CrossFit South Rockland

Monday, September 30, 2019

Monday 9/30



Warm Up 
A- Roll t-spine & hip joint
3x 10 Russian swings + 5 wall ball substitutes

B- Combo Activation #1
Overhead banded circles
Hitchhikers
Band walks (Lateral & FWD/REV)

Skill
Cycling KBS and wall ball shots

WOD
(W) Test #21
3 minutes MAX effort wall ball shots w/14 m/20
Rest 5 minutes

(W)Test #17
3 minute AMRAP

KBS w/35 m/53

Sunday, September 29, 2019

The Wisdom of Fear


The Wisdom of Fear

BY MADISYN TAYLOR
Anything really worth doing in our lives will always have some fear attached to it.
Anything worth doing will always have some fear attached to it. For example, having a baby, getting married, changing careers--all of these life changes can bring up deep fears. It helps to remember that this type of fear is good. It is your way of questioning whether you really want the new life these changes will bring. It is also a potent reminder that releasing and grieving the past is a necessary part of moving into the new.

Fear has a way of throwing us off balance, making us feel uncertain and insecure, but it is not meant to discourage us. Its purpose is to notify us that we are at the edge of our comfort zone, poised in between the old life and a new one. Whenever we face our fear, we overcome an inner obstacle and move into new and life-enhancing territory, both inside and out. The more we learn to respect and even welcome fear, the more we will be able to hear its wisdom, wisdom that will let us know that the time has come to move forward, or not. While comfort with fear is a contradiction in terms, we can learn to honor our fear, recognizing its arrival, listening to its intelligence, and respecting it as a harbinger of transformation. Indeed, it informs us that the change we are contemplating is significant, enabling us to approach it with the proper reverence.

You might wish to converse with your fear, plumbing its depths for a greater understanding of the change you are making. You could do this by sitting quietly in meditation and listening or by journaling. Writing down whatever comes up--your worries, your sadness, your excitement, your hopes--is a great way to learn about yourself through the vehicle of fear and to remember that fear almost always comes alongside anything worth doing in your life.

Motivational Sunday 9/29

Saturday, September 28, 2019

Letting Go of Perfection


Letting Go of Perfection

BY MADISYN TAYLOR
Life becomes much more interesting once we let go of our quest for perfection and aspire for imperfection instead.
It is good to remember that one of our goals in life is to not be perfect. We often lose track of this aspiration. When we make mistakes, we think that we are failing or not measuring up. But if life is about experimenting, experiencing, and learning, then to be imperfect is a prerequisite. Life becomes much more interesting once we let go of our quest for perfection and aspire for imperfection instead.

This doesn't mean that we don't strive to be our best. We simply accept that there is no such thing as perfection--especially in life. All living things are in a ceaseless state of movement. Even as you read this, your hair is growing, your cells are dying and being reborn, and your blood is moving through your veins. Your life changes more than it stays the same. Perfection may happen in a moment, but it will not last because it is an impermanent state. Trying to hold on to perfection or forcing it to happen causes frustration and unhappiness.

In spite of this, many of us are in the habit of trying to be perfect. One way to nudge ourselves out of this tendency is to look at our lives and notice that no one is judging us to see whether or not we are perfect. Sometimes, perfectionism is a holdover from our childhood--an ideal we inherited from a demanding parent. We are adults now, and we can choose to let go of the need to perform for someone else's approval. Similarly, we can choose to experience the universe as a loving place where we are free to be imperfect. Once we realize this, we can begin to take ourselves less seriously and have more fun. Imperfection is inherent to being human. By embracing your imperfections, you embrace yourself.

Communication


Communication

BY MADISYN TAYLOR
Expressing ourselves honestly in any relationship is essential to our well-being.
When we are in a relationship where we feel listened to and understood, we count ourselves lucky because we know how rare that experience is. We reserve our most intimate selves for the people who, along with us, cocreate an open space where we feel free to express ourselves and listen without judgment. These relationships, which thrive on open communication, can mean the difference between existential loneliness and a deep sense of belonging. We all long to feel heard, understood, and loved, and clear communication makes this possible.

Sometimes problems arise in the process of expressing how we feel, but it is always worth it to do the work. Even in our less intimate relationships, expressing ourselves honestly is essential to our sense of well-being. Whether at home with family or in the outside world, successful communication requires some forethought; otherwise we risk blundering through our relationships like the proverbial bull in a china shop. However, too much forethought can stifle us or cause us to pad our words so extremely that we end up saying nothing at all or confusing the matter further. The good news is that there are many methods that can come to our rescue, from meditation to visualization to journaling.

