You are hereFebruary 2010
February 2010
Fun With Foam Rollers!
Just in case you haven't noticed, we have some new foam rollers in the gym! Foam rollers are great for myofascial release, but they can also be a great tool for stretching. Here are a few stretches to do after you have rolled out your muscles. (By the way, these are all very good for those of you with tight shoulders!)
Pectoral Stretch:
Lie on side. Place roller horizontal to your body next to your shoulder blades. Roll back onto the foam roller with your knees bent. Put your hands behind your head and straighten your legs. Stretch the top of your head towards the floor and your feet away from you. Pull your shoulders back and towards the floor. Hold for 30 seconds.
Shoulder Stretch:
Kneel in front of the foam roller. Put your hands on the foam roller, palms facing each other. Roll the roller away from your body, stretching the arms out straight in front of you. Hold for 30 seconds.
Deltoid Stretch:
Kneel in front of one foam roller. Straighten your right arm and place it in front of you on the foam roller, palm facing the floor. Reach your left arm under the right shoulder and place it on another foam roller with the palm facing the ceiling. Straighten the left arm and reach towards the opposite side of the room. Hold for 30 seconds. Repeat on other side.
Hip Flexor Stretch:
Kneel and then place your right foot in front of you so your right knee is bent at a right angle. Place the foam roller under the shin of your left leg. Tuck your hips so that you feel the stretch in the front of your left hip. Then stretch your hands up towards the ceiling and push your hips forward. If you are able to balance, stretch sideways towards your right side (not shown in picture) and hold 30 seconds. Repeat on other side.
A New Study Says to Skip the Post-Workout Carb-Up
Maria finishing her squat
Post-workout nutrition seems to be an oft-debated topic. This article on a Journal of Applied Physiology study comes out on the side of low-carb intake after a workout. While I agree with the conclusion of the study, after reading the article I did have some questions, mostly related to methodology. But first, let's review the findings of the study.
The take-home points of the article summarizing the study are as follows:
- From the article itself: Researchers say the results support a growing body of research that shows many of the health benefits of exercise come from the most recent exercise session rather than weeks or months of training. In other words, even if you haven't trained for a while (say you're coming back from vacation), you'll still get great benefit from working out, even if you're not at the same level of fitness you previously were.
- Again from the article: In all three exercise sessions, researchers say there was a trend for an increase in insulin sensitivity. But when the participants ate the low-carbohydrate meal following exercise, it increased their insulin sensitivity even more. And that's the key point related to post-workout nutrition. It all comes back to your body's response to insulin. Exercise increase's one's insulin sensitivity (a good thing), thereby allowing you to more effectively deal with blood sugar. And by keeping your carbohydrate intake relatively low after your workout, you increase your insulin sensitivity even more.
Although I'm delighted with the findings of the article (if only because it supports what I've observed in practice), I was left with a few questions.
First, the workout was a combination of treadmill work and stationary bike work. All well and good, but I wonder if the same conclusion would've been drawn if the activity were anaerobic (I would guess that the findings would be the same, and that's what I'd recommend).
And second, I can't help but wonder what the researchers use as their basis for defining a low-carb in a meal. If you read closely, you'll see that the low-carb meal that was given post-workout contained 200 grams of carbohydrate (half the amount in the balanced meal!). Either the protein and fat intake was really freaking high, or low-carb and balanced meals mean something different to them and me.
The other thing to take into account regarding carbohydrate quantity in the study is that the 200 grams of carbohydrate could be the weight of the carbohydrates that was given to the study participants post-workout. If this is the case, and participants in the study were given 200 grams of spinach, for example, then yes, I guess it is a pretty darn low carb intake.
But because this isn't specified in the article, I can't tell one way or the other.
At any rate, remember, it all comes down to your insulin sensitivity. So if you're looking to lean out, keep those carbs low post-workout, and preferably in the form of vegetables and fruit.
Barefoot Running?
Sierra in mid-jump
I recently finished reading Born to Run, Christopher McDougall's outstanding account of the Tarahumara tribe in Mexico. I highly recommend the book, whether you have an interest in long-distance running or not.
