Sweat RX Mag Mar/Apr 2013

training for life

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OC THROWDOWN

6 Reasons Entrepreneurs Love CrossFit

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contents MARCH/APRIL 2013 features 38 The 2013 oc throwdown

The Fittest in SoCal

46 kipping for kenya

Where WOD stands for Winning Over Diversity

52

STOUT OF MIND

Chris Stoutenburg changed his fate

38

the 2013 oc throwdown

The Fittest in SoCal

ON THE COVER PHOTOGRAPHY: Marie-Lyssa Dormeus COVER MODEL: Neal Maddox Note: Special thanks and credit to Tina Haupert for her 3 travel WODs printed in our Jan/Feb issue – article page 62.

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IRONMAN® and MDOT are registered trademarks of World Triathlon Corporation. Used here by permission. Photo by Tim Tadder.

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contents

65 81 76 UP FRONT 12 gallery

Photographer: Marie-Lyssa Dormeus Athlete: Chris Cristini

36

the business of crossfit

Soft ware for hard bodies

14 WODpress

Connecting you to the community with news, views, events and profiles.

Overdose and Firebreather in review

FIT RX 18 STRENGTH

Get the jump on explosive power

20 PERFORMANCE

Say it ain’t so Lance

FUEL 60 paleo shepherd’s pie

+ chocolate chip grain-free muffins Jenna Antonelli keeps it paleo-friendly

62 m alaysian white fish

Andrew Muto brings on the flavour

63 high protein goodness 65 stop aping around

The good food revolution

TRAINING 72 ain’t too proud to scale Scalability & CrossFit

22 NUTRITION

Staying paleo while travelling

76 go muscle

24 mind

78 wod to go

26 body

81 Spartan sisters

THE SCENE 30 neal maddox

GEAR 85 amp up your wod

32 wodkilla

COMMUNITY 89 high school pe just got cool

MentalWOD - Emotional rescue

WOD up for better sex

The real Neal

20 tips for competing

No equipment, no problem!

Modern warrior women

The goods to fit your lifestyle

CrossFit CPHS

34 crossfit power

Workout choice for entrepeneurs

92 rep your box

CrossFit Brockville

36 the business of crossfit Soft ware for hard bodies

95 events + MARKETPLACE 96 FINAL WOD

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online

SWEATRXMAG.COM find us online!

Our new website has launched and it’s bursting with great content, photos, event info and everything you need to stay motivated, informed and ready for the next WOD! We are now bi-monthly, in case you haven’t noticed, so you’ll find more updates online bringing you more information, more events, more profiles and more content from each issue!

Our WODpress newsletter has also launched. You can find it on our website and also on our new facebook page - WODPRESS by Sweat RX Mag. Our WODPRESS Correspondent Jennifer Young wants to hear from you! Got a charity WOD coming up; a throwdown going down...let us know!

Tell us about your CrossFit adventures and join in the conversation. Jen will also be sharing her experience of the OPEN so look forward to that every Tuesday. Connect with us at wodpress@sweatrxmag.com.

We have also invested in bringing you the IPAD edition for SWEAT RX. Coming soon at the APP Store.

Bringing you into the world of CrossFit - one page and one click at a time!

Get TRAINING FOR LIFE! www.sweatrxmag.com

competition 2013 event schedule!

We warned you to rest up, get your training on, get your WOD journal up-to-date and keep your paleo tight!

Hope you took notes because our event series is rolling out and you won’t want to miss it! This year we have even bigger plans for the Sweat RX Championships at the canfitpro tradeshow. Save the date - August 1418th at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre. If you were there last year expect MORE! If you missed it - don’t let that happen again! CrossFitters, Emergency Responders, Personal Trainers and Coaches...keep your game tight - we’re coming for you!

Watch for more details!

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Social Media

show us some love!

We will keep you informed about events, news, and more importantly - each time a new issue launches - you’ll be the first to know! Just show us some LOVE and ‘LIKE’ us on facebook. We’ll post pics from the latest events. You may even catch a snapshot of yourself nailing a muscle up or witness your most fierce competitor snatch a PR! Follow us on twitter and instantly connect with what’s important to you. We’ll tweet you a tip, some inspiration, and even tweet you to a delicious & healthy recipe that will keep you fueled up for your next WOD. @sweatrxmag

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Ahh, OPEN season at last! The

CrossFit OPEN is the most inclusive competition in the world, with top local athletes and teams vying for a spot in the Regionals and a shot at the CrossFit Games, the world’s premier test to find the Fittest on Earth™. Now, when local and regional events are firing up after a short hibernation, you might find that your own definition of WOD has migrated from Workout of the Day to Winter’s Overwhelming Doldrums. But have no fear!

We’ve got plenty of stories to inspire you to get movin.’

“Kipping for Kenya” highlights the CrossFit initiative to bring education, self-sufficiency, and hope to families in Africa and shows that WOD also stands for Winning Over Diversity. Our wrap-up of Orange County, California’s, OC Throwdown, where the big names in CrossFit rub chalk blocks with hopeful unknowns, will have you hankering for California sunshine and the rush of the summer Games.

We also profile several athletes who prove that WODs are Wide Open Doors to achieving one’s personal best. Chris Stoutenburg, adaptive athlete, talks about the role of CrossFit in his phenomenal fitness achievements. Our Spartan Sisters article spotlights women who are finding physical strength and personal power through CrossFit. And Neal Maddox, who broke a world record in Event 3 of last year’s NorCal regionals, gives us the lowdown on his own hardships, hard work, and other sweet stuff.

Start reading, then bring your fired-up motivation to the gym and start working, because WODs are also what we do While Others Dawdle.

WOD, no matter which way you slice it - is the word of the day!

OPEN season is here and WODs are in high gear!

Photo: Courtesy of CrossFit Inc.

Contai

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contributors Volume 2, issue 4 publisher/creative director Fred Antwi fred@sweatrxmag.com Associate editor Dina Rich editor@sweatrxmag.com

jennifer stewart has been training in CrossFit at CrossFit ATP in Dania, Florida since 2009. A purple belt in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu (BJJ), Jennifer, her husband Tom, and two children have trained in BJJ since 2008 under Marcelo Meleiro at RFLX Training Center in Dania.

Jennifer often competes in CrossFit and BJJ Tournaments and recently medaled at the IBJJF Pan Ams and the local Heraean Games CrossFit competition.

She and her family blog about balancing family, work and training in hopes of encouraging other families of all ages to get fit and find a hobby to share. Read more at www.jiujitsufamily.com.

art director Adriana Garcia production manager Sarah Lichtman copy editor Eryn Kirkwood Contributors Jenna Antonelli, Dave Asprey, Tim Banfield, Nicole Bedard, Jeremy Deveraturda, Albert Dickson, Caterine Dupuis, Marie-Lyssa Dormeus, Meaghan Hysert, Jennifer Ledbury, Nadia Link, Liana Louzon, Bonnie Lynch, Dan Martell, Adam Morden, Janne Mortensen, Andrew Muto, Jennifer Nichol, Larry Palazzolo, Steven Scott Plisk, Alysha Radke, RX Review, Jeb Roberts, Angela Rose, Jennifer Stewart, Kim Turley-Smith, Sarah Trundle, Jennifer Young, Grace Van Berkum marketing director Debra Antwi debra@sweatrxmag.com

larry palazzolo is a trainer at CrossFit Delaware Valley, a Certified Holistic Health Coach, and a BioSignature Practitioner.

Having been a CrossFitter since 2005, he approaches “The Fitness” with a sense of humour from a health and longevity perspective. You can follow Larry on @larrypalazzolo or on his blog www.larrypalazzolo.wordpress.com.

regional correspondent Jennifer Young wodpress@sweatrxmag.com sales account managers sales@sweatrxmag.com

While every effort has been made to ensure that advertisements and articles appear correctly, Sweat Equity Lifestyle Media Group cannot accept responsibility for any loss or damage caused directly or indirectly by the contents of this publication. All material is intended for information purposes only. The views expressed in this magazine are not necessarily those of its publisher or editors. All rights reserved.

Reproduction in whole or in part is prohibited without written permission from the publisher.

Owned and published by Sweat Equity Lifestyle Media Group 6-1500 Upper Middle Road West, #118 Oakville, Ontario, Canada L6M 0C2 info@sweatrxmag.com SWEAT RX Magazine is published 6 times a year.

Advertising inquiries please contact sales@sweatrxmag.com

Printed in Canada on paper from a sustainable source using vegetable-based inks.

marie-lyssa dormeus is an international award winning photographer who specializes in fine art photography and multimedia production.

She discovered CrossFit on her personal quest to optimize her own health and fitness. After attending several community based crossfit events she has decided to combine her photographic skills and passion for the sport of fitness to create imagery that inspires and celebrates CrossFit athletes from all over the world. She was born and raise in Montreal and currently shares part of her life in Toronto. You can follow her journey and her work at www.marielyssa.com

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contact us Readers are invited to contribute comments, views and photos. Article submissions and photography should be emailed to: info@sweatrxmag.com model/profile submission If you’re interested in being considered for a model/trainer/instructor profile please submit details to: info@sweatrxmag.com

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gallery

“THE MAN WHO CAN DRIVE HIMSELF FURTHER ONCE THE EFFORT GETS PAINFUL IS THE MAN WHO WILL WIN.” ­–Rodger Bannister

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Photographer Marie-Lyssa Dormeus Athlete Chris Cristini

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wod press

Box to box

News and Views TThe first issue of WODpress News Edition is now available online! Visit www.sweatrxmag. com to download a copy. This issue features a recap of local CrossFit events from 2012, interviews from Lucas Parker and Angie Pye, the grand opening of Reebok Crossfit East Woodbridge, and advice from Brit Holmberg on how to keep fighting.

You can also “like” us on facebook (Wodpress by Sweat RX Mag) to stay up to date on the Canadian CrossFit Scene, with profiles of Canadian CrossFitters, highlights from local events, and stories from boxes across the country. We’ve got facebook followers from all over the world and are excited to keep growing the community.

I am also extremely excited to be participating in the 2013 Reebok CrossFit Games Open (March 6 – April 7). This will be my 3rd time competing in the Open and I can’t wait to test my progress since last year. You can follow my journey through my weekly blog posts on our website and on the WODpress facebook page.

Have you signed up for the Open? We’d love to hear about your experiences too, whether it’s your 1st time or 4th! Give us a shout so we can help to share your stories! Leave a message on our page or email me at wodpress@sweatrxmag.com.

Weigh in: Fear of the bulk We recently received an email from one of our readers -we’ll call her Rachel: Read with caution

W

hile I was in line at a grocery store recently. I noticed two women behind me flipping through the pages of Sweat Rx, they where discussing the cover and both woman where proclaiming they would never want to look like ‘those girls’.

In response to this we wanted to ask our readers what they thought of this. Would you have talked to them? What would you have said? We asked our Facebook followers to “weigh in” with their thoughts.

Here’s what they had to say.

Reader Responses: Britney: I’d like to see those girls say it to our face... we’d crush them ...

Mareika: I would have told them that the fittest women at my box are also the tiniest.

Then I would have told them that a body under exertion looks a lot different than a body that is relaxed...in photos they are seeing muscles being activated...those women don’t look like that all the time, they look like that mid-way through a WOD when their muscles are pumped. Then I would

tell them that I would love to look like those girls and I stand in awe when I see them lift something that weighs almost twice my husband’s weight off the ground!

Jody: In reality I’ve said nothing and regretted it. I would want to say “ Let’s see who looks better at 90, if you are still able to get around at that age”. I would actually say “Why don’t you give CrossFit a try and then let me know if your opinion changes.”

Jen at WODpress: I can’t fault these women entirely, I used to think this way.

But CrossFit has changed my perception of beauty tremendously. My whole life I wanted to be skinny; if only someone had explained that I really just wanted to be strong. I would tell them: 1. You will not accidentally get bulky. If you wish to be an elite athlete at any sport, you will need muscles; enough, in fact, that others will be able to see them. But this won’t happen by accident.

You are unlikely to wake up one morning with the seam

of your pajamas burst open.

Elite level muscle requires elite level training, purpose, dedication, and more time in the gym than most of us commit. You will not spontaneously grow muscle! o what if you do? Box 2. S owners bend over backward trying to convince timid new members that they won’t get bulky. I want to change the conversation from “You won’t get bulky”, to, “Why are you so afraid that you might?” If you work hard, you might see a bicep or an abdominal muscle someday.

I propose we stop dreading that day. Instead, ask yourselves (and others!) the following: why are you afraid of muscle? Do you really think it is unattractive, or are you afraid others will think so?

Or, are you really just afraid that you could never look that way, no matter how hard you tried? Perhaps, rejecting muscle as “unattractive” is just the subconscious’ way of providing excuses when we are too afraid to try.

Me? I’ll take muscle bulk over fat bulk any day.

Our WODpress correspondent Jennifer Young wants to hear from you.

Email WODpress@sweatrxmag.com with your WOD photos, news & views.

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The perfecT gloves for crossfiT Training

sneak peek

Overdose and Firebreather take on Games hopefuls

By Jennifer Young

Photo: courtesy of element crossfit

T

his January our 2013 Games hopefuls had a chance to test the year’s training at two annual events: Overdose, hosted

by Element CrossFit in Mississauga, and the Firebreather Series, hosted

by L’Usine CrossFit in Montreal.

The usual field of Canada East’s top athletes might have been split between the two competitions, but spectators at both events saw what will certainly be a sneak preview of the Canada East Regional in May. Overdose was a two-day affair with a twist; athletes and spectators alike marched over to a local community centre for two swimming workouts (SWODs): a 200m swim and an elimination style tournament that included fetching a brick from the bottom of the pool and sprinting a length.

The SWODs were an exciting change of pace for spectators, featuring athletes of previously undetermined swim ability gliding, or more often plowing, through the water. The only real hiccup to the event was the shallow pool; many athletes felt they could run through the water better than swim through, thus turning the race into a water-filled scene from Chariots of Fire. This oversight will certainly be amended for future events.

The Firebreather Series included a team event, giving teams a rare chance to practice in competition.

It was no surprise when previous Games competitors from the host box (dubbed “L’UsineA” and “L’Usine1”) went home with first and third place. Somewhat less expected was the strong showing from Physics Crossfit of Ottawa. Brand new in 2011, the box didn’t even enter a team for the 2012 Games, but at Firebreather they finished first in two WODs and headed into the final, tied for first with L’Usine A! They placed second overall and are ready for a repeat performance at the regionals.

