If you have ever walked into a nutrition store, you’ve probably heard about whey protein.  Whey is a protein by-product of cheese production. Even though it comes from milk, it does not affect those of us that are lactose intolerant the way regular milk products do (for the most part).

At Crossfit Modesto, we try to get you to make good nutritional choices, and usually that comes from food.  I would consider whey protein one of a few supplements that I like and will use.  A good whey protein mixes well in liquid, making it easy to carry around in a bottle for snack.  Like any supplement, a whey protein shake does not replace a meal, but provides a decent snack.  Throw in some nuts with your protein shake and you have a good snack.  Be careful with your mixes, because if you’re using juice, you may be over doing the carbs.  I would generally limit my intake to 20-25 grams of whey protein per snack at most snacks.  One warning: I personally tend to get a little gassy when I use whey, so I use it rarely now.  My wife is grateful.

Another warning.  Read labels and Avoid Jamba Juice type stuff.  Theses products can provide a huge carb load.

Mark’s Daily Apply, a Primal/Paleo site that I’ve talked about did a great article on whey.  Even though a caveman couldn’t have a protein shake, Mark likes whey protein for it’s ease of use and high quality protein it provides.

Saturday’s Workout of the Day
For time;
50 walking lunges
20 clean and jerk - 135#/95#
30 ring dips
25 wall balls - 20#/14# to 10ft
30 Sit Ups
30 KBS - 1.5pd/1pd
75 double unders

Will 20:30       Elsie 24:52
Tim 15:08       Anita 17:36
Gloria 16:43     Jenn 17:00
Josie 13:20     Rita 15:41
Louis 15:18     Emmaline 15:23
Juan 18:29     Michelle 15:18
Brandon 18:54   Brian 13:20
Alison 14:29

A Little Friendly Competition 

We hope everyone enjoyed the presentation from Gold Rush Adventure Racing!

One of the tenets of Crossfit is “Learn and play new sports”.  Maybe adventure racing will be your knew sport.  I think Crossfit places a high level of importance on playing sports for several reasons.  Learning new skills keeps us young and strong, and sports are fun.  Sports also provide something to train for, which takes us to the next level.  It’s great to come to the gym to lose some weight, but having a road race to win, or a softball season, or a mountain to climb all present excellent challenges to overcome.  They way we overcome these challenges is by preparing and training.

Sports also provide competition.  We get that at Crossfit Modesto (that’s why the 6pm class is so fun right now), but having an event that you prepare for helps you dial in so many aspects of your training, and in many respects, your life.  If you know you want to compete at a high level in a race, you may turn down a cheat meal, because you know it won’t help your training.  Or instead of going home early, you hit the gym an extra day.  If you’re thinking about competing in something, whether it’s the Crossfit Games, an Adventure Challenge, a road race, a softball league, or tennis with friends, my advice is: Get out there. You may find it makes you a better person.

Friday’s Workout of the Day

Strength
Deadlift
5-5-5

Metcon
50 Pushups
10 Box Jumps Blue/Red
40 Pushups
20 Box Jumps
30 Pushups
30 Box Jumps
20 Pushups
40 Box Jumps
10 Pushups
50 Box Jumps

Thursday night at 6:30pm, CrossFit Modesto will be welcoming Adventure Racer, mountaineer and ultrarunner Adrian Crane. He
has completed over 100 marathons and Ultramarathons. He will be discussing the basics: what it takes to participate and more. CrossFit
Modesto will be putting together several teams for the upcoming local beginners level race in July.

“The Gold Rush” Summer challenge is Northern
California’s 6 hour run, ride and paddle adventure
race. Teams consist of either a two person teams
or relay style team of 2-3 people.
Gold Rush Adventure Race

Seminar is open to the public.