Among many other fascinating things that McDougall writes about in the book, he makes a strong case for running barefoot, or at the very least, wearing minimal shoes (shoes with thin soles and next to no heel support). Running barefoot or with minimal shoes will change the way you run, so goes the argument, and will be better for your feet, since you'll land with a mid-foot strike, rather than a heel-to-toe strike. Not only does mid-foot striking reduce the impact of running on your hips, knees, and back, it strengthens the muscles and tendons of the foot. In addition, running coaches say that mid-foot striking will lead to small efficiency gains in performance (McDougall cited some researchers who claimed a 1% gain in efficiency for mid-foot striking vs. heel-to-toe striking).
Here's a recent article from the BBC supporting McDougall's claim. They even have a slow-motion video of running barefoot vs. running with modern running shoes. Check it out: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/8483401.stm
So do you have any experience running barefoot or with minimal shoes? Or do you think it's bunk? Share your thoughts, opinions, and experiences in comments.
Gaming Your Way to a Lack of Fitness
Hannah driving out of the bottom of her bench press
At least one time a week, if not many more times, I get asked about whether you should go all-out on a workout like Sunday's Part B workout (4 rounds of 400m runs with 2 minutes of rest in between) or whether you should leave a little in the tank in earlier rounds, trying to average out your performance over the whole workout (i.e, all four runs). Although I'm using yesterday's workout as an example, it applies to any interval-style workout we do.
I've always believed, and have also observed and experienced repeatedly, that the greatest gains in fitness come from not trying to manage your workout, but from letting the chips fall where they may. Managing reps, rest, and the like is appropriate on game day (or the NorCal Sectionals) where the only objective is winning, but your quickest path to getting yourself ready for game day--and really fit--is to avoid the management mindset. Fitness comes by pushing the margins for failure outward (whether it be muscular, anaerobic, aerobic, psychological, or whatever), and that can only happen if you actually know how and when you fail.
Forget about smoothing out those rough edges!
Jon Gilson, a far finer writer than I, and Robyn's dream coach to boot, published an outstanding article on this very topic:
http://www.againfaster.com/articles/managing-your-way-to-mediocrity.html
Read it. Now.
(I've also reprinted it in its entirety below. Just click on the "Read more" link.)
Athlete Spotlight: D-Sal!
Back by popular demand: The Athlete Spotlight! Each week I will hunt one of you down and interview you, so that we can all get to know you a little better.
First up is Mr. David Sally, who typically attends our afternoon Open Gym and graciously hosted (along with Candace) our most recent Sports Saturday by teaching the basics of his beloved Rugby.
Post musings on D-Sal to comments.
Name: David Sally
Height: 5’11”
Weight: 195
Age: 41
Q: How long have you been CrossFitting?
A: I first started doing the CrossFit football workouts in June 2009.
Q: How long have you been a member at CFO?
A: I joined CFO in September 2009. I knew a couple of members (Sam, Colin) who said it was a great gym and community and have been hooked ever since.
Q: What is your day job?
A: I am in-house legal counsel for Nokia, where I handle intellectual property licensing and other contracts for Nokia's research centers.
Q: What is your athletic background?
A: In high school, I played football and was on the track and golf teams. I have been playing rugby for about ten years, the last five with Berkeley RFC, where I've won player of the year honors two of the past three years (although granted, it is Division III rugby).
Q: What is your favorite strength move?
A: My favorite strength moves are the traditional power lifting exercises (deadlifts, bench press, squats), although I suck at overhead squats and anything where I have to catch a bar in a squat position.
Q: What is your favorite met-com?
A: I haven't done too many of the traditional CF met-cons, but am okay with anything involving running.
Q: What is your proudest achievement (so far)?
A: I came in second in CrossFit Sweatshop's masters competition, narrowly losing to a guy who competed on an affiliate team in the 2009 CF Games.
Q: What is your most desired goal?
A: First, I'd like to get my first muscle-up out of the way. More significant 2010 goals include completing the King Kong WOD and posting a 1100 lb. CF Total. Lastly, I'd like to compete in the CrossFit Games in some sort of capacity.
Q: Do you have a rant or a rave you’d like to share?
A: What's up with the yellow/red color combination in the bathroom? It looks like a goddamned McDonald's. Can we go a little nuts in 2010 and re-paint that baby?
