Get Results With Ropes

I’m always interested in learning about the latest fitness tools available. I try to keep an open mind and experiment with equipment before I pass judgement or consider adding it into my programming for my clients.
At the end of the day, we have plenty of options to get the job done. Grab a bar and some plates and you could accomplish most of your fitness-related goals. Grab a kettlebell and start swinging and you’ll see improvements. Or simply take yourself to the local park for sprints, pushups and pull-ups, and you’d be doing more than most.
One tool that has passed the test and is now a staple in my fitness toolbox is the heavy rope. Over the past couple years, they have increased in popularity and are now found in fitness facilities on a more consistent basis. Can you get a complete workout in with just the rope? Absolutely. All you need is your body, a little room and some motivation, and you’ll be good to go. With a little instruction, the addition of heavy ropes will challenge clients in safe, new ways and help them achieve their goals.
For many of my clients, I recommend full-body routines a few times a week. Couple that with some sprints and a diet of REAL food, and you are on your way to a healthier lifestyle. If it’s just you and your rope, you’ve got everything you need. I would recommend hitting a few of the major movement pillars (i.e., push, pull, level change, etc.) in your routine to ensure a balanced full-body approach.
Here is a simple template to get you started. Set up three stations as follows: Start with a rope movement, then perform a bodyweight movement and then finish with a second rope movement.
Circuit 1
Station 1: Rope: Double Rope Slams - 20 reps
Station 2: Bodyweight: Skater Plyos (lateral jumps) - 20 reps (10 per leg)
Station 3: Rope: Rope Inverted Rows - 15 reps
Repeat this routine three times with little rest and then rest for two to three minutes before starting circuit #2.
Circuit 2
Station 1: Rope: Reverse Lunge Waves - 10 lunges per leg
Station 2: Bodyweight: Push-ups - 10 reps (add a clap if too easy)
Station 3: Rope: Vertical Rope Pulls - 2 lengths of the rope
Repeat this routine three times with little rest and then rest for two to three minutes before starting circuit #3.
Circuit 3
Station 1:Rope: Grappler Slams - 20 total (10 per side)
Station 2: Bodyweight: Squats - 15 reps
Station 3: Rope: Plank Rope Pulls - 20 total (10 pulls per arm)
Repeat this routine three times with little rest between stations.
Looking at the movements, you’ll see that we hit all three planes of motion, upper-body pushing and pulling, lower-body variations, and movements that challenge both your strength and conditioning to ensure a well-rounded workout.

EXERCISE DESCRIPTIONS

Circuit 1
Double Rope Slams

Begin facing the anchor point in an athletic position while holding an end of the rope in each hand. Lift the ropes up and explosively drive them down into the ground. Be sure to use the entire body when performing the movement. Do not just “arm” the exercise. Maintain a neutral spine throughout and bend the hips and knees while slamming the rope.
Skater Plyos (lateral jumps)

Begin by pushing off your left leg and jumping laterally to the right. Land softly under control on your right leg while the left hand reaches toward the ground in front of the right leg. Next, push off the right leg to jump back to the left (starting position). Land on the left leg while the right hand reaches out in front of the left leg. Continue this side-to-side movement for the appropriate number of reps.
Rope Inverted Rows

This movement is very similar to an inverted row exercise you’d do with a suspension trainer (TRX for example). Hang the rope over a vertical anchor (tree branch or pull-up bar) and face the anchor point. Walk your feet down toward the anchor point so your body is angled about 45 degrees from the floor. Keep your eyes on the anchor point and begin by flexing at the elbows and pulling your body up. Be sure to keep your shoulders down and back the entire time. Once your hands are just about in line with your chest, slowly extend your arms to return to the starting position.
Circuit 2
Reverse Lunge Waves

Face the anchor point in an athletic position while holding an end of the rope in each hand. Begin by creating “waves” with the rope by alternating your arms in a quick up-and-down wave or drumming fashion. While performing this wave movement with your arms, do alternating reverse lunges with your lower body at the same time. Maintain a neutral spine and keep your eyes on the anchor point throughout the movement.
Push-ups

Begin in a traditional pushup position with your hands slightly wider than shoulder width and your elbows at a 45-degree angle from your body. Lower your entire body down under control and then push back up to the starting position. Maintain a neutral spine and keep your body engaged throughout the exercise to ensure proper form.
Vertical Rope Pulls

