What do you know about your TFL?

Thursday Week#9 Speed

Shoulder Warm up

2 minutes jump rope

Planche push ups

Handstand force the extension for 30 seconds

OH Duck walk 10m

Crab walk 10m

Ultra wide supine grip pull ups

TTR

Skill

Movement standards

WOD

6x

30:30

-TTB

-Stone G2S w/65 m/115

-Ring dips
-Power snatches w/45 m/75

IRON: AN ESSENTIAL MINERAL FOR ATHLETIC PERFORMANCE

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Trained athletes and clients alike are monitoring their intakes and percentages of critical fuels – carbohydrates, fats, and protein – but are potentially falling short on their micronutrient needs. These trace players in the diet can have a significant impact on overall performance. Athletes and clients are pumping plenty of iron in their training programs, but are they getting enough of this key mineral in their diet to reach the performance levels they are chasing?  Iron is just one example of a micromineral that has been shown to either decrease or improve endurance performance, depending on an athlete’s iron status (1,2,3).

Key Roles of Iron

Iron plays an important role in energy metabolism. It is a critical component of hemoglobin and myoglobin, the two main proteins in charge of delivering oxygen to the body (4,5). Hemoglobin is found in red blood cells, and facilitates the transfer of oxygen from the lungs to the body’s tissues. Myoglobin resides within muscle cells, and is responsible for intra-cellular O2 transport and temporary oxygen storage (4).

Iron also supports immunity and development as a component of proteins and enzymes that fight oxidative stress, and helps synthesize DNA, connective tissue, and some hormones (4,5).

The adult human body contains 3-4 grams of iron, most of which can be found in hemoglobin. The remainder is stored in the spleen, liver, bone marrow, and myoglobin, either in the form of ferritin or hemosiderin (4,5).

Anemia

Having an iron deficiency, or in severe cases, anemia, can be detrimental to athletic performance and overall health. It limits the body’s capacity to carry and deliver oxygen, thus stunting potential maximal oxygen uptake (VO2max), or work capacity. Poor iron status is also associated with higher blood lactate concentrations during exercise (1).

Oregon State’s Micronutrient Center describes three levels of severity in iron deficiency, which are described below (5). Iron status can be determined through a simple blood test analysis of serum ferritin and hemoglobin (2).

1. Storage Iron Depletion

Iron stores are depleted, but functioning iron is still intact. No declines in athletic performance or general health are noticed at this stage (5).

2. Early Functional Iron Deficiency

Hemoglobin levels will test normal, but serum ferritin is low (20-30 nanograms is considered deficient) (2). Production of new red blood cells is impaired (5).

3. Iron-Deficiency Anemia (IDA)

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People at Risk for Iron Deficiency

In general, people exhibiting the highest risk for iron deficiency and anemia are women, runners, and vegetarians. Much of their risk is associated with poor dietary iron intake and low daily caloric intake (1).

Runners, and other trained athletes are at risk for a sports-related anemia caused specifically by heavy training. Iron-depleting training effects include mechanical hemolysis (physical sheering of red blood cells often seen in runners), intestinal bleeding, hematuria (blood loss in urine), and sweating. Heavy menstrual loss is an additional cause of negative iron balance in female athletes (2).

Considerations at Altitude

Athletes seeking hypoxic conditions to increase their red blood cell density (and enhance endurance performance) are at an even greater risk for iron loss (6).

The body’s increased demand for oxygen at altitude stimulates erythropoiesis, or the formation of new red blood cells. This in turn creates an increased demand for ferritin to develop new hemoglobin. Both male and female athletes have demonstrated reduced serum ferritin levels during training at altitudes between 7,000 and 8,000 ft. (6), and such deficiency has been shown to completely inhibit erythrocythemia, or increases in red blood cells (6).

It is suggested that athletes should check their iron status prior to altitude training, and improve their levels if necessary before undergoing hypoxic conditions (6). Anemic individuals, in particular, should consider iron supplements beforehand (7).

The recommended daily allowance (RDA) for iron seems to be sufficient at altitude since iron losses tend to enhance the mineral’s absorption (7). However, athletes attempting to increase their red blood cell count (even those with normal iron levels) may benefit from a supplement (2), particularly women, who are at higher risk than men for iron-deficiency (7).

Iron in Foods

Iron is a mineral that occurs in many foods, such as beef, poultry, seafood, beans, and green, leafy vegetables. It’s also commonly added to cereals, breads, and pastas produced from corn and wheat flours (8).