Some Stats:
CF Total: 1030
CF Football Total: 1400
5RM Dead lift 410# (last night)
The CrossFit Santa Clara Weekly Challenge
Jason Khalipa doing the workout we're going to do on February 17
For those of you looking for an additional CF-related challenge, I want to give you a heads-up on the Weekly Challenge that Jason Khalipa is posting on his CF Santa Clara blog. Jason is posting the challenge workout every Monday, and is giving challenge participants until midnight each Thursday to post results and send in video of that week's challenge workout.
This week's CF Santa Clara challenge workout:
For Time:
Row 250m
21-15-9 Reps:
Thrusters @ 115#/85#
KB Swings @ 1.5pd/1pd
Row 250m
And take note of Jason's time in the power clean/burpee workout in the video above. We'll be doing the very same workout (developed by Austin at CrossFit Unlimited) in two weeks.
CrossFit Oakland Throwdown Workout
Here's the workout for the Throwdown taking place this Saturday, Feb 20 at 11am. Spread the word!
4 Rounds, 2.5 Minutes Each:
Run 200m
10 Thrusters @ 135#/95#
Max Burpees
1 minute rest between rounds. Scored by total number of burpees.
Those are stares of welcome
Funny, huh? I thought so. I think like a good deal of humor, it is funny because it contains at least an element of truth. I am pretty sure I would have ordered one of those for my first few months (ok, year) at CFO if it had been available. Of course, the irony is that many people avoid starting a new fitness program that will get them in shape because they don’t want to be judged for being out of shape. Huh?
Speaking of starting a new fitness program, you may have noticed that there have been a few new faces around CFO this past month. We've had some transfers from other affiliates and our inaugural on-ramp class for beginning cross-fitters graduated on Saturday and some of our newest members are already attending regular group classes! I have also spied many familiar faces lately that have returned after extended absences (you know who you are).
Who's the guy with the sweet push-ups?
It takes somewhere between a little and a whole lot of courage to walk into a new and intense environment like CFO for the first time and maybe even more to walk back in after being gone awhile. Happily, CFO really is a place of no judgments (at least until we get to know you over the years), so the blue tarp is only necessary if you are going to throw some paint on the gym walls.
Post words of welcome (and welcome back) to comments. And of course, introduce yourself to any new-comers you might run into in class.
CFO WOD Archive
Lance performing a dumbbell snatch
Did you know that all of the CFO WODs are now archived?
You can access them by typing the following URL into your browser:
http://crossfitoakland.com/wod
This is extremely handy if you want to look up the workouts from a previous cycle. And coming in the near future, we're looking at setting up some search functionality, so that you can search for when a particular workout came up last (e.g., Back Squat 5-5-5-5-5 Reps). Stay tuned!
Prather Ranch Order Confirmation
Two papas performing pull-ups (how's that for alliteration!)
OK, so here's the list of people and the number of boxes that I've passed along to Scott at Prather Ranch. If there are any mistakes or omissions, speak now or forever hold your peace.
Tamara 2 boxes (1 box shared with Hung)
David S 1 box
Leigh 1 box
Vee 1 box
Tad 1 box
Leka 1 box
Freddy 1 box
Patrick T 1 box
JP & Audra 1 box
Sam L 2 boxes
Stas 1 box
Daniel & Candace & TomC 1 box
Lau 1 box
Felipe 1 box
Hannah & Dawn 1 box
Maria & Connor 1 box
Ross 1 box
Mini 1 box
Lydia & MJ 1 box
Scott & Sherrill 1 box
Open Studio at CFO Sunday, Feb 28 at 5:30pm
Annie (or at least part of her), one of the three artists working in the studio at the back of CFO
Some of you may have seen some women walking back and forth through the gym, to the mysterious room in the back with closed doors. And some of you may not know what the heck I'm talking about, never having seen such a thing. In either case, fear not. There's an explanation.
Besides being a gym, we also rent out our back room to three female artists, Annie, Gina, and Meagan. These three women are extremely talented artists, and on top of that, they're holding an open studio at CFO at 5:30pm on Sunday afternoon, February 28, which will be a great chance to check out their work up close.
