CrossFit Christmas Gift Ideas

I have been purchasing equipment for my garage going on 4 years now.  Most of these things that I am recommending I have purchased for myself.  If I don't own it, I wish I did but probably bought a cheap version somewhere else and regretted it.  So this is for those of you that have a CrossFitter in your life and don't know what to get them.....
Under $40

Paleo Granola
This is Crossfitters crack, you can't just have a little.
Andi's Gran
T-shirt from your local CrossFit gym $20-$25
CrossFit Memorial Houston
Zero 500
The Hopper Deck $20
54 CrossFit WOD's printed on a deck of cards. Are you brave enough to pick one at random?  (Sold Out) You can try this app instead for $.99 while you wait for them to print more.
Hopper Deck
Hopper Deck App
Strength Wraps $25
Wrist's sore?  These wraps give you support that you can tighten and loosen mid WOD
Strength Wraps
RX Jump Rope $35
Custom built jump rope that you can pick the colors, cable length and thickness.
RX Jump Rope
Ab Mat $30ish
Don't leave home without it or your jump rope.  You can do the Annie WOD when you travel.
Ab Mat
Century Medicine Ball $20
You can use these for slam balls, sit ups, goblet squats, running with a load, even a wall ball (Dynamax med balls a nicer for the wall balls though)
Med Balls at Academy
Sport Journals WOD book $15
Great way to keep track of PR's for lifts and named WOD's among other things.
WOD book
Leather Gymnastics grips from Rage Fitness $20
Try these to save your hands on the pull up bar.
Gymnastics grips
Foam rollers $20, Bands $25+ and Lacrosse Balls $4
Great way of working the soreness out of your muscles. Both found at Academy.
Rollers
Floss Bands $25
Just click on the link and watch Kstar make a guy grimace ;-)
Floss
Rogue Gloves $28
I never used them till this year (because you are a sissy if you do) now, love them.  Great for cold bars or if you just don't want your hands torn up.  The "R" on the palm is tacky and help you to hold on to the bar/kb, etc.
Rogue Gloves
Knee Sleeves by Rehband $38 for one, not a pair.
Again, never used these until this year (something to do with age I think) but they keep the knees warm and add some support to help reduce injury.
Sleeves
Books 
The supple Leopard by Kstar on mobility $30, First by Rich Froning or there are many Paleo cookbooks out there.
Supple Leopard
First by Froning
Well Fed Paleo Cookbook
Nom Nom Paleo Cookbook

$95-$400 price range

Membership or Gift Certificate to your local Crossfit Gym $priceless$
CrossFit Memorial Houston
Pull Sled by Rogue $95
For sprints down the road and having people look at you like your nuts.  You will definetly feel it the next day.
Pull Sled
Wall Timer (hint, hint)
It is so nice to be able to glance at a large countdown display instead of worrying about your phone getting crushed next to you because you are using it instead.
Wall Clock
Wall Mount Pull up bar $145
You can mount this in your garage and do you kipping pull ups/toes to bar, etc.  Does not include mounting hardware.  The P4 is best for wall mounting and the P3 is best for ceiling mount.
Pullup Bar
Squat Stand by Powerline $162
A nice inexpensive squat stand that can be used for shoulder presses as well as bench.
Powerline Squat Rack
Rogue's Butcher Sled $265
A great tool to put in the middle of a WOD to jack up the heart rate and turn your legs to jello. Word to the wise, don't sprint with this and then go directly to box jumps (bad idea).
Butcher Sled
Rogue Bar $216 
You don't realize the difference between a POS bar and a good bar until you have compared them side by side. This is a good all around bar to use for oly lifts.  Yes, it is a "womens bar" but if you have smaller hands, like me, you can hook grip the 25mm bar easier.  Love it.
Rogue Bella Bar
Rogue Hi Temp 190# Bumper set $380
This includes shipping.  You really don't need the 35 #'s. A must have if anyone wants to WOD from home on a regular basis.
Hi Temp Bumpers

$500 and up...the fun stuff.

Infinity Rig Wall Mount $565 
This is a nice combo that can be used as a rack and pullup bar.  It's $200 more than buying them separately but you have a whole lot more options and attachments that you can use later.
Wall Mount Rig
Schwinn Airdyne Bike $700ish
This is on my list.  Rich Froning uses it and I hear it gives you a great workout.  Rogue also carries this if you can't find a local retailer.
Airdyne Bike
Concept 2 Rower $900
Love 500m sprints?  Nope? Me neither.  Great conditioning tool and you can do Fight Gone Bad from home.  You can find a black one on the Rogue website or stick with the 80's looking fitness studio one from Concept.
Rower

I could go on but I think these are the main things most people might enjoy -that might be the wrong word, appreciate?  If you have any questions, suggestions or feedback please let me know.  Have fun shopping!

New Years Resolutions??

So, it's that time of year where you tell yourself that you will lose weight/eat right/become fit/work harder/be a better spouse/parent/Lego builder/penny pincher/save for a trip, etc.  It might last for 2 days or 2 months and then go back to the way it was...

I think if you do want to make a change in your life you should take baby steps.  Just like training for a marathon, you don't immediately go out and run 20+ miles, you start off slow and have a plan, tell others about it so there is accountability built in.

