You are hereFebruary 2011
February 2011
Paleo Challenge Odds and Ends
David Before CFO and Paleo Eating
David After 3 Months of CFO Training and Paleo Eating
As all you Paleo-Challengers know, today was the first day of the food part of the challenge. To provide a little inspiration, I thought I'd post the tried-and-true "before" and "after" pictures of one of our newcomers, David. The top picture is of David just before starting his training at CFO and before he started eating paleo. The bottom picture is of David three months after training at CFO and well into his paleo eating cycle (with a few detours now and then during the holidays). His bodyweight dropped from 197 pounds to 180 pounds during that timeframe.
His training is going great currently, too. He has PR'd in just about every strength lift we've done over the last month, and his goals are rock-solid (he wants to continue to gain strength and muscle along the way). Keep up the great work, David!
And now for a few updates on the Paleo Challenge Workout...
There was a slight mishap related to the workout and it involves anyone who did the workout going ground to overhead (12 reps at 50% bodyweight). If you did the workout ground to overhead, you'll need to do the workout over again no later than this Friday (tomorrow is a rest day so it's a perfect opportunity to make it up) going shoulder to overhead.
Also, for those of you who did the Paleo Challenge Workout earlier in the week, I need you to send me your time (and whether you did it rx'd) at info@crossfitoakland.com. I repeat, this applies to everyone who did the workout ahead of time in the week leading up to the challenge. I only have scores for people who did the workout in the heats that ran beginning Saturday at 11am.
And finally, due to a miscommunication on my part, there were a few of you who did not realize that doing step-ups instead of box jumps meant that you would not get rx'd credit for the workout. If you would like to make the workout up, feel free, and please do so by Friday.
Congrats to everyone who made it through Day 1!
Join us On Sunday Feb 27th for our first ever CFO Poker Night & Potluck!
*** Remember to get your board short order in by Friday! Samples can be found in the office ***
Coach Connie featured in the current Title 9 catalog & retail stores
CFO will be hosting a Game Night on Sunday February 27th, starting at 5pm. We will provide tables, games and beverages. You can bring a yummy Paleo-friendly dish to share and any cards and poker chips you have lying around the house.
For those of you who prefer Poker, the game will be Texas hold 'em. There will be a set buy-in and the pot will be split among the top finishers. More details to follow.
If Poker is not your game, we will have some other fun options (Candyland, anyone?).
Post interest to comments (for planning purposes).
Femme Fit Two Days Away!
Femme Fit is just two days away! I'm really excited for all of the women from CFO and Title 9 that are going to be competing. It would be great to get a ton of fan support out there for all these ladies who will be putting it on the line in this 5-event competition at CrossFit Sweat Shop this Saturday, February 5th from 9am to 2:30pm.
Come cheer your fellow CFOers on!
Last Call for Board Shorts!
Schedule Change: Strength Saturday will take place an hour later than usual today. It will begin at 5 PM and end at 7 PM.
We need to place the order for CFO board shorts soon!
Here are the people who have confirmed their order. There must be more of you out there; let us know by sending an email to info@crossfitoakland.com or responding directly in comments.
Justin -- Size 32
Patrick T -- Need Size
Stephen S -- Need Size
Gary -- Size 32
Mini -- Size 32
Trevor -- Need Size
The shorts cost $40.
Femme Fit 2011 a Huge Success!
Ann G setting up for one of her deadlifts during Event 5 (photo courtesy of TomC)
Congratulations to all the women who competed in Femme Fit today! It was a huge success and one heck of a physical test. Major kudos to all who showed up and put it on the line against the rest of the field.
And an even bigger congratulations to all the women of CFO and Title 9 who represented. It was inspiring to see all of you out there pushing your body and mind to the limit. Let's do it again!
Keep on checking the Femme Fit blog for results (including a full leaderboard) and photos in the coming days.
Let's give props to all the strong women of CFO in comments!
Super Sunday
Green Bay's Aaron Rodgers, Super Bowl MVP
The nation's Super Sunday took place today, with the Packers holding off the Steelers and hanging on for victory, 31-25, in the Super Bowl.
This coming Sunday, February 13, CFO will be hosting its own version of Super Sunday, as we gather for a Sunday afternoon workout. The Super Sunday workout this time will be Barbara, which is a doozy:
5 Rounds for Time:
20 Pull-Ups
30 Push-Ups
40 Sit-Ups
50 Squats
Rest 3 minutes between each round.
