"That looks pretty easy."

During the summer between my sophomore and junior year of college (July 2011), I had the opportunity to attend Air Force Special Tactics Officer development training at Hurlbert Field, Florida.  There I was introduced to a deceivingly simple exercise called the "8-count body builder."  As the name suggests the exercise consists of 8 distinct movements.  As the training instructor demonstrated the movements, I thought to myself, "That looks pretty easy."  I was in for an unpleasant surprise.  So what does this 8-count exercise that made my stay in Florida so unpleasant have to do with college health and fitness?

Featured Workout

Last Wednesday at Crossfit Paradiso, I was introduced to an exercise that was shockingly similar to the 8-count, except it was renamed the "burpee" and was slightly modified, making it a 7-count exercise.  The burpee is a body-weight exercise that combines aerobic and anaerobic elements, making it an extremely simple, but effective movement.

One repetition of a burpee is completed using the following sequence:

1. Start in a standing position with your feet shoulder width apart and hands at your side.
2. Drop down into a modified squat position by simultaneously squatting down and planting your hands shoulder width apart about a foot from your feet.  Your body weight should be spread evenly between your hands and feet.
3. Shift the majority of your weight to your hands and kick your feet back and together so you are in a starting push-up position.
4. Drop down to the bottom of the push-up position keeping your body straight and rigid by engaging your core muscles.
5. Simultaneously push up from the bottom of position 4 while keeping your hands planted on the ground and bringing your knees towards your chest (returning to the position described in step 2).
6. Shift your weight back until you are centered over your heels, lift your hands off the ground, and thrust upward from the bottom of the squat position (make sure to engage your hips).
7. Use the power from your upward drive to jump from the ground, simultaneously raising your hands over your head.
8. Once you are back on the ground return to the position described in step 1.

After completing one or two repetitions of the burbee, you may make the same mistake I did, assuming it is a low-intensity or "pretty easy" workout.  However, this exercise is most effective in multiple, increased-repetition sets (10 reps, rest, 20, rest, 30, rest, etc.) or coupled with other exercises (I do sets of 10 to 20 between weight lifting sets at the gym).  The speed and number of repetitions can be scaled to make this exercise effective for any fitness level.  It is important not to sacrifice form for increased repetitions.  You will only be hurting yourself in the long run.

What's Next?

Next week I will feature another healthy on-campus meal and compare my current health and fitness levels (weight, abdominal circumference, strength, endurance, etc.) with my fitness levels recorded last week.

Final approach in sight. Over and out.
MJH

Cavemen Know Best

In addition to offering dynamic, high-intensity workouts, Crossfit Paradiso also offers advice on dieting techniques that align with these demanding workouts.  The recommended diet is called the paleo diet and is based upon everyday, modern foods that mimic the food groups of our pre-agricultural, hunter-gatherer ancestors.  This diet is high in protein and fiber intake and low in carbohydrate intake. Adhering to this diet while in college, particularly while living on campus, may seem impossible because most meals on campus are pre-made using ingredients excluded in the paleo diet such as grains, diary, and processed vegetable oils.  However, there is still still hope for heal-conscious students who live on campus or have meal plans and are limited by this dilemma.

One option available for lunch and dinner that I have been eating regularly is a salad and chicken breast combination available at the Lair.  There is a food station called "getfresh" that offers a variety of salads and wraps.  However most of the salads on the menu include dressings or grains that are not paleo friendly and are somewhat pricey since they are made for you.  Instead I have found that the self-serve salad bar combined with a grilled chicken breast from the grill station is a better option and is cheaper since you are building the salad yourself.  My meal recommendation consists of the following.

Featured Meal

Start by going to the grill station and ordering 1 grilled chicken breast.  While this is being prepared head to the self-serve salad bar and place the following in a bowl:

- 1 cup of mixed greens
- 1/2 cup of baby spinach
- 1/2 cup of diced cucumber
- 1 handful (dont actually use your hands) of assorted diced bell peppers
- 1 handful of dried cranberries
- lightly topped with extra virgin olive oil and vinegar

By the time you have created the salad your chicken breast is usually ready.  Make sure you keep the chicken separate from the salad until they are both paid for since the salad is weighed at purchase and is a separate item from the chicken.  Once both have been paid for you can combine the chicken with the salad.  Beverage selection is up to you but water is always the smartest health-conscious option.

Status Update 

Three weeks ago I was weighed and my abdominal circumferences was measured for Air Force height and weight standards.  I weighed in at 222 lbs with a 37 in waist.  Yesterday I weighed  and measured myself at the gym and was 219 lbs with a 35.5 in waist.  When I first weighed myself I was pretty upset with the results.  Losing 3 lbs in 3 weeks is not very impressive.  However after measuring my waist and seeing that I lost 1.5 in in circumference (mostly fat and water weight), I realized that I overlooked that fact that the majority of crossfit workouts emphasize lower-body strength (something I had very little of prior to joining the program) and an increase in strength usually requires increased muscle mass, which is actually heavier per unit volume than fat. I anticipate that my weight will remain constant or only drop slightly within the next few weeks due to increased muscle mass, but my abdominal circumference will continue to decrease.  My goal when I weigh and measure myself in two weeks is weigh between 215-220 lbs and have an abdominal circumference of 34 in.

Whats Next?

Next week I will be discussing more dynamic, high-intensity exercises that been the most effective for me during my crossfit training sessions.

Final approach in sight.  Over and Out.
MJH

"Balls To The Wall"

Last week I completed my first set of regular group class sessions at Paradiso Crossfit and supplemented these workouts with gym sessions at LMU's Burns Recreation Center.  I was unable to exercise Friday through Sunday because I was traveling, but I used this time as a rest period to recuperate from the previous four days.

Featured Exercise

A portion of last week's crossfit workouts utilized an exercise called "wall balls."  I am particularly impressed with this exercise because it is a full-body exercise that is both cardiovascular and strength-building in nature.  Additionally, the exercise movements are simple and easy to understand, making it ideal for all levels of fitness and exercise experience.

One repetition of a wall ball is completed using the following sequence:

1. Start in a standing position with your feet shoulder-width apart, facing the wall, and approximately two to three feet away from the wall.
2. Hold the ball close to your chest with your hands on the left and right side of the ball.
3. Drop down into a squat position so your thighs are even or just below parallel with the ground and your chest is upright and parallel with the wall while continuing to hold the ball close to your chest.
4. Drive up from the squat position, keeping your weight in your heals and activating your hips until you are fully erect.
5. Use the upward momentum from the drive to lift the ball from your chest and fully extend your arms overhead, releasing the ball while aiming at the designated target on the wall (usually 9 to 12 feet above the ground).
6. Once the ball hits the target on the wall and begins to fall back towards you, simultaneously catch the ball, bringing it back to your chest while beginning to dropping down into the squat position described above.
7. Once you are in the bottom of the squat position, begin the upward drive of the next repetition.

A video illustrating this sequence can be viewed here.  This exercise can been done in conjunction with other exercises or stand-alone in sets of varying repetitions depending on your fitness level.  It can also be done anywhere there is a sturdy wall (caution: balls often leave marks on the wall from repetitive contact).  If you do not have access to a weighed ball but want to utilize this exercise, you can purchase the ones used in crossfit training here.

What's Next?

Next week I will feature a healthy on-campus meal and compare my current health and fitness levels (weight, abdominal circumference, strength, endurance, etc.) with my fitness levels recorded before I started dieting and exercising seriously.

Final approach in sight. Over and out.
MJH