If the person we need to communicate with is open to sitting in meditation together for a set period of time before speaking, this can be invaluable. When we are calm and centered, we can count on ourselves to speak and respond truthfully. We can also meditate on our own time and then practice what we need to say. A visualization in which we sit with the person and lovingly exchange a few words can also be a great precedent to an actual conversation. If writing comes easily, we can write out what we need to say; it may take several drafts, but we will eventually find the words. The key is to find ways to center ourselves so that we communicate meaningfully, lovingly, and wisely. In this way, we honor our companions and create relationships in which there is a genuine sense of understanding and respect.

Hero Saturday 9/28

Deputy U.S. Marshal Josie Wells, 27, of Harleston, Mississippi, was killed in the line of duty on March 10, 2015. Wells began his career with the Marshals Service in January 2011 and was assigned to the Southern District of Mississippi in September 2014.
He enjoyed training CrossFit with his friends and colleagues, especially when the workouts involved running or power cleans.
He is survived by his wife, Channing, and son, Josie Jr.


Warm Up 
A- Mash calves & hips

B- Clean Warm Up
Band rack stretch
Banded overhead shoulder circles + band pull aparts
The bar behind neck force-extension both directions
(Add overhead if necessary)
Front squats

The clean technique (add jerk if necessary)
Hit each drill for 5 reps without taking a break:
Tall Clean High-Pull
Muscle Clean
Front Squat
Tall Clean
Press in Clean (Front rack Sots press)

Skill
Cleans

WOD
Josie
For time, wearing a 20-lb. vest:

1-mile run
Then, 3 rounds of:
  30 burpees
  4 power cleans
  6 front squats
Then, 1-mile run

Men: 155 lb.

Women: 105 lb.

Friday, September 27, 2019

Friday 9/27


Warm Up 
A- Roll t-spine + box stretch
 3x 5 horizontal ring rows + 5m inchworm challenging your ROM

B- BURGENER WARM-UP:
1. Down and "Finish"
2. Elbows High and Outside
3. Muscle Snatch
4. Snatch Lands at 2", 4", 6"
5. Snatch Drops

SKILL TRANSFER EXERCISES:
1. Snatch Push Press
2. Overhead Squat
3. Heaving Snatch Balance
4. Snatch Balance without a dip
5. Snatch Balance with a dip

Skill
Wall ball shots

WOD
Karabel
10 Rounds for Time
3 Power Snatches (135/95 lbs)
15 Wallball Shots (20/14 lbs)

Thursday, September 26, 2019

Thursday 9/26


Warm Up 
A- Roll pec minor + glutes

B- C&J Warm Up
5x
Overhead band shoulder activation 
(Overhead pull aparts/ overhead shrugging shoulder circles)
Scarecrow rack delivery + muscle clean + tall clean + clean

Jerk footwork
Jump and land in split (hands at side/ hands at rack/ use arms/ with barbell)

C&J

Skill
TTB

WOD
CrossFit Open 13.4
Complete AMRAP in 7 minutes of:
3 Clean and Jerk
3 Toes-To-Bar
6 Clean and Jerk
6 Toes-To-Bar
9 Clean and Jerk
9 Toes-To-Bar
12 Clean and Jerk
12 Toes-To-Bar
15 Clean and Jerk
15 Toes-To-Bar
18 Clean and Jerk
18 Toes-To-Bar
21 Clean and Jerk
21 Toes-To-Bar
*If you complete the round of 21, go on to 24. If you complete 24, go on to 27, etc.

GoFit
Warm Up 
A- Roll hip flexor wad + Glutes
 3x 5 horizontal ring rows + 5m inchworm challenging your ROM

B- DB complex Warm Up #1
Deadlift/ Hang power clean/ Front squat/ Press/ Thruster

Skill
V ups and knee ups

WOD
5x 
30:30
-DB cleans
-V ups
-DB jerks
-Knee ups


Wednesday, September 25, 2019

12 Proven Health Benefits of Ashwagandha

Ashwagandha is an incredibly healthy medicinal herb.
It’s classified as an "adaptogen," meaning that it can help your body manage stress.
Ashwagandha also provides all sorts of other benefits for your body and brain.
For example, it can lower blood sugar levels, reduce cortisol, boost brain function and help fight symptoms of anxiety and depression.
Here are 12 benefits of ashwagandha that are supported by science.



