It's so inspiring for us to watch our little studio grow everyday. Just yesterday we had our nutrition challenge kick-off seminar with about 30 people in the studio learning about exercise nutrition and Zone & Paleo. I realized something important too: I talk about performance through proper exercise nutrition with wellness as a consequence. When Mike & Shelly talk about nutrition, they talk about wellness and longevity through nutrition with performance as a consequence. I don't think that the two are a rigid dichotomy.
We also hired another trainer, Jeff Shackelford to support our growth and expansion. Not so much for his knowledge of personal training and his management style, but instead for his outstanding smile. It's a win-win situation. Really though, Jeff holds multiple certificates, is a veteran trainer bringing many years of experience as a personal trainer and personal training director and is someone who has already increased the value of the company. Great to have you aboard, Jeff.
As most of you know, we added literally "tons" of weight and equipment to the studio 3 weeks ago and it's working out great. We love the look of it in the studio and it's definitely getting its use everyday. With a little luck, we should be expanding the studio by 1000 sq ft ASAFP to bring us to 3500 sq ft (any suggestions on what we should actually do with the area would be great too! We're thinking daycare in the office, lifting platforms in the open area, and a retail section.).
This weekend 3 of our guests drove down to California to attend the Robb Wolf nutrition seminar and I'm really excited to hear about their experience. I'm (Chuck) still learning about The Paleo Diet for performance, so I can't wait to get their input. Mags, Frost & Trigger rock! (you have now been dubbed)
As far as the 365 WODs in a row, I've missed 3 days so far. The only reason is a massive shortage of time on my part, not because I'm a small and young feline (although my wife would sometime disagree. Do you know what she calls me just because I like to drink tea? Do you know what she CALLS the tea? I'm too much of a gentleman to tell you and it makes me blush anyway.) This week Drew, DFlood, Derek, Cian, Lynn, Nancy and I all set PR's on our deadlift. Cian was the big one at 445 lbs! Dan: 315. Derek: 295. Lynn: 165. Drew and I: 425. Sorry Nancy, I don't remember yours off the top of my head! 155?
Tomorrow, we'll see which route Chuck takes on the nutritional challenge. Tune in next time for dramatic conclusion!
Sunday, January 31, 2010
Sunday, January 24, 2010
This ain't so easy.
Well, I missed two days of exercise in a row. Not becasue I was fatigued or lethargic, but I was just so damned busy! I missed Firday and Saturday and I won't bore you with the details why.
So, today I woked up nice and early and went to SHARC for an 800m swim (imagine a potato sack filled with new york steaks and avacodos trolling through the water. I'm not very quick.) and 1.5mi run. I through in a few DB thrusters and stability ball atomic push ups too afterwards.
I didn't have anything to eat before hand because I felt good and fueled already. Some mornings I need some aminos before the WOD, and some I don't. It really depends on what I had to eat the day before, and because it was Gabriel's birthday party yesterday....well, nevermind. You get the idea.
So far, I have missed 3 days of solid exercise since the 31st of December. Still feeling good no matter what the WOD is like (endurance, strength or power). Constantly hungry becasue of all the catabolic reactions and EPOC too. Trying to cut out 99% of all sugars (monosacarides) and 100% dairy. No pastas, and really only have breads and hour or so after a WOD. Triming down slowly and losing about .75-1lb a week. Down roughly 6 pounds so far. JFlood asked if I was going to do the Paleo Challenge next week....still considering. Not out of the question. Also started to contact some of the nations best dieticians to put together a compliation of opinions on Paleo. Really excited about this.
As always, I welcome input, opinions, suggestions and tips.
Kick some butt Payton! Let's see him and The Old Man in the Super Bowl.
So, today I woked up nice and early and went to SHARC for an 800m swim (imagine a potato sack filled with new york steaks and avacodos trolling through the water. I'm not very quick.) and 1.5mi run. I through in a few DB thrusters and stability ball atomic push ups too afterwards.
I didn't have anything to eat before hand because I felt good and fueled already. Some mornings I need some aminos before the WOD, and some I don't. It really depends on what I had to eat the day before, and because it was Gabriel's birthday party yesterday....well, nevermind. You get the idea.
So far, I have missed 3 days of solid exercise since the 31st of December. Still feeling good no matter what the WOD is like (endurance, strength or power). Constantly hungry becasue of all the catabolic reactions and EPOC too. Trying to cut out 99% of all sugars (monosacarides) and 100% dairy. No pastas, and really only have breads and hour or so after a WOD. Triming down slowly and losing about .75-1lb a week. Down roughly 6 pounds so far. JFlood asked if I was going to do the Paleo Challenge next week....still considering. Not out of the question. Also started to contact some of the nations best dieticians to put together a compliation of opinions on Paleo. Really excited about this.
As always, I welcome input, opinions, suggestions and tips.
Kick some butt Payton! Let's see him and The Old Man in the Super Bowl.
Friday, January 22, 2010
Clarity on Paleo Vs. Sports Nutrition
I've got some great emails back on my post I made about Paleo and Sports Nutrition and I thank everyone for taking the time to respond. And as always, I need to put some clarity on my personal stance.
