CrossFit Koncepts

Will need to figure out a way to integrate this into a WOD sometime soon! :)

I just wanted to take a moment to give thanks to all of you who make CrossFit Koncepts so amazing!  You are the lifesblood, and the heart and soul of everything that we do.  Thanks to each and every one of you for making our gym the best place to train, learn and grow.

Please take a moment to reflect on how fortunate we are to be in this country and to have each other. Also please take a moment to say a prayer for all of our warriors (Army, Navy, Air Force and Marines) as they protect our country and make huge sacrifices daily so that we may spend time with our families and loved ones.

I'm a huge proponent for what is now called minimalistic training.  I know; that term is being overused nowadays, just like "core" and "Paleo". But to me it means working out without all the BS surrounding it.  No gimmicks just solid movement that challenges the structure and makes you stronger systemically. It means that you do a workout that is going to support your goals as an athlete and as a human being.  For the most part that means that each and every workout, or training session, contains conditioning (strength and anaerobic), mobility and technique review (but not necessarily in that order).

So what should you do to keep you moving good today and into the future?  Here's my top five suggestions:

Crawl - for such a simple thing it can have a tremendous payback.  You can Crawl as part of your strength and conditioning training or as part of your mobility work.  Either way, no other technique that I know of will make you work as hard and help you identify and resolve any latent strength or integration issues. 

Stretch Your Hamstrings - another simple thing to do that will pay off today and well into the future.  Tight hamstrings are rampant throughout all of the athletes that I have worked with, everyone from marathoners to elite military personnel.  At first they blow it off as not being a big deal but once I explain to them how important it is to their overall health as an athlete, they get serious about loosening them up.  There are hundreds of different ways you can do this; pick one that you can do easily and then try a new one every once in a while as you get more flexibility.

Use a Foam Roller - this is something you can do while you're watching TV or even reading a book.  Pick a handful of movements that are going to focus on your most vulnerable areas and do them every day.  I've worked with athletes who have never done any foam rolling before and they are astonished at how much tension and pain they can find that they were completely unaware of.  You can do it before you workout, during the workout between heavy sets, or after the workout.  I've found that as the week wears on I get a lot of benefit out of using the foam roller before and after the workout; and sometimes later in the evening as well.

Take a Nap - I get the "I don't have time for a nap" excuse all of the time but I'm not buying it.  Get the heck off of Facebook and Pinterest and close your eyes for a few minutes.  The benefits of a "cat nap" will far outweigh missing out on the latest updates from your BFF's and you will be more relaxed, more alert, and better prepared for your next training session.  A short nap of 15 minutes will do wonders and a longer one will have even more benefit - but a short nap is better than no nap at all!

Take a Fiber Supplement - I know the last thing you want to talk about is the health of your colon but it's important.  A huge percentage of your immune system is integrated around your stomach and intestines and using fiber will help keep you health and feeling better.  Regular use of a fiber supplement will help you to be "regular", keep your gastrointestinal track working at its best, and will also help you flush out that lunch of corn dogs, Mountain Dew, and potato chips you had yesterday!

That's it!  If you take a look at the list there really isn't a huge financial or time commitment to any one of the suggestions but I can guarantee that if you implement this list it will have a huge impact on you today and in the future.  If you want some other great ideas about what you should do every day then check out this article by Brett Contreras - "The Glute Guy".

How do you stay healthy?  Eat a diet of "whole foods" consisting of meat (go BACON), vegetables, fats (yes FAT), nuts, berries and fruit. On top of that you need to get regular exercise; and studies have shown that several high intensity short duration workouts throughout the week are your best bet. Finally you need to sleep - yes SLEEP!  Turn of the iPad, TV and your phone and get your butt into bed for at least eight hours a night.

Feeling a little sluggish and run down?  How about taking a nap break instead of a lunch break?  Taking a nap in the afternoon at the right time can recharge you for the rest of the day.  A short nap will help you work harder, remember more, and recover from your last workout.  So put down the 5 Hour Energy drink and take a nap instead!  Don't know when the optimum time to take a nap is?  Just check out this handy "nap wheel" to find out when you'll get the most from a couple extra Z's!

If you are into Crossfit then you know what it takes!  The things that make you a great Crossfitter also makes you a great catch - seriously!  The drive, determination, strength and tenacity that make you a force to be reckoned with in the gym also make you a one in a million find for the discriminating guy or gal out there.

To find out ten reasons you should be dating a Crossfit Girl check out this article - and I think most of the points apply to dating a Crossfit Guy as well!

"The price of freedom is the ability to defend it."

What a sobering quote. It is one that resonates deeply within me as an American, as a father, as a martial artist, and as an athlete. I have trained all my life to prepare myself for any and all events that will require me to perform when my life, the lives of my loved ones, or even a stranger, is in the balance.  This means that I need to make sure that I have the requisite strength, skills, and mental discipline to do what needs to get done when that moment arrives.

My question to you is this: what are you training for?  To look good in a bathing suit or a pair of skinny jeans? Or (and I hesitate to write this because I know it will offend some of you) are you training so that when you are needed to step up and do something extraordinary, you are ready for the challenge?

The decision is yours...

Yep!  Suck it up buttercup and listen to the man that speaks the truth! :)

I've said it before and I'll say it again: the Get Up (GU) is one of the all around best techniques to make you strong, move better and iron out your sticking points".  I've done them "naked" (without any load), with a Kettlebell (up to 88 lbs), with an Olympic bar (125 lbs) and even with a can of bottle of beer balanced on my fist (not a good idea and it was harder than I thought).  Regardless of the loading parameters I've found each and every training session to be beneficial.

In part I think the benefit of training the GU is due to the unilateral loading and transitions.  Having to manipulate not only your body but another object during that long path from the ground really makes you appreciate the movement.  There is so much going on that you do the technique a disservice by trying to rush through it; go slow, iron out the weak spots, and own the transitions.  You will be a better athlete for it!

BTW - check out this video of a Double Kettlebell Get up. It's impressive and the flexibility of the athlete is something to aspire to!