Thursday’s Workout of the Day
Snatch Complex
7 Rounds, for time of:
Power Snatch
Snatch Balance
Overhead Squat
Hang Squat Snatch
Guys use 95, Gals use 65

Rest 5 minutes
Then

3 minutes, as many rounds as possible
3 Pullups
3 Burpees

For the complex, the set of 4 movements cannot be broken.  You can only put the weight down after completing the Hang Squat Snatch.  Execute a power snatch, then lower the weight to shoulders. Then execute a Snatch Balance.  Keeping the weight overhead, do an OHS.  Then, lower the weight to the Hang position, and execute the Hang Squat Snatch.  You may now put the weight down, if you choose. Complete this complex 6 more times.

Below is a short clip from a larger article from the training website, Core Performance.  Core Performance.com is a good resource if you’re looking to supplement your pre-workout warm up and/or post workout stretching.

Don’t Fear Back Soreness

It’s amazing how many people like the feeling of sore abs after a hard ab workout, says Cosgrove, but get scared if their lower back is sore. The muscles on your backside, including your rear shoulders, lower back, and glutes, are typically the weakest on people, which eventually result in poor posture and pain.

I know most of you have experienced a tight lower back after a deadlift workout, and Core Performance is telling you, IT"S OK!

Alison Huberty is a newly minted Crossfit Kids instructor.  Crossfit Brand X is the HQ for Crossfit Kids, and they are very experienced, knowledgeable coaches.  Brand X posts daily scaling for the Crossfit.com WOD.  Just click on the link and bookmark it.  It’s a forum and you will need to go into each individual day to see how Brand X scales their WODs.

Wednesday’s Workout of the Day

For 1 max set, do as many wallball shots as possible.  Any dropping of the ball will terminate the set. Pausing at the top or bottom will terminate the set.  Any misses of the target will not terminate the set, but will not count to the total. We did this 2 weeks ago. Do you know what you did? Can anybody get 40?

Metcon
7 rounds, for time:
10 Sumo Deadlift High Pulls 95/65
10 Ring Dips
If you cannot do ring dips, sub 2 for 1 parallette dips.

Are you curious when the board reads, “Overhead Squat, 5-5-5”?  Let me try to explain.  The goal of this strength session is to find your best 5 repetition lift on the Overhead Squat, ie, 5 reps without dropping the bar (at CF Modesto, pauses at the top or bottom do not constitute a broken set).  This takes some knowledge and preparation from the lifter.  You need to have a idea what you will be working toward. Knowing your 1 rep max (1RM) in the OHS is a good start.  If you can rattle off your 3, 5 and 15 rep maxs, even better. My 5 rep max is 185.  Here’s how I would attack the session.

Warm up with 2 sets of 5 with a naked bar.
Rest approximately 2 minutes.
Do 1 set at 95.
Rest approximately 2 minutes.
Do 1 set at 115.
Rest approximately 2 minutes.
Do 1 set at 135.
Now, really warm, sweating even, I’m ready for my working sets of 5-5-5.

Set 1-155, feels good. Rest approximately 2 minutes. Add more weight.

Set 2-175, feels good. Rest approximately 2 minutes.

Set 3-I’m going for it. I know my Personal Record (PR) is 185, so I set up the bar with 190.  Make it or miss it, I’m done for the day.

Warning: When working close to, or over 90% of your 1RM, you are really taxing your body, probably more than you think.  These strength sessions aren’t Fran. Take it easy, make sure your gains are nice and slow.  If you were to graph your strength progression, it should look like a gradual hill, with no huge spike.

Another piece of advice.  If you hit a PR before the “required” set, like on your 2 second set of 5, stop.  You’ve just asked you body to do something it’s never done before.  Write down your new PR, and hit it hard next time.

Tuesday’s Workout of the Day
Strength

5-5-5
Overhead Squat

Metcon
10 Push Press 95/65, 20 Doubleunders
9 Push Press, 20 Doubleunders
8 Push Press, 20 Doubleunders
7 Push Press, 20 Doubleunders
6 Push Press, 20 Doubleunders
5 Push Press, 20 Doubleunders
4 Push Press, 20 Doubleunders
3 Push Press, 20 Doubleunders
2 Push Press, 20 Doubleunders
1 Push Press, 20 Doubleunders