Dietary iron is broken down into two types, heme and non-heme (4). Iron-containing animal products (meat and seafood) contain heme iron, 5-35% of which the body is able to absorb. Heme iron’s absorption is only inhibited by the presence of calcium, and is enhanced by animal proteins, making it more bioavailable than non-heme iron (1).

Non-heme iron is found in meat products as well, and also in some vegetables, fruits, nuts, beans, and grains (4). By contrast, only about 2-20% of non-heme iron is absorbed, due mainly to the fact that it has more inhibitors reducing its bioavailability. Non-heme iron is also inhibited by calcium, and additionally bran, cellulose (fiber), pectin (in ripe fruits and vegetables, and jams), phytic acid (in grains and beans), and polyphenols (cereal, beans, tea, and coffee) (1).

Consuming vitamin C or meat in the same meal with non-heme iron enhances its absorption. For persons with iron deficiency, the body also has a built-in enhancement mechanism, which allows for much greater iron absorption than say just adding an orange to your meal (1).

The RDA for iron varies depending on a person’s age and sex (4). These recommendations are considered sufficient for healthy persons as well as non-anemic athletes.

RDA for Iron (2)

Women

• 14-18 years: 15 mg/ day
• 19-50 years: 18 mg/ day
• 51+ years: 8 mg/ day

Men

• 14-18 years: 11 mg/ day
• 19-50 years: 8 mg/ day
• 51+ years: 8 mg/ day

The Cleveland Clinic lists the following foods as great sources of both heme and non-heme iron (9). Due to inhibitors within non-heme iron sources (like the calcium in spinach), eating a citrus fruit, yellow bell pepper, or other vitamin C rich food will improve absorption (1).

Good sources of heme iron (from animal sources):

• Chicken liver
• Oysters
• Clams
• Beef liver
• Beef (chuck roast, lean ground beef)
• Turkey leg
• Tuna
• Eggs
• Shrimp
• Leg of lamb

Good sources of non-heme iron (from plants):

• Fortified cereals
• Instant oatmeal
• Beans (kidney, lima, navy)
• Tofu
• Lentils
• Molasses
• Spinach
• Whole wheat bread
• Peanut butter
• Brown rice

Supplementing with Iron

Since iron supplements can have undesirable side effects and absorption issues, they’re not recommended unless an athlete has been diagnosed with IDA, and is being professionally monitored and supervised. Higher doses (> 50 mg/ day), in particular, can cause upset stomach and constipation, which has been shown to decrease compliance in female athletes (1). Athletes in training are advised to pay closer attention to their diets, and consume more iron-rich foods to avoid deficiency (1).

It’s important to also consider that multivitamins typically contain about 18 mg of iron (4). An additional supplement given to non-anemic athletes (depending on the dose) could have ill health effects since “free iron” has been associated with oxidative stress during exercise (1,5).

The only populations other than IDA athletes that may benefit from an iron supplement are those that are intentionally undergoing hypoxic conditions to increase their red blood cell density (2).

Considerations for getting the highest supplemental iron absorption include limiting concurrent intake of tea, coffee, and calcium, and choosing a supplement that doesn’t contain calcium salts (1). Also, lower iron doses at 39 mg have been shown to cause less gastrointestinal distress in female athletes (1), which may improve compliance.

It seems that the obvious, and worthwhile intervention for decreasing the number of athletes affected by sports-related anemia is helping them improve their dietary iron intake. Advising athletes and chronic exercisers – particularly women, runners, and vegetarians – to seek nutrition counseling and regular iron testing (1), may be the key to preventing iron-deficiency, and the resulting reductions in athletic performance.

References:

1. Beard, J & Tobin, B. (2000). Iron status & exericise. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 72(2), 594-597. http://ajcn.nutrition.org/content/72/2/594s.full.
2. Williams, M.H. (2005). Dietary supplements and sports performance: Minerals. Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition, 2, 43-49. http://www.jissn.com/content/2/1/43.
3. Taking iron improves women’s exercise performance, study shows. (2014). Science Daily. http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2014/04/140411092312.htm.
4. Iron: dietary supplement fact sheet. (2015). National Institutes of Health: Office of Dietary Supplements. https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/Iron-HealthProfessional/.
5. (2015). Linus Pauling Institute Micronutrient Information Center. http://lpi.oregonstate.edu/mic/minerals/iron.
6. Wilber, R. (2004). Altitude training and athletic performance. Champaign, IL: Human Kinetics.
7. Marriott, B.M. & S. J. Carlson. (1996).Nutritional needs in cold and high altitude environments. Washington D.C., MD: National Academy Press. http://www.nap.edu/openbook.php?isbn=0309054842.
8. Uauy, R., Hertrampf, E., & Reddy, M. (2002). Iron fortification of foods: overcoming technical and practical barriers. The Journal of Nutrition, 145(7), 8495-8525. http://jn.nutrition.org/content/132/4/849S.full.pdf+html.
9. Anemia & iron-rich foods. (2014). Cleveland Clinic. http://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases_conditions/hic_Anemia/hic-anemia-and-iron-rich-foods.

