Sometimes good things come from unexpected places. Being CrossFitters we’re typically intertested in finding out more about what will help us become more strong, fast  and powerful. This post is coming from more of a general health and wellbeing angle.  About 3 months ago my partner and I started going for a short walk after dinner. Sometimes a 10 minute walk around the block and sometimes a 30 minute stroll down to the water or longer. We don’t plan it we just walk out the front door and walk as far as we feel like. We don’t walk fast we just stroll along and have a chat. We’ve gotten into the habit of doing it every night.  I got the idea from reading some of Mark Sisson‘s work a few months ago. I’ve researched and experienced first hand a variety of benefits that have surprised me. Here’s just a few:

Gets us off the couch and aids training recovery: Invariably after sitting down for dinner we’ll do one of a few things, sit in front of the telly or sit in front of the computer, or perhaps sit down and read a book, the common thread is there is usually always more sitting.  For me all this follows sitting in the car for 20 minutes on my way home. Getting vertical and having a walk gets  some blood flowing to the legs and  loosens up the hamstrings and hip flexor muscles prior to bed. The opposite effect of the couch or the computer chair. While I haven’t experienced a miraculous vanishing of post training soreness since my post dinner walks began I can certainly feel the differencefor the better with my recovery, particularly in my lower body. I also find it a more effective way to relax and unwind than the more passive options I listed.

Better Digestion and Metabolism: Going for a little walk 10 minutes after dinner has physiological benefits as well. Increased blood glucose from your evening meal is absorbed directly into the muscles cells for utilisation which reduces the insulin response to our evening meal. This is a plus for those of us trying to lose fat or maintain a healthy weight.

Reduced Stress and Better Sleep: The benefits of exercise on reducing anxiety, stress and depression are well documented. Purely from my own experience, I’ve found the evening walk excellent for putting me in a relaxed frame of mind and clearing my head after a long day. I’ve subsequently found getting to sleep far easier. On a side note, in the past I’ve experienced restless legs while trying to get to sleep which have also dissappeared since having post dinner evening strolls.

Great for Relationships: Often meal time is a silent affair at our place. We shovel our food down and try with varying degrees of success to converse and catch up but often the food takes priorty, particularly with me   Whether with your partner, room mate,  friend or even on the mobile hands free to a distant friend, the post dinner walk is a great chance to give a loved one your full attention and catch up properly. Even when walking alone, it’s a good time to let thoughts and events digest and have some quality you time alone with your thoughts.

Give it a go: It’s not hard. I’ll talk you through it. I find it best to go for your walk after you’ve done the dinner dishes and or packed the dishwasher. That way you can truly relax as you stroll along. Try and bring your partner or a friend along with you. Don’t worry if you’re street isn’t very scenic, just bite the bullet and set out to walk around the block.  The objective here is not to get your heart rate up and work up a sweat, it should be relaxing and a way to help you unwind.  Once you’re a few minutes in and maybe half way around the block, if you’re enjoying yourself and your company and feel like going further, go for it, if not just keep going around the block until you get back to where you started. It’s a nice feeling walking back through the door once you’re done! Give it a go tonight!

Only three weeks until CrossFit 2012! I thought after last year that I’d be happy to “skip” a year, but alas, as it gets closer I realise I’m going to miss it. It’s the event that makes the past 12, 18 or 24 months of training worth it. All the PR’s, rips, blood, sweat and tears don’t matter.

So how do I prepare for the start of the biggest CrossFit event on the planet?

1. The Mental Game

Firstly, I’ve got to have a realistic aim. Mine was always to compete as part of the team in the Australasian region. My (the team’s) goal from there was to finish in the top two and book ourselves a ticket to the States. I had no individual goals, just team ones.

Come games day, I always liked to know exactly when and what the workout was. That way I could visualise the workout and identify points that were going to be tough and points where I could cruise through. From there, I always try to estimate when I’m going to rest (generally in the tougher exercise) and when to push through (the easier exercise).

I found that having this game plan prevented me from resting when I could probably push through, and saving the rest for when I was really going to need it.

