Canadian Regionals, Mountain Bike Mecca, and Totally Random Science

This weekend is the Crossfit Canadian Regional Qualifier, being held in Okotoks, Alberta.  The top 6 men and top 6 women from this event will go on to the 2010 Crossfit Games, being held in Carson, California, on July 16-18th.  Two athletes I know personally will be competing this weekend:  Heather Gillespie, owner and coach at Crossfit Lethbridge, and Katrina Burton, trainer at Action Conditoning.  Both women are amazing athletes, and placed 2nd and 12th, respectively, at the sectional Qualifier in Edmonton back in March.

If you can't make it to Okotoks this weekend, fret not, faithful readers:  David "MagicTweet" Muryn will be Twitter-ing away on his blackberry, more than likely completely jacked on caffeine and adrenaline; check the Crossfit Lethbridge  website for "tweet" updates.  I'll be at the firehall on Saturday, but I'll be blazing a trail up from Lethbridge Sunday morning to catch these two fire-breathing women live.

Ah, vacation time!

This blog, and myself, will be on a temporary hiatus as I'll be heading to the mountain bike mecca of Canada: Whistler, British Columbia, from June 2-9th.  5 of us from the fire department will be renting a condo in the village, and the days will consist of: wake, eat, ride, eat, ride, eat/drink/find trouble, rinse, repeat.  While Whistler is known for it's crazy downhill and platform/ledge riding, there's miles and miles of singletrack.  That said, I'm still bringing my full face helmet and armor.  :)  This'll be great technical training for my 24 hour race in July.

Since I'm a nice guy and don't want to leave ye hordes of faithful readers without material for the next week or so, here's some random, semi-related to nutrition & health kinda linky-links:

Five Simple Post-Workout Shakes from Core Performance
Kristy demolishes The China Study: Part 1 and Part 2.  Awesome stuff.
Dan John's book, Never Let Go , is phenomenal.  Do yourself a favor and buy it.
Sean Croxton from Underground Wellness does a killer 10 minute synopsis of Dr. Lustig's 90+ minute rant on sugar.  This is a must-watch.
Dr. Guyenet from Whole Health Source posted some sweet info on sweet potatoes.  Carb up!
A nephrologist talking about coffee and inflammation?  I'm Listening.
We all need better thoracic spine mobility.  Mark Sisson from Mark's Daily Apple shows us how.
Chris McDougall, author of Born to Run, wonders "What Happened To His Ear?"
Dr BG talks about MCT oil and fat loss.  Go eat some coconuts!
Go order Robb Wolf's new book,  The Paleolithic Solution right freakin' now!

Various Training

May 21st, CFLA, noon

5RM Back Squat

135#x5
185#x5
225#x5.  Worked on ATG (ass-to-ground) high bar form.  Also, sandbagged it big time, because:

Death By Squats

On-the minute air squats, starting at 5/first minute, 10/second minute, then add 1 per minute.
Made it to 33 squats, totaling 521 squats.  I did this about 2 or so years ago, and said I'd never do it again.  Well, I'll never do it again after this.  For at least another two years.

U of L Indoor Rock Gym

Climbing x2 hours.  Didn't think I'd make it because of the squats.  DOMS had yet to set in.

Sat/Sun off.  My legs were trashed.  Localized rhabdo?  Bingo.

May 24th, Monday, Firehall #1
Treadmill x20 minutes@7mph, 2% grade.  Just wanted some active recovery for the legs.

May 25th, CFLA, 1PM

Squat Snatch

65#x3
85#x3
95#x3
115#x3
125#x3.  Felt pretty damn good, for the fist time.  165#x1 by Dec 2010.

May 26th, CFLA, 1PM

3 Rounds for Time:

400m run
5 Power Cleans(155#)
10 GHD Sit Ups
8:10.  Felt slow as a snail on the run.  PCs were cake, GHDs were fine, but slow.

May 27th, CFLA, 1PM

Split Jerk, 3RM

95#x3
115#x3
135#x3
155#x3
175#x3
185#x3.  Shoulder felt great today, weight felt light.  Concerned about a minor hip flexor "pop", which is probably carry-over damage from the ridiculous Death By Squats.  225#, coming, up...

