Front Squats

Friday, December 09, 2011

WOD

Dynamic mobility before the WOD

Front squats 5x5

Rest

GHD Hip extensions 3x10

Foam roll and static stretching of problem areas after the WOD

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Basic Exercise Nutrition for improved Performance and Recovery!

What if you took a significant sum of money and set it aside each day in a safe place with the goal and intent that the investment that you had made was earning a steady return and then found out that not only was the investment not making money, but some of it was gone? Wouldn’t you take your money and put it somewhere else or find a better investment?

This is exactly how we should view good quality nutrition and pre and post workout supplementation of nutritional intake. We train to reap a return on the investment of hard work, energy, sweat and suffering! The research tells us that when there is a lack of protein and carbs in the bloodstream and body stores after training, there is a lack of recovery. So, here are some basic recommendations on supplementation of a normal healthy paleo or zone style whole foods diet for improved athletic performance and recovery.

Each athlete should be eating an adequate intake of pro/carbs/fat in a whole foods natural diet each day. Supplements cannot and should not be considered as the foundation for your diet. They are “supplemental” to your diet. Also, always properly hydrate before and after workouts to promote proper fluid balance for muscle and cell recovery.

Here are some general performance and recovery supplements that are easily available and considered safe with our existing knowledge of science.

Use guidelines:

Post Workout Protein and Carbs- there is a lot of research and anecdotal evidence that protein and carb supplementation after a workout improves performance and recovery. Protein after a workout is a must, but research also shows that protein mixed with added carbs after workout improves the synthesis of the protein and thus muscle recovery and healing.

Intake: May change based on the size of the athlete but here are some general guidelines. Intake may also change based on fat loss. 20-30 grams of whey-casein protein and 20-30 grams of quickly absorbed carbohydrate such as dextrose or maltodextrin. If you are a smaller athlete 20/20 would be acceptable, larger athletes 30/30. Ingestion should occur within 30 minutes after a workout and then followed by a meal or whole foods within 1 hour.

Creatine monohydrate- this is a powerful ergogenic(increasing capacity) supplement that has been widely studied. It promotes both anaerobic strength and lean muscle mass. It works via two pathways: increased intramuscular stores of creatine and phosphocreatine. Phosphocreatine enhances muscle strength endurance(ability to lift a barbell for repetitions) by helping to synthesize ATP(muscle fuel). It also increases muscular size through an increased store of intramuscular water and effects on growth related mechanisms to promote hypertrophy(muscle growth).

Intake: Take 20 grams per day for the first seven days then decrease to 5-10 grams per day for maintenance. (Creatine monohydrate should be the choice form)

Beta-alanine- an amino acid it increases intramuscular carnosine stores. Carnisone acts as a buffer to muscle acidosis caused by training which allows potentially longer sustained physical activity. It is also a proven ergogen with good effects on work capacity, power at fatigue and delyed onset muscle soreness(DOMS).

Intake: No loading required, 3-4 grams per day

Microlactin- it is an ergogen which can reduce DOMS, inflammation and thus improve recovery time.

Intake: No loading required, 2-3 grams per day

Posted by: Darin Deaton

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Rest Day

Sunday, October 23, 2011

Don't forget about the "Barbells for Boobs" WOD this next weekend! It is not too late to sign up.Just click on the logo here on the homepage and look up our affiliate. Event-Oct. 29th - 9 am

WOD

Rest and Recovery

"Going Overhead"

With all the heavy lifting overhead, pull-ups, push-ups, handstand push-ups, and dips that CF athletes perform, you are bound to have a shoulder ache and pain at some point in your training. The problem is when that ache and pain doesn't go away and just lingers around. Eventually, if you are not careful it will stay and take up permanent residence. The most common of orthopedic complaints is shoulder pain, and the most common shoulder pain diagnosis is impingement syndrome.

The illustration above is an anterior to posterior view of the right shoulder. If you follow the labeling of the shoulder you can find the humerus, scapula, acromion, subacromial bursa, biceps and supraspinatus(part of the rotator cuff) tendon. These are the primary structures involved with shoulder impingement syndrome. Shoulder impingement syndrome is caused by many factors but the result is when you reach overhead the bursa, and supraspinatus and sometimes bicep tendons are "impinged" between the humerul head and the acromion. Some of the causes include, rotator cuff weakness, joint instability, bone spurs, inappropriately shaped acromion, and fatigue with repetitive overuse overhead.There is another form of impingement which is less common and involves the posterior aspect of the glenoid, humerul head and rotator cuff tendons. This "impingement"causes pain and inflammation of the bursa and tendon which eventually can cause permanent damage to the tissue. So, what do we do to make it better?

The first step in treating a shoulder problem is adequate diagnosis. This is usually performed by an orthopedist. Secondly, he/she may order diagnostic studies(x-ray, MRI, arthrogram, etc) to determine the exact cause or pathology. Then the next step is either medication, injection, rehabilitation, or surgery. One of the most important recommendations is to "stop" doing what hurts it! This can only make it worse. There are some great tools that we can employ to avoid overhead shoulder problems.

Since we have several athletes that have been complaining of shoulder pain lately, we will be posting and teaching a series of simple strength and mobility exercises aimed at developing a better environment in the athletic shoulder for training and daily life. If you have shoulder pain, we will also be holding a mini-shoulder clinic to screen athletes and then make the appropriate recommendations to see a doctor or self treat. If you are interested in knowing more about the shoulder clinic, contact your coach, post on the blog, or call the box. Our goal is to empower you the athlete in how to achieve shoulder health long term.

Posted by: Darin Deaton

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