All the fun gets started at 2pm, so don't miss out!
I'll post a sign-up sheet later this week to get an idea of size, but we should be able to run the whole thing in a single heat, since the only requirements are a space on the pull-up bar and floor space for the other three movements.
Happy Birthday, Manwell!
Manwell finishing a power clean
Today is Manwell's birthday. Let's give big birthday wishes to one of CFO's superstars, a master designer (t-shirts, stickers, decals), and an all-around good human being.
He may be a year older (and hopefully wiser), but if his constant PODs are any indication, he doesn't seem to be slowing down a bit.
Happy Birthday, Wells!
Week 1 Paleo Update
Thai Cabbage "Noodles" (add chicken, shrimp or bacon to make it a complete meal)
Find the full recipe here.
Hats off to those of you who've made it through the first week of the Paleo Challenge unscathed! The first 2 weeks are the toughest. Remember, you are removing a lot of foods that have been staples in your diet, so you're most likely going to experience some withdrawal symptoms initially.
Some Things to Expect in the Initial Detox Phase:
- fatigue
- foggy-headedness
- intense cravings
- shakiness
- more visits to the toilet
On a more positive note, I learned this morning that one crossfitter has already lost 8 pounds! And a beloved 6am-er noticed she's able to push herself a little harder during the metcons. Keep it up, guys!
Quick Reminder: don't leave your partner hanging! By now, you should all be paired up with someone who's also doing the Challenge. Check in with your partner via email, text or in person at least once a week to vent, reflect or just to be sure they're still alive. If you need a partner please email me directly.
What's been your experience this first week? Share them to comments.
Healthcare Spotlight: Dr. Dwayne!
Dr. Dwayne coming to you directly from So-Cal...
CFO member, Dr. Dwayne Acoba, a licensed chiropractor, has graciously decided to offer his services to CFO clients at a very convenient location - CFO! He will be setting up shop a few hours a week, starting Feb. 11th, in the room located directly behind the GHD machine. He has spruced up the space and made it treatment-room ready.
CFO members can sign up via sign-up sheet (located at CFO) or text Dr. Dwayne directly (number can be found on sign-up sheet).
Tentative Hours (Hours are not set in stone and are based on doctor availability. However, the sign-up sheet IS set in stone and will be honored).
Fri: 7-8a and 5-6p
Sat: 9-10a
Sun: 9-10a
The fee for Crossfit members is $30 cash (a 50% discount over the regular office visit price of $60). No probem seeing the doc directly following a sweaty workout, in fact he claims he prefers rather to have the muscles loose and warmed-up rather than cold.
A bit more about Dr. Dwayne:
A recent transfer from sunny southern California, Dr. Dwayne Acoba comes to us from Long Beach. Graduating from Los Angeles Chiropractic College, Dr. Acoba has been a chiropractor for over ten years. Along with the traditional forms of chiropractic techniques and deep tissue medical massages, Dr. Acoba also specializes in Applied Kinesiology. Applied Kinesiology is a chiropractic technique that accesses the strength of the patient’s muscular system and balances them physically, chemically, and mentally. By balancing this triad, the body is able to access its energy to perform at a more efficient capacity. His patients included people from a wide variety of occupations in the entertainment industry, performers for Circ de Sole, teachers, etc… and anyone who wanted better performance in their lives like Crossfitters.
So, get in line behind me and take advantage of this great resource for treating injuries and taking care of those hot paleo-fed, cross-fitting bodies.
CPeak and Papa Brad to Compete This Weekend!
TJ's Gym NorCal 40s Competition
CFOers CPeak and Papa Brad are stepping up and representing CFO at this Sunday's NorCal 40s Competition at TJ's Gym.
The competition takes place on Sunday, February 13, beginning at 8am. Workouts will be announced on Friday, February 11 at 5am.
I've recruited a few other CFOers to accompany me to cheer on Christopher and Brad Sunday morning, but it would be great if we can get even more of you out there.
Go here to read more about the competition: NorCal 40s Competition at TJ's Gym
Let's wish these two 40-somethings luck in comments!
Laura Phelps-Sweatt
Schedule Update: The Strength Saturday class has been rescheduled to this Sunday evening from 4 to 6 PM. Strength Saturday classes will resume as normal next weekend.