5 rounds for repetitions:
With a 3 minute running clock, row 500 meters then AMRAP DUs for remainder.
Rest 1 minute between sets.
1:46.3/55
1:45.4/50
1:44.8/47
1:47.3/46
1:49.4/40.
Cool interval set up I ripped off from Blair Morrison of Anywherefit.  I like it.  Tried keeping the row at 1:45, but hit a serious wall in the 4th.  For reference, Blair was busting out 80's on the DUs.  Ha!

U of L Indoor Rock Gym, 5PM
Rock climb x2 hours.  Finally successfully finished a tough 5.10c route tonight; warming up on 5.10a/5.10b with no probs.  Weather has got to shape-the-f*ck-up so I can get outside.

Crossfit Anywhere, Red Meat Redemption, and The Next Big Thing?

First off, let's start with this nice little vid of a sandbag, some UK green, and a firebreather.  I'll fill in the who and why after:



The dude (in the black) in the vid is Blair Morrison, who placed 7th  last year at the 2009 CF Games, and placed 1st overall at this year's European Regionals  An acquaintance of mine, Bob, pointed me to Blair's blog, Anywherefit; here's a guy who is studying overseas, yet still seems to find the time to train (and ultimately and completely crush all of Europe).  While I don't think Blair is cut from the same stone as us mere mortals, I really like the idea of his blog, and this sandbag chipper.

Damn Straight.

Red and Processed Meat Consumption and Risk of Incident Coronary Heart Disease, Stroke, and Diabetes Mellitus. A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Renata Micha RD, PhD^*, Sarah K. Wallace BA, and Dariush Mozaffarian MD, DrPH From the Department of Epidemiology (R.M., S.K.W., D.M.), Harvard School of Public Health, and Division of Cardiovascular Medicine and Channing Laboratory (D.M.), Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, Mass.


Background—Meat consumption is inconsistently associated with development of coronary heart disease (CHD), stroke, and diabetes mellitus, limiting quantitative recommendations for consumption levels. Effects of meat intake on these different outcomes, as well as of red versus processed meat, may also vary.
Methods and Results—We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis of evidence for relationships of red (unprocessed), processed, and total meat consumption with incident CHD, stroke, and diabetes mellitus. We searched for any cohort study, case-control study, or randomized trial that assessed these exposures and outcomes in generally healthy adults. Of 1598 identified abstracts, 20 studies met inclusion criteria, including 17 prospective cohorts and 3 case-control studies. All data were abstracted independently in duplicate. Random-effects generalized least squares models for trend estimation were used to derive pooled dose-response estimates. The 20 studies included 1 218 380 individuals and 23 889 CHD, 2280 stroke, and 10 797 diabetes mellitus cases. Red meat intake was not associated with CHD (n=4 studies; relative risk per 100-g serving per day=1.00; 95% confidence interval, 0.81 to 1.23; P for heterogeneity=0.36) or diabetes mellitus (n=5; relative risk=1.16; 95% confidence interval, 0.92 to 1.46; P=0.25). Conversely, processed meat intake was associated with 42% higher risk of CHD (n=5; relative risk per 50-g serving per day=1.42; 95% confidence interval, 1.07 to 1.89; P=0.04) and 19% higher risk of diabetes mellitus (n=7; relative risk=1.19; 95% confidence interval, 1.11 to 1.27; P<0.001). Associations were intermediate for total meat intake. Consumption of red and processed meat were not associated with stroke, but only 3 studies evaluated these relationships.
Conclusions—Consumption of processed meats, but not red meats, is associated with higher incidence of CHD and diabetes mellitus. These results highlight the need for better understanding of potential mechanisms of effects and for particular focus on processed meats for dietary and policy recommendations.

 --->My Thoughts:   A lot of folks might be going "Well, no shit, Mike"; processed meats, in some cases, are so far from the food chain they're barely food.  This is pretty much common sense.  Plus, sodium nitrite, and it's oxidized analogue, nitrosamine, is pretty nasty stuff.  But what I *DID* like about this meta-analysis is that it pretty much wipes the slate clean for red meat.  There's some seriously ingrained dogma in society in regards to red meat being unhealthy, which is just plain wrong---but source and processing matter.
 
