Two Minute Tuesday: Jump Rope Drill P1

Hey runners! Quick question. Are you including jump rope in your current training prescription? If you're not get on it! Not only should you be utilizing the jump rope in your strength and conditioning workouts, but even more so as you warm up to go for your run. The jump rope pieces all the key components of good run mechanics together. I swear it took me at over a year to get good at this one. Give it a shot! 

CrossFit for Weight Loss

Given my background I'm sure your thinking I've already written this post, but today's actually the first day. Immediately out of school, my career began in Fitness as a specialist for Hilton Head Health, voted by Fox News as America's number one weight-loss spa. An incredible experience. Great people. Couldn't of asked to be anywhere better. 

What I find interesting is that before working at H3 I had never heard of CrossFit. It had to be 3months starting my new full time job that my former boss first introduced me to it. I was skeptical. Simply loved to run. I ran all the time. Also, included in my routine was classic strength and conditioning 3 x 15 Back, Biceps, Chest, Shoulders, Triceps, Legs, ABS. You know, Old school. I've got a different perspective now of what's fitness. 

When it comes to weight-loss and picking the right fitness program there is so much out there. Too much. The most common psychology as fitness relates to weight loss is calories in verses calories out. If I burn more than I take in I will lose weight. I will see the number on the scale go down. I'll lose inches.  I'll achieve my goal. Right? If it were only that simple. The whole mentality of I'll "work it off" can only take us so far. Let's back up. Think about that 1 intense hour you had in the gym last week. Got it? Now think of last Saturday night. Remember? This post may or may not be for you, but do you get it? The 160 hours outside of maybe the 8 hours your working out each week is more important. Check out this blog written by Kevin Geary. "Are CrossFit Workouts, a Good Choice for Reaching your Weight-Loss Goals." He brings up some valid points, but I'd like to take it one step further... 

I believe the 5 - 8 hours your working out per week can effect weight-loss. Drastically. Here's why... 

Everyday athletes achieve at CrossFit. Instant gratification. This is the one element that everyone typically desires in . I've been around it. Guests at H3 stepping on the scale EVERY single morning. Folks emotionally attached to the number. I get it. It's a benchmark. Its part of the outcome you're looking for.  CrossFit provides instant gratification for the right people. Executing better technique. Reducing a 400m time. Going from kneeling pushups to the toes. Getting that first double under. These are big milestones. It takes emphasis away from the scale. Its a sport. Seeing improvements is fun. The first 3months are full of them. 

CrossFitters are called athletes. I'm big. I'm tall. You're fat. You're boney. Everyone is CrossFit (at least at CFHH is known as an athlete). There's only one classification where I work. Classifications drag people down. Hilton Head Health is great. It's an environment where folks who are less confident can comfortably start there weight loss journey. Everyone is the same. I'd like to think the same about CFHH or any box with good trainers. Everyone's an athlete. Everyone has goals. How can we help you meet those goals?? 

Sustainability. I've switched careers to be a full time Endurance Coach. Run my own business and work out of a CrossFit gym. I've trained for marathons, triathlons and CrossFit competitions using CrossFit. I haven't taken more than a week off. Haven't gotten bored yet. The biggest issue with most weight-loss programs is they offer a quick fix. I'm going to pick fewer words than Kevin Geary, if you're going to lose weight fix your head. Maintaining a consistent weight is difficult. Life only adds responsibilities as we get older. Priorities change. The amount of time you have changes. I see good CrossFit boxes as sustainable. You meet people. They get to know you. There's accountability there. Sustaining a healthy weight is hard to do without that component. Social affiliation is a physiological need. Its also motivating. Its fun to see others progressing. 

If you pick it, you stick with it - Coach Craig. No one bails from a CrossFit WOD. Yes some of us have puked in a workout. Some have ripped their hands on a pull-up bar, but did you stop? Did you give up when it got tough or physically hurt? Any goal whether it's weight-loss or training for the games is over before it starts if you cave. At CFHH, you go all in every day. It teaches you something. A something that's tough to recreate outside our walls. Mental strength improves drastically when your faces with suck and you keep going. CrossFit develops strong minds. A strong mind is needed to shed pounds. Think of all the special occasions? How about the aisles with chips? Ice cream? 

At the end of the day, you all know I'm a fan of CrossFit. I'm also a fan of CrossFit for weight-loss. My last video post on "My Gym" is why. CFHH is different. I've also had a ton of first hand experience recommended CrossFit to Hilton Head Health guests and encouraging them to give it a go. The large percentage of those people not only tried CrossFit, but are still participating to this day and have successfully sustained their weight-loss. A few of which most likely lift more than me now! It's inspiring to see anyone's confidence improve. It motivates me to be better. 