I have always believed that Paleo is an excellent way to cut or taper and improve body composition. This is why we agreed when our CrossFit nutrition instructor, Mike, asked to spearhead the Paleo project. Most of our clients want to trim down body fat and be overall healthy. Paleo is a great transition from the typical, modern diet to a healthy, and still "clean" way of eating. We have seen some excellent success from our clients who are on Paleo and some have even signed up to continue their education by attending the nutrition summit with Robb Wolf. Like I said, I really admire that dedication.
Sports nutrition and individualization is and always has been my first love when it comes to fitness. While training to become a professional boxer, I learned from a great nutritionist, specific to boxing (Important point here: I needed a diet to support my "sport", hence the adaptation to sports nutrition). Over the last 8 years, I've had the chance to study and learn from some of the worlds best professional in the industry. As recently as last summer, I attended a seminar with the world famous Paul Chek, owner of the CHEK Institute in California. Mr. Chek pretty much spent the entire hour bashing Barry Sears, Dr. Atkins, Dr. Ornish, and anyone else who has made up a regimented diet. While he had some good points, I didn't appreciate how harsh he was and I really hope that I didn't come off like Mr. Chek. I deeply appologize if I did and I ask for your forgiveness. While he was right when he said that one diet cannot work for everyone, I do believe that they can work for MOST people and I see no reason why someone (not withstanding metabolic conditions) could not have success on one of these.
My goal has always been working toward optimal performance. In these last 8 years, I have learned that optimal performance in the sports arena can only be achieved via sports nutrition. Now, I have to find a definition of "sports nutrition". Is Zone considered sports nutrition? Paleo? What is sports nutrition and what is not? Should EVERYONE who is on an exercise program be on a sports nutrition diet? Absolutely not because that would be a one-size-fits-all approach. What I do want is for everyone to perform optimally at their sport, or anything they do. When training for boxing, I would train 2 and sometimes 3 x's per day. This burned a huge amount of calories and I constantly needed to replenish my glycogen stores to perform optimally and recover for the next day of training. Could I have done this on Paleo? Probably, but that would have been a heck of a lot of brocolli, fish oil, and eggs.
Can Paleo replenish glycogen stores, support muscluar hypertrophy and fuel metabolic functions? I have read Paleo for Athletes, and that's a little different, but again, what's the overall training goal?
Some clients regularly tell me that while they do want to feel good, what's really important is looking good in a bathing suit. Over the years, this is really what the majority of our clients have always wanted. If tapering, feeling good and looking great is your goal, then quite honestly Paleo and/or Zone is probably for you, if you have the dedication to stick with it. If optimal sports performance is your goal, then a sports nutrtion diet is probably for you.
What about "The Sport of Fitness?" Can you perform well at the sport of fitness when following Zone or Paleo? Absolutely. Here's why: These events in CrossFit are not long in length. Because the time component is relatively short, there is plenty of time for recovery before the next event.
I want people to have the opportunity to choose for themselves which option works best for them. This is why Mike will continue to teach &coach Zone and Paleo in his classes. I think it's great to have multiple disciplines for everyone to experience when learning about nutrition. Maybe in the future I'll be 100% on board. Oh yes, one more thing. Here's a list of things I do not recommend, and I would like your feedback:
Dairy, including
cheese
cows milk
cottage cheese, cream cheese,
half and half and dairy based creamers
Monosaccaride & simple sugars
High glycemic breads
Non-wheat pasta
High glycemic cereals
Fruit juices
Peanut & peanut butters
I have always believed that Paleo is an excellent way to cut or taper and improve body composition. This is why we agreed when our CrossFit nutrition instructor, Mike, asked to spearhead the Paleo project. Most of our clients want to trim down body fat and be overall healthy. Paleo is a great transition from the typical, modern diet to a healthy, and still "clean" way of eating. We have seen some excellent success from our clients who are on Paleo and some have even signed up to continue their education by attending the nutrition summit with Robb Wolf. Like I said, I really admire that dedication.
Sports nutrition and individualization is and always has been my first love when it comes to fitness. While training to become a professional boxer, I learned from a great nutritionist, specific to boxing (Important point here: I needed a diet to support my "sport", hence the adaptation to sports nutrition). Over the last 8 years, I've had the chance to study and learn from some of the worlds best professional in the industry. As recently as last summer, I attended a seminar with the world famous Paul Chek, owner of the CHEK Institute in California. Mr. Chek pretty much spent the entire hour bashing Barry Sears, Dr. Atkins, Dr. Ornish, and anyone else who has made up a regimented diet. While he had some good points, I didn't appreciate how harsh he was and I really hope that I didn't come off like Mr. Chek. I deeply appologize if I did and I ask for your forgiveness. While he was right when he said that one diet cannot work for everyone, I do believe that they can work for MOST people and I see no reason why someone (not withstanding metabolic conditions) could not have success on one of these.
My goal has always been working toward optimal performance. In these last 8 years, I have learned that optimal performance in the sports arena can only be achieved via sports nutrition. Now, I have to find a definition of "sports nutrition". Is Zone considered sports nutrition? Paleo? What is sports nutrition and what is not? Should EVERYONE who is on an exercise program be on a sports nutrition diet? Absolutely not because that would be a one-size-fits-all approach. What I do want is for everyone to perform optimally at their sport, or anything they do. When training for boxing, I would train 2 and sometimes 3 x's per day. This burned a huge amount of calories and I constantly needed to replenish my glycogen stores to perform optimally and recover for the next day of training. Could I have done this on Paleo? Probably, but that would have been a heck of a lot of brocolli, fish oil, and eggs.