Laura Phelps-Sweatt bench pressing 300 pounds for a triple
For those that follow powerlifting, Laura Phelps-Sweatt is something of a living legend. Training both at her own gym and with Louie Simmons at Westside Barbell in Ohio, she is among the strongest women in the world. How strong? In the 181 pound weight class, she squatted 745 pounds, bench pressed 510 pounds, and deadlifted 529 pounds (according to the Southern Powerlifting Federation Website). You read those numbers correctly. A woman weighing less than 181 pounds squatted 745 pounds. She can also walk around her gym on her hands and sometimes competes in the 165 pound weight class. Amazing does not begin to describe Phelps-Sweatt.
Competitive powerlifting has two big factions in it - those who compete "equipped" and those that do not, often called "raw" lifters. Equipped competitors use tightly fitting suits, wraps, and shirts that store elastic energy in the in the joints that provide assistance to the lifter when handling heavy weights. Arguments over what is better, equipped or raw, are the fodder for endless arguments on the Internet. I will not go further into the subject, but it is important to realize that people who know how to properly use suits and wraps lift more than they would without the equipment. Phelps-Sweatt normally competes in the equipped divisions.
While some would suggest that the usage of suits somehow makes Phelps-Sweatt's accomplishments less impressive, they need only watch a few videos of what she can do on her YouTube channel for that idea to be dispelled. With or without equipment this woman moves weights that routinely put men to shame. She literally works out with the men at Westside Barbell. If you happen to have a CrossFit Journal subscription, they produced a video article showing Phelps-Sweatt performing speed squats with a few of the other Westside lifters. Humbling doesn't begin to describe it.
Phelps-Sweatt is not a lightweight. While I don't know her exact height, I would be very surprised if she was much taller than 5' 3", yet she weighs between 165 and 181 pounds and is quite lean. Muscular bodyweight is useful bodyweight. This is not to suggest that every woman should be shooting to weigh 180 pounds, but a few extra pounds of muscle is something to be welcomed, not feared.
When the bar feels heavy, I remind myself that Laura warms up with a lot more weight than I am using for my work sets. That often provides some extra motivation. Here's to a strong February.
Hip Stretches For Your Shoulder Pain
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Reminder: We're running "Barbara" beginning at 2pm for our Super Sunday Workout. Don't miss out on your opportunity to run through this classic bodyweight benchmark workout!
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I have heard quite a few people talking about sore shoulders in the gym lately. Tightness in the hips can lead to shoulder injury--if your hips are not open, your shoulders are forced to make up for it when you take weight overhead.
Here are three of my favorite hip stretches. Rolling out your glutes and hip flexors before would make these stretches even more beneficial.
Start by lying on your back. Cross your right knee over your left, then take hold of your right ankle with your left hand and your left ankle with your right hand. Increase the stretch by pushing your knees away from you as you hold onto your ankles. If you are unable to reach your ankles, put a band around the ankle and take hold of that. Make sure your knees, not your ankles, are crossed. You should feel this one deep in the glute of the right leg. Make sure you hold the stretch on both sides for 1 minute.
NorCal 40s Wrap-Up
CPeak and Papa Brad
Christopher and Brad both participated in their first-ever CF competition today, the NorCal 40s at TJ's Gym. This was a competition for anyone between the age of 40 and 49, or 40-somethings, if you prefer.
Both these guys brought their A game and represented CFO extremely well, leaving nothing on the floor. Both pushed their mind and body to the limit.
Chris had a tough time in the first workout, and ended up running the 400m finishing run cramping the whole way. He bounced back, though, and turned in a strong performance in the deadlift/push jerk couplet. And he fought through the third workout, tearing his hands along the way while doing a ton of toes-to-bar.
Brad simply crushed the workouts and was consistent all day. He ended up taking fourth place overall! Amazingly, in the fourth and final workout (only the top 5 competitors got to do this workout), he PR'd in the power clean at 230#. And that was after he'd already done muscle-ups, a 1-rep max back squat, and handstand push-ups (not to mention three other workouts). Strong work, Brad!
This is the second competition in a row where someone from CFO has finished in the top 5 (Brad in the NorCal 40s and Lydia in Femme Fit).
Let's give it up for CPeak and Papa Brad in comments!
Olympic Lifting Seminar at CFO This Sunday, Feb 20!
Raph finishing a jerk
A big reminder to all of you out there...CFO Olympic Weightlifting Coaches Jo Ann Arnold and Max Aita are going to be holding another Olympic Lifting Seminar here at CFO on February 20.
