Blog Archive

Looking for a cool book to read?  Does it have to have pictures?

Have a go at Peter Menzel’s Hungry Planet: What the World Eats.  It has pictures of family households from around the world posing with all the food they eat in one week.  Fascinating.

Here are a few of my favs…

Australia – Look at all that meat!!

Bhutan – Almost double the people but half the food. Barely anything processed.

Mexican Family – Holy Coca Cola!! Also lots of veggies?

One thing is for sure. Multinational food conglomerate Kellogg’s has a product in most of the pictures.

Check out more of the pictures here.

Mucho Amore!

Maison Shepherd

Thursday Lesson Plan

Warm Up:

6 Minutes of…

10 T-Spine Bridge
10 Cossack Squat
10 Explosive Box Jumps (Land High)

4 minutes of mobility on Rack Position

Skill/Strength:

5×5 Front Squat

* Last week. Make your jump and commit. Take your 3-4 minutes rest between sets seriously and approach the bar. Drive into the bar out of the hole and keep the erector spinae stacked.

Performance: 10 Minute Cap

10-8-6-4-2

Burpee Box Jumps
Bar Muscle Ups (Chest’s Chest to Bar aka. Tits on Top)

Now that we have your attention… Just one quick order of business:

Project Endurance will be postponed by one week. This is due to a ridiculously large brain fart on the part of the organizers (mostly Dan – please flog him). So the beginning session will be on Saturday, October 5th, at 9 am.

Contact andy@crossfit.ca to join. DO IT!!

Now on to the main attraction… By Lumber Dahlman.

I recently watched the following You Tube video wherein Ellen Degeneris has fun at the expense of Bic for making a pen for her. It is quite funny but I am just not sure this is sexist as much as a feeble attempt by a company whose sole revenue stream is becoming obsolete grasping at sales. I also found another describing Honda’s attempt to make a car tailored to the female Market.

So have a look at the video’s and tell us what you think, is it sexist? Is it more sexist to ignore the differences between men and women or accommodate the differences? If these were products geared specifically toward men would anyone care?

Ellen Degeneris

Honda

Let us know your thoughts!

Lumber and Casa Del Shepherd

Wednesday Lesson Plan

Warm Up:

8 Minutes of…

15 Ring Rows (Pull to the nipples)
1/1 Length Waiter Walk
30 second Dead Hang Pull Up Bar

Skill/Strength:

Shoulder to Overhead 3-3-3-3-3

*Those of you who can Push Jerk, do it. Unfortunately there are mobility concerns that limit ones ability to push jerk with pretty form. The Push Press is just fine for the first few sets, but from there you’ll want to shift to the split. Work the weak spot here people.

Performance: 14 Minute Cap

21-15-9

Push Jerk (Shoulder to Overhead) 135/95
Rotational Ball Slams 20/12

*Standards stay the same as a regular ball slam. Hinge while rotating, make sure the ball lands outside of your foot. A lockout of the arms overhead is a must.

When I initially started at the gym I was looking at all these people on the floor rolling around on these weird objects after/before each class. This was completely foreign to me. I have to say I did neglect the rolling out portion for quite some time but started to pay the consequences for it. I had tight spots (and still have) and small pain throughout my body. Over the past year I have paid more attention to rolling out and it is amazing what a few minutes can do to the well being of your body.

So why do we actually roll out? The main reason for it comes down to releasing adhesion or tight spots in the fascia. Can you imagine sliding down a waterslide that is properly lubricated and all of a sudden hit a spot that has no lubrication at all? Yeah I think we all know what that would look, sound and feel like.

The fascia is a structure of connecting tissue (similar to a spider web) and surrounds various parts in our body, one of them being muscles. The main purpose of muscle fascia is to provide lubrication. When we do not exercise such as sitting on our desk or poor posture it can cause adhesions between muscles and fascia. The result is adhered spots between fascia and muscle. Therefore the fascia is not being able to move properly during a workout and can lead to tightness and injuries.

