Livestrong: Lance Armstrong Foundation

In June, Jeremy and I hosted a trial run with several employees at LAF and thankfully they invited CrossFit Central back this month to host a program as part of their Corporate Wellness initiatives. Today, just like the other CrossFit Central boot camps and indoor classes, I put the crew above thru a benchmark workout! While I thought they were gonna throw the medicine balls at me during the test - afterward, I could see the sense of accomplishment on many of their faces! It feels good to push yourself beyond your everyday limits. I can't wait to see this group progress over the next month. Thanks to Dylan, Betty, Brenda, Yvonne, Lindsey, Kelsey, Mona, and Haley for a great start to the month!

Lack of Sleep: what really happens to your body?

Blessed Chaos is a term I borrowed from my client, Laura, to describe the 3-2-1 GO GO GO GO lifestyle that I and so many of you live! Recently my life has been "full speed ahead"- Up at 5am every morning and weekends out of town or booked with events! The next two months hold a great deal of excitement for me: opening CrossFit Central at RunTex, launching new CrossFit Central ventures (Lance Armstrong Foundation and CFC endurance programs), Jack's Generic Triathlon and The Austin Triathlon - OH YEAH, did I mention my wedding Oct 2nd with all the parties and planning that entails!? All good things happening and I wouldn't have it any other way. However, it is in times like the these that one of the most essential needs gets neglected: SLEEP! After three weeks of seeing 5 am and 11pm combined with three weekends of travel, my workouts started to suffer, my productivity started to slump, and I noticed just a hint of a sore throat and body aches. All of these are lack of sleep symptoms. My body is telling me to slow down and rest! I will listen!
Humans on average need around 8 hours of sleep a night to recover from the day's activities. Sleep is an anabolic, or building, process and restores the body's energy supplies that the day's events depleted. We cannot maximize our mental or physical capacity if we do not allow time for the restoration and rebuilding to occur.
How it's supposed to work:
Our body is naturally set to a 24 hour sleep/wake cycle - the Circadian Cycle. We were programmed to rise and set with the sun and two major hormones were also set to follow this cycle: growth hormone and cortisol. During sleep our body releases growth hormone allowing the body to do it's repair work. On the other hand, cortisol is released with light simulation -and levels are high during the morning and scheduled to be lowest from 6pm to 6am. The growth hormone restore your body at night and cortisol regulates metabolism and insulin response during the day.
What really happens:
Modern life meddles with this process because we are constantly stimulated by light bulbs, tv's and computer screens prompting an "it's morning" response and causing a release of more cortisol and keeping us up late! To make up for the lack of sleep we drink coffee and often eat a muffin or other snack full of simple sugars or high fructose corn syrup. Well, white sugar and caffeine stimulate the adrenal glands to release even more cortisol. Since cortisol dictates how our body metabolizes fat, protein, and carbs we do not function well after the caffeine and sugar wears off. Now we have deprived ourselves of precious sleep (and growth hormone)needed for tissue repair, mental alertness and we've pumped body full of the stress hormone.
The Result:
In the end, if we do not make time for adequate sleep we set our physiology up to work against us! Instead of being productive, active, and mentally alert - we may start to feed our body with processed foods, "crashing" during meetings, and skipping workouts.

That said - it's 9:27pm and I am headed back to Fort Hood at 7am for day 2 of my CrossFit Level 1 Certification......so, GOODNIGHT! Take care of your body and it will take care of you.

2009 CrossFit Games - Double's C's in the top!

All the training, all the preparation, all the dedication and the 2009 CrossFit Games proved to be all CrossFit Central hoped for! CrossFit Central had an unprecedented 5 individuals qualify for the competition and a strong affiliate team also competing.
Affiliate team = 2nd Place
Carey Kepler = 3rd overall
Lindsey Smith = 5th overall
Crystal McReynolds = 9th overall
Jeremy Thiel = 16th overall
Lance Cantu = 34th overall.
These stats become more outstanding when you consider there were over 75 men, 75 women, and around 100 affiliate teams competing! As if the performances by the athletes weren't enough, CrossFit Central also had over 20 supporters travel out to California to be a part of the Games! Congratulations to all who competed.
If you're interested in exactly what these athletes when thru this weekend check it out! INTENSE. 8 workouts in 2 days.
DAY 1:
Event 1 - The RunThe first event is a 7.1km run through varied terrain including both asphalt and extremely steep hills off trail.
Event 2 - The DeadliftHeaviest successful deadlift completed lifting one rep every 30sec. Each competitor will begin at the first barbell, which weighs 315lbs for men and 185lbs for women. Dropping is permitted. The athlete then has 10sec plus any portion of the 20sec remaining to set up at the next bar, which is 10lbs heavier than the previous (so the second bar weighs 325/195). Athletes continue moving to progressively heavier bars until they fail. The athletes are ranked according to the heaviest successful weight lifted before failing.
Event 3 - The Sandbag Hill SprintThe men will pick up two 35lb sandbags (loosely packed) and sprint approximately 170m uphill. The sandbags begin flat on the ground. The sprint is steep in places, with approximately 100' in elevation gain over the 170m course. Women carry one 35lb sandbag for the same course.
Event 4 - Row / Hammer StakeRow 500mHammer a 4' metal stake into specially prepared, evenly compacted ground (women use a 3' stake)Row 500m
Event 5 - The CoupletThe two exercises are wallball and barbell snatch. The athletes performed 30 reps of each for 3 rounds as fast as possible.
DAY 2:
Event 1:
Event 2: As many rounds as possible in eight minutes of four handstand push-ups on paralletes, eight kettlebell swings (1.5/2 pood) and 12 GHD sit-ups. Every rep would be counted to determine a final score
Event 3: for time....
15 barbells cleans (155lb.)
30 toes to bar
30 box jumps (20 inches)
10 muscle-ups
30 push presses (45lb db's)
30 double-unders15 thrusters (135lbs)
30 pull-ups
30 burpees
Overhead walking lunges (45lbs)