Post Christmas Binge

I went off the rails Christmas night and had some ice cream, chocolate covered almonds, and some other chocolaty goodness. However, I still managed to get to the gym on Friday Saturday and Sunday to stay on schedule with OPT Big Dawgs..

Friday: Test Day
1 Rep Max Power Clean
500 Meter Row

PC: 225#
500m: 1:30.7, Avg Watts 468, PR by 2 seconds


Saturday X-Mas Double Day:
5 sets:
5 front squat/5 push press/5 thrusters
rest 20 sec
20 unbroken CTB chin ups
rest 4 min
(add weight per set for FS/PP/TH)
+
1 Thruster every 30 sec from rack for 10 min
(change loads as needed - work @ 90% effort per rep)

rest 6+ hours

Run warm up 10 min @ easy pace
Run faster every minute for 5 minutes getting to a high HR only in last minute
rest walk 1 min
Run 2 min all out - record max HR at last 30 sec of this 2 min interval
rest 5 min
Run 20 min @ 65% of this MAX HR score above

Results:

Did 5 strict Pull ups before 15 Kipping Pull Ups each set
weight in pounds per set:95/100/105/110/115
Front Squats and Thrusters are a very week movement for me... Need to improve core strength in the rack.
Thruster WOD weight - 5 mins at 135# and last 5 mins @ 145# 1 missed rep
Heart Rate of last :30 sprint was 189 and cals burned in that 2 mins -51


Sunday Funday Double Day:
A. Clean Grip DL @ 11X1; 12 sets of 2 @ 55% 1RM Dead Lift; rest 45 sec
B. 1-5-1-5-1 ring HSPU ladder not for time - perfect reps
C. GH Raises @ 10X0; 10 x 4; rest 60 sec
D1. Front Leaning Rest on rings - 45 sec unbroken x 4; rest 30 sec
D2. GHD Sit Ups @ 2020; 12 x 4; rest 30 sec

rest 4+ hours

Airdyne:
5 min warm up @ 50% effort
+
8 sets:
1 min @ 90% effort constant pace
1 min @ 50% recovery pace
+
5 min cool down @ 50% effort
(record avg cals/hr for 1 minute efforts @ 90%)

Results:
A)200#
B)Completed on Paralettes
C)Completed
D1,2) Completed, broke up the FRL in sets of two after first round
Part2:
1800,1790,1660,1620,1600,1580,1550,1530,1500

Tomorrow will be a much needed rest day. Need to get back on schedule with my food and Mobility/Recovery.

Return of the Blogger!!

I'm Back..
This blog is more for me.. to help keep me on track with my food and my workouts. I lost my focus this summer and with it went my diet, training consistency and work ethic.. But a recent visit from James "OPT" Fitzgerald, and with the added push of the Big Dawgs at Naples RedLine, helped me get my mind right. I'm proud to say I'm officially back and will be better than ever!

Todays WOD:
1 Hour Row for Max Meters... should be a blast! will report back later with results.. goals: keep my 500m/around or under 2:05 and get somewhere between 14,000 - 14,500m. wish me luck

Results: 13,690 meters
Avg Watts - 154
Avg/500m - 2:11

I ended up doing a double day.. I put this row off as long as I could and did the OPT Test early in the morning.
The Test went as follows:

For Time
12,9,6 reps of:
Squat Clean - 155#
Muscle Ups

The sub for muscle up is 3 x Chest to Bar Pull ups/Ring Dips.
My Muscle ups aren't back yet so I went the sub which was easier for me than the squat clean. I really need to improve my front squat and rack position (core stability). Big Weakness of mine.
My Time was: 14:55. still pretty good but a lot of room for improvement. Rest Day today with another OPT Test Friday Morning then a double wod on Christmas:) What a perfect gift!!

Mat Lalonde - Words to Live By:

Here's a quick breakdown of the genius that is Mat Lalonde:
Mark, Seriously, don't get me started on the Zone.
A few things to recommend. 1) If you want to lean out, minimize fructose and linoleic acid consumption by following the nutrition prescription I give in the seminar: eat meat, vegetables, tubers, roots, bulbs, avocado, coconut, olives, as well as animal fats and oils.
Avoid: grains and grain-like... See More substances, cereals and pseudo cereals, legumes (including green peas, green beans, soy, peanuts and beans of all varieties), and dairy.
I'd get rid of nuts, seeds and fruit as well with the exception of lemon, lime, coconut, avocado, olive.
I'd recommend going low-carb (<10% of calories from carbohydrate for 2-4 weeks), then reintroducing the carbs in the form of starchy vegetables, roots, tubers, and bulbs. The induction period (2-4weeks low-carb) is to override any hysteresis of sugar burning genes. Yes, it will suck but it will make sure you are preferentially burning fat for fuel.
I would then move to a cyclic low-carb plan where you remina on a ketogenic diet all the time with the exception of one meal where you ingest anywhere between 100-200g of carbohydrate in the form of starchy vegetables, roots, tubers, and bulbs. Do this for a while and see how you look feel and perform. If you initially lean out and eventually plateau, increase the frequency of the carb refeeds until you are in a scenario such as the one Robb describes (carb-rich meal post metabolic conditioning that contains about 50% of the day's carbohydrate calories).
The percentage of calories in the diet should be in line with the level of high intensity exercise in which you partake. I typically recommend that Oly- and powerlifters stick with a low-carb ketogenic diet (<10% of calories from carbohydrate). The extra fat in the diet allows these athletes to assimilate more protein and gain more muscle mass.
As intensity of exercise increases, percent of calories from carbohydrate can increase to levels that fuel performance but maintain low body fat percentages. Everyone is different here but I simply don't see why any CFer would require anything above zone levels of 40%. It all depends on body fat percentages, type of activity, level of intensity and volume of training, tolerance to carbohydrate, etc... This is why I think the one-size-fits-all prescription of the zone is ridiculous.
Lastly, nutrition is not the end all be all here. You need to minimize stress, get plenty of sleep (at least 8 hours per night) and train smart. by smart I mean a periodized strength program that is in line with your goals coupled to short (<10 min) mixed modal metabolic conditioning sessions (also depends on your goals). Unless you are training for the games, there is no need to go into the >10 min range for met cons. Trust me, less is more here.

Hang Power Snatch Practice

After my 5.3.1 I did a little Hang Power Snatch Practice
5 sets
5 reps @ 45#
3 reps @ 95#
3 reps @ 115#
3 reps @ 125#
1 rep @ 135#

5.3.1. Wendler Strength Re-Test

Today, Anthony and I decided to go into the box and Re-Test all of our Max Efforts on the Four Major Lifts - Bench Press, Dead Lift, Squat, and Military Press. This has been a very hard week for me, going on 6 straight days of Working Out. I should have taken Saturday off, but I couldn't pass up the chance to do a Fight Gone Bad. So I went in to this with very low expectations.. Planning on going up in weight by 5 pounds or so per lift.

Lift/Previous Best/Today's Best

Military Press/138#/140# - PR by 2#

Dead Lift/345#/360# - PR by 15#

Bench Press/225#/240# - PR by 15#

Back Squat/235#/290# - PR by 55#!!

I never thought, in my wildest dreams, that after the week I've had going in struggling with the Back Squat and doing all the leg exercises I've put my body through did I think I was going to PR here let alone be 10 pounds short of hitting 2 of my Goals - 300# Back Squat and 800 Crossfit Total (790#)! Really Great Feeling!! Now time to rest up and get back to my 2nd Cycle of Wendler 5.3.1.

Here is the video of Anthony and Me setting some PR's!

FIGHT GONE BAD

Today, one of the local Crossfit Affiliates, Real Fitness, invited all the local Crossfit Affiliates to compete in a big Fight Gone Bad!! Crossfit Redline, my box, was well represented as was Crossfit Blaze and Crossfit Estero. Even some of the LuLuLemon girls went at this monster. For those of you unfamiliar with Fight Gone Bad it goes like this:
3 Rounds for As Many Reps as Possible of:
1:00 min. of Wall Balls @ 20#
1:00 min. of Sumo DeadLift High Pulls @ 75#
1:00 min. of Box Jumps @ 20"
1:00 min. of Push Press @ 75#
1:00 min. Row for Calories
1:00 min Rest

This is meant to recreate how a professional MMA fighter feels doing a 3 round fight. Inspired by BJ Penn, who actually named this WOD: When asked how he felt after it he said, "It felt like a good fight gone bad!" There is also a championship version of this WOD which is of course 5 rounds.

It was my first time through this hell and I almost puked on the last round.. I managed to get 287 reps.. Was shooting for 300 or better but fell just short.. Anthony, owner of Redline, killed it with 328 reps I believe. Everyone had a great time and we all had a nice BBQ/my Going Away Party at Rocky's House after the hell. I will be doing this WOD again very soon to try to break the 300 mark!

MCGHEEEEEE!!!!!

Wow... What a WOD!
McGhee was the latest Hero WOD that CF Main Site posted sometime last week..
It breaks down like this:

As many rounds, plus additional reps, as possible in 30 Minutes of:
5 - Dead Lifts @ 275#
13 - Push Ups
9 - 30" Box Jumps

Anthony, the owner of Crossfit Redline, and myself decided to give this WOD a go on Sunday.
If we were going to do this WOD a month ago I guarantee we scale it down to something like 225#. We just simply were not strong enough to move that kind of weight for max reps in 30 minutes.. But just after a week of 5.3.1. Wendler strength program, that weight was very "do-able" I'm not saying it was easy, but we both were able to do double digit rounds.. I got 15 rounds and Anthony busted out 16!! 15 rounds is equivalent to 75 Dead Lifts or 20,625 pounds lifted in a half hour.. That's a lot! It definitely took us to the edge here and this is what Tuesday.. I'm still feeling it in my Back, Calves, Shoulders, etc.. I'm just sore. Luckily this week is an unloading week in 5.3.1. and the weight is going to be very light.. Only 40%, 50%, and 60% for 5 reps each..