Wednesday Week#9 Speed

Gymnastic #4 Warm up

2 minutes jump rope

OHS

Good mornings

Strict TTB

Strict ring dips to true support

False grip pull ups

Skill

HSPU

Partner WOD

15 minute ping pong

7 HSPU (each)

14 KBS w/53 m/70 (each)
21 double unders (each)

10 minute squat test

Tuesday Week#9 Speed

The Complex

3 minute jump rope complex

10 singles/ 10 singles as fast as possible/ 10 singles/ 10 double unders

2x

-Push up complex (5 close/ 5 shoulder with apart/ 5 ultra wide)

-Pull up complex (5 close/ 5 shoulder with apart/ 5 ultra wide)

-Mid section complex (5 tucks/ 5 v-ups/ 5 Hollow rocks)

-Posterior complex (5 superman/ 5 super rock/ 5 good morning)

-Stationary lunge complex (5 forward lunges/ 5 lateral lunges/ 5 reverse lunges)

Skill

Thrusters

WOD

12x

30:30

-Thrusters w/65 m/95
-Burpees over barbell

Monday Week#9 Speed

The CrossFit Warm up

3 rounds of 10-15 reps of: 

Samson Stretch (15-30 seconds each side)

OHS

GHD sit ups 

GHD back ext 

Dips

Skill

Rebounding box jumps

WOD

21-15-9

Box jumps w/20” m/24”
Pull ups

12/27 Motivation Sunday

NUTRITIONSPORTS PERFORMANCE

WINTER SPORTS AND COLD TEMPERATURE NUTRITION

 EMILY BAILEY · DECEMBER 17, 2015

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If you have an overall balanced nutrient intake, your pre, during, and post workout fuel and hydration can make a huge impact on your performance, recovery between workouts, and injury prevention. Your overall training diet is more important than any pre, during, and post workout meal or snack! If you haven’t been practicing your fueling like you have been training your body, it doesn’t matter what nutrition course you choose for your workout or training session. This overall nutrition approach is also important with colder temperature activities when we may forget to consider the increased importance of hydration. The focus of this article will cover cold temperatures and high altitude along with your pre, during, and post training nutrition needs.

Cold temperature acclimation is not as well understood as that of hot and humid climates. Hypothermia is one of the major concerns of cold temperature exposure. Hypothermia is when your body temperature drops below 98.6 degrees (or lower than your normal body temperature). With a lower body temperature, circulation to your extremities decreases and stays more centrally located in the abdomen to keep the vital organs warm. Mild hypothermia can decrease performance due to the lower blood flow to the working muscles.

Cold temperatures can offer their own sports nutrition challenges. Nutrition to prepare for cold temperatures includes consistently consuming adequate carbohydrates throughout your training. Include carbohydrates at meals, snacks, and before, during and after exercise as well. Eating both before workouts and after is essential for feeling your best during the workout as well as achieving goals of improved performance.

Between thirty and sixty minutes before training is the time to eat a snack. This snack should be carbohydrate-rich to top off muscle glycogen stores and may include a small amount of protein (depending on individual stomach tolerance). Protein helps build and repair muscle tissue, and adequate protein before exercise may help reduce post-exercise soreness.

General sports nutrition fuel timing guidelines for pre workout or training:

• 3 hours – 300 calories (High carbohydrate, moderate protein and small amount of fat. For example, whole grain cereal with fruit and Greek yogurt.)
• 2 hours – 200 calories (Carbohydrate and protein. For example, an egg and whole grain toast.) Plus two cups of fluid.
• 1 hour – 100 calories (Carbohydrate like fruit.)
• 15-20 minutes half to one cup of fluid.

During a workout your fuel intake will vary depending on how you’re training. Under one hour, fluid intake for hydration will be your main focus. Consuming 2-4 ounces of fluid every 15 minutes is recommended. Thirst is not a good indicator of hydration needs.

