Burpee Challenge: Day 19

Burpees Completed: 290

Burpees Remaining: 4, 860

The post below is taken from Forbes Magazine and has some really great aspects…good enough that I thought I would put it in the blog.  I have two beefs though:

• They say very little about EXERCISE!  ARE YOU KIDDING ME???  An article about living longer and only a sentence or two about exercise?  I guess you could argue that having more sex would include exercise but that’s a bit of a stretch - Unless of course your thrustering your partner…get your minds out of the gutter.
• Half of the people that will read this article will wonder who the heck the person is in picture at the top.  What a shame.

Anyway…Here you go - ”Ten Ways To Live Longer: For Starters, Change Your Attitude”  by: Vanessa Gisquet

Woody Allen once said, “I don’t want to achieve immortality through my work…I want to achieve it through not dying.” Much to humanity’s collective dismay, there is no way to defy death. But you can try.

Many people think they know what’s good for them. Who wouldn’t like to think that being rich, sleeping with supermodels and eating caviar every day would increase their longevity. After all, Hugh Hefner looks pretty good for a man of 78. But this is more wishful thinking than practical science.

If you really want to live longer, then you can start with your attitude. Your way of thinking can not only impact the quality of your life, but also how long you actually live. In 2002, researchers at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn., found that optimistic people decreased their risk of early death by 50 percent compared with those who leaned more towards pessimism.

Click on the Links for more information

• Don’t Oversleep
• Be Optimistic
• Have more sex
• Get a pet
• Get a VAP
• Be Rich
• Stop smoking
• Chill Out
• Eat Your antioxidants
• Marry Well 

“The exact mechanism of how personality acts as a risk factor for early death or poorer health is unclear,” says Dr. Toshihiko Maruta, the main investigator in the study. Most likely, it has to do with the fact that pessimists have an increased chance for future problems with their physical health, career achievements and emotional stress–particularly depression. “Yet another possibility could be more directly biological, like changes in the immune system,” Maruta adds.

Besides optimism, are there other personality traits that can help us live longer, healthier lives? According to Dr. Howard Friedman, a psychologist at the University of California at Riverside, conscientiousness is related to mortality in a significant way. The Terman Life-Cycle Study, which ran from 1921 to 1991, examined an array of factors like personality, habits, social relations, education, physical activities and cause of death.

“Those low on adult conscientiousness died sooner,” Friedman concluded. Conscientiousness does not mean looking both ways before crossing the street; it means looking both ways when the light turns green so you don’t accidentally run down some slow-moving pedestrian. Beyond that, a conscientious person’s long-living qualities probably have to do with the fact that they are predisposed to constructively reacting to emotional and social situations, and are more likely to create work and living environments that promote good health.

Besides looking at the world through rosier-colored glasses, there are also more traditional practices that the aspiring centenarian can take. People should stop smoking, eat a balanced diet and maintain a healthy weight. While these may sound “nannyish,” they are factors that cannot be overlooked. This might not sound like much fun, but it’s a lot more fun than dying.

Research shows that obesity, for example, contributes to a slew of medical conditions, including diabetes, heart disease and various cancers. So powerful are certain lifestyle choices that recommended diets along with maintenance of physical activity and appropriate body mass can, over time, reduce the incidence of cancer by 30 percent to 40 percent, according to the American Institute for Cancer Research.

Animal lovers will be happy to know that having a pet can add years to your life, as well. One of the first studies in this arena, which appeared in “Public Health Reports” in 1980, showed that the survival rates of heart attack victims who had a pet were 28 percent higher than those of patients who didn’t have an animal companion. “The health effects seem to be very real and by no means mystical,” says Alan Beck, director of the Center for the Human-Animal Bond at Purdue University. “Contact with companion animals triggers a relaxation response,” he says.

