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Tips, news & viewsSaturday, December 30, 2006
Everyone at CrossFit Victoria would like to wish you a safe - and fun - New Year's Eve. Take some time in between drinks to reflect on the year that was 2006 and also to set some goals for 2007.
See you all in next year! Friday, December 29, 2006
 Blitz martial arts magazine has just published our first article. The Drill of the Month is leg and hip development for martial artists through the use of odd object lifts. The lift detailed is a squat utilising the Fireman's Carry position. It can be found on page 25. You can read it here. Click on the cover image to subscribe to Blitz.
After much fiddling and tweaking (and a little cursing) the new CrossFit Victoria website was uploaded today. After a few days of testing the new design will be publicised.
We've got a new URL as well - www.crossfitvictoria.com - but the old URL - www.crossfitvictoria.com.au - will continue to point to this site also. There will be a whole heap of exciting stuff happening in 2007. So stay tuned! Sunday, December 24, 2006
Everyone here at Fluid Fitness & CrossFit Victoria wish you a very MERRY CHRISTMAS and a safe and prosperous NEW YEAR.
Make sure you're prepared to work off the extra calories you consume over the festive season. But most importantly make sure you have fun. We're taking a break until the NEW YEAR, so we'll see you all on the other side. There are some big changes coming in 2007, so please stay in touch. Thanks for another great year! Saturday, December 23, 2006
You may or may not agree with the views of American psychologist Timothy Leary but the man did say a few poignant things in his time. My favourite is:
"Think for yourself. Question authority. Throughout human history, as our species has faced the frightening, terrorizing fact that we do not know who we are, or where we're going in this ocean of chaos, it has been the authorities: the political, the religious, the educational authorities, who have attempted to comfort us by giving us order, rule, regulations. Informing, forming in our minds an inner view of reality. To think for yourself you must question authority and learn how to immerse yourself in a state of vulnerable open-mindedness-- chaotic, confused vulnerability to which you owe yourself. Think for yourself. Question authority." When it comes to the ocean of chaos that is health & fitness theory, it is important to filter the information through your own experiences to determine which methods are right for you. Friday, December 22, 2006
Have you ever thought about what it means to be fit and just how fit you actually are? In your mind, what constitutes fitness? Is it more than just a physical measure?
Post your thoughts to comments. Thursday, December 21, 2006
It's just about time to decide on your New Year's resolution.
Will you stick to it this year? Have you really thought it through? What will stop your achieving your goal? How will you overcome this hurdle? Think it through and you will be best prepared for success. Wednesday, December 20, 2006
Men's Journal have released their top 50 fitness websites. CrossFit is sitting at #4.
Check out the full list. Tuesday, December 19, 2006
When we become too busy it is all too easy to stop paying attention to what your body is telling you. It's time to think about that.
How often do you stay up to watch a movie when your body is asking for sleep? How often do you not head to the toilet when you really need to? Not following your own internal prompts is unhealthy. Your body is an intricate piece of machinary and requires your dedicated attention. So, pay attention and follow the cues you're receiving...you'll feel better for it.
The Fayetteville Observer (NC, USA) just published an article about CrossFit. You can read it here.
Monday, December 18, 2006
I think a little bit of vanity is a good thing. I really do. Taking some pride in the way you look doesn't always have to mean you're kicking against a few of those seven deadly sins. Realistically, it means that you are taking an interest in yourself and your health and fitness. It's healthy to want to look and feel fit and healthy.
So don't fight it... Sunday, December 17, 2006
Thanks to Mat and Sara for coming down to the last session for 2006. (what happened to the rest of you?)
 Here's the workout: Three rounds - 10 Kettlebell rope lifts 10 Kettlebell run & pull 10 Handstand pushups Then - 50 pushups 50 situps 800m run (approx.)  Results: Mat - 16:48 Sara - 20:49 Saturday, December 16, 2006
They don't call it the silly sesason for no reason. As the year comes to a close things can get pretty hectic. After all the fun and games of the year past it's always worthwhile to take a break from all the busy stuff. Take some time to digest what has happened over the past 12 months, plan your next 12 months and catch up with your family and friends.
Remember, rest is just as important as hard work! Friday, December 15, 2006
Par-what? What do you mean you've never heard of it!