Here is a link to some of that video!

First 3 minutes - http://www.facebook.com/video/video.php?v=1332106035917&ref=mf

12 Minutes in - http://www.facebook.com/video/video.php?v=1332091475553&ref=mf

Last 2 Minutes - http://www.facebook.com/video/video.php?v=1332068674983&ref=mf

This Sunday, we plan on testing out our new Max Efforts for the Four Major Lifts - Dead Lift, Squat, Bench Press and Military (shoulder) Press before I leave for Whistler British Columbia, Canada to run the David Leadbetter Golf Academy for the summer!
I'm really gonna miss this place and all the new friends I've made thru crossfit. But hope to come back bigger, faster, and stronger than ever and look forward to making some new friends at Crossfit Whistler!!

Olympic Lift Practice Session

Here is a little Olympic Lifting Practice session I did the other day.. Same day as the low bar back squat. In this I work on some light weight Clean n Jerks, Snatch Dead Lifts, 3 Position Snatch - High Hang, Mid Thigh, and Below the Knee. Also a full Snatch.

Low Bar Back Squat Form Practice

After Watching my Low Bar Back Squat I decided to go back that same afternoon and do a light form practice session.. Here is the Low Bar Back Squat Video

Low Bar Back Squat

This morning I decided to try the Low Bar Back Squat position on my 5.3.1. Squat day.
5 reps at 160#
3 reps at 180#
Max reps at 205#

This position felt absolutely horrible and my form needs a lot of practice... With that said I feel this position will help me go up in weight on the Squat and hopefully help my first pull from the Clean and Snatch Position.

Google Mark Rippetoe - Low Bar Back Squat.. He goes into great detail of the physics and reasons for this position.

I also threw in 3 sets of 10 reps of Light Over Head Squats @ 95#- Focus being slow down and a hold at the bottom.. Something close to 2 seconds down, hold for 2 seconds in bottom and Explode Up and repeat (22X1)

I'm going to continue with the low bar squat until I get comfortable with the bar position and learn how to keep my back arched on the way down!!

Wendler 5.3.1. Strength Update

Wendler 5.3.1 Strength Update:
I realized I never really explained this program.
So here is how it all works:

Its all about Steady, Slow Progress.. There is now 3 month program for gaining strength.. This is something that will take a lifetime. So the overall Philosophy is Start Light and Consistent Progress over time!

1) Start by finding your 1 Rep Max for the Four Main Lifts that you will be performing - Military or Standing Press, Dead Lift, Bench Press, and Back Squat.
My 1 Rep Max for the lifts:
Press - 138#
Dead Lift - 345#
Bench Press - 225#
Back Squat - 235#

So as you can see, I am in need of some SERIOUS Overall, Functional Strength if I ever want to achieve the goal I have set for myself!

2) How the week by week Training breaks down:
You now take 10% off each of the 1 RM and you find your "Training 1 RM"
This is the number you will be working off of during your training.
Training 1 Rep Max:
Press - 125#
Dead Lift - 310#
Bench Press - 202#
Back Squat - 212#
Rounded up or down.

3) Its all about Percentages!
The Cycle breaks down into 4 weeks as follow: remember % off of "training 1 Rep Max"
Week 1
65% x 5 reps
75% x 5 reps
85% x 5 or More reps

Week 2
70% x 3 reps
80% x 3 reps
90% x 3 or More reps

Week 3
75% x 5 reps
85% x 3 reps
95% 1 or More reps

Week 4 -is a "deloading" week. Prepare for next weeks cycle
40% x 5 reps
50% x 5 reps
60% x 5 reps

So you notice the first 3 weeks the last set is as many reps as possible.. Your goal is number given but you want to go for as many as you can. You can then use this number to compare with other maximum efforts and track your progress. You can also find your Estimated 1 Rep Max with the following equation:
(Weight in # x Reps x 0.0333) + Weight in # = Est. 1 RM
The following Cycle (which is 4 weeks) you increase your Upper Body Training 1 Rep Max by 5# & and your Lower Body Training 1 Rep Max by 10# and work the same percentages!

4) My Schedule
3 Days On, 1 Day off, 2 Days On, 1 Day off
Tuesday, Wednesday, & Thursday - Press, Dead Lift, & Bench Press
Friday - Off
Saturday - Back Squat
Sunday - Olympic Skill Practice or Max Rep Day plus a Long or Medium Time domain Metcon WOD

I also add supplemental training at the end of each day. As the overall goal is to get strong, these moves end up being quite different from your typical Crossfit Metcon style WOD. But I do my best to keep it interesting. I usually keep the Supplemental stuff similar to the body part I am lifting that day.
For Example:
If I am doing a Bench Press day, I might do something like:
3 Sets of as many reps as possible Weighted Ring dips, followed by Tabata Mash of Pushups and Situps.. Or close grip bench press or, 7 Rounds of Hang Power Clean @ 95# increase by 10# every sets and alternate 10 Unbroken Push ups for time.

Today - 4.13.10
Warm up - 500m light row followed by hip and shoulder mobility work..
Then some light dead lifts with a snatch grip and some others with a clean grip plus the fat grip enhancements.. (makes the bar fat and kills your forearms!!)
5.3.1. Dead Lift Week 3
5 Reps @ 75% = 226#
3 Reps @ 85% = 256#
1 or More Reps @ 95% = 287#
I blasted out 10 reps @ 287#, which gives me a new Est. 1RM of 382.5# That is 37.5# above my PR.. I'll test after my next cycle and see how close this number is.. I'm pretty excited just for the fact that it is close to my overall goal of 400+ pounds!!
Then my supplemental work went like this:
A1) Single Leg Romanian Dead Lifts w/ 25# dumbbells each Hand. 3 sets x 8 reps/leg
A2) 50 Yard Reverse Sled Drag Sprints w/ 135# on sled
+
For Time:
15, 12, 9, 6 Reps of
Sumo Dead Lift High Pulls with a 2 pood Kettle Bell
GHD Raises
(Alt. between exercises)
Time: 3:55

So that's the break down of Wendler 5.3.1 Starting Strength Program. Time to get BIG!!

Snatch Balance Work

Sunday 4-11-10

Decided to get a good workout in before the Final Round of the Masters!!

Drilled my Snatch Balance Technique and then worked up to a Heavy Single.

95# x 5
115# x 5
135# x 3
155# x 1
175# x 1
190# x 1
200# x Failed at the bottom


Felt pretty good.. Really focused on a shorter more explosive dip and drive and made sure I stayed at the bottom for a few seconds on the lighter warm up weights. I'm going to throw in some Over Head Squat work later this week.. Light weight High reps..

After a little break I did a little WOD courtesy of ME Black Box:

For Time:


65# Thrusters x 50 reps
Double Unders x 40 reps
1.5 Pood Kettle Bell Swings x 30 reps
45# Plate Overhead Walking Lunges x 20 steps (10/leg)
Burpees x 10

Time: 10:09

A little disappointed with my time.. Broken Kettle bell swings killed my time.. Could have done more there.. And the walking lunges were broken into 10's with a break that was way too long!! Burpees were unbroken but horribly slow.. Felt like I had 50# on my back!! With that said, this was a very fun WOD and I got the response I was looking for! No more metcons this week.. Focus is pure strength on all my Wendler Lifts before I go into the unloading week where I will be working on my Olift Technique!

Here's the video of my Heavy Singles Snatch Balance Work.
Snatch Balance Work 4.11.10 [HQ]

Week 2 of Wendler 5.3.1

Week 2 of Wendler 5.3.1 Strength Program



Already seeing a difference in my overall strength.. Especially with my Dead Lifts. The light weight is really helping me to dial in my form.



I mixed in a little Olympic Lifting on my Deadlift day.. Usually I throw together a short Metcon or some isolated Strength work.. but on this day I went for my 1 Rep Max in the Power Clean and Split Jerk from the rack.

I managed to Clean 220# which is a 5# pr from the Games (215#)

and Split Jerked 235# which is a 10# pr from the Games (225#)

Felt a little faster through the middle this time around. Just need to be faster getting under the bar on the jerk.

Here are the Videos: First clip is at 135#, Second - 220# clean and Third - 235#Split Jerk

Week 1 of Wendler 5.3.1 Strength Program

Just finished off my first week of the Wendler 5.3.1 Strength Program..
Found all my 1 Rep Maxs for the Military Press, Squat, Deadlift, and Bench Press.. Excited to see these numbers go WAY up in the coming months.

Threw in a fun WOD on Sunday

First I built to a Body Weight 1 Rep Power Snatch at 174 pounds...Failed 3 times at 180#.. So close though! Video at the bottom.

Then for Time:
15 Power Clean @ 135
30 Box Jumps 24"
10 Power Clean @ 135
20 Box Jumps 24"
5 Power Clean @ 135
10 Box Jumps 24"

Time; 5:40

Very very excited about the Power Snatch.. Need to clean it up a little bit to hit that 200 goal! Lots of weight in between 174 and 200 but that's what I hope to hit in the next 3 months.

Before and After

OK as promised.. Here are my "Before and After" Crossfit Photos! Please keep all jokes to yourself!! Starting weight 195 pounds - 5 months later 175 pounds!!

Training Day 66

Todays Training:

Toe was starting to feel better yesterday! Until one of my students hit me in the foot with their golf club!! Needless to say it was a little soar the next morning.. Still got a work out in but it was a slow strength workout.. Heavy Deadlifts mixed with some Hand Stand Push Ups..
3 Sets of 5 Deadlift at 275
3 Sets of 5 reps of HSPU

3 Sets of 3 Deadlifts at 315
3 Sets of 5 reps of HSPU

1 Deadlift at 325
Max HSPU - 10

I am in the process of starting a new training program.. One where I hope to gain a considerable amount of strength.. Its called Max Effort Black Box..

