More FUNGUS!

BUUUUT good fungus! Here's a recipe that is posted in our "Recipes" page but I wanted to post it again because it is amazing. I have the picture posted on my facebook page, but here's the delicious recipe that goes with it.Enjoy!



Chicken Paleo “Sandwich”

2 giant portobello mushrooms, stems and gills (underside of the cap) removed

1 cup cooked chicken, shredded

1/4 cup grilled onions

3 slices bacon

1 cup fresh arugula

2 tbsp Paleo Mayo**

2 tbsp olive oil

In a large skillet heat the olive oil and add the mushrooms, starting with the caps up. Cook on each side for about 5 minutes, until the mushroom softens and starts to turn golden on top. Remove the mushrooms from the pan and slather each side with the paleo mayo, pile on the chicken, onions, bacon and arugula, put the two mushrooms together like a sandwich and dig in.


** Paleo Mayo:
about 1 cup of Olive Oil Mayo- 1egg, 1 1/2 tbsp apple cider vinegar, pinch of sea salt, few shakes of cayenne pepper, 1 tsp yellow mustard, 1 cup olive oil

I'll be back at it in the box tonight! I'm so excited to start WODing again!!!

Incremental Improvements

Last week I posted about things we suck at and it made me think: it's time to reverse that. These months are depressing enough, so I feel like we need a little love in the house.

I don't know about you, but if you've been crossfitting and/or hitting the weights regularly enough you've experienced a plateau. It sucks. It's like a stalled car in the middle of the desert, it's fruitless.

However, one thing that has kept me afloat is the small incremental improvements I've been making. Yeah a 5lb pr on a press doesn't seem like much, but its an improvement. Same goes for the 10 second drop on my 2k row and the fact that I can finally string 30+ double unders together like it's nobody's business. Those are improvements, even if they are small.

Forget about the suck-list, what have you improved on in the last month or so? Dig deep, you may not even realize the gains you've made!

Stttttretch

Is it just me or has anyone else watched a dog stretch and thought, “that looks like it feels so good!” Ha!  I am pretty sure that my Yorkie-Poo, Maddux gets more calisthenics work and stretching done in one day than I do in one week.  Watching Maddux perform his downward and upward facing dog positions, I have decided to incorporate more movements that will help increase flexibility, improve stability and hopefully contribute to further developing my overall performance.

How do I plan on incorporating this?!  Pilates movements.

I have been practicing Pilates on and off for several years and have recently discovered the benefits of combining fundamental movements with my CrossFit training.  I don’t want to completely bore you so I will refrain from extreme detail, but if you are interested in learning more please ask me to show you a few movements before or after class sometime.

Leg Circles:  Strengthen and Stretch the muscles of the upper thigh and hip joint    

Single Leg Stretch:  Strengthen the core and thighs while increasing back and leg flexibility

Rolling like a Ball:  Improve stability while focusing on core strength

Spine Stretch:  Increase flexibility in forward bending movements

Neck Pulls:  Challenge shoulder stabilization

These are but a handful of the movements I have been doing on my own and have found that they are definitely contributing to increased flexibility and stability.

Very interested to know what everyone else is doing for flexibility and stability…



Am I Keeping My Muscles On Their Toes?

I apologize for the late ass post, but I'm in Cali and it is still early here. I'm so ready to get back to Chicago...if I hear one more thing about the Clean Water Act I may go off up in here! Lol. Any how, I started guzzling the Optimum Nutrition protein shakes suggested by our dear John A. a couple of months ago. I have finished my first container and I just ordered another. I am far from knowledgeable about protein other than knowing it rebuilds the broken down muscle tissue.

Basically my question for you guys is do I need to switch it up now that I have been on the ON brand for a couple of months? Does your body get used to it and therefore it loses some effect similar to doing the same exercise for too long? Any suggestions for another low cal protein powder that has worked well for you....oh and tasted magically delicious too? Also, any suggestions for a quality multi-vitamin or any supplements since I currently take none? Sorry for the lack of a cool pic but I'm posting this shit really incognito from my phone while dude speaks. Lol. Happy Hump Day! Can't wait to see you guys Friday! Stink and drink anyone?

Fitness Trailblazer Jack LaLanne

"The only way you can hurt the body is not use it. Inactivity is the killer and, remember, it's never too late." - Lalanne

I knew about Jack LaLanne but never realized how much of a fitness trailblazer he really was. Since his death, I have learned much more about him. He not only transformed his own life as a teen, but he accomplished a lot in his life time and inspired so many people.

A few of his accomplishments:
• In 1957, age 43, he performed more than 1,000 push-ups in 23 minutes on the "You Asked For It" television show.
• At 60, he swam from Alcatraz Island to Fisherman's Wharf in San Fran — handcuffed, shackled and towing a boat.
• Ten years later, he performed a similar feat in Long Beach harbor.
• His workout show was a television staple from the 1950s to the '70s.
• He also founded a chain of fitness studios that bore his name and in recent years touted the value of raw fruit and vegetables as he helped market a machine called Jack LaLanne's Power Juicer.


One of his accomplishments that we can especially appreciate as CrossFitters: LaLanne opened a health studio in 1936 that included weight-training for women and athletes. At the time, it was believed that weight training made an athlete slow and "muscle bound" and made a woman look masculine.

"You have to understand that it was absolutely forbidden in those days for athletes to use weights," he once said. "It just wasn't done. We had athletes who used to sneak into the studio to work out. It was the same with women. Back then, women weren't supposed to use weights. I guess I was a pioneer," LaLanne said.

He didn't just preach it but lived by it as well. His own routine included two hours of weightlifting and one hour of swimming every day. "It's a lifestyle, it's something you do the rest of your life," LaLanne said. "How long are you going to keep breathing? How long do you keep eating? You just do it."

Thanks Jack for inspiring so many people!

Out of commission

So I haven't been around at the box last week and I most likely won't be around this week either. Last Tuesday night I was driving down I-90/94, went over a patch of black ice, lost control of my car and ended up crashing head on into a huge pole. My car is totaled and in pieces but thankfully I'm okay. I'm actually quite surprised because with the severity of the wreck, I only walked away with cuts and bad bruises. (My mom thinks its because of CrossFit that I was strong enough to survive such a huge impact with little injuries) Although I'm so blessed to walk away with these minor injuries, the impact of the airbag bruised my chest so much that I can't even do a push up, row on the rowing machine, or run for more than 20 minutes without feeling intense pain from my chest. I rested for the rest of the week last week, but I'm going to continue resting this week in hopes of a full recovery. My mother also said that it can take up to 6 weeks to recover from a chest injury like that. But I'm hoping to be back in the box next week.
I've never had such an injury that has kept me from working out for so long. It's driving me crazy. I think I'm going through CrossFit withdrawal! But at the same time, I'm glad to be alive and healthy so I guess I can't complain. Have any of you been out of the gym for a long time? What did you do to cope with your CrossFit/exercise cravings??
I hope to see you guys sometime next week!

BEAR DOWN!

enjoy your sunday funday all. let it be a massive faileo if need be. GO bears! boo pack!...and drywall, id rather play the jets in the super bowl, but your delinquet QB seems to step up in big games.

seacrest out.