In the meantime, it would be great if we could parlay this into a potluck-style gathering, bringing food to share with others. We have plenty of gym space to set up tables and chairs, after all.
Mark your calendar...don't miss this!
Day & Date: Sunday, Feb 28
Time: 5:30pm
Community Day Sat Feb 13 at 11am
Journey and Justin working their way through Angie
We'll be holding our monthly Community Day workout on Saturday, Feb 13 at 11am. This workout is free to all, whether friends or family, whether CFO members or not. Regardless of your current level of fitness, you'll find just the right mix of fun and challenge in our Community Day workout.
And as if that Saturday weren't busy enough, we'll also be holding our Sports Saturday rugby clinic. More details to follow on the clinic later this week.
CFO Throwdown
Taking off for a Beaudry Loop run
Thanks to all who came out and participated in the throwdown today, and to all who came out and cheered and supported.
It was a brutal workout, one where getting an rx'd performance was a true achievement. Congrats to Brandon and Candace for taking top honors (46 burpees and 30 burpees, respectively). And for everyone else who did the workout, well done.
TomC's CFO Throwdown Photo Album: http://tomcampitelli.zenfolio.com/p340812818
The next throwdown takes place at CF East Bay on Saturday, March 6, beginning at 11am!
More on stretching...
Last week, Steve D asked this great question: why do humans need to stretch?
Our bodies were made to move. We were not meant to be in a seated position for most of the day. We were meant to climb, jump, run, hang from trees, twist, reach, dig--all sorts of things that most people don't do in everyday life now. As CrossFitters, we do a lot of functional exercise when we are in the gym, but for the rest of the day--what are we doing? Many of us spend a lot of time driving, sitting, and moving forwards only. How often in everyday life do you reach overhead? When do you walk backwards, crawl, or scramble over rocks? Though we do some of these movements in the gym, on the whole our bodies are not doing what they were meant to be doing most of the time. Because of this, our joints lose some of their range of motion, the connection between our brain and our muscles gets rusty, and our motor coordination becomes inhibited. Stretching can help to counteract the effects of everyday life on our bodies.
Stretching increases flexibility, increases blood flow to the muscle, and brings the muscle back to its original length. Having flexible muscles reduces the risk of injury and allows for better recovery after workouts.
Remember, static stretching is done after a workout or after you are very warm. Dynamic mobility exercises are best before a workout.
On a more interesting note, tomorrow is Manwell's birthday!! Post birthday wishes to comments.
Want to Learn More About Your Eating Habits? Get it on Paper!
In January I offered CrossFit Oakland members free diet evaluations. Each participant was asked to keep a 3-day food journal where they recorded not just what they ate and drank but also the duration of the meal, who it was with and what their mood was like pre- and post-meal. My evaluation and many of my recommendations were based on the information taken from the food journal. While jotting down notes about your meals might seem like a daunting task, most folks said the exercise was very useful and provided a lot of new insight into their eating habits. Whether you are after a diet make-over or you simply want to stay on track with a current food plan, a food journal is a good place start. Try it out for a few days; you might learn a thing or two.
A Few Tips Before You Get Started:
1. Be honest. If you usually start the day with a bagel and cream cheese don't suddenly start whipping up egg-white omelets just because you're writing it down. Continue to eat as you normally would for the duration of the food journal exercise.
2. Don't overlook the little stuff. Remember to note food items such as half & half, sweeteners, ketchup and other condiments.
3. Estimate amounts. For foods such rice, pasta, or vegetables, record how much you ate (1/4 cup). If you don't want to hassle with weighing and measuring, and I don't blame you if you don't, just eyeball it. One cup is about the size of a tennis ball. A 3-ounce cooked portion of meat is about the size of a deck of cards.
4. Don't forget about the non-food items. Document any supplements that you take (e.g., fish oil, vitamins). Liquid calories count, too, so write down what you drink, including amounts.
5. Keep your journal on you. It can be hard to write everything down by memory so it's best to fill out your journal as you go. This is especially important when you are reflecting on your mood & energy before and after a meal.