Can Paleo replenish glycogen stores, support muscluar hypertrophy and fuel metabolic functions? I have read Paleo for Athletes, and that's a little different, but again, what's the overall training goal?
Some clients regularly tell me that while they do want to feel good, what's really important is looking good in a bathing suit. Over the years, this is really what the majority of our clients have always wanted. If tapering, feeling good and looking great is your goal, then quite honestly Paleo and/or Zone is probably for you, if you have the dedication to stick with it. If optimal sports performance is your goal, then a sports nutrtion diet is probably for you.
What about "The Sport of Fitness?" Can you perform well at the sport of fitness when following Zone or Paleo? Absolutely. Here's why: These events in CrossFit are not long in length. Because the time component is relatively short, there is plenty of time for recovery before the next event.
I want people to have the opportunity to choose for themselves which option works best for them. This is why Mike will continue to teach &coach Zone and Paleo in his classes. I think it's great to have multiple disciplines for everyone to experience when learning about nutrition. Maybe in the future I'll be 100% on board. Oh yes, one more thing. Here's a list of things I do not recommend, and I would like your feedback:
Dairy, including
cheese
cows milk
cottage cheese, cream cheese,
half and half and dairy based creamers
Monosaccaride & simple sugars
High glycemic breads
Non-wheat pasta
High glycemic cereals
Fruit juices
Peanut & peanut butters
Thursday, January 21, 2010
Nutrition for Muscle
Nutrition for Muscle
(note - To converty body weight to kilograms, divide body weight by 2.25)
A. How many calories do you need?
1. Recommendation 1000-3500 additional Calories/week
2. Bodybuilders consume 44-50 Cal/kg/day
3. A high calorie diet is crucial for building muscle
B. How much protein do you need?
1. Sedentary person recommendation:.8g/kg/day
2. Recommendation for building muscle: 1.2g - 1.7g protein/kg/day
3. Upper recommendation: 1.6 to 1.7g/kg/day
C. How much carbohydrate do you need?
1. During high intensity exercise carbohydrate is the predominant fuel.
2. If carb levels are not restored, muscle detraining will result
3.To adequately replace used carb stores after high intensity exercise, 7-12g/kg of carbs must be
consumed over the next 24 hours - which is very hard for most individuals to achieve.
4. High calorie diets are NECESSARY to achieve 7-12g/kg of carbs intake
5. Since to OPTIMALLY build muscle requires high intensity workouts, "carb periodization" is
suggested.
6. Carb periodization refers to taking in 7-12g/kg/day of carbs after high intensity exercise bouts and 5- 7g/kg/day of carbs prior to easier days of training.
7. Quality carbs include whole-grain breads, pastas, fruits, granola, cereals & veggies.
D. How much fat do you need to build muscle?
1. Fat is an essential nutrient contained in every cell of the body
2. The recommendation to achieve a fat intake of between 15-35% of the Calories of the diet with focus
on mono & poly-unsaturated fat sources.
3. When the goal is to build muscle, fat intake will fluctuate with carb intake.
4. To get optimal levels of fat, carb must be decreased - to get optimal levels of carbs, fat must be decreased (protein is usually kept constant at ~1.7g/kg/day)
5. Ther are negative consequences associated with lower levels of fat and lower levels of carb, so to keep levels of fat AND carbs HIGH, periodizatioin techniques are useful.
6. Healthful fat sources include almond butter, canola & olive oil, fish, seeds (supplements as well, including high quality fish oil, & Udo's blen oil)
E. To periodize a muscle-building diet us the following formulas:
1. Estabilsh total Calorie intake =
47 Calories x kg of body weight = amount of total calories to build muscle
2. Estabilish protein intake at 1.7g/kg/day =
1.7g x kg of body weight - Protein/day
3. Estabilish carb cycle of 5-9g/kg/day (12 is just too difficult and too much food) =
9g x kg of body weight = carbs - HIGH INTENSITY DAY
5g x kg of body weight = carbs - LOW INTENSITY DAY
4. Allow fat to rill in the remaining Calories
Total Calories - (Protein Calories + Carb Calories)
5. REMEMBER to work with the dietician as we are not RD or LN!
The simple way of looking at it is to focus on quality carb intake after high intensity workouts and healthful fat intake after low intensity workouts.
F. How do you add CARDIO to a periodized diet?
1. Add Calories - at least 300-500 Calories a day when on a moderate cardio program (150 minutes a week)
2. Since we expend the extra energy, extra energy needs to be restored - this is the main reason why people find it extremely difficult to do cardio and build muscle at the same time (extra Calories must be added to an already very high-Calorie diet)
Kraemer, W. (2004). Fundamentals of resistance training: Progression and exercise prescription. Medicine & Science in Sports and Exercise. Volume 36, #4, 674-688.
Volek, J.S. (2004). Influence of nutrition on responses to resistance training. Medicine & Scheince in Sports and Exercise. Volume 36, #4 689-696.
Kleiner, S.M. (2001). Power Eating (2nd Edition). Human Kinetics Publishers.
Kravitz, L. & Block, P. (2004). Training for Strength: Nutrition for Muscle. Symposium.