Training beyond one hour your fuel source should consist of 30 to 60 grams of carbohydrate per hour, evenly dispersed in 15-minute intervals with 2-4oz of fluid. The type of carbohydrate may be in the form of sports drinks, gels, blocks, and beans; or whole foods or homemade sources such as date bars. For fluids, if cold temperatures are particularly a concern with your performance, try warm fluids.

For recovery, a snack should be eaten within 15 to 30 minutes after finishing training. Again, this snack should include carbohydrate and protein. The purpose of the carbohydrate at this time is to replace the muscle fuel (glycogen) utilized during the workout. The protein will help stimulate the development of new muscle tissue. Carbohydrate and protein should be paired together as snacks both before training (less protein the closer to the start of the workout) and after, with the before snack being carbohydrate rich and the recovery snack being protein rich.

For every pound lost in sweat during training, 3 cups of fluid should be consumed to maximize recovery and decrease soreness. Dressing appropriately for cold weather training will be essential for assisting in maintaining hydration. Be sure to select moisture wicking fabrics to remove sweat and keep your skin dry, as well as removing extra layers of clothing as your body heat builds up.

Examples of Meal and Snack Timing with Training:

6:00 a.m. breakfast, 6:45 a.m. workout, 8:15 a.m. snack, 11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. lunch, 2:30-3 p.m. snack, 5:30 p.m. dinner, and possibly snack (only if physically hungry) 8-9 p.m.

6:30 a.m. breakfast, 9:30 a.m. snack, 11:30-12:30 p.m. workout, 1:00 p.m. lunch, 4-5 p.m. snack, dinner 6-7 p.m., and possibly snack (only if physically hungry) 8-9 p.m.

6:30 a.m. breakfast, 9:30 a.m. snack, 11:30-12:30 p.m. lunch, 3-4 p.m. snack, 5 p.m. workout, dinner 6-7 p.m., and possibly snack (only if physically hungry) 8-9 p.m.

Here are some great meal options for recovery:

• Grilled salmon served over brown rice; steamed cauliflower and broccoli; boiled red potatoes tossed with parsley and olive oil
• Garlic mushroom spinach pasta; green tossed salad (with garbanzo beans, red onion, cucumber and Italian dressing)
• Roasted chicken; baked sweet potato; roasted broccoli

Altitude is another winter sport nutrition concern. Altitude (defined by the United States Olympic Committee as greater than 5,000 feet) causes the oxygen molecules in your body to be more spaced out. Therefore, oxygen delivery to working muscles is decreased. At first, altitude can decrease performance, however, adaptation to train at higher altitudes is possible.

There are several points that can be made regarding altitude, but for the purpose here the focus will remain on nutrition. Training at altitude results in increased iron needs, increased fluid intake, consistent carbohydrate intake, increased resting metabolic rate and decreased appetite which can interfere with consistent fueling and may cause weight loss (especially due to increased calorie needs). All of these mentioned challenges can drastically effect performance.

Prepare your nutrition and hydration for altitude by regularly consuming fluids. Thirst is not a good indicator for hydration needs. Paying attention to your urine color is one of the best ways to determine hydration status. Look for regular urination with clear to pale yellow (straw) color.

If iron deficiency or anemia is already a concern be extra aware. Consuming a diet rich in iron to help carry oxygen to your working muscle is a great performance enhancer regardless of altitude. For altitude training, be sure to include iron rich foods in your diet like beef, eggs, tuna, lentils, beans, and iron fortified foods, and consume them with citrus foods to increase absorption.

Consume consistent meals and snacks (3 meals and 3 snacks) daily to maintain calorie needs and prevent weight loss. Be sure to include a carbohydrate (whole grains, fruits, and vegetables) as well as lean protein, and heart healthy fat at each meal. Even during snacks include a carbohydrate with a protein or a fat.

Research shows it can take up to two or three weeks to fully adapt to altitude for performance.

The winter months definitely bring their own set of performance needs. Paying attention to your body and its needs for performance by consistently fueling and hydrating will allow you to perform better, prevent injury, and recover faster. Here’s to staying active in the colder temperatures.

Sources:

Sports Nutrition; A Practice Manual for Professionals 5th Edition, Christine A. Rosenbloom, PhD, RD, CSSD, Editor in Chief.

