look at those shoulders and tri's poppin out..... DAMN GIRL

how far you all continue to grow..... it is an amazing thing to watch!

There is a ton of awesome events happening this weekend and next.  This Saturday is the grand opening of CrossFit New Haven, which is located at 1175 State St. Unit 201.  The workout will start at 9 am and there will be a BBQ following.  All are welcomed and please bring all your family and friends.  There will be normal classes going on at CrossFit Milford.

Saturday at 12:00 pm we will be hosting a mini throwdown at CrossFit MIlford.  We will be performing one of the sectional W.O.D's that was released.  So, for all those who are competing next weekend it will be time to get your feet wet. 

On April 3 we will be holding a nutritional 201 talk.  This meeting will take place from 10:30 till about 12:00 pm and will be the start of the "Get Fit Challenge."  You will get all the details on the challenge when the nutritional discussion has ended.

Quote of the day

"Individuals play the game, but teams beat the odds." SEAL Team saying

New England Sectional Information

The first three W.O.D's will be released later today, with movement standards for each lift.  Their will be a cut off for the fourth W.O.D, and only the top 50 men and top 50 women will advance.  The fourth W.O.D will not be released until next Saturday night.  Keep checking games2010.crossfit.com/qualifiers/florida-sectional-wods-announced.html for more details.

There is a new study that was put out from the Dutch National College of stretching that says if you go tandom you will re-program your CNS and allow great neuro-muscular recruitment for increased stretching..... not really, but a funny picture

We are going to add another class starting next week, March 15, 2010.  We are going to add a 3:30 pm class, which will run Monday through Friday.  There have been some people asking for an earlier class, so we will put it on the board and see how many people show up.  If the numbers are not there, then we will remove it, however this class may free up some space in the evening sessions.  Let us know your thoughts on this.

i want to congratulate Tom Kay, Amanda Vargo, and Jimmy Borrico who all get their CrossFit Level 1 certifications this past weekend.

So we have been a lot of PNF stretching (proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation stretching) lately... this is where you hold hold and relax.. below is a write up on PNF stretching from crossfit invictus.

Proprioceptive Neuromuscular Facilitation Stretching – Hold and Relax
Written by George Economou

This post has been a long time coming. Too often an athlete has asked how PNF stretching works after they’ve seen seemingly miraculous gains in mere minutes. A common response: “We’re tricking your muscles.” While that’s true, the intent of this post is to get you to understand how that trickery is occurring.

Flexibility, much like strength, isn’t solely based on the physical mechanics of a muscle – how the tissues and fibers are connected. For example, if you were to do a dissection of my “tight” hamstrings, you may find that the muscle tissue is plenty long enough to accommodate a straight-leg-raise to 90 degrees while lying on my back…but that’s simply not the case. So if the muscle is long enough, why can’t I do it? As it so happens, my brain isn’t functioning at optimal levels; or rather, there’s a miscommunication between my muscles, my brain, and everything in between – the neurological mechanics.

Within the muscles you have sensory receptors known as muscle spindles. The role of the muscle spindle is to sense when a muscle is under a load and prevent that muscle from being ripped to shreds because of that load – it forces a contraction. This function is critical to keeping your muscles safe, but it can compromise certain movements. Take the deadlift as an example; my hamstrings are so tight that in order to prevent injury while under a load, my lower back is forced into flexion.

Static stretching will assist in lengthening the muscle over time, but it won’t necessarily address the issue of your muscle spindles firing overtime. Time to introduce a new variable to the flexibility equation, the Golgi Tendon Organ (GTO). Within the tendons connecting muscle to bone exist the GTO. The GTO’s mission is to prevent a tendon from tearing itself from bone or muscle while under load – it forces a muscle to relax.

Let’s go through a quick example, hamstring stretch with rope assist.

-Lie on your back with legs locked out and extended. Wrap a loop around one foot and pull that leg towards you. As the muscle stretches, muscle spindles in the muscle send a signal to alpha motor neurons in the spinal cord saying, “My muscle is being stretched, what should I do???” To which the alpha motor neuron responds, “CONTRACT!!!!!” And you reach your stretch limit. Hold this position of your stretch limit for approximately 10 seconds.