This is your opportunity to learn how to improve your snatch and clean-and-jerk. Jo Ann and Max will be holding their seminar on Sunday, February 20 from 11am to 4pm. The cost of the seminar is $175. Register for the seminar here: clients.mindbodyonline.com/ws.asp
About the seminar:
Learn a fast, effective way to improve your Olympic Lifting Skills. This clinic is excellent for people both interested in improving their CrossFit or for those interested in the Sport of Weightlifting. It is intended for lifters of all levels, from novice to advanced. Learn the technique of the Snatch and the Clean & Jerk. Get hands on instruction from Coaches Max Aita and Jo Ann Arnold. Be prepared to workout; bring your lifting shoes if you have them.
This clinic is limited to 12 people, so please register early.
About the coaches:
Max Aita has been practicing Olympic Weightlifting as both an athlete and coach for over ten years. Max has studied under many highly successful coaches, including Ivan Abadjiev (the former Bulgarian national coach), previous Olympians, and some of the most successful US Coaches, such as Steve Gough and Glenn Pendlay. He currently trains and works in San Ramon, CA and is a USAW Certified Coach. He also teaches Olympic Weightlifting at United Barbell in San Francisco. Max has trained several national medalists, as well as national record-holders.
Jo Ann Arnold has been competing in Olympic Weightlifting since 2003. She is a national medalist and currently holds both Snatch and Clean & Jerk records in the Pacific Weightlifting Association. She was a Track & Field and Cross Country athlete for over a decade and competed for UCLA. Jo Ann is a USA Weightlifting Certified Coach and currently teaches the Olympic Weightlifting class at CrossFit Oakland.
Free Community Day Workout This Saturday Feb 19 at 11am!
The Post-Barbara CFO Crew
Reminder: We'll be holding a Community Day Workout this Saturday, February 19th at 11am. Put it on your calendar and get in to CFO!
These workouts are great fun and are free to the public. Everyone is welcome to participate, regardless of current fitness level. The class will be roughly an hour, and will consist of a warm-up, instruction of some basic movements, a workout using those movements (and possibly others as well), and a cool-down.
If you've never done a CF workout before and have been curious about giving it a try, this will be a great introduction to CF training. Just give it a go!
Bring friends, bring family, and spread the word!
CrossFit Games Open Sectionals - CFO STYLE!
An athlete you might know performing at the 2010 NorCal Sectionals
Did you know that the CrossFit Games season begins in less than a month? Did you also know that every single one of you is invited to compete? This is pretty cool news. If you are even a teeny-tiny bit interested in this, here is what CFHQ has to say:
The CrossFit Games Open is a six-week competition that will begin Tuesday, March 15th at 17:00 PDT. This competition is the first step in qualifying for the 2011 CrossFit Games. Each week, one event will be announced each Tuesday, and everyone has until the following Sunday at 17:00 PDT to complete the event and record their scores.
There are two ways to compete:
1. Compete at a Registered Affiliate: Attend a workout session at a registered affiliate and submit your score for the affiliate to validate.
2. Compete Anywhere: Perform the workout as prescribed anywhere you can or want, and videotape it. Submit your score and upload your video.
What does that mean here at little ole- CFO? Glad you asked! CFO is indeed a "registered affiliate" and will be offering our members (and anyone else who wishes to participate) the opportunity to complete each week's workout to be judged and tabulated in the official CFHQ results database.
How is this going to work? Each Saturday following the Tuesday (starting March 15th) announcement of that week's workout, CFO will run heats starting at 11:30am and running until the last competitor has completed the workout. We will then have until that Sunday to input your results into the official CF Games dbase.
1. The workout and movement standards will be posted on our blog the day it is announced (Tuesdays starting March 15th).
2. You will have until Thursday at midnight to register for the Saturday workout. You will be placed in a heat. A heat schedule will be published on Friday before midnight before the Saturday workout. Workouts will be officially briefed at 11am each Saturday, including movement standards.
3. It will cost you $20.00/week drop-in fee or a mere $50.00 if you register for the entire 6-week package. If you would like the package deal, you must register by March 17th at midnight. Single week registration closes each Thursday midnight prior to that Sat workout. Look for links on our blog, Facebook events and options in our online store to pop-up next week. Don't worry, we will let you know every which way we can when registration opens.