Jessica Côté-Beaudoin of Tonic CrossFit in Quebec City dominated the women’s competition at WODpress continued on page 94

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Get training for life!

18 // strength

20 // performance

22 // nutrition

24 // mind

26 // body

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fit rx [strength ]

photograph by: Nicole Bedard

Get the Jump on Explosive Power Physics and Newton’s Second Law

By Steven Scott Plisk

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W

hen looking for the best way to strength train athletes, go back to high school physics and recall that power = force x velocity.

A critical velocity or power output is required to execute any skill. Depending on the movement, power production usually peaks at 30% to 50% of maximum force or velocity (Figure 1).

To execute an athletic movement, an object must be rapidly moved through an acceleration path with peak force applied for a short time (typically about 0.1 to 0.2 second, whereas absolute max force development requires 0.6 to 0.8 second; Figure 2). Brief explosive force production separates the good athletes from the notso-good ones.

as important and trainable as amplitude.

A basic goal of many athletic skills is to minimize the time required to execute them, which in turn dictates the amount of force that can be generated. Some believe that rate of force development is only relevant during ballistic movements, but not during basic weight-training exercises (where the object is not released).

2. The intent to move explosively can be more important than actual velocity achieved.

Full volitional effort refers to a deliberate attempt to maximally accelerate the resistance, even if it’s too heavy to move rapidly. This yields the greatest

When a greater number of high threshold motor units are activated, the latency period between the initiation of force and initiation of movement is greatly diminished, which sets the stage for an explosive movement performed successfully.

A faster rate of force development equates to more force generated at greater speeds, which helps lifters become stronger and athletes more explosive.

Force = mass x acceleration Once the weight is determined, maximal force (relative to one’s strength capabilities) and motoneural activity are only generated with maximal acceleration.

In fact, since most movements are essentially an act of defying gravity, the central issue becomes what’s being moved and how fast?

The operative concept in each case is speed-strength. Many believe that speed is independent of strength, when in fact velocity is the result of explosive force.

That makes sense if you think about any sport skill in simple mechanical terms.

Swing a bat, throw a football, or push off the ground while running or jumping—all are based on the same principle: get into a “power position” and then accelerate into action as explosively as possible. You can use the same criterion to gauge the usefulness of any training exercise. That’s why movements like Olympic-style lifts, plyometrics, and medicine ball drills are so effective and why they deserve high priority in training.

Two important points 1. Rate of force production is

the science

neuromuscular excitation and adaptive response.

Any way you slice it, submaximal levels of force production and motoneural activation (exactly what occurs if the weight isn’t accelerated to the limits of one’s ability) don’t make sense as a means of training for explosive power.

Back to physics When you jump in the air, the moment your upward velocity hits zero dictates the maximum height of your jump.

To jump maximally, you drive into the ground as hard as you can. If you produce more force than gravity exerts, you begin to accelerate upwards, generating speed away from the ground. Once your legs are fully extended, you’ll no longer be able to exert force against the ground and upward acceleration will stop.

But how do we jump higher?

To jump higher, you need to exert more force into the ground during your jump to achieve a higher acceleration and thus a greater velocity upwards when you leave the ground.

To generate more force, the key is to get stronger.

The Role of the CNS Enhancing neural drive improves the functioning of the central nervous system (CNS).

Unbeknownst to many of the pencil-necked, polo shirt wearing commercial gym personal trainers, the CNS, not our body’s muscular system, serves as our body’s strength headquarters. Although physiological properties, such as a muscle’s cross sectional area, hormone secretion, and nutritional status – and biomechanical properties such as lever lengths – all impact strength to some degree, it’s the CNS which yields the greatest influence on force development.

Steven Plisk, M.S., C.S.C.S., is the director of sports conditioning at Yale University.

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fit rx [ performance ]

Live Clean “Say it ain’t so, Lance!”

I

n confessing to cheating in international cycling races, Lance Armstrong admits he used a cocktail of performance-enhancing drugs to boost red blood cells, improve strength and stamina, and mask his unethical behaviours from anti-doping authorities.

Drug of Choice Erythropoietin Erythropoietin (EPO) is a peptide hormone that is produced naturally by the human body. It’s released from the kidneys and acts on the bone marrow to stimulate red blood cell production. By injecting EPO, athletes aim to increase the concentration of red blood cells to boost their aerobic capacity. EPO abuse has serious health risks: by thickening the blood, it can lead to an increased risk of heart disease, stroke, and cerebral or pulmonary embolism. The drug has been implicated in the deaths of several athletes.

Here’s the scoop on other drugs commonly used in sports doping—the good, the bad, and the ugly.

Blood Doping There are two forms of blood doping.

1) Autologous blood doping is the transfusion of an athlete’s own blood, which has been stored, refrigerated, or frozen until needed and 2) Homologous blood doping is the transfusion of blood taken from another person with the same blood type.

Although the use of transfusions for blood doping dates back several decades, experts say it has seen a recent resurgence, probably due to

the introduction of more efficient EPO detection methods.

Anabolic Steroids Anabolic steroids resemble testosterone, a hormone produced in male testes.

Because these drugs affect muscle growth, raising their levels in the blood can help athletes to increase muscle size and strength.

The Good: Increase in lean muscle mass with a decrease in body fat and recovery time after injury.

The Bad: Abuse of these drugs can make people aggressive and cause high blood pressure.

The Ugly: Liver problems, impotence and declining sperm production, testicular atrophy in men, kidney failure, and heart disease.

Human Growth Hormone Human growth hormone (hGH) (also called somatotrophin or somatotrophic hormone) is naturally produced by the body and synthesized and secreted by cells in a gland at the base of the brain.

The major role of hGH is to stimulate the liver and other tissues to secrete insulin-like growth factor (IGF-1). IGF-1 stimulates production of cartilage cells, resulting in bone growth and also playing a role in muscle and organ growth. All of these can boost sporting performance.

effects for hGH abuse are diabetes; worsening of heart diseases; muscle, joint, and bone pain.

The Ugly: High blood pressure, abnormal growth of organs, and osteoarthritis.

Diuretics Diuretics can be used to mask the detection of other banned substances.

Some commonly used diuretics include furosemide, bendroflumethiazide, and metolazone.

The Good: As well as masking other drugs, diuretics can also help athletes lose weight, which works to their advantage in sports where one must qualify in a certain weight category or obtain a super ripped look (for example, in bodybuilding and physique competitions).

The Bad: Dehydration is a prominent danger. Because diuretics increase urine output, they can deplete the body of water.

The Ugly: Depending on the type of diuretic, it can deplete potassium and other electrolytes. Depletion of electrolytes can induce cardiac arrhythmias, which can be lifethreatening.

The Good: hGH is often called the “fountain of youth” because elevated hGH levels make you feel youthful and can reverse the effects of aging.

The Bad: Commonly reported side

“Lance Armstrong admits he used a cocktail of performanceenhancing drugs to...improve strength and stamina, and mask his unethical behaviours from anti-doping authorities.”

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fit rx [ nutrition ]

Portable Paleo Diet tips while travelling By larry palazzolo

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aving recently returned from a week-long trip to a foreign country, I can say that eating Paleo while on vacation can be difficult, but not impossible.

Any time you go out to eat, you’ll have to make some compromises. Even if a restaurant says they’re organic and the menu looks pretty clean, you still have little control over the ingredients and preparation that comprise the entire meal. The meat may be grass-fed but cooked with an oxidized oil, or they might have added sugar to the meal along the way. Dinner may come with grains or a starch that looks tasty as hell,

but will most likely wreck your GI system.

Do you order the meal anyway and try to eat around the offenders, or do you go in a different direction and add protein to an order of salad?

When you’re on vacation, try to eat as clean as possible but don’t shy away from small indulgences. I don’t have much of a sweet tooth, but on vacay, I’m taking a break. As long as you don’t go overboard and completely hijack your blood sugar, don’t feel bad about having a few bites (or the whole thing) of some non-Paleo treats. Taking these mini-breaks from time-to-time keeps you sane.

Larabars: There’s quite a bit of sugar (albeit natural sugar) in these little bars. As good as Apple Pie and Banana Bread are (and apparently Blueberry Muffin, as well), don’t crack out on them. Still, they’re a good whole food snack on the road.

Water: Hydration is critical, especially when travelling. Airplanes have low humidity and dry, recycled air, so it’s easy to get dehydrated on longer flights. You can’t go through security with a full water bottle, but you can go through with an empty one and then fill up at a water fountain later. You may need to take your water bottle out of your bag at the x-ray machine.

Side note: For any of you mobility fiends, you may have your bag searched if you’re travelling with a lacrosse ball or an empty Nalgene bottle. On my last flight out of Philadelphia, the screener saw a solid mass (the lax ball) on her screen and didn’t know what it was. Avoid the hassle. Take the lax ball and water bottle out of your bag before sending it through the x-ray machine.

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Single-Serving Almond Butter Packets: I like Justin’s Classic Almond Butter packets, and you can get them from Whole Foods. They’re small and portable and I’ve never had a problem taking them through airport security.

Jerky: Hard-boiled eggs are fine once you’ve reached your destination, but they’re too stinky to travel with. Opening a warm Tupperware container of hard boiled-eggs on a plane is probably a federal offense. Jerky is a much better option and is probably the perfect travelling protein. If you can make your own, that would be ideal, but not always practical. Most store-bought jerky has sugar, soy, and other additives that are less than optimal. Something like Steve’s Original Paleo Kit is good when you’re in a fix, and they even offer grass-fed kits now.

The only thing I don’t like about them is they’re really messy; the Paleo Kits have a lot of moisture in the package, which makes for a wet mess in your hands.

Don’t forget: Paleo-Friendly Booze: If you plan on having any in-flight Paleo cocktails, you can bring up to five 1-ounce bottles of booze (keep it Paleo-friendly) through security without a problem.

If you need a mixer, you’ll have to get it on the plane.

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fit rx [mind ]

mental Toughness The overlooked discipline By janne mortensen

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ere are 10 tips that if used on a regular basis, can help to build mental toughness in day-to-day activities, training and competing. This list was adopted

by Kenneth Baum from his book “The Mental Edge – Maximize your Sports Potential with the Mind-Body Connection”.

1. A Loss becomes a gain: Every performance can be used as a learning experience. Even when a goal or time is not met, things can be learned. After a competition, good or bad, take some time to make a list of things that went well and things that didn’t go so well. Use this list to learn and modify training plans to do better the next time. Only focus on one or two things to tweak at a time. Just brewing on the bad things will only make matters worse. Remind yourself of what went well.

2. If you do what you’ve always done, you’ll get what you’ve always gotten: Change is good. Doing the same workout schedule every year, week in and week out does little to make progress. Be an experimenter. Become an innovator.

Instead of getting frustrated because of lack of improvement ask yourself “What don’t I like about my results and what can I do differently?”

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3. The imagination is more powerful than the will: Be creative.

4. Bodies work perfectly; the mind gets in the way: Don’t over analyze.

Sometimes it’s good to let the body do what it knows how to do and just let things happen. If you’ve done the training, both mentally and physically, you have the tools to perform up to your potential.

5. L imitations are temporary: Approach each obstacle as a challenge rather than a brick wall. Instead of asking “What’s wrong with me? Why am I stuck in a rut?” ask “How far can I go? What can I accomplish?”

6. Anyone can play any sport better: Pattern yourself after another outstanding athlete in your sport. Break down their performance into mini-goals for you to copy. Visualize and imagine yourself performing like your role model by seeing yourself exactly how you want to be.

7. Events have no meaning except what you give them: Every event

is just an event. It’s not life or death. It’s something that you’ve trained hard for. Try not to put too much pressure on yourself.

Competition is something that we should enjoy and not dread.

8. Getting better is more important than winning: The goal should be to perform at your peak level and if it includes winning - great. If not, you did your best on that day.

9. Practice like you play: Very few of us can go out and perform hard on competition day without putting in the hours in training. We need to practice hour after hour to establish and strengthen that mind, body and emotional connection we need for competition. For this reason we need to practice the way we want to perform in order to perform the way we want to perform.

10. The more you expect from a situation, the more you will achieve: Expect to do well and you are more likely to do well. Expect to fail and you are more likely to fail. When you focus on the possibility of real success, you will be that much closer to your full potential.

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Emotional Rescue!

Don’t leave your mental game to chance

By Janne Mortensen

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our body reacts to every thought you have—positive or negative. Have you ever felt nervous before a competition, an exam, or a job interview? Were you thinking, “What if I can’t do it? What if I fail?” And did you end up with a stomachache, headache, or profuse sweating? Exactly.

Have you ever had a bad dream? Did you wake up sweaty with a racing heart? That’s another example of how your mind influences your body’s reactions, even though you were only sleeping. The mind-body connection is so strong that if you want to reach your full potential, you must train them both! It’s the only way to achieve your peak performance.

Have you ever experienced mental fatigue before physical fatigue? Most athletes experience this, simply because they haven’t trained their mind to be in optimal shape like their body. When competing, you fight for every inch, which often means putting your body through a lot of pain to secure a win. You’re under severe pressure, stress, and anxiety to perform well, thus it’s important to learn how to manage these emotions.

There’s no reason to let your mental game be left to chance. It is within your control to be as tough mentally as you are physically!

Who is mental training for?

Maybe you’re a professional CrossFitter, and you know yourself well in terms of your own physical capacities, strengths, and challenges.

The next step is to go beyond the familiar and set new limits for yourself. You can take yourself to the next level by working on your mental game, enhancing your mental strength.

If you’re a competitive CrossFitter, you’re already familiar with the competitive setting.

You’re serious about your training and want to improve every day. CrossFit is a highly prioritized part of your life, and you dream of going all the way. In competitions and perhaps in some training settings, you feel unable to give it your best, and you don’t know why. To take it to the next level you must learn how to perform at 100 percent through mental training.

If you’re the novice CrossFitter and just started competing, you either love it or want to learn to love it. Either way, to compete at your peak performance level you’ll need to maintain focus, handle negative thoughts, and enhance your emotional control.

Or maybe you’re an average Joe. You compete once in a while for the fun of it and you love doing CrossFit. In order to reach new physical goals, you’ll have to learn how to keep moving even when it hurts, how to push yourself, and how to maintain a high level of motivation.

Mental training will help you get the most from your physical training and ensure that CrossFit continues to be part of your life.

If you’re a CrossFit newbie, you’ve just started. Through mental training, you can learn to understand how to get the most out of CrossFit training, both physically and mentally. You’ll realize the power within once you start to train the mind as well as the body.