Parkour is the art of moving through your environment in the most efficient and effective way possible. This includes vaulting, jumping, rolling, climbing and many other methods of moving around freely. Sebastien Foucan - the co-creator of Parkour says "THE ART OF MOVING FROM ONE PLACE TO ANOTHER WITH FLUIDITY ALLOWS YOU TO SEE YOUR ENVIROMENT DIFFERENTLY. THE QUEST'S GOAL IS TO BECOME A PART OF THE ENVIROMENT IN ORDER TO DEVELOP YOUR MIND AND BODY." Here are some links of interest: http://parkour.net/ http://www.urbanfreeflow.com/ http://www.parkour.com/pk/training.htm Thursday, December 14, 2006
Today's Herald Sun includes a report on the increase in obesity, diabetes and alcoholism in Australia.
Read it.
Just quickly:
- don't keep the water running while you brush your teeth or shave - recycle when you can - don't litter - use public transport when possible - turn off the lights when you don't need them Thank you. Wednesday, December 13, 2006
I harp on about food diaries and training journals all the time. In fact, the repetitive nature of my ramblings surely drives some people mad. Well, there's more...
Have you ever considered just how important sleep is to your health? It doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out that sleep is essential to human life (well most life really). How much do you know about your sleeping patterns? I suggest that you don't know enough. How long did you sleep last night? Did you dream? Did it take a while to fall asleep? How many times did you wake up? How many hours have you slept this week? Are you feeling tired? All of these questions can be answered easily if you maintain a sleep journal. Within the journal you can list anything and everything pertaining to your sleep patterns. It's a great way to learn more about how you function and determine how you can make adjustments to improve your health and wellbeing. Tuesday, December 12, 2006
Sign up to our email newsletter to stay up-to-date with all the happenings at Fluid Fitness and receive tons of health & fitness info, tips and advice.
Come and join us at HA Smith Reserve for the final CrossFit group training session for 2006. It starts at 9am, costs $15 and will be a challenge like no other.
Contact us for more info. Monday, December 11, 2006
Understanding a little more than just the basic concepts of anatomy is something that will be greatly beneficial to your training.
A great place to start is by learning about the skeletal and muscular systems of the body. By gaining an understanding of which muscles act upon which bones and joints to cause a particular movement will give you a greater comprehension of why some exercises work where others don't. Get started by visiting InnerBody. Sunday, December 10, 2006
With the temperature set to hit 37c today, our morning workout was always going to be a hot one. Adding to the atmosphere was the thick smoke that has blown in from the raging bushfires to the north-east.
The workout: "Murph" (modified) 500m* run 50 pull ups 100 pushups 200 squats 500m* run The results: Tim 12:39 Matt T 14:05 Mat V 20:47 Alli 23:05 Erica 24:00 Susan 24:30 Thanks to all that attended. A marvellous effort by all especially considering the stifling conditions. Hope to see you all again next week fo rthe final workout for 2006. (Sorry that there are no photos, we managed to leave the camera at home.) * this is an estimate, could have been a bit less.
There's always some debate about whether wearing sunscreen is good for you or bad for you. Ranging from the anti-cancer benefits to those who say we shouldn't be rubbing chemicals into the skin. Given that we are doing our best to destroy the ozone layer, I suggest that using skin protection is quite sensible. Perhaps you don't need to slap it on everyday but in the summer it's a pretty good form of insurance.
Learn more about sunscreen. Saturday, December 09, 2006
Here are the links to all the Australian CrossFit affiliates:
CrossFit Victoria CrossFit North Queensland CrossFit Sydney CrossFit Newcastle CrossFit Brisbane Friday, December 08, 2006
I gotta say the idea of jumping into an alternating cold and hot shower isn't my idea of fun, but after completing a killer WOD I thought it was time to give it a go. After 20 minutes of torture it was into the shower for more. The pattern I used was 30 sec cold, 60 sec hot (4 times through).
The basic idea of the contrast shower is that the rapid change in temperature encourages the body to improve circulation and therefore expel the chemical by-products caused by strenuous exercise. It worked for me. It's now one day after the training session and apart from some mild stiffness I feel great, normally this kind of workout will cause soreness for 2-3 days. And the discomfort in the shower wasn't all that bad...in fact it was a lot like taking a cold shower on a hot day. Try it yourself. If you are interested, visit Human Kinetics for more recovery strategies. Thursday, December 07, 2006
This Sunday will be the second last CrossFit group training session for the year.
We have something special planned! Register here.
The truth is that you probably don't drink enough water. Most of us don't.
An absolute bare minimum is 2 litres each day. Aim for 3 or more and you'll feel the benefits. Remember that you don't feel dehydrated until well after your body is already suffering the effects. Maybe those niggling afternoon headaches will be remedied simply by drinking more water? It's worth a shot. Wednesday, December 06, 2006
I think our Spanish friends are on to something with the afternoon siesta. Traditionally these are only short naps in the early afternoon and may only last for 30 minutes. However, this can be enough time to recharge your batteries and give you the energy to take on the rest of your busy day.