Although rolling out fascia is not the sole reason of becoming less tight it is one part that will help us become more mobile and less injured athletes.

Here is a cool video by Gil Hedley describing how fascia and humans behave.

So roll out often!!

Post by Arnt and The House of Sheppy

Tuesday’s Lesson Plan

Preparation:

3 Rounds of…

12 Barbell Good Mornings
12 Barbell Glute Bridge
12 Barbell Bent Over Rows

*Focus on the feeling here. We are looking to prime and activate for massive pulling. The good morning should feel the hamstrings fire up without rounding the lumbar spine. The glute bridge should feel the glutes squeezing through looking for about 10-20% of hyperextension in the hip (not lumbar). Feel the elbows squeeze behind you in the row.

Strength:

Deadlift 1RM

*Find your true 1RM. Really set you sights on pulling with a neutral spine. Once that bar is over the knees, squeeze those glutes. Do not try to pry by pushing the hip through or dragging the bar up with the back.

Performance:

Every 4 minutes for 16 minutes…

Max HSPU followed by 40 Double Unders

*One kick up with max reps. Seated dumbbell press for substitution.

Check out this awesome picture!

Why is it awesome you ask? Well not because it looks like a gorgeous sunset and she is running on water…

THE PICTURE IS AWESOME BECAUSE IT IS A SUPERB EXAMPLE OF BRUTALLY BAD RUNNING FORM!

I would bet most people don’t even know that.

The heel toe long running stride is responsible for such injuries as runner’s knee, piriformis syndrome, IT band syndrome and those oh so lovely shin splints.

In our 10 week running program, starting this Saturday, September 28th, at 9 am, we will educate and train you in the art of effective running technique.

Afghan, Shep and Sack will be leading you through the Saturday 9 am class weekly. The first Saturday is 2 hours with the following Saturdays being an hour and low change. You will also get homework to do throughout the 10 weeks. FUN!!

There will be drills and skills development with plenty of running specific prehab, strength and mobility work..

Each athlete will also get two, very thorough, state of the art, video and movement analysis sessions as well as a 20% discount on shoe and insole bundles from Origin Athletics (the proshop).

Now look at this picture below. On the top is where we want you. The bottom is how most people run. Doesn’t look very effective does it? Every step he takes he tries to stop himself.

At or near the end of our course, you are encouraged to enter a local road or trail race.

Check out:

The Boundary Bay Marathon hosts a 5k, 10k, half and full marathon, plus a relay (4 legs from 7.5k to 13.5k long). November 3rd.

The New Balance Fall Classic is a 10Km and Half Marathon held at UBC on Nov 17th

The Historic Half offers a 5Km, 10Km, and Half in Stanley Park on Nov 24th

Pure Satisfaction Race is a trail race on the Baden Powell Trail in North Van and can be run as a 12.5Km, 25km, or a very juicy 50Km! Dec 15th.

Contact andy@Crossfit.ca to register.

Project Endurance 3.0 will finish right before December so you’ll be in tip top shape for the Holidays.

What an amazing gift. YOU should do this.

Cheers!

Sheppy

Monday’s Lesson Plan

Warm Up:

15 Wall Angels
15 Scapular Push Ups
15 Band Pull Aparts

4 Minutes of…

10 Ball Halos
10 Ball Slams

Skill/Strength: 20 Minute Cap.

35/50 Strict Pull Ups
In as few sets as possible.

*Last chance to show up and throw down. Final week means unflawed attempts. Those of you who have past with under 5 sets can add some weight (don’t be greedy). No less than 5 reps per set aiming to fatigue around 7/8. Finish. Uncompleted reps = 3x D-Ball Slam Burpees.

Prep for performance with…

20 Banded Good Mornings
20 Glute Bridges

Performance:

50 Kettle Bell Swings

Elite: 2 Pood/1.5 Pood
Baseline: 1.5 Pood/1 Pood

*Focus on the hinge and squeezing the glutes. The power is driven from loading the posterior chain and firing the glutes that push the hip into extension.