Now you're ready to get started. Here's what you'll record each day:
Food, Beverages & Supplements:
Be as specific as you can. Remember to include all the extras, such as salad dressing, and condiments. Estimate the size/amount of each food item and drink.
Time & Length of Meal:
Write the time of day you ate each meal. This will make you aware of how long you go between meals and may explain energy slumps throughout your day. Keep track of how long it took you to eat. Eating too fast can lead to overeating and impede healthy digestion.
Where and with Whom:
Note your location when you ate. If you ate in your car as you sped to work, at a restaurant, or work desk, write it down. List all friends and family members who broke bread with you. Pay attention to what you were doing while you were eating. Do you munch while you fold laundry or clean the bathroom (eww)?
Mood:
How were you feeling before and after each meal? Often our emotions are what dictate when and what we eat. List whether you are happy, sad, or depressed, not just if you're hungry. For me, this is THE most important information you'll get. It will reveal emotional eating, blood sugar imbalances, as well healthy eating habits.
Download your own copy of this food journal here.
Share your personal experiences with food journals in comments.
Kombucha Tea
Kombucha is a fermented beverage thought to have originated in the Far East, probably China, and has been consumed there for at least two thousand years. In China it was known as "The Tea of Immortality" during the Tsin Dynasty in 221 BC. Today in the US, kombucha has become increasingly popular and is being sold at most health food stores nationwide. Kombucha is made by combining tea with sugar and yeast. The result is a sweet, fizzy beverage that tastes like a mix between champagne and sparkling apple cider. Kombucha is delicious and super refreshing!
Drink up! It's good for you.
The kombucha "mushroom" which looks like a pale beige pancake, is actually a symbiotic colony of yeast and bacteria (SCOBY) making kombucha an effective probiotic (supporting the beneficial bacteria in your gut). The mushroom acts on the sugar to produce small amounts of glucuronic acid, a powerful detoxifying substance. The liver produces this acid to help neutralize toxins in the body however, toxins from chemicals in foods and the environment can overwhelm the liver. Kombucha can be a powerful aid in cleansing the body and enhancing the immune system.
Make it yourself.
WARNING: The "scoby" or "mushroom" is not pretty so be prepared to be a little grossed out.
Instead of paying 3 dollars a pop for bottled kombucha, you can easily make your own at home. First, you'll need to get a starter culture. For buying a culture there are lots of places on the internet where you can purchase one. Here is one.
3 quarts filtered water
4 bags of organic black tea
1 cup white sugar (the culture consumes the sugar, you do not)
1/2 cup komucha from a previous culture
1 kombucha mushroom
large gallon glass jar
paper towel
rubber band
Bring water to boil.
Add sugar, stirring until dissolved.
Add tea bags, steep for 10-15 minutes. Allow tea mixture to cool.
Remove tea bags and add 1/2 kombucha from previous batch.
Pour mixture into a gallon glass jar, add culture, place paper towel over the top of the gallon glass jar and secure with a rubber band.
Place in a warm, dark place away from contaminants and insects for seven to ten days.
After fermentation is complete two cultures will appear in the mixture.
Remove the cultures and filter kombucha into a glass container.
You may need to pull gently to separate the mother from the daughter culture. You can use this to make other batches or give away to a friend.
Refrigerate and enjoy!
Leigh Joins the DIY Club
Leigh's handiwork
Leigh recently finished a do-it-yourself project I thought worthy of spotlight: building a lifting platform!
She used the plans from the following site:
http://www.straighttothebar.com/2009/03/diy_how_to_build_an_olympic_we.html
All told, it took no more than a couple of hours of work (she said it took WAY longer to clear out space in her garage). Leigh, along with her son Alex, is gonna use the platform for supplemental strength training, in addition to the training she does here at CFO. Alex is actually training for juniors in Olympic weightlifting, with a meet he's going to compete in happening in June (more on this next week, when we profile Alex), so the platform will come in very handy for him.
Nice work, Leigh!
March 2 On-Ramp
If you're reading this right now and you're thinking about joining CFO, join our March 2 on-ramp class. We still have two spots left--act now and get registered!
Prather Ranch Delivery Wed Feb 24
Steve P in mid-kip
The order for the Prather Ranch beef has been placed and we'll be getting it delivered to CFO on Wednesday, Feb 24 at 6pm. Mark your calendar!