Manore, M. & thompson, J. (2000). Sport Nutrition for Health & Performance, Human Kinetics Pub.
(note - To converty body weight to kilograms, divide body weight by 2.25)
A. How many calories do you need?
1. Recommendation 1000-3500 additional Calories/week
2. Bodybuilders consume 44-50 Cal/kg/day
3. A high calorie diet is crucial for building muscle
B. How much protein do you need?
1. Sedentary person recommendation:.8g/kg/day
2. Recommendation for building muscle: 1.2g - 1.7g protein/kg/day
3. Upper recommendation: 1.6 to 1.7g/kg/day
C. How much carbohydrate do you need?
1. During high intensity exercise carbohydrate is the predominant fuel.
2. If carb levels are not restored, muscle detraining will result
3.To adequately replace used carb stores after high intensity exercise, 7-12g/kg of carbs must be
consumed over the next 24 hours - which is very hard for most individuals to achieve.
4. High calorie diets are NECESSARY to achieve 7-12g/kg of carbs intake
5. Since to OPTIMALLY build muscle requires high intensity workouts, "carb periodization" is
suggested.
6. Carb periodization refers to taking in 7-12g/kg/day of carbs after high intensity exercise bouts and 5- 7g/kg/day of carbs prior to easier days of training.
7. Quality carbs include whole-grain breads, pastas, fruits, granola, cereals & veggies.
D. How much fat do you need to build muscle?
1. Fat is an essential nutrient contained in every cell of the body
2. The recommendation to achieve a fat intake of between 15-35% of the Calories of the diet with focus
on mono & poly-unsaturated fat sources.
3. When the goal is to build muscle, fat intake will fluctuate with carb intake.
4. To get optimal levels of fat, carb must be decreased - to get optimal levels of carbs, fat must be decreased (protein is usually kept constant at ~1.7g/kg/day)
5. Ther are negative consequences associated with lower levels of fat and lower levels of carb, so to keep levels of fat AND carbs HIGH, periodizatioin techniques are useful.
6. Healthful fat sources include almond butter, canola & olive oil, fish, seeds (supplements as well, including high quality fish oil, & Udo's blen oil)
E. To periodize a muscle-building diet us the following formulas:
1. Estabilsh total Calorie intake =
47 Calories x kg of body weight = amount of total calories to build muscle
2. Estabilish protein intake at 1.7g/kg/day =
1.7g x kg of body weight - Protein/day
3. Estabilish carb cycle of 5-9g/kg/day (12 is just too difficult and too much food) =
9g x kg of body weight = carbs - HIGH INTENSITY DAY
5g x kg of body weight = carbs - LOW INTENSITY DAY
4. Allow fat to rill in the remaining Calories
Total Calories - (Protein Calories + Carb Calories)
5. REMEMBER to work with the dietician as we are not RD or LN!
The simple way of looking at it is to focus on quality carb intake after high intensity workouts and healthful fat intake after low intensity workouts.
F. How do you add CARDIO to a periodized diet?
1. Add Calories - at least 300-500 Calories a day when on a moderate cardio program (150 minutes a week)
2. Since we expend the extra energy, extra energy needs to be restored - this is the main reason why people find it extremely difficult to do cardio and build muscle at the same time (extra Calories must be added to an already very high-Calorie diet)
Kraemer, W. (2004). Fundamentals of resistance training: Progression and exercise prescription. Medicine & Science in Sports and Exercise. Volume 36, #4, 674-688.
Volek, J.S. (2004). Influence of nutrition on responses to resistance training. Medicine & Scheince in Sports and Exercise. Volume 36, #4 689-696.
Kleiner, S.M. (2001). Power Eating (2nd Edition). Human Kinetics Publishers.
Kravitz, L. & Block, P. (2004). Training for Strength: Nutrition for Muscle. Symposium.
Manore, M. & thompson, J. (2000). Sport Nutrition for Health & Performance, Human Kinetics Pub.
Paleo & Strength
This may not be the most popular post in the CrossFit community, but I'm really looking for insight here from anyone.
I do not believe anyone will develop optimal gains in strength or muscle mass following a Paleo diet. I especially do not believe that a female can progress to a muscle up, pull up, ring dip, sustained L-sit, hand-stand push up or 2X bodyweight deadlift & other strength events when following a strict Paleo diet. I believe that a diet like Paleo is not sufficient enough in calories to elicit muscular growth/hypertrophy required for improving strength. Individuals may be able to maintain muscle mass while on Paleo, however they would need a sports nutrition diet to see increases in muscular size and strength for optimal performance.
Outside of the a new client to CrossFit or any periodized training routine, an experienced fit pro will most likely plateau due to a lack of calories while on Paleo. The following is an example of the caloric expenditure of the average female CrossFitter:
1) Resting metabolic rate (RMR) 1000cal/day
2) Daily activity 700 cal/day (very low and conservative)
3) WOD 600-700 cal/day (one hour session)
4) Total = 2300-2400 cal/day
In order to simply maintain their current mass & strength, one would have to consume an equal amount of calories. To cut weight, one would reduce this number by 10-20%. To build, one would increase this amount by 10-20% and be on a strength training program, not the MetCon that is often associated with CrossFit. If you're trying to get close to 3000cal/day on Paleo, good luck. It's not impossible and I really would admire your dedication.