With the rope secured around a vertical anchor (tree branch, pull-up bar, etc.), assume an athletic position and begin by reaching up with one arm and pulling the rope toward the body. Alternate these vertical pulls for the desired number of reps.
Circuit 3
Grappler Slams

Face the anchor point in an athletic position while holding an end of the rope in each hand. Begin by lifting the ropes up, rotating your shoulders and hips right, and slamming the ropes down on the right side of your body. As you lift them back up, rotate your body left, creating an arc pattern with the rope, and slam them down on the left side. Continue this rotating pattern for the appropriate number of reps.
Squats

Take a slightly wider than shoulder-width foot position, with your toes pointed out slightly. Upon descent, keep your chest up, abs braced and push your butt back as you think about opening your knees. Keep your head position neutral (eyes looking forward) throughout the movement. Squat down as low as you can without breaking form (no lumbar flexion) and then return to the starting position by driving your hips through and standing up tall.
Plank Rope Pulls

Assume a plank position facing the anchor point, extend one arm and pull one end of the rope toward your body. Balance on the opposite arm and repeat this pulling movement on the opposite side. Continue alternating arm pulls for the desired number of reps.

Source :  Doug Balzarini, C.S.C.S., MMA-CC, is the owner of DB Strength, which provides fitness training, education and resources. He is the strength & conditioning coach for Alliance MMA
 

10 Tips for Surviving Holiday Parties

Holidays can cause havoc on your diet because most holiday gatherings include indulgent foods and drinks. In fact, the average weight gain between Halloween and New Year’s is 8 pounds. But surviving the holidays can be made a whole lot easier by employing the following survival techniques:
Where’s the beef? Protein helps to stabilize your blood sugar and make it easier to avoid hunger cravings, so eat a small amount of lean protein like turkey or chicken before you head out to a party. And be sure to reach for the meats, shrimp and seafood—in fact, 26 medium shrimp cocktail contains just 200 calories. 
Crack up. Dips that are creamy or cheesy are already high in calories and fat, but if you just can’t skip them, dip with vegetables instead of higher-calorie crackers or breads. Just a taste may be enough to satisfy that craving. 
Chew on it. Gum may be a good way to keep yourself from picking at foods when you’re really hungry. Plus, chewing gum before you walk into a party will give you fresh breath and may delay your first bite or beverage. 
The glass is half full. Most social gatherings offer high-calorie alcoholic beverages like egg nog, cordials, margaritas and martinis. Wine and beer are lower-calorie options; mixers like club soda and water and condiments like lemons and limes can also help lower calorie totals. Even better: Alternate each alcoholic drink with a large glass of water to cut calories in half and keep you feeling full.
Plan ahead. Consider what you eat earlier in the day or even the day before a big celebration. Planning a lighter lunch or breakfast can help balance out the calorie overload from an upcoming celebration.
Get in some extra workouts. Knowing that this time of year is busy, it can be easy to justify skipping your workouts. But keeping them consistent or adding in an extra workout may be just what you need to stick to your health goals. Even 20 minutes of walking can burn off an extra 100 to 150 calories, which may be enough to help keep extra pounds from creeping on during the holidays.
Sleep in. Sleep deprivation can have a huge impact on your waistline. That’s because lack of sleep increases gherlin, which is a hormone that makes you hungry and limits the secretion of leptin, which helps burn fat. Be sure to get enough sleep following late-night celebrations by sleeping in or taking a short 20-minute catnap to catch up.
No loitering. A good way to eat less at a party is to stay away from the food. Simply stay out of the kitchen and choose to socialize away from the buffet. Walking just a few steps away can help prevent you from the mindless grazing that often adds up to lots of extra calories.
Opt in. It is good form to bring a holiday hostess gift, so why not bring the gift of healthy appetizers? Great options include shrimp cocktail, hummus with green and red peppers, and a plate filled with fresh berries, grapes and hard cheeses.
Take just one bite. It can be hard to pass up those holiday treats, cookies and pies, so take a smaller slice or just a bite. It will give you the satisfaction that you’re looking for and the first bite usually tastes much better than the last.

Source :  acefitness.org/Andrea Metcalf

6 Things Every Beginner Should Know Before Trail Running

From the moment my old worn down Asics hit the dirt trail for the first time, I knew right then and there that my running would never be the same.