-Count 3-2-1 and contract against that stretch by trying to press your heel towards the ground. The rope you’re holding prevents your heel from actually making any progress. Hold this contraction for approximately 5 seconds. During the contraction, the frequency of signals from the muscle spindle to alpha motor neurons decreases, which is why some of you may lose the stretch sensation. As the contracting muscle pulls on the associated tendons, the GTOs send impulses in relation to the force of contraction. The impulses sent by the GTOs inhibit the alpha motor neurons, basically saying “Hey there muscles, it’s ok to relax, because you’re going to rock my tendon’s world if you don’t.”

-Once you release the contraction, pull your leg a little bit closer. Upon releasing the contraction, there is slack in the muscle that you can take up, increasing your stretch limit and repeating the cycle.

-Repeat this cycle 3-4 more times and hold the last stretch for 20+ seconds to affect some long-term change in your muscle.

While the gains made during PNF stretching are significant, they are not as persistent as we’d like. Consistency is the name of the game if you’d like to see any lasting effects. While the coaching staff makes great attempts to stretch at least one major muscle group after each session, it’s up to the individual athlete to devote some time to their maintenance and recovery. We’ll teach you the techniques, and provide the reminders, but the hard work is up to you.

Quote of the day

"In spite of everything that was done to me and my race, in spite of the adversity and the bitter moments, again we rise." Maya Angelou

Northeast Sectional update..

The workouts will be released on Friday evening, giving all athletes 1 week to prepare.  So, on Saturday we are going to have a throw down at noon.  We will be doing the first workout on Saturday, another one on Monday and the third on Tuesday.  So, for all the CFM athletes doing the sectionals please try to be at CFM on Saturday at noon. 

Can't keep these young bucks down...

Nick

The new gear is in and is fresh as eva.... get it while you can!  The back of both shirts say "Bye Hater."  The is nothing on the back of the sweatshirt, only the logo on the hood.

Congratulations to Aryeh who just completed a half marathon snow shoe race this past weekend!  The trail was 3 miles up and 3 miles down by 2.  Great job Aryeh!!!

There has been a tone of information out there on Agave.  This has almost been dubbed the miracle sweetner for all you paleo eaters.  However, how much do we really understand about this food.  It seems that Agave is not the miracle sweetner it has been billed to be. When someone discuses the glycemic index, this relates to how blood sugar is effected when ingesting food and ultimately how insulin reacts to blood sugar. There are more than a few ways to spike insulin, one of them is through taste. Insulin spikes in response to a taste of something sweet. While agave might be low on the gylcemic index it is still sweet and composed of Fructose that has been linked to many other problems.

"Agave...most especially, that it has a relatively low glycemic index. A large body of research shows that foods with low glycemic indexes, such as vegetables, beans and high-fiber foods in general, tend to be healthier for us than foods that quickly raise our blood sugar. But in the case of agave nectar, you have to ask, why does this sugar have a low-glycemic index? And the answer is that agave nectar is made largely of fructose, which, even though it has a low glycemic index, is being implicated in many long-term health problems. With the exception of pure liquid fructose, agave nectar has the highest fructose content of any commercial sweetener. It’s worth knowing that all sugars, from white table sugar to high-fructose corn syrup and even honey, include some mixture of fructose and glucose. For example, table sugar is 50% fructose/50% glucose and HFCS is 55/45. Agave nectar is a whopping 70% to 90% fructose..."  Read more here...www.bottomlinesecrets.com/article.html

Quote of the day

"If any man seeks for greatness, let him forget greatness and ask for truth, and he will find both."Horace Mann

Sectional Update

We are gonna post updates each day on events for the sectionals.  Keep checking back for details.

Please remember to bring some cash if you plan on purchasing food at the games.  There will be many vendors selling gear, LuLu Lemon, BSC (compression clothing), Shoe Mart (inov-8's, vibram 5's, etc.. shoes), Heather Bars, Freak Food, and Again Faster.  I am sure that most of these vendors will have means for credit cards, however just in case I would have some cash on hand.

Skill review before the WOD..

Quote of the day

"The ultimate is not to win, but to reach within the depths of your capabilities and to compete against yourself." Billy Mills

For some more CFM Endurance team news, Chris Zak PR'd his 5K time this past weekend by 30 seconds!  Chris has his eyes set on Lake Placid and his training has picked up a notch.  Awesome job Chris!!

