It's never to early to start kicking ass!

Please take a moment to read this article. Article.  Why is it relevant to you, you ask?  I don’t believe that we have any diabetics currently training at CPC, however, I’d be surprised if you don’t know any in your personal lives who does.  The bigger picture of the article is more what I’m after here anyway.  What is striking about this article is two fold.  One is the fact that there is doubt as to whether the company that profited immensely from the sale of this drug knew in advance that it would kill people.  This would not be the first time that this has happened.  That’s part 1.  Part 2 is that for the most part diabetes is a lifestyle related disease – meaning that proper nutrition (not “replacing my current fast-food intake with Taco Bell’s new healthy menu”, as the commercial says, but real nutrition) and exercise can eliminate it in the vast majority of cases.  So here we have a situation in which a company has made a lot of money by selling a deadly drug to people that could have avoided the whole mess by eating well and working out.  This is not who you all are, but who you walk among on a daily basis.  I’ve said this before, but will stand on my soapbox and say it again and again – protect your health at all costs!  The alternative might kill you.

Today’s Workout:
1-1-1-1-1-1-1 Hang Power Clean
Followed by AMRAP 8 Min:

10 Push ups

10 Double Unders

I know that we’ve been posting a lot of video lately, but this one really struck me as something that is important to watch.  It’s a little bit on the long side, but the message is powerful.
We really are living during a health epidemic in this country and the change in our school cafeterias, the change in our business luncheons, and the change in the lives of those around us is going to come from the actions that we take ourselves.  Leading by example and eating and living the way that most CrossFitters do, we will inevitably empower others to be healthier as well.  Remember the early post about obesity being contagious?  We know that the opposite is true as well; we absolutely know it.  I am 100% confident that other members of your peer groups have started to workout, eat and live in a healthier manner themselves, simply because of the example that you yourselves are setting.  Please remember this fact when you are struggling with your last round of a tough workout or turning down junk food in your office for a healthier alternative.

Today’s Workout:
800 M Run
30 OHS (95#/65#)
400 M Run
30 Thrusters (95#/65#)
200 M Run
30 Burpees

Aspartame - not that awesome.

Here’s an interesting article that I stumbled across regarding aspartame; the common sweetener used in most diet sodas as well as many of the following products:
- chewing gum
- confections
- gelatins
- cake mixes
- puddings and fillings
- frozen desserts
- yogurts
- tabletop sweeteners
- chewable vitamins (and who takes those but children)
- sugar free cough drops

News Published on 17 Nov, 2009

Ajinomoto brands aspartame ‘AminoSweet’

Filed by Shaun Weston

Leading aspartame producer Ajinomoto is launching a new initiative that will brand the sweetener AminoSweet.
It’s now more than 25 years since products sweetened with aspartame were first launched in Europe. In this time, the sweetener has transformed the market for low-calorie and sugar-free foods and drinks and has become the first choice for many leading brands.
Like other low-calorie sweeteners, aspartame delivers sweetness without calories, but it’s unique in two ways:

• Aspartame tastes like sugar
• Aspartame is made from two amino acids.

In recent years, there has been more and more focus on the development of low-calorie foods and drinks that help consumers maintain a healthy weight and avoid obesity. At the same time, food and drink manufacturers have become more interested in what their ingredients are made of and where they come from.
Ajinomoto believes that the time is right to remind the industry that aspartame tastes just like sugar, and that it’s made from amino acids – the building blocks of protein that are abundant in our diet.
The name AminoSweet is appealing and memorable. It reflects that AminoSweet comes from the same amino acids that are abundant in the food we eat every day.
Source: Ajinomoto

Remember gang, no matter what they decide to call it, if you’re consuming a food or beverage that was created in a lab instead of by nature, you can be assured your body doesn’t recognize it. This opens the door to short-term and long-lasting health problems for you and your family. (Clinical trials have found the following awesome effects from “AminoSweet” consumption – Birth Defects, Cancer (Brain Cancer), Diabetes, Emotional Disorders, Epilepsy/Seizures)

Today’s “Sweet” Workout:
5-5-5 High Bar Back Squats”
Followed by:
Box Jump, Kettlebell, Jumprope Teamwork

Zach and Phil breaking in the new tires!

Do you have a car to sell?  An apartment to rent?  Know of something cool that’s going on in town that you want to promote?  Why not run it by our members here first!  Eric and I have designated our superbly decorated “What’s New” bulletin board as our new CPC Community Board.  If you’ve got something that you want to share with the rest of the members here, please feel free to bring it in and give it to us and we’ll post it up on that board.  Gracias. 

Today’s Workout:
“Grace”
30 Reps for Time:
Clean and Jerk (135#/ 95#)

Lisa inverted in Cabo!! (not Cancun)

What should you do if you are injured?  This is a great question that we get asked from time to time.  Personally I see a lot of injury cases in practice and believe that one of the worst things that you can do is come to a complete standstill.  If your arm is hurt, that doesn’t mean that you can’t still squat.  If your knee is tweaked, we can still have you doing pull ups.  Increased blood flow throughout the body, an increase in endocrine response in addition to an elevated post-workout mood will do your body and spirit good.  Does this mean that if you have a broken hand that you should be shoulder pressing and doing burpees?  Not so much.  Isolate the injured area, use the principles of RICE (Rest, Ice, Compression and Elevation) and train the rest of your body.  Trust me on this one.