As someone who had been running and training on roads for a good while before discovering the trails, it took some real adjustment before I could feel comfortable on this new terrain.

I have written extensively about how trail running can make any runner a stronger runner, and how important the change of pace can be for both the body and the mind, but it isn’t very often I talk about how that transition from road to dirt isn’t always easy. I’ve made plenty of mistakes in my transition, and I’m still learning how to be a stronger runner every time I go out, but I believe a few key lessons can help the beginning trail runner get the hang of the new sport much faster. Below I’ll dive into what I believe are the 6 things everyone should know before hitting the trail.
 

1) Slow down

If you have read just about any post I’ve written on trail running, slowing down is often the first things I mention. Your times and pace on the road should never be compared to your time and pace on the trail.
Trail running means running with a different focus and a different form. You can’t expect to run as fast on a rocky, rooty trail as you can on a nice smooth road. When going out on the trail, adjust your speed to what feels comfortable and appropriate for your trail workout. Even if you aren’t going as fast, you are still using the same (if not more) amount of energy. Trying to keep that same pace will either cause an injury or cause you to burn out quickly.

2) Hills on trails are often more frequent and steeper

Road hills can be treacherous, but let’s face it, they aren’t ever that steep. And for good reason. Trails are a different story. They can be as steep as the blazer wants them to be. They can go straight up, straight down, around a tree, or around a mountain. Trails can change moment to moment, or climb steady for miles.
Trails are their own beast and runners should be prepared.
 

3) Lift those feet

This might seem like a no-brainer, but the trail is a different terrain than the pavement. Someone once told me that Americans are some of the clumsiest people in the world because we are so used to smooth sidewalks and roads. Just watch people as they are going over a bumpy sidewalk, they will start tripping all over the place. When it comes to trials we have the same problem. We are often so used to running on smooth roads that the bumpy singletrack can be incredibly difficult to stay upright on. Teach yourself how to lift your feet and prepare for the different terrain. I learned this lesson the hard way, having fallen dozens of times on the trails of Rock Creek Park. Bruises, cuts, wounds and twisted ankles have all come from me not lifting my feet properly. The more time I spend on the trail, the less I find myself falling. It is only when I stop paying attention and quit lifting my feet that I find myself eating dirt.

4) Don’t be afraid to hike I know, walking when you should be running? Not cool.
Turns out that isn’t really the case with trail running. Because the trails are often much steeper, it can at times be more efficient to walk than run up a section of trail. I remember watching people do this during my first trail race and thinking all the other runners were out of shape. When I burnt out well before the finish and they flew past me, it clicked that I had been mistaken. Throw your hands on your knees, and powerhike up the hill. No one will judge, I promise.

5) You might need new gear     
I know, running should be simple, right? Especially trail running.
But sometimes you just need to take appropriate precautions. The nature of running through the woods instead of on the road means that sometimes you are left with fewer resources. Bringing water and food along with you on long trail runs is usually a good idea.



If trail running becomes a staple in your routine, you might want to consider trail shoes.  Trail shoes are often made from tougher aterials than road shoes, and are built to withstand the extra wear and tear.  Sometimes they are made with a rock plate in the sole to help protect the feet against bruising, and often they have a different type of sole, designed to maintain grip on the rocks and dirt better than a traditional road shoe. Road shoes can be used on the trail, trail shoes can be used on the road, but if you are running mostly on one rather than the other, it is worth considering when purchasing your next pair.

6) Tell Someone Where You Are

Trail running is oftentimes more secluded and dangerous than its road counterpart. The last thing you want to do is get lost or fall and break something with no one around. Tell your husband, wife, or roommate where you are going and when you plan to return. If you are out in the middle of nowhere and plan to be gone for a long time, it never hurts to leave a note in the dashboard of your car stating which trail you are headed out on and roughly when you plan to get back.

Chances are nothing will happen, but it is much better to be safe than sorry.

Trail running has set my running free, and I hope that it can do the same for you. With these 6 simple tips, I hope that your learning curve is a little smaller than mine. Now be safe and see you in the woods.

What lessons have you learned from trail running? What did you wish you knew before you started?


