Thursday

"They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover."
Mark 16:18

Active Recovery
LSD run or fin swim

then 

15 mins foam rolling

Wednesday

“…Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” 
Matthew 11:28-29 

Work Capacity

10 Rounds:

Row 250m

25x Push-ups

Why Sleep is More Important Than Training: Part II

Sleep is absolutely critical to a successful weight-loss/fitness program. It can be summed up as simply as this – less sleep equates to performance degradation, potential weight gain, and poor recovery. Yes, it’s a bit more complicated than that, but that’s the long and short of it. Additionally, a lack of sleep is also associated with several negative physiological consequences (Taheri, Lin, Austin, Young & Mignot, 2004), which includes its affects on two key hormones involved with hunger and fat storage. Enter: Leptin and Ghrelin.

Leptin

Leptin is a hormone found in our adipose tissue (fat cells). You can think of leptin as the master gatekeeper of our energy levels. Superfluous amounts of leptin in the body relay to your brain two things: first and foremost that you’re not starving and secondly that because you’re not starving it’s ok to burn your existing fat stores for fuel. What are the two most crucial things that regulate leptin levels you ask – fat (dietary fat) and you guessed it, sleep!

When you consume sufficient amounts of good dietary fat this notifies your brain it’s ok to burn its fat stores for fuel. This is why low-fat diets DO NOT work! Conversely, if you are not consistently getting enough quality sleep (like the majority of Americans) this also lowers your leptin levels a significant amount (Taheri, et al 2004). Insufficient stores of leptin trigger natural body warnings, to which your brain then relays to the body, “You are starving! Take action!” Your body will then hold onto its existing fat stores, refusing to burn them for energy, for fear of starvation. Since your brain now believes you are in a survival situation, it then sets in motion an increased desire to consume more calories. Furthermore, these additional consumed calories are more likely to be stored as fat, rather than burned, because of the perceived “emergency situation” your brain is experiencing. Less sleep = less fat burning and more fat storage.

Ghrelin

Ghrelin is a hormone that is primarily secreted in the stomach. Its job is to either increase or decrease our appetite. As we get hungry our ghrelin levels rise, when we finally eat they decrease. A lack of sleep causes ghrelin levels to rise. This in turn causes us to become hungrier and can incite us to consume more (Doheny, 2010). In this account, less sleep = a greater sense of being hungry.

Another major health consequence involving the lack sleep is insulin resistance, a precursor to type II diabetes (Meisinger, Heir & Loewel, 2010). Insulin resistance means that your body is becoming inefficient at utilizing the nutrition you do consume. In particular, blood sugar spikes caused by sugar and simple carbohydrate ingestion are harder for your body to regulate and handle efficiently (Meisinger, et al 2010).

As you can see the consistent lack of good quality sleep has a powerful snowball effect. Inconsistent sleep or sleep deficit inhibits several delicate systems within our bodies, with these affects combining to negatively affect mood, performance, recovery, and stress level. To sum it up, a lack of sleep makes you hungrier and turns you into a fat storing machine. So sleep hard!

-Tyler Holt

References

Doheny, K. (2010, June 22). Hormone ghrelin raises desire for high-calorie foods. Retrieved from http://www.webmd.com/diet/news/20100622/hormone-ghrelin-ups-desire-for-high-calorie-foods

Meisinger, C., Heir, M., & Loewel, H. (2010). Sleep disturbance as a predictor of type 2 diabetes mellitus in men and women from the general population. Retrieved from http://www.springerlink.com/content/gy2c4r23v3u2v83b/

Taheri, S., Lin, L., Austin, D., Young, T., & Mignot, E. (2004, December 07). Short sleep duration is associated with reduced leptin, elevated ghrelin, and increased body mass index. Retrieved from http://www.plosmedicine.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pmed.0010062

Tuesday

"And he said to them, “Come away by yourselves to a desolate place and rest a while.” For many were coming and going, and they had no leisure even to eat." 
Mark 6:31