Training Day 66

"Unknown"

I know you...
I know you're bigger, faster and stronger than me.
I know your Fran time is lower, your 5k is quicker and your deadlift is heavier.
I know you have 1,000 views on YouTube.
I know you're a "WOD" warrior.

I know you, but you don't know me.

You don't know what's in my head, what's in my heart, what's in my soul.
You don't know that pain is my ally.
You don't know that sweat and blood are my training partners.
You don't know that I'm unbreakable.

I know you train in your temperature controlled gym with the tough sounding name while I'm training in garage exposed to the elements. In the heat and in the cold, in the humidity, rain and snow, I'm forging mental toughness. I'm tempering my resolve. I'm fueling my passion. I'm getting ready for the day that we meet.

I know your 1,000 YouTube views won't mean shit in front of 1,000 spectators. I know when the heat goes up I go big and you go home.

I know you don't know me...but you will.

Today's WOD: weight for Clean n Jerk - 155#
For Time:
1 Clean n Jerk
1 Round of Cindy (5 Pullups, 10 Pushups, 15 Squats)
2 Clean n Jerk
1 Round of Cindy
3 Clean n Jerk
1 Cindy
4 Clean n Jerk
1 Cindy
5 Clean n Jerk
1 Cindy
4 Clean n Jerk
1 Cindy
3 Clean n Jerk
1 Cindy
2 Clean n Jerk
1 Cindy
1 Clean n Jerk
1 Cindy

My toe is still a little tender so these clean n jerks were pretty tough..
Time: 18:57

Training Day 65

~Day 1 of Rotating Meats and Nuts Breakfast~

I recently read a post from on Crossfit Calgary written by Charles Poliquin (check my sidebar for more info on this guy). It reads:

The Meat and Nut Breakfast
The rotating meat and nuts breakfast for optimal body composition
by Charles Poliquin
When people ask me for the best single dietary tip of optimal leanness, energy and sustained mental focus, I invariably tell them to try the rotating meat and nuts breakfast. Clients ranging from NHL & NFL stars to corporate executives, rave about the increased mental acuity and focused energy they derive from this food combination. The meat allows for a slow and steady rise in blood sugar. The nuts provide a great source of healthy smart fats that allows the blood sugar to remain stable for an extended period of time.

Breakfast is the most important meal of the day. My seminar hosts are well made aware of it. It is a non-negotiable item. I am very grateful to have hosts all over the World that cater to my breakfast needs. My Dominican host Juan Carlos Simo always comes by the hotel with a kick ass breakfast. The best salmon I have ever had. Mats and Helen in Sweden bring me elk for breakfast.

What you eat for breakfast sets up your entire neurotransmitter production for the day.

If for some reason there is no host, lets say I am giving a seminar at a location I am not familiar, I always pre-scout where the best breakfast is served and simply choose steak and eggs, or a salmon omelet, or lox and poached eggs.

It is quite funny sometimes to see the reaction of the hotel staff when I ask for meat in the morning. For example in Tuscany, when I asked the chef for meat for breakfast, he had a look on his face like if I asked him to point in the right direction for the tunnel that links Rome to Oslo.

Multiple studies on employee productivity or on children’s attention patterns have demonstrated that a high protein breakfast does not only impact on the energy and productivity levels of morning till noon, but extended its positive way in the late afternoon.

Here a sample 5 day rotation of the meat/nuts breakfast. It goes without saying that you DO NOT ADD ANYTHING TO IT in terms of food or beverage.

Tea, coffee or herbal infusions are permissible, Milk and juice or other liquids are not allowed.

Day 1
• 1-2 Buffalo meat patties
• 1 handful of macadamia nuts
Day 2
• 1 large venison steak
• 1 handful of cashew nuts

Day 3
• 1-2 Lean turkey burgers
• 1 handful of almonds

Day 4
• 2 lean ground beef patties
• 1 handful of Brazil nuts

Day 5
• 2 chicken breasts
• 1 handful of hazelnuts

One of the other advantages of this system is that is reduces the development of food sensitivities which are known to increase cortisol in people. More than often enough, when we test first time clients for food sensitivities we find that they have antibodies to the food they have consumed on a daily for years. That is even more true in bodybuilders, it not uncommon to see them have allergies to beef, eggs, whey, casein, tuna and oatmeal, the basic bodybuilding staples.

What about if you are allergic to nuts?

I then recommend you a portion of the following low glycemic/low fructose fruits with your breakfast:

apricot?
avocado
blackberries
blueberries
grapefruit
loganberries
nectarines
olives
papaya?
peach?
plum?
raspberries
strawberries

Make sure that the fruits are organic, especially the strawberries, as they are one of the most sprayed crops in the World.

After breakfast, I recommend to use a teaspoon to a tablespoon of quality fish oil to mitigate even more the insulin response. That will insure top level concentration till your next meal.


So I have decided to implement this rotation to my breakfast on training days... Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, & Saturday, Sunday.

This morning I had 7oz of Grassfed Ground Beef Paleo Meatloaf with a handful of raw cashews.

Today's WOD:
Due to the pain in my big toe, I had to make my own WOD up this morning that didn't involve any Jumping, Landing, Running or Heaving Ground Lifting. I came up with the following

5 Rounds for Time of Unbroken Reps of:
15 GHD Sit Ups
10 Pull Ups
5 Body Weight Bench Press - (175#)

Time: 10:48 - lost some time trying to walk to and from the different stages with a bum toe.. But this ended up being a tough test for me. Great work out.. Hope to be back at 100% either Thursday or Saturday for sure!!

Back At It!!!

Finally got back to the gym!!! Took 7 Days off to rest, recover and eat like crap! And I loved every minute... I had 2 Pints of Coconut Milk Dark Chocolate swirl Ice Cream, a Twix Bar, and a Dark Chocolate Bar!! First cheat meal in 3 months.. It was heaven!! But I paid for it the next couple of days.. When I finally got back in the Gym the first time my legs felt very heavy and I was sluggish. All the weights were heavier than usual and my heart rate went up right away on the first move.. But I ate a great dinner and got 10 hours of sleep and was ready to go on Sunday for an OPT Bench Workout.. And I felt like I was back to about 90%
I'm now in preparation to compete in a "Mini Crossfit Games" being held in Miami by Crossfit Blueprint. All the guys and gals that went to the sectionals are competing, as well as a few new ones! Should be an awesome time in South Beach!!
The WOD:
"Every Rep Counts"
As Many Rounds as Possible in 20 Minutes of:
10 Wall Balls - 20#
10 Box Jumps - 24"
10 Deadlifts - 205#
10 Burpees - 10

Results:
I ended up with 7 complete rounds and 25 reps. Overall grade probably about a B-
Should be 100% in a few more days.. Ready to "Eat Bees" as OPT says!!

UPdate:
Had a little minor procedure today to fix my Toenail... Might be sidelined a few days from jumping and running.. Still gonna try to do a work out.. Maybe some Pullups, Bench press...anything to stay off my foot.

Sectionals Update

Well, my WPB Sectionals Weekend was a blast.. Didn't do as well as I wanted to.. I got a pretty picky judge in my first WOD and she took away all of my reps in the 2nd and 3rd round.. I was on a pretty good pace I got 27 Kettlebell swings first round then hit a bit of a wall and only got 8 on the 2nd.. Then the third round the judge was making me redo my man on fires and I was unable to complete a Kettlebell swing in that round.. Meaning that my score was only the first 2 rounds.. After I was done I was watching a few others go and their form was way worse than mine and every one of their reps counted.. What can you do.. Next time I won't give them a reason to questions my range of motion.

The 2nd WOD wasn't one of my strengths either but I thought I did ok.. Finished in the middle of the pack.. Ripped my hands pretty bad on the Pull Ups but was able to finish them and the Thrusters that followed without even feeling my hands.. I think my whole body was numb at this point.

3rd WOD I ended up setting a personal best on both the Power Clean Lift @ 215 pounds and the Push Jerk Lift @ 225 pounds. Felt Great with this performance and was so pumped to hit those weights.. My previous best for both were 185 on the power clean and 205 on the Push Jerk.

4th WOD was a 1500m Row, 400m 60# Sand Bag Sprint up a hill, Then a 2k Run... Finished with a total time around 21 minutes.. The run killed me.. But I smoked the row.. I kept a 1:45 pace and it felt very easy.. Good form. The sandbag sprint was easier than I thought.. I took it kind of easy to save myself on the run, probably could have snuck out a minute or two if I would have pushed a bit more on that sprint, but I didn't know I would feel for the run. I don't do a lot of running and was unsure how to pace.. Just another aspect of my fitness I need to work on!!

Just want to thank my parents for the all the words of encouragement and also all the guys and girls at the Redline Box and OPT for the training program! Could not have done it with out all of you!! Thanks!!

Here are a few videos of my lifts.. You can also see them as well as some pictures on my Facebook.

No Grains

Why We Don’t Eat Grains

A. Grains provoke an inflammatory response in the gut

Lectins are specialized proteins found in many plants and foods, but are found in high concentration in grains (particularly wheat), legumes (particularly soy), and dairy. The most commonly referenced grain lectin is called “gluten”, but there are many others which are found even in pseudo-grains like quinoa. Lectins serve many biological functions in animals, but foods with high concentrations of lectins are harmful even if consumed in moderate amounts.