   At the end of the day, it's all about quality.  Grass fed, organic, free range > conventional, feed lot, grain fed.  While there's been studies demonstrating the nutritional superiority of grass fed, I'm still waiting for the long term, large scale, well controlled study of grass vs grain.

  Oh, wait---that's the one that's been going on for 2 MILLION YEARS.  Results pending. :)

J Strength Cond Res. 2010 May;24(5):1215-22.

Citrulline malate enhances athletic anaerobic performance and relieves muscle soreness.

Pérez-Guisado J, Jakeman PM.

Department of Medicine, University of Córdoba, Córdoba, Spain. pv1peguj@uco.es

Abstract

The purpose of the present study was to determine the effects of a single dose of citrulline malate (CM) on the performance of flat barbell bench presses as an anaerobic exercise and in terms of decreasing muscle soreness after exercise. Forty-one men performed 2 consecutive pectoral training session protocols (16 sets). The study was performed as a randomized, double-blind, 2-period crossover design. Eight grams of CM was used in 1 of the 2 training sessions, and a placebo was used in the other. The subjects' resistance was tested using the repetitions to fatigue test, at 80% of their predetermined 1 repetition maximum (RM), in the 8 sets of flat barbell bench presses during the pectoral training session (S1-4 and S1'-4'). The p-value was 0.05. The number of repetitions showed a significant increase from placebo treatment to CM treatment from the third set evaluated (p <0.0001). This increase was positively correlated with the number of sets, achieving 52.92% more repetitions and the 100% of response in the last set (S4'). A significant decrease of 40% in muscle soreness at 24 hours and 48 hours after the pectoral training session and a higher percentage response than 90% was achieved with CM supplementation. The only side effect reported was a feeling of stomach discomfort in 14.63% of the subjects. We conclude that the use of CM might be useful to increase athletic performance in high-intensity anaerobic exercises with short rest times and to relieve postexercise muscle soreness. Thus, athletes undergoing intensive preparation involving a high level of training or in competitive events might profit from CM.

PMID: 20386132 [PubMed - in process]

--->My Thoughts:  While citrulline malate has been around for years, and seems to be thrown into every kitchen sink supplement (you know, the ones with 48 different ingredients, none of the quantities listed because it's the "proprietary blend"); in the past the only significant study of citrulline malate was in regards to finger flexion strength, and, well, that's not very significant.  

   While far from perfect, I think this study has merit, especially for folks interested in increasing anaerobic endurance.  Citrulline is a non-essential amino acid, and the malate is the malic acid salt it's bound to.  It's involved in the Kreb's cycle, and as far as the results of this study and it's potential use as an athletic supplement, probably helps recycle lactate and clear or buffer excess H+ (acid).  As far as the reduction in DOMS, I can only speculate.  I've never tried citrulline malate, so I have no personal input of it's efficacy (or lack thereof)

Random WODS

May 14th, 2PM, Lethbridge Coulees

Mountain bike, singletrack, 1.5hr, approx 18km

May 16th, CFLA, 11:30AM

Yoga

May 17th, CFLA, 1PM

Snatch Tech Work

65# x10, 85#x5, 105#x5, 115#x5

125#x a few singles.  Huge goat.  HUGE.  After July, this will be a priority.  I don't hate this movement, it's just damn hard.

4 Rounds For Time

7 DL (225#)

14 Box Jumps (20")

28 Situps (anchored, w/ Abmat)

7:23.  DLs and jumps were easy, situps were slooooow.

May 18th, CFLA, 1PM

OHP

65#x10, 95#x5, 105#x5, 115#x5, 120#x3.  Bah.

Push Press

135#x5, 140#x4...huh?  Thought I felt good today.  Weaker than last week, damnit.  Maybe the snatch work drained me.  Who knows.

Strict Pullups

15xBW

5x12kg(26.5#)

5x16kg(35.3#)

5x24kg(52.9#)

2x32kg(70.4#)

8PM, Letbridge Coulees

Mountain Bike x2 hrs, approx 22km

Very, VERY tired after this.  I was weaving like a drunken sailor trying to climb the last, long singletrack hill.

