Blog Archive

Lights Out: Sleep Sugar, and Survival makes a strong argument that we could all use some more sack-time.

This book really hammers home the idea that if we don’t get enough quality sleep, that is in sync with our circadian rhythms + seasonal light exposure, we’re really messing with our physiology.
This can show up as a whole bunch of hormonal derangements that can lead to things like diabetes, heart disease, cancer, and depression.
On the flip side, improved sleep time and quality will help you: Lean out, avoid depression, autoimmunity, heart disease…it might even help you be a better athlete.

Lights Out is a good read; 3 parts knowledge:1 part conspiracy theory. Right up TBear’s alley.  You should ask him about it.

Sport’s Secret Weapon: Sleep  as a performance enhancement.

Today’s Skill/Strength Element:
Dot Drill

Today’s Workout:
Chiefs
In teams of two, trading off rounds the following:
3 Power Cleans (135/85)
6 Push Ups
9 Squats
for 5 Minutes.

Rest 1 Minute.

Repeat for a total of 5 Rounds.  Big boys and girls can use 155/105.

A

Ps.

The Ladderboard workout will be held on Friday this week.

Apologies go out to the 6 am class. The problem is being fixed as we speak.

With the arrival of cold and flu season, many of you will at some point, find yourself sniffling and sneezing, sitting on the couch wondering if you should go in for a work out ?

I’ll answer with an emphatic – NO! For one very obvious reason, and another a little more selfish.

Firstly: A sick workout is a wasted workout.

When you get sick, and you start to feel tried, get the sweats or the chills, the aches, pains, coughs and sniffles, your body is hard at work marshaling its energy to rid itself of some foreign bacteria or virus. When its under attack, or threatened or stressed , your body’s main priority is getting well. Franning it up at the gym while sick will not only result in a mediocre performance, but it’ll take valuable resources away from your body’s recovery effort. So, one the one hand you get a crappy workout. On the other you stay sick longer.

And Secondly: Sharing is not-caring.

When you get sick and come to the gym, you bring along your sneezes, snot and phlem for the rest of us to enjoy. Coughing into your hand and touching barbells and pullup bars and chalk buckets…I’m pretty sure that’s how Typhoid got started.

Did you know Charlie Palmer got sick 87 times last year?

For Charlie’s sake, keep your mucus to yourself.

Today’s Skill/Strength Element:

Work on a little ankle and knee mobility, and then:

6/6 Bulgarian Split Squats X 6 sets

In-between your Split Squats, perform 8 Barbell Roll Outs

Today’s Workout:

Strict Pull Ups, Lunges, Slam Balls (20/12lbs)
9,18,18 – 8,16,16 – 7,14,14…1,2,2

Starting with 9 Pullups, 18 Lunges, and 18 Slamballs, followed by 8/16/16, then 7/14/14 and so on. Work your way down to 1 Pull Up and 2 Lunges and 2 Slam Balls.

Athletes can pronate, supinate, or mix their grip. They can do bar, towel, ring, climbing rope, or fat grip pull ups.

Anything goes, as long as they:

1. start from a dead hang

2. get their chins over the bar/rings

3. perform the movement without swinging or kipping

Check your ego. The kipping motion can hide a lot of weakness.

A

Hi Everyone,
This weekend we are hosting our Executive Diploma Program. We have a big group coming so there are a few changes to the schedule.

Friday November 23rd:       NO 11am Class
Saturday November 24th:    Classes as normal, no access to the school between 2pm-5pm
Sunday November 25th:        NO 10am class a 9am will run instead

Thanks for your help to make this happen,
The CFV Crew

We’re hosting an Indoor Rowing Regatta on Saturday, November 24th for both you and your kids.

If you’ve never raced a 2 km race on the erg (rowing machine), this will be a great opportunity to test your rowing skills. We’re going to be synching to rowing monitors up together, so you’ll be able to see whose winning on the screen.

There will be three divisions: kid division, lightweight, and heavyweight.

Doors open at 11:30 am. Kids Regatta is at NOON. Adult regatta is at 1:30 pm.

Cost:

$25 for CHILD
$35 for ADULT
$50 for you and your child

Are you addicted to your workout?

Both physical stress and emotional stress signal our CNS to kick off a chemical cascade to help us deal with an impeding threat.

Cortisol (a buffer hormone that helps you adapt to stressful situations, catabolic in nature, it also redistributes energy where its needed for fight or flight), DHEA (a another buffer hormone, anabolic in nature, precursor to many of the sex hormones), norepinephrine (and adrenalin, prepares for flight or fight), serotonin (mood regulation), Neuropeptide Y (anxiety/stress resiliency, appetite) all play a major role, among others.

“By activating our arousal and attention systems, stressors can also wake up the neural circuitry underlying wanting and craving — just like drugs do.” – Jim Pfaus, neuroscientist and addiction specialist

Type A and D personalities (those prone to competitiveness, anxiety, and depression) may be more likely to become accustomed to the effects of stress and begin to crave it.

The Whole 9  just put out a great article called the Lies We Tell Ourselves, about the dangers of obsessing about fitness. Its something I think all of our athletes should take a look at.

Today’s Skill/Strength Element:

Heavy/Max Power Snatch

Today’s Workout:

3  Power Snatch @ 75% of max

5 Burpee

10 Rounds

A