Photo from King Kong Apparel

I recently purchased a “CrossFit specific” bag as a gift, based on a wish list. I hadn’t really done any research as I am a die hard fan of my current brand of gym bag. I received the King Kong bag in the mail and put it straight into my pile of gifts to be wrapped without a second look or thought. A few days after placing it in said pile I was at work and had some free time to do research on it. This bag was touted as a bag “Built specifically for the unique needs of Elite Fitness”. Of course my first thoughts were of doubt. I’m a walking ball of OCD. Everything should have it’s own place and organized and easy to get to. I often sit with my bag and purse just to make sure that everything is in it’s right place. There is no way this company could have thought of all the compartments I would need in a bag. As it is with my current bag I put everything in a very specific pouch and place. Well, I was proven wrong. After reading into the KK Bag in depth, I immediately opened the bag when I got home and pulled it out to investigate.

It’s huge! Compartments, EVERYWHERE! Multiple shoe slots! A mobility pouch?! Impressive. I was proven so very wrong. The material itself is very sturdy and feels very similar to a textile luggage bag I own that has lasted me throughout the years. It was folded and shipped in such a way that I never thought it would hold everything I could want. On their website they have a picture showing an example of what the bag could hold. 2 pair of shoes, extra clothes, ropes, mobility products, shaker bottles and the list goes on. Construction seems solid as well. Extra thick zippers, the good YKK brand and eyelets for air circulation so your stuff can breathe. The shoulder strap was impressive as well. One of my favorite gym bags had to be retired because of the plastic latch that held the long shoulder strap. The King Kong apparel company went a step further and put metal hooks and hook receivers. The shoulder strap also swivels so that you never have to fight for the perfect position.  Nicely done. While this bag does come at a hefty price, I believe that it could last a very long time due to the quality of construction.

Overall while the quality is very nice and constructed very well. There are various discount codes I have found online and a simple search could probably help you out if you are looking to upgrade your gym bag.

12.22.13 REST DAY

I don’t preach at work about my absolute adoration for lifting heavy things, why squats do a body good or how delcious paleo egg nog is. CrossFit and the lifestyle change isn’t for everyone. It really does take a certain mindset to push yourself and discover new things. Marcus wrote an post about how people describe CrossFit here. I won’t force people to come in and do it. Forcing a stubborn horse won’t get you anywhere. However, leading a horse with carrots is probably more efficient. I’m not saying to sugar coat the gritty details of things like being sore or getting a few bruises. Instead, tell them what you have learned at Intrepid and how it has helped you in your daily life. I’ve made so many friends throughout my years here. All are people that think like me and therefore share similar interests, something Ruth wrote about here. I talk about the lifestyle benefit of working out with like minded people. I am motivated to come in becasue everyone wants the best for themselves and others. Recipies are shared on the daily and sometimes with samples. I definitely avoid talking about clean eating at the water cooler and avoid flat out telling them that their method of fitness is inferior.

If you happen to overhear someone contemplating what fitness or lifestyle goals they have this year, let them know about your personal experience with fitness and how it has changed or helped you. You may be an inspiration to someone and not even know it.

12.15.13 REST DAY

Broth is one of the simplest things to make, almost as simple to make as toast. The idea is to boil the life out of animal bones with the help of apple cider vinegar and seasonings. There are loads of variations on this basic recipe and a few ways to prepare it. Using a crockpot is the simplest and hands off and then there is the gumbo size pot placed on the stovetop . You continually add boiling water and let it simmer for longer. I am a huge fan of bone broth and as Marcus stated in his post a few winters ago, it is loaded with benefits.

Setting yourself up for several weeks of broth heaven won’t’ cost you more than $50. And you know where your bones and ingredients are coming from (hopefully grass few cows and local produce). For a basic broth I use a combination of knuckles, necks and bones. Too many marrow bones can cause your broth to be oily. Apple cider vinegar is essential for any kind of broth adventure. The acidity of the vinegar draws out the beneficial minerals from the bones. From here, one can get really creative. I made two batches. One was strictly the bone combo, ACV, salt, pepper and onion. The other I went down the Vietnamese route and attempted to recreate the comforting spicy warmth of Vietnamese pho.