And related to the Prather Ranch order...I placed an order for one too many boxes. Please let me know if you'd like to purchase the extra box by responding in comments or sending an email to us at info@crossfitoakland.com. We'll do it on a first-come, first-serve basis.
Aging, Weight Gain, and Strength Training
Stephen magically levitating above the webbing
Thanks to Maria for passing along the following article from NPR.
It's about the positive effects of weight training on the body as we age. Not only does weight training help our muscles retain their size and strength as we age, it also apparently plays a role in anti-inflammation (although the mechanism isn't clearly explained in the article).
Yet another reason you shouldn't be skipping the strength workouts at CFO!
Here's the article:
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=123887823
Prather Ranch Beef Delivery at 6pm
Reminder: The Prather Ranch beef delivery is happening tonight (Wed 2/24/10) at 6pm. Below is a list of people who have purchased boxes. The cost per box is $231.60. The amount is payable with cash, credit card, or check (payable to CrossFit Oakland).
Tamara 2 boxes (1 box shared with Hung)
David S 1 box
Leigh 1 box
Vee 1 box
Tad 1 box
Leka 1 box
Freddy 1 box
Patrick T 1 box
JP & Audra 1 box
Sam L 2 boxes
Stas 1 box
Daniel & Candace & TomC 1 box
Lau 1 box
Felipe 1 box
Hannah & Dawn 1 box
Maria & Connor 1 box
Ross 1 box
Mini 1 box
Lydia & MJ 1 box
Scott & Sherrill 1 box
Marc & Rosy 1 box
Coming Soon: Scanner Cards
Double-Under Aftermath
Beginning in March we're going to be giving everyone a little key card that we'll use to check you in with at the beginning of class. These cards are small enough to fit on a keychain. The whole check-in process will take all of five seconds (you just scan the card at the laptop computer we're currently using to stream music).
And by changing to this kind of check-in system, we'll be able to get accurate counts on our class sizes, and in particular better manage the really large classes (e.g., Saturdays at 9am). We'll be handing out these cards to all of you over the remainder of February, so stay tuned.
Athlete Spotlight: Lydia E.
Lydia's hair looking AWESOME at last year's Nor-Cal Quals
This week we turn our spotlight on Lydia Encinas, a regular in our evening and weekend classes. Lydia inspires a lot of us with her incredible drive and love of competition. She is very fun to watch during a power clean WOD as she makes these amazing twirls and circles, reminiscent of an Olympic figure skater.
Lydia is, not surprisingly, very successful in her career outside of CF as well. She recently won the Top Performer of 2009 in her job class as the #1 salesperson in the state of CA. She received a trophy, prizes and an all-inclusive first class trip to NYC for two (remember our deal for this post, Lydia)
Post congrats and general thoughts on Lydia to comments.
Height: 5’11”
Q: How long have you been CrossFitting?
Q: How long have you been a member at CFO?
Q: What is your day job?
A: Being Awesome.
Q: What is your athletic background?
Q: What is your favorite strength move?
A: Back Squat.
Q: What is your favorite met-con?
A: Fight Gone Bad.
Q: What is your proudest achievement (so far)?
Q: What is your most desired goal?
A: To dominate Tami.
Q: Do you have a rant or a rave you’d like to share?
Important Stats:
155 lbs. of Stank Hotness
New Pull-Up Bar Grip Solution & Birthday Wishes to Franklin!
After spending a few hours removing athletic tape goo from the pull-up bars today, we decided to go a different route and give tennis racket tape a go as our default tape of choice for the pull-up bars.
Many of the pull-up bars will remain without tape (yes, there are people who prefer this), and for those of you who need tape on the bar, we'll put up racket grip tape.
Please refrain from putting athletic tape on the pull-up bars going forward.
Copenhagen Birthday Wishes
Tomorrow is Franklin's birthday. Let's wish him a happy birthday in comments. Hopefully he'll check the blog and feel the birthday love all the way from Copenhagen!
Epigenetics: What You Do Matters
The two videos above are from a Nova special on epigenetics. I first came across these videos on the wonderful Mark's Daily Apple blog. Epigenetics, which is Greek in origin, translates to "above genetics."
