On The Road Again

Well, I have again neglected everyone who follows my blog. I hope all nine of you forgive me.

I am a travelin' man lately, as I am getting ready for a deployment to Africa then a permanent move to Italy. Should make for an exciting 2010. The frequency of posting should increase quite a bit as soon as things calm down and I get settled in Djibouti.

My bags are unpacked and I am getting settled in for a 1 and a half week training session in Guernsey, WY. Not alot to do, but I am getting a chance to eat decent and squeeze a few workouts in.

One thing I want this blog to consistantly provide is QUALITY. I would rather provide a few articles here and there that are chock full of quality info then push out countless mindless articles about trivial things.

So stick with me. Things are going to pick up and I hope your following right along with it.

In Health and Fitness,

Cameron

PS: At the very least, I will attempt to post a daily workout to the blog. Fingers crossed!

Im Back.

Let me start off by apologizing to my 8 loyalists (I think). I have neglected you. Now that that is off my chest, ITS GOOD TO BE BACK! I spent two weeks in Germany for a training exercise. Two weeks of long hours, little sleep and almost zero workouts. Travel can certainly take a toll on your physical and mental state. I did learn a little bit, like a 12 hour flight can hit you just as hard as a rough night of drinking and Germans really enjoy hard nights of drinking.

I have also made the managerial decision to take this blog on a slightly different journey. You will still get the occasional opinion based write-ups, but I intend on sharing several motivating, informative and thought provoking videos with you.

So, stay tuned for more information.

In fitness,

Cam

WOD:

Take a hike! (at least 30 minutes of a mildly strenuous activity will suffice)

Show Vs. Go

Vanity. It's a huge word in the fitness industry. If I made a frequently asked question section of fitness, it would start with "How do I get a six pack?" and end with "How do I get my bicep peaks bigger?" Sadly,every answer in my frequently asked question section would be "Who the hell cares?"

Sure, we are under immense pressure to look our best. In the dating, working and social life fit people are generally more successful. It's no wonder that people flock to the gym to strive for their best look. I can tell you that most people have it all wrong. Most personal trainers will have you sit on a series of numbered machines and perform a corresponding exercise. I'd say that at about 80-90 percent of these isolating machines you use require sitting. Let me re-iterate. UPTO 90 PERCENT OF YOUR WORKOUT INVOLVES SITTING. What the hell? You want your fitness level to transfer into your home life right? Well, do you sit down 21.6 hours a day? If so, your right on track. Keep it up! If you're a normal person, you move. A lot. Work, school, kids, chores, etc keep you on your toes all day. Why in the hell would you workout sitting down. Another thing, these machines were designed to isolate body parts, the only people that should be isolating body parts are body builders, and I don't mean that fat guy that comes into your gym with a big belt and lifts heavy weight, I mean the guy who sprays on a fake tan and flexes on stage in a man-thong. These machines work the "Show Muscles".

A normal person needs to be prepared for anything that live throws at them. Your kid falls over, you need to pick him or her up. Your buddy's moving and needs your help moving stuff, your cat got out and you have to dart around the front yard chasing it. In all those examples, your body recruits several different muscle groups to get the job done in the best and fastest way possible. If you have spent your lifetime training in seated training apparatuses then yea, you may look good and be super jacked, but how well are you going to be able to chase that cat. Life needs "Go Muscles". Beauty of it is, they are functional. And fact of the matter is, functionality can be pretty damn sexy.

http://library.crossfit.com/free/pdf/CFJ_Games09_BeautyInStrength.pdf

These women look good. Not gaunt, starved or frail. Lean, muscular and healthy. Ladies, I didn't leave you out, don't worry.

http://library.crossfit.com/free/pdf/CFJ_Games09_IronWillIronBody.pdf

They look great huh? Everyone of these people have one thing in common. They train to not suck at life. They use CrossFit. Not a bodybuilding routine and not a runners routine, but a functional routine.

So, when the dust settles and the smoke clears, what would you rather have? Functional fitness that allows you to handle life, or stage muscles, that don't really serve a purpose other than something to look at. Show muscles or go muscles, your choice.

WOD:

5 Rounds:

5 Deadlifts

10 Box Jumps

15 Pushups

You Don't Know Squat

Down the road, in a gym far away
A young man was heard to say,
"No matter what I do, my legs won't grow!"
He tried leg extensions, leg curls, leg presses too.
Trying to cheat, these sissy workouts he'd do!
From the corner of the gym where the big guys train,
Through a cloud of chalk and the midst of pain,
Where the big iron rides high, and threatin' lives,
Where the noise is made with big forty-fives,
A deep voice bellowed as he wrapped his knees,
A very big man with legs like trees,
Laughing as he snatched another plate from the stack,
Chalked his hands and monstrous back,
Said, "Boy, stop lying and don't say you've forgotten!
Trouble with you is you aint been SQUATIN'!!"