Pho is basically bone broth with the following spices added. Whole star anise, whole cloves, corriander pods, cinnamon sticks, fish sauce, garlic, ginger and green onions. I placed all of the spices in a cheese cloth satchel (which can be purchased from a cooking store). One of the first step is to blanche the bones. Basically boil the bones for about 10 minutes or so to get rid of the surface impurities and then dump that water.

Refill the pot with new water and add the spices, ginger and onions. Let it simmer down for anywhere from 8-24 hours. Boom! “Phake Pho”.

Bone Broth Season. Sneak Peek into next weeks post . . .

I have to be honest here. I am just coming out of a flu fog a really didn’t like any of the ideas I came up with for a post. I haven’t worked out in about a week and it’s killing me. I thought to myself what could I write about? I rolled a TP ball under my foot while manipulating a pair of lacrosse balls in my hand. Um, DUH! I’ll write about what you can do when your body shuts down and gets busy fighting off viruses.

First off, if you do feel even the slightest tickle in your throat or heat in your forehead be safe and considerate of others. Stay home or take pre cold precautions. Listen to your body. Nobody wants any strain of whatever this thing is that’s going around. Side note: 103 F fever for more than 2 days does require a visit to the ER and has a neat side effect of hallucinations and confusion. Don’t workout! That’s the real message here. Here is what I do suggest you do in a time of illness.

1: For Time: Sleep.
Make this one count! Sleep hard and as often as you need to. Most shows can be recorded for later viewing, nothing is SO important that you must stay up.

2: AMRAP All the time: Fluids
Water, tea, bone broth. Get those fluids in so they can flush out the waste your cells creat whlst fighting off those nasty viruses.

3. Working on your grip.
I have this handy dandy forearm trainer from REI. I can use it while I’m laying down and while I don’t use it to fatigue my arm, I do use it enough to feel productive. Also, as I mentioned before, I use two lacrosse balls in one hand and roll them around each other practicing hand and finger coordination. Much like Chinese Health Balls.

4. Foam/Lacrosse ball rolling.
Now, this does take some energy to do, so I would incorporate this when you are on the mend. And it helps get you back on track when you’ve basically been laying or sitting down for what seems like weeks. Rolling of any kind does start the process of flushing out toxins so refer back to #2 to keep everything on the ‘out flow’.

5. Don’t stress out, about anything!
I’m sure you have a wonderful network of friends and family that can help you with any and everything. So don’t be afraid to ask. Are you craving egg drop soup? I’m sure you can find a friend to make it for you and even pick it up from a restaurant and bring it to you.

Is there anything else low energy and good for you that you suggest during a flu/cold recovery?

12.01.13 REST DAY

Being a connected unit is something we stress as coaches. Everything from your toes to your nose has to be in proper working order. If you’ve ever done the TP roller programming, tests and retest; you can see just how important proper mobility is to being connected. Our smaller and more fragile ankle and wrist joints take a lot of punishment, not just in our workouts but in our everyday lives. Our wrists take a major beating. We use them for everything, they are the vital link to the things that separate us from most of the mammalian world; fingers and opposable thumbs. We spend a lot of our time mobilizing our big muscle groups but how much time do you spend mobilization and stretching your joints?

Being in an industry where I am at a computer more than 80% of the tim, I need to keep my wrists flexible and healthy. While I don’t advise use of tape or strength wraps as a support while you type, I would suggest that you make time to stand up from your desk and perform some simple wrist stretches as well as spend time pre and post workout taking care of them. It won’t take long and it can only help you. A few simple stretches can be performed right where you stand or sit. Start with one arm extended palm facing up. Place your other hand on top of the fingers of the outreached hand and push down bending at the wrist. Your fingertips of the extended arm hand should be facing down and a stretch should be felt in the forearm and in the wrist. Repeat on the other arm. Another simple stretch is to clasp both hands in front, fingers intertwined. Roll both of your hands as one unit for a few cycles clockwise then a few cycles counterclockwise. A great drill I recently learned was the wall walk. Face a wall and position yourself so that your arms are extended and palms are flat against the wall. With your fingers facing up, walk your hands as far up and down as you can. Do that for a few sets. Then turn your hand around so that your fingers face down. Repeat the walking sequence up and down the wall as many times as you need.