Flexibility/Skills
10 mins active stretching

5 Rounds
3 mins of jumping rope - mix in double-unders, cross-overs, shuffle step, slaloms, and running in place...
1 min rest

then

5 Rounds:
5x Muscle-ups

3x Wall walks

3x Wall climbs

5x Skin the cats

7x Ring fly's

Monday

"Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen."
Ephesians 4:29

Strength

Strict press 1-1-1-1-1

Push-press 3-3-3-3-3

Jerk 5-5-5

Stamina

5 Rounds not for time:

2x 20' rope climbs

20x 30 inch box jumps

20x strict toes-to-bar

Friday

"And he said to them, “Come away by yourselves to a desolate place and rest a while.” For many were coming and going, and they had no leisure even to eat." 
Mark 6:31

Strength
3x Deadlift at 80% 1RM EMOM for 10 mins

then

Snatch 3-3-3

then

10x Burpees w/weighted vest EMOM for 5 mins 

Thursday

"Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus."
Philippians 4:6-7

Active Recovery

LSD run or fin swim

then 

15 mins foam rolling

Wednesday

"There is nothing better for a person than that he should eat and drink and find enjoyment in his toil. This also, I saw, is from the hand of God, for apart from him who can eat or who can have enjoyment?"
Ecclesiastes 2:24-25

Work Capacity
Utilizing a versa-climber, airdyne, rower, or a good old fashion vertical hill perform 10 sec of max effort sprinting followed by 20 sec of rest for a total of five minutes. Rest and repeat.

High intensity intervals are by far one of my favorite tools to condition the body. We're talking 5-10 minutes of work here and your done! As with all things you get out of it what you put into it. To simply go through the motions and avoid truly expelling hard effort and work will accomplish nothing and waste your time. Invest yourself into the effort and you will be investing yourself into, well yourself. You are the determining factor! This goes for most things in life. All choices have been given to us, we just can't always see them for what they are, but they are there...

Tuesday

"When the LORD has given you rest from your pain and turmoil and the hard service with which you were made to serve, you will take up this taunt against the king of Babylon: ”How the oppressor has ceased, the insolent fury ceased!"
Isaiah 14:3-4 

Flexibility/Skills
10 mins active stretching

5 Rounds
3 mins of jumping rope - mix in double-unders, cross-overs, shuffle step, slaloms, and running in place...
1 min rest

then

Water confidence drills: 25m underwater weighted walks, practicing bobbing 12' depth, 50m underwater swims, treading water legs only while under load

I want to elaborate on something from yesterday. I think that the point, that training is not the end goal and is simply a means to an end often gets lost in translation. Why do you need to squat or deadlift a bazillion pounds? I mean how often, and seriously take a moment and ask yourself, do you ever encounter such weighted loads in life? I am in no way discrediting the ability to do either; however, what is brought into question is the amount of energy and focus required to ascertain such ability and strength - could this time and energy be better spent on something more applicable to your daily life. I would argue that the pursuit of proficiency in learning a martial art, establishing and building confidence and skill in the water, or excelling at a sport to which you are passionate about is a goal more worthy of that time. Always reassess yourself and ask the questions: What am I most focused on? How is this beneficial? Could I be doing something else that would better serve me and my time? Because time is very precious and a commodity taken for granted these days, so use it wisely. 

Monday

"And I say, “Oh, that I had wings like a dove!  I would fly away and be at rest." 
Psalms 55:6

Strength
Bulgarian split squat 3x10 each leg
Hang power clean 5x5
Push-press 10-8-6-4-2

Stamina

50x Tire flips for time 350-500lbs

then

10 Rounds:

10x Muay Thai push-ups*

100yd Sprint

Rest as needed

*Muay Thai push-up is performed by explosively pushing off the ground and then clapping behind the back before catching yourself in the next push-up.

Sometimes I find that I offer advice to people that I in fact should adhere to more often myself. Below are some of my ponderings of late, they revolve around the following:

1. Before undertaking any new training program or cementing a decision to attack the next man challenge you should always ask yourself two questions - "How is this helping me? And Why?" If whatever you're planning on doing can provide a positive and beneficial answer to those two questions then that's a good start. However, if you find that you're just trying to prove yourself, or weigh your worth at the expense of potential injury or folly you might consider foregoing that course of action.

2.  Second, body weight and composition are dictated by diet, PERIOD. If an individual desires to shed excess body weight or lean out then there needs to be a serious assessment of food intake. Quality, consistency, balance, quantity, and the ability of the food to provide nutritional health and fueling for performance must all be considered. You cannot out train a poor diet. If you know of someone who eats unhealthy and still maintains a "desirable appearance," disregard them, because unfortunately that's not you or else you wouldn't need to drop some pounds - think about it. 

