F.I.T.L.O.

Today was my first day coaching at F.I.T.L.O. which is a gym in Lake Oswego owned and operated by my good friends Tommy and Lauren Rudge. They haven't been open long, but they are already having an impact on the local fitness community. I'll be in there Tuesday and Thursday mornings helping coach the workouts if you want to stop by and check them out. DO IT!!! They are awesome people with a kick-ass gym. What more do you want?

I'm Back From Sabbatical

The last time I posted on this thing was a couple of years ago, and I can explain why it's taken me so long to post again. Number one, I'm easily distracted. I step up to the keyboard to type something, see a shiny object out of the corner of my eye, and BAM! I chase after it without writing anything. The other reason is that I like feedback, and this forum doesn't provide enough to really keep me engaged. I love (LOVE) to talk about CrossFit and nutrition, but without someone smiling and nodding or asking questions, I eventually surrender to silence and move on. That being said, don't be afraid to post comments, questions, or suggestions to the comments section. I will read and reply to anything posted - I promise! Alright, I've got people to train, so until next time....

Back In Town

I've been off the radar this past week and a half because I was on tour with my band "Caught In Motion." We traveled south to California, and made stops in Chico, San Francisco, LA, Santa Barbara, Long Beach, Santa Cruz, and others. It was a ton of fun, but I'm glad to be home again. I'm amazed at how much changes in diet and sleeping habits can have on performance at the gym in such a short period of time. After just a few days of touring, I had to tap out on Barbara (20 Pull-ups, 30 Push-ups, 40 Sit-ups, 50 Squats, 5 rounds for time) after 30 minutes. I never tap out! On the bright side, it returns quickly, as well. I've been back in town just a couple of days and already I feel twice as strong. I hope I have it in my to complete my advanced cert at CrossFit HEL before January.... Wish me luck!

Sex At The Gym

A famous fitness author once said "Women are not a special population. They are half the population." While they may respond differently to heavy physical stress than men do, the quality of the movement required to produce the stress that causes adaptation is the same. In other words, if a guy wants the body of an elite athlete, he has to train like one, and the same goes for women. The only exceptions to this rule are the rare genetically gifted individuals who look amazing no matter what they do. They account for a minuscule percentage of the population, so don't bother using them as a form of reasoning or excuse for not working hard. Mark Rippetoe made some awesome statements in a recent CrossFit Journal article about women and training. Here are a few of my favorites...

"There is no such thing as 'firming and toning.' There is only stronger and weaker."

"Women who claim to be afraid to train hard because they 'always bulk up too much' are often already pretty bulky, or 'skinny fat' (thin but weak and deconditioned) and have found another excuse to continue life sitting on their butts."

"Women who look like men have taken some rather drastic steps in that direction that have little to do with their exercise program."

The main difference between the sexes with regards to our response to training comes from our hormones - specifically testosterone. Men have lots of it, women don't. That is why men build big muscles, and women can't (without chemical or hormonal help). Testosterone also affects neuromuscular efficiency, motor unit recruitment, central nervous system excitation, and other neuromuscular factors. Evidence of this can be seen in tests of absolute strength. Women's motor recruitment at a 1 rep max intensity isn't as efficient, therefor their 5 rep max and 1 rep max weights will be much closer together than men's. Women also demonstrate higher eccentric stamina after concentric failure.

What does this mean for you? Most likely not a whole lot. I think it's really cool stuff, and something to take into consideration when programing for my female and male clients. I hope you enjoyed hearing about it!

Quality

I'm a very competitive person. When the clock is ticking during a workout, my mind is constantly focused on getting the best time. If someone gets ahead of me, I go nuts trying to catch up. One thing I try to never lose site of, however, is quality of movement. You can't compare times or compete with your friends if you all aren't doing the same workout. When one guy is going chest to the bar with his pull-ups, and the guy next to him is only doing chin above the bar, it's not the same workout. It's very hard to slow down and make every rep beautiful, but it's something we should all be doing. Click on the link below to read an article on quality from Gym Jones. Keep it in mind the next time you walk through the door of your gym.

Quality

New Rates

CrossFit HEL has been going through some changes these past couple of weeks. Now there's a new membership process, and new rates for training and memberships. Due to this fact, I will be offering two types of training: private, and boot camp. The private will be athlete specific and covers whatever the athlete wants to work on/learn about. The boot camp is membership specific and will cover a very specific series of movements required for membership. For more details, check out www.crossfithel.com and click on the "how to become a member" link on the left hand side of the screen. You can also check out my rates page, or shoot me a phone call or e-mail. You do not have to be a member or become a member in order to train with me. In fact, I'm working on putting together a training program that will take place outside of CrossFit HEL so that I can bring the power of CrossFit directly to you. In the mean time, we can train at the HEL facility without membership dues or additional fees.

Time Flies

Has it really been a week since my last post? Have I been that busy? I guess both are true. Looks like this coming week won't be any different, either. For all of you locals, my band Caught In Motion is playing at The Fez Ballroom this Thursday November 20th at 9:30 PM. It would be great to see you all there as it's our cd release show. Then we are off to Seattle to play up there next weekend. Mix in all of the coaching and guitar lessons, and my free time is shrinking fast. If you want in on some CrossFit coaching, don't wait any longer! The time is now, as I may not have time tomorrow. Training rates are also going up very soon, so act fast and save some cash. You know where to find me...