A wrist injury can stop you from doing a lot of things, so taking care of them should be right up there with staying hydrated. Think about all the overhead and hanging movements we do. Take a few minutes a day to stretch and take care of your precious wrists.

Of course K-Starr has plenty of mobilizing videos. Check it out.

11.24.13 REST DAY

“Tallooooowwww, Is is meat you’re looking for?” is what Lionel Richie should have sang. I know, let’s just face it. I’m the coach with the puns and jokes. That’s how I roll. What is tallow? Well, other than replacing the word “hello” or singing the 1966 Donovan’s “Mellow Yellow” as “Mellow Tallow” it is, very simply, rendered beef fat. Rendering means melting down.

Tallow is a shelf stable form of beef fat. It can be made at home, the process is fairly involved and like anything done well, will take investment of your time and effort. I can’t go into details about how to make it; I’ve haven’t done it, yet. However, Brian from Brian’s Bowls turned me onto a company called Fat Works. I decided to try them. J&J Grassfed Beef also sells it, but at the time Fat Works was having a sale on leaf and tallow combo. Tallow is a good fat to have around the kitchen for several reasons. It has a very high smoke point. This means it resists heat very well and is good for frying even deep frying. Tallow is more hearty than using ghee, olive and coconut oils. Which, when heated past their smoke point can alter their taste or even burn. Tallow is 50% saturated fat, 42% monounsaturated fat, and only 4% polyunsaturated. Heating a primarily polyunsaturated fat like corn oils and then ingesting can lead to inflammation in your body. Inflammation bad. Tallow is also high in Vitamin D. Tallow, when strained properly, can even be reused.

Use of rendered animal fats is not a new concept. it’s been around long enough to have Biblical references. Lately with the ‘eating clean’ lifestyle and fusion eateries booming, you will more often than not see it on the menu. A popular food truck uses duck fat to deep fry their potatoes and then sells them to the lines and hoards of people seeking these golden sticks of amazement. A popular golden arches chain used to fry their fries in beef fat up until the late 1980’s, they have since switched to a all vegetable oil. Animal fats are also great at creating a golden crust when baking pies crusts and adds an extra depth of flavor to sweet and savory delights. It is a direct replacement for butter and shortening. While it can be used to cook one could also just eat it straight out of the jar. I can’t lie here. I dove into it spoon first the other day. It was really good, a little difficult to swallow but yummy in it’s beefy goodness. A great use is in place of salted butter from grass fed cows.Try it on top of sweet potatoes! Or use it to cook Sunday morning fried sweet potatoes. You can put a glob of this on really any vegetable that is enhanced with butter; asparagus, brussel sprouts and cauliflower to name a few. One thing that I would stay away form is replacing unsalted butter in Bulletproof Coffee. I can’t imagine that is going to taste very good.

You can order it from J&J Grassfed meats, our preferred meat distribution company and have it delivered to the gym. Go ahead and say “Hello” to tallow!

11.17.13 REST DAY

When is a Steak not a steak? It’s not a steak when it’s meat cut from the shoulder chuck of the cow, is ground up and flattened into a hamburger! Not one of my better jokes, but it’s kind of true. Apologies in advance to all of Vegtarian/Pescitarian/non carnivores. This post is going to be all about cows and a brief overview of what the different cuts of meat are called and what to do with them. I promise, there is a vegetable series in the works.

Most people have a general understanding of the cuts of meat. T-bones are good good for the grill, flank steaks are ideal for marination and ground beef can be used for a variety of cooking styles. Below I’ve broken out some of the more popular cuts, what I have learned and random knowledge that leaks out of my brain from my Mom, Alton Brown and America’s Test Kitchen. Unfortunately, only the last two have a show.

Flat Iron Steak: Flat Iron Steak is cut from the shoulder of the animal and is cut with the grain. Sometimes called a ‘top blade’ steak flat iron cuts have a large amount of marbling throughout. Generally this cut is good for pan searing or cutting into strips for stir frying.

Rib Eye Steaks: Ribeyes come from the rib of the animal, specifically 6 -12. Essentially it is a boneless prime rib and have a dense beef flavor, so not a lot of seasoning is needed beyond pepper and salt. Great for grill cooking, I have found that pan searing and finishing in the oven brings out the best flavor of this cut.