When I work with athletes, I always ensure that we work on control. What are you in control of and what are you not in control of? Being aware of what you can actually do something about and then doing it, is critical to enhancing performance. Precious time and energy can be

wasted on things entirely out of our control.

5 Tips for Success: 1. Be aware of your challenges. What would you like to optimize? The first step is always awareness; the next step is change.

2. Write down the situations in which you meet your challenges. What happens? This helps create the awareness you need in order to change.

3. W rite down strategies for overcoming your challenges. What options do you have, when you face these situations? By being aware of your options, and by spending some time thinking about and writing them down, you’re more likely to remember them when the opportunity arises.

4. Practice your strategies. Put yourself in challenging situations and practice your new strategies.

5. Ask for help. It’s difficult to deal with challenges if you’re not sure what to do. Confidence comes from knowledge and training your brain to overcome the challenges that you face and training yourself to have the guts to face these challenges is crucial.

It’s about dealing with every aspect of YOU and maximizing your potential! It’s about focus: getting rid of disturbing thoughts and replacing them with thoughts that will make you move even faster or become even stronger. And it’s about determination, discipline, and hard work; these traits, in addition to your attitude towards yourself, towards others, and towards your own development, are all mental skills to be learned.

Janne R. Mortensen is a sport Psychology Consultant working with athletes wanting to enhance their performance. She has a Master’s degree in sport science and psychology from the University of Copenhagen, European master in exercise and sport psychology, FEPSAC and experience with cognitive therapy and motivation. Janne is the founder of www.mentalwod.com and is the Sweat RX Mental WOD correspondent. Look for tips and insight in her column each issue.

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fit rx [body]

WOD UP! Quantifying sex for better performance

By Dave Asprey

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he link between sex and performance in life isn’t immediately obvious, but having fewer orgasms could make you a better entrepreneur and athlete—at least if you’re a man.

Recent discoveries in brain function suggest that it’s because your hypothalamus (the part of the brain that controls basic bodily functions) controls both sex and aggression.

By hacking your sex life, you can influence motivation.

There’s a convincing case backed up by bio-hacking selfexperiments and lots of historical references that women are happier and perform better when they have more orgasms and men benefit from far fewer, but longer, orgasms.

The link between sex and aggression Researchers tried a new method of stimulating the brain using fibre optics and light-sensitive injected proteins to trigger a portion of the hypothalamus in male mice. They discovered something shocking: “[After] a flash of light, the mice transformed from Jekyl into Hyde. They rapidly attacked other mice, whether male, female, or anaesthetized. They would even assail an inflated glove.”

There was only one way of preventing these violent urges: sex. If the males were actually mounting a female, the bursts of light had little effect . . . These experiments

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clearly showed that the act of sex suppresses neurons in the brains of mice that trigger aggression.”

Ok, so men are not mice. But when a man wants to kick ass in his next meeting or competition, he might want to skip sex the night or the week before, or at least (as the scientists note) skip the ejaculation.

Boxing coaches and professional athletes have long known of this hack to increase performance before competition.

On the flip side . . . more orgasms make women perform better “A woman’s body uses her orgasm to nourish her body and stimulate vital life qi. She is the receiver (yin) of her partner’s (yang) qi.”

Better yet, the emotional intelligence of women increases with more frequent orgasms. Some scientists suggest that the female orgasm unlocks altered consciousness. John Gray’s recent work on how oxytocin, the “happy hormone,” is formed in women supports this theory, because orgasm is one of the ways. The pathways are different for men, although men obviously use oxytocin, too.

What to expect We’re not talking about celibacy or becoming a monk.

We’re talking about having an active sex life (ideally with

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someone else, just saying . . . ) but not ejaculating during the act. This doesn’t work if you’re choosing outright celibacy.

For the average guy, the effect of less frequent orgasms during sex takes about one minute to be annoying and a day to feel unbearable. After a few days of knuckle-biting frustration, the energy has to go somewhere, and with a little effort, you can turn it into productive energy.

The time to enter a productive zone is a few days, probably longer if you’re under 25. After the initial frustration zone, your performance increases regularly for about three weeks and then levels out and sustains as long as your self-control can last. The combination of fewer ejaculations with a healthy diet is especially powerful, as a diet high in healthy fats already raises testosterone and puts you in a high-energy metabolic mode.

It takes an enormous amount of discipline to do this, obviously. I failed more than a few times while learning to bio-hack myself. The good thing is, this is one time when failure feels good!

“By hacking your sex life, you can influence motivation.”

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Competition // Camaraderie // Community

Fitness Festival AUGUST 15-18 Metro Toronto Convention Centre @ canfitpro

We are bringing it all together:

3 events, 4 days of adrenaline s etition • 3 comp SQ FT • 25,000 ash c • 10,000 & e + priz s g braggin rights

• Sweat rx Championships • 911 Games •C anada’s greatest fitness challenge

Watch for more details coming soon

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Bringing you into the world of CrossFit.

30 // neal maddox

Photo: Marie-Lyssa Dormeus

32 // wodkilla

34 // crossfit power

36 // the business of crossfit

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The Real

the scene [profile]

Neal All that and a glazed donut

By Bonnie Lynch

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urns out, you can have your cake and eat it too. Proof: Neal Maddox. The 35-year-old NorCal CrossFitter’s penchant for sugary treats doesn’t seem to be holding him back in his quest to sweeten his standings as a Games athlete. This 5’10” 205-pound wall of muscle, who owns and trains at CrossFit X-Treme Athletics in San Jose, says his nighttime cravings for fat and carbs are a bit of a mystery, even to him, but his “donut recipe” (a glazed donut and glass of milk at bedtime) helps him sleep at night. If your Uncle Wally had said it, you might roll your eyes; but take one look at Maddox and his stats and you’ll start Googling for the nearest Tim Hortons.

In 2012, he blasted through the NorCal regionals, shattering the world record in Event 3—a merciless four rounds of 100-pound dumbbell snatches alternating with sprints. Only Maddox’s friend, training partner, and fellow CrossFit phenom Jason Khalipa came out ahead of him when the six events had ended. Both were on their way to the 2012 Games to take a shot at a $1 million purse— Maddox starting out at fourth place overall and Khalipa at second.

Maddox, competing with a partially torn biceps, turned in top ten finishes in three of the first nine events, but managed only a disappointing 35th place in the rope-sled workout. He came back strong in the next event, the clean ladder, hefting 365 pounds to snare first place. But it wasn’t enough to move him into the final day of competition, a goal that eluded him in the two previous years’ Games as well. It was some consolation, at least, to see his buddy Khalipa fight his way to a fifth-place spot.

When asked how he might train differently for the 2013 Games, Maddox isn’t biting: he’s sticking with what has brought him this far. “The injury was really the hardest thing.” He notes that rubbing elbows in the gym with people like Matt Chan (men’s second place in the 2012 Games) and Rich Froning (two-time and current World’s Fittest Man) didn’t hurt one bit.

The come-from-behind kid If you doubt the man knows how to make up for lost time, consider his humble beginnings. As a child, he was partially deaf and unable to speak. “My mom always jokes that I was the youngest kid to go to San Jose State because I went there for my hearing appointments,” he recalls. At nine years old, after learning sign language and taking years of speech therapy, his hearing began to return and he started talking. “They never knew what the cause was,” says Maddox.

As a kid, he looked up to his dad, a towering guy who worked out. His tender pre-teen years were divided between watching his father stay in shape, sneaking a peek at Hardbodies on TV, and learning how to do push-ups and sit-ups when most kids his age were avoiding them like the plague. And he never forgets that,

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during his rough start in life, “People went out of their way to help me.”

He’s paying it forward now in his role as a Level 1 trainer, and his excellent showing in the last couple of years at regionals and in the Games has brought some notoriety—and undoubtedly a few extra clients. “Being at the Games doesn’t necessarily make me a better trainer,” Maddox insists, but if someone wants to go to the Games, I know how to get them there.” He’s quick to add that only about 1 percent of those who train will ever get to the Games, although many more have expressed the desire to do so. “People say, ‘I wanna go to the Games,’ but they have no idea. It took years of prep to get me to this point,” Maddox says. “I would never want to crush anybody’s dream, but . . .”

In addition to training the young, fit, and wildly ambitious, he finds gratification working with clients who may be older, somewhat fragile, or suffering from limiting conditions like MS. “Going to regionals makes me a better competitor, but what makes me a better trainer is watching the client and how they move, seeing and correcting the movement on a daily basis.” The consensus from client testimonials is that he’s a tough, down-tobusiness kind of guy who gets results by tailoring workouts to his client’s needs and abilities, then pushing hard to make sure nothing is held back.

Fuelling success What do you feed a CrossFit machine? Well, Maddox feeds it whatever it asks for. “I eat clean mostly,” he says, “but if I want something bad, I’m gonna get it. I listen to what my body wants.”

The machine likes to stay well-oiled, apparently: it asks for fat at every meal, and Maddox has been quoted elsewhere as saying, “I eat fat; in fact, I eat a lot of fat.” A recent day’s meal plan looked like this: eggs and toast for breakfast; a fruit and protein snack; lunch of rice or a sweet potato with protein; a Progenex shake with coconut water in the afternoon; dinner of salmon and zucchini; and a slice of carrot cake (substitute glazed donut or other bodily requests, as appropriate).

Like many top-tier CrossFitters, Maddox integrates his workouts with family time. “Slowly but surely,” he says, he’s making CrossFit a way of life for his teenage daughter. When he picks her up after school, they travel together to the gym, where she studies while Maddox works out. “When I’m done, it’s her turn to work out. I made it mandatory for her,” he admits, and explains why: “It’s more than working out—it’s fighting through adversity; it’s discipline, community, and structure.” He hopes the lessons she’s learning in CrossFit will stay with her through the college years, preparing her to go out and get what she wants from life—even if that is an occasional donut.

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Photo: Marie-Lyssa Dormeus

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the scene

WODkilla

So you want to compete? Here’s what you need to know.

By Jennifer Stewart photography by marie-lyssa dormeus

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his goes out to anyone who has ever considered participating in a CrossFit competition. I’m talking to the average CrossFitter. You’re in the Box three times a week. You train despite a busy schedule.

You might have started CrossFit to get in shape and see what the hype was about. But slowly the lifestyle started to seep into other areas of your life. You make better food choices and incorporate healthier activities into your lifestyle; your Facebook feed is flooded with news from your Box and about the CrossFit games. You think twice before missing a class. In fact, you feel a little guilty, sometimes even sad, when you can’t make it to class. I’m talking to YOU WODkilla!

Another CrossFit competition is on the calendar—should you or shouldn’t you? Absolutely, you should! I’m speaking from a non-RX point of view, someone who will never find herself as a contender for the Games. I’ve participated in four competitions in the last year and a half.

I’m a 41-year old working mother of two who attends class three times a week if I’m lucky. I’ll RX once in a while, but I still haven’t achieved my pull-ups! And I have no regrets about competing.

Why compete, you ask? Competition forces you to get outside of your comfort zone and helps you to work through plateaus. Preparing for competition guides you in setting and achieving new goals. Competition allows you to measure how you fair against people you wouldn’t normally train with.

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It’s likely that the adrenaline rush from the competition will bring you a PR somewhere throughout the day. It challenges your physical strength, but more importantly, it builds your mental strength. Participating in competition also builds camaraderie as your Box mates cheer for you, and you do the same for them.

So you’ve decided to do it. Great! Here are some tips to prepare you.

1. Most competitions release the standards for the divisions (RX, scaled, Masters) before registration. Read them carefully and sign up for the division most appropriate for you. Challenge yourself. If you struggle with one or two of the standards, don’t get discouraged. Spend the next few months working towards achieving them.

2. Once the WODs are posted, read them fully. Ask questions, attend briefings, and watch videos. Do everything you can to understand what is expected and allowed.

3. Understand the scoring system. To my knowledge, there’s no standard scoring system for competition, and not all competitions post their method. Ask if you don’t know. Also, check your scores after you compete to be sure they’re correct.

4. Now that you know what skills will be included, practice.

5. Get a game plan. Think through the WODs. How will you

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6.

7.

8.

9.

10.

11.

12.

13.

14.

maximize your strengths to make up for your weaknesses?

Rest. I usually take two to three days off before a competition, partly because I’m an older athlete. Taking the time off means I won’t be achy and leaves me hungry to get out there and work.

Eat healthy in the days leading up to the competition and get a good night’s sleep. Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate!

Load up on positivity! I watch inspirational videos on YouTube, stock my iPod with energizing songs, and arm myself with some motivational sayings to empower me through the day.

Bring a chair, water, high energy, recovery snacks, an iPod, extra clothes, a jump rope, practice equipment, and money so that you can try out the Paleo food and shop for some new gear. If the event is outside, bring sunglasses, a 10 x 10 pop-up tent for shade, and some sunblock.

Arrive on-site early to avoid feeling rushed; check out the stations and take time to warm up.

Designate someone to capture your experience on camera. You’ll want to see your joy after achieving a PR. 3-2-1 GO: Pace yourself. There’s a long road ahead.

Focus on form. Don’t waste precious time and energy on a “no rep.”

Your competition is YOU! Don’t distract yourself by looking at your

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competitors during the WODs. Pay attention to you and only you.

15. Focus on your coach’s tips. He’s the expert. Pay attention to his coaching while competing, and don’t forget to thank him when all is said and done.

16. Leave all that you have on the competition floor. Don’t let a setback dictate the rest of your competition. Don’t give up and don’t get discouraged, just keep moving.

17. Be proud of yourself! You’re a winner for stepping onto the competition floor!

18. Have fun!

19. Competitions are social! Spend the day cheering on your teammates, getting to know your Box mates, and meeting CrossFitters from other Boxes.

20. Get back to your Box and train! You achieved some PRs? Awesome!

Now it’s time to set the bar higher. Were you disappointed with your performance? That’s okay. Set goals to help overcome the challenges you faced. You’ll only come back stronger next time around.

Happy competing!

Jennifer Stewart credits CrossFit as playing an important role in the success of her Brazilian Jiu Jitsu competitions. www.jiujitsufamily.com

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ch

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Workout of choice for entrepreneurs By Dan Martell

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4. It’s a Tough Mental Game Sure it hurts, and sure you want to puke your guts out. Sure you don’t think you can go any harder or faster, but guess what? You always manage to do it. More than anything, CrossFit is a mental game, and it’s up to you to beat it. And then there’s the whole peer pressure thing. Because you’re doing the same workouts as everyone else in the room,

6. You’re Sucked In If you don’t go to class, your instructors and peers will hunt you down, typically using Facebook in a very public way. You’ll never hear the end of it. Even if you just had the flu. Even if you just had a baby. No matter how hard life gets, you stay committed.