May 19th

Split Jerk, 5RM

Wasn't going to do this, but couldn't help myself.  Got to 175# (well, 4.66 reps, lol, but that's another story).  Weight felt light at 175# for the first few, really fast split.  Fatigued huge by the last rep.  Thought about trying a 1RM, and then thought wisely not to try.  225# 1RM by the end of the year, mark my words.

May 20th

3 Rounds of

AMRAP 1 minute Chest to Deck  Push Ups
AMRAP 1 minute GHD Sit  Ups
AMRAP 1 minute KBS 53#
AMRAP 1 minute Sledge Hammer  Swings 12lbs
AMRAP 1 minute Double Unders
Rest 1min between rounds.
Scored 415, which I'm pretty happy about.  I really should have taken a FULL rest day, especially since some lovely idiopathic insomnia hit me over the last two days, but for numerous variables and reasons (It's David and Coach Fyfe's fault, ha!) I decided to do this--crazy fun WOD.  Yay for overreaching.

F.Lux, Even Diet Soda Sucks, and Sprints for Aerobic Performance

Cavegirl Jane Needs

F.Lux

So while you'll often hear me ranting and raving about getting back to our caveman roots in regards to nutrition, lifestyle, seasons, and movement patterns, our modern world offers some pretty damn cool things.  Mountain bikes?  Check.  Crossfit?  CHECK.  Computers?  Huge Check!

Problem is, not all the cool things are good for us, but are so essential and integrated in out lives now, there's no going back.  One of these would be computers.  Why the negativitiy?  Computers offer the ability to have instant information and communicate with anyone, anywhere, and share ideas& thoughts.

Sleep, cavegirl Jane.  That's the problem.  Staring into a brightly lit computer screen affects your circadian rhythm, and not just because of lack of sleep! (although that's a biggy).  One of the main players in our biological clock is big 'ol Mama Sol, the sun.  When it gets dark, photo receptors in our brain say "Hey!  Go to sleep", and melatonin, a sleep regulation hormone, is secreted.  When the sun rises, the inverse happens.  The light from your monitor, (and your fixtures in your house) mess up this secretion.  This is where F.Lux comes in.

F.Lux is a program that's designed to change the color patterns, or "warmth" of your computer screen, based on the time of day, and reduce the stimulating wavelengths at night.  It's free, it's insanely easy to install, and it automatically adjusts for geographical location.  I've been using it for a few months now, and I love it.  Modern Tech tuned to our Primal DNA! 

Even Diet Soda Sucks

FASEB J. 2010 Apr 23. [Epub ahead of print]

Dietary and genetic evidence for phosphate toxicity accelerating mammalian aging.

Ohnishi M, Razzaque MS.

*Department of Oral Medicine, Infection, and Immunity, Harvard School of Dental Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts, USA; andDepartment of Pathology, Nagasaki University Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Nagasaki, Japan.

Abstract

Identifying factors that accelerate the aging process can provide important therapeutic targets for slowing down this process. Misregulation of phosphate homeostasis has been noted in various skeletal, cardiac, and renal diseases, but the exact role of phosphate toxicity in mammalian aging is not clearly defined. Phosphate is widely distributed in the body and is involved in cell signaling, energy metabolism, nucleic acid synthesis, and the maintenance of acid-base balance by urinary buffering. In this study, we used an in vivo genetic approach to determine the role of phosphate toxicity in mammalian aging. Klotho-knockout mice (klotho) have a short life span and show numerous physical, biochemical, and morphological features consistent with premature aging, including kyphosis, uncoordinated movement, hypogonadism, infertility, severe skeletal muscle wasting, emphysema, and osteopenia, as well as generalized atrophy of the skin, intestine, thymus, and spleen. Molecular and biochemical analyses suggest that increased renal activity of sodium-phosphate cotransporters (NaPi2a) leads to severe hyperphosphatemia in klotho mice. Genetically reducing serum phosphate levels in klotho mice by generating a NaPi2a and klotho double-knockout  strain resulted in amelioration of premature aging-like features. The NaPi2a/klotho double-knockout mice regained reproductive ability, recovered their body weight, reduced their organ atrophy, and suppressed ectopic calcifications, with the resulting effect being prolonged survival. More important, when hyperphosphatemia was induced in NaPi2a/klotho mice by feeding with a high-phosphate diet, premature aging-like features reappeared, clearly suggesting that phosphate toxicity is the main cause of premature aging in klotho mice. The results of our dietary and genetic manipulation studies provide in vivo evidence for phosphate toxicity accelerating the aging process and suggest a novel role for phosphate in mammalian aging.