CrossFit is a sport. There are goals within itself. It's an option just like any other out there to get healthy and move more. Calories in verses calories out as the sole predictor of weight-loss is bull shit. It's not an individualized approach. Too many factors. Eating clean IS critical. Above all, if weight-loss is your goal the non-scale victories should take precedence. If you continue to have a goal outside of the weight your focus will shift. Allow yourself to gain confidence in other areas of your life while the number on the scale does its thing. 

Screw the strongest back squat or the fastest 5K time. I want the strongest brain. The strongest heart. The confidence in life to continue to pick goals and stick with them. 

My Gym is Different

My involvement in CrossFit roughly spans greater than three years now and what I've noticed is I often get questions like "Why are you so into CrossFit? or can you really get a workout in 10minutes?" I don't think these are dumb questions anymore. Not at all. I think what I've come to realize is exactly what Ben Bergeron is saying in this video...

I've gotten stronger. Developed lasting relationships. Grown mentally. Physically. Increased speed. Improved nutrition. Achieved every goal set. Made it a career. My gym is different...

SD Wall: Elements VI - Supports and Strategies

Have you ever thought about the people who support you in your life? How about the environments that enable you to achieve your goals? Supports are more than just people and environments they include the various resources at our finger tips and the structures we have in place. Routine and creating a detailed plan is a structure. The question is have you dialed in on YOUR true plan? 

This week's SD wall focuses on thinking about not only your supports, but brainstorm solutions to the challenges you came up with in the previous video. 

Remember, "you've only failed if you stop trying..." 

Race Recap: Charleston Sprint #4 - Adjustments

Squeezing one more post in for July! As I've mention in a couple posts ago, racing for workouts is huge. Charleston was another planned "workout" race following Muncie and I couldn't be more pumped about the result or how I felt out there last Sunday. Recovery has been absolutely fantastic since Muncie Half IM, not something a triathlete can always say. I believe changes in my nutrition and programming have impacted things immensely. That said here are some quick suggestions on when/how to switch things up in training...

When...

• Personal records and benchmarks aren't improving (in races, on your lifts or in conditioning) 
• You feel fatigued, beat up and tired headed into workouts or races 
• Work life increases and amount of sleep decreases
• Epic GI issues happen in a race 

How... 

• ONE adjustment at a time. Let me say it again one adjustment at a time. If you try to change more than one variable at once you'll be testing too much at once. We need to understand what one adjustment does to the system. If it's positive continue. If its negative move on. Adjust something else. Make sure to give everything a fair shot. 

• FATIGUE is a sign that you're under recovering. Don't be a super hero and muster thru your workouts half assed. A training regiment in my mind, (it took a while to get here) has to do with the QUALITY of your workouts verses the quantity. 

• When I start with a remote coaching athlete or a personal training client the first thing I want to know is what they do for a living. Being on your feet all day verses a desk job is a significant difference. How can you provide a proper prescription for someone else or YOURSELF if you don't take into account what you do 8-10hours on a typical day?  The amount of sleep is the next biggest factor because that' the second biggest chunk of time in an athlete's day. Some can folks can operate on 6 hours, but others may need closer to 8hour mark. As these factors change you need to make on the fly adjustments to your training. Don't ever feel like you "HAVE" to do a workout. Resting heart rate and oxygen saturation levels are two others ways to monitor things.
•  
• Train all you want, but if the nutrition isn't right on race day or throughout your program you're screwed. Going hung over into a workout won't get you anywhere nor will being hungry. I've made the most adjustments in my nutrition over the last 3months and have seen big differences not only day to day, but IN RACE. Charleston included the same breakfast as Muncie and same protocol in race. The biggest recommendation on the nutrition that I can make for you is look at the TIMING of when you're eating.

Race: Charleston Sprint #4
Place: James Island, Charleston, SC 

Date: 730AM, Sunday 7 - 28 - 13  
Distance: SPRINT Triathlon
Participants: 195

Best Race Highlights - Two for this one! First off, having Lindsay's support again. It's so cool having her come and watch. I'm passionate and will show up to any race solo, but what's interesting is that every race she comes to I PR in one way or another. She'll def be at Cozumel come December.


The second best race highlight,  Knowing that I ran a 10K tempo run the day before and then PR'd my run off the bike (on the Charleston Race course) good enough to beat the whole field by 2 minutes. Felt strong the whole way. Mile 1 - 5:50, Mile 2 - 6:00, Mile 3 - 5:40 with too much left in the tank.

Learning Experiences - Time to look into a Swim Coach. I'm not bad compared to the field, but to be elite age group I'll need to get someone on me. Technique needs to be cleaned up.