Porterhouse: Think of this cut as a giant T-Bone except cut further back in the lumbar region. Usually higher in price, this cut can easily be a meal for two and is usually offered at quality steakhouse restaurants.

Top Sirloin: Also called NY sirloin this inexpensive cut is from the hip of the animal. The tenderness and flavor are somewhat muted. This type of steak does well with seasoning and is ideal for pan cooking as a whole.

Skirt Steak: Skirt steak can be found in it’s whole form but is mostly seen pre sliced and marinated in a fajita type seasoning. It is cut from just behind the brisket, under and just behind the front legs of the animal. While it does have a heavy beef flavor it is not known to be very tender which is what makes it ideal for cutting and marinating in strip form.

Tri-tip: “This cut was made for grilling and grilling is what you should do. If your going to grill it for long then marinate it through and through” (sung to Nancy Sinatra’s “Boots Were Made for Walkin”) Full of flavor this is cut from the lower rear of the animal and is most easily identified in it’s whole from by it’s triangular shape. This is the cut the folks from Firebreather BBQ used when at the CFI 2013 games. Using dry rubs and marinade are the best way to compliment the flavor. Ideally, a covered gas or wood grill to cook to medium works best.

I could honestly just keep listing cuts of meat. I love cow. Fun fact: There are over 800 breeds of cattle around the world! Similarly there are over 30 variation on cuts of meat that come from a cow. So you can see how I can’t possibly go through them here. I would encourge the carnivorous athletes to visit you local butcher and get to know your cuts of meat or go to the J&J Grass Fed meats website to learn about what cuts they offer and have it delivered right to the gym!

11.10.13 REST DAY

These kind birthday greetings come courtesy of Sonia and Saulo. Have a great birthday David (P.S. I don’t have any cookies, read on to understand.)

Happy Birthday David!!!!

Let’s get the mushy stuff out of the way and recognize David as an amazing husband, father and most all, my BEST FRIEND. I can’t imagine my life with out him and I enjoy everyday with him. Now, onto a few fun facts about David that you didn’t know. He enjoys riding his motorcycle, will talk to our 2 English Bulldogs as if they will answer back, will laugh at a commercial again and again like it’s the first time he saw it, swears he grew 1 ½ inches at the age of 32, will claim his Cuban side before he claims his Mexican side, will pop lock in his sleep, plans on buying a drum set because Rock Band has made him into a professional drummer, was Katy Pery to my Russell Brand on Halloween, swears dessert comes before a meal and will cut you for a cookie if he has to.

-Sonia

Where to start… So many stories this post isn’t long enough….

Well I definitely won’t be giving David aka “Puppet” any “mushy stuff”, it wouldn’t be our style. I will say the following, (some may be able to relate): In the very short time I’ve known him as I trusted my brothers in the Corps. Enough of that, David’s top 10 countdown;

10. He literally will cut you if he even smells sweets on you, run!
9. He weighs himself every morning, just to see if he can afford to eat some sweets.
8. If you walk into his office unexpectedly, cover your ears you will hear his “drumming skills” John Bonham rolls over in his grave.
7. Every event in life can be covered by a movie clip.
6. Will eat any food left on his desk without hesitation.
5. Is a prankster till no end, we have a war that has been fuming for 2 years now,(we did call a seize fire, we are currently under negotiations), ask him about the Gorilla-glue and my office -.-
4. Cannot walk away from Ellotes, its a Mexican type donut and apparently crack to him.
3. He loves small paperclips, i don’t know it’s his thing. Everyone should bring him a box.
2. His biggest fear besides women taking over the world… Getting fat.
1. He once scared,(I still say bullied), a guy during his lunch break so much he left his food, and ran from the cafeteria.

-Saulo

11.03.13 REST DAY

It’s kind of a mouthful and a hard concept to grasp. At least it was for me the first time I heard it. It’s a very simple set of words with a world of very relatable meaning behind it. The basic concept is this; when we are young, we learn to read. Having learned to read we can then go on to enable ourselves to learn new things. Almost like the “teach a man to fish” adage. I find this to be very useful when attempting to learn a new skill in the gym. I first heard it from Carl Paoli of Gymnastics WOD. I understood the meaning but realizing the beauty of this short statement took some time.