PMID: 20418498 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]

Okay, so I realize there's a lot of gobbley-gook, and it's a study done on mice with some really, REALLY bad genetics.  But here's the simplified kicker take-home: Diet soda ain't benign, folks.  Take a look at the ingredients next time you're chugging a can of Diet Shight.  Phosphoric acid?  Straight from the Editor-in-Chief of the Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology: "Soda is the caffeine delivery vehicle of choice for millions of people worldwide, but comes with phosphorous as a passenger" said Gerald Weissmann, M.D., Editor-in-Chief of the FASEB Journal. "This research suggests that our phosphorous balance influences the aging process, so don't tip it." 

 I'm going to guess he has aerobic capacity, too.

Eur J Appl Physiol. 2010 Apr 28. [Epub ahead of print]

10 or 30-s sprint interval training bouts enhance both aerobic and anaerobic performance.

Hazell TJ, Macpherson RE, Gravelle BM, Lemon PW.

Exercise Nutrition Research Laboratory, Faculty of Health Sciences, School of Kinesiology, 2235 3M Centre, The University of Western Ontario, London, ON, N6A 3K7, Canada, thazell@uwo.ca.

Abstract

We assessed whether 10-s sprint interval training (SIT) bouts with 2 or 4 min recovery periods can improve aerobic and anaerobic performance. Subjects (n = 48) were assigned to one of four groups [exercise time (s):recovery time (min)]: (1) 30:4, (2) 10:4, (3) 10:2 or (4) control (no training). Training was cycling 3 week(-1) for 2 weeks (starting with 4 bouts session(-1), increasing 1 bout every 2 sessions, 6 total). Pre- and post-training measures included: VO(2max), 5-km time trial (TT), and a 30-s Wingate test. All groups were similar pre-training and the control group did not change over time. The 10-s groups trained at a higher intensity demonstrated by greater (P < 0.05) reproducibility of peak (10:4 = 96%; 10:2 = 95% vs. 30:4 = 89%), average (10:4 = 84%; 10:2 = 82% vs. 30:4 = 58%), and minimum power (10:4 = 73%; 10:2 = 69%; vs. 30:4 = 40%) within each session while the 30:4 group performed ~2X (P < 0.05) the total work session(-1) (83-124 kJ, 4-6 bouts) versus 10:4 (38-58 kJ); 10:2 (39-59 kJ). Training increased TT performance (P < 0.05) in the 30:4 (5.2%), 10:4 (3.5%), and 10:2 (3.0%) groups. VO(2max) increased in the 30:4 (9.3%) and 10:4 (9.2%), but not the 10:2 group. Wingate peak power kg(-1) increased (P < 0.05) in the 30:4 (9.5%), 10:4 (8.5%), and 10:2 (4.2%). Average Wingate power kg(-1) increased (P < 0.05) in the 30:4 (12.1%) and 10:4 (6.5%) groups. These data indicate that 10-s (with either 2 or 4 min recovery) and 30-s SIT bouts are effective for increasing anaerobic and aerobic performance.

PMID: 20424855 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]

Now this would have been a really cool study had they had a control group that did nothing but LSD (long, slow distance); I'm going to hazard a guess that VO2 and 5km TT would have been pretty much equal, but the LSD group would have shit the bed on the Wingate test.

Personally, I know one of the most intense training sessions I've ever had has been 100mx5 sprints, full recovery between.  Yeah, that's a whopping 75s of work.  But I was sore for days, and the last couple of sprints were brutally hard.