Rebecca Johnson, a professor of gerontological nursing at the University of Missouri at Columbia, showed that interaction with pets does, in fact, reduce levels of the stress hormone cortisol. The ability of companion pets to reduce our overall stress level probably accounts for most of their life-extending qualities. “For many people, pets also provide a reason to get moving,” adds Johnson. How many people, after all, would actually get any exercise if it weren’t for their over-enthusiastic dog?

To many people, quality of life is equally as important as life span. It is a good thing, then, that many of the things that can improve your longevity can also improve your quality of life.

Burpees Completed: 271

Burpees Remaining: 4, 879

“Josh”

• 21 Overhead Squats (95lbs / 65lbs)
• 42 Pull Ups
• 15 Overhead Squats
• 30 Pull Ups
• 9 Overhead Squats
• 18 Pull Ups
   

Ever thought of quitting on a workout?  Of course you have - we ALL have.  Now I’m not talking about people that are new to SPARK and CrossFit, I’m talking about those of you that have been around for a while.  Have you been tempted to short a few reps, or taken a lighter weight because you just don’t have it in you?  Its your perogative and its your workout so really its your decision…But is it really so bad that you need to cheat or quit?  Of course not.  In other words, you don’t really have a decision to make.  You just have to suck it up and get it done WITHOUT COMPROMISE.

Listen to Lance.  Someone always has it worse and pain is temporary.  Grit it out and take pride in the fact that you do things at SPARK that most aren’t willing to even attempt.  Don’t cheat yourself and don’t cheat those around you.

Burpees Completed: 253

Burpees Remaining: 4, 897

Workout of the Day:

• 12 Ring Dips
• 18 Wall Ball  (20lbs / 16lbs)
• 36 Double Unders
• 12 Ring Dips
• 18 Wall Ball
• 12 Ring Dips
• 36 Double Unders
• 18 Wall Ball
• 12 Ring Dips

Enough said.

Burpees Completed: 236

Burpees Remaining: 4, 914

Workout of the Day:

• 250m Row
• 15 American KB Swings
• 15 KTE

5 Rounds

In order to maintain a healthy lifestyle you must take care of physical aspects.  Everyone here at SPARK seems to be pretty good at that.  Sometimes I wonder though if everyone is taking care of the other aspects that are as equally important: Emotional, Mental and Spiritual.

Laughter can definately be part of these other elusive three…laugh and enjoy.  And if you don’t think its funny then just imagine how much better that scene could have been if she had been coming to SPARK.

Burpees Completed: 220

Burpees Remaining: 4, 930

Workout of the Day:

21-15-9-15-21

• Barbell Jump Squats  (45lbs / 35lbs)
• Body Row

This was written by Brandon Oto - a fellow CrossFitter from California.  This list is based on his CrossFit experiences after 18 months of training.  It is long but well worth the read.  And by the way, you may not agree with everything but trust me, he doesn’t care.

1. CrossFit is very, very hard. Unlike most things, it does not get easier and may actually get harder. This is a daunting prospect.

2. You can learn to CrossFit extremely well on your own with the internet as a resource. However, it will add 6-12 months to your learning curve and 1-2 injuries along the way.

3. You can work out on your own, but working out with others is almost always far better.

4. The impressive feat is not digging deep and pushing through pain at the end of the workout. Anyone can do that. The impressive feat is hauling ass as you reach the middle — right after you realize what’s ahead of you and how much you already hurt.

5. The impressive feat is not going balls-to-the-wall in a single workout. It’s doing it the next day. And the next. And the next. Forever.

6. The hardest part of training is consistency. It is also the most important. You can do nearly anything if you show up every day.

7. Everyone needs to rest. Your body is not a machine. (Look at how many people take a week off and set six PRs when they return.) Your mind is not a computer. (As Garrett Smith likes to point out, continual stress is not actually healthy.) “Burnout” is physical, mental, emotional, logistical, and a little bit like combining ennui with despair. When you no longer want to work out, rest.

8. If your breaks start cropping up constantly, either take a longer one (or a different training focus for a while) or just slap yourself and stop slacking.