What if you cannot make the Sat 11:30am workout? Well, we highly encourage you to attend the Saturday workouts since there will be a very cool competition-vibe going on and a fantastic atmosphere of support and fun. But if it is somehow impossible, you must still register online, but shoot us an email (info@crossfitoakland.com) at least 24 hours prior to set up an alternate day/time for your WOD and we will make sure we have the proper equipment and official judge ready for you.
Have more questions for CrossFit HQ? Check out Coach Glassman as he gives the run-down or just post your questions in comments.
Needless to say we are all very excited to be able to offer this window to the games to every single one of our members.
Go TEAM CFO!!! Speaking of Team CFO - this just in:
The team with the most participants at the end of the first week gets two free spectator tickets per athlete to the 2011 CrossFit Games, their next affiliate fee waived, and a plaque commemorating their achievement. - CFHQ.
Just sayin'...
Congrats, Team CFO!
The Top 4 CFO Finishers in Femme Fit: Joey (left), Mune (front), Stacy (right), and Lydia (tall)
As we wrote a couple of weeks ago, Femme Fit was a huge success, with a ton of women from CFO showing up and pushing themselves to the limit. Not only did we have a lot of women from CFO competing, it turns out that CFO won the team competition!
The score was based on the placement of the top 4 finishers from each gym. Thanks to the performances of Lydia (5th place), Stacy (10th place), Joey (18th place), and Mune (24th place), CFO was able to take home the Femme Fit crown as the top team. Strong work, ladies!
Can't wait to see what the future holds for Team CFO in the coming months!
Saturday Happenings
Holley and Hannah doing some overhead squats
Two things to tell you about that are going down on Saturday...
Community Day Workout
The Community Day Workout gets started Saturday at 11am.
These workouts are great fun and are free to the public. Everyone is welcome to participate, regardless of current fitness level. The class will be roughly an hour, and will consist of a warm-up, instruction of some basic movements, a workout using those movements (and possibly others as well), and a cool-down.
If you've never done a CF workout before and have been curious about giving it a try, this will be a great introduction to CF training. Just give it a go!
Track Workout at Piedmont High
If the weather permits, we'll be holding a track workout at the Piedmont High Track, beginning at 9:45am. Everyone is welcome. We'll be running a series of 300m, 200, and 100m sprints.
Normal group classes will still be going down at CFO at 8am, 9am, and 10am, so it's your choice where you want to train.
More Hip Stretches
Here are a few more stretches for your hips. You may find that certain stretches feel quite good (or at least feel like you are stretching something), while others don't feel like anything at all. Just do the ones that feel good when you are doing them, or feel good after you have done them (sometimes performing the stretch is not comfortable, but after you are done, you feel better).
Start seated on the ground with your knees bent and feet to the left side. Make sure your knees are bent at right angles and your chest is pointed towards your right knee (it may feel like you have to twist to your right to do this). Keeping your back slightly arched and your chest up, lean forward towards your right knee. Hold for 30-60 seconds. Repeat with your knees bent toward the right side.
Celebrating Black History and CFO’s Diversity with a WOD in Honor of Jackie Robinson
[Note: CFO is running a regular schedule on Monday, not a holiday schedule.]
Jackie Robinson stealing home
[Editorial Note: Tonight's post was written by Candace, one of CFO's top trainers and athletes. I merely copied and pasted.]
One of the qualities of Crossfit Oakland that often goes unmentioned is our immensely diverse community along lines of race, sexual orientation, age, and otherwise. If you’ve ever participated in a CrossFit event outside Oakland, with a few exceptions, you know exactly what I mean. Although each year’s games competitions do reveal additional athletes of color, Oakland can always be counted on to set the standard; often with fewer white than non-white competitors. It is in this vein that Mike, Tamara and I decided to dedicate a WOD to Black History Month!
The idea was spawned from Crossfit Harlem’s owner Syn Martinez, who has been celebrating the month with a black history WOD series. Syn’s WOD for Monday is designed to celebrate the life of Jackie Robinson. Due to the incredible athletic acumen that Robinson demonstrated in the face of hatred, a post to commemorate the talent and courage of the man who desegregated America’s favorite pastime seems a fitting way for CFO to celebrate Black History Month (I’d be remiss not to mention that I feel particularly moved by Robinson’s feat as a descendent of a man who may have played in the major leagues were it not due to racism).