Various Training Sessions

May 9th, 11:30, CFLA

Yoga---Yup, yoga.  I don't know if I've mentioned it here before, but we are lucky enough to have a great yoga instructor come into Crossfit on Sundays for an hour.  I went in with reluctance and skepticism the first time, but last Sunday was my 3rd session, and I LOVE it.  It's a 180 degree turn from the 3-2-1 GO, or lift-heavy-shit that normally encompasses my training.  It's refreshing, it's relaxing, and it's hard, but in a different way.  Love it.

May 10th, 1:30PM, CFLA

I had the conundrum of either doing "Grace" (30 clean&jerks, 135#, for time) or 1000m sprint rows x5 after coaching at 11 and 12.  Well, luckily Coach Fyfe rolled in at 1:30 just as I was warming up my C&J, and saved me from my problem.

4 Rounds for Time:

20 Double Unders

15 Thrusters, 75#

400m run

11:57.  Double unders were cake, thrusters, for being stupidly light, were the killer for me, as I knew they would.  Dave caught up to me in rounds 3 and 4 because I had to fractionate them.  Luckily, although I can't run worth shit, I can sprint 100m damn fast. :)

May 11th, CFLA, NOON

Heather, one of the owners, was super cool and decided to stick around for the 12 class after she trained at 11---it's a very rare thing when I get to train with others, so I jumped at it.  Having other folks around makes me push a lot harder, and I felt it after this session:

500 m row for time: 1:25.8.  !!!!!  Massive, HUGE PR.  I was blown away by this, as it was totally unexpected, at least mentally.  I held a 1:20/500m for a few seconds, and 1:21-1:22 for the first 200m.  Very, VERY pleased with this. I'm currently tied for first place on the  Concept2 International Rankings for my age and weight, unofficially. Ha!

Proof Of Pain

rest 3 minutes

AMRAP in 3:00 Minutes

5 Box Jumps 24

5 KBS 70

6 Rounds.  Kettlebell wasn't too bad, but 24" box  jumps slowed me down

Rest 3 Minutes

AMRAP in 3:00 Minutes

5 Toes to Bar

5 Reverse Grip Paralette Push Ups

6+ 5.  I couldn't find my kip on toes to bar at first, and then lost it near the end as I fatigued, which cost me a 7 rounder.

May 13th, U of L

Indoor rock climb x2 hours.

Worked specifically on a 5.10c route that has been getting the best of me; there's a couple of tough crux moves, but I think I have it nailed.  Next time, I'm going to cleanly complete it.

May 14th, 2PM

Despite the option to take a run at Christine (3 rds, 500m row, 12 BW deadlifts, 21 Box jumps), one of my fav named Crossfit workouts, I'M GOING MOUNTAIN BIKING.  It's damn beautiful out, and I tuned my Santa Cruz up at the firehall yesterday.  

A Paid Gig, Treating "Fuzz", and Mustard, Take#2

So I recently had my first real, paying gig, outside of my meat & potatoes of the fire department and dessert at Crossfit Lethbridge.  I was fortunate enough to be ask to do a nutrition lecture for Atco Gas.  The company was holding a safety awards/health and wellness symposium, and wanted a guest speaker to talk about nutrition in the workplace.  Luckily, I have an inside man at Atco, and he threw my name to the big wigs.  There's a bottle of Patron with your name on it, Mr. Inside Man.  :)

I had to do two 20 minute presentations---really short, and fairly basic.  I touched on a lot of the same topics I always do; whole foods vs processed, how food affects hormones, the "whys" and "whats" of Paleo/Primal eating, hydration, etc etc.  Both presentations were well received, with about 80 folks in attendance for each session.  There were some great questions afterward, and I tried to spend as much time answering questions after as possible.  While I was nervous at the start of the first presentation, I absolutely love talking nutrition, and I had a blast!

Check this next video out; it's been posted around a fair bit, but it's one of THEE best visual demonstrations of the importance of functional range of motion/foam rolling/stretching/massage therapy.  