Lectins are hardy proteins that do not break down easily, and are resistant to stomach acid and digestive enzymes. They migrate through your digestive tract largely intact, and disrupt the intestinal membrane, damaging cells and initiating a cascade of events leading to eventual cell death. (Translation: lectins destroy the cells that line your intestines, leading to small “microperforations” or tiny holes in your intestinal lining.) These holes allow intact or nearly intact proteins, bacteria and other foreign substances to cross into the bloodstream – where they do not belong. As the immune system notices foreign substances in the body, it responds and attacks. The immune response can manifest in an unlimited number of conditions (not just in the digestive tract!) commonly referred to as “auto-immune” in nature.

It’s important to note that these cautions are not just critical for those with a diagnosed Celiac condition. These negative downstream effects happen to everyone who eats grains, to various degrees.

B. Grains spike insulin levels

Grains pack a whopping amount of carbohydrates in a very small package. As most grains are also heavily processed (yes, even whole grains) they are broken down into blood sugar (glucose) in your body very quickly. A high amount of ingested carbohydrate broken down very fast leads to a spike in blood sugar. The body, demanding homeostasis, then releases a massive dose of a hormone called insulin to pull blood sugar levels back down. This is often referred to as an “insulin spike”.

When too much blood sugar is present in the system, your body quickly runs out of places to store it as useful energy, and will store any excess as body fat. In addition, when too much insulin is present in the system, the cells in your body become desensitized to the hormonal “message” insulin is trying to send. Since the message isn’t getting through, your pancreas is prompted to release even more insulin when your body does not need it. Finally, chronically high insulin levels lead to a condition in which your body has trouble releasing the energy already stored in your cells. This is a bad place to be. If (via a diet high in carbohydrates) this pattern continues, insulin levels continue to rise, fat stores continue to grow and the body becomes completely incapable of responding to its own directions.

C. Grains have an acidifying effect on the body

A net acid-producing diet promotes bone de-mineralization (i.e. osteopenia and osteoporosis), and systemic inflammation. Grains are one of the highest acid-producing food groups. By replacing grains and grain-containing processed foods with plenty of green vegetables and fruits, the body comes back into acid/base balance (and a more positive calcium balance). Recent research out of Tufts University has also shown that a more alkaline diet preserves muscle mass. We like muscle mass.

D. Grains are “empty calories”

All grains – things like oatmeal, pasta, breads and cereals – have two things in common. They are calorically dense, and nutritionally meager. A small portion of grains packs a whopping amount of calories, almost all in the form of carbohydrates. All those calories, however, contain a miserly amount of vitamins, minerals and phytonutrients (also called phytochemicals). Compare the calories, carbohydrates and vitamin profile of two large slices of whole grain bread (100 grams) to one cup of chopped, cooked broccoli (184 grams – nearly twice the mass). (Nutritional stats from NutritionData.com)

Note that we’re not saying there is nothing good to be found in grains. They do contain vitamins and minerals in various proportions and amounts. But the serious down sides of grains far outweigh any potential health benefits. Bottom line – there is NOTHING found in grains that you can’t get from a better source with NO down sides (like vegetables, fruits, nuts and seeds).

-Crossfit Optimum Performance

Crunch Time

Ok just 1 more day til Sectionals and they finally released the WODs for the weekend!! Here they are!!

Another in the laundry list of sectionals going off this weekend is Florida. Here's a look at the events that will be taking place over the weekend.

WOD 1

Every 2 minutes for 4 rounds of:
150m Sprint
5 Rolling Burpees (AKA "Man on Fire")
Max Rep Kettlebell Swings (M:70#, W:53#)

Score = Total Kettlebell Swings

WOD 2

3 Minutes Max Box Jump (24/20 inch)
1 Minute Rest
3 Minutes Pull-ups
1 Minute Rest
3 Minutes Thrusters (M:115#, W:83#)

Score = Total reps for all 3 exercises

WOD 3

In 10 Minutes:
1 RM Ground-to-Chest
1 RM Chest-to-Overhead

Score = 2 loads combined is total score

*May be 2 complete separate movements at different weights. May use rack for Chest to Overhead.

WOD 4

For time:
1500m Row
400m Sandbag Run (60/35lbs)
2000m Trail Run

Score = Total time



I feel pretty good about all the movements. None of my major weaknesses are here which will help. More worried about pacing on the 4th WOD and also how my work capacity starts to drop off in the 1st WOD.. Nothing to scary about the 3rd WOD.. Just gonna have to set a PR and be happy with it! 2nd WOD seems pretty tough.. Heavy Thrusters will favor the big guys but hopefully they are gassed from the Box Jumps and Pull Ups.. Need to make up most of reps on the Box as pull ups and thrusters will definitely by my weakest movements.

Here is a link to live scoring for all the sectionals.. http://scores2010.crossfit.com/ Look under the FL Sectional and Ill try to keep up with some pics and videos at the end of day 1. Here I go!!

Rest Day

~ 5 Days til Sectionals ~

Post workout Nutrition Strategies
The following is basic information and is not a prescription or a one size fits all approached to nutrition. You will have to find the combination of protein, carbs and fats that works best for you.

Whether you’re following Paleo, Paleo-Zone, Zone or some other sensible eating plan one thing that we should all have in common is a strategy to refuel our bodies after our workouts.

Before we go any further however, lets look at the foundation for all of your meals; macronutrients.

Protein- the building block of muscle and the most important thing to consider for your post WOD nutrition. During your workout, muscles will suffer micro-trauma or small tears. The only way to quickly begin protein synthesis or repair is to ingest protein. Choosing the right type of protein is also an important consideration. Since our goal is to quickly begin the repair process, whole food protein sources like chicken, beef, fish and pork take too long to digest to be effective and who wants to eat a steak after a workout. Protein powders are a much better option. They contains ample amounts of protein that is easily digested and is very portable.

Carbohydrates- The primary stimulator of insulin, a storage hormone, that will help transport glycogen, protein and other nutrients into the cells of the body. Carbs fall into one of two categories relating to the rate at which they are digested and enter the bloodstream. Low Glycemic Index carbs refers to carbs that are processed slowly and are responsible for a small(er) insulin response. High Glycemic Index carbs cause a more rapid insulin “spike”. Grains, potatoes, many fruits and fruit juices are high glycemic index. Your regular day to day meals should contain mostly low glycemic index carbs as the goal is to maintain low levels of insulin. On the other hand, a hit of high glycemic carbs post WOD can be a great idea under the right circumstances.

Fat- Most research including that of Dr. Sears (Zone Diet) indicates that dietary fat slows the insulin response of carb ingestion. Since our goal post workout is to have insulin transport nutrients for us, taking in fat post workout may work against us. In most cases we recommend against consuming fats with your post workout meal. There are some recent studies that suggest that using saturated fats called Medium Chain Triglycerides or MCT’s post workout may be useful. Coconut oil and coconut milk are nearly 100% MCT’s. The fats have virtually no likelihood of being stored as fat and are quickly converted to be used as energy.

For their ease of digestion and portability, a post workout shake is the best way to take care of your refueling needs.

Knowing which road to take in your post WOD nutrition efforts requires that you know where you are now and where you want to go. To determine a post workout strategy that right for you let’s look at your individual goals as well as the type of workout you are doing.

If your goal is to lose bodyfat and “lean out”, your post workout fuel should be high in protein (25-30g for women, 35-40g for men) and with little to no carbohydrates or fat. Whether the WOD is a “gasser” like Fran or Filthy Fifty or is a pure strength day like heavy deadlifts for low reps, you should use this strategy until you have reached your desired level of leanness.

If your goal is to maximize your performance and you are at your desired level of bodyfat, refuel based on your workout. For longer more metabolically demanding WODs, take in 20-40g of high glycemic index carbs in addition to your protein. Again no fat. A very effective and yummy post workout meal we suggest is made from 30-40g of mashed sweet potatoes, 3 tbs. of unsweetened apple sauce, sprinkle of cinnamon and 30-40g of vanilla protein powder. Mix all of these ingredients up until smooth. For strength WODs, keep the protein high and reduce the carbs by 50% or more.

If you are looking to bulk up or are involved in a longer strength cycle experiment with high levels of protein and carbs and add in some MCTs either with a tablespoon of coconut oil or 2-3 ounces of coconut milk added to your shake.

Which ever strategy you chose, be sure to eat a balanced whole food meal 1 hour after your shake. This will continue to fuel your recovery as well as help maintain the thermic effects of your workout.
-Crossfit Redline

Training Day 60

~ 1 Week til Sectionals ~

Today's Training:

Part 1:
Clean and Jerk - 5RM
(no more than 3 sec reset on ground b/t reps)

rest 3 hours

Part 2:
Row 2K
30 SDLHP - 115#/80#
Row 1K
20 SDLHP - 115#/80#
Row 500 m
10 SDLHP - 115#/80#

Results:

No time today for the rest period.. Had to go back to back on these WODs so I stayed relatively light on the 5 clean n Jerks, rested 10 mins and went right into part 2

Part 1) 175# x 5 - Light

Part 2) Total Time: 24:40

Row times & mins/500m:

2k) 7:54, 1:54/500m
1k) 4:06, 1:54/500m
500m) 1:55, 1:52/500m

I tried to stay around 2:00+/500m for the better part of the 2 and 1K and turned it on at the end. I found this to be the most effective way to have a good row time and still have enough left in the tank form the SDLHP. Last 500m just tried to stay -2:00/500m. a big problem of mine is going to fast to early so this was a great WOD for me to practice my pacing!