Source rockcreekrunner.com

Training for Obstacle Course Races

 Sourced By Pete McCall, MS  McCall has an MS in Exercise Science and Health Promotion

Wading through chest-high water, running up muddy hills, climbing over walls, swinging on monkey bars and crawling through mud might seem like challenges for soldiers in basic training, but these are just a few examples of obstacles from popular racing events that have significantly changed the recreational fitness landscape over the past few years. While standard running distances like 5 kilometers (3.2 miles), 10 kilometers (6.4 miles), or a 26.2 mile marathon primarily challenge aerobic endurance, obstacle course races provide a greater fitness challenge by requiring upper-body strength combined with anaerobic power. Individuals who exercise frequently and value physical activity as part of a healthy lifestyle also enjoy testing themselves with demanding fitness challenges. For many, completing a challenging obstacle course provides a sense of accomplishment that traditional running races can’t offer.
What is an Obstacle Course Race?
An “obstacle course race” is a generic term for a type of running race that has exploded in popularity in recent years. A typical obstacle course run can range from 5 kilometers (3.2 miles) to 10+ miles in length and feature numerous obstacles like mud pits, ice baths, tunnels, walls or even the occasional fire pit. Events such as Warrior Dash, Spartan Race and Tough Mudder are examples of races with specific themes and specially designed obstacles. Fans of AMC’s The Walking Dead can even sign up for races that require participants to dodge zombies while running an obstacle course. Creative people with an artistic bent can participate in color runs, where participants wear all white and are splashed with vibrant colors between the start and the finish of the run. The Boot Camp Challenge at the Marine Corps Recruit Training Depot in San Diego allows participants to run a scaled-down version of the obstacle course used in basic training, with verbal “encouragement” offered by real Marine Corps drill instructors.
For adults who played competitive team sports up to and through college it can be tough to find the same sort of athletic challenge once they’ve entered the professional working world. Obstacle course races provide a worthy athletic outlet because athleticism and strength are required to successfully overcome many challenging obstacles. This allows for the emergence of an inner warrior not easily expressed at home or in the workplace. Training for and participating in obstacle course races also allows competitive individuals to have the experience of a challenging competition without the logistics of committing to a team practice or an extensive game schedule. In many races, participants are encouraged to support and help one another; for example, the Tough Mudder events are not timed and the start includes an oath that encourages participants to work together to overcome the obstacles and achieve success.
Marketing Opportunity
If you are looking for unique ways to market your personal-training services or boot camp, it might be a good idea to offer a conditioning program to help individuals train for an upcoming obstacle course race in your area. Registration for races includes both individual and group options, making them a perfect opportunity to design a small-group training program. Training for a challenging goal in a group environment can develop friendships, which can help an individual participant develop the self-efficacy to establish adherence to regular exercise.
If you want to use an upcoming event as an opportunity to promote your fitness business, start by researching events in your area. Make sure that you pick one that is an appropriate skill level for your participants. Keep in mind that some obstacle course events feature obstacles that are difficult and could cause extreme injury if done improperly. (Although events don’t require participants to do the obstacles and offer ways around them, it can be easy for a participant to get caught up in the moment and try something above his or her skill level.)
Training for an obstacle course race involves more than just running. Many obstacles require participants to have the upper-body strength to lift their own body weight, the coordination to climb over walls and the flexibility to low-crawl through tunnels or under barbed wire (seriously). Most races will list the majority of the obstacles online, leaving room for a few surprises on race day. Another factor is that some obstacles will require teamwork to overcome, making it important to include various partner and group drills in the training program. Review the race course and then design a workout program to prepare participants for the demands of the competition. Most event websites list training tips for how to prepare for the race; however, if you want to brush up on ideas to create a progressively challenging conditioning program, it might be helpful to check out the ACE Sports Conditioning workshop to learn how to design energy system-specific exercise programs.
Planning a Conditioning Program