Today’ s Workout:
”Angie”
100 Pull Ups
100 Push Ups
100 Sit Ups
100 Squats

Taping your hands for pull-ups from CrossFit Los Angeles on Vimeo.

Yep, I’ve spent some time looking at videos over the weekend.  Here’s CFLA’s Andy Petranek going through the best way to wrap your hands.  If you have a rip, are worried about your hands ripping or are a massage therapist, then this method is definitely something that you should get acquainted with.  Where can you get athletic tape you ask?  We just had a big shipment come in last Tuesday!

Today’s Workout:
Deadlift 3-3-3
Followed by 4 Rounds For Time:
20 Wall Balls (#20/#14)
200 M Run

One of my favorite clips.  Happy Monday everyone.

Today’s Workout:
Box Jump for Max Height
Followed by AMRAP 15
3 Backsquats (Bodyweight on the bar)
6 Leg Raises (to 90 degrees)
9 Burpees

A camera shy photography student?!

Who had fun down at the Affiliate Challenge at CrossFit Ventura last month?  Feel like you’d like compete as a team again?  A big part of the CrossFit Games this summer is the Affiliate Cup in which each box can send 6 members (3 men, 3 women) to compete against teams from other CrossFits.  Interested?  Let us know and we’ll start putting together a team!  The first competition will be May 8^th and 9^th down in Orange County.  Below are details from HQ on the event:

Affiliate Cup Team Registration opens on Monday, February 1st at 1200 PST.
The team registration is for the Regional competitions in May. Teams register first come, first served at the Regionals (athletes hoping to compete in the Individual competition have to qualify). There will be a cap at each event, after which a waitlist will be created. Our hope and intention is to allow every team that wants to compete an opportunity, so we will be looking for ways to accommodate the waitlisted teams if/when that happens.
Teams are comprised of four to six athletes, with an optional non-competing coach. There must be at least two men and two women competing on each team.
For registration purposes, a single team “captain” will register the team. The cost is $300 per team. When the team is successfully registered, a confirmation email will be sent to the team captain with a link that he or she will send to the rest of the team. Each team member will need to access the registration website with that unique link. Each person must enter their own data and fulfill the electronic waiver and signature.
All team members must train at the same physical gym (or garage for that matter). No virtual gyms are allowed. The gym does not need to be an official CrossFit affiliate. Each team member will also be given the opportunity to name a “guest” to receive a free spectator pass.
Register your team as soon as possible. You can add specific team members as you know them. There will also be a window of opportunity in late April to make official changes to your team if needed. There can be no last minute changes after the final deadline (which will be announced later).
For teams the qualify for Aromas, the roster of athletes that competes at the Regionals does not need to be the identical roster competing in Aromas. The number of teams that qualify at each regional is equal to the number of individuals that qualify at the regional (men plus women).
The affiliate team competition is among the best of what we do. The word is out and teams are fired up. The competition will be fierce!

Today’s Workout:
10-9-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1
Deadlifts (#275/#165)
Weighted Sit ups

Is it time to eat? Is it time to poop? Is it time to sleep? Is it time to play? That's all I got.

Every motivational book that I have ever read says something along the lines that human beings have about 10,000 thoughts per day (Riv has 4).  The problem is that for the most part we have the SAME 10,000 thoughts today that we had yesterday.  So this begs the question, what are you thinking about?  What is the dialogue that you’re having with yourself, and most importantly, what is the dialogue that you are having with yourself right before, and during your workout?  Are you telling yourself beforehand that you are strong, fast, and capable of accomplishing anything?  Or are you telling yourself that it’s going to be hard, it’s going to hurt and hopefully, by the grace of god you’ll manage to get through it somehow?  Be very, very vigilant about the thought patterns that you are running before leaving your house to come to CPC, in the car on the way to CPC, and then especially right before and during a workout.  The brain can only hold one thought at a time, so having a default thought of “I CAN DO IT” is a great way to make sure that nothing negative or self-sabotaging is creeping in.  Anyone have a trick to share on this subject?  Please post to comments.

Today’s Workout:
3-3-3-3-3 Press

Followed by:
2 Min Max Double Unders
30 Ring Dips
2 Min Max Double Unders
30 Toes to Bar

Team In Training Kick off Party at CPC!!

Congratulations to all of Team in Training’s newest crop of runners!  Team in Training came by over the weekend and had their kick off BBQ right here at CPC.  The afternoon was filled with games, emotional stories and a whole lot of camaraderie.  For those of you that are interested in supporting this great organization there are a few things that you can do.  You can always find a team in training athlete (through our very own Courtney Dietz) and donate to their race page http://www.teamintraining.org/.  Since we often train the Team in Training coaches there will also be ample opportunities to volunteer your time and energy with us.  Team in Training is a fantastic organization that raises money for Leukemia and Lymphoma research and we’re extremely honored to be able to work with them.

Today’s Workout:
10 Rounds for Time of:
5 DB Burpee Squat Clean Thrusters (aka “Goodlands”)
8 Kettlebell Swings