2. Nutrition and Sleep

I always say to myself “I need a good sleep” the night before. The reality of it is I never slept well the night before a big event. Too amped up to sleep and scared of missing the alarm! So last year I got as much sleep as I could in the lead-up week. Even though that last night wasn’t completely restful, I’d slept well enough previously to still feel fresh and ready to go.

I’m also super-strict on my food for about a fortnight beforehand. I make sure I get plenty of calories and fluid in (I weigh myself every 3rd or 4th day) to maintain weight and hydration levels. I’ve previously had a tendency to undereat before an event and feel a little lacklustre in the first workout.

Also make sure that you eat during the day of a workout, especially if you’ve got multiple events. Prepare the day before!

3. Training and Recovery

I tended to back training intensity down at least two days before the event, with a day or two of complete rest (maybe a mobility session or a light run/row). Three days before that I’d lift heavy (3′s or 5′s) for one or two sets (not my usual five), just to take the volume down and keep the intensity high. I’d also throw in one or two timed workouts, ones that weren’t going to leave me overly sore.

Last but not least, I always tried to look after the little things. If I felt a muscle twinge or soreness, I’d make sure to ice it regularly during the day. Warm up and cool down properly after each workout (including the lead-up training). Minimise stress and maximise enjoyment. After all, you’re doing this because you enjoy it!

Hopefully that offers a few handy ideas that you can incorporate before the big event! Good luck everyone!

By Dan

A new year, a time to reflect back on what has been accomplished in the past year and also a time to look forward to what lies ahead.

We often continually focus on the next challenge with our training and what we are currently unable to accomplish but would like to. I don’t think this is unhealthy as it is what enables us to continue to move our fitness and performance forward. That said, it is also worthwhile every now and then to reflect back on how far you’ve come and give yourself a pat on the back. A flick back through your training program to your first program is a good way to do this.

This post is about looking ahead to 2012. What do you want out of your training? Improved gymnastics, 1 strict pullup, a muscle up, a body weight deadlift, a 2x body weight deadlift, a sub 4 hour marathon, more muscle, less fat, less stress. Some people are more goal orientated than others, however I think having some measurable goals to work towards helps give your training some purpose and direction and makes it more enjoyable and stimulating.

Tips on Goal Setting for Traning:

• Be specific and make your goals measurable. Make sure the goal is specific enough so you know when you’ve reached it. I.e. ‘be able to do 10 strict pullups’, not just ‘get better at pullups’.
• Be realistic but challenge yourself. The goal needs to challenge you but should be achievable with lots of hard work. Without the benefit of hindsight it is often hard to differentiate between unrealistic and challenging. Feel free to run a goal past a trainer and get their insight. “Hey Hoodie, do you think I could increase my ring dips from 3 in a row to 100 in a row in the next 12 months?”…….
• Be aware your fitness improves more rapidly at the beginning. In your first year training your deadlift might double from 50 to 100kg as you learn how to perform the lift correctly and you learn to brace your mid section and recruit all the right muscles. The following year it might increase to 120, then 135 the following year, 142.5 and so on. Eventually as you get close to your true potential, a 2.5kg annual increase on your deadlift can become as big an achievement as the initial 50kg.

From the Vault

The following past posts are useful to assist you with your goal setting

Using the SWAT Analysis, is a great article Dan wrote a few months ago and a great place to start to determine the best place to start when it comes to setting training goals for 2012.

The CrossFit Ignite Sydney Performance Levels: Displayed in the gym, this is our most comprehensive goal setting tool we’ve developed for our clients. It provides equivelent levels for the different components of fitness and enables you to see where your strengths and weaknesses lie.

10 Fitness Challenges Part one , two and three. Some great goals that Hoodie has put together with  some useful info on each.

What are your goals for 2012?

Santa, I'll take your presents but not your waistline!

The first session and particularly the first Metcon (timed workout) back after a break is often a reality check. This is the case because many of us take the foot off the gas with training over Christmas and new year as we’re either out of Sydney and or out of our normal routine. Often Easter is just around the corner by the time you’re back to peak fitness again.  There are a few simple strategies that can be put in place to ensure this doesn’t happen this Christmas.