You have no choice. Being accountable to others is how great entrepreneurs build their companies, by having customers, employees, and investors. CrossFit is no different.

If you’re lacking in the workout department, it’s time to consider something new and exciting to rev your engine. CrossFit is the workout of choice for entrepreneurs for a reason. Now’s the time to join a gym and get fit! WODs will quickly become a part of your daily lingo and you won’t shut up about it.

fou

et

3. It’s Openly Competitive Entrepreneurs thrive on competition, but with CrossFit, you’re not competing against others— you’re competing against yourself to be better than your best. You’ll see everybody’s scores, but your focus will be 100 percent devoted to yourself.

Entrepreneurs thrive on this motivation because they’re always setting new and ridiculous personal challenges. What feels better than winning and beating them?

Greg

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2. It’s Measured Entrepreneurs love putting pressure on themselves to achieve tangible results, and that’s what CrossFit is all about. Your progress, improvements, and setbacks are tracked on a chart. You can’t get away from it. Seeing this data in front of you will push you harder to perform better. At the end of the day, you’re ultimately tied to a number.

It’s a workout that completely compliments the entrepreneur’s psyche.

5. It’s Social “I love the sense of community built around CrossFit,” Johnson said. “Everyone shares a common drive to push themselves beyond personal limits, and people notice when you’re slacking off. I’ve gotten emails from instructors asking why I hadn’t been to class in a few days. The community is definitely a motivating factor.”

Classes are about 10 to 15 people at a time, and you’ll see the same people often.

You’ll get to know them well. You’ll cheer them on, and they’ll cheer back at you.

You continuously support each other to push harder, and afterwards you’ll hang out and catch up on life. You’ll be so sick to your stomach from the intensity of the workout that you’ll never want to talk about CrossFit again. But somehow you do—you’re obsessed with it.

“Extroverted people are social people and CrossFit is very much a social fitness class!” says Marc Hébert, co-owner of Maritime CrossFit. “People are encouraged to ask questions, to interact with their classmates, and to cheer others on during workouts. It’s this team dynamic along with a personal competitive nature that keeps people motivated and addicted to CrossFit.” You leave every class not only in muscle pain and feeling great, but with new friends. This leads to discovering that …

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1. It’s Productive “I do CrossFit because start-ups are stressful!” said Manpacks founder Ken Johnson in an interview. “And without much of a time commitment (one hour, three to four times a week) you can stay in really good shape. I used to run to the gym before lunch every day, but my routine was getting so repetitive. With CrossFit, the workouts are always changing—one day, I’m climbing ropes and doing handstand push-ups, the next I’m doing Olympic lifts heavier than I ever thought possible.”

you push yourself harder and further than you normally would. Who the hell cares if you’re tired—it won’t kill you! The reality is you’ll pass out before you die.

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here’s no denying that CrossFit is one of the fastest-growing sports and fitness programs in the world. But why is it becoming the workout of choice for entrepreneurs?

It seems entrepreneurs can’t get away from the extreme stuff. We love intensity, and that’s why we seem to love CrossFit. It’s measured, competitive, and mentally engaging—just like running a business.

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the scene [fit biz]

soft ware for hard bodies Implementing systems for success

By Adam Morden

D

o you spend hours every week trying to track what’s going on in your gym? Who’s paid, who’s paying, and who’s coming to what classes? I used to, and I know that’s not why I got into CrossFit. I got into CrossFit because it changes people’s lives. I’m going to tell you how automating your systems and using CrossFit management software will save you time, make you money, and let you focus on the things that really matter.

But why listen to me? Simple, I’ve been there. I started out in a Globo Gym and then moved to a garage. Now, Alchemy CrossFit is the type of gym I always wanted, with a growing staff of 12 rocking a space of 4000sq ft, and I have the time to work hard on RhinoFit, my software business.

This hasn’t been a constant upward progression; it was more like learning my first muscle-up—f*$%ing hard! For a long time I was so busy working IN my business that I didn’t have the time to work ON my business. I didn’t have time to workout or see my wife; I could barely keep up with my current members, despite working 80 to 100 hours a week.

The birth of my first child made me determined to find a better way.

Now I take time off to go surfing in Costa Rica, take my kids to Disney, or just relax for an evening, knowing full well that my business will continue to grow even when I’m away. In short, I first built myself a job, and now I have a business.

I found two mutually compatible and interdependent solutions that allowed me to break out of this pattern: automating my systems and hiring great staff. In this article I’ll discuss why automating systems are fundamental to your future success and happiness.

You must automate your box. I didn’t say should, I said MUST. In order for your business (and your personal life) to thrive, you have to develop and implement systems. How do you automate your business? One effective strategy is automation software. After working with nearly 100 affiliates with RhinoFit, I can say with certainty that automating the three main domains of Billing, Scheduling and Attendance, and Membership Management will help you get more members, increase member retention, and make your box more profitable.

Why focus on these three? All of them are tedious, time-consuming, and prone to error. And errors in any of them will cost your business money.

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illing: manual billing really means billing problems. It’s probably the •B most aggravating job that CrossFit coaches have to endure. Automation decreases aggravation and increases profits.

•A ttendance and Scheduling: this allows clients to reserve classes and book one-on-one training without you having to do anything. You can also track who’s coming and how often. Automation increases retention and makes you more money.

•M embership Management: automated membership management involves tasks like knowing how many people use what kind of membership and whether memberships are about to renew or expire.

Automation frees your time so that you can focus on the things that matter to you and your clients.

There are 7.5 main benefits of automating these components of your box: 1. Eliminate paper and make info available anywhere, anytime Have you ever gotten an email from a client when you’re at home and had to wait to answer it or couldn’t book an appointment because you didn’t have your office files with you? Management software like RhinoFit allows you to access your files at any time, in any place.

Running a community class at a park and want to sign up a new member? No problem!

2. Provide services 24/7, 365 By eliminating the need for staff to do basic tasks like signing up for memberships, booking classes, or scheduling private sessions, you can make those options available to customers anytime they want. Imagine waking up to discover you have three new members!

3. Reduce repetitive activities and make your office more efficient Typing a bunch of credit card numbers into a terminal or going to the bank to deposit cheques each month is a huge waste of your time.

Even if you’re paying someone to do it, the savings on hourly wages alone will more than pay the subscription fee for most software. Also, if a client calls with a question about their membership, it will be readily available and quickly accessible.

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Insurance shouldn't be your goat For an evaluation of your insurance needs contact 4. Gain time to work ON your business rather than IN it Automating your box should free up at least five hours a week. That’s five hours you can spend building your business and duplicating yourself.

It’s time you can spend focusing on the long-term growth and development of your box.

5. Better customer and staff understanding Reduce member complaints and resolve problems quickly by having information about memberships available at your (and their) fingertips—and have a written record of changes on an account.

6. Boost confidence and member retention You can make your members feel more valued and taken care of by sending reminders of upcoming classes, missed classes, membership renewals, and expiry messages. They can also go online to change billing info, update contact details, and check upcoming bills. They’ll feel more in control of what’s happening with their membership. You can also do things like send birthday emails (my clients at Alchemy love this).

7. Removes the “money talk” from your coach/client relationship When you automate your billing, you don’t have to bring up monthly payment, renewals, or late payments with your clients each month, and that frees you to focus on coaching every time. No one likes the money talk. Not you. Not them.

7.5. Focus on coaching Automating billing and membership renewals let you focus on coaching your members. Rather than trying to recall who still has to pay this month (or worse, last month) you can focus on remembering who has what injuries, who’s close to a PR, or who likes to slack and needs a push when things get tough. It ensures your conversations don’t have an overtone of “this guy just wants me to pay for next month—he doesn’t really care.”

Automation makes mundane office work more efficient, and more importantly, it enhances your members’ experience. It’s crucial for CrossFits because it allows us to focus on our passion and do what we do best: change lives for the better.

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photography by marie-lyssa dormeus by dina rich

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CrossFit spirit alive and well in SoCal

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osta Mesa, California, felt its energy quotient blast through the roof with the annual OC Throwdown at the Orange County Fairgrounds on January 12-13. The event, first launched in 2010, was designed to give local athletes and clubs a place to showcase their skills and fitness levels in a spirit of fun and friendly competition.

In its first two years of existence, the OC Throwdown opened its doors to anyone and everyone who wanted to compete. 2010 saw a promising beginning, with 125 athletes and about 400 spectators. Competitors performed just four WODs. In 2011 two more WODs were added, and the number of athletes and spectators more than doubled to 275 and over 1000, respectively.Justin Flynn, owner of Orange Coast CrossFit and mastermind of the OC Throwdown, was onto something.

The event generated so much interest that in 2012 an online qualifier was initiated, and 1100 hardy souls ponied up to participate, logging their data on three WODs over as many weeks. The top 150 men and 100 women earned the right to throw it down for a live crowd in the name of “Fittest in SoCal.” This year’s event promised to be the biggest and best yet, and it delivered. Over 2800 die-hard CF fans poured into The Hangar at the OC Fair and Event Center, eager to see their hometown heroes and a few invited CF celebs (including Tommy “Hack’s Pack” Hackenbruck, Kenneth Leverich, and Neal Maddox on the men’s side, and feisty females like Kris Clever, Lindsey Valenzuela, and Talayna Fortunato). The stage was set for excitement, and the six workouts offered a pleasing variety of punishments

for the crowd to witness.

Athletes were off and running (literally) in WOD 1. The 7K run was divided into 3 legs, the second of which was made more interesting with the addition of 70 pounds of sandbags (45 for women). Ben Wise, who didn’t make it through the final elimination round, still went home with an event win by completing the run in just under 36 minutes. Andrea Ager was the women’s winner, finishing sixth overall.

WOD 2 began with 10 muscle-ups and then proceeded to four rounds of 12 chest-to-bar pull-ups with 8 box jumps, followed by 10 more muscleups. Three of the men’s competitors finished in under five minutes: Noah Olsen (Peak360 CrossFit) was the men’s winner, with Ken Leverich and Brian Miller close behind. In the women’s division, where the number of reps was lower, Taylor Richards-Lindsay took first and finished 14th overall, while women’s 2010 Games champ Kris Clever finished four seconds later to claim second.

WOD 3 continued the armageddon and added a bountiful helping of hurt to the thighs with three rounds of 8 shoulder-to-overhead (190lb for the men; 125 for the women) and 14 pistol squats, then three rounds of 8 front squats (190/125) with 16 GHD sit-ups. The fun didn’t stop there; competitors cranked out a final three rounds of 4 ground-to-overhead (190/125) with two 20-foot rope climbs. Lindsey Valenzuela took her first WOD win here, finishing in 13:26, with Kris Clever knocking on her back door for second.

Neal Maddox saw his first of three WOD wins, with a time of just over 12:25.

WOD 4 was a clean ladder, with the bar starting at 245 pounds (185 for women) and increasing in 10-pound increments to 375 pounds (245

The top 150 men and 100 women earned the right to throw it down for a live crowd in the name of “fittest in socal.”

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Kenneth Leverich First Place Neal Maddox Second Place Travis Mayer third place

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Lindsey Valenzuela First Place Alessandra Pichelli Second Place christy phillips Third Place

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for women). Athletes could sneak in some double-unders for tie-breaking points, although this turned out to be moot for both the women and the men.

Lindsey Valenzuela was the only one in her division to hit the 245 lift, taking her second win of the day. Unaffiliated competitor Danny Nicholas was the only man to make the 375 mark, resulting in a WOD 4 win. However, unlike Valenzuela, who was crowned overall winner, Nicholas was shut out in the elimination round.

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6th WOD results first in the men’s division was neal maddox, garnering his third win nearly 30 seconds ahead of second-place ken leverich

vent 5 alternated 30 wall balls (20/14) with a series of ascending power snatches (first round at 135/95, followed by 155/105, then 185/125). Neal Maddox snatched his way to another win in 7:16, comfortably ahead of second-place Kevin Ogar’s 7:42 time and third-place Tommy Hackenbruck’s 8:02. Lindsey Valenzuela was officially on a roll, taking her third WOD win of the day with a time of 8:03. Kris Clever, nearly 1:30 behind Valenzuela, managed a fourth-place finish.

The sixth and final WOD pulled out all the stops: deadlifts, followed by thrusters, box jump overs, KB swings, cal rows, handstand push-ups, burpee bar muscle-ups, 50-metre OH walking lunges, a 50-metre run, 100 heavy rope double-unders, a 200-metre sprint, and—pause to gasp here—burpee rower hops to round it all out.

First in the men’s division was Neal Maddox, garnering his third win nearly 30 seconds ahead of second-place Ken Leverich. Lindsey Valenzuela

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showed that her sweep of the three previous WODs hadn’t used her up, as she took win number four, with Alessandra Pichelli and Kris Clever grabbing second and third place, respectively.

When the chalk dust had settled, the top of the leader board in the Men’s Pro division was Kenneth Leverich, who finished 17th in the 2012 Games. Joe Garcia, Orange Coast CrossFit’s director of performance, wasn’t surprised. “He’s just an intense competitor. Once the clock is going, it’s just him and whatever task he has in front of him—know what I mean?— Until it’s done.” And although he didn’t take first in any of the WODs, Leverich was a strong enough competitor to edge out three-eventwinner Neal Maddox by 17 points. Travis Mayer rounded out the top three men’s spots, while Tommy Hackenbruck came in seventh.

On the women’s side, the seemingly unstoppable Lindsey Valenzuela took three WODs and the first-place title. Valenzuela took ninth place in the Games in 2012 but is best remembered for bringing the crowd to its feet as she became one of only two women to complete the 235-pound clean ladder event.

While CrossFitters everywhere turn their attention to qualifying rounds for this year’s Games, Flynn and his SoCal posse will be hard at work plotting the 2014 Throwdown. Flynn assures fans that he knows their expectations are high. “We’d like to continue to attract more of the best athletes from around the world,” he says. “We want to make sure we keep our brand intact by only allowing the best of the best to compete [and we’ll] do this by keeping the workouts extremely challenging.”

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Photos: CrossFit, Inc. All other rights reserved by CrossFit, Inc.

Dallin with the preschool students in the village of Mnyenzeni, Kenya after their morning lessons.