United States Olympic Committee www.teamusa.org

12/26 Hero Saturday

U.S. Army Captain Derek A. Dobogai, 26, of Fond Du Lac, Wisconsin, assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 35th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division, based in Schofield Barracks, Hawaii, died on August 22, 2007, in Multaka, Iraq, of injuries suffered when his unit's helicopter crashed. He is survived by his parents, David and Lisa, and brothers, Daniel and David Jr.

Warm up

The complex

3 minute jump rope complex

10 singles/ 10 singles as fast as possible/ 10 singles/ 10 double unders

2x

-Push up complex (5 close/ 5 shoulder with apart/ 5 ultra wide)

-Pull up complex (5 close/ 5 shoulder with apart/ 5 ultra wide)

-Mid section complex (5 tucks/ 5 v-ups/ 5 Hollow rocks)

-Posterior complex (5 superman/ 5 super rock/ 5 good morning)

-Stationary lunge complex (5 forward lunges/ 5 lateral lunges/ 5 reverse lunges)

Skill

Muscle ups

WOD

Dobogai

Seven rounds for time of:

8 Muscle-ups
22 yard Farmer carry w/30 m/50 DB

PNF Stretching Deadlift

12/25 Friday Week#8 Volume

Shoulder Adduction

12/24 Thursday Week#8 Volume

Warm up

2 minutes jump rope

V-ups

Superman push ups

Super rocks

Roll back to straddle

Power jumps x 3

Skill

Movement standards

Partner WOD

15 minute Ping Pong

10 calorie air bike

8 CTB pull ups
10 pistols

You Can’t Outrun a Bad Diet 

You may or may not agree with this statement that made headlines, but it’s opening the door to conversations about nutrition—and that’s what matters most.

   

What you put into your body has an outsized impact on your overall health. 

PHOTOGRAPH BY CULTURA RM/ANTONIO SABA/GETTY IMAGES

You can’t outrun a bad diet. That’s the gist of a controversial letter written by three respected physicians, published recently in the British Journal of Sports Medicine. In it, the doctors (a cardiologist, a nutritional biochemist, and an exercise scientist) acknowledge the many significant benefits of exercise, including protection from heart disease, type 2 diabetes, dementia, and certain cancers. But, they stress, physical activity does not promote weight loss—only diet can. And they express outrage at the food industry and the media for what they describe as the pervasive and unhelpful message that one’s weight can be maintained by calorie counting and that obesity is entirely due to a lack of exercise.

Obviously, not everyone in the scientific community agrees with the trio, but their message—that nutrition is more important than exercise when it comes to weight loss—was picked up by media outlets all over the world. “You can’t outrun a bad diet” became watercooler conversation from San Francisco to Savannah, perhaps even among your clients. Which raises the question: What should your message be?
 
“My take: Research has shown that nutrition has a higher impact on health than exercise, but they’re each incredibly important,” says Emily Bailey, RD, CSSD, LD, NASM-CPT, director of nutrition coaching, sports nutrition, eating disorders, and weight management at NutriFormance and Athletic Republic in St. Louis. “They each offer pieces that the other cannot.”

There are 35 trainers and four nutritionists on staff at NutriFormance, which reflects Bailey’s opinion that exercise is the easier piece for clients to tackle—making it an entry point for the masses. “You can decide to go on a 30-minute walk, and after 30 minutes, you’re done,” she says. “But if you decide you want to eat healthier, it’s far more time consuming, and there is no end to it. Plus, it’s just easier to develop new behaviors when you can see and feel a difference immediately. So most people start with exercise—and that isn’t a bad thing.”

In fact, exercise is the perfect segue to addressing nutrition. “I always recommend trainers ask their clients three questions every session,” she says: “Did you eat before you came in? Are you planning on eating when you leave? And where’s your water bottle? These questions build interest in talking about diet in conjunction with exercise, and they provide an opportunity for trainers to refer clients to a nutritionist. They lay the groundwork for my message—that fitness and nutrition go hand in hand.”

Bailey also recommends two great nutrition apps: MyFitnessPal and Lose It! “They’re just tools,” she says, “but they open the door to the nutrition discussion. And that’s always good.”

