Wednesday, February 26, 2014

"The Five Muscle Groups Used During Skiing"...

I went skiing today and am exhausted. It got me thinking about the muscles used during skiing. I found a good article detailing this information on Livestrong.com. 

Foot-and-Ankle Group

Skiing demands a series of complex interactions between your upper- and lower-body muscles and your central nervous system. Your muscle groups work in concert to perform the primary skiing movements designated by the Professional Ski Instructor's Association. These include balance, edging movements, adding pressure and rotational movement. Your central nervous system controls the sequence in which your muscles are used.

The Core

Your core muscles, which include your transverse abdominal muscles, your multifidus, your internal and external obliques and to some extent, your rectus abdominus help you maintain balance, which is the most essential skiing skill. These muscle groups work as a unit to stabilize your pelvis and spine, while maintaining an upright posture while moving down the slope. When you ride the lift and look down at the slopes, skiers with weak core muscles are easily identifiable by their frequent falls, unstable torsos and flailing arm movements.

While your core muscles control ski-specific balance, your foot-and-ankle muscle group takes responsibility for the edging, pressure and rotational movements used in skiing. Your feet have intrinsic and extrinsic muscles. The intrinsic muscles include the plantar flexors, which point your toes toward the ground, and your dorsiflexors, which curl your toes toward your shins. Dorsiflexion is more common in skiing, because it helps you keep your shins pressed into the tongue of your ski boot.

The Lower Leg

The extrinsic muscle groups used in skiing are in your lower leg, which is divided into three compartments. The anterior compartment, located in the shins, assists in dorsi flexion, whereas the posterior compartment, located in the calf, assists in plantar flexion. The lateral compartments hold particular importance, because they control eversion, which turns the sole of your foot outward. You perform eversion every time you put your skis on their edges.

Knee Flexors and Extensors

Flexion and extension, or bending and straightening of the leg controls pressure and helps absorb the ground-impact forces of alpine skiing. Your hamstrings, located in the backs of your legs, take on the important task of bending your knees. When your hamstrings perform properly, they protect your anterior cruciate ligament, a highly sensitive knee ligament that has a tendency to snap under pressure. Your quadriceps straighten your legs, stabilize your knee joint and prevent excess knee rotation, explains Robert E. Leach, coauthor of "Alpine Skiing."

The Gluteal Muscles

Your gluteal complex is the most powerful muscle group in the hip area, as well as one of the most essential muscle groups used in skiing. These muscles act as stabilizers and assist in flexion and extension. The gluteus medius, which attaches to the top of your outer thigh, abducts, or moves your leg away from the center of your body. Your gluteal muscles also assist in external leg rotation, which helps perform the rotary movements that steer your skis.


Via - Livestrong.com 

Tuesday, February 25, 2014

"Inov8tion"...


10 Burpee Box Jumps (24)
20 Pull Ups
30 Push Ups
40 Abmat Sit Ups
50 Walking Lunges
40 Abmat Sit Ups
30 Push Ups
20 Pull Ups
10 Burpee Box Jumps (24)
10:06 Rx (1:09 PR!)

Monday, February 24, 2014

"Chainsaw" & Press 3-3-3...

For Time:
10 Kettlebell Swings (53)
10 Ring Dips
20 Kettlebell Swings
10 Ring Dips
30 Kettlebell Swings
10 Ring Dips
40 Kettlebell Swings
10 Ring Dips
10:56 Rx

Press 3-3-3
65x5
80x5
115x3
130x3
145x3

Sunday, February 23, 2014

5 Mile Ruck - 47#...

Rucked 5 Miles with Devin & Rob S. 47# was a BIG jump from 20#. Goal was 1:15:00. Missed it by two seconds.  Good mental and physical test! 


"The ultimate test of fitness, the CrossFit Games"...


A documentary about creating the ultimate test of fitness, the CrossFit Games.

Nearly 12 years ago, CrossFit Founder and CEO Greg Glassman defined fitness. In 2007, the first test to find the fittest man and woman on Earth was born: the CrossFit Games.

"It's as easy as this: if fitness can be defined and measured, then it can be tested, and we can, in turn, find the fittest," Glassman wrote in 2013 of the CrossFit Games, which started as a small competition between friends and grew into a global battle.

Glassman's definition of fitness: work capacity across broad time and modal domains—something measurable, observable and repeatable.

"We claim to title the Fittest on Earth, and we can do that because we as a fitness methodology have defined fitness," says Dave Castro, Director of the Games.

He continues: "No one else is testing fitness, and at this point, no one can make a claim."

"Anyone in the field of exercise would agree that the definition of fitness that Greg Glassman came up with is as complete as any that's ever been," says Matt Chan, a six-time Games competitor and member of CrossFit's Level 1 Seminar Staff.

He adds: "Fitness is not just in the gym. Fitness is outside of the gym. It's life. Anytime you find yourself saying, 'Damn it, I can't do that,' you have a hole in your fitness."

In this official CrossFit Inc. documentary, learn how and why the Games started, as well as about the efforts that go into making the annual event not just an athletic contest but also an experiment in human performance.

Justin Bergh, CrossFit Games General Manager, explains: "We'll look back and say, 'We were just—in 2013—scratching the surface. We were just starting to understand was fitness really was.'"

Video by Heber Cannon and Jonathan Glancy.

The CrossFit Games -- (http://games.crossfit.com)

The CrossFit Games® - The Sport of Fitness™
The Fittest On Earth

Saturday, February 22, 2014

"Melting Snow"...