Secondly, My emphasis still must remain on the Bike. I've seen progress and I am getting stronger, but it doesn't happen overnight. The more I can get out and ride with others and increase my interval paces the better off I'll be. It's mostly muscle memory since I have only been on a Bike for close to two years.


600m Swim Exit - 30th overall out of the water

Bike Transition - 33rd overall Bike Split

Run finish - 1st overall Run Split (17:50)

SD Wall: Elements Part III - Checking out Challenges and Strengths

Sorry it's been a couple weeks, but traveling for races and not being home on the weekend can throw a wrinkle into anyones life. Anyways, we're getting deeper and deeper into our SD Element Series and as I mentioned each of these videos builds on the previous one. If you watch them all, the Outcome = A Rock Star vision for not only your training, but your life.

This Sunday I want you to check out those nasty challenges. After that, give yourself credit for the things your doing well within your life. I am totally sold that when a person harnesses their strengths and creates a plan ANY challenge can be overcome...

Balancing Act

Now that I am off on my own (working out of CFHH), I have the opportunity to work with all varieties of people. Its exciting. Its challenging. Its fun. When you're a full-time coach all I think about is how can I make my clients better. How can I help them achieve their goals? You'll also have to think about one more thing. How can I still make sure they're achieving their goals and having fun? Its quite the balancing act.

Most people know me for having an expertise in weight-loss (e.i. health coaching) so I continue to work with about fifty percent of individuals in that arena; however its now with a CrossFit spin. Currently, my private coaching business is picking up. I'm having many more opportunities to work with not only CrossFitters who have endurance goals, but athletes who come from the "traditional" endurance training side of things. Like I said its an exciting. Its challenging. Its fun. 

What do you think is the tough part about working with a traditional endurance athlete? Well there's a lot of psychology involved. We're programmed to think run more to improve our times or go longer. To this day many runners base their success off how many miles that did. I love dailymile.com. How good does it feel when all those "mile graph bars" are thru the roof? It feels great. I don't think this is a challenge though. Yes its an area that's measurable for the traditional endurance athlete, but is that the real reason that it's so difficult to decrease duration? Not at all. Its because "we" flat out like to run. Running is enjoyable. It makes you feel frigging awesome when you're done. You can't get it from anything else. It relieves stress. Allows the opportunity to push. Achieve. Drive. Relax. Unwind. This may not be the case for everyone, but for runners this is how we feel. Notice I've included "we" in every statement. 

I was just reading a great article written by Matt Fitzgerald on competitor called "Making the Case for Runners to Cross-Train." Solid read. Interestingly enough, Matt wrote a book back in 2003 (inspired by his own personal experience with cross training) called the Runners World Guide to Cross-Training. He mentioned it tanked. Matt's a pretty renowned write too so what's the deal? Its pretty much what I just mentioned. Runners like to run. "We" would rather do all our training running, but is that what will help us reach our goals the quickest? Unfortunately no. 

If you read the article you'll see that Elite runners are including up to 20 different cross-training exercises per week. It's prevalent in some of the most prestigious coaching camps including the Nike Oregon Portland project and Mammoth Track Club (Heard of Ryan Hall?). 

All I'm getting at here is that runners we love to run. Let's think about how we balance that. Here's a great Case Study... 

Runner "A" comes to me with a profile that looks like this... 

- Running 6 days a week (couple days speed work) 

- Strength Training 1 Day 

- Loves to run after a long stressful day of work and on the weekends 

- Hasn't PRd in a year 

- Feels under recovered and tired most weeks 

- Achilles Tendinitis 

Now the balancing the Act with Runner "A"...

- Drop running to 4 days a week (each with a purpose) For example, 1 Day of running that is "Fun" either after a stressful day at work or on the weekends

- Bump strength training up to 3-4 days a week (include running in some of the conditioning) 

- Add 1 day of swimming (get a same great feeling when you're done) 

- Add 1 day of Running skill work 

- Feels recovered and ready for each run 

- No more big five injuries (cleaned up technique, decreased volume) 

- Result = New PR 

Back to why working with so many varieties of people is just awesome. Can't you tell? As a coach, I have to balance so many different factors and with different people it's so much more intriguing. You the athlete need to do your own balancing act if you don't currently have a Coach. Understand yourself, but also understand the evidence behind including cross-training. 

Life is a balancing act in itself. We have to balance keeping up with our friends, family, significant others, jobs, responsibilities, hobbies, faith and having FUN. It's a lot. What's important is that none of what we do should takeaway from the other. We must recover. Have fun. Share memories. Above all make others around us better. Treat others how we would want to be treated. Quite a spin on this blog post huh? 

Work on your Balancing Act.