Training Day 59

~ 9 Days til Games~

Today's Training:

A. Dead Lift @ 12X1; 60% 1RM; 8 sets of 2; rest 30 sec b/t sets
B1. GHD Raises @ 2010; 15 x 5; rest 90 sec
B2. Toes to Bar @ 1010; 15 x 5; rest 90 sec
C. AMRAP Double Unders in 8 min

Results:

A) 220# x 10 sets of 2
B1) Unbroken
B2) Slightly Broken Up
C) 221

Starting to get very excited about the games! Its less than 10 days away now and I just can't even believe how fast this is all coming. It feels like I just started with crossfit last week, learning how to do a kipping pullup and now I am about to compete in one of the toughest athletic competitions around! But I feel very confident knowing I put 100% of myself into my training, my Diet has been on point, and I feel my work capacity is close to being at point where I won't totally embarrass myself. Wish me Luck!

Training Day 58

~ 10 Days til Sectionals~

Today's WOD:
"2 Parts"

Part 1:
as Many Rounds/Reps in 20 minutes:
Row 300 m
AMRAP Hand Stand Push Ups - HSPU
AMRAP Ring Dips
AMRAP Push Ups

rest 6+ hours

Part 2:
for time:
30 box jumps - 20"
10 chin ups
30 box jumps - 20"
20 chin ups
30 box jumps - 20"
30 chin ups


Results:

Part 1:
5 Rounds + 300m Row
Total Reps: 124

Move to next exercise when I broke or Range of Motion broke down.
(fell off wall,head missed ground/off rings, not fully extended/ resting on knees)

All rows were under 1:45/500m Pace
10,10,12
6,7,15
4,6,10
4,6,10
4,8,12

HSPU form went downhill very very fast!!

Part 2:
Time:

Training Day 57

~11 Days til Sectionals~

Today's Wod

A1. Front Squat @ 30X0; 3,3,3,2,2,2,1,1,1; rest 180 sec
A2. Seated Military Press @ 30X0; 3,3,3,2,2,2,1,1,1; rest 180 sec
B. 2 hands overhead GHD Sit Ups - amrap in 30 sec/ 30 sec rest x 8

Results:

A1) 165/175/185/190/190/190/195/200/200/205F/205F - all Ass to Grass
A2) 95/115/125/135/140/140/145/150/150

% of Close Grip Bench Press = 77%

B) 11/11/10/10/9/9/8/8/8/7 did ten sets by mistake but very happy with the range of motion and speed of the last 4 sets. usually by then I am alternating hands but I was able to keep both hands over head and focused on my breathing!

200 is a 1RM PR by 10#

So close on 205 got down on tempo ass to grass and got stuck at parallel or at least what felt like parallel and I felt my back start to round out and just dropped it to save myself.

Rest Day

How to Develop Good Habits

Aristotle had this to share about habits: “We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit.”

The motivation for developing a positive health habit may come from the beckoning of a New Year, a firm nudge from your doctor or your ever-expanding waistline. A few months ago we talked about how to break bad habits. While bad habits can almost miraculously get set in stone overnight, developing a good habit takes a bit more coaxing, commitment, deliberation and time. But you can become a true master at developing a good habit. You just need the tools and resolve to help you get there.

Here are five practical tips to transform your healthy pipe dream into a solid reality.



Clarity
Anyone who has written a grant, business proposal, or college application, knows that just a few lines below writing your full name, you must state your objective. So let’s start our good habit forming right here. Set your own objective and be clear and specific about it. If the good habit you want to develop is to be active in some small way each day, or to swap out ice cream for fruit, then your road to health just started blazing with a string of green lights. A crisp and sharp objective gives you the resolve to take the consequent steps to execute your plan.

Visualization
Don’t worry – You don’t have to own a crystal or burn incense to practice this good-habit-forming step. In fact, imagining what your life might look like with your health goal fastened securely and proudly to your low-rise jeans is a practice that is used by world-class athletes and leaders. Here’s why: As you mentally rehearse your health goal, your mind and body become trained to perform the skill or behavior. In doing so, you literally “intend” a specific outcome to occur. This visualized intention ups your experience and confidence even if the actual behavior hasn’t been put into action.

Visualize yourself in challenging situations that test your capacity to stick to your commitment. If your co-worker often beckons you to ditch the weight room for happy hour or if your mom, in all of her sweet maternal sincerity, feeds your break-up sorrows with homemade mac & cheese casserole and oatmeal raisin cookies, visualize yourself not caving to the temptation. Mentally-preparing for surprises and executing them in your visualization practice will effectively equip you to handle the real-life situation when it arises. And believe us, it will arise.

Repetition
If you don’t succeed….yeah, yeah, you know the adage. But compadres, it’s true. As you go about making this new habit into a permanent one, aim for consistency rather than for how well you adhere to your newly-made commitment. For instance, your objective is to avoid all refined carbohydrates from Monday through Friday and you encounter three carb challenges throughout the course of your workday. You only cave to one. Rather than focus on the singular slip, get right back in there and stay committed to your cause.
Experts can’t concur on how long it actually takes to form and establish a good habit. Most estimates put it at around a month or a bit less. Instead of measuring the success of your healthy habit by some deadline, measure it rather by your continued focus to recommit to your objective right after being sidelined.

As we’ve said before: It’s the day-to-day effort of putting one foot in front of the other; of making one primal choice at a time. In order to form a long-lasting good habit, you have to commit to the change every day. And then recommit to it the next day and the day after that.

Start Out Small
We don’t change overnight. It took you a few decades to develop the body, resolve and habits that you currently own up to. As well-intentioned as the new habit you want to establish may be, you don’t want to go about it in a bipolar kind of way with a rush of adrenaline in the beginning that quickly turns to three months of inaction.

So heed this advice: Slow your pace. Want to (finally) commit to a regular fitness program? Make a pact to hit the gym once a week for the first couple weeks. If you manage to accomplish this goal pat yourself on the back and up the ante to two days each week and so on. Make your goals challenging enough so that real change is actually taking place (one day is better than none!), but not so hard (e.g. exercise every day of the week) that you set yourself up for failure.

Shout it Out
When it comes to establishing that new habit, tell as many people as you can about what it is you’re doing and why you’re doing it. Not only does it create accountability on your end (the heaviness of living up to expectations is a massive motivator for taking the right action) but it also gives you that “ra-ra” pat on the rear just when you need it.

Remember that your habits are you own choices. It is up to you, and only you, to put them in place and stay their course. Luckily, you’ve already made the first step by reading this post. Armed with the right frame of mind and tools to get you from point A to point B you have set yourself up for success. Now get out there and develop some good habits!

-Marks Daily Apple

~Rest Day at Walt Disney World~

~ 15 Days til Sectionals~

While my parents are down visiting, we decided to get away for a day and spend some time in Disney World. It also happened to be the weekend ESPN was there doing all their live shows from the park. Got to see Maurice Jones Drew (running back of the Jacksonville Jags) and Steven Jackson (running back of the St. Louis Rams) talking to Dana Jacobson of ESPN2's "First Take"

I even managed to fit in a little crossfit WOD on the empty bus while moving from Park to Park.. Threw in a couple HSPU and Tabata Squats while waiting for the bus!!

Training Day 54

~16 Days til Sectionals~

Today's WOD:

4 Rounds for Time:
60 Unbroken Double Unders
30 Unbroken wall balls - 20# to 10ft

Results:

Time: 15:39

Notes:

All wallballs were unbroken: First set, very easy and quick.. 2nd set, noticeably slower,..3rd set, I was jumping to get that damn ball up...4th set, destroyed me, no power and was jumping and throwing every rep just trying to block out the pain!! Last rep I just collapsed to the floor trying to find my air, stoked because I didn't quit! It would have been so easy to just let the ball drop and catch my breath!! Unbroken baby!

Dbl Unders: 54-6/34-26/27-20-13/21-26-13
My previous Unbroken dbl under record was 37 I think, without looking back at my notes.. First set I got 54!! I hit 50 and realized what I had just done and lost my tempo and concentration and caught my foot..Pumped and pissed at the same time.. All double unders were broken but a huge difference from just two weeks ago.

The past 2 weeks have been absolutely brutal... Tomorrow should be a nice rest day. Heading up to Disney World with my parents for the day to relax and ride some roller coasters!!

Training Day 53

~ 17 Days til Sectionals~

Today's WOD: 2 Parts

part 1
A. Split Jerk - 3,2,1,3,2,1; rest 240 sec
B. Front Squat - 3,3,3,3,3; rest 240 sec
C. GHD Sit Ups - 100 for time

rest as needed

part 2
Running:
1 min @ 50%/1 min @ 90%
2 min @ 50%/2 min @ 90%
3 min @ 50%/3 min @ 90%
4 min @ 50%/4 min @ 90%
3 min @ 50%/3 min @ 90%
2 min @ 50%/2 min @ 90%
1 min @ 50%/1 min @ 90%

Results:

Part 1)
A) 165/175/195/185/195/205# -PR'd by 10#
B) 165/170/180/185/190# -PR'd by 5#
C) Time: 6:49 PR by 31 seconds!

Great Day today.. No idea where it came from tho! My back was still very angry with me from yesterday! I was actually going to skip the GHDs but got on it and actually did the best to date full range of motion with both hands! Shocked is more the terms I would use. Also first time getting 200 over head!

Run/Sprints felt good!! Great Acceleration and Stamina

Training Day 52

~18 Days Til Sectionals~

Today's WOD:

5 x [as many rounds in 3 minutes of 7 Dead Lift - 225#/155#, 7 chin ups]
rest 3 min b/t rounds
(record total rounds and reps as score)

Results:

4 rounds
3 rounds + 7 Deadlifts
3 Rounds
3 Rounds
3 Rounds

Had to do strict non-kipping supinated grip (palms facing) chin ups due to a nasty rip in my hand.. Other than that, I felt pretty good this morning.. Fully recovered from a weekend that ruined me more than any other!! Its amazing how much more energy I have during my 5am workouts and my 4pm workouts!