10 KB Floor Press (53)
10 TGUs (35)
50 Abmat Sit Ups
10 KB Floor Press (53)
10 TGUs (35)
50 Abmat Sit Ups
10 KB Floor Press (53)
10 TGUs (35)
18:37 Rx

Cash Out - 50 Toes-thru-Rings (not for time)

Friday, February 21, 2014

"Uprising”...

4 Rounds for Time:
20 Wall Balls (20)
15 Toes-2-Bar
10 Pistols
5 Muscle Ups 
28:55 Rx

Too much time on Wall Balls! Pistols were slow too!

Thursday, February 20, 2014

"Never Let Go: A Philosophy of Lifting, Living and Learning"...

"There are a Few People in every Profession Who Can Be Considered great at what they do, and a few who rise above greatness and approach legendary. In the fitness and conditioning world, Dan John is one of the greatest of all time. A true professional, and an expert in Every Sense of the Word: Dan John is a legend in this field". - Alwyn Cosgrove

I really enjoy this book. I read it a few years ago and recently decided to read it again. Dan breaks things down into the simplest terms and does a good job of combining a few of my favorite topics - Lifting and learning in a philosophical way.

I loved seeing my friend Mark Reifkind's name mentioned in the book. Check out his blog at - http://rifsblog.blogspot.com/




Press 5-5-5, Box Squat 5-5-5 & "Death By 10M Overhead Walk - Slosh Pipe"...

Press
65x5
80x5
105x5
125x5
140x3

Box Squat
115x5
145x5
190x5
215x5
245x1 (had nothing today)

Cash Out:

"Death by 10M Overhead Walk" - (30# Slosh Pipe)

Two cones will be set up 10 meters apart from one another - the 1st min. you will walk 1 10 meter, the 2nd min. you will walk 2 10 meters (from 1st cone to 2nd cone and back) and so forth until you cannot complete the appropriate 10 meters in the alloted time. The slosh pipe must stay locked out overhead for you to continue moving. If you drop it you must remain in place until you have it locked out overhead. 

6 rounds Rx. Shoulders and core are smoked! 

Tuesday, February 18, 2014

"Do more of what works and less of what doesn't".



Sounds simple enough but sometimes I think we make things more complicated that we need to. My plan going forward is to:

* continue to eat mostly a Paleo Diet
* continue to follow Wendler for Squats and Presses. I may vary the squat type but strength is king. 
* continue my weekly ruck marches. They are great to unplug. 
* drink 1.5 gallons of water a day. 
* try to get 8+ hours of sleep a night 
* limit my time on social media. 
* associate with as many positive people as possible (CrossFit Sobo!)  
* continue to work on mobility and add hot yoga as much as possible. 



"Bulletproof Coffee"....

I've have been drinking bulletproof coffee for about 6 months now and could not recommend or any more. Combined with my 90% Paleo Diet it has helped me stay energized and feel better at age 45 than when I was 21. 


"Today, we learn how to make bulletproof coffee.

Yes, we will be making coffee, that if poured all over your body, would make you impenetrable to a speeding bullet…not really.

We will actually be making coffee that is an upgrade to your normal cup of joe. A cup of coffee that will leave you energized for hours, eliminate any crashes, help you burn fat, gain muscle, and be an overall better human". 

Reard the whole article HERE -  http://www.endofthreefitness.com/how-to-make-bulletproof-coffee-and-become-a-better-human/



Monday, February 17, 2014

Skiing - Active Recovery

Took the family skiing at Wachusett Mountain today. Great day of skiing! 




"Everything is within"...

Borrowed this from my friend's - Mark Reifkind - blog.  http://rifsblog.blogspot.com/

THIS says it all. It is all inside of you. Focus on making YOU better and everything else will fall into place. 


Sunday, February 16, 2014

10 Mile Ruck...

Rucked 10 miles with 20# in pack. 

First 5 miles - 1:12:09 
Second 5 miles - 1:11:39

My feet are smoked! 

Saturday, February 15, 2014

Yoga...



Took Michelle's Yoga/Pilates class today. It's exactly what I need to improve me flexibility and increase recovery. 

Friday, February 14, 2014

Thursday, February 13, 2014

Half Marathon Row...

1:46:39 - FAR from a PR but I did my best. Hands were biggest limiting factor. The last 10k was brutal. 


Tuesday, February 11, 2014

Press 5-3-1 & Box Squat 5-3-1...

Press
65x5
80x5
120x5
135x3
150x3

Box Squats
115x5
140x5
210x5
240x3
265x1 
300x1 

Current press PR and Squat PR - 175 & 336. Wendler works! 

Cash Out: 50 Pull Ups for time - 2:12

Sunday, February 9, 2014

5 Mile Ruck with 20#...

5 mile ruck with 20#. - 1 hour and 11 minutes. Course is downhill then flat then uphill. That felt great!

Monday, February 3, 2014

"Nate"...



In honor of Chief Petty Officer Nate Hardy,
who was killed Sunday February 4th during
combat operations in Iraq.

Nate is survived by his wife, Mindi, and his
infant son Parker.

AMRAP: 20:
* 2 Muscle Ups
* 4 Handstand Push Ups
* 8 Kettlebell Swings (70)
9 rounds plus 7 reps Rx

* HSPUs failed me today. Uggh!

Finished with 45 Birthday Burpees.



Sunday, February 2, 2014

Box Squats 20-20-20...

105# x 20
135# x 20
165# x 20

Last set was brutal. 165# is my BW. Legs are still shaking! 

Saturday, February 1, 2014

"Wall Ball Jackie"...

1000 M Row
50 Wall Balls (14)
30 Pullups
10:25 Rx


This variant on "Jackie" subs wall balls for thrusters. This version is slower since you are likely to drop the wall ball and be a bit more gassed after 50 of them. - SnoRidge Crossfit