The Tough Mudder series feature courses with approximately 25 obstacles spread out over 10 to 12 miles (due to the variability of the event venues it can be difficult to have the exact same course at each different location). This means that a participant can expect to perform one obstacle about every 0.5 mile or approximately 1 kilometer (0.6 miles). If participants are expected to overcome an obstacle every 1 kilometer or so, it becomes more important to emphasize high-intensity intervals for running as opposed to the long, slow distance training typically performed for endurance events.
A combination of climbing over obstacles and running at high bursts of speed requires the ability to work at an intensity near the second ventilatory threshold (VT2,) commonly referred to as the onset of blood lactate (OBLA). To prepare for the specific metabolic challenges of running an obstacle course race, a conditioning program should alternate between circuits of three to five strength exercises, with minimal rest periods between each exercise, and bouts of high-speed running following a high-intensity interval training (HIIT) protocol.
The following sample workout demonstrates how to use strength training combined with HIIT running intervals to prepare for an obstacle course race. Other training options include using equipment like heavy medicine balls, weight sleds, heavy tires, stair running and sandbags. The idea is to create dynamic and unstable loads to prepare the body for the challenges it will face during the event. As with any training program, ensure that the exercises are the appropriate skill level and intensity for your participants and offer modifications when necessary.
Sample Workout to Prepare for an Obstacle Course Race

Exercise	Intensity	Work Interval	Recovery Interval	Repetitions
Warm-up: -Plank -Side plank -Standing hip hinge -High knee skips -Lateral shuffles -Backpedals	Bodyweight (BW) BW Jogging Jogging Jogging	30 sec. 30 sec. 30 sec. 10 meters 10 meters 10 meters	1 min after circuit	Perform BW exercises as a circuit – 2-3 times Perform jogging drills as a circuit – 2-3 times
Strength Circuit 1: -TRX Push-ups -TRX Back rows -Medicine ball overhead slams -Mountain climbers	BW BW 3-5 Kg BW	45 sec. 45 sec. 45 sec. 45 sec.	90 seconds after circuit	2-3 circuits
Running Drills: -80 meter sprints -50 meter sprints	High High	10-15 sec. 8-10 sec.	30-45 sec. 30-45 sec.	5 5
Strength Circuit 2: -Medicine ball lunge to chest pass -TRX Suspended knee-tucks -Squat jumps -Inchworm walkouts -TRX Suspended lunge	3-5 Kg BW BW BW BW	45 sec. 45 sec. 45 sec. 45 sec. 45 sec.	90 seconds after circuit	2-3 circuits
Running Drills: -90 meter shuttle run -200 meter run -40 meter sprints	Hard Hard High	20-25 sec. 30-40 sec. 10 – 12 sec.	30-60 sec. 60-90 sec. 10-15 sec.	5 5 8
Cool Down / stretching: -Calves -Hamstrings -Hip flexors  -Triceps		30 sec. 30 sec. 30 sec. 30 sec.		1-2 1-2 1-2 1-2