9. The fewer mundane obstacles to working out, the easier it is to be consistent. If there are two gyms in your area and one is a little better but farther, go to the nearer one.

10. Try music and see if it helps. Try planning out your workouts (picking a time to shoot for and breaking down how you’ll get there) and see if it helps. Try the supplements and see if they help.

11. For 90% of us, diet is crucial to good progress. For the other 10%, diet is crucial to reaching elite levels.

12. Keep your nails trimmed short but long enough to comfortably cover your fingers and toes. Too long will get broken; too short will cause bleeding when, say, you use a hook grip. File your callouses every time you shower.

13. Chalk is better than gloves except to cover a wound, which tape does better than either except for holes in the web of your thumb.

14. You don’t need as much chalk as you think. You keep rechalking because you’re a spaz and the bar is scaring you.

15. The workout will last only a little while and you will feel happy again within a few minutes afterward. This is the only positive thought you can have while you work, but it is the important one.

16. The fear leading up to your workout can last many times longer than the workout. Find a way to manage this or CrossFit will begin to dominate your life.

17. Do not let CrossFit dominate your life unless you are a coach or trying to be the first sponsored pro CrossFitter.

18. The paradox of CrossFit is that it is an isolated system that attempts to make you better at everything else. If you never leave that system, you will forget the point. Regularly “step outside” and play a game of basketball, drop in on a step aerobics class, climb a mountain, or arm wrestle everyone in the bar. Sometimes you need to be reminded that you’re extremely fit compared to everyone who’s not a dedicated athlete, and that the gallons of sweat you’ve exuded have accomplished something significant. Call it ego or anything. The best CrossFitters may not need this, but they get the ego boost of beating the rest of the CrossFitters anyway.

19. Regularly learn and play new sports.

20. By the time you are an advanced novice, you will begin to learn your strengths. By the time you are intermediate, you will know most of your weaknesses. Addressing your weaknesses is the only way you will become advanced.

21. Logging your workouts is a little silly at the very beginning, but the sooner you start, the more data you’ll have later.

22. You can push harder than that.

23. If your Olympic lifts are more or less correct, but still limited by form, the problem is probably the bar path.

24. Buy Starting Strength right now. You’re doing it wrong.

25. Half of the reason your workouts suck is because you’re not strong enough. Get stronger and your “metcon” problems will diminish.

26. Strength develops fast at first then slows at the intermediate level. It takes a long time to lose.

27. Metcon develops quite fast, as long as the strength exists to express it.

28. Technique can take a long time to develop or not very long, depending on many variables.

29. That place you’re usually sore is where you’re weak.

30. Your grip may or may not limit you right now, but at some point it will if you’re not proactive about developing it.

31. When comparing yourself to other CrossFitters, understand that some of them are lifelong athletes and some of them did nothing before this. The difference in terms of progress between these groups is massive.

32. Muscular endurance is always a factor.

33. Very few things improve without focused effort on them.

34. Extremely intense and consistent effort on WoDs is a fast jetstream to improvement.

35. A lot of stuff on this forum is useless, but there is at least one person who knows anything you want to know. Search first, then ask, read all of the responses, pay attention to the ones that make sense and match what you already know, and ignore the ridiculous ones. In this way you can learn nearly anything.

36. Spend time with other websites, forums, and resources to understand the non-CrossFit perspective.

37. You’re not fully extending at the hips when you Olympic lift, and you’re bending your arms too soon.

38. Everyone has cheat meals. Find out if you do better with small cheating or big cheating. The advantage of big cheating is that you feel like crap afterwards and the food looks gross again, which will help to remind that it’s not so great after all. If you cheat small, this is not an excuse to cheat often; that’s not cheating, that’s just a mediocre diet.

39. Seek out new foods and new ways to cook them, or you will lose your mind with monotony. Everything you walk by in the produce section should be something you’ll eat.