If your a man or woman and your not seeing the gains in strength you REALLY want, this is the reason why. Remember ladies, us guys have a nice little gland that produces testosterone, so we have the unfair advantage to build mass and burn body fat quicker. There are also genetically gifted people who will get stronger simply by walking to the bathroom & eating a big mac for breakfast. I'm not one of those, but these outliers do exist.
Essentially, you will have two choices: 1) Build strength or; 2) Tapper/cut to your desired weight. It's not impossible to do both, but it's very, very time consuming and difficult.
Don't hate me, I'm sensitive.
I do not believe anyone will develop optimal gains in strength or muscle mass following a Paleo diet. I especially do not believe that a female can progress to a muscle up, pull up, ring dip, sustained L-sit, hand-stand push up or 2X bodyweight deadlift & other strength events when following a strict Paleo diet. I believe that a diet like Paleo is not sufficient enough in calories to elicit muscular growth/hypertrophy required for improving strength. Individuals may be able to maintain muscle mass while on Paleo, however they would need a sports nutrition diet to see increases in muscular size and strength for optimal performance.
Outside of the a new client to CrossFit or any periodized training routine, an experienced fit pro will most likely plateau due to a lack of calories while on Paleo. The following is an example of the caloric expenditure of the average female CrossFitter:
1) Resting metabolic rate (RMR) 1000cal/day
2) Daily activity 700 cal/day (very low and conservative)
3) WOD 600-700 cal/day (one hour session)
4) Total = 2300-2400 cal/day
In order to simply maintain their current mass & strength, one would have to consume an equal amount of calories. To cut weight, one would reduce this number by 10-20%. To build, one would increase this amount by 10-20% and be on a strength training program, not the MetCon that is often associated with CrossFit. If you're trying to get close to 3000cal/day on Paleo, good luck. It's not impossible and I really would admire your dedication.
If your a man or woman and your not seeing the gains in strength you REALLY want, this is the reason why. Remember ladies, us guys have a nice little gland that produces testosterone, so we have the unfair advantage to build mass and burn body fat quicker. There are also genetically gifted people who will get stronger simply by walking to the bathroom & eating a big mac for breakfast. I'm not one of those, but these outliers do exist.
Essentially, you will have two choices: 1) Build strength or; 2) Tapper/cut to your desired weight. It's not impossible to do both, but it's very, very time consuming and difficult.
Don't hate me, I'm sensitive.
Wednesday, January 20, 2010
Happy Humpty Strength Day
Time for Wednesday strength in the studio today. It's always great to have the fire-breathing
CrossFitters in class to show us how it's done. Today, our strength WOD was strength:
CrossFitters in class to show us how it's done. Today, our strength WOD was strength:
Linda -- not for time. Max rep body weight bench press and max pull ups (I chose deadhang to emphasize strength, not kipping for power) 5 rounds.
Also, a quick metcon post WOD by Dawna, our Senior Intern: Partner - Run 400m/Kettlebell swing
Run/Box jump, run/burpee. I like it!
Ashley, our newest intern is a great
addition to our studio. Welcome Ashley!
Nancy made and unexpected visit to class today. Alway great to watch her kick some butt. And I mean KICK butt! 
95lbs! Awesome job ladies!
That shirt looks good on you Champ!
Great action shot!
95lbs! Awesome job ladies!
That shirt looks good on you Champ!
Great action shot!
Thursday, January 14, 2010
Choosing a way to donate
Father Peter and Brother Santos made it safely to Florida, but they will be delayed in flying to Haiti because of their airport restrictions. I know that there are hundreds of thousands of American citizens in need of some kind of assistance right now, and we do feel called to help them when we can. However, we also want to assist our fellow brothers and sisters in neighboring countries who are GREATLY suffering from any tragedy, and not because of a narcissistic drive in a part of our soul, but just as a duty as a citizen of the world to help those who cannot help themselves.
I would like to encourage all of you to donate online to alleviate the devistation the people of Haiti have experienced. Below is a list of link to make it a little easier for you.
With warmth & thanks,
Chuck & Shelly Gonzales
This is a link to The American Red Cross, where you can donate online:
http://american.redcross.org/site/PageServer?pagename=ntld_main&s_subsrc=RCO_ResponseStateSection
Medical Teams International. I like this organization just based on their mission: "To demonstrate the love of Christ to people affected by disaster, conflict and poverty around the world."
http://www.medicalteams.org/sf/donate.aspx
Haiti Foundation of Hope
http://www.haitifoundationofhope.org/donate.php
Mercy Corps
Forward Edge
Perhaps the easiest: Donate by texting $10.
Doctors without boarders
The Salvation Army
Milagros
I would like to encourage all of you to donate online to alleviate the devistation the people of Haiti have experienced. Below is a list of link to make it a little easier for you.
With warmth & thanks,
Chuck & Shelly Gonzales
This is a link to The American Red Cross, where you can donate online:
http://american.redcross.org/site/PageServer?pagename=ntld_main&s_subsrc=RCO_ResponseStateSection
Medical Teams International. I like this organization just based on their mission: "To demonstrate the love of Christ to people affected by disaster, conflict and poverty around the world."
http://www.medicalteams.org/sf/donate.aspx
Haiti Foundation of Hope
http://www.haitifoundationofhope.org/donate.php
Mercy Corps
Forward Edge
Perhaps the easiest: Donate by texting $10.