Women, CrossFit, and Myths part 2

Women will not get big bulky muscles because they just plain don’t have the hormones to build them. It is the difference in the hormonal profile between men and women that causes their performances to also be different. There are several aspects of a woman’s performance that will different from those of a man, all of which depend on neuromuscular efficiency, and all of which are a direct result of lower testosterone levels and the effects that testosterone has on motor unit recruitment, central nervous system excitation and other neuromuscular factors.
You might now be thinking that because there are such big differences, then it must be true what the fitness industry says about the necessity of gender specific programs and exercises. This could not be further from the truth.  Women may lack higher levels of testosterone, but we are built the same when you look at our body structures. We are not as different as bunnies and fish. Men and Women, however, both recruit motor units into the same patterns to cause muscle contractions…..just to different degrees. A real world example would be that physiologically, Aaron Rogers and your grandmother operate the same way, in the same sense that Labradors and Toy Poodles are both dogs.
What does this all mean?  That the type of stress (i.e. training / heavy strength) will cause the best results in both men and women, only the degree of results will vary.  For example, Squats work better for everybody than leg extensions, leg curls, and the Bun Blasters because of the quality of stress they produce. “Squats are performed with the same muscles by everybody, they are hard for everybody, hard enough to produce system-wide stress for everybody – and this is why they work for everybody. Men are more efficient at responding to the stress of squats in terms of elevated testosterone levels, and in this respect men can get stronger and bigger faster.”  (Rippetoe) What this doesn’t mean is that women are not served well by using “less efficient” ways to produce stress on their bodies. We just wont get as strong or big as men.
So what should we do ladies? We need to be doing barbell exercises that demand strength, balance, power, coordination, and mental focus to produce a type of stress and adaptation that is superior to either low-intensity floor exercise (or walking on the treadmill) or isolation type machine exercises (i.e. bicep curls, leg extensions). It is the stress that causes the adaptation, and the quality of the adaptation is dependent on the quality of the stress. For example, an exercise that does not involve balance cannot cause an improvement in balance. The stress on the body must target the parameters that need improvement or these parameters will not see adaptation. It is this simple fact that is ignored and/or misunderstood – by the fitness industry, and thus the value of squats, dead lifts, presses, cleans, and combinations of barbell movements with gymnastic skills and track & field skills goes unappreciated and therefore causes an incorrect education of our society.
The other unfortunate aspect is that holding businesses to these truths would complicate their businesses. It is very hard to find qualified staff to train members at optimal levels of skill and intensity. And it will continue this way as long as the standard fitness center pays minimum wage for trainers. Qualified coaches generally get paid more than fitness centers are willing to spend. All hope is not lost! This paradigm is slowly breaking down and we can thank CrossFit! As CrossFit grows and it becomes harder to ignore the results of honest work done at high intensities, the “fitness media” is taking notice. You see more stories featuring the benefits of weight training versus aerobics-only programs.
It honestly isn’t rocket science, as most things in life work in a way that you get out of an effort what you put into it.  This is something that we all know, however, we still crack and are willing to believe people who tell us otherwise.   We hear 20-min a day and you could look like this, or all you have to do is walk on the treadmill.  Unfortunately it isn’t true and we know that because we are smart people.
To summarize my experience as a CrossFit Coach and Affiliate owner for 1 1/2 years, on top of 10+ years in the fitness industry, is that not one of the 180+ women we have trained has gotten bigger and stayed bigger. I have seen a couple women get bigger as the body begins its transformation. However, bigger is temporary. Usually lean mass increases first. Shortly thereafter, a layer of fat melts off the top of the newly acquired lean mass. As soon as that happens, the women are thrilled. For the clients that incorporate a zone/paleo approach to nutrition, the results come quickly and without fail. For those that do not make dietary changes, the process takes longer. And don’t forget that strength will have longer lasting benefits than the immediate tight ass or smaller waist. It will help you open jars, carry your own groceries, move your own furniture, stay mobile and osteoporosis free so you can enjoy a long active life! So get started and pick up some heavy weights to start making the changes that you want to see.

Source Taken from CrossFit Oakland

Healthy Hydration | The importance of Hydration

 Water Basics

Water is one of the most essential components of the human body. Water regulates the body’s temperature, cushions and protects vital organs, and aids the digestive system. Water not only composes 75 percent of all muscle tissue and about 10 percent of fatty tissue, it also acts within each cell to transport nutrients and dispel waste. And, because water composes more than half of the human body, it is impossible to sustain life for more than a week without it.

Water Loss

Necessary to the healthy function of all internal organs, water must be consumed to replace the amount lost each day during basic activities. In 2004 the Food and Nutrition Board released new dietary reference intakes for water. It is recommended that women consume 2.7 liters (91 oz) daily and men consume 3.7 liters (125 oz) through various beverages (80%) or in food (20%). Active individuals need even more, particularly if they’re exercising in hot weather. This is especially important during the 24 hours prior to vigorous exercise. You can meet your body’s water needs over the course of a day through a variety of fluids and foods including juices, soda, smoothies, tea, lemonade, soups, fruits and vegetables.

In one hour of exercise the body can lose more than a quart of water, depending on exercise intensity and air temperature. If there is not enough water for the body to cool itself through perspiration, the body enters a state of dehydration.

Dehydration

For regular exercisers maintaining a constant supply of water in the body is essential to performance. Dehydration leads to muscle fatigue and loss of coordination. Even small amounts of water loss may hinder athletic performance.

In a dehydrated state the body is unable to cool itself efficiently, leading to heat exhaustion and possibly heat stroke. Without an adequate supply of water the body will lack energy and muscles may develop cramps.

To prevent dehydration, exercisers must drink before, during and after the workout.

Fluid Balance and Replenishment

It is important to drink even before signs of thirst appear. Thirst is a signal that your body is already on the way to dehydration. It is important to drink more than thirst demands and to continue to drink throughout the day. One way to check your hydration level is to monitor your urine. It should be plentiful and pale yellow unless you are taking supplements, which will darken the color for several hours after consumption.