Training Day 50

~21 Days til Sectionals~

Today's WOD: 2 Parts


Part 1:
A1. Hang Squat Snatch - 1,1,1,1,1,1,1; rest 180 sec
A2. Ring Dips - AMRAP in 30 sec x 7 sets; rest 180 sec

rest as needed

Part 2:
For Time;
30 Wall Balls - 20/14# to 10 ft
80 Double Unders
20 KBS - 2/1.5 pd
30 Toes to Bar
50 Walking Lunges
50 Chin Ups
20 Burpees

Results:

Part 1:
A1) 115/120/125/130/135/140/150 (1 Rep Max Personal Record!!)
A2) 18/17/16/15/13/13/15

Part 2:
Time: 14:44

Training Day 49

~23 Day til Sectionals~

Thursday's WOD

For Time:

15 Hand Stand Push Ups
6 L-Pull Ups
13 HSPU
6 L-Pull Ups
11HSPU
6 L-PU
9HSPU
6 LPU
7 HSPU
6 LPU
5 HSPU
6 LPU
3 HSPU
6 LPU
1 HSPU
6 LPU

Time: 8:34 - Range of motion started out perfect then I started to fatigued and lost the depth on the HSPU.. Still a weak point that needs some work!!

Training Day 48

~24 Days til Sectionals~

Today's WOD:


part 1:
A. High Bar Back Squat @ 20X0; 6,6,4,4,2,2; rest 240 sec
B1. Dumbbell Split Squat @ 3011; 7-9/leg x 4; rest 90 sec
B2. GHD Raises @ 2020; 15-20 x 4; rest 90 sec

rest as needed

part 2:
[Row Sprint 30 sec @ 100% effort; Rest 3 min off rower; Repeat 4 times] x 2
rest 10 min b/t sets of 4
record total meters per 30 sec set
you should have 8 total scores

Results:

A) 185/190/195/205/215/225

B1) 30# for all x 9 reps
B2) All 20 x 3 unbroken on tempo

rest 5 mins

Row meters: played with damper settings on first 4 and settled on 5.
1)165m 2)168m 3)172m 4)170m
rest 3 mins due to time.
5)171m 6)170m 7)169m 8)171m

Training Day 47

Start and Why.. A great speech about how to sell yourself to other people.

Its not What you believe.. Its Why you believe it!!

Today's WOD:

A1. Push Jerk @ 12X1; 4-6 x 5; rest 150 sec
A2. Weighted Strict Chin Ups @ 21X0; 4-6 x 5; rest 150 sec
B1. Push Press @ 12X1; 4-6 x 4; rest 120 sec
B2. Chest to Bar Kipping Chin Ups - 15 x 4; rest 120 sec
C1. Press @ 12X1; 4-6 x 3; rest 90 sec
C2. Kipping Chin Ups - chin breaks vertical plane - 20 x 3; rest 90 sec

Results:

A1) 155/165/170/175/180# - reps- 6/5/5/4/4 split jerked the last two
A2) 35# for all sets @ 6 reps

B1) 135/135/140/145# - reps- 6/6/5/5
B2) Unbroken for all

C1) 95/105/115# - reps- 6/6/4
C2) Unbroken for first 2 sets, last set 15-5

Rest Day

~26 Days til Sectionals~

Eat This!!

Chicken Cordon Paleo Bleu

Recipe:
3 medium-large, skinless, boneless chicken breasts
ham slices, about 6 thin slices (less that 1 oz. each)
3 cloves garlic
1/4 red bell pepper
1 T fresh flat leaf parsley, chopped
1/2 C almond meal
2 T dried parsley flakes
1 tsp black pepper
pinch Celtic grey sea salt (optional)
paprika
3 T olive oil


Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Pound chicken breast pretty thin. In a mini food processor, blend garlic, parsley, and about 1/8 C red bell peppers. You could also just finely mince them and mix them together well. Sprinkle chicken breasts with a little black pepper and salt. Then spread the minced mixture over the top. Finally place ham slices on top and put some thinly julienned red pepper slices over the breast. Roll chicken breast up as tightly as possible and secure with tooth pics.
Now dredge rolled chicken breasts in almond meal (mixed with parsley flakes, black pepper, and grey salt). Sprinkle with a little paprika. Heat olive oil to medium heat and brown chicken on all sides. When chicken in browned evenly, place in oven and bake for about 30 minutes.
Serve this on a bed of cauliflower rice along with some sauteed zucchini. Don't forget to remove the tooth pics before dining!!!
Hope you enjoy this Paleo friendly version of Cordon Bleu!!

Training Day 46

~27 Days til Sectionals~

Today's WOD:

A. AMRAP sets of 5 unbroken bench press - 150#/90# in 3:00
rest EXACTLY 2 minutes - weight must be racked after 5 reps for bench press

B. AMRAP sets of 10 unbroken db walking lunges - 45#,30#/h in 3:20
rest EXACTLY 2 minutes - db's must be dropped after 10 lunges

C. AMRAP Sets of 15 unbroken back extensions in 3:40
rest EXACTLY 2 minutes - hands at temples and elbows out for extensions

D. AMRAP Sets of 20 unbroken double unders in 4:00 - you must stop skipping after 20 reps are achieved for DU's

Results:

A) 5
B) 7
C) 7
D) 5 - very hard by the end of this workout.. I missed 4 times.. one miss was on my 2nd set on the 18th rep! Waste of time!

Training Day 44 & 45

On Friday the 12th we had the pleasure of having Heather Keenan visit our gym. Heather is a Crossfit Finalist and an amazing athlete. So we took a day away from OPT's training to do a fun WOD.

I started with some Power Snatch work for about 10 - 15 minutes and ended up going to 160#, which is a PR but felt very easy!!

The WOD:
21/42, 15/30, 9/18 reps of:
Kettle Bell Swings (2 pood/78#) and Double Unders

My time for this workout was 6:12. I believe Heather killed it and got me by like 3 mins at a lighter weight for the KBS!! Very Inspiring!

As for Today 2/13 I went back to OPT's training and did the following WOD

3 Rounds for Time:
50 Dumbbell DeadLifts @ 55#/hand
Row 1K
50 Knees to Elbows

My total time was 34:20 and row times/round were 4:01/ 4:05/ 4:07

After about 5 - 10 minutes of rest I did some Heavy Barbell Deadlifts
3x3x3x2x2x1x1x1 reps at the following weight
275/285/295/305/315/325/335/345 - Felt good at all weights.. lots of room for a 1 rep max. Seeing alot of improvement in my overall strength and Olympic Lifts!

Training Day 43

Countdown to Sectionals: 31 Days

Here is an great piece on Hydration!! A Must Watch!
"Hydration" with CrossFit Endurance, by CrossFit Again Faster - video (wmv)-(mov)

Today's WOD:

A1) Power Snatch @ 11X1 2.2.2reps x 5; rest 120 seconds
A2) Close Grip Bench Press @ 30X0 4.4reps x 5; rest 120 seconds
(2.2.2 means you do 2 reps at a weight, drop 10% of the weight do another 2 reps, drop 10% of the weight and do the last 2 reps only resting to change the weight. Each Set the starting weight is 10% less than the starting weight of the previous set! Same idea for the 4.4 bench press)

+

5 Sets:
25 Unbroken Box Jumps - 20" box
Row Sprint 200 meters @ 100% effort
rest 2 minutes

Results:

A1) 135#-130#-125#/ 130#-125#-120#/ 125#-120#115#/ 120#-115#-110#/ 115#-110#-105#
- probably could have gone a bit heavier!

A2) 165#-155#/ 155#-150#/ 150#-145#/ 145#-140#/ 140#-145#
- it was probably more like 4 seconds down instead of 3!

+

All my box jumps were fast.. no rests/ Unbroken!!
Row Times for each set:
(1.) 36 seconds (2.) 37 seconds (3.) 39 seconds (4). 38 seconds (5.) 37 seconds

Weather Update in Florida for all my PA friends and Family.. We are currently getting 25-30 inches of sunshine!! Have fun shoveling snow today!!

Training Day 42

Today's WOD:
A1) OHS @ 32X1; 6-8 reps x 4 sets; rest 120 seconds
A2) Muscle Ups - 8 reps x 4 sets; rest 120 seconds -(google muscles ups)
B1) Jump Squats - 10 explosive jumps with minimal squats x 3 sets; rest 90 seconds
B2) Chest to Bar Pull Ups - 20 reps chest hits bar on all reps x 3 sets; rest 90 seconds
+
Tabata Mash Up - 16 rounds of 20 seconds of work 10 seconds of rest straight of:
Jumping Switch Lunges
Anchored Sit Ups

Results:

A1) Used Light weights and really focused on my tempo... in fact, I went 4 seconds down 3 second hold at the bottom and then exploded up so my tempo was 43X1 not 32X1
95# x 8/105# x 8/110# x 8/115# x 6
A2) All Muscle Ups were broken but I managed to grind out 8 each round though so a considerable jump up from only being able to do one a month ago!

B1) All fast and Unbroken jumping to a fixed height.
B2) Unbroken/15-5/10-5-5 chest hit bar on all reps. Best day of chest to bar pull ups.

Tabata Mash Total Score: 207
Switch Lunges - 112
Anchored Sit ups - 95

Eat This!! Apricot Pork Chops

4 pork chops, trimmed of all visible fat (mine were pretty thick, about 1 inch)
1 apple, pealed and diced
1 C dried apricots, chopped
1 yellow onion, chopped
1/4 C dried cherries
1/4 C agave nectar
1/2 C apple juice
1/2 C white wine
2 stalks celery, chopped


I coated the pork chops first and browned them in about 2 tsp olive oil.
Coating: 1/4 C almond meal, 2 tsp garlic powder, 2 tsp black pepper, 1 T dried parsley flakes!