Here's the Wikipedia piece on epigenetics: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Epigenetics
So what does the Nova piece, and the Wikipedia entry, have to do with you? Everything. Epigenetic theory basically says that our genetic code is more or less fixed (short of some sort of mutation), but the way in which that genetic code is expressed can vary depending on what we eat, what kind of (and how much) physical activity we engage in, and several other environmental factors not related to eating or working out. In short, what we do matters.
Additional reading on gene expression:
Exercise and Gene Expression: Physiological Regulation of the Human Genome Through Physical Activity
Shower Reclamation Project
Next Wednesday, March 3, we'll be ridding the bathroom with the shower of all towels, socks, and any other articles of clothing, due to popular demand (as well as the fact that it's getting pretty gnarly in there). Please claim any of your stuff before then.
CrossFit Oakland Facebook Page
After several renditions, we've finally created an official Facebook page. This will be updated with daily commentary. This is the CrossFit Oakland Facebook page you'll want to check.
Become a fan of CrossFit Oakland here:
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Emeryville-CA/CrossFit-Oakland/327967831871
Rosy Runs for Jacques!!
The lovely and strong, Rosy A. will be running the Avenue of the Giants 1/2 Marathon on May 2nd, 2010. What makes this event extra-special and CFO blog-worthy is that she will be running this race in honor of our amazing friend and long-time CFO member, Jacques Horn, who has been battling Hodgkin's lymphoma for the past several months. We urge you all to support Rosy's fund-raising efforts (she needs a minimum of $2,400.00 in order to run in the race) by visiting her web page and donating whatever you are able. You can also support Rosy's effort by signing a t-shirt that Jacques will be sporting on Race Day. Look for this as we get closer to May 2nd.
Post words of encouragement to Jacques and training tips for Rosy in comments!
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UPDATE: Sport Saturday - the Rugby edition - will take place this Saturday, Feb. 13th @ 12:30pm at Albany High School.
Reminder: Open Studio This Sunday at 5:30pm
One of Meagan's pieces
Just a quick reminder that our three in-house artists, Annie, Gina, and Meagan, will be holding an Open Studio this Sunday, February 28 at 5:30pm.
Whether you're a CFO member or not, please stop by to check out some cool art and share some food and drink.
Our address: 5741 Doyle Street in Emeryville
Weekend Reminders
Rob fighting for the bottom of the front squat
A couple big reminders about stuff that's happening tomorrow...
Community Day Workout
We're holding our monthly free Community Day workout tomorrow at CFO at 11am. This workout will be open to all comers, members or not. Feel free to bring family and friends. The hour-long session will consist of a warm-up, a skill review, a workout, and a cool-down. Hope to see another great turnout!
Sports Saturday Rugby Clinic
D-Sal and Candace will be running our monthly Sports Saturday clinic. This month's sport is rugby. You'll be put through a warm-up, some rugby skill work, and time permitting, a game. The first Sports Saturday session last month was a blast and I expect this one to be the same.
It all starts at 12:30pm and will be taking place at Albany High School. Come and participate, and even better, come witness Brandon and Candace in their grudge match.
Partner Stretches
Did you know that stretching with a partner can be more effective than stretching alone? Here are a few stretches you can do with a partner. Because your partner does not feel what you feel, it is important that you communicate clearly and move slowly while trying out these stretches.
Chest Stretch:
Partner one sits cross-legged on the floor with hands behind the head. Partner two stands behind so that partner one can lean back slightly. Partner two holds onto the elbows of partner one and presses elbows back lightly while slightly pulling up. Hold 30 seconds.
Low back, Lat, and Hamstring Stretch:
Stand facing your partner. Link hands and take small steps away from each other as you bend at the waist until your upper body becomes parallel (or close to) with the ground. Lean away from your partner, but don't try to pull them over. Hold 30 seconds.
Hamstring and Chest Stretch:
Sit with your backs firmly pressed together. Extend your legs out in front of you and interlock your elbows. Partner one leans forward. Partner two presses gently into partner one to increase the hamstring stretch. Hold 30 seconds.