During exercise, water is the best fluid replenisher for most individuals, although sports drinks help replace lost electrolytes during highintensity exercise exceeding 45 to 60 minutes. Individuals who sweat profusely during exercise and whose sweat contains a high amount of sodium (you may notice salt stains/rings on your athletic wear) should choose sports drinks and ensure that their diet contains adequate sodium to prevent hyponatremia (water intoxication). Contrary to popular belief, scientific evidence suggests that moderate caffeine intake does NOT compromise exercise performance or hydration status. However, alcohol consumption can interfere with muscle recovery from exercise and negatively affect a variety of performance variables.

It is easy to prevent dehydration with a variety of refreshing beverages, so drink up!

Hydration Hints

• Drink 17-20 ounces of water two to three hours before the start of exercise.
• Drink 8 ounces of fluid 20 to 30 minutes prior to exercise or during warm-up.
• Drink 7-10 ounces of fluid every 10 to 20 minutes during exercise.
• Drink an additional 8 ounces of fluid within 30 minutes after exercising.
• Drink 16-24 ounces of fluid for every pound of body weight lost after exercise.
  
  Hint: Rehydration occurs faster in the presence of sodium, regardless of whether this is provided in a sports drink.

Source : ACE Fit Share /http://www.acefitness.org

Women, CrossFit, and Myths part 1

 

This article outlines many of the myths that women are hearing about fitness and strength training.

Let me summarize several of the myths this article touches on.
Weight training will make you huge and masculine.
Men Train. Women Tone.
There is a difference between toning, sculpting and firming.
Women should stick to machines and stay away from free weights.
Women shouldn’t work on their leg and butt muscles, otherwise they’ll get to big.
Weight Training Turns Fat into Muscle
Women should only lift light weights to not get “bulky”

To quote a famous fitness author, “Women are not a special population. They are half the population. ” In an article written by Mark Rippetoe he points out that Women DO respond to heavy physical stress (i.e. lifting heavy shit) differently than men. However, women get the best results when they train for performance (the whole premise of CrossFit and what we do), because even though there are differences between men’s and women’s response to training, there is no difference in the quality of the exercise needed to produce the stress that causes our bodies to change. The different responses men and women see in training are not the ones that the industry, media and popular culture have presented as fact. This unfortunately has had a detrimental effect on women’s training.

The answer to our questions on how to get there are right in front of us. The results, in terms of both performance and aesthetics, admired by the vast majority of women, continue to be routinely produced by advanced athletic programs. Which then amazes me how “body-sculpting sessions or low intensity machine based circuit programs were the approach sold to the public. But then again, “easier” is easier to sell.

The fact is that aesthetics are best obtained from training for performance. It becomes very simple, if you want to look like a lean athlete (the standard most active women strive to emulate) you have to train like an athlete, and the unfortunate part is that most people lack the “sand” for that. Despite this unfortunate truth (most truths seem to fall into this category), the fitness industry continues to see appearances first, as though it is independent of performance. Appearance cannot be trained for. Think about it: I know how to make your squat stronger, but how do you program Bun Blaster sets and reps for a tight ass? I may be able to double your pull-ups in a month, but I don’t know how to give your back that V-Shape everyone craves without increasing your pull-ups. Every single aspect of programming for resistance training that works at all does so because it increases some aspect of performance, and appearance is a side effect of performance.

Appearance is a side effect of performance.

Appearance can’t change unless performance does, and the performance changes are what we quantify and what we program. Your appearance when fit is almost entirely a function of your genetics, which are expressed at their best only when your training is at it’s highest level, and this level is only obtainable from a program based on an improvement in your performance in the gym. To top it off the best improvements in the gym occur when participating in a program that looks more like performance athletics (i.e. CrossFit) that one that looks like waving your arms or legs around on a machine.

More Unfortunate Truths:
Your muscles cannot get longer without some rather radical orthopedic surgery.
Muscles don’t get leaner ….. you do!
There is no such thing as “firming & toning”. There is only stronger and weaker.
The vast majority of women cannot get large, masculine muscles from weight training. If it were that easy, I would have them!
Women who do look like men have taken some rather drastic steps in that direction that have little to do with their exercise program.
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 de-conditioned) and have found another excise to continue life sitting on their butts.
Only people willing to work to the point of discomfort on a regular basis using effective means to produce that discomfort will actually look like they have been other-than-comfortable most of the time.
You can thank the muscle magazines for these persistent misconceptions, along with the natural tendency of all normal humans to see reasons to avoid hard physical exertion.