3. Thirdly, training is a controlled stimulus in a controlled environment induced to promote positive adaptation. Adaptation comes in the form of increased strength, performance, and ability. Strength training throughout life literally maintains and provides a level of longevity for the individual. Therefore, treat it as such. It is not the end goal. Train with a purpose. USE your strength outside of the gym otherwise its just vanity!

4. Conditioning and training termed "cardio" more appropriately identified as energy system development is important to maintain efficiency in each of the three metabolic pathways which provide the body with energy for all activity. Poorly conditioned metabolic pathways can inhibit one's life in numerous ways. Don't let yourself get out of shape or in other words don't let your conditioning slip. It will cost you. A well conditioned person has allowed themselves the physical capability to take on the majority of life's tasks with confidence. This makes life easier. We like when life is easier.

Just some food for thought, so eat up!

Friday

"For to set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace."
Romans 8:6 

Strength
OHS 5x5

then

50-40-30-20-10 reps of:
Back extension
Push-ups

Thursday

"Be still before the LORD and wait patiently for him; fret not yourself over the one who prospers in his way, over the man who carries out evil devices!"
Psalms 37:7 

Active Recovery

LSD run or fin swim

then

Cold water immersion 10 mins.

Why Sleep Matters More than Your Training: Part I

In the business world many say the key to success is location, location, location! Well in the training world, for those that truly know it, the key is recovery, recovery, recovery! In this three part series, I will bring to light and uncover why good quality consistent sleep is indeed king, and why it is in fact more important than your actual physical training. Bold statement you say? Well read on my friends…

Training or Recovery?

Most people think that working out hard consistently is what makes us “Bigger, Faster, Stronger” - this is a common misconception. Smart, balanced training is most definitely part of the equation, but believe it or not, it’s a smaller factor than most think. In reality, we get fitter, stronger, and healthier by exposure to a stimulus (smart training) followed by the proper recovery, post training. All of the positive physiological effects we desire from exercise actually happen when we recover, not when we train! Proper recovery means taking care of your body when you’re not training i.e. a solid foundation of sleep and nutrition. Without proper sleep and nutrition you can kiss your weight-loss/fitness goals goodbye. 

Human Growth Hormone (HGH)

Which brings us to HGH. Human growth hormone is produced by the pituitary gland and is responsible for promoting growth in children and adolescents. It also assists in regulating body composition and fluids, muscle and bone growth, and metabolism. Your body produces small amounts of HGH approximately every two hours. By far though, the largest amounts are secreted in the deeper cycles of REM sleep at night (Derrickson & Tortora, 2010). Human growth hormone does numerous “magical” things for us. All of the positive physiological adaptations that we desire from exercise really happen when HGH is released, thus signaling specialized cells in the body’s tissues and organs to perform including:

• Cell and tissue repair (re-building those micro-tears in your muscles from training)
•  Improving muscular endurance
•  Increasing cardiorespiratory fitness
•  Maximizing fat burning and increased metabolism
•  Strengthening ligaments and connective tissue
•  Strengthening bones with increased density - weight bearing exercises specifically, are CRUCIAL for women especially since they are much more prone to osteoporosis in their latter years than men (Derrickson & Tortora, 2010)

Without good quality, consistent sleep your body simply will not positively adapt to the stressors of your training. So remember that it’s really about what you do the 98% of the time when you’re not training that really drives success. That being said, our egos most definitely factor in to this work/rest equation. It may be/seem easier for some to put in hard work than it is to say “Today, I’m going to take it easy.” So listen to your body if you’re truly not recovered then do something fun, light and low impact, or work on some skills. You’d be better off taking a day of active recovery and coming back stronger and well rested the next day. 

-Tyler Holt

References

Derrickson, B., & Tortora, GJ. (2010). Introduction to the human body the essentials of anatomy and physiology. Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley and Sons Inc

Tyler is a proud father and family man to the core of his being. He is a fellow Coast Guard Helicopter Rescue Swimmer Instructor, more importantly - a great friend, and also a long time enthusiast for all things physical and challenging. Interestingly, Tyler was not involved in sports in high-school, but rather spent his time running and weight lifting. At age 19, after deciding to become a Coast Guard Helicopter Rescue Swimmer and not knowing how to swim, he began training with a purpose. 