Hamstring Stretch:
Partner one sits with one leg stretched out in front and the other leg bent. Partner two mirrors partner one. Holding onto the wrists, partner one leans forwards and partner two pulls gently to increase the stretch. Make sure to move slowly on this one. Hold 30 seconds.
Groin stretch:
Same as above, but with the legs in butterfly position. Hold 30 seconds.
Next week, more on partner stretching!
All About Chocolate
In honor of Valentine's Day, I thought I'd write a little something about chocolate.
Let's get this out of the way up-front: I love chocolate. A lot. Now, we all know that fruits and vegetables are loaded with the nutrients that fuel our bodies, but did you know that chocolate (in moderation), although primarily sugar and fat, has some health benefits of its own? But not just any chocolate. This isn't a free ride to load up on Milky Ways, and Baby Ruths; I'm talking about real, dark chocolate.
Antioxidant Power:
Cacao, the main ingredient in chocolate, is the seed of a fruit of an Amazonian tree and is a rich source of magnesium. Cacao is also rich in beta-carotene, zinc, chromium, copper, manganese, calcium, iron, zinc, and potassium. It’s also a good source of vitamins A, B1, B2, B3, C, E and pantothenic acid. Cacao is said to have more antioxidant flavonoids than blueberries, red wine or green tea. Polyphenols, the type of flavonoid found in chocolate, are antioxidants that are known to help prevent cancer and heart disease.
What to Look For:
Before you rip open that candy bar, be sure to actually read the ingredients. Dark chocolate can have beneficial properties but not when you add marshmallow-caramel-creme filling and artificial flavors. The ingredients are what determine the quality of the chocolate. When choosing chocolate, select a high-quality semi-sweet, dark chocolate with a high cocoa content (72% or higher). Raw cocoa is processed at an extremely low heat, preserving more of its valuable antioxidants, thereby making it a superior choice. Avoid products that are labeled "chocolate-flavored" or "artificial chocolate." It's not real chocolate. Also, pass up white chocolate, which is lacking the healthful antioxidants present in dark chocolate.
For more information on chocolate visit San Francisco’s Exploratorium website, which offers a great video webcast about chocolate called The Sweet Science of Chocolate.
Chocolate Orange Truffles
I got this fabulous recipe from Elena's Pantry: www.elanaspantry.com. It's very easy and fun to make!
½ cup cashews
¼ cup creamy almond butter
¼ cup agave nectar
2 tablespoons unsweetened, raw cacao powder
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 tablespoon orange zest
¼ cup raw cacao powder
1.Place cashews in a food processor and pulse until they're the texture of coarse sand.
2.Add almond butter, agave, cacao powder, vanilla, and orange zest and pulse until smooth.
3.Refrigerate for 2-3 hours, until firm.
4.Remove from refrigerator and roll into ½ inch balls.
5.Coat with cacao powder and serve.
Makes 12 truffles.
On Valentine's Day nothing says I love you better than a box of rich, smooth dark chocolate.
Mrs. Obama Takes on Childhood Obesity
I'm sure most of you have read or heard about this already, but earlier this month Michelle Obama announced the launch of a national policy to deal with childhood obesity. By educating parents, improving school lunch programs, making healthy foods more accessible and promoting physical education, the Let's Move campaign promises to defeat obesity's challenges. First the organic garden in the White House and now this; it really seems that The Obamas took Michael Pollan's letter to the editor to heart. To learn more and support what First Lady Obama is doing at the White House, visit the Let's Move website.
And for another take on the obesity epidemic, check out Jamie Oliver's talk at the TED Conference. This video is about 20 minutes long but it's definitely worth watching. And a big thanks to Vee for passing this video along to me.
Jamie Oliver suggests that to tackle obesity we must focus our efforts in teaching our children about food. How do we do that? Oliver's solution is similar to Mrs. Obama's in that it advocates fresh, healthy, real food in our nation's schools. Oliver says that not only should every child should learn how to cook ten simple recipes by the time they leave school but that cooking should be taught in grocery stores, too. Supermarkets should employ food "ambassadors" or experts to inform buyers about cooking and to help consumers make good choices. Oliver claims that, "big brands should put food education at the heart of their business".
Share your thoughts and ideas about this topic in comments.