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Kipping for Kenya Where WOD stands for “Winning Over Diversity” by bonnie lynch

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rossFit has changed lives, one by one, box by box, and WOD by WOD. No one can dispute that it builds muscle, endurance, confidence, and even friendships. But how important is it in the big scheme of life? I mean, it’s not like CrossFit can change the world, right? And yet, that’s exactly what it’s doing. In rural Kenya, CrossFit is helping to bring education, food, clean drinking water, and a good measure of hope, village by village.

CrossFit founder Greg “Coach” Glassman threw the company’s support behind what’s now known as the Hope for Kenya initiative after hearing about CrossFit trainer and Kenya devotee Dallin Frampton’s (CrossFit SpearHead, Utah) involvement and passion for the cause. Through a charity called Koins for Kenya, Frampton joined a mission to provide educational opportunities to Africans in the country’s vast and underserved rural areas. In most cases, this means not only building schools in places where existing facilities are substandard or even nonexistent, but also working to ensure that the basics of life (shelter and safe and reliable sources of food and water) are in place so that students can be healthy enough to go to school.

Twenty-two-year-old Frampton says he’s always had an inexplicable affinity for Kenya, even before setting foot in the country. In 2009, one year after graduating from high school, he had a chance meeting with someone involved in Koins for Kenya and made a real connection.

Less than 12 hours later, he sat in the executive director’s office asking how he could help. The answer was simple, if not easy: identify a project, and raise the money to accomplish it. “He challenged me to raise about $10,000 to build a school in the village of Dzivani [near Mombasa, Kenya].” Between the time of this meeting in September

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2009 and January 2010, he had raised about $13,000. In March he was on his way to Kenya for a six-month stint that would become a lifechanging, village-changing, and even CrossFit-changing experience.

Frampton returned from Africa excited to share his passion for the work he was doing. In February 2011, he met Coach Glassman at a Sports Series Q & A in Park City, Utah, and approached him, hoping to snag a donation. What he got was much more. “I had no idea he would want to grab onto this the way that he did,” marvels Frampton.

The young man’s passion was apparently contagious, because after funding a two-room school project, Coach and a team of CrossFit HQ staffers flew to Africa to see the work and meet the people. Glassman even led an impromptu workout for the village kids. Jimi Letchford, head of CF branding, recalls the spark that ignited when Glassman saw what was possible if CrossFit really invested itself in Kenya. “He knew that his community would rally behind it.” A short time later, Glassman not only gave the green light for CrossFit to fund a second school project, with four schoolrooms and a water collection system, but he started dreaming up creative ways to up the ante in a CrossFitKenya partnership.

In a country where the life expectancy of a newborn is less than 60 years and 20% of the population lives below the international poverty line of $1.25 per day, there’s no shortage of worthy projects to tackle.

Only about half of high-school-aged kids are actually enrolled in a school, and without adequate resources to send all of their children to a high school that may be many miles away, families and entire villages often pool their funds to send only the most promising students for education beyond Grade 8. Only these students will have a chance at the lifetime of opportunities (including a shot at college) that this level of education may provide. CrossFit, through its involvement in building schools and other basic infrastructure in Kenya, hopes to help

Photos: CrossFit, Inc. All other rights reserved by CrossFit, Inc.

The village of Dzendereni, Kenya where the first CrossFit school was built along with a 35,000 liter water cistern

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Coach Glassman giving an onthe-spot training session to the 7th and 8th grade boys in the village of Dzendereni, Kenya.

more kids have access to this opportunity. Letchford estimates that by the time this issue goes to print, the initiative will probably have raised enough money for five or six schools.

First things first When you visit one of the villages served by the project, you won’t see kids doing Wall Ball Shots or Muscle-Ups, but you will see a definite CrossFit presence. “The CrossFit part is just getting off the ground,” notes Frampton. In the village of Dzendereni, the newly-built school has been branded (literally) as the “CrossFit School.” A large CrossFit logo is emblazoned on an exterior wall and the desks are each stamped with the same logo. But incorporating CrossFit and CrossFit Kids into the curriculum can wait a while. “We’re in the very, very first baby steps of getting this thing off the ground,” says Frampton. “We can’t introduce CrossFit at its [typical] intensity before we give them the right fuel to fuel themselves. So we’re at Level 0, rather than at Level 1, where we can just go in and start teaching CrossFit. There are a couple prerequisites we’re focusing on right now.”

It’s not a “build-a-school-and-scram” model, Letchford notes. Job one is to set up the conditions where kids can show up feeling strong and healthy enough to participate in the mental and physical challenges of the school day. The projects always include buy-in from villagers, and there is much emphasis on helping families become self-reliant in

nutrition and livelihood. CrossFit works with a couple of other non-profits to bring clean water and resources for sustainable crop cultivation to rural families in Kenya. They work with individual families to map out the crops that can be grown on their land, thereby moving villages away from the corn monoculture that has helped keep them in nutritional poverty. They teach a model called self-rotational gardening, in which calculations are first done to determine how much and what type of food a family will need to grow on the land they have available. The land is divided into sections, each large enough to produce food for the family for a two-week period.

The first section is planted, say, with carrots, cabbage, and watermelon. That section is tended, and two weeks later the second section is planted either with the same foods or something different. When four sections have been planted, the first section is ready to harvest.

The planting/harvesting cycle continues in this way, so there is always fresh food available. “Through these gardens, [villagers] can plant on one-tenth of the land they usually use for corn,” says Frampton, adding that unlike corn, the foods they are growing are rich in vitamins and minerals.

What’s a better accompaniment to fresh fruits and vegetables than a glass of clean, clear water? Water cisterns connected to simple gutter systems can collect fresh rainwater as part of a village’s improvement project. (The recently built CrossFit School in Dzerenderi has a 35,000-litre cistern.) And when there’s insufficient water from above,

In rural Kenya, CrossFit is helping to bring education, food, clean drinking water, and a good measure of hope, village by village.

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“There’s a certain synergy that develops when people see others ‘doing good’.” the “village drill” can help villagers access it from below. The drill, a human-powered marvel that works with the combined effort of several people, was created by an outfit called WHOLives (where WHO stands for water, health, and opportunity). Drillers assemble around a large metal wheel that looks a little like the merry-gorounds at suburban playgrounds. Each grabs a handle and they begin to spin the wheel, which is connected to a section of drill bit. Once the bit is drilled in, the top of the drill is removed, a new section of bit is installed, and the wheel is spun again. The process continues until the (no doubt thirsty) drillers strike the wet stuff or the drill reaches its maximum depth of 250 feet.

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These are the village children in the village of Dzendereni during their lunch break.

The village of Boyani, Kenya where school children have to be exposed to the elements because of lack of funding to the school.

This is one of the villages that CrossFit will be working with to build much better facilities.

Photos: CrossFit, Inc. All other rights reserved by CrossFit, Inc.

Stepping up made easy There’s a certain synergy that develops when people see others ‘doing good.’ Letchford and Frampton have certainly noticed this trend with CrossFit’s Hope for Kenya initiative, which has garnered about $130,000 in donations so far. “We’ve raised about $65,000 in the last two weeks,” says Letchford, and he adds that CF New England alone has raised more than $10,000. “We have people hitting Dallin up every day,” Letchford says. “Doctors, nurses, engineers . . . they just want to be part of it.” He adds that reigning Fittest Man on Earth Rich Froning and his wife have expressed a lifelong dream of going to Kenya and helping out.

So what can CrossFitters do to help? Frampton’s answer will sound familiar. “It’s all about raising money for a project,” says Frampton. “There are so many different things to do in Kenya, and I’m trying to link up the affiliates that want to get involved with a specific village.” There is also now quarterly Hope for Kenya WODs that CrossFitters can do to support the cause. Affiliates can host any kind of fundraising event, and CrossFit HQ is ready to support them. “We don’t care if you’re selling hot dogs or doing the workout, or whatever,” Letchford says. The important thing is for affiliates and individuals to get involved at whatever level they can.

CrossFit is also continually enhancing the initiative’s website (www.kenya.crossfit.com), which serves as a resource for affiliates to identify projects, raise funds, and share success stories.

Letchford quips that one of the features now being developed for the website will be “like a Farmville project, but real.” Donors can select from a menu of items to see what their donations will buy—for example, a chicken coop, 100 desks, or a garden start-up for a family. And would-be supporters can rest assured that not all projects are in the five-figure price range. A fully- equipped garden goes for about $3,000. For a much more modest $30 (about the cost of a month’s worth of Gatorade), you can provide a desk for two or three students. Who knows, those desks might someday double as handy pieces of workout equipment when it’s time to try the new WOD called Kenya. Note: Stats on Kenyan life expectancy, income, and school enrollment from UNICEF website.

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The handing over ceremony of the first ever CrossFit school in Dzendereni. Greg Glassman was honored by doing the official “handing over� of the school to the community.

The children of Dzendereni hanging around their newly finished school and water cistern during their lunch hour.

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Stout of When fate changed his game, Chris Stoutenburg changed his fate

By Angela Rose | Photography by Jennifer Nichol

ometimes life takes you in an unexpected direction. For 35-year-old Chris “Stouty” Stoutenburg, an enthusiastic athlete who spent his youth playing basketball and football—with hockey, track, skiing, skateboarding, and BMX thrown in for good measure—the left turn came on June 18, 1997.

Slated to play football for the University of Guelph that fall, Stoutenburg was spending the weekend with a friend. “He rented a chalet for the season up at Blue Mountain,” he says. “I was leaning against the balcony railing when I heard a snap. Suddenly I was on my back two stories down.” The fall pulverized three thoracic vertebrae, instantly paralyzing Stoutenburg from the waist down.

“I landed in a patch of grass between a cement staircase and a metal bike rack. A few inches in any direction and I would have been impaled or smashed to bits.”

Rushed to Toronto’s Sunnybrook Hospital by helicopter, Stoutenburg underwent numerous surgeries and spent several days in critical condition. “They had to fuse rods to hold my back together,” he says. “When I woke up, I couldn’t figure out why I was unable to move. Then the surgeon came in and told me I wouldn’t be able to walk again.”

Stoutenburg was in shock. “At first, I’m not sure I even believed it,” he says. “But as soon as they got me out of the critical ward I asked for a wheelchair.” Fearing complications from the surgery, hospital staff told him it was too early. He didn’t listen. “I remember swinging my legs over the side of the bed and sitting up. I told them either they could bring me a wheelchair or I was going to jump down on the floor. Then they’d have more complications to worry about.” Within seconds, he was wheeling his way through the hallways.

“I could see very clearly the way my life would go if I allowed myself to sit around and cry about [the accident]. Nothing was going to change, no matter how I felt about it. The situation was the situation,” he says. So he threw himself into physical rehabilitation, transferring to the Lyndhurst Spinal Cord Centre, where he regularly visited the nurses’ station. “I spent a lot of time in the gym and out on the grounds in my wheelchair,” says Stoutenburg. “I knocked myself out of my chair quite a bit, trying to hop up and down curbs.

I even learned how to do stairs on my own. The nurses were always

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f Mind

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“CrossFit will change you. It won’t just make you stronger and Fitter; it will change your outlook on life... inspire you to do things you maybe would have been afraid of before.”

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bandaging me back up, but no one ever told me to stop.”

By August, Stoutenburg was home and packing for school. He entered the university in September, where he met a student with cerebral palsy who played wheelchair basketball for a local sports association. After attending one practice, Stoutenburg was hooked. “I fell in love with the sport,” he says. “Basketball was the easiest way for me to reintegrate in society.”

S

toutenburg made the Canadian junior team his first year and earned a Division 1 scholarship the next. He quickly advanced to the Canadian Men’s National Team, where he won two gold medals and a silver medal during three trips to the Paralympic Games. “It was amazing,” says Stoutenburg. “I’ve been through Europe, Asia, Africa, the United States, Argentina, Brazil, and Chile, travelling all the time and seeing amazing things. It’s an experience I wouldn’t trade for anything, able-bodied or disabled.”

After ten years of overwhelming success, Stoutenburg retired. “I finally had time to relax,” he says. “I even got married. But after a year, I started to get a little stir crazy. I knew I didn’t want to play basketball again, so I was basically doing nothing.” That’s when he found CrossFit. Stoutenburg visited CrossFit Indestri in Collingwood with his cousin.

“She had talked to the coaches about me coming in,” he says. “I went in

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for an assessment to determine what I could do.” To say he blew them away with his athletic ability and determination is an understatement.

“I knew immediately that [CrossFit] was the perfect fit for him,” says Scott Thornton, Indestri owner and one of the assessment coaches.

“Everything he said led me to believe that nothing was off limits for him.

He would try anything and was very enthusiastic to get started.”

Stoutenburg returned for his first official workout the next day. “By the end I was barely able to breathe, exhausted, and couldn’t believe it took only 30 minutes for me to feel like that,” he says. “I was ruined but in love with what I had just done. I knew right away that I would be doing CrossFit forever.”

The WODs have changed his life in significant ways. “Chris will try anything, and he’s not afraid to fail or fall down,” says Thornton.

“His attitude is ‘try it first; then we’ll see if it works.’ That has allowed him to learn and grow in a lot of different ways. We’ve seen dramatic improvement in the way he moves.” This includes movements doctors told Stoutenburg he’d never be able to make.

“I’d never been able to bring my chest to my knees, bend over, and then sit back up without using my hands. But a month into CrossFit that changed,” says Stoutenburg. “Now, 10 months in, I can even do weighted back extensions, picking up two, 20-kilogram kettle bells and sitting back up. I spent 12 years thinking I’d never be able to do something like that.

But now I’m doing it.”

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Fran is one of Stoutenburg’s favourite workouts. He can complete the 21-15-9 repetitions of 95-pound thrusters (substituting shoulder presses) and pull-ups (weighted by his 38-pound wheelchair) in less than nine minutes. He can also make a 12-foot climb up a 15-foot rope, again with his chair—a feat that has attracted a great deal of attention on his YouTube channel. He’s even designed a custom workout, aptly named “Stouty,” for CrossFit Indestri.

“It’s a one-arm 1000-metre row while seated on a box, then a 12-minute AMRAP of 5 weighted pull-ups, 10 back extensions, and 15 seated wall- balls,” he says. “After the gym tried this, a lot of people told me they were completely crushed. They couldn’t move their arms and were still sore days later. But they had fun.” yson Hornby, Indestri co-owner and coach, says Stoutenburg is inspiring legions of followers. “He is leading the charge in growing the numbers and awareness of CrossFit for adaptive athletes like himself,” he says. “There are now athletes all over the world requesting workout ideas and advice on scaling WODs.” “I think it comes from his team leader background in basketball, but he’s always trying to inspire and help others reach their full potential,” adds Bill Pain, another Indestri coach. “The daily motivational quotes he puts on Facebook, his commitment to the programming and trust in our coaching, and his coaching of others in the gym all highlight his natural leadership abilities. When Stouty gives advice or tips, everyone listens.”