Quote of the day

"We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give."  Winston Churchill

Kim and Robin

We never let the conditions be an excuse...

The sectionals are 2 weeks away and starting next week those who are participating will need to start tapering.  Some things that I would suggest leading up to the big day; make sure you are getting enough sleep, you should really have your nutrition dialed in, make sure you are drinking 60% of your bodyweight in water (ounces), starting next week we will be hitting up something heavy on Monday to elicit a neuroendocrine response (testosterone overload) by Saturday, we will then taper off a few other days to have everyone ready to roll on Saturday.  Everyone should work on the mental approach to the athletic event, visualize yourself being great.  You should all be mentally preparing yourself to dominate and crush your weaknesses.  So much of an athletic event relays on mental preparation, start preparing yourself physically and mentally to be your best. The day is drawing closer and we will have a meeting for those who are going to compete.  I hope everyone at CFM will be able to stop by and support all of our members who are working out. 

The new CFM Shirts and hoodies will be in this week!  If you want to prepay please see Jocelyn on Monday.

Quote of the day

Friendship... is not something you learn in school. But if you haven't learned the meaning of friendship, you really haven't learned anything.   Muhammad Ali

Anthony is getting diesel...

the game plan

When you know that you just went to that place that very few go....

The CrossFit Sectionals are fast approaching.  In two weeks there will be some of the best athletes coming to CFM from Mass, R.I., Maine, Vermont and New Hampshire.  The gym will be closed during the weekend of March 20-21.   I highly encourage all members to swing down and check out the event.  There will be many amazing athletes from CFM competing and many more watching.  If you are around that weekend you should check out the spectacle.  If you have interest in volunteering please contact Amanda at info@crossfitmilford.com.

Be in the now of every situation, every moment, every experience, and every second of your life.  Nobody wants to go through their life as a robot, shuffling with the crowd as they get moved into their next chapter.  So often we stop and say how fast the time is moving, how you don't even remember the morning because we are all so busy.  Busy is good, busy happens, but don't let the motions of life stop you from experiencing life.  Live for yourself, find enjoyment in each situation, and be who you want to by.  Experience the life you have, be receptive, take a second to stop and realize what is transpiring, be in the now. 

Quote of the day

"A person starts to live when they can live outside themselves."  Albert Einstein

We have lots of new toys coming to the gym for your "enjoyment."  Within the next 2 weeks there will be a lot of moving and shaking going on as we prepare for the sectionals.  We are loaded with excitement as we prepare CFM for the amazing event.  The CFM coaches are having a professional development day next Saturday to improve our coaching ability for all of you.  We are always striving to provide our members with the best coaching around and the best facility around.  We have already started to make a few changes that you will see starting next week, as far as having extra coaches around for the busier classes.  We are going to be adding a 3:30 pm class for those that get to the gym earlier.  I feel so blessed to be able to do what I do with all of the amazing members each day, and for that reason we are always pushing to provide each of you with the best facility around.  We are even breaking down a wall for another 2,000 feet...... just kidding : )

Make sure you get to class on time.  We have changed our whole warm-up routine and it is vital to your fitness and longevity that you arrive on time.  Get to the gym early, if your schedule permits, and start getting a sweat going.  At the desired class time the Coaches will get everyone started on foam rolling, dynamic movements, and W.O.D prep skills.  We are going to the next level folks, and I can't wait to see everyone progress even more. 

If you lift weights, have you ever wondered whether you're doing it right? Specifically, are you lifting enough weight? According to a study done by the University of Michigan, many of us aren't. Researchers took beginners (both men and women) through a series of moves, allowing them to choose their own weight. After assessing their 1 rep max (the general standard for choosing weight), they determined that most chose a weight well below what was needed to stimulate muscle growth.

Are you guilty of going too light? If so, you may not be seeing the results you'd like. Learn more about why lifting heavier weights could change your entire body.