As residents of Oakland, we know well that despite the incredible progress our country has achieved since Robinson’s time, we are far from living in a racially equal society. Although the progress of black people has never been so discernibly apparent as after the 2008 Presidential election, well-cited statistics remind us of the continued plight of black Americans. A quick internet search confirmed this reality: as of 2001, estimates suggest that as many as 90% of black men aged 45-54 without a high school diploma have served time in prison as compared with 17% and 4% of similarly categorized white and Hispanic men. “These figures suggest that for black [male] high school dropouts, serving time in prison is practically a certainty.” (p330 Raphael 2006)
As a former Oakland high school teacher, these statistics challenge me to act. Moreover, I feel grateful to be a part of a community that I know is similarly charged by this reality; CFO is home to teachers, healers, emergency responders and advocates who assist those who are in constant struggle to beat the staggering statistics listed above; it is in that light that we will do a WOD in honor of Robinson and Black History Month on this President’s Day. It is the strength of Robinson and so many other outstanding civil rights activists that assures me that racial equality can be achieved in America. What’s more, it is the quality of the character of many people like those at CrossFit Oakland that assures me that this equality will be achieved with increasing speed. I look forward to celebrating with you all!
Post love for the diversity of CFO, Jackie Robinson, and Black History Month to comments.
(Note: to understand which aspects of the WOD are associated with Robinson’s life, you will need to research important Jackie Robinson dates and statistics.)
Berry Pie Plus an Explanation for Your Sugar Cravings
Berry Yummy Strawberry Pie
Have those sugar cravings finally subsided? I didn't think so. And no, it's not because you're weak and lack will power. There's a very good reason for it. In The Jungle Effect, Daphne Miller, MD, explains that all humans are universally drawn to 4 basic foods: sweet, salty, fatty, and meaty, whereas spicy, bitter and acidic foods are foods that we have to acquire a taste for. In a interview earlier last year, Mark Sisson of Mark's Daily Apple, points out that humans have a built-in survival mechanism that can make us seek out sweets. In nature, however, sweet foods such as fruits and vegetables, actually contain very little sugar (relatively speaking) and instead are packed with loads of nutrients and fiber which prevent us from 1) overeating them and 2) spiking blood sugar. Sisson explains that if "Grok," an imaginary caveman, were to come face-to-face with a king-sized Hershey's bar, he would have, without a doubt, quickly and happily devoured it. The problem lies in the sheer quantity we're eating this stuff. Every day we're bombarded with sugar-laden foods in its most concentrated form and because we're hard-wired to be attracted to these foods, it's hard to stay away.
The good news is that often what happens once you remove sugar from the diet is that your taste buds change and become more sensitive. When you do finally sit down to eat that apple fritter you've been eying for weeks, you'll probably notice that it's much sweeter than you remember and you may not need to eat the entire thing. For more on this topic, I recommend you check out Julia Ross' book, The Diet Cure, or William Dufty's Sugar Blues.
Today I'd like to share one of my all-time favorite dessert recipes that will satisfy that sweet tooth without causing too much trouble. It's a raw (no cooking necessary) berry pie that you can whip up pretty quickly and easily and wow all your friends with. And, as always, it's gluten and dairy free! I made this for a family member's birthday party recently with only a few hours to spare (and 1 left hand) and it was a big hit.***Note: You will need a food processor for this recipe.
Berry Pie
Adapted from Trim Tab Nutrition
Ingredients for the crust:
1.5 cups dried, shredded and unsweetened coconut
3/4 cup macadamia nuts
3/4 cup walnuts (or use 1.5 cup macadamia nuts for a richer crust)
1/2 cup dates, unpitted
pinch of salt
Ingredients for the filling:
4 cups blueberries or strawberries (strawberries are still in-season in CA)
3/4 cup dates, soaked in water for 30 min
1 tablespoon lemon juice
How to Make the Crust:
- Put nuts, coconut and salt in food processor and pulse until coarsely ground.
- Add the dates and process until the mixture begins to stick together. Don't over process.
- Scoop the mixture into a 9" pie dish and firmly press crust into the bottom of the pan, the outer rim and against sides of the pie dish. Distribute evenly.
- If time permits, place crust in freezer for 15 min to let it set.
How to Make Filling:
- Blend 1.5 cups of berries with the soaked dates and lemon juice.
- Transfer to a mixing bowl and add the remaining berries. Mix well. (If using strawberries, you will need to chop the remaining berries into bite size pieces before mixing).
To Finish: Fill the crust with berry filling. Chill at least 1 hour before serving. Enjoy!