40. Canned salmon or tuna is a good emergency protein source when you’re in a hurry or haven’t shopped. Some cans of salmon are exactly five blocks.

41. Determine how much of your carb intake you can get through low-density vegetables without exploding or going insane. Get the rest with fruit and don’t worry about it.

42. Expensive extra virgin olive oil is a waste if you’re just stir-frying with it.

43. You can stir-fry anything but “anything” will usually be mediocre.

44. Salt improves everything and is almost always necessary.

45. Looking into a mirror with your own eyes is a very unreliable method of judging body fat and muscle mass.

46. You’re not supposed to have a chronic pain. You’re doing something wrong or you have an injury. Deal with it.

47. Running and swimming are very hard, very specific in terms of metabolic and muscular development, very technique-dependent, and you need to work on them more.

48. If you’re on this forum, you are probably spending too much of your time and attention in the zone of CrossFit. If you do this in the long term, this essentially means you are dedicating yourself to training for a non-existent life.

49. There is nothing like gymnastics rings, a Concept2 rower, a jump rope, or a medicine ball. When you sub for these, you’re doing a different workout.

50. Everybody is different.

 

Any other thoughts or lessons?  Post them in Comments.

Burpees Completed: 205

Burpees Remaining: 4, 945

Workout of the Day:

• 50 Dbl Unders
• 15 Renegade Row

5 Rounds

Burpee Challenge: Day 13

Burpees Completed: 191

Burpees Remaining: 4, 959

Burpee Challenge: Day 12

Burpees Completed: 178

Burpees Remaining: 4, 972

Sure its funny, but do you know what the saddest part is…some people out there aren’t playing the WiiFit for fun.  They are actually using it for “exercise”.  Don’t get me wrong, I like playing video games as much as the next guy but for fun, not fitness.  How can you get “fit” by not moving off of a piece of plastic thats 21 x 14 inches?

Education, education, education.  I wish instead of making things easier and ineffective that the “powers that be” would spend the time, money and resources to actually help people.  Help them understand what is required to become and stay healthy.  I just don’t get why they keep coming up with new ways for people to do less.  Miracle fixes, take this pill and burn more calories in your sleep than with 1 hour of exercise blah blah blah.  It’s all a bunch of BS.

Burpees Completed: 166

Burpees Remaining: 4, 984

Workout of the Day:

• 40 AbMat Sit Ups
• 30 DB Push Press
• 20 Overhead Squats
• 40 GHDBE
• 20 Overhead Squats
• 30 DB Push Press
• 40 AbMat Sit Ups

I laughed out loud when I saw this cartoon.  It could not make more sense, be put more plainly or state more fact.  It is as simple as this, if you don’t make time for your health NOW, you’ll be forced to make time later.

What would you rather do…something you enjoy that allows you to be stronger, be healthier, live pain free (except the soreness of course), live longer etc etc etc.  Or would you rather be obese, have limited energy, scared to try new things and get diabetes and live off of a tank of oxygen you have to push around.  Sound extreme?  Look around next time you go to the mall and disagree with me…I bet you won’t.

Make the comittment TO yourself and FOR yourself.

Burpee Challenge: Day 10

Burpees Completed: 155

Burpees Remaining: 4, 995

Workout of the Day:

Clean and Jerk

1-1-1-1-1

People often ask me what I believe “fitness” actually is.  Its pretty hard to answer that question as it may mean different things in different situations.  My stock answer is usually something like this: being fit means being ready for ANY physical situation / activity / test any where and at any time and in any which way - in other words…someone who does CrossFit :).  I also refer them to the article “What is Fitness?” by Greg Glassman - if you haven’t read it…READ IT!  You can find it here.

Most official definitions are ridiculous and don’t explain anything and I often get amused at some people’s misconceptions about the word fitness.  However, in this case I found one I can actually give the thumbs up to…

I found this on WikiAnswers while looking for an explantion of fitness (from a non-CrossFit point of view).