Why Lifting Heavy is the Key to Weight Loss

You know that losing fat involves increasing your metabolism. What you may not know is that muscle plays a huge role in raising metabolism. A pound of muscle burns about 10-20 calories a day while a pound of fat burns 5 calories. That means any growth in your muscle tissue is going to help you burn more calories all day long. In fact, strength training has all kinds of great effects on your body like:

• Increasing resting metabolic rate so you burn more calories, even while at rest.
• Making you lean and slim--muscle takes up less space than fat so, the more you have, the slimmer you are
• Strengthening bones and connective tissue, which can protect your body from injuries in daily life
• Enhancing balance and stability
• Building confidence and self-esteem

However...this only works if you're using enough weight to stimulate that muscle growth. In other words, if you can lift the weights you've chosen (for most exercises) more than 16-20 times, you might not see the kind of fat loss you would if you increased your weight.

So, why don't we lift more weight? For some, lifting weights is scary, especially if you've never done it before. The machines...the dumbbells...the people who seem to know what they're doing...it's enough to make anyone skip weights altogether. Aside from that, there are other fears that invade our minds, such as:

• It feels weird. The goal of weight training, if you didn't know, is to lift as much weight as you possibly can (with good form!) for the number of reps you've chosen. In daily life, we typically don't push ourselves to fatigue in anything we do, so this idea may not only feel foreign, it may feel downright miserable. That's one reason it's best for beginners to gradually work towards that.
• Fear of injury. Because our muscles burn when we challenge them with resistance, people often feel they're injuring themselves when they lift. And injury can be a real fear for beginners since injury can occur if you max out before your body is ready for it. Taking it slow while still challenging your body will help protect you from injury.
• Confusion. When you haven't lifted weights before, you may not know what's too heavy and what's too light. It may take some time to get a feel for your body and what it can handle.
• Fear of getting bulky. There's still a tired old myth running around that men should lift heavy and women should lift light to avoid getting big and bulky. Women hear this: Lifting heavy weights will NOT make you huge--you simply don't have the testosterone levels to build big muscles. Lifting heavy weights WILL help you lose fat.
• Fear of pain. The other thing about lifting weights is the psychological factor. The discomfort level associated with training to fatigue is pretty high...if you haven't lifted weights before, you may not be able to overcome that discomfort enough to lift as heavy as you're capable of. Again, this is one reason it's best to err on the side of caution (if you need to), while always working towards more challenge and more weight.

These fears often keep people lifting the same amount of weight for weeks, months or even years. Most of these fears are unfounded, if you take time to ease into a weight training program and work (slowly) towards the muscle fatigue that will make your muscles grow. (from about.com)

Quote of the day

"All men dream, but not equally. Those who dream by night in the dusty recesses of their minds, wake in the day to find that it was vanity: but the dreamers of the day are dangerous men, for they may act on their dreams with open eyes, to make them possible."  T.E. Lawrence

Reppin Pittsburg to the fullest....

bring the thunder to that bar

Ask Jimmy what he looked like 6 months ago....

We are getting ready to start our "Get Fit for Life" challenge.  This will start April 1, so I want everybody to really start thinking about their goals and where they want they life to go.  This challenge is for everyone and it will last for 2 months.  This challenge will get you eating properly and work to improve your health.  We are not looking for visible abs, we are looking for life change and health improvement (if the abs come along... cool).  There will be weekly check ups with a coach assigned to you and there will 2 monthly meetings group wide.  There will be a facebook page for the group to stay on top of each other and constant emails with your assigned coach.  There will be a $30 entry fee for the challenge.

This Sunday the CFM Endurance team will be running in the Sam Rock&Roll in New Haven CT.  This is a St. Patricks celebration run for fun and don't be afraid to rep a costume!  The race starts at Todd's Place, to register go here..www.jbsports.com/WPLR5K.htm

It is official folks, Tony Blauer is coming to CrossFit Milford on May 22, 2010.  This will be a one day seminar will teach people of all backgrounds how to protect themselves in real life situations.  This seminar will be an awesome opportunity to learn from one of the leaders in the industry.  Tony's system is called the S.P.E.A.R System... The S.P.E.A.R System (Spontaneous Protection Enabling Accelerated Response" is a scientifically researched & medically reviewed personal defense measure that exploits the body's natural responses to violence and danger.  This survival mechanism, dubbed: Startle-Flinch Response has been scientifically integrated into a series of neuro-muscular drills that teaches individuals how to convert their instinctive reactions into protective and combative tactics.

 If you don't already check out www.marksdailyapple.com/..... DO IT!!

Quote of the day

Reality is merely an illusion, albeit a very persistent one.  Albert Einstein