12/23 Wednesday Week#8 Volume

Gymnastics Warm up #3

-7x strict CTB pull ups

-3x P-bar swing complex (3 swings/2 dips)

-Pistols

-Bucket work 5x wipers or 5x round the clock

-From headstand/ press to handstand x3

-Negative bar muscle ups x3

Skill

TTB application of the shoulder to the movement

WOD

3 rounds for time:

40m shuttle sprint

30 TTB
50 KBS w/35 m/53

Hip Flexion Mobility

12/22 Tuesday Week#8 Volume

Clean Warm up

Band rack stretch

Bar behind neck force extension both directions

(Add overhead if necessary)

Front squats

Clean technique (add jerk if necessary)

WOD

Elizabeth

21-15-9

Clean w/95 m/135
Ring Dips

Bringing CrossFit to the Corporate World

AMRAP-Vision sports Club is working with the USIS corporation

12/21 Monday Week#8 Volume

Warm up

Rowing technique #4

3 minutes of rowing

-Break down of the stroke

-Pacing

-Builders

-Bell curve

WOD

For time:

200 double unders

100 calorie row
60 burpees over the monorail

Thrower's Shoulder and Rib Cage Tilt

12/20 Motivation Sunday

Exercise plus mindfulness yields big benefits for vets with PTSD

The Right Mix for Vets with PTSD

Exercise plus mindfulness yields big benefits for vets with PTSD.

   

Physical activity in a natural setting can offer relief from PTSD.

PHOTOGRAPH BY TEGAN OWENS/OFFSET

Lots of studies show that exercise is an effective treatment for many post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms, including insomnia (which affects 90% of PTSD sufferers), anxiety, and depression. But few studies have looked into the effect of exercise on actual combat veterans, a research gap that was recently filled by the Veterans Group Exercise project, a collaborative effort between the University of California, San Francisco Osher Center for Integrative Medicine and the San Francisco VA Medical Center. The 12-week pilot study—the first part of a larger investigation—looked at the impact of aerobic exercise, strength-training, and mindful breathing on vets with PTSD.
 
Preliminary results showed that gains in aerobic fitness correlated with gains in overall quality of life, psychological health, and PTSD symptom relief, but the exercise program used in the project—devised by Wolf Mehling, MD, associate clinical professor of family and community medicine at UCSF and expert in manual medicine at the Osher Center—included another element that often isn’t part of exercise programs for PTSD: mindfulness.

“One symptom of PTSD is dissociation from bodily sensations and emotions,” explains Mehling. “This is a good skill if you are in a war, but in peacetime, dissociated emotions haunt you in nightmares and flashbacks, and are often linked with chronic pain. Exercise that’s simply exhausting and aerobic stimulates bodily sensations, but exercise that’s more in the tradition of yoga or tai chi adds mindfulness to the mix. It brings vets with PTSD into the present and out of a difficult past or uncertain future.”

Further studies are planned to more accurately measure the impact of mindfulness as part of an exercise program for PTSD, but the researchers feel that it was a key part of their program’s success. If you’re working with vets, consider adding a mindfulness element—and try the following ideas too.

• Form a group. In the Veterans Group Exercise project, vets with PTSD worked out in small groups of three or four, and the group setting may have enhanced the effects of the exercise. “Isolation is a hallmark of PTSD, but our vets still wanted to affiliate,” says lead investigator Thomas Neylan, MD, professor of psychiatry at the University of California, San Francisco School of Medicine and director of the PTSD Program at the San Francisco VA Medical Center. “They just loved to see each other, and that in and of itself is remarkable.”


• Add some slow yoga moves and stretching to your aerobic and strength training. Ask your client to coordinate his or her movements and breathing and to focus on the bodily sensations in the muscle groups he or she is working. “This isn’t a coping style of distraction but an exercise in being fully present,” says Mehling.


• Head out into the great, green gym. A British study published early this year found that surfing gave combat veterans significant respite—described as “a fully embodied feeling of release from suffering”—from PTSD. The study authors point to physical activity in a natural setting to further help combat vets with PTSD. And you don’t have to take up surfing to ride this particular wave. Do your workout, if possible, outside to maximize its effect.

12/19 Hero Saturday

U.S. Navy Senior Chief Cryptologic Technician David Blake McLendon, 30, of Thomasville, Georgia, assigned to Naval Special Warfare Group 2 Support Activity in Norfolk, Virginia, was killed September 21, 2010, in a helicopter crash during combat operations in the Zabul province of Afghanistan. McLendon is survived by his wife Kate McLendon, his parents David and Mary-Ann McLendon, his brother Chris McLendon, and his sister Kelly Lockman

Warm up

Walking lunge with Sampson stretch

Broad jump

Inch work

Push up complex

Pull up complex

Pistols

Skill

Movement standards

WOD

Blake

4 Rounds for time of:

100' Walking lunge, 45lb plate overhead

30 Box jumps, 24''

20 Wall-Ball Shots, 20#
10 Handstand push-ups