Doctors without boarders
The Salvation Army
Milagros
Tuesday, January 12, 2010
LIving in a state of gratitude
Today in the studio was one no one can forget. Thank to an incredible Charlie's Angel investor, we were able to transform our studio into a true strength facility. We really don't know what to say, or even how to feel. I think we're kind of numb, and it hasn't quite set in yet. Part of me (the Chuck part) is thinking "holy crap this is awesome!" And the other part (the Shelly part) is thinking "OMG WTH did we just do?"
Saying "THANK YOU" just doesn't do our gratitude justice, and we just hope that all of you enjoy our new toys.
Cant' wait to hear what everyone think about it.
With warmth and thanks,
Chuck & Shelly
Saying "THANK YOU" just doesn't do our gratitude justice, and we just hope that all of you enjoy our new toys.
Cant' wait to hear what everyone think about it.
With warmth and thanks,
Chuck & Shelly
Monday, January 11, 2010
CrossFit day 12
I started this on possibly December 31st, but it could have been the 30th. It's day 12 for sure though.
I'm still looking in the mirror each morning for any sign of an ab, but I think they may be hibernating for the winter.
Today's WOD
3 rounds not for time
20 pull ups
30 push ups
40 sit ups
50 squats.
I thought that my legs would be pretty sore from yesterdays 700 lunges, but they're not too bad. Fran is much worse for me the next day. Today, I was jam packed with just...stuff to do. Little stuff, big stuff, work stuff, home stuff, etc. I was home with Gav all day today and I just didn't make it out for a WOD like I had hoped. I had to wait until after dinner to start a WOD, and let me tell you, I think I would have rather sat through The Notebook than start a WOD at 8:50 PM. 3 rounds took me a little less than 30 minutes, which is kind of pathetic, but when it's just you in a cramped garage hoping that your kip doesn't knock anything shelf, I was just happy to finish.
I'm not getting tired of the day to day WODs, and my body feels pretty good so far. Shoulder, hips, ankles, joints - check. Heart rate - check. Smelly clothes - check. Man, when I was boxing I felt so sorry for Shelly because more often than not, she was the one picking up after me and washing my nasty sweats that would usually sit in my gymbag for a couple of days until some notice and said "what's that smell?"
I can tell you that I am definitely NOT stretching the way that I should. When I lead a class, that's the only time I take time to stretch out, and even then, it's not anything very sifnificant. A cat stretch here, and childs pose there and BOOM! Thanks for coming, see you tomorrow and back to work it is.
Tomorrow may be a lifting day. I'm feeling like I need to work on some overhead strength & chest strength. Will probably give the legs a break, and hey, I may even hit some forearms (don't tell the Crossfitters).
Now, off to my date with quickbooks.
I'm still looking in the mirror each morning for any sign of an ab, but I think they may be hibernating for the winter.
Today's WOD
3 rounds not for time
20 pull ups
30 push ups
40 sit ups
50 squats.
I thought that my legs would be pretty sore from yesterdays 700 lunges, but they're not too bad. Fran is much worse for me the next day. Today, I was jam packed with just...stuff to do. Little stuff, big stuff, work stuff, home stuff, etc. I was home with Gav all day today and I just didn't make it out for a WOD like I had hoped. I had to wait until after dinner to start a WOD, and let me tell you, I think I would have rather sat through The Notebook than start a WOD at 8:50 PM. 3 rounds took me a little less than 30 minutes, which is kind of pathetic, but when it's just you in a cramped garage hoping that your kip doesn't knock anything shelf, I was just happy to finish.
I'm not getting tired of the day to day WODs, and my body feels pretty good so far. Shoulder, hips, ankles, joints - check. Heart rate - check. Smelly clothes - check. Man, when I was boxing I felt so sorry for Shelly because more often than not, she was the one picking up after me and washing my nasty sweats that would usually sit in my gymbag for a couple of days until some notice and said "what's that smell?"
I can tell you that I am definitely NOT stretching the way that I should. When I lead a class, that's the only time I take time to stretch out, and even then, it's not anything very sifnificant. A cat stretch here, and childs pose there and BOOM! Thanks for coming, see you tomorrow and back to work it is.
Tomorrow may be a lifting day. I'm feeling like I need to work on some overhead strength & chest strength. Will probably give the legs a break, and hey, I may even hit some forearms (don't tell the Crossfitters).
Now, off to my date with quickbooks.
Saturday, January 9, 2010
Supplement recommendations
There have been quite a few people who have asked us what we think about supplements. Our answer: Like trainers, doctors & lawyers, some are better than others.
There are definitely some supplements that we like to take ourselves, but because we are not dietician or nutritionist, we cannot prescribe or even recommend products. Officially, we can only inform you of the benefits of such supplements and which ones have and have not worked for us.
1. Whey Protein
Most of you know that Shelly and I are not huge fans of dairy. Namely because it's not illegal to feed dairy cattle sewage, motor oil, and other pieces of deceased cattle. We know that not all farmers feed their cattle motor oil, so we usually try to my from local, sometimes organic farms. What's my point? Whey protein is a dairy product and comes from cheese (basically). We do take whey protein at certain times of the day.