Proven Ashwagandha BenefitsShare on Pinterest

Ashwagandha is one of the most important herbs in Ayurveda, a form of alternative medicine based on Indian principles of natural healing.
It has been used for over 3,000 years to relieve stress, increase energy levels and improve concentration (1Trusted Source).
"Ashwagandha" is Sanskrit for "smell of the horse," which refers to both its unique smell and ability to increase strength.
Its botanical name is Withania somnifera, and it’s also known by several other names, including Indian ginseng and winter cherry.
The ashwagandha plant is a small shrub with yellow flowers that's native to India and North Africa. Extracts or powder from the plant's root or leaves are used to treat a variety of conditions.
Many of its health benefits are attributed to its high concentration of withanolides, which have been shown to fight inflammation and tumor growth (1Trusted Source).
SUMMARYAshwagandha is a prominent herb in Indian Ayurvedic medicine and has become a popular supplement due to its health benefits.

In several studies, ashwagandha has been shown to lower blood sugar levels.
One test-tube study found that it increased insulin secretion and improved insulin sensitivity in muscle cells (2Trusted Source).
Also, several human studies have confirmed its ability to reduce blood sugar levels in both healthy people and those with diabetes (34Trusted Source5Trusted Source6Trusted Source).
Additionally, in one four-week study in people with schizophrenia, those treated with ashwagandha had an average reduction in fasting blood sugar levels of 13.5 mg/dL, compared to 4.5 mg/dL in those who received a placebo (5Trusted Source).
What's more, in a small study in six people with type 2 diabetes, supplementing with ashwagandha for 30 days lowered fasting blood sugar levels as effectively as an oral diabetes medication (6Trusted Source).
SUMMARYAshwagandha may reduce blood sugar levels through its effects on insulin secretion and sensitivity.

Animal and test-tube studies have found that ashwagandha helps induce apoptosis, which is the programmed death of cancer cells (7Trusted Source).
It also impedes the growth of new cancer cells in several ways (7Trusted Source).
First, ashwagandha is believed to promote the formation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) inside cancer cells, disrupting their function. Second, it may cause cancer cells to become less resistant to apoptosis (8Trusted Source).
Animal studies suggest that it may help treat several types of cancer, including breast, lung, colon, brain and ovarian cancer (9Trusted Source10Trusted Source11Trusted Source12Trusted Source13Trusted Source).
In one study, mice with ovarian tumors treated with ashwagandha alone or in combination with an anti-cancer drug had a 70–80% reduction in tumor growth. The treatment also prevented the spread of cancer to other organs (13Trusted Source).
Although there are no studies to confirm these results in humans yet, the research to date is encouraging.
SUMMARYAnimal and test-tube studies have shown that ashwagandha promotes the death of tumor cells and may be effective against several types of cancer.

Cortisol is known as a "stress hormone" because your adrenal glands release it in response to stress, as well as when your blood sugar levels get too low.
Unfortunately, in some cases, cortisol levels may become chronically elevated, which can lead to high blood sugar levels and increased fat storage in the abdomen.
Studies have shown that ashwagandha may help reduce cortisol levels (314Trusted Source15Trusted Source).
In one study in chronically stressed adults, those who supplemented with ashwagandha had significantly greater reductions in cortisol, compared to the control group. Those taking the highest dose had a 30% reduction, on average (3).
SUMMARYAshwagandha supplements may help lower cortisol levels in chronically stressed individuals.

Ashwagandha is perhaps best known for its ability to reduce stress.
Researchers reported that it blocked the stress pathway in the brains of rats by regulating chemical signaling in the nervous system (16Trusted Source).
Several controlled human studies have shown that it can effectively reduce symptoms in people with stress and anxiety disorders as well (14Trusted Source17Trusted Source18Trusted Source).
In a 60-day study in 64 people with chronic stress, those in the supplemental group reported a 69% average reduction in anxiety and insomnia, compared to 11% in the placebo group (14Trusted Source).
In another six-week study, 88% of people who took ashwagandha reported a reduction in anxiety, compared to 50% of those who took a placebo (18Trusted Source).
SUMMARYAshwagandha has been shown to reduce stress and anxiety in both animal and human studies.

Although it hasn't been thoroughly studied, a few studies suggest ashwagandha may help alleviate depression (14Trusted Source18Trusted Source).
In one controlled 60-day study in 64 stressed adults, those who took 600 mg of high-concentration ashwagandha extract per day reported a 79% reduction in severe depression, while the placebo group reported a 10% increase (14Trusted Source).
However, only one of the participants in this study had a history of depression. For this reason, the relevance of the results is unclear.
SUMMARYThe limited research available suggests that ashwagandha may help reduce depression.

Ashwagandha supplements may have powerful effects on testosterone levels and reproductive health (15Trusted Source19Trusted Source20Trusted Source21Trusted Source).
In one study in 75 infertile men, the group treated with ashwagandha showed increased sperm count and motility.
What's more, the treatment led to a significant increase in testosterone levels (21Trusted Source).
The researchers also reported that the group who took the herb had increased antioxidant levels in their blood.
In another study, men who received ashwagandha for stress experienced higher antioxidant levels and better sperm quality. After three months of treatment, 14% of the men's partners had become pregnant (15Trusted Source).
SUMMARYAshwagandha helps increase testosterone levels and significantly boosts sperm quality and fertility in men.