Coaches lead recovery stretch.

You might recognize some folks in this video – our very own Eunice, Kane, and Julie Roberts spent some time in Haiti last spring. RECOMMEND THE VIDEO ON FACEBOOK, PLEASE

HAITI VIDEO on THE JOURNAL

Count ‘em.

Our training facility and fitness school truly embody what personal development is all about. From student to coach, I see the amount of knowledge surging through this community, and it’s growing. The environment we have created encourages growth. From personal training, group class learning, and apprentice/coach programs, we can get everyone towards their goals.

Throughout the strength and conditioning world, ongoing research among top tier coaches and their unknown counterparts continues to stimulate further development. Powerlifting has encouraged huge strength gains and power outputs across more than just its own sport (I saw a 120lb 5 foot 3 guy pull 605 for 4). Olympic Lifting has been incorporated to a number of strength and conditioning programs throughout the world; and is still unmatched in its power development (Boom! Chinese Snatch). Gymnastics develops unparalleled awareness with your own body within time and space (Oh so graceful yet strong). Endurance training is just as important to a program when we treat it as a skill (You mean there’s a better way to jog?). CrossFit is still an amazing diagnostic tool and performance piece, but is still just another tool (The best at working out). Don’t ever hate on bodybuilding; the essentials of training for size and symmetry have built the framework to fill with output (That’s it. Good. It hurts, I know it does. That’s it, get it). When we combine everyone of these options we are left with billions of possible strength, skill, and performance pieces. A solid GPP (General Physical Preparedness) is essential.

But…If you want to be the best at anyone of these specifically. You must do these things specifically. SSP (Sport Specific Preparedness)

A GPP will create sound groundwork and keep you prepared for just about anything the world throws at you. An SSP will create and simulate the demands of that sport. We encourage you to keep playing the sports you love; the neurological development is unmatched. There is a reason Brandon Lilly can pull a 755 deadlift RAW (no gear). Even without drugs Lance Armstrong can still smoke you on any gruelling bike ride, even if you can bench more than him. Usain Bolt will still blitz a 100m…200m…maybe more. These guys have al benefited from an all around program, but you must make some sacrifices when it comes to being the best. Specificity can also bring to surface the holes in your performance. In order to get better at one of your weaknesses, is to do them. A specified stress on the body allows the body to adapt to that specific stress. We see amazing benefits of glycolitic work on improving aerobic endurance, but the only way you will adapt to thousands upon thousands of foot strikes is to do thousands upon thousands of foot strikes. I’m not saying you should do away with the GPP; I want you to come to terms with your weakness(es).

Are you feeling weak? East Van Barbell Club. Ben and Jordy rock the house 2 days a week through muscle crushing periodization. Get some.

Have the opposite problem? Project Endurance 3.0. Shep and Andy provide countless tips and tools to actually make running feel more comfortable.

Wana be like Mike? Tough.

What aren’t you doing?

Fill the hole,

Chesty

Fridays Lesson Plan 

Warm up:

Dynamic warm up focusing on jumping mechanics

Technique:

12 minutes to establish…

Max height box jump

Two foot take off, no stepping into the jump.

If you reach a height on the box where you have stalled, lower the height and practice hitting a few higher than usual box jumps to build confidence. Please don’t try to string any together, once you reach the top of the box, step down from the top.  One box jump at a time is all we want to see. Take as many attempts as you please.

Workout:

25 min time cap

1000m row

then

5 rounds

20 pull ups

60 double unders (or 1 minute of attempts)

Saturdays Lesson Plan

Warm up: 

with a partner

3 rounds

10 sprawl balls each

10 med ball sit ups each

Technique:

20 min amrap

Partner trade off farmer carrys

With a partner pick a set of kettlbells or dumbbells, no prescribed weight, and walk up and down the 200m route trading whenever you want.

Workout:

10 min amrap

with a partner alternating rounds

max set of push ups

275m run