Whey protein is can be found pretty much anywhere. It's a quick digesting protein and has been popular in recent years to take immediately post workout with some kind of carbohydrate to promote absorption. While it is great to have whey post workout, we also take whey sometimes in the mid-day, mixed with fruits, oats & oils to create viscosity in the gut and act as a time released meal. When fats and fiber are added to any meal, it slows down movement out of the gut and through the intestines, slowly releasing nutrients to the body for energy.
2. Multi-vitamin
A MV is pretty much your supplemental collision insurance for the body. It covers what what your normal comprehensive insurance (e.g., your whole food intake) does not. It should not be relied on for complete coverage because if you get in a wreck, your screwed...basically.
3. Muscle Milk
There was a time when I didn't like or ever suggest muscle milk, for one reason - collostrum. Collsstrum is a milk that is produced by mothers during the first stages of breast feeding. Mother, remember when your milk "first came in?" That was collostrum. I never believed that homo-sapien adults needed to take collostrum. At some point, the chemists changed the structure of the blend, and to the best of my knowledge, collostrum is no longer included in Muscle milk. I really like this because it's quick and easy and yummy. I usually pick mine up at Costco in the easy drink packs.
4.
Amino Vital
This is a blend of Branch Chain Amino Acids (BCAA). These aminos are what your body dips into during high intensity and prolonged events. I never feel like I get fatigued when I take this supplement. I take the original 2,400 mg blend. It does have aspertame in it, but the other form made with Stevia is nasty. I take this 30 prior to and immediately after SOME fast glycolytic WODs (10k, 5k, Fight Gone Bad, Cindy or Chelsey, etc).
to be continued....
There are definitely some supplements that we like to take ourselves, but because we are not dietician or nutritionist, we cannot prescribe or even recommend products. Officially, we can only inform you of the benefits of such supplements and which ones have and have not worked for us.
1. Whey Protein
Most of you know that Shelly and I are not huge fans of dairy. Namely because it's not illegal to feed dairy cattle sewage, motor oil, and other pieces of deceased cattle. We know that not all farmers feed their cattle motor oil, so we usually try to my from local, sometimes organic farms. What's my point? Whey protein is a dairy product and comes from cheese (basically). We do take whey protein at certain times of the day.
Whey protein is can be found pretty much anywhere. It's a quick digesting protein and has been popular in recent years to take immediately post workout with some kind of carbohydrate to promote absorption. While it is great to have whey post workout, we also take whey sometimes in the mid-day, mixed with fruits, oats & oils to create viscosity in the gut and act as a time released meal. When fats and fiber are added to any meal, it slows down movement out of the gut and through the intestines, slowly releasing nutrients to the body for energy.
2. Multi-vitamin
A MV is pretty much your supplemental collision insurance for the body. It covers what what your normal comprehensive insurance (e.g., your whole food intake) does not. It should not be relied on for complete coverage because if you get in a wreck, your screwed...basically.
3. Muscle Milk
There was a time when I didn't like or ever suggest muscle milk, for one reason - collostrum. Collsstrum is a milk that is produced by mothers during the first stages of breast feeding. Mother, remember when your milk "first came in?" That was collostrum. I never believed that homo-sapien adults needed to take collostrum. At some point, the chemists changed the structure of the blend, and to the best of my knowledge, collostrum is no longer included in Muscle milk. I really like this because it's quick and easy and yummy. I usually pick mine up at Costco in the easy drink packs.
4.
Amino Vital
This is a blend of Branch Chain Amino Acids (BCAA). These aminos are what your body dips into during high intensity and prolonged events. I never feel like I get fatigued when I take this supplement. I take the original 2,400 mg blend. It does have aspertame in it, but the other form made with Stevia is nasty. I take this 30 prior to and immediately after SOME fast glycolytic WODs (10k, 5k, Fight Gone Bad, Cindy or Chelsey, etc).
to be continued....
Tuesday, January 5, 2010
The Pacific Personal Training/CrossFit Hillsboro Difference
* What is the Pacific Personal Training/CrossFit Hillsboro difference? -
Not to be confused with a gym, our model is not and never will be an open gym concept. We are a personal training studio that emphasizes one-on-one sessions and small group personal training in the form of CrossFit classes. We are the “anti-gym”. We do not compete against Bally’s, 24 Hour Fitness, or L.A. Fitness. We have NO membership fees, initiation fees, or long term contracts. Here, you will not find mirrors, a juice bar, flat screens, or a sauna.
We only charge for training, because that’s all we do. Whether you are in for a one-on-one session with your trainer or a CrossFit session, you are receiving world-class coaching, programming, motivation and accountability you would expect from a personal trainer. We compete against personal trainers, not gyms.
In speaking with one of our gals today about what it would take to get her into class more often, she revealed to me that she was holding onto her family membership at the gym, although her family rarely used it. The monthly price was relatively inexpensive and it was convenient to take her son there for swimming lessons, but…(What she said next was the clincher)…She confessed that working out there was nothing like working out with us. AND, that she is experiencing awesome results with us AND actually misses working out with us on the days she isn’t here! Why is this a big deal, you may ask? Well, let me ask you, why do you work out? If you are like most people, you would say that it’s because you want to look great and feel great. If you aren’t seeing results on your own, even if you are only paying $30-$50/month, is it worth it to you? Everyone at the highest level of their game works with a trainer. That is where we come in. We provide elite level training and coaching for a very affordable price. The community support and camaraderie is just a very nice bonus. In keeping our group classes small, we are better able to take care of each person’s individual needs, such as adjusting for modifications, pushing you a little bit harder, as well as ensuring your safety.