Research has shown that ashwagandha may improve body composition and increase strength (4Trusted Source20Trusted Source22Trusted Source).
In a study to determine a safe and effective dosage for ashwagandha, healthy men who took 750–1,250 mg per day of pulverized ashwagandha root per day gained muscle strength after 30 days (4Trusted Source).
In another study, those who took ashwagandha had significantly greater gains in muscle strength and size. It also more than doubled the reduction in body fat percentage, compared to the placebo group (20Trusted Source).
SUMMARYAshwagandha has been shown to increase muscle mass, reduce body fat and increase strength in men.

Several animal studies have shown that ashwagandha helps decrease inflammation (23Trusted Source24Trusted Source25Trusted Source).
Studies in humans have found that it increases the activity of natural killer cells, which are immune cells that fight infection and help you stay healthy (26Trusted Source27Trusted Source).
It has also been shown to decrease markers of inflammation, such as C-reactive protein (CRP). This marker is linked to an increased risk of heart disease.
In one controlled study, the group who took 250 mg of standardized ashwagandha extract daily had a 36% decrease in CRP, on average, compared to a 6% decrease in the placebo group (3).
SUMMARYAshwagandha has been shown to increase natural killer cell activity and decrease markers of inflammation.

In addition to its anti-inflammatory effects, ashwagandha may help improve heart health by reducing cholesterol and triglyceride levels.
Animal studies have found that it significantly decreases these blood fats.
One study in rats found that it lowered total cholesterol by as much as 53% and triglycerides by nearly 45% (28Trusted Source).
While controlled human studies have reported less dramatic results, they have observed some impressive improvements in these markers (34Trusted Source5Trusted Source6Trusted Source).
In a 60-day study in chronically stressed adults, the group taking the highest dosage of standardized ashwagandha extract experienced a 17% decrease in “bad” LDL cholesterol and an 11% decrease in triglycerides, on average (3).
SUMMARYAshwagandha may help reduce the risk of heart disease by decreasing cholesterol and triglyceride levels.

Test-tube and animal studies suggest that ashwagandha may reduce memory and brain function problems caused by injury or disease (29Trusted Source30Trusted Source31Trusted Source32Trusted Source).
Research has shown that it promotes antioxidant activity that protects nerve cells from harmful free radicals.
In one study, epileptic rats treated with ashwagandha had nearly a complete reversal of spatial memory impairment. This was likely caused by a reduction in oxidative stress (32Trusted Source).
Although ashwagandha has traditionally been used to boost memory in Ayurvedic practice, there is only a small amount of human research in this area.
In one controlled study, healthy men who took 500 mg of standardized extract daily reported significant improvements in their reaction time and task performance, compared to men who received a placebo (33Trusted Source).
Another eight-week study in 50 adults showed that taking 300 mg of ashwagandha root extract twice daily significantly improved general memory, task performance and attention (34Trusted Source).
SUMMARYAshwagandha supplements may improve brain function, memory, reaction times and the ability to perform tasks.

Ashwagandha is a safe supplement for most people.
However, certain individuals should not take it, including pregnant and breastfeeding women.
People with autoimmune diseases should also avoid ashwagandha unless authorized by a doctor. This includes people with conditions like rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, Hashimoto's thyroiditis and type 1 diabetes.
Additionally, those on medication for thyroid disease should be careful when taking ashwagandha, as it may potentially increase thyroid hormone levels in some people.
It may also decrease blood sugar and blood pressure levels, so medication dosages may need to be adjusted if you take it.
The recommended dosage of ashwagandha depends on the type of supplement. Extracts are more effective than crude ashwagandha root or leaf powder. Remember to follow instructions on labels.
Standardized root extract is commonly taken in 450–500 mg capsules once or twice daily.
It’s offered by several supplement manufacturers and available from various retailers, including health food stores and vitamin shops.
There's also a great selection of high-quality supplements available on Amazon.
SUMMARYAlthough ashwagandha is safe for most people, certain individuals shouldn't use it unless authorized by their doctor. Standardized root extract is commonly taken in 450–500 mg capsules once or twice per day.

Ashwagandha is a traditional medicinal herb with multiple health benefits.
It can reduce anxiety and stress, help fight depression, boost fertility and testosterone in men and may even boost brain function.
Supplementing with ashwagandha may be an easy and effective way to improve your health and quality of life.