I wish I could take the credit for this. Jeff MADDOG, a strength coach from
UNC paints a "man only" picture of squatting with this poem, but that's just
one of the many myths that squatting has surrounding it. I'll break it down
and show that the squat is not only the most basic of human movements, but
also the a safe and effective key to any workout program.

Myth 1: Squatting is bad for the knees.

Truth: Done properly, the squat can actually strengthen the ligaments
and muscles that surround the knee which improve stability. The only time a
squat would be bad for your knees is if you knees extended out over the
toes. This creates a shearing force as the Tibia is forced up into the
patella. Toes should also be angled outward at 30-45 degrees so the knees
can properly track over the toes. Visualize driving a stake through your
knee. It should go right through the knee and into your toes/foot.

Myth 2: Squats are bad for your back.

Truth: Yea, if you do them like an jack ass. The squat can be
dangerous because of the shearing forces it can place on your back. But
there is a way to avoid that: DO THEM PROPERLY! If preformed with a
relatively straight back, the shearing force is minimized because the weight
is placed directly over the spinal column. Also, stay away from belts,
unless you squat 800 pounds. So, again I say, stay away from belts.

Myth 3: Squats will make my butt big.

Truth: No, genetics and doughnuts make your butt big. Lots of
people squat without getting broad asses. If this were the case, people
everywhere would be walking around with big butts from sitting down and
standing up all day. Afghanis squat and stand all day to eat, socialize and
play. I don't see a problem with any of their asses, not that I'm looking.
So, put down the doughnut and "squat with what you got". I'm going to
copyright that quote, so, to avoid lawsuit, don't copy it.

Myth 4: Squats are only for men or athletes.

Truth: Squats are for everyone. From the grandma down the street
to the pro-football player. It's for the mom squatting down to pick up the
grocery bags and the powerlifter squatting 800 pounds. Now, technique plays
a huge role in squatting, and you should follow these guidelines when
squatting.

1. Foot position: Slightly wider than shoulder width. Toes pointed outward
30-45 degrees.
2. Stand up tall, emulate perfect posture, engage core.
3. Keeping the weight on your heels, slowly move butt DOWN and BACK.
Maintain that nice, natural lumbar curve, don't slouch over. Keep your
chest up and out.
4. Make sure your knees are tracking with your toes, but not over the toes.
5. TRY to make your hip crease drop below your knees. Raise your arms as a
counter-balance.

Now, a good squat comes with hard work, patience and dedication. Practice
this facing a wall with your toes 4-8 inches away. The depth will eventually
come with improved flexibility and range of motion in the joints and muscles
critical to a good squat (ankle, knees, hamstrings, quad etc) If you
experience any knee pain, stop. Don't go so far that it hurts. Fitness is
a progression.

There are countless other myths out there about squat, but I don't want to
bore you with anymore. Besides, I'll just offer up some evidence as to why squats
are one of the best exercises anyone can do. Bottom line: Now that you
know, SQUAT!

WOD: "Chelsea" Every minute on the minute perform 5 Pullups, 10 Pushups, 15 Squats for 30 Minutues

Ehh, What's UP D.o.C: The Dilemma of Contradiction and its Effect on Health

Sounds fancy, huh? Well, I made it up, but there is a growing problem in
America today. It's the abundance of information and the lack of clarity.
We (and by "we" I mean me) at Coalition Fitness are here to sift through
that B.S. The theory basically states: No method is a solid method, each
method can be criticized, improved and negated. In other words, there are a
thousand ways to do one given task, and a thousand different people that
will say their way is better. For example: Deadlifts are the most
important exercise ever. No! Squats engage more muscles! A vegetarian
lifestyle is the best way to live. Wrong! You need meat to properly build
muscle. Burpees suck...well that's just common knowledge and the one
exception to this Law. Think about it. We as Americans spend about 40
billion dollars on diet and weight loss products and services, yet we are
still one of the fattest countries in the world and spend roughly 140
billion on obesity related afflictions. There is something wrong there, and
it's definitely not the lack of information. Everywhere you turn there's
another product or diet that promises incredible results, and FAST! And we
buy into it, like sheep to the flock. The problem is TOO MUCH information.
This blog addresses all the methods that I have seen work in practical
implementations. These are not fads, these are lifestyle changes. This
blog is not a "6 weeks to a beach body" plan, it's a "Obtaining a healthy
and fit LIFEstyle", for good.

So, drop the latest health magazine, put away the ab-roller and log
onto the this blog each and every day. Here, youll find all the information
you need, and the way to avoid the Dilemma of Contradiction is to log onto
to ONLY this website. Simple as that. Problem solved, now join me in a
lifestyle of fitness!

WOD:

Rest Day