Photos and Deadlifts
A few pictures of some of the CFO FemmeFit competitors
As readers of the blog are well aware, a number of CrossFit Oakland members participated in the recent FemmeFit competition held at CrossFit Sweat Shop in Walnut Creek and did very well. In fact, they won the team division, among other accomplishments. Nabil Langkilde, a former CFO member, and Mike Jenkins, a current CFO member, hosted and organized the event and it was a great success. I was on hand to take pictures and those are now available for your perusal. You can view all of the photos at:
http://tomcampitelli.zenfolio.com/f920967131
March Strength Camp
I will be holding another Starting Strength Training Camp here at CrossFit Oakland on Sunday, March 13th from 1 to 5 PM. This time, the focus will be on the shoulder press and the deadlift. We will spend a few hours discussing the mechanics, form, and anatomy of both movements as well as putting the theory into practice under the bar. Participants will come away with an understanding of the fundamentals of these lifts and how they feel when done correctly. We will also discuss programming, sticking points, and other useful tidbits before wrapping up with a question and answer session.
Competence in the core strength lifts is an important part of CrossFit, Olypmic lifting, powerlifting, and almost any athletic endeavor. This is a great opportunity to learn the lifts in an unhurried atmosphere. Attendance will be capped at eight people to allow for plenty of indivdualized coaching for all involved. You need not be an experienced strength athlete to attend; all that is required is a desire to learn the lifts. The cost for the camp is $100 and you can sign up over at the Aasgaard Store.
http://aasgaardco.com/store/store.php?crn=230&rn=392&action=show_detail
CFO Poker and Game Night This Sunday Feb 27 at 5pm!
Reminder: Our Poker & Game Potluck is going down this Sunday, February 27 at CFO, beginning at 5pm.
Poker will be the primary game going on, but we'll also have some other games going on for those not into poker (e.g., Mexican Train, Aggravation, Sands of Catan). Also, feel free to bring any game you want to play.
If you do not know how to play poker, we'll teach you.
Please bring some sort of food to share with others (paleo or not). CFO will provide beverages.
Important Notes About the Poker Game
- We'll be playing Texas Hold 'Em.
- The buy-in is $20.
- The purse will be split as follows: 60% for 1st place, 30% for 2nd place, 10% for 3rd place.
- The game will go until there's a winner or until 8:30pm, whichever comes first.
- If there's an overall winner (all other players go out), the 2nd place finisher is the last person to go out and the 3rd place finisher is the second-to-last player to go out.
- If we hit 8:30pm, the game stops and the player with the most money wins first place, second most wins second place, and third most wins third place.
- Please show up at 4:30pm if you plan on playing poker so that we can start the game promptly at 5pm. If you RSVP and are not there by 5pm, your spot will be forfeited.
All other rules (round length, small blind and big blind values, starting value of chips, etc.) will be determined after we know how many people will be playing.
You need to RSVP by Saturday at 10pm in order to secure a spot.
RSVP by sending us an email at info@crossfitoakland.com.
Two Amazing Pull-Up Clinics in March - Sign Up NOW!
Connie has come a long way with a ton of hard work & dedication!
Are you are craving your first traditional kipping pull-up or just want to perfect them? Do you want to master that ever-elusive butterfly kipping pull-up? Well, here's your chance!
Coach Moses and Coach Tamara have generously offered the members of CFO their time and combined coaching prowess to help you get to the next level with your pull-ups.
CORRECTION: On Saturday, March 12th and on Sunday March 27th TWO 1-hour sessions will be offered. The Traditional Kipping pull-up will be taught from 12pm - 1pm and the Butterfly will be taught from 1pm - 2pm.
Here is the deal: The Traditional pull-up session clinic is geared toward technique and not strength, so participants should be able to get their chin over the bar. The Butterfly session is for those who have good Traditional kipping pull-ups and want to learn the Butterfly.
Attending both days as a package is recommended -- you will be given progressions and skills to practice after March 12th and can come back on the 27th for additional coaching.
If you are interested in these fabulous opportunities to work this foundational movement, then sign up using this link or in person at the gym or just send an email to info@crossfitoakland.com. Each clinic will cost you a mere $20.00 and will be capped at 10 participants. Or you can sign up for both clinics as a package and pay just $30.00 for both.
Don't miss this chance to be coached in a small group setting by some very fine trainers! Viva la pull-up!