What does Stoutenburg want other athletes, adaptive and otherwise, to know about CrossFit? “Anybody can do it. It doesn’t matter if you’re old, heavy, or disabled,” he says. “CrossFit will change you. It won’t just make you stronger and fitter; it will change your outlook on life, give you the ability to try new things, and inspire you to do things you may have been afraid of before.”

For Stoutenburg, this means campaigning for CrossFit competitions open to adaptive athletes, training for a triathlon this summer, and working towards an Ironman in 2014. “I credit all of this to CrossFit,” he says. “Even the nerve to do things like this came from there.”

When asked if he ever wonders what his life might have been had it not been for the accident that changed its direction, Stoutenburg is thoughtful. “I sometimes wonder where I would have gone, but I think you’re supposed to do what you’re supposed to do. When one door closes, another door opens. Taking advantage of what’s in front of you is the key. I had my opportunity, and I made the best of it.”

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Eating for life.

The New White Potato: Cauliflower

58 // paleo shepherd’s pie

W

60 // malaysian white fish

59 // grain-free sea salt chocolate chip muffins

By JENNA ANTONELLI

hen people first begin the Paleo journey, a common source of contention is giving up white potatoes. Due to their starchy composition, white potatoes have a history of helping those with an active lifestyle and hindering those who are everything but. The white potato is rarely listed as a go-to on the Paleo diet for those looking to lose weight, but it’s not frowned upon when the person in question is active and lean. Cauliflower has become a great stand-in for those in the former category. Active or not, cauliflower can be boiled, chopped, mashed, and puréed to resemble almost any white potato dish. It can be made into anything from “rice” and “risotto” to “mashed potatoes” and “baked potato soup.”

61 // papaya cream smoothie

63 //good food revolution

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fuel [ eating for life ]

paleo shepherd’s pie PHOTOS AND RECIPES By JENNA ANTONELLI

this is how serves

total cook time:

4-6 75 minutes Ingredients 1 lb ground lamb 1 cup organic chicken broth 1 sweet potato, peeled and chopped 1 carrot, peeled and chopped 1 parsnip, peeled and chopped 2 heads of cauliflower, trimmed and chopped 4 slices of organic bacon, chopped 1 cup of celery, diced 1 yellow onion, diced 1 cup of carrot, diced 2 tbsps coconut oil 2 tbsps grass-fed butter salt, pepper, and garlic powder to taste

Directions Layer One • Add coconut oil to large wok and sauté onion until translucent.

• Add bacon and sauté with onion for 7-10 minutes.

• Add diced celery and diced carrot to wok and sauté for 5-7 minutes.

• Add lamb and sauté until brown.

• Add chicken broth and let evaporate within mixture for 5-8 minutes.

Layer Two • Add sweet potato, carrot, and parsnip to a small pot and steam until fork-tender.

Layer Three • Steam cauliflower until soft.

• Strain cauliflower and add to food processor.

• Add grass-fed butter, salt, pepper, and garlic powder and purée until smooth.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Pour lamb mixture into a 9x13 inch glass baking dish. Pour vegetable mixture over lamb. Top with mashed cauliflower.

Place in preheated oven for 30 minutes until topping begins to golden. Serve hot. Refrigerate up to one week.

Jenna Antonelli is a health and fitness enthusiast who transitioned into a Paleo lifestyle through the help of her blog: The Paleo Project

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Grain-Free Sea Salt Chocolate Chip Muffins PHOTOS AND RECIPES By JENNA ANTONELLI

Ingredients: (Makes 6 Muffins) 3 eggs 1/4 cup coconut flour 1/4 cup coconut oil, melted 1/8 cup maple syrup 1/2 tbsp pure vanilla extract 1 tsp fine sea salt 1tbs coarse sea salt 1/8 tbsp baking soda 1/8 cup almond butter, in natural oils 1/2 cup allergen-free chocolate chips

easy bakE

Directions Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Combine coconut flour, 1 tsp sea salt, and baking soda in a large bowl. In your mixer, combine eggs, oil, maple syrup, almond butter, and vanilla; mix on low to combine. Pour dry ingredients into wet ingredients in mixer.

Mix on medium speed until a smooth, creamy batter forms. Remove bowl from mixer and manually stir in chocolate chips. Line muffin tin and fill liners 2/3 way up. Bake for 15-18 minutes, until toothpick comes out clean. Remove and cool completely. Sprinkle coarse sea salt onto muffins before serving. 

Jenna Antonelli is a health and fitness enthusiast who transitioned into a Paleo lifestyle through the help of her blog: The Paleo Project

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fuel [ eating for life ]

Pigs in a Blanket Move Over!

Cod Father’s taking over photo and recipe By Andrew Muto Malaysian White Fish in Collard Leaves Ingredients: 4 fish fillets (approximately 100g each), such as haddock or cod 4 large collard leaves 2 tsp coconut oil (a little for each piece of fish) 2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced 1 knob of ginger (2 inches), thinly sliced 2 limes (1 thinly sliced, 1 quartered for juice) lime rind (remove rind from the lime before quartering it for juice) small bunch of cilantro

this is how

•W ash collard leaves and remove bottom third of the spine (thickest part of stem) so the leaf will fold into packets.

•P lace fish fillet in centre at the top of the leaf, leaving enough space to fold over the fish (1-2 inches). op with 2 slices of garlic, 1-2 slices ginger, •T 1 slice lime, and some coconut oil.

•S queeze juice of half a lime over the fish, sprinkle with grated lime rind (about ½ tsp), and top with fresh cilantro leaves.

•B ring both ends of the leaf (where you removed the spine) together and bring to the top and fold over the fish.

•F old the left and right sides to form a packet; roll over to create your finished package. Place seam-side down in steamer basket and steam for 20 minutes.

(You can also place them on a baking pan, add some water to the bottom, and bake covered.) arefully remove with slotted spoon and •C place on a serving plate.

•C ut an “X” on top of the packet and pull back each corner. Sprinkle with lime juice and rind.

serves

total cook time:

4 25 minutes

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High Protein, EnzymeRich Goodness Papaya cream smoothie

By Grace Van Berkum, RHN

O

ften overlooked in the fruit section, this tropical fruit is ranked as one of the most nutritious fruits in the world. Papaya boasts high amounts of vitamin C, potassium, beta carotene, lycopene, and antiaging enzymes.

INGREDIENTS 2 cups cubed papaya 1 ripe banana 1 tbsp tahini 1 scoop vanilla protein powder 1 tsp cinnamon 2-3 cups water handful of ice Blend until smooth.

Tahini is a thick paste made from ground sesame seeds, making for a rich and creamy smoothie without the dairy.

It offers high amounts of B vitamins, calcium, and protein and is very easy to digest.

Grace Van Berkum is a plant-based nutritionist, yoga teacher, and founder of Gracious Living Retreats. www. gracevanberkum.com

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Join the good food revolution

By Larry Palazzolo

A

t the genetic level, our DNA is almost identical to our ancestor cavemen, who ate basic whole foods on a daily basis. They didn’t eat anything processed, refined, or filled with chemicals and additives. On an evolutionary timeline, the 12,000 years that separate us is equivalent to the blink of an eye.

Really, nothing has changed physiologically. Our internal machinery is the same as it was in 10,000 BCE. Technology has vastly improved, food is readily available, and we no longer worry about being chased by predators (unless you find yourself in the jungles of Central America, in which case, watch the trees and if you see three red lights anywhere on your body . . . RUN!).

fuel [ eating for life ]

Stop Aping Around

Herbs, Spices, Extracts, Supplements nuts, seeds, nut butters, approved fats and oils

meat, fish, fowl, eggs best to select organic choices Represents bulk of calories

vegetables

fruits

organic or locally grown bulk of meal. emphasis on nutrients.

Â

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fuel [ eating for life ]

paleo and primal If you Google the words Paleo Diet or Primal Diet, you’ll find many variations, with plenty of opinions and arguments over what exactly a caveman ate. For now, let’s not concern ourselves with the words paleo, primal, or caveman. Our focus is on eating the best whole foods available, foods with the greatest nutrient density (and least damaging to our bodies) that will allow us to live optimally.

There’s a big difference between surviving and thriving. You can survive on the standard American diet (SAD), a vegetarian/vegan diet, or even an all-meat diet. But you won’t thrive on any one of those individually. Hopefully someday what we call the Paleo Diet will be known simply as the basic human diet.

What I’m suggesting is that you eat relatively low carbs and a little more protein than usual, and replace the refined carbs like bread, cereal, rice, pasta, and cookies with veggies, some fruit, and good fats. Eating this way leaves you feeling full longer, better regulates your blood sugar, and avoids the severe hormonal peaks and valleys you typically experience on a high-carb diet.

Meat, veggies, and good fats should make up the bulk of each meal. It’s hard to overeat on a diet of these foods. Everything else (nuts, seeds, fruit, and starch) should be consumed sparingly. Avoid sugar like the plague. There is naturally occurring sugar in fruits and vegetables (more so in fruit), but in much lower amounts than any food with added sugar. However, from an overall health perspective, you’ll want to minimize your sugar intake in any form.

“Meat, veggies, and good fats should make up the bulk of each meal. It’s hard to overeat on a diet of these foods.”

Functional Nutrition for the CrossFit Athlete Part 1: So What Can I Eat? Outstanding question, good citizen! I’m glad you asked. You can start by eating natural whole foods, or as your greatgrandparents called it, food! You know, stuff that doesn’t come in a box, that hasn’t been processed with chemicals, additives, extra sugar, and other ingredients you can’t pronounce. Food is the stuff located (for the most part) on the perimeter of the supermarket.

Start with Robb Wolf’s Food Matrix and keep it readily available. It’s an easy-to-follow list of proteins, veggies, good fats, and spices, giving you 81,000 different meal options.

Keep in mind that you’re not expected to stick to this way of eating 100 percent of the time; that’s unrealistic. It’s not that you can’t have certain foods, more that you avoid them. Having a few cheat meals each week is fine and probably good for your mental sanity. A cheat meal would consist of any of the foods you’re trying to avoid but can’t

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live without—your guilty pleasures. For some it may be pizza, ice cream, baked goods, or all of the above. Mmm, pizza, ice cream, and a brownie piled high into a sloppy mess. That sounds tasty and a little gross.

In planning your cheat meals, you can either space it out over the course of the week or block out a time frame on a particular day. I like to scatter my cheat meals throughout the week. It allows me to better manage cravings and wreaks less havoc on my gastrointestinal tract.

You can go the route of the cheat day and save all of your bingeing for one day, but it won’t go unnoticed in your body.

Or, as my wife so delicately puts it, your butt will explode.

More important than planning your cheat meals is planning your actual meals for the week. This may be the biggest problem for everyone. If you don’t plan ahead, have food prepared or have something that is quick and simple to make; it’s easy to make bad food choices when there’s an abundance of it readily available.

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Quality over Quantity With everything you eat, strive for quality over quantity. Everything you eat doesn’t have to be organic to be successful and see positive results. When starting the transition from the SAD to a quality whole foods diet, you can still eat well with conventional foods and not break the bank. By conventional, I mean the regular produce, meat, and other foods you find in any grocery store. However, when you decide to incorporate more organic foods into your life, keep in mind that it’s “f*!@ing expensive,” to once again quote my wife. Did I marry a sailor?

Whatever you choose, it’s preferential to eat conventional meat than no meat at all. Let’s approach this from a 3-level system: Start with Level 1 by eating real food from conventional sources and incorporating meat, veggies, and good fats at each meal.

Level 2 ups the quality by focusing on organic foods. Better quality meat may not always be available, practical, or feasible. If that’s the case, make the best choices available and choose the lean cuts, as toxins are generally stored in the fat tissues of the animal.

Level 3 is where you really step up your game: buy local and organic foods. This may require a little legwork. But don’t worry: it’s not nearly as bad as Wall Balls. In Level 3, you seek the highest quality foods available in your area: grass-fed beef, pastured pork, free-range poultry and game, and wild-caught fish low in mercury are the gold standard. If you can purchase these sources of meat, don’t shy away from the fatty and tougher cuts, as they will most likely be cheaper and tastier.

And despite what you’ve heard, animal fat (saturated fat) is good when it comes from a clean source.

The main reason you want to eventually get away from conventional meat is that if the animal is fed toxic food such as soy, corn, and wheat (not to mention added hormones), that animal is essentially sick. You then eat the sick animal, and over time, eating this way has a severe negative impact on your overall health.

Again, you can survive on conventional meat and still see positive results, but in order to thrive you will eventually want to transition to the best quality meats available.

Buying local and organic can often be cheaper than store-bought organic because you’re buying directly from the farmer and cutting out the middle man. If this is something that interests you, check out Eat Wild, Eat Well Guide and Local Harvest to find Farmers’ Markets, Community-Supported Agriculture groups (CSA), Farms, Wholesalers, and Co-ops in your area.

Fat: he who shall not be named.

Do not fear fat. Eating fat does not make you fat. Eating carbohydrates makes you fat. A high fat/low carb diet will give you a lean body. It sounds crazy but it works. Other fats you can add to your list are coconut (milk and meat), avocado (or guacamole), olives, nuts (except peanuts because they’re a legume), and nut butters. But you’ll want to keep your nut and nut butter consumption to a minimum. They’re easy to overdo and are high in omega-6, which is bad. Avoid the industrial oils such as canola, soybean, vegetable, safflower, peanut, flaxseed (linseed), and corn oil as they are also high in omega-6; excessive omega-6 intake has been associated with basically all diseases. dicals) when heated. Otherwise, olive oil is safe to eat.

Carbs are the Devil Just kidding. Sugar is the devil. Same thing, right? Pretty much. Carbohydrates get broken down into sugar, which can be used for energy or stored as fat (more likely the latter). From a biochemistry standpoint, carbohydrates are not considered an essential nutrient category of the human body. There are essential fats, known as essential fatty acids, and there are essential proteins, known as essential amino acids. But there is nothing in science that states there is an essential carbohydrate. That being said, when you are regularly doing high-intensity exercise (like CrossFit) or if you dabble in endurance sports, there may be a benefit to having some carbs in your diet, especially in the post-workout meal to replace glycogen stores and maintain a stable blood sugar level. But those carbs don’t have to come from pasta, rice, and legumes.