After browning the chops, put them in the crock pot. Cover them with all the other ingredients. Cook on low for 6 hours. Served these with a large salad. Or, cauliflower rice would be an excellent choice to sop up all that delicious leftover juice! Enjoy!


Cauliflower rice:
I head cauliflower
In a food processor with the shedding blade add pieces of the cauliflower. I microwaved the cauliflower on the vegetable setting. Do NOT add water. Just cover with some saran wrap, heat, fluff and serve! Easy!

Rest Day - EAT THIS

Stole this from OPT's Blog.. Just really loved the message. Check it out!!





Try This Amazing Pistachio Chicken with Coconut Chili Ginger Sauce!!




Ingredients:
3 chicken breast, cut in half and pounded
1/2 C Dry roasted, unsalted pistachios, ground in food processor
2 tsp. garlic powder
2 T fresh Italian parsley, chopped
1 tsp. black pepper
2 T olive oil


Sauce:
1/4 red onion, minced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 T olive oil
1/2 C white wine
1/2 C chicken broth, low sodium
2 tsp. ground ginger
2 T Lemon grass herb blend
1 tsp. chili pepper spice blend
2 T Italian parsley, chopped
1 C coconut milk (I used low fat)
fresh ground black pepper


Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Grind pistachio's with garlic powder, parsley, and pepper. Heat olive oil in a skillet. Coat chicken breasts with the pistachio mixture. Brown chicken, about 5 minutes on each side. Transfer to baking dish.
In a sauce pan, saute onion and garlic in olive oil. When onion is translucent, add lemon grass and chili paste. Stir in white wine. Reduce slightly, and add chicken broth, and ground ginger. Reduce a little more, and add coconut milk and parsley. Season with fresh ground pepper.
Poor over chicken breasts and bake for about 15 minutes, until bubbly and chicken is done.
I served this with some sauteed spinach and steamed zucchini. It was very satisfying, flavorful and paleo! Hope you like it! - Crossfit Sanat Cruz Central

Training Day 41

Today's WOD
4 Sets of:
A1) "Touch and Go" DeadLifts - 15 Unbroken; rest 10 seconds
A2) Kipping Ring Dips - 10 reps; rest 10 seconds
A3) "Slap Chest" Push Ups - 10 reps; rest 180 seconds

4 Sets of:
B1) 25 GHD Back Extensions Unbroken; rest 10 seconds
B2) 25 Push Ups; rest 90 seconds

C) AMRAP of Double Unders in 5 minutes

D) Spend 5 mins working in HSPU

Results:
A1,2,3) Round 1: 185#/Unbroken/8-2
Round 2: 205#/Unbroken/ 7-3
Round 3: 225#/ Unbroken/ 5-3-2
Round 4: 235# broke once/Unbroken/ 4-2-2-1-1

B1,2) Round 1: Unbroken/ 20-5
Round 2: Unbroken/ 18-4-3
Round 3: Unbroken/ 15-5-5
Round 4: Unbroken/ 15-5-5

C) On my first attempt I only got 106 reps.. I was cramping up in my legs. So after I did part D I repeated C and got 173 reps.

D) Worked on form and used different grips and widths.

Training Day 40

Today's Wod:
A1.) High Bar Back Squats @ 40X1; 4-6 reps x 5 sets; rest 90 seconds
A2.) L Pull Ups @ 2121; AMRAP x 5 sets; rest 90 seconds
B.) Dumbbell Split Squat @ 3131; 5-7/leg x 4 sets; rest 45 seconds between legs
C.) 100 GHD Sit Ups for time! we did these on 1/27 so a good chance to compare and see improvement... Hopefully!

Results:
A1.) 135# x 7
155# x 6
165# x 6
175# x 5
185# x 4
A2.) 12/8/10/8/8... On the even number sets I used a palms facing out grip.. on the odds I used a palms facing in grip.

B.) 25# x 7/Leg for all four sets.. very challenging at tempo and my hip flexors were smoked going into those GHD's

C.) Time: 7:20
The last time we did these my time was 8:34.. So I knocked 1:14 off my total time.

Overall I felt strong today, especially on all those tempo Squats! And I was really happy with the progress I've made on the GHD machine!

Rx Post Wod Fuel was 45g Protein/30g Carbs which I got from a whey protein mixed with 4oz of sweet potato and 3 tablespoons of Apple Sauce with a little cinnamon. Delicious!!

Rest Day

The following is a piece from MarksDailyApple that talks about the Truth behind the Barefoot Lifestyle... Are those expensive running shoe doing more harm than good?


A Sea Change Coming to Wash Your Shoes Away

I’m sure you’ve seen it. It’s all over the news. People are finally beginning to come around to that inconvenient truth about our feet, that dirty little secret that shoe companies would prefer to keep under wraps: barefoot is better.

There has been media coverage of the barefoot trend in the past, mostly intermittent, in running magazines and always taking a patronizing tone. It follows the same formula: more idle speculation on a bizarre fad that a select few crazies are promoting, with plenty of “balance” from stuffy foot specialists expressing doubt that the inherently fragile, gentle human foot could ever withstand the rigors of walking unshod without “serious injury,” than any serious consideration of the merits. But now we’ve got a nice, juicy study to hang our hats (or our shoes) on, and media outlets are falling over themselves to get the scoop.


Witness the Boston Globe’s take on the whole thing, or the LA Times feature. The Edmonton Journal got into the action, too, as did the Telegraph, while even San Jose’s Mercury News mentioned the study. The Popular Science blog did a piece on it. And of course, the rest of the blogosphere picked up on it, too: Open Water Chicago, Conditioning Research, and the Chi Running blog, to name just a few.

The study in question was Harvard evolutionary biologist Daniel Lieberman’s on “Foot strike patterns and collision forces in habitually barefoot versus shod runners.” (See comparison videos below. The difference between shod heel strike running and barefoot forefoot strike running is visually and graphically captured. For more on what you’re seeing check out NPR’s coverage.) It’s hard to believe that this is the first study of its kind, though, probably because it actually isn’t. Last year, researchers ran a similar study and decided that “Footwear Alters Normal Form and Function of the Foot” by exerting acute pressure to sensitive areas of the foot, whereas barefoot walkers enjoyed wider forefeet and more evenly distributed locomotive stress. Interesting, but probably because it didn’t make any bold pronouncements and because it dealt with the relatively mundane act of walking (rather than running), the study didn’t get any press. They could have recommended people throw off their shoes, but that wouldn’t be prudent. It wouldn’t be responsible. I can’t fault them for that, really. Researchers need funding, and you don’t want to make bold pronouncements if it means getting cut off or reprimanded. Unfortunately, scientists need to be bold to effect real change.







Even when the “experts” get it so, so right, they do their best to get it wrong in the end, or they hedge their bets and stick with the safe answer, rather than question Conventional Wisdom entirely (even if the data contradicts CW directly). I’m reminded of when Gary Taubes famously lamented a similar mindset in physicians and obesity researchers who, although they understood (and even witnessed in a clinical setting) the chronic insulin/body fat connection, continued to recommend the standard low-fat, high-carb, low-calorie diet to their patients. They connect all the dots, but fail to see the bigger picture clearly outlined by those dots. To their credit, though, researchers can and do make sensible recommendations within the context of Conventional Wisdom. The researchers from that walking study did ultimately call for the design of “quality footwear” that doesn’t “hamper the foot’s biologically normal function.” Better than nothing, I suppose.

Now, even though I agree with Lieberman’s conclusions (actually, because I’m such a huge fan of barefoot), it pays to be critical. I know Lieberman has affiliations with Vibram – in fact, he may have even helped them design the Fivefingers – and that they probably funded the study, and I know that we hem, haw, and cast skeptical eyes on Pfizer when they fund yet another statin paper. There’s a major difference between the two, though: Lieberman is right. His data is strong. He isn’t hiding anything or fudging the results. We’re right. Barefoot is better. There’s no shame in that, you know – being right. There are objective truths out there, and the objective truth is that most people aren’t born with genetically defective feet. Everyone’s imperfect, sure, but for the most part we’ve all got the same basic equipment with the same basic biomechanics working under the hood. Unless you have a birth defect, no one is born with feet that “won’t work right” or that “require shoes”. The flat footed (no arch) argument doesn’t stand up as an excuse, except when you’ve already spent a lifetime coddling your feet in supportive casts. A cautionary word that anyone transitioning to a barefoot lifestyle should take it VERY easy at first.

There was one more response to the barefoot running study that bears mentioning: Brooks (world famous running shoe company) CEO Jim Weber’s scrambling blog post. You know – I feel for the guy. It’s gotta be tough to make a reasonable response to a scientifically sound piece of research that refutes almost everything you’ve built your business on. I mean, what is he supposed to do? Admit that he’s been wrong this whole time? Admit that his shoes are basically coffins for the feet? Naturally, he goes with the entirely unsubstantiated claim that the “vast majority of runners” should race “in a performance running shoe, not barefoot.” Apparently, we barefooters are a genetically gifted breed of athlete who are “biomechanically blessed” with “natural healthy gaits.” Hmm. So, the natural, normal gait is actually somehow rare and precious. It doesn’t occur naturally. Got it. Jim, did you ever stop to think why so many of your runners seem to lack that natural healthy gait? Perhaps it’s the shoes. Our “unique biomechanical needs” are only unique because we’ve been smashing, smushing, and confining our feet to too-small, too-constrictive, too-structured footwear for years. Check out your comments section, dude. The people have spoken. You can’t ignore anecdotal evidence pouring in from all sides forever.

I eagerly await your upcoming, inevitable barefoot-analogous running shoe model.