Eating to Grow - Part Four
Meet Terry Dickman, of CrossFit Excel. He weighs 207 pounds, is in his fifties, and deadlifts 490 pounds.
Welcome to another post encouraging people to eat. If you have not yet read Part 1, Part 2, and Part 3, now would be a good time to do so. In today's entry, we are going to address a population that is frequently absent from discussions of weight gain - older trainees. The message is ultimately the same as for other populations. Strength is of primary importance and being skinny is often at odds with being strong.
Let's review the claim that strength is of primary importance. Being able to generate force against an external resistance is something that people must do every day, whether that is getting up out of a chair, lifting a bag of groceries, moving a couch, or hefting an injured person into an ambulance. Our abilities to perform each of these activities safely are directly related to how strong we are. As individuals crest middle age, a process called sarcopenia, the gradual loss of muscle mass, sets in. Losing muscle predisposes individuals to numerous health problems and a severely decreased quality of life. An important way to fight against this insidious process is resistance training. Couple resistance training with a diet that supports recovery and muscle can be gained instead of lost. The weight on the scale will climb, as will the weight on the bar, and increased capability will follow.
To those who would suggest that staying as thin as possible is the key to health and longevity, there is some evidence that this is not the case. Strength has been correlated to decreased mortality from all causes, including cancer and cardiovascular disease. Even when controlling for body mass index, cardiovascular fitness, and several other variables, the correlation of strength to longevity remained. Some participants in this study were overweight, but the stronger they were, the less likely they were to die. Correlation does not imply causation, although it provides an interesting starting place to identify causes. Being skinny is unlikely to save you. Being strong could be of use, however.
Taking Care of Your Body
Just the other day, I heard a member say "How do I undo 20 years of bad posture, working at a desk, and not stretching after I work out?" Clearly, taking the time to stretch after working out or perform small exercises to strengthen your weak spots does seem like a monumental task after you have already gone to work, completed your crossfit wod, fixed dinner, cleaned the house, put the kids to bed and whatever other else you do each day. It may not matter now, but at some point, that shoulder that hurts occasionally will begin to throb while you are sleeping, or your knee the bothered you irregularly will start to hurt when you are walking up your stairs to bed.
We all know what part of our body causes trouble, and many of us know what we need to do to avoid the pains we feel. But most of us don't do it. Why is that? I think it is amazing that most of us will push through an incredibly hard wod (sometimes without even warming up) and then not take 10 minutes to stretch to ensure that 10 years from now we will still be able to do that very same wod.
For those of you still reading, and are interested in working on your tight neck, here is a great post from United Barbell about taking care of your NECK. It does have a MobilityWod video, but it isn't very long and has some good exercises. Here is also a post I did last year with some easy neck stretches to do after you have worked out. Lastly, this is a lengthy post from EliteFTS with several videos on what to do for your TIGHT SHOULDERS. Taking the time to watch the videos and write down the routine (and then actually do it) would be great for any of you with shoulder pain.
Please post any successes you have had from stretching or rehab exercises to comments--it may inspire the rest of us to try it out!
The Big Poker Winners
Max and Jo Ann, the top two finishers in the CFO Poker Tourney
Thanks to all who came out and made our Poker & Game Night a blast. CFO Olympic Weightlifting coaches Jo Ann & Max took first and second, respectively, with Stephen C taking third.
We had two tables going, the poker table and the Mexican Train table. Some of us (in particular, those of us who went out early in poker) managed to play on both tables.
Let's do it again soon!
Article Round-Up
New Moses!
A couple articles worth reading...
A Reversal on Carbs
From the LA Times: http://articles.latimes.com/2010/dec/20/health/la-he-carbs-20101220
Although this stuff is constantly talked about within the friendly confines of CFO, it's nice to see some mainstream discussion of excessive carbs, their ascendancy in the modern diet, and their potential to wreak havoc on your health. This article doesn't demonize carbs; it merely points out the pitfalls of getting too much of them.
Got Pull-Up?
This article from the Urban Gets Diesel Blog came up in the comments of an earlier post on our upcoming pull-up clinics, thanks to Joseph. I thought it was worth posting here, in case you guys missed it the first time.
In this wonderful piece, Melissa Byers lays out a strong and convincing case for making the dead-hang pull-up your first priority (especially if you're a woman).
Read it here: http://www.urbangetsdiesel.com/2009/03/got-pull-up.html
