance, and did more than I thought he would do.
4. What do you do for a living?
I'm a clinical psychologist.
5. What are your hobbies?
Hobbies? Being a mom. My work. Cooking. Eating. I get into memoirs, historical fiction. I love traveling to pastoral parts of Asia. I love checking out restaurants when I travel. And of course, crossfit.
6. What are your goals?
At crossfit my goal is always to finish. That may not sound ambitious but I'm always totally spent after a wod and changes in my body have happened anyway. For instance, one day it dawned on me that arthritis that had bothered me for years didn't anymore. Also, i was changing in front of the mirror one day and jumped because I didn't recognize my body!
7. Why do you CrossFit?
It began with staving off old people's diseases. It still is. But now it's a family affair with Dave and Manning and the wonderful wonderful people here I've met through the years.
8. Any advice for future CrossFitters?
Stick it out. You won't regret it. It's a great overall investment in your life. Really.
This article from the Poliquin Group, "Seven Mistakes Women Make When Trying To Change Their Bodies" has great crossover application to men as well but primarily focuses on myths perpetuated in women's weight loss & fitness magazines and popular media. A couple key being
#1. Focusing on Getting "Toned"
#6. Fearing Dietary Fat
Read the full 7 mistakes list here and educated yourself, male or female, on what dietary and training methods work best for you goals.
Oftentimes in the pursuit of physical fitness we try out new training programs to garner new results. And with most people new to a sport/program/challenge, its not all PRs and victory laps. Its just a lot of hard work. Grueling, hard work. You might find yourself in the middle of a long set of burpees and decide that this programming really isn't right for you. First off, making decisions while doing burpees isn't the best idea. And secondly, ask yourself, "WHY do I want to switch/quit this program?"
If it involves any of these, you should first talk to your coach and tell them your concerns before you just jump the bandwagon. And if its any of the last two, you may have to ask yourself if you are A. following the program correctly and B. if the program is smart. C. if you have been following long enough to measure its success. If it is indeed a healthy program you are following well then results may just take longer than you expect & jumping to a new program that has more pullups and less rowing might doing yourself a major disservice. As Glenn Pendlay wisely wrote,
"...Giving in to temptation is almost always wrong. Assuming you are following a well balanced program to begin with, have some faith. The road to the top is always filled with curves, and the road will only get longer if you jump around from one thing to another in your training.
A good solid belief in what you are doing and a willingness to stay the course and put the required amount of work will get you to the finish line a lot quicker than changing your training program every time you hit a bump in the road.
If you can’t do this, then just like Darth Vader, I find your lack of faith disturbing. "
Glenn Pendlay via Glennpendlay.wordpress.com
So don't be the guy coaches can't stand. Have some stick-to-itiveness, set some goals, and may the force be with you.
1. How did you find out about CrossFit?
I had two wonderful friends (Raegan and Klair) who were members of this crossfit and they spoke highly of it. They also look great (which is good marketing for the gym!). It seemed like a good fit for the things I like in a workout.
2. What is your favorite Crossfit exercise or WOD?
I love the workouts where the intensity is high and the movements switch quickly. I feel like I can do anything for 30 seconds, or for 10 reps, then come back to it over and over, as opposed to doing something 50 or 100 times in a row (which I will do, but not quite as enthusiastically). In fact I think that’s what keeps me coming back. If every workout was 100 burpees and 200 wall balls I would have been out of here I long time ago. :) I push myself a lot harder and enjoy it a lot more when I realize I actually accomplished a lot of movements, but it switched often enough that I didn't have time to feel sorry for myself.
3. How long have you been CrossFitting for?
I started about 5 years ago, for a few months after my daughter was born. When I was pregnant with my second I was on exercise restriction for the duration of my pregnancy so I took time off and came back after my son was born. So I guess I’ve been coming consistently for three and a half years.
4. What do you do for a living?
I’m a professor at Utah State University in the department of Family, Consumer, and Human Development. I teach classes in Aging and do research on dementia and reducing stress for family caregivers, and functional ability in older adults.
5. What are your hobbies?
I love to garden, cook, ski, travel, fish, and hike.
6. What are your goals?
In general my goals are about consistency. When I come to crossfit often, I feel great and pants fit better. When I try to do too much in a week, my husband is out of town and I can’t get a sitter at 6:00 am, or otherwise “don’t have time” for workouts I fall behind. So my goal is to keep this momentum going, even when life gets busy. I also have a fantasy of someday being able to do double unders (3.5 years and a $25 jump rope hasn’t helped).
7. Why do you CrossFit?
There are MANY reasons this works for me. The fact that I am working out in a group keeps me accountable and helps me push myself. When I run by myself and there is a steep hill, I’m perfectly happy to walk (“walking is good for me!”) , but when I’m tired during a crossfit workout I keep going to avoid looking like an idiot.
I am terrible at things like step classes or Zumba. Jami and Brad have never asked me to shake my bootie (although I would do it if they asked me to).
I have always been a jogger but even after completing a ½ marathon I still didn’t feel like running was the “thing” I was going to get into.
The time component is important to me – I love that I can feel more exhausted in 12 minutes at crossfit than after 60 minutes of other workouts.
I love this gym – I enjoy the people I work out with (sorry I’m so grumpy at 6:15am – If you saw me later in the day you would see that I actually am a very happy person), and the coaches are amazing. They push me but I always feel safe. I have never had an injury (unless you count being REALLY REALLY SORE as an injury).
I also love the focus on healthy food. Crossfit has changed the way I think about food, and the way I cook. I love food, especially sharing meals with friends, and if I’m not exercising enough or being smart about food especially when I’m socializing a lot, I gain weight. About 12 years ago I wanted to lose 10 pounds and tried weight watchers, and even though it worked, I was hungry and unsatisfied that a healthy meal meant fake food (fake fat free cheese seems to be a staple in many WW recipes). I have never done a full blown Paleo diet, but I adopt a lot of the core principles and I have done several challenges through the gym and they work. And the food tastes great.
8. Any advice for future CrossFitters?
You need to stick with it for 3 months before you decide if you want to stay… I was so sore in the beginning and I was tempted to take some advil and quit coming. After 3 months I really saw the results and I wasn’t sore every single time I went. Also, for people that think it will be too hard, or who hate group workouts, I would say that it is a great program for any level of fitness. Even though you are working out in a group, no one cares if you finish first or last – everyone is just focused on their own workout. It’s a really supportive environment.
Check out his informative infographic on from Fatigue Science on the importance of sleep to athletic recovery and performance. Many top athletes in their field sleep 9 hours and more and attribute that directly to their ability to train hard and be successful.
While you may not be an Olympic hopeful or have the luxury of training as a full-time job, making adequate sleep a priority will reflect positively throughout your work and training. Sleep deprivation can mean "increased levels of cortisol, decreased activity of human growth hormone, and decreased glycogen synthesis." [via Washington State University] This means slower recovery, slowed reaction time & lowered performance.
Bottomline: There is no substitute for a good nights rest & adequate sleep will help you perform optimally and recover faster. But if you find yourself running a little low, even a 15 minute power nap can drastically increase your productivity and alterness.