Q: What is the definition of Physical Fitness?

A: The ability to function efficiently and effectively, to enjoy leisure, to be healthy, to resist disease, and to cope with emergency situations. Health-related components of physical fitness include body-composition, cardiovascular fitness, flexibility muscular endurance, and strength. Skill-related components include agility balance coordination, power, reaction time, and speed.

Not bad…not bad at all.

What do you consider the definition of fitness to be?  Post thoughts to Comments.

Burpee Challenge: Day 9

Burpees Completed: 145

Burpees Remaining: 5, 005

Workout of the Day:

10 to 1

• Pull Ups
• Lengths
• MBC Sprawl Ball

We’ve all been told over and over not to judge a book by its cover…but lets be honest, we all do it.  We’ve all walked past someone and passed some sort of judgment and really there is no place for it - especially in the gym.  How many times have you lined up next to someone figuring you’re gonna smoke them at the WOD only to have your ass handed to you?  Don’t be shy, it’s happened to all of us.

So, watch this video, its about 4 minutes and worth every second.  I have to admit I got goosebumps and even a little choked up at one point.  Its just a little reminder that you have no idea what someone has inside.

 

The nice thing about SPARK is that upon entering our doors you are pretty much automatically accepted.  I’ll bet Mr. Potts in the video felt more than welcome in each successive show - as a matter of fact he actually won the whole contest. 

Whether its your 1st time or 100th time you walk in you feel like you belong.  Why is that?  Because you are here.  The fact that you got in your car and drove here knowing full well how much pain and anguish you are going to experience in the next hour you still did it - and that counts.  It counts in the trainers’ eyes and everyone elses in the room. 

You are wanted, you are valued and we love having you here.  Thanks for showing up.

Burpee Challenge: Day 8

Burpees Completed: 136

Burpees Remaining: 5, 014

Workout of the Day:

• 15 Box Jumps
• 10 TGU (5 each arm)
• 5 Spiderman Push Ups

6 rounds
 

I know you hear us telling you to “Get it up there” or “Full extension” or more often “Over your head…not in front of you”.  Well, this is a great shot of what we mean.  Overhead means overhead and that’s all there is to it.  Great job on full range Tala.

Easier said than done though right?  It really is simple but sometime you need to work a bit at it first.  Challenge yourself…after all, your goat doesn’t only have to be a specific exercise, it can be your lack of flexibilty.

Go after that end range and work the flexibilty in your shoulders the way we’ve taught you - if you don’t remember how or you forgot just ASK.

Burpees Completed: 128

Burpees Remaining: 5, 022

Workout of the Day:

21 (then 20 yds Flat Crawl) - 15 (then 20 yds Flat Crawl) - 9 (then 20 yds Flat Crawl)

• WB Sit Up
• DB Shoulder Press
• SDLHP

Ahhh, love is in the air.  Two of our SPARKers, Meaghan and Codey, just got married in Jamaica over the Christmas break.  Nice to see it happen guys.  Good luck in life, your business and in all future endeavours you set your hearts and minds on.  You deserve everything you’ve been working so hard to get and it is paying off.  Keep it up!

Burpee Challenge: Day 4

Burpees Completed: 110

Burpees Remaining: 5, 040

Workout of the Day:

• 30 GHDSU
• 40 DB Snatch (20/arm)
• 50 Tire Smash (25/arm)

3 Rounds

Sometimes you just have to pay the price.  

Above we see Candace’s arm covered in whip marks.  Is it because she is not motivated so we stand behind her and whip her?  Of course not…in fact it is the total opposite.  She wants to master the doulbe under so what does she do?  SHE WORKS ON THEM!  It just so happens that in the process she whips her arms - a lot.

But here is what’s great, she just keeps going.

A lot of the movements we do here at SPARK are extremely difficult and can take years to be proficient.  Should that stop you?  No.  It should motivate you to try your best and keep working on them until you get them.  You hands may rip, your shins may bleed, you may feel awkward or whatever.  Bottom line is this: you have to get over yourself and do it.  No egos, no judgements just hard work and dedication.