Since then he's become an enthusiastic advocate of "Intuitive Training," a methodology that involves assessing one's energy and motivation levels on a personal level and then developing an appropriate and corresponding training session. This technique which requires the individual to be greatly in-tune and aware of himself has yielded some impressive physical/performance gains for Tyler, which he hopes to showcase in this year's CrossFit Games Open. 

With certifications through CrossFit, Cooper's Institute, Athlete's Performance and nearing completion of his BS in Health and Wellness Tyler has found a passion in training children. Passing on his knowledge in functional strength training and movement efficiency to the next generation is only one outlet Tyler has begun to expound upon. He will also be a contributing member to this site sharing his knowledge and experience for the benefit of the rest of us. Thanks Tyler! 

Wednesday

"For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace."
Isaiah 9:6 

Work Capacity

For time:

30x C+J w/heavy sandbag

then

10-20x Prowler push 30 yards

Rest as needed between each set

Tuesday

"The LORD make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you; the LORD lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace."
Numbers 6:25-26 

Flexibility/ROM Drills
10 mins active stretching

5 Rounds
3 mins of jumping rope - mix in double-unders, cross-overs, shuffle step, slaloms, and running in place...
1 min rest

then

Peg board, campus board, or finger board work
Foam roll

These days it's easy to get caught in the constant current of distractions in life. Driven to perform, enslaved to technology, numb to reality, and focused on everything instead of one thing. To help keep myself in check I periodically reassess myself and try to abide by a few simple tenets:

Work hard.
Study.
Learn skills.
Help people.
Train to last.
Read.
Pray.
Keep in touch.
Cook at home.

Monday

"God did this so that they would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from any one of us."
Acts 17:27

Strength
Back squat 1-2-3-4-5-6-7 @ 1.5% BW
Complete 1x 20' rope climb no feet and 1x 20' rope climb w/feet after each squat set 

then

Incline DB bench press 5x5
Complete 20x strict toes-to-bar after each set

Stamina
10 Rounds for time:
10x Sumo deadlift high-pull 70# KB
10x Ring dips

Friday

"And a harvest of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace."
James 3:18 

Strength

3-3-3-3-3 The Exercise* 

then

21-15-9 reps of

HSPU's

Ring dips

Push-ups

*The exercise consists of a combo of 1x hang squat snatch and 1x OHS

Thursday

"Repay no one evil for evil, but give thought to do what is honorable in the sight of all."
Romans 12:17 

Swimming
500m finning
10x 50m sprints every minute on the minute
Underwater weighted walk 25m, repeat 4-6 times
5 minutes bobbing 12 foot depth
Practice 50m underwater swims

Wednesday

 

"But I say to you who hear, Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you"
Luke 6:27

Work Capacity

For time complete 20-18-16-14-12-10-8-6-4-2 reps of KB swings and push-ups. After each number set sprint 100 yards pulling a sled loaded with 50% of your bodyweight. 

Tuesday

"Salt is good, but if the salt has lost its saltiness, how will you make it salty again? Have salt in yourselves, and be at peace with one another."
Mark 9:50  

Flexibility/Durability
10 mins active stretching

5 Rounds
3 mins of jumping rope - mix in double-unders, cross-overs, shuffle step, slaloms, and running in place...
1 min rest

then 

5 Rounds
12x Sandbag half moons
12x Slasher-to-halo
24x KTE's
1 min wrestler bridge

Monday

“Behold, God is my salvation; I will trust, and will not be afraid; for the LORD GOD is my strength and my song, and he has become my salvation.”
Isaiah 12:2

Strength
Bulgarian split squat 5x5
Heavy KB C+J 5x5
Deadlift 5x5

Stamina
20 Rounds for time:
5x Ring pull-ups (strict)
10x Push-ups
15x Squats

If you are pressed for time during the week and only have two days to train, try and complete Monday and Wednesday's sessions when you can and forget about the rest... Remember training is a means to end - not the end goal. Strength maintained throughout life will provide for longevity in physical ability and overall health by fortifying bone density, strengthening muscle tissue and joints, maintaining neuromuscular efficiency, metabolizing fat stores, and reducing stress levels. We all want to be healthy and develop and maintain physical ability. So as you start doing this remember to enjoy your health and utilize your physical ability - get outside and play, help others when you can, explore, partake in competition, fix things, and teach your friends, family, and kids to do the same.