I hate to be the bearer of bad news here, but your gym actually prefers that you don’t use your membership. It costs them $ when you do! They’ll still go on and debit your checking account each month regardless. You won’t receive a phone call wondering where you’ve been and when you’re coming back. They do not want to “awaken the sleeping giant” as they call it. If you show up they actually have to work!
WE don’t want your money unless you are reaping the benefits of your membership. There’s no satisfaction in that for us.
Considering that the typical cost for a one hour personal training session can run anywhere between $50-$100, an unlimited monthly membership at CrossFit Hillsboro is an amazing bargain! It breaks down to about $12 per hour, to be exact, if you are attending 4 classes per week.
You get the best deal in town training at PPT/CH. We do not sell you any of these amenities and we never plan to. We only sell you the personal training. Come and get coached, break your previous records, have your friends push you beyond your limits. Everyone who trains at PPT/CH consistently surpasses all expectations they came in with. Everyone succeeds! There are no exceptions. If you do not want to make the commitment to training here every day, you can do both. Go to your regular gym and come to us 2x or 3x a week for your training. Come to PPT/CH for a monthly seminar, event, competition or Saturday workout. Come every day and be in the best possible shape of your life- GUARANTEED. Contact us for your free 7-day guest pass and experience what you’ve been missing.
21-15-9 Clean & Push Press
21-15-9 Clean & Push Press 75/45
& Gorilla Burpees
Janal!
Zane-o! Back in the House!
The one who makes it all happen. 
Lunge 50' - 1 push up
Lunge 50' - 2 push ups
continue to 10 push ups
wish I had pics of these
BOSU CORE
Side Lying Plank hip extension
Side Lying Plank trunk rotationSide Lying Plank trunk rotation with reach through.
Shelly's class this afternoon did a partner workout with a 100 count kettlebell snatch. Sets of 10. Each time they had to set it down they had to run 500m too.
Janal!
Zane-o! Back in the House!
The one who makes it all happen. 
Sunday, January 3, 2010
365 WODs
I came up with an idea to try 365 Wods in a row for 2010. Why? To see if I could do it and: Remain injury free, improve muscular plasticity & elasticity, decrease body fat percentage, increase mental stamina & endurance, greatly improve power output and running speed, yada, yada, yada. I do not think there is another strength & conditioning coach in the world who would agree with my goal and probably would blacklist me from ever working with another athlete.
This is not an empirically researched, structurally periodized program with one specific type of methodology. I do not have a written plan of how I am going to approach this, but instead I am choosing which WOD to address day by day. I am manipulating variables such as volume, intensity, length, time of day, and modality. I will address each workout based on how I feel, and what I did the day before. I most likely will not address the same muscle groups in back to back days and will approach each WOD with "undulating periodization" which is essentially changing the load, volume, reps, & intensity of every WOD. So far (not including a specific warm-up & cool down) I think my longest WOD was 25 minutes.
To fuel myself through this endeavor, I will attempt to stick with Zone as much as possible. I will increase my blocks to facilitate about 2500 calories, I think about 25 blocks or so. I really brief thought about Paleo, but then I had an epiphany: I drink, eat ice cream, chocolate and belgian waffles. I am however cutting dairy (except whey), cereal, pasta, and breads (except Dave's Killer Bread). I do try to eliminate sugar where I can too. That reminds me, did anyone see the new ad for Pepsi Throwback? For a limited time only, made with real sugar. Well hot damn and welcome to Acraba!
We'll see how well this works, and I'll keep you posted on what WOD's I do. If Shelly tells me that I'm getting too grumpy and being a constant pain in the ass, then I'll have to cool my jets, so, pray for me. Well, pray for Shelly too.
This is not an empirically researched, structurally periodized program with one specific type of methodology. I do not have a written plan of how I am going to approach this, but instead I am choosing which WOD to address day by day. I am manipulating variables such as volume, intensity, length, time of day, and modality. I will address each workout based on how I feel, and what I did the day before. I most likely will not address the same muscle groups in back to back days and will approach each WOD with "undulating periodization" which is essentially changing the load, volume, reps, & intensity of every WOD. So far (not including a specific warm-up & cool down) I think my longest WOD was 25 minutes.
To fuel myself through this endeavor, I will attempt to stick with Zone as much as possible. I will increase my blocks to facilitate about 2500 calories, I think about 25 blocks or so. I really brief thought about Paleo, but then I had an epiphany: I drink, eat ice cream, chocolate and belgian waffles. I am however cutting dairy (except whey), cereal, pasta, and breads (except Dave's Killer Bread). I do try to eliminate sugar where I can too. That reminds me, did anyone see the new ad for Pepsi Throwback? For a limited time only, made with real sugar. Well hot damn and welcome to Acraba!
We'll see how well this works, and I'll keep you posted on what WOD's I do. If Shelly tells me that I'm getting too grumpy and being a constant pain in the ass, then I'll have to cool my jets, so, pray for me. Well, pray for Shelly too.
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