If you don't jump all over your foam roller on your days off after watching that, well, you'll end up like the atrophic, sarcopenia-stricken shuffling geriatrics I see in nursing homes. That ain't no way for a mammal at the top of the food chain to go. Kill fuzz. Kill it dead.

More Mustard!

I posted about the awesome properties of mustard a short time ago, here.; I came across another tidbit on mustard from Mark Verstegen's Core Performance website.  Some soundbites from the article on the world's best condiment:

• Cramps can be caused by a deficiency in acetylcholine, the neurotransmitter that stimulates muscles to work. Mustard contains acetic acid, which helps the body produce more acetylcholine. (The mustard is consumed, not applied topically.)
• There’s about 200 mg of sodium in one tablespoon of mustard, which is the same as eight ounces of Gatorade Endurance, so a couple packets of mustard would provide some good sodium and prevent or help with cramping. 

What's interesting is the bit about acetic acid; in the near future, I'll be posting a VERY interesting study on acetic acid from a recovery standpoint. 
The whole dealio can be read here.

Assorted Training Entries

April 29th, U of L

Indoor rock climbing x2 hours.

Did a shwack of hard, hard inverted bouldering problems; forearms were fried bad.  There's absolutely no way I WON'T be getting better as a climber, because the guy I climb with continues to make the hardest routes look easy.  I feel my technique is getting better everytime.

May 4th, CFLA, 1PM

1RM Squat Clean

95#x1,1,1,1,1

135#x1,1,1

165#x1, 185#x1,205#x1, 215#x1, 220#x0

Awesome, awesome PR day!  I came in with the mindset of NOT hitting a PR, as my 3RM last week felt brutally heavy.  Used the accelerated warmup like I did with my deadlift, and lo and behold, a PR appears.  I videoed the 205#/215#/220#, and I had to laugh watching the 220#---I pulled it basically to my clavicles.  In the wise words of Coach Fyfe "You could have powercleaned that you idiot!"  Well said.

75 KBS, 24kg (53#), 2:19.  Didn't go for speed, just a steady pace, and didn't put it down.

May 5th, CFLA, 1PM

1RM PP

A highly disappointing 170#.  This makes no sense to me, as my 3RM is 165#.  I tried numerous times at 175#, with various grips, shoes, and no shoes.  Was going to do some 1000m sprint intervals after, but got talking to a buddy, and just decided to call it a day.  

U of L, 7PM

More climbing; still getting owned on the 5.10d/5.11 routes, but feeling really good on the 5.9.  Mastered some of the bouldering problems I couldn't get last week.  Gotta start lead climbing inside if I want to get any quality outdoor climbing done this summer.

May 6th, Firehall #1, 4PM

Stupid busy day,  so all I got in was 22 minutes on the treadmill, 2% grade, at 7.5mph.

May 7th, Firehall #1, 12PM

Did a modified circuit of what we've done in the past with the guys:

  30sec on/30sec off, 5 round MetCon

• Goblet squats (65#DB)
• Push Up Rows(45#DB)
• Plyometric Lunge Jumps
• Curl-to-Press (35#DB)
• Double Unders

We got called out 2 rounds in, so when I got back, I did another 3 as rx'd, then two more rounds with squat jumps and pushpress instead of plyo lunges and C2P, for a total of 7 rounds.

May 8th, CFLA, 2PM
Brutal shitty weather lately, but was finally able to get on my bike.

22KM round trip bike to-and-from CFLA

OverHeadPress

95#/105#/115# x5, 120#x4 (almost)

PushPress

135#/140#/145#x5, 150#x2

Split Jerk

150#/155#x5, 165#x3

I feel, after my 1RM pushpress disappointment, that I need to address my overhead strength weakness.  Therefore, today was a sub-max volume day; I wanted to get in a larger number of sets than I usually do.

Weighted Static Planks, 60second hold

42#, 90#, 90#.

I strapped on the two weight vests we have at CFLA (20# each), and jumped on the scale to get an exact weight; for the 90lbs of weight, I threw Heather's beautiful Rogue sandbag on my back, which weighs in at 48lbs.  For the second 90# set, I tried to set it lower on my upper back---which made that 60 seconds a HELLUVA lot harder than the first.