Can you make time for a little extra rest time in your day? More siesta info available is at wikipedia. Tuesday, December 05, 2006
Cholesterol is always portrayed as the bad guy in the popular media and by so-called health professionals. The truth is that cholesterol is getting a bad wrap. It's blamed for a plethora of ails and ills which could quite conceivably have other causes.
It's beyond the scope of this post to go into detail right now but if you've got an open mind, I suggest you take a look at Dr. Uffe Ravnskov's site called The Cholesterol Myths. It's a real eye-opener. Monday, December 04, 2006
Recently, a few of my clients have commented that they need a little more emphasis on what to eat, when, how much and so on. As you are probably well aware, I am very keen on the use of food diaries as a nutritional tool so I thought I'd delve into my own food diary and share a page with you. And no, I haven't editted it.
05:30 1 peach, handful of grapes, handful of cherries 09:30 Protein shake w/ carb mix added 09:45 2x healthy nut bars 10:30 bacon, eggs, tomato, mushrooms 12:00 2x cafe latte, raisin toast 16:45 Snickers bar 17:30 Chicken salad This is a so-so day. It started out rather well. Things when downhill with the two coffees and raisin toast (the cost of meeting colleagues at a cafe). And there's really no excuse for the Snickers bar, it was an impulse. I got back on track with a healthy afternoon meal but then forgot to list my evening meal. As I said, so-so. I don't know if this will help you understand what a good day is in itself. So, here's an idea of what is better than my average day above: 05:30 1 peach, handful of grapes, handful of cherries 09:30 Protein shake w/ carb mix added 09:45 Handful of almonds and seeds 10:30 Omelette w/ tomato, mushrooms and spinach 12:00 Peppermint tea 16:45 Tub of natural yoghurt w/ fresh berries 17:30 Chicken salad 20:00 Grilled salmon w/ seasonal vegies One last note: don't get so carried away with monitoring your diet that you stop enjoying your food. There is plenty of room to enjoy the flavours of a healthy diet. Sunday, December 03, 2006
Sunday in the Park this week was nasty. Almost everyone made it through the workout and everyone paid their own price. There were a few light-headed athletes as well as a few on the verge of having breakfast make a repeat appearance. But everyone finished with a smile (or were they grimaces).
A huge WELL DONE to everyone who turned up and gave it a shot.  Here's the workout: 50 ring pushups 50 squat jumps 50 jumping pull ups 50 kettlebell swings 50 walking lunges 50 situps 50 burpies And the results: Milena 23:48 Aaron 23:59 Alli 26:37 Mat 25:58 Joely 23:48 Sol ??? Adam 22:04 And we raised $30 for the Cancer Council.
Are you one of the fitness fanatics that takes the time to warm-up (well a little anyway), then blitzes through their workout and heads straight to the shower when you're done? Without bothering to cooldown and stretch!
Are you that person? Are you also wondering why your butt hurts trying to get up the next morning? Today's advice will save you a lot of discomfort on the road to improving your fitness. If you can set aside the time to workout, then you can allow time to appropriately cool down and stretch. Do yourself a favour, your body will feel a lot better for the extra effort. Saturday, December 02, 2006
Running is a great way to improve your metabolic - or cardiovascular - fitness. It is a natural movement. It is safe. And it does provide results. Your body will adapt quickly to this type of training, so it is important to mix it up a little.
 One way to get an little extra out of your running training is to incorporate hills in your running course. You may choose to go cross country on your next 10km run or perform some hill sprints. Either way you are asking new questions of your abilities and you will be adapting to the new challenge. Try it some time. Friday, December 01, 2006
*RANT BEGINS*
I'm just gonna come right out and say it: kids ARE getting fatter. I mean there were fat kids when I was younger but in nothing like numbers you see today. This gets me pretty worked up, let me tell you. How many times I've wanted to shake some sense into a parent supplying another 600ml Coke with the obligatory cheeseburger to their happily obese child...honestly, I couldn't count. Do parents not realise that overfeeding their children puts them at a higher risk of heart disease, diabetes and who knows how many other adverse health conditions? Worse maybe is the fact that these kids are not only unhealthy but are often the butt of jokes and ridicule, this is unfair and can cause ongoing emotional damage. *RANT ENDS* So, the big question is what can be done about this? Post your thoughts to comments.
Come and join us this Sunday at H.A. Smith Reserve in Hawthorn for a CrossFit group training session. The cost is only $5 per person and all proceeds go to the Cancer Council of Victoria.
Register here. |