Chances are that your body is currently carbohydrate-adapted, meaning you have been eating a carb-heavy diet for so long that your body has adapted to run on carbs.

The goal is to become fat-adapted and retrain the body to use fat as its primary energy source (also known as ketosis). The more carbs we eat (especially the sweet, easily digestible kind), the more insulin our body secretes. When insulin levels are raised, our body stores fat in our fat tissue. When our insulin levels fall, the body releases the stored fat to use for energy. The reason people on the SAD are prone to weight

Eat Seasonally Eating seasonally is cheaper and more in line with how our ancestors ate. If you were a caveman living in an area that had cold winters, you wouldn’t have fruit during the winter months because it wouldn’t have grown. You can still have fruit year-round if you want, but keep your fruit

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gain (as well as auto-immune and chronic diseases) is because it keeps the body in an almost constant state of insulin secretion to keep up with the large amount of carbohydrates being consumed. Controlling your weight is simply a matter of controlling your insulin secretion, which is controlled by your carbohydrate intake.

Most people don’t think of fruits and veggies (including roots and tubers) as a carbohydrate, but this is what you should be focusing on if you’re adding some carbs to your diet. The main reason we eat fruits and veggies is for the vitamins and minerals (which are essential nutrients) they provide.

When choosing fruits and veggies, eat a wide variety and keep it seasonal. Fruits and veggies also have plenty of fibre, so if you’re eating a good amount of produce, you won’t need any extra fiber from grains.

And besides, grains by themselves don’t taste very good. There aren’t many foods that I can think of that don’t taste good when eaten plain. Have you ever eaten wheat right off the stalk? It’s nasty. But if I pick a fresh blueberry, it tastes like a blueberry, and more importantly it tastes good. Grains are only palatable after they’ve been refined, processed, and had plenty of sugar or salt added to them. Sounds like a lot of work for something that’s just going to destroy your gut lining and leach nutrients from your body anyway.

and sugary/starchy carb (beets, sweet potato, yams, and squash) consumption low. One caveat: if it comes down to bingeing on some sugary junk food or having some fruit or sweet veggie instead, go with the produce— unless we’re talking about cheesecake, in which case all bets are off.

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12-09-13 9:19 AM

70 // crossfit & scalability

74 // travel wod

79 // spartan sisters

83 // gear

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training

ain’t too

proud

to scale Scalability & CrossFit By michael jarosky

B

ack in 1985, John Travolta was slipping on the leg warmers as a Rolling Stone journalist to attend Jamie Lee Curtis’ aerobics class in the hit movie, Perfect. People were stepping their hearts out, with beads of sweat falling off their mullets to the pumping beats of Wham, Chaka Khan, and The Pointer Sisters. 25 years later, the glam aerobics class workouts along with the hypertrophy sessions of fake tanned, bikini wearers are a thing of the past. In 2013, we’ve toughened up, and the fitness world is changing as we witness the rise of the intense, broad, and functional sport of CrossFit. CrossFit is redefining what an athlete is - a fit individual is not meant to just be strong or just be cardio fit. An athlete is meant to be an expert across a broad range of competencies, and CrossFit tests and improves them all: cardiovascular and respiratory endurance, stamina, strength, flexibility, power, speed, coordination, agility, balance, and accuracy.

The average gym-goer looks at the surface of a CrossFit WODs and thinks, ‘Oh, I couldn’t do that type of training.’ How wrong. The beauty of CrossFit lies within one of its defining principles - the universal scalability of all of its workouts. Can’t do 20 pull ups? Scale it down and use a band.

Can’t do double-under jump ropes? Scale it down and do singles. Can’t do 40kg squat thrusters? Scale it down for bodyweight squats. The message is simple: a UFC fighter training for his next big event could be doing the same workout next to a 60 year old grandfather - it’s all the same, just scaled down to ensure safety and proper range of movement for every athlete, young or old, male or female.

In this article we’re showcasing newcomer’s to Crossfit how to scale the workouts to achieve their fitness goals. We sought the advice of Alex Cibiri CrossFit Level 1 Trainer and owner of Element CrossFit.

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the snatch Many technical movements such as a snatch often have slightly less technical variations, such as the power snatch, that are a great substitute until you have developed consistency and confidence in your technique.

photo left: tim banfield all other photos: caterine dupuis

The Spirit of the Workout It’s important to remember that CrossFit is about more than just muscles. When scaling make sure you keep the spirit and the intensity of the workout intact. The spirit of Fran (21-15-9 Thrusters & Pullups) is very different from the spirit of the Filthy Fifty (a 500 rep chipper WOD). To keep the spirit of Fran, you should be able to complete the workout in less than 10 minutes compared with 40 minutes for Filthy Fifty. If you’re not ready for Rx weights, choose weights that let you move at a speed comparable to that of an average CrossFitter. If you need to substitute exercises choose ones that are of a similar difficulty for you.

Focus on Strength & Efficiency Mentally and physically, the greatest thing you can do for yourself when it comes to CrossFit and life in general, is get strong. Don’t shy away from lifting heavy when the WOD calls for it, work on your technique and don’t throw it away. Good technique is efficient technique, it lets you move more weight and is safer for you. This is where having a coach with a good eye pays for itself in spades. Remember, even professional athletes and olympians have coaches, we can all benefit from qualified feedback on how to move better.

Scaling Reps vs Load Relative difficulty is an important concept to consider when scaling your workout. If the workout calls for 100 pullups, you’ll need to choose between scaling reps or load. 100 Jumping Pullups might be a great sub, but if you’ve just recently gotten kipping pullups. 30-50 unassisted Kipping Pullups could be an even better sub. Situations like these are where

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an experienced coach can prove indispensable, but don’t be afraid to experiment.

Write. It. Down.

Your notes, recorded scalings from past workouts, even your feelings after the workout will help your coach determine how to best scale your next WOD. Don’t forget to write down what the Rx’d exercise or load was in addition to your scaled version, along with your perceived difficulty level so your scaling can get better and closer to Rx’d as time goes on.

The Power of Rx One of the beautiful parts of CrossFit is that each WOD is both a mental and a physical event. There can be great reward from completing a workout as Rx’d even if it takes you twice as long as ‘it should’. I’ve seen many members perform their first workout Rx’d and have it take them 30%-50% longer than the intended time for the workout. In this case it’s important to remember the psychological benefit that going Rx’d provides.

After months of practicing, doing skill work and struggling with being able to complete a movement with full range of motion or with the prescribed load, completing a workout as Rx’d for the first time is a huge reward and motivator for future progress. This holds even more true when it comes to the Girl & Hero WODs. It’s alright to have your first Fran with unassisted pullups take 15 minutes, or get ‘only’ 8 rounds on your first Cindy with full range chest-to-deck pushups. That being said, it’s not always about Rx. It’s about being a better you than you were yesterday. Remember, from conquering one movement, to conquering an entire workout, progress is measured in more than your time or rounds completed.

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Jumping Pull-up Once you’ve mastered the basic jumping pull-up, it’s time to move onto jumping pull-ups + hold, creating strength through the negative portion of the pull-up.

kipping Pullup The kipping pull-up is a variation of the pull-up that is taken from gymnastics. It is a quick, fluid movement that works the upper body and also requires some cardiovascular work.

band-assisted pull-up Jumping and band-assisted pull-ups are an easy way to scale a workout that calls for pull-ups.

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standard Use Standard rather than Russian Swings if you are rehabbing a shoulder injury or if you have difficulty finishing directly overhead.

russian Use momentum from straightening your knees to help raise the kettlebell up above your head, keep your arms straight.

Tip: Remember to give each muscle group a break (48 hours should do it), and don’t forget to try these out with a trainer before swingin’ solo.

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go muscle 3 Simple tips to gain muscle By stephen robinson

the big question The question "How long does it take to build muscle?" is by far one of the most popular among skinny guys who want to build muscle quickly. Building muscle varies greatly among individuals depending on factors such as your genetics, exercise selection, nutrition, recovery rate and hormonal levels.

1. Exercise Selection Choosing the right exercises is crucial in determining how long it takes to build muscle since not all exercises are created equally. The best exercises to include in your workout program are those that recruit multiple muscle groups in the exercise. These are known as compound exercises and should be performed at the beginning of your workout to take advantage of energy levels.

2. Nutrition Nutrition is also important in determining how long it will take to build muscle as it forms the foundation for building muscle. Your muscle growth depends directly on your food consumption. If you don't eat enough quality food it won't matter what exercises you do since you're limiting your muscle growth.

3. Recovery Rate Your recovery rate is also important in determining how long it will take to build muscle. If you train too frequently you will slow down your recovery rate as a result of overtraining thereby limiting your muscle growth. To improve your recovery rate you should train less frequently but with greater intensity.

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Blast fat and sculpt muscle

No time? No equipment? No space? No problem!

T

training

here are a million excuses for missing a workout. We’ve all been there and done that—missing a workout and making excuses for why. Consistently missing your workout can be the biggest detriment to reaching your fat loss and fitness goals. To really achieve your goals, you must be consistent.

Inconsistency in workouts and in how you approach your diet are major factors in determining your success.

Every new year, millions of people resolve to work out more and yet within a few weeks the vast majority stop exercising regularly or

all together, only to start again in April. They start panicking about the warm weather that’s just around the corner, threatening to expose their flabby arms or bulging waistlines. The only reasons to miss a workout are: you’re injured, you’re sick, you’re physically exhausted or just too sore (not a light soreness, but an “I can’t move my limbs” soreness. Everything else is just an excuse. The beauty of CrossFit is that most workouts take no longer than 20 minutes. This travelfriendly, CrossFit-inspired workout will blast fat and sculpt muscle in minutes. No excuses!

1 1

50 Burpees Stand with your feet hip width apart.

Extend your arms toward the floor and quickly drop down to a push up position with your chest touching the ground. Plant your hands firmly on the floor shoulder width apart.

Pull your knees towards your chest as you push off the ground with your hands and simultaneously jump to a standing position as you continue to jump into the air and clap your hands overhead so that your ear is exposed in front of your arms. Your feet should leave the ground.

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50 Situps Start on your back with your hands behind your head. Perform a situp while reaching your hands forward and up to the sky. Pause a moment at the top before rounding forward and squeezing your core to complete the movement. Return to the start position and repeat.

WORKOUT A: • 50 Situps • 50 Doubleunders • 50 Situps • Walking Lunge, 50 steps • 50 Situps • 50 Burpees • 50 Situps

1

1 Walking Lunge, 50 steps Standing tall with your shoulders back and down and abdominals engaged, place your feet together.

Step forward with your right foot, bending both knees so that your front knee is aligned over your ankle and the back knee comes close to the floor.

Before your back knee touches the floor, push up with your back left leg, forcing the weight of your body through your right heel, simultaneously bringing your left foot together with your right foot.

Alternate legs and continue with the same pattern.

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2

50 DoubleUnders Doubleunder; it’s the move that Bob Harper swears by, and it’s a staple at any CrossFit gym. Quite simply, a doubleunder is achieved when a jump rope makes two passes during a single jump. All you need is a jump rope, time to practice, and solid determination. It’s all about the wrists: While you intuitively may want to use the power of your arms in this move, it will only result in a quick loss of energy.

Instead, keep arms alongside your body while using your wrists to propel the rope forward. This will allow the rope to make more even, consistent passes. Also, be aware of timing. In an attempt to move the rope quickly, it’s not uncommon to get a little ahead of yourself by swinging the rope forward for a second rotation before it’s completely passed under your feet.

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1

2

25 Pistols Starting Position- Stand up straight- extend both arms straight out in front of your body – extend your right leg out in front (you are now ready to do the one legged squat). Slowly sit down (keeping your back straight and chest up). The more advanced you get, the lower to the ground you can go. A good beginners modification is to place a bench behind you and go down until your butt hits the bench. Slowly push up with the leg planted on the ground to complete the pistol squat. Complete the required reps before alternating to the other leg.

1

Stability Ball ( hand stand progression) Start with shins on the ball and walk hands forward to plank. Keep your abs tight and contracted for midline stabilization. Slowly lower head to the floor. Keep elbows tight to your body. Press up until elbows are fully extended. Difficulty increases as you increase the height of your hips. Once you can do 10 - 15 reps with ease bring your game to the wall.

25 Hand stand push ups Find a wall to stabilize your balance. Place your hands on the ground about shoulder-width apart - it’s the easiest hand position. Kick your feet up and over your head and onto the wall. Adjust the distance between your hands and the wall until you’re in a vertical or near-vertical position. Lower yourself until your nose and forehead touch the ground at the same time. Push your body up using the muscles in your arms, shoulders and chest.

Make sure you extend arms completely so you finish in a full handstand position Repeat as many times as you can. Gradually build the number of reps.

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1

2

WORKOUT B: • 50 Squats • 25 Pushups • 25 Flutterkicks • 25 Hand Stand Push ups Or Stability ball progressions • 25 Pushups 2:00 • 25 Pistols

2

1

50 Squats Stand with your feet a little wider than hip-width apart, your toes turned out slightly and your arms resting at your sides. Bend your knees slowly, pushing your butt and hips out and down behind you as if you are sitting down into a chair.

Come down until your thighs are parallel to the ground. Keep your knees externally rotating, or tracking over your toes; don’t let them fall inward. As you lower down, raise your arms up and in front of you no higher than parallel to the ground. Straighten your legs to come up, and lower your arms back to your side.

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1

Alternate between Workout A and Workout B for 4 weeks , resting at least one day between workouts. Do the exercise in each workout as a circuit , moving from one to the next with minimal rest. Follow the routine in a clockwise direction till you have completed the full routine.

Rest when needed or try and complete a full workout then rest for 2 mins and repeat. Do as many rounds as you can.

2

25 Push ups Place your toes and hands on the floor, making sure your back and arms are straight. Keep your hands slightly more than shoulder-width apart and tighten your abdominals.

Inhale as you lower yourself to the floor, stopping as your elbows reach a 90-degree bend. Keep your body from touching the floor. Exhale and push yourself away from the floor.

25 Flutterkicks An oldie but goodie. Start by lying flat on your back, with your arms resting palms down by your sides ( over head for advanced trainers). Extend your legs fully with a slight bend in your knees. Lift your heels about 6 inches off the floor. Make small, rapid up and down scissor-like motions with your legs keeping your lower back affixed in the floor and trying to stay “hollow” while performing the movement. . The key is to focus on having your midsection do the work and to keep your abs constantly contracted throughout the exercise.