So why do we do such technical movements if they’re so hard?  Because they are worth it.  I’m sure you’ll all agree that what we do here is very different from anything you’ve done before.  I’m sure you’ll also agree that you’ve never had results like you get here.  I refuse to be ordinary and I refuse to run a garbage program that doesn’t work.  I want the best for all of you and you should want the best for yourself.

Remember folks, chase those goats.  And in the meantime, just keep paying the price.  I promise it will pay off.

Burpee Challenge: Day 3

Burpees Completed: 106

Burpees Remaining: 5, 044

Workout of the Day: (Got this one from my friend Andy)

Squat Ladder - With a continuously running clock, complete one squat in minute one, two squats in minute two, three in minute three… continue in this fashion until you are no longer able to complete the required number of squats within that minute or you tap out (whichever comes first).

• Beg = Air Squats
• Int = Holding Medicine Ball (20 lbs / 15 lbs)
• Adv = with barbell ( 45 lbs / 35 lbs) - rounds 1-10 OHS, rounds 11-20 Front Squat, Rounds 21+ Back squat

Isn’t it weird how when it comes to babies you can talk about their genitalia, gas, burps, take pictures in the bathtub…you know, all that naughty stuff that is all hush hush as we age.  Wouldn’t it be a great world if you could just do what comes naturally and not have to worry about public embarrassment?  Thoughts?  Maybe its just a guy thing…

Anyway, the ultrasound picture is of the newest edition to both the Layton and SPARK family - yep, its a boy and he’s coming in May.

Burpees Completed: 103

Burpees Remaining: 5, 047

• 15 Pull Ups
• 25 Dbl Unders
• 15 Push Press  (75 lbs / 55 lbs)
• 25 Dbl Unders

4 Rounds

Never again will I think I’ve seen it all after having seen this.  Forget the pills, powders and laxitives…here’s your newest excuse to be LAZY.  I introduce to you the “Waistband Stretcher”.  Here’s what it says:

“No more uncomfortable waistbands!”

“When your waistband feels too snug, reach for the Waistband Stretcher. You don’t have to get rid of your favorite jeans, skirts or slacks thanks to this simple waist-band stretching device that lets you add from 1-5 inches (depending on size of garment) to the waist of cotton pants, skirts, and shorts. Just moisten the garment’s waistband, insert the waistband stretcher, extend the garment to the desired size and let dry - voila, a more comfortable fit!”

“Order today and make those clothes comfortable again!”

ARE YOU KIDDING ME?!? 

How about, get off your couch you fat, lazy bastard and do something active!  Or possibly you should stop eating deep fried bread dipped in mayo rolled in Ju-Jubes.  Pardon the language, but this just made me mad.  Our society is dying - literally dying - from being TOO FAT and people are profitting off of products like this piece of garbage.

Maybe, just maybe, its time to start changing the world and the way it looks at health and fitness.

Whew, I feel better now.  Post your own comments below.

Burpees Completed - 101

Burpees Remaining - 5, 049

Deadlift

5-5-3-1-1-1

A big shout out and congratulations to David Nedohin (middle left) and Scott Pfeifer (middle right) who just this past weekend won first place in their Skins Tournament.  Not a bad little payday. 

Of course the win was in huge part due to Scott’s tireless sweeping and David’s unbelievable rock placement.  Great job guys!  Perhaps Vancouver 2010?  We’ll be rooting for you.

 Thats right folks…the 101 day Burpee Challenge starts TODAY!  If you don’t make it in to the gym, do them at home.

And don’t forget to POST YOUR NAME AND TIME IN THE COMMENT SECTION OF THIS POST.