My realization started with my observations of some athletes we have in the gym. I will Use Paul K. as a great example. Paul is a morning class regular. He is always continuing to hone and learn new skills. After a physically demanding WOD he will take time to rest and proceed to pick a jump rope up and work on his double unders. I’ve watched him ask for help from others and he has even asked myself. A common theme I hear from the advisor to him is that they learned from someone else in the gym. “So and so says to do this” or “So and so had me try this, maybe it can help you”. I think this is amazing. We all learn from each other and are able to pass the knowledge unto someone else using our own words. Maybe a drill you’ve been doing isn’t quite helping you reach your goals. Well, don’t get discouraged, three are plenty of variations of drills to help you. Hearing from someone else who has encountered these hurdles is always a great help too.

You coming into the gym and making the effort to learn a new skill is learning to read. We are always learning. Knowing what you want to learn, such a new skill means you can’t be afraid to read. Reading could in fact be actually reading, or asking a trainer and even watching others. Take it a step further. Watch videos or have someone take a video of you. Read yourself! As an example It was a long time before I was able to string any kind of jump rope. One day I decided to sit down and Google every double under video I could find. Then I took to recording myself. It was then that I understood the little adjustments I could make and try to imitate the people I saw in other videos. Yes, of course practice was involved but I felt watching myself and trying to emulate others helped a lot too. Next thing I knew, along came the consecutive dubs.

Use the tools we have, phones, ipads and most electronic devices with a camera. We are always learning to read so don’t be afraid to use what you already know and add to enhancing your skills by reading to learn. Everyone around you is a great resource, don’t be afraid to just reach out. It will help you get rid of your goats and mabe improve on some skills you already have.

Eating clean is recommended for your day to day health. While working out and being mobile are what help build strength and agility, nutrition is the base of all the effort you put into the gym. After all, the gym is a mere 5% of your day. Essentially the bulk of your day usually includes eating and sleeping. You may have participated in Intrepid in house nutrition challenges. You might be a newer member in which case stay up to date and look for a challenge in the fast approaching new year. If you have never really thought about what you feed yourself and want to start, here’s an easy tip. Read you food labels. Recently I was drinking a POM drink assuming it was just pomegranate juice. That’s fine right? While juice is really just a fast way to get fructose into my system, it wouldn’t kill me right? Just not the best way to get my fruit in but life goes on. Then, mid drink I turned the bottle around. One of the top ingredients “natural flavors”. What the? Adding natural flavors to something that is already natural? Confused I turned to the Google machine for answers.Needless to say I didn’t finish my POM drink.

The definition of natural flavor under the Code of Federal Regulations is: “the essential oil, oleoresin, essence or extractive, protein hydrolysate, distillate, or any product of roasting, heating or enzymolysis, which contains the flavoring constituents derived from a spice, fruit or fruit juice, vegetable or vegetable juice, edible yeast, herb, bark, bud, root, leaf or similar plant material, meat, seafood, poultry, eggs, dairy products, or fermentation products thereof, whose significant function in food is flavoring rather than nutritional”

Uhhhhmmmmm. Wow. Yes it’s a mouthful but the last line is what struck me like a train. “ . . significant function in food is flavoring rather than nutritional”. Chemicals to make my food taste like what you ‘think’ my food should taste like. And it could be any chemical in the world. It doesn’t have to be listed. So basically they could be using penguin feathers extract to make orange juice sweeter, or dandelions to make sausages more savory. I don’t know! And that’s the point. I have no idea what a ‘natural flavoring’ is. Granted, it’s probably not as extreme as those examples but rather an extract of whatever it is you are consuming which has then been modified in some way to enhance said food. Gross. This is why we should all read labels before putting things in our mouth. What you might think is ‘healthy’ or even things labeled as organic may have additives. This was a disappointing discovery for me and may already be well known to others. Make the right choice to fuel yourself and your families. Take a second to read labels. If anything looks sketchy, don’t buy it. In fact, I’d be willing to bet that the Google machine could find a suitable replacement that you could make at home that is all yours, all natural and will probably taste better.

10.20.13 REST DAY