When the CEO of a major running shoe company makes a public acknowledgment, that’s a sign. A sea change is undoubtedly occurring here, folks. The media may help spur things along, but they’re just reporting what’s really happening out there. If there wasn’t a massive audience for the barefoot message present and willing to get out there and experiment for themselves, there’d be no story. Just check out the comment sections for all the blogs and all the newspaper articles dealing with the study. In previous barefoot articles, most of the comments were either dubious or dismissive of the “fad”; now, the naysayers clinging to their Nikes are being drowned out by barefoot evangelists. I applaud them.

You’re part of what made this possible. Now, let’s hope the rest of the Primal Blueprint gains some ground out there!

Training Day 39

So last night I had a little Heart to Heart with my Jump Rope... And Finally... For the first time since starting my training back in September, I was able to string together Double Under jump ropes!! (where you jump once and the rope passes under you twice)
The most I have done unbroken with my new jump rope was 10! This morning I was able to string 5 sets of 30 Unbroken. Best day of training in a long time! These things really had me worried that they were going to ruin my attempts at placing this year. I feel so much more confident now that I KNOW I can put together 50,60, 70 or more in a row!

Today's WOD:
7 Rounds for Total Time:
30 Double Unders
20 Chin Ups
10 Push Jerks @ 135#
rest 2 minutes between sets

Results:
Rounds
1) 2:01
2) 2:45
3) 3:14
4) 3:29
5) 3:41
6) 3:00 - for whatever reason, I thought this was my last round... My Adrenalin kicked in and I tried to make up some lost time..This was also the round I got the most Push Jerks and Pull Ups in a row... bad shock to see I still had one more round to go!!
7) 3:31
Total Time: 33:41 minus the (6) 2 minute rest periods between rounds = my Total Working Time = 21:41

Training Day 38

Today was a pretty light day compared to yesterday!!

Today's WOD:
A.) Quickly build to a tough 3 reps in the DeadLift, but not a 3 RM; rest 60 seconds between sets.
B.) Bench Press @ 10X0 - 60% of 1RM; 8 sets of 3 reps; rest 30 seconds between sets.
C.) Hang Power Clean @ 12X1; 3 sets of 3 reps - 80% Effort; rest as needed; rest as needed.
D.) GHD Raises @ 2010; 5 sets of 15 reps; rest 90 - 120 seconds.

Results:
A.) 300# felt good... close to a 3 RM but felt quick!
B.) 155# on all sets pretty easy
C.)155# on all sets
D.) All 5 sets unbroken with hands behind head!

Wanted a little extra so I did a quick little "Gasser" WOD of:

5 round for time of:
7 Wall Balls @ 20# ball
7 Burpees
Time: 2:53 (two minutes and fifty-three seconds)

Now I'm done!

Training Day 37

Today we had to do Three Separate Work Outs.. 2 minutes rest between each round of each workout (except for the last workout which is Timed) with 2 minutes rest between workouts.

Today's Definitions:
21, 15, 9 - Its a rep scheme.. You do 21 reps of the Rx movements then repeat the movements for the 2nd set but only 15 reps, then 9 reps for the third set.
Thrusters - are a front squat + a push press
Burpees - jump down to a plank, chest to floor, push up, tuck your knees, then jump up with hands overhead...Should be done as one quick aggressive move... Google it if this makes no sense!
Unbroken - Not resting/dropping the bar until all reps are complete

Today's WOD's
1) 3 Sets of:
10 Thrusters @ 120#
Row 2 minutes @ 90% Effort
rest 2 minutes
+

2) 3 Sets of:
10 Front Squats @ 135#
90 Seconds of High Knee Skipping
rest 2 minutes

+

3) 21, 15, 9 Rep Rounds for Time of:
Chin Ups
Burpees

Results:

1) Rx Weight
1st Round) 10 Unbroken Thrusters/520 meter Row
2nd Round) Broken Thruster @ 7 - 3/510 meter Row
3rd Round) Broken Thruster @ 5-3-2/ 502 meter Row

2) Rx Weight
1st Round) 10 Unbroken Front Squats/ 90 seconds Unbroken
2nd Round) Broken Front Squats @ 8 - 2/ one 5 second rest
3rd Round) Broken Front Squats @ 7 - 3/ one 5 second rest

3) 21 Rep Round - Unbroken Chin Ups and Burpees
15 Rep Round - 8 - 7 Broken Chin Ups and Burpees
9 Rep Round - 5 - 4 Broken Chin Ups and Unbroken Burpees
TIME: 5:35 (Five Minutes & Thirty-Five Seconds)

I hit a wall after that first round of 21 Chin ups/Burpees but managed to struggle through it.. Probably rested about 15+ seconds between rep rounds 21 and 15 before I felt recovered enough to get back on the bar.. All three workouts really pushed my wind!! Overall though I'm pretty happy with today. My goals are always to do these types of moves (i.e. Thrusters and Front Squats) Unbroken.. Long way to go before I'm to that level but I'm definitely improving and yet still not peaking to early.. Everyday seems to be of better than the day before!

Rest Day

Get Well Soon Pap

O Father of mercies and God of all comfort, our only help in time of need: We humbly beseech thee to behold, visit and relieve thy sick servant Jack Garland for whom our prayers are desired. Look upon him with the eyes of thy mercy; comfort him with a sense of thy goodness; preserve him from the temptations of the enemy; and give him patience under his affliction. In thy good time, restore him to health, and enable him to lead the residue of his life in thy fear, and to thy glory; and grant that finally he may dwell with thee in life everlasting; through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Amen

Training Day 36

Ok.. I know some of the acronyms can get kinda confusing.. So I will do my best to explain the ones I use on that day.. You can also check out the complete list at www.crossfit.com - FAQ

AMRAP(-2) = as many reps as possible but stop 2 short of max reps
KBS = Kettle Bell Swings
2 Pood = 72 pounds
PR = Personal Record
31X1 = Tempo.. See OPT's FAQ

Today's WOD:
A) DeadLift 55% of the 1 rep singles from Thursday's WOD; 10 sets x 3 reps; rest 45 sec.

B1) Ring Push Ups @ 31X1, amrap (-2) x 3 sets; rest 60 sec.
B2) 10 Power Cleans "touch and go" unbroken x 3 sets; rest 60 sec.

C1) Clapping Push ups @ 10X0 amrap (-2) x 3 sets; rest 10 sec.
C2) Push ups @ 10X0 amrap (-2) x 3 sets; rest 10 sec.
C3) KBS - 20 unbroken x 3 sets; rest 10 sec.
C4) 20 Back Extensions @ 1010 x 3 sets; rest 180 sec.

Results:
Parts A and B were a nice warm up to the Hell that was Part C.. Absolutely Brutal!!
A) 200#

B1) 20/15/10
B2) 135#/145#/145#

C1) 12/10/10
C2) 10/8/8
C3) 2 Pood (72#) 14-6/ 10-6-4/8-4-4-4
C4) Unbroken/10-7-3/10-5-5

Rested about 30 mins or so and then did a quick 500m Sprint Row for time and ended up PR'ing by 1 second!!

Pretty smoked after today.. Looking forward to tomorrow's rest day!!

Training Day 35

A1) Front Squat @ 30X0; 4-6 reps x 5 sets; rest 20 sec.
A2) 25 Kipping Chin ups; rest 120 sec.

B1) Dumbbell Forward Lunges @ 1010; 8/leg x 3 sets; rest 90 sec.
B2) Powell Raises @ 3010; 10/arm x 3 sets; rest 90 sec.

C) Tabata Sit Ups - Low Score... Tabata means 20 secs of work 10 secs of rest x 8 sets

Results:
A1) Keep it pretty light and focused on depth and tempo
135#/145#/145#/150#/160# first three sets 6 reps/4th set 5 reps/5th set 4 reps
A2) 25 Unbroken/18-7/15-5-5/10-5-5-3-2/10-5-4-3-3

B1) All three sets @ 45#
B2) All three sets @ 10#

C) 12/11/11/11/10/10/10/10 - Low score = 10


Check out this new take on Devil Eggs!

"Fat Guacamole Devils"
Breathing new life into a tried and true recipe is a simple way of adding variety to your diet. Take deviled eggs, for example. They’ve been around as long as any of us can probably remember, although you don’t see them at parties as often as you once did. It’s not because deviled eggs aren’t good, it’s just that they’re not that exciting anymore. You might, however, start seeing them served more often again if enough people see the recipe for Fat Guacamole Devils Tamara Baysinger entered in our Primal Blueprint Cookbook Challenge.


Her take on deviled eggs eliminates the mayonnaise and uses avocado instead. This loads the eggs with even more healthy fat and gives the filling a creamy, rich texture. A teaspoon or so of lime juice and hot sauce liven things up and just like that you’ve got a flavorful, interesting new take on a classic recipe.

While these deviled eggs aren’t quite bite-sized (they’re not called Fat Guacamole Devils for nothing) they’re definitely the type of finger food we love to snack on. We can imagine eating these eggs pretty much any time of day that hunger strikes. You can serve them as snack food at everything from dinner parties to Super Bowl parties. If you want to dress the little devils up for a party (or just add more flavor and fat) follow Tamara’s suggestion of garnishing the eggs with chopped olives or crumbled bacon. Other garnishes to consider are cilantro, a fresh herb that always goes well with avocado, and paprika, a spice typically used to top deviled eggs.

Fat Guacamole Devils

Ingredients:

■2 hard boiled eggs
■1/2 avocado
■1 teaspoon hot sauce (or more to taste)
■1/2 teaspoon lime juice
■salt & pepper to taste
Instructions:

Peel and halve the eggs and spoon their yolks into a small bowl.

Mash the yolks with the avocado, hot sauce and lime juice; add salt and pepper to taste.

Refill egg white halves with yolk mixture, and enjoy!