Workout of the Day:

100 Burpees for time

• Chest to the floor on every rep - no exceptions
• Clap above head on every rep
   

Here is a face we haven’t seen around SPARK for a while and for good reason…

Kelly C. is not just having one baby, she’s having TWO!  Yep, twins.  One of each.  I knew she was having a bit of a rough go with the pregnancy but I thought Brian (the husband and dad) was just being lazy.  I guess he’s getting in a few extra hours of work (and sleep) while he can.  Congrats you two - keep us posted.

• 5 Body Rows
• 7 Ring Dips
• 9 Wall Balls
• 11 AbMat Sit Ups

AMRAP 20 minutes

Everytime you workout, a sweat angel get it’s wings.  Thanks to Howie here, there is another happy angel out there!

I honestly don’t think there is another place on earth other than a CrossFit Facility that people:

• Work this hard for fun
• Have this much fun working this hard

On second thought, maybe he is just trying not to puke…I have heard that smiling actually stops the urge to purge.  Any truth to this?  Maybe we’ll have to put it to the test after the next “Benchmark”.

• American KB Swing
• Box Jumps

10 to 1 to 10

I got a short email the other day from the man above - no, not “The Man”, but the guy shown above rocking out some Double Unders…the one we know as “Hutz”.  Here’s what he wrote:

“Thanks for the past 10 months, with your help I’ve accomplished things personally, physically and mentally that I could never imagine doing a year ago. You’re a great friend, and I look forward to promising future with yourself and SPARK in it.”

He recently up and changed careers and was still able (with a little time off of course) to keep the commitment he made to himself and journey down the road of fitness.

That’s what its all about folks…commitment.  You must make it to yourself because you NEED it and you deserve it.  Sooner or later your health will become a priority…why not do it by choice.  You must let others know to help keep you in check and most important, YOU MUST SHOW UP.  It really couldn’t be any easier.

Great job Hutz, keep it up.  And by the way, I’m still waiting on that testimonial!

On another note, just what is a “peanut gallery” and where did that saying come from?  If you know, post to comments below.

 Workout of the Day:

• 500m Row
• 20 Tire Smash (each side)
• 20 GHDBE

4 Rounds

Looking good Charles!  I don’t think anyone could ever question your effort…always bringing it and hitting it hard.

 

A few people have been asking lately what they need to do to improve thier times.  That’s a bit of a loaded question.

There are a lot of answers I could give that are lengthy, drawn out and would come out as blah blah blah.  Instead I will keep it simple and start with the basics:

• Nutrition.  If you don’t start “Zoning” or at least evaluating what you eat and fix the problem areas (sugars, processed foods, too many “bad” carbs etc etc etc) you will have a hard time progressing.  And really, why would you want to go through all this work and not get all the benefit.  I’m not saying you need to turn into a food nazi, just start small and eliminate the garbage.  Too much too soon will be overwhelming and makes it easy to scrap the whole thing.

 

• Consistency.  Straight up, you need to be here and you need to hit it hard.  I get that some days will just suck but you need to push through and give every workout everything you’ve got.  As well, for some of you, if you can fit it into your schedule, you need to come more.  Try adding that extra day a week.  Wonder why people that you used to smoke are smoking you?  They’re here more than you.

 

• Progression.  Start upping your weights.  Forget about your time, work on going heavier AND keeping proper form.  THE CLOCK IS NOT THERE TO SHOW YOU THAT YOU BEAT OTHER PEOPLE, IT IS THERE TO REMIND YOU TO STOP RESTING AND MOVE YOUR ASS!

 

• Take fewer AND shorter rests.  I know, easier said than done, but how often do you find yourself “gazing” (looking at the next exercise and thinking how hard this is going to be rather than stepping up and getting it done).  STOP GAZING!

 

• Scale.  For some of you this is huge.  Ditch the pride and ego and go a little lighter.  Its fine to do Rx’d but not if its taking you halfway into the next class.  Go lighter and hit it harder - you’ll be surprised how hard you can make it.

That’s just a few suggestions and I suggest you start with the most important: Nutrition.

