"The only other thing you really need to understand is how our bodies respond to training ... The human body adapts to stress. Throw us in ice-cold water every day and we’ll sprout subcutaneous fat for insulation; expose us to the desert sun and our skin will darken. What this means for getting in shape is that each week, you have to stress your body a little more than last time — lift a little heavier, run a little harder."
This is a quote from a recent Men's Journal article Everything You Know About Fitness Is a Lie. I strongly recommend that you read this article, as it is , at the core, what we do at CrossFit Blacksburg.
Adaptation happens when different stressors are in place. No wonder the 3x15 lateral raises aren't doing anything for you after 5 years of repetition!
Coach Glassman summed it up perfectly in "Fitness in 100 Words":
■ Eat meat and vegetables, nuts and seeds, some fruit, little starch and no sugar. Keep intake to levels that will support exercise but not body fat.
■ Practice and train major lifts: Deadlift, clean, squat, presses, C&J, and snatch. Similarly, master the basics of gymnastics: pull-ups, dips, rope climb, push-ups, sit-ups, presses to handstand, pirouettes, flips, splits, and holds. Bike, run, swim, row, etc, hard and fast.
■ Five or six days per week mix these elements in as many combinations and patterns as creativity will allow. Routine is the enemy. Keep workouts short and intense.
■ Regularly learn and play new sports.
Live It!!
Kelly adding some height - and getting way over it!
Yes, it's a bit early, but we wanted to get out the Thanksgiving week schedule. Monday and Tuesday, the 21st and 22nd, will have a regular schedule. Wednesday the 23rd will have the regular AM, noon Supplemental, and 1 PM classes, and that's it. No evening classes that Wednesday. Then, for the remainder of the week, we'll be having one class per day at 9 AM. Yes, that's right ... 9 AM on Thanksgiving, 9 AM on Black Friday (good interruption to your early morning shopping, no doubt!), and 9 AM on Saturday the 26th. There will be no Supplemental class that Saturday morning.
It's hard to believe, but Christmas is less than 7 weeks away! We'll have a reduced schedule for the week before Christmas and the first two weeks of January. We will be closed the week between Christmas and New Year's.
We'll be coming out again with our Holiday Resource Guide and a Holiday Challenge soon. Keep your eyes and ears peeled!!
Check out this video of a section of the European Naval Pentathalon. It's a land obstacle course, and it's sick. The video quality isn't all that great, but you'll get the picture, no doubt!!
Halloween is over, and there's probably a ton of candy at your house. What are you planning on doing with it?
Consumption is NOT the answer! Many of our CrossFit Blacksburg Kids are putting all but 10 pieces in the freezer for gingerbread house decorations. If their families are not doing gingerbread houses, they're giving it to either the Crawfords or the Beliveaus for the same purpose.
Don't use Halloween as an excuse to blow all of the progress you've been making. Maintain control, and get rid of the junk!! If in doubt, bring it by the gym, and we'll have one rockin' good gingerbread house come December!
CrossFit Blacksburg is now offering a Family Membership Plan. We believe whole-heartedly that the more support you have, both at home and in the gym, the more likely you are to succeed and reach your health and fitness goals.
As a family owned and operated facility, we want to get your family on the right fitness track. Starting next month, we will be extending a 33% discount to all extra family members for most programs.
Talk to one of us to find out about the details, and to get your family fit - while saving $$!
Coconut flour can be substituted for other flours - the amount that you use in a recipe is considerably less and the health benefits are much greater - coconut flour is an excellent source of protein and fiber without the side effects of gluten. This banana bread recipe is easy and yummy - again, just a few ingredients - you can add nuts, etc, to your liking...
Coconut Flour Banana Bread
4 eggs
2 bananas (mashed)
1/4 cup coconut oil (melted)
1 TBSP honey, optional
1/2 tsp sea salt
1/4 tsp baking soda
3/4 cup coconut flour
cinnamon
chopped walnuts
Blend eggs, bananas, and coconut oil (make sure coconut oil is not too hot or it will cook the eggs!). Mix the dry ingredients, then blend w/ the wet.