For many of you, time off work over Christmas might mean a few weeks where you can make it to the gym more often! GREAT, this article however,  is for those of you who are going on a holiday for some well earned time out. It is about maintaining your fitness level while you’re enjoying some down time. It will help with keeping the body fat under control although as always nutrition over this period will have the biggest effect on the body fat which is the topic for a whole different post.

Here’s some practical exercise tips to help you maintain your fitness,work capacity and general health while your on holiday.

TABATA: 2 Tabata’s with a 1-2 mins rest, performed every other day is a simple, quick and effective way of getting some high intensity anaerobic exercise to help maintain your work capacity. BW squats, Lunges, jump squats, lunges, jump lunges, burpees, push ups, sit ups, v ups, running, pullups, swimming are all options. More on Tabata can be found here! The free Tabata iPhone app is a handy tool for this also!

WALK AFTER MAIN MEALS: A 10 minute walk (or longer) after your main meals aids digestions and mitigates the insulin response to your main meals. This reduces the post meal craving for something sweet that many of us get after meals, particularly after dinner. Not to mention it’s a nice way to relax and chat with family and friends, particularly once the heat is out of the air at dusk on a hot summers day.

PLAY: Get outside and have fun, play some beach cricket or soccer, go body surfing, have a swim and try some synchronised swimming, jump off a diving board / jetty, take yourself out of your comfort zone and enjoy yourself.

EXPLORE: Get out and about on foot and explore all your holiday destination has to offer. Do some laps of the main street, do a hike. Every town has it’s own quirky little tourist attraction that is always interesting. Growing up in Bundeena it was the art trail, the aboriginal rock carvings or the old WW2 Bunker off the coast.

TIMED WORKOUTS: If you’re feeling motivated a slightly longer timed workout will serve you well.  This can be as simple as choosing 3 of the exercises listed above  and doing a 21,15,9. Note, have a think about the muscle groups of each exercise and try not to double up. For instance 21,15,9 Jumps squats, V Ups, push ups is a much better combination than 21,15,9 burpees, push ups, sit ups and v ups. Dan recently shared some of his favourite travel workouts which will give you some more idea’s. You can check that article out here.

SPRINTS: A couple of short duration max efforts are a great way of maintaining and developing your power and speed. These workouts can be 10-20 minutes in duration and may involve, cycling, swimming 9if you’re a competent swimmer and of course running). Some idea’s for these (swimming (10x 10 secs sprint, 20 secs rest). Running: 10 x 40m, 8 x 100, 6 x 200, 4 x 400, 3 x 800 , 2 x 1km. Cycling 30 secs on 30 secs off.

THE BOTTOM LINE: Holidays are a time to be enjoyed. Find enjoyable ways to move your body every day while you’re on holidays. 3-4 short, high intensity Tabata’s, sprints or timed workouts per week will ensure you can more or less pick up where you left off when you get back to the gym after your break and will save you from some serious DOMS (Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness) and pain upon your return.

More often than not, a business trip or short holiday spells the end of training consistency. Push ups and pull ups make way for mohitos and margaritas. Aubergines and avocados are lost to chips and chocolate.

But it doesn’t have to be like that. With a little creativity, the hotel room can mean no more than a change of scenery. Try these workouts when you travel next. Some are more advanced than others, and may require you to scale them, but that’s ok. It also doesn’t matter if you repeat an exercise on consecutive days.

[And yes, I've done all of these in my travels so far...]

#1. 10 rounds for time:
10 burpees
20 squats

#2. 10 rounds:
10 push ups
10 sit ups
10 squats

#3. Every minute on the minute for 20 minutes:
3 handstand push ups (freestanding if possible)
15 squats

#4. 100 burpees for time (ouch.)

#5. 5 rounds:
50 double unders
15 hollow V-ups

Try them out. You can also add in or substitute exercises like back bridges, tuck jumps, clapping push ups, pistols and L-sits. Add some stretching and mobility post-workout and you’ve got yourself a training session.

note: I cant take credit for this post. I was sent through from Dan somewhere in the 3rd world via Satellite phone.