Its actually going to be a 101 day burpee challenge for a total of 5150 Burpees.

We’ll start next week with 100 burpees on the first day (we need a baseline) and then the next day we start with 1, the day after 2 and so on until you work your way back to 100 burpees?  Sounds fun eh?

“Buttercup”

• 50 Squats
• 40 Push Press (65 lbs M / 45 lbs W)
• 30 GHDSU
• 20 Ball Slam (20 lbs M / 15 lbs W)
• 10 Pull Ups
• 10 Push Ups

3 Rounds

WARNING: some strong language used.

“Every Second Counts” is the title and will soon be finished.  I have heard from a couple of people that have got “sneak peeks” that if you like CrossFit, you will love the movie!

As far as I understand, it is more or less a documentary on a few of the more well known CrossFit Firebreathers and their road to the 2008 CrossFit Games.  Oddly enough, true to CrossFit, the man that actually won was just a regular guy and not one of the favorites.

 100 Day Burpee Challenge begins next week!  More Info to follow.

 Workout of the Day:

21 - 15 - 9 - 9 - 15 - 21

• Deadlift (135 lbs / 105 lbs)
• Ring Dips

That’s right…we can all stop wasting our energy busting our butts here at SPARK because Superfood has arrived.  What do you mean its BS?  There is an add right here on this page that was emailed to me and the website has so much “scientifically proven” tidbits its overwhelming!  What do you mean too good to be true?  IT”S SCIENTIFIC PEOPLE!!!!

Ok, I can’t go on anymore.  You all probably rolled your eyes when you saw this as I did, but so many people sign right up.  The supplement industry is a multi-BILLION dollar industry.  It’s not regulated and they can say and put whatever they want on the labels.  Most products are a waste of money and provide zero benefits.  So please, when you see commercials or adds for the next big thing, ignore them.  If your family is on them, educate them.

You know what works, diet and exercise.  That’s why on every add or commercial you see there is fine print attached…heck even this one says: “Individual results vary.  Diet and exercise advised.”

I was asked the other day if New Years Resolutionaries were knocking down the door yet and I said no.  You see everyone wants to lose weight or gain weight and of course get fit…but not everybody is willing to put in the work.  Thanks for putting in the work guys!

I should add this though out of fairness…there are some good supplements out there and if you want to try some don’t be afraid to ask us if they are worthwhile.

 100 Day Burpee challenge coming soon…stayed tuned for info.

 Workout of the Day:

• 5 Pull Ups
• 10 Sprawl Ball
• 15 Front or Back Squats (45# / 35#)

AMRAP 15 min

Recognize this face?  In case you can’t put your finger on it…yep, that’s Lance Armstrong.

Clearly lance gets it.  Clearly.  Here you see him in his own garage gym swinging a kettlebell and in the background whats that I see???  That’s right, a squat rack…a REAL squat rack not a Smith Machine and a Glut Ham Developer. 

Weird.

Not weird that a world class ELITE athlete is doing functional movements, not weird that he isn’t on a machine doing isolated movements and not weird that he is obviously working at a high level of intensity.

What’s weird is that even though athletes with elite levels of fitness train like we do at SPARK (utilizing constantly varied, high intensity, functional movements) there are still people going to Globogym spending thousands of dollars on useless “personal trainers” that put them on machines. They are wasting lifetimes in pursuit of fitness and health goals THAT THEY ARE NEVER GOING TO ACHEIVE!!!

Its January and I would venture a guess that you know at least 1 person that has a “resolution” to get fit and healthy.  Help your friends and family by not being afraid to open your mouth…let them know what you do here at SPARK.  Educate them.  Invite them to check out the site and invite them to try us out. 

Don’t let them waste their time, don’t let them waste their money and more important, don’t let them slip back to mediocrity and return to their old ways.

One more thing…HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

• 30 BB OH Lunges
• 30 American KB Swings
• 30 GHDSU

3 rounds