Put into a greased bread pan, and bake on 350 for 40-45 minutes.
We finally have the sweatshirt samples in that we're going to use. The first ones that came in were a bit too flimsy, so we kept searching. The sweatshirt is made by the company that does the Life Is Good line. We're still hammering out the colors, but it looks like we'll have a charcoal, burned orange, and one other color. The only options are pull over hoodie and a crew - sorry, no zip options.
If you're interested, please try one on for sizing. These sweatshirts will run about $43-$45. We'll send out the mock up, but it's going to be the small block logo on the left chest, and the color splash (2 color) logo turned 45* on the back. It's gonna look great!
Setting goals is important. Goals are all about looking forward, about placing that carrot in front of yourself. However, you also need to look back. Looking back allows you to see the progress you've made, or haven't.
Your workout journals are crucial to this task. If you didn't write down your scaling for your first Baseline, then you can't evaluate and quantify your progress. I've never understood how some affiliates don't record workout results! While I'm not going to do it for you, your recorded data points are important information for both you and your coaches.
Take a look back. What progress have you made? Give yourself a pat on the back!
Today is Coach Carol's birthday! She's turning 20-something (and something, and something ...), so if you see her, wish her a happy one!
Marilyn Griffin, our egg lady, also supplies beef. We've purchased a whole beef from her and her husband, and I must say it's some of the most delicious meat we've had! Andy has purchased a small "variety" pack for his family to see what they think. Go ahead and ask him his opinion!
Ground beef is $4/pound, and stew meat is $4.50/pound. Those prices are comparable to Kroger's, and the product is 100% better! If you're interested in trying some out, let us know and we'll see if we can coordinate something for you.
Welcome to our new box mascot, Jed. Jed is a rescued rottie we picked up on Friday. We think he was lost from his previous owners, as he has some pretty good manners. He's about a year old, but it's kind of hard to tell.
Jed will be hanging out at CFBB a lot, so make sure you say hi! He's been in a couple of times already, and seems to be fitting in just fine. While he is very well-mannered, he is still young and likes to play. Don't be suprised if you get a big lick as you're lying on the floor after your workout!
I found a good recipe for a pizza crust that we have used a couple of times...very few ingredients and easy to make...It's important to follow the steps carefully or you'll end up with a sticky mess...
Perfect Primal Pizza:
4 eggs
1/3 C. coconut flour
1/3 C. flax meal
1/2 C. coconut milk, full-fat
Dash of salt
Seasonings and toppings of your choice...
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Mix all of the above ingredients thoroughly and add seasonings of your choice: oregano, basil and garlic powder work well. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper; spray the parchment paper with olive oil. Spread the mixture into a thin layer on the baking sheet. Bake for about 10 minutes or until the crust if firm.
Use toppings such as tomato paste, spinach, bacon, chicken, olives, artichoke hearts, onion, raw cheese, etc.
Once the pizza is topped, bake for another 8-10 minutes...
As a 39 year old soccer mom I was hesitant to join a gym. The minute I walked into CrossFit Blacksburg I knew that CrossFit was NOT just another gym. What I found were trainers who cared about my fitness and my success to becoming a better me, a sense of accomplishment every time I completed a workout, a class atmosphere that pushed me competitively, and gave me that sense of cameraderie as we "battled" together to challenge ourselves and work harder than we thought we could. I feel that during my year at CrossFit Blacksburg I have become stronger physically and mentally, more confident in my abilities as an athlete, and healthier. I now think that I am more up to the challenge of chasing 3 kids, working full time and turning 40! CrossFit kicks my butt every time I go and I always leave feeling like I have pushed myself to perform at a higher level than I ever thought I could! I am addicted!