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Modern Warrior Women Spartan Sister spirit transforms mothers, wives, and daughters into a proud army

By Kim Turley-Smith

Photography by Caterine dupuis

P

roud, determined, strong in body and spirit: the women of ancient Sparta had much in common with today’s mothers, athletes, and entrepreneurs. Though we no longer battle for land and kingdom, many of us still wage a war within ourselves, fighting to create a sense of balance amidst the many roles we play.

It feels like we’re forced to choose between nurturing our family, our career, and ourselves. But perhaps there’s another way.

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“This is the inspiration behind Spartan Sisters: a desire to create an army of strong and capable women who can handle anything life throws at them.”

As a woman, mother, wife, and certified CrossFit coach at Reebok CrossFit Firepower in Ontario, I fight this battle alongside my sisters. After having three children and weighing 215 pounds, I felt like a has-been; I had tried every workout under the sun in an attempt to regain fitness and balance my life, all to no avail. Then I found CrossFit. The sport has enabled me to find and maintain that elusive yet critical, balance.

It also gave me a mission—to help other women achieve physical fitness, mental toughness, confidence, and a warrior spirit through the intense functional workouts of CrossFit. This is the inspiration behind Spartan Sisters: a desire to create an army of strong and capable women who can handle anything life throws at them.

The Spartan Sister Spirit I’ve been a CrossFit coach for five years, working with every newbie who steps through the doors of Reebok CrossFit Firepower. In that time, I’ve seen major changes in the women who bought into the Spartan Sisters mission.

They now stand proud, straight, confident, and more determined. They’re doing things they never imagined, from climbing a rope, to pullups, to that first push-up on their toes.

These are great accomplishments, no doubt. But here’s the real magic: this cando attitude—the Spartan Sister Spirit—is changing their lives outside the gym as well. These women report that they’re now better mothers, daughters, sisters, wives, students, and colleagues. Some are starting their own businesses. Others are leaving bad relationships. Still others are signing up for races they always wanted to run. They’re pushing themselves to their limits and then finding the inner strength for more.

Do you have what it takes to change your body, your fitness, and your life? I know you do! If you’re a woman, you can become a Spartan Sister; the rest will follow.

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The Spartan Sister Creed A Spartan Sister is a woman who takes life as it comes, triumphing over day-to-day challenges from piles of dirty laundry, to cranky children, to difficult bosses. A Spartan Sister knows life can be hard but resolves to fight anyway, training to be all she can be. A Spartan Sister has a strong body and a clear mind. She’s capable of doing the “tough stuff,” but also appreciates the beauty and opportunity that each day brings.

A Spartan Sister lifts. She pulls. She pushes.

She jumps. She carries. And when it’s all over, she smiles because she knows she is better, fitter, stronger. She knows she’s taking care of the most important person in her life—herself.

This makes her better able to care for family, friends, work, and community. She encourages her sisters to do the same, because she knows an army is stronger than just one.

Are You a Spartan Sister?

You’re strong. You’re confident. You’re capable of living life to the fullest.

You’re a Spartan Sister, and we want to meet you. Email your photo and your story (a paragraph or two is fine) to info@spartansisters.com and we may feature you in an upcoming issue and on the Spartan Sister’s website.

PHOTO: nestor

Spartan Sisters army An army of strong, capable women has been born and I’m committed to growing that army one by one. If I had a nickel for every woman who said she didn’t want to “bulk up” lifting weights, I’d be rich. This fear keeps too many women out of the gym, the weight room, and away from CrossFit. But what many don’t consider is that we actually lift every day, and we’ve been doing so for a long time. Remember that heavy backpack? How about all those groceries? If you’ve ever carried a child to bed or shoveled snow you’ve lifted weight. That’s why functional workouts are so important. Exercises such as the sled push, sandbag clean, farmer carry, and sled pull help us perfect natural, everyday movements. Add some intensity and you’re on the right path to intelligent training that will give you that spartan sister spirit. We’re now offering courses and seminars for your workplace or event, as well as Spartan Sister inhome parties where you can introduce your BFFs to a fabulous workout or start a fundraiser. Visit the Spartan Sister website for more info: www.spartansisters.com.

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amp up

gear

your wod The goods to fit your lifestyle

Men’s CrossFit Tri Blend Long Sleeve When true CrossFitters want to amp up their workouts, they rely on equally fit fashions. The men’s CrossFit Long Sleeve Tri Blend Top combines moisture-wicking PlayDry technology, a performance-ready slim fit, and rub-reducing flatlock stitching. $55 MEN’S CROSSFIT SPEEDWICK SHORT This training short is designed for functional movement. Cool graphics, special polyester and an anti-microbial yarn all rolled up into one piece of performance packed apparel with stink control and the comfort of cotton! $55 www.reebok.ca

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gear Timex® IRONMAN® Run Trainer™ 2.0 As the leader in sports performance timepieces, it’s no surprise that Timex® has created a next-generation GPS-enabled watch that tracks pace, distance, heart rate, and elapsed time. This upgraded device is a smaller, more refined version of the brand’s signature Timex® IRONMAN Run Trainer™ 1.0 GPS watch and is equipped with a reversible, highresolution display and advanced interval training capabilities. The vibrating alerts, an intuitive user interface and customizable online settings make it a no-brainer of an investment! $275 - $325 www.timex.ca

lift something heavy racerback This comfy racerback tank is just one of several WOD inspiring graphics. A best seller for women no doubt! Who doesn’t love the feeling of heading to a WOD and lifting something heavy? $28 www.latitudegearrx.com junk athletic headbands This simple accessory won’t improve your WOD or enhance your performance but it will do just about everything else! It’s comfy, adjustable, moisture-wicking and it will most certainly keep the hair and sweat off your face while keeping you looking pretty awesome. Whether you’re hitting your PR’s or hit bottom with your energy - you’ll be doing it with style and a little panache. $16 www.junkbrands.com

double under speed rope Master the art of the double under with this ultra lightweight, ultra thin speed rope. The length of this 11’ vinyl dipped cable rope can be easily adjusted. www.360conditioning.com

Men’s Reebok CrossFit Nano 2.0 The new CrossFit Nano 2.0. has an upper designed for lateral support, and a low profile platform that balances cushioning and stability so you can stay quick, safe and comfortable through even the toughest WODs. If you’ve sported a pair of Nano’s...need we say more? $120 www.reebok.ca

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COREFX INTERVAL TIMER CLOCK Every gym needs a bright visible clock. The COREFX Interval Timer Clock does more than tell time. This clock can be programmed to count down, count up, and can be set to time intervals, all by remote control! It measures 19.5” in width, 6” in height and features bright red numbers. A loud buzzer will notify athletes when their interval or timer is up! www.360conditioning.com

COREFX SPEED CHUTE Speed chutes allow athletes to add wind resistance to their sports conditioning training. This chute can be used indoors or outdoors for speed and agility training! Each one comes with an adjustable harness and ultra strong parachute. 54” diameter. www.360conditioning.com

COREFX STRENGTH BANDS These are made of premiumgrade natural rubber, and are used to add resistance to or help with stretching, lifting and body-weight training exercises. They can be used to assist movements like chin ups, pull ups and dips. Each band is precisely manufactured to be 41” in length and 3/16” thick. Widths vary based on the resistance level. $15.99 www.360conditioning.com

CLIMBING ROPE This 1.5” diameter rope is 23’, 5” long and has a fixed hook that can be mounted to a ceiling fixture or beam. Made of sisal, this rope provides maximum grip compared to other climbing ropes. www.360conditioning.com

corefx Sandbag Training with sandbags has taken the fitness community by storm! Amazing for bootcamps, training and conditioning, the new COREFX Sandbag has 6 sturdy handles for various positions and lifts. Extra tough and meant for abuse, this sandbag can weigh up to a max of 50 lbs. of sand. It comes with nylon filler bag. www.360conditioning.com

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SO3 Super Concentrate Omega-3 oil This newly formulated high potency omega-3 oil delivers over 3100mg of EPA and DHA per teaspoon. It’s soy free, gluten free, and sugar free with five delicious flavours making this a tasty winner! $39.99 / 6 oz www.strongerfasterhealthier.com

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CROSSFIT CORDIS

THE CROSSFIT BOX WITH A LOT OF HEART... AND AIRDYNES. “I am extremely glad I found CrossFit Cordis! The trainers are FANTASTIC (they really know how to instruct and provide positive constructive criticism, they also practice safe progression in workload tailored to your ability) and the facility is by far the most well equipped CrossFit gym in Ontario....”

- Daniel S., Owner XTC Fitness Inc, www.xtcfitness.ca

790 Redwood Sq., Unit 3, Oakville, ON L6L 6N3 • 905-469-8040 • info@crossfitcordis.com

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Rep Your Box CrossFit Brockville

By Alysia Radke The Venue: Where is your box?

We are located in a converted oil change garage just outside of Brockville, Ontario.

The Team: Who are the owners of your box and what’s your relationship?

The box is co-owned by my husband Justin Roosenmaallen, our close friend Shawn Davidson, and me.

Pre-WOD: How did you all meet? And what made you decide to open up shop?

Justin and I first met Shawn at our son’s karate dojo, where he was teaching combat fitness. Shawn had been CrossFitting since 2006 as part of his rehabilitation from the military and got us hooked on the new sport. The rest is history; CrossFit Brockville opened up in its current home on April Fool’s Day, 2012.

Strength Session: Do you have any unusual CrossFit philosophies, or any especially inspiring members?

The box has a strong connection to the

famed CrossFit Hero WODs through coowner Shawn. Shawn served in Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry in Afghanistan with Lieutenant Andrew Richard Nuttall, who had the Hero WOD “Nutts” named after him, and Sergeant Prescott Shipway, who had the Hero WOD “Ship” named after him. “They taught me why it was important to be a soldier,” says Shawn, “what it was like to be brave, have drive, and never quit no matter how tough the battle and struggle.”

Outside the box: Tell us about any special initiatives your box has created, such as fundraisers, unique events, or community involvement.

The Box’s connection to CrossFit Heroes is reflected in our competitions, which typically double as fundraisers for military-based charities. Our most recent event was held to raise money for the unborn son of Shawn’s comrade, MCPL Matiru, who recently succumbed to injuries from PTSD.

This summer, our annual BrockFit will support Military Minds, a charity that supports soldiers who suffer from PTSD. We also run a successful kids’ program.

“Our CrossFit kids are all aiming for the games, including our 6-year-old daughter Kailey, who’s working on her muscle-ups; Jack who’s 13 and jumping 34-inch boxes; and 7-year-old Emma who scales the 14-foot rope climb using only her arms.”

High-Fives: Any last words for members?

“All of our members are inspiring . . . we’ve seen people who have never worked out in their lives come in, almost die, and then come back for more the next day. These are just normal people who want to get healthier. Our members are our family . . . every first or PR is celebrated, no matter what the height or weight.”

Thank you Sweat Rx for allowing us the opportunity to “Rep our Box.”

Supporting our CrossFit community is what we do.

Share your stories about successes, achievements, inspiration – it’s all about the journey!

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community

WODpress continued from page 15 Firebreather, winning four events and placing second in the fifth event. Alexandra Bergeron and Isabelle Tardif battled a close race for second and third, respectively. At Overdose, Canada East’s fourth fittest woman, Lacey Van Der Marel, lead for most of the weekend but was edged out by energizer bunny Britney Holmberg who destroyed the long, old-school, chipper final.

Albert-Dominic Larouche took home the Firebreather trophy in the men’s division, proving he’s not ready to relinquish his title as Canada East’s fittest man, but competition is hot on his tail. If Firebreather is any indication, ADL will face challenges from the likes of Simon Paquette; CompWOD Best of the Best champ Pascal Baillargeon; and newcomer Charles Felx-Leduc, whose two 1st-place finishes were not enough to overcome a 31st placing in WOD 1.

Overdose podium finishers can’t be counted out, either. Top spot went to Jay Rhodes, with Kevin Bowles taking second, thanks to a phenomenal showing in the SWODs. Adrian Lui, who admitted to buying a swimsuit especially for the competition, lost his lead after the SWODs but worked his way back to third place overall. With a fourth place finish in the 2012 Open and no obvious holes in his game (save swimming), you can look for Lui to challenge the men from Quebec.

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EVENTS

market place

Book your marketplace advertisement today!

Inquire about our affiliate discount rates sales@sweatrxmag.com

March 6th - April 7th

O

n March 6th, the first of the Open Workouts is released marking the official beginning of the largest online CrossFit competition. Expected to be the best year yet with registration climbing into the six figures, workouts are released each Wednesday for five weeks, giving seasoned competitors a chance to check the leaderboard and gauge their status against other Games hopefuls. For the newbie, it’s an opportunity to rise to the challenge and put your best foot forward.

To all competitors, seize the moment and put in your best effort and make the most of your challenge. Good luck! For more info and updates visit www.crossfit.com.

April 27th

Photos on left page: Marie-Lyssa Dormeus

O

n April 27th, CrossFit Brockville will be hosting their 5th competition since opening in April 2012. OH MY WOD is an individual competition. Athletes will be faced with traditional Olympic Lifting standards as well as taking on some of the most challenging CrossFit WODs out there.

With 4 divisions (Scaled and RX) everyone is able to participate. This event sold out in an unprecedented 16 hours but spectators are encouraged to make the drive! Come and support your fellow athletes and see what everyone in Eastern Ontario is talking about!

It’s the little box with some of the best competitions out there!

For more info visit www.crossfitbrockville.com or find them on facebook: www.facebook.com/crossfitbrockville

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BUILDING A STRONG COMMUNITY THROUGH EXCELLENT TRAINING, UNIFIED IN THE PURSUIT OF REAL FITNESS.

3505 Laird Road - Unit 3 Mississauga, Ontario (905) 608-XFIT [9348] info@elementcrossfit.com www.elementcrossfit.com

Custom Cakes for every occasion!

416.252.CAKE (2253) customcakes@lacasadolce.ca

At CrossFit Montreal, we train with functional movements, not with machines.

We train at high intensity for a short period of time; no long slow walks here.

TATTOO. 577 king st.w. toronto, ont. m5v 1m1 416.850.8227 blacklinestudio.ca

4850 Saint-Ambroise, Suite 100, Montreal 514-678-6867 info@crossfitmontreal.ca

www.crossfitmontreal.com

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“

The ability to stay

final wod

controlled

yet maintaining a level of

aggression

tough

enough to lift and train

heavy may be deemed as a

hard task but it is a balance that is

essential Self Control is paramount —

And can often

determine whether a

dream can become a

”

reality” Photography by Nicole Bedard

96

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march/april 2013

W W W. S W E AT R X M A G . C O M

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