My goal is to 1.  Lose some weight by eating better and more moderately.  2. Listen to people more by putting the stupid cell phone down as soon as I am spoken to, even if I was texting first and someone walked up to me in the middle of it.  3.  Become more productive around the house.

The Plan for 2013
1. Lose 15 pounds by March 31st.  I will follow the Paleo diet 90% in January and then dial it back to 80% for the rest of the year (the last few months I might have followed it 40% at best, you can see it and I sure feel it).  Sometimes you have to go the wrong direction for awhile until you are fed up enough to get your life back on track.
   a. grocery shop and cook for my house
   b. no beer kept in the fridge
   c. have planned cheat meals 1 evening per week where I can be a glutton, get my fix and not feel guilty
   d. pay a fine to my son if he catches me eating something I shouldn't

2. Listening
   a. put the phone in the back of the house when I get home
   b. only check it every few hours unless someone actually calls at which point I will answer it if I am not eating with the family
   c. pay a fine to my son if he catches me breaking the rules (similar theme but I hate spending money so he will help curb the habit quickly)

3. Productivity
   a. have an on going to do list separated by two categories - small thing and big things
   b. prior to doing something enjoyable a small thing must be completed
   c. one large item must be completed each week

That's it.  Let me know if you have any suggestions to my three to help me succeed. Have a Happy New Year and tell me, what is your goal?  How are you going to stick to it? Post it here and have some accountability!

Sandy Hook Elementary Tragedy

I don't watch the news, ever.  Everyone else always tells me what's going on.  The reason I don't is 90% of what is broadcast either pisses me off -politicians/government or saddens me -Friday's shootings.
Thinking about what happened makes me feel so useless, angry and heartbroken.  The thought of losing my son to something, anything....I don't know how to put it into words.
There are so many people out there that have already written much more profound and moving blogs about this.  I thought I would just share some of them with you.

I am Adam Lanza's Mother
December-14-2012
My corner of world

This past weekend the cub scout meeting was held at my house.  All the boys were playing tag except one.  He wandered around in a circle with a lego to his face mumbling.  I tried to engage him in conversation and he would not meet my eyes.  My first impulse (which is wrong) led me to think he was one of "those" kids, someone else's problem who will end up in trouble all the time for not paying attention.  Then I thought about the first blog link I posted above (I think he may have Asperger's) and made sure he got his derby car cut since his guardian dropped him off and no one was really looking out for him.  After I had cut his pinewood derby car he did thank me which surprised me, I wasn't expecting it and half the other boys didn't even bother.

If I hadn't read that blog I would have probably gone with my first impulse, I am glad I didn't and in the future I am going to go out of my way during cub scout meetings to help him out if I can.  This should be something everyone does, friends, family, neighbors, community and our government.  We must stop being so focused on just ourselves and our own little world.  If we don't, at sometime it will implode.

Pray for the victims families and be grateful for all you have this day and season together.

Something to warm your heart.
Moments that restored our faith in humanity this year

Beer review!

Since the blog is called Beer and Burpees I figured it was beer review time.  I like tasty beers but by no means am I a connoisseur, that's my buddy Anthony who you saw in an earlier post.
A few things I have figured out over the years is that I prefer it ice cold even though it mutes the true flavor.  In the U.K. certain beers are sold at cellar temperature and room temperature to bring out the tasting notes just like a red wine.  Beer can be paired with foods just like we do with our wines.  I like hoppy (bitter) beers with spicy foods, such as Saint Arnold's Amber goes well with spicy Chinese food, Newcastle Ale (or any dark ale) goes well with red meat or heavy foods, etc.

Some recent beer's I have tried and what I thought of them...
1. Aloha Series Pipline by Kona Brewing Co.  Made with Hawaiian Kona Coffe, it is a coffee porter.  If you like coffee go buy it, I don't and still loved it.  It has a rich malty flavor with hints of a dark roasted coffee without any bitterness.
2. Saint. Arnold's Divine Reserve #12 by Saint Arnold's.  This was a limited release that was made "Old Ale style".  You are supposed to let it age in the bottle for at least six months.  Yeah, couldn't wait that long.  I tried it when it first came out in July.  Heavy alcohol taste with lots hops.  I let it age a few months and it became smoother, less of an alcohol bite with a sweet fruit flavor.  I will try it again in six more months and see how much more the ale changes.
3. Dogfish Head 120 Minute IPA, Imperial India Pale Ale by Dogfish Head Craft Brewery.  This is another limited release ale that should be aged as well.  If it is sampled now you mostly get a strong grapefruit flavor mixed with a strong alcohol bite.  As it ages it will lose the alcohol flavor and smooth out to become sweeter most likely.

4. Rogue Hazelnut Brown Nectar by Rogue Ales.  OMG! This is my favorite.  A full bodied nutty brown ale that is slightly sweet and a smooth finish.  It only comes in a bomber (22 oz) bottle so you can share it with someone if you want (thankfully my wife prefers the coffee porter mentioned earlier so I don't have to share).  Rogue does not add any chemicals, preservatives or additives to their ales, this one only has 12 ingredients - different types of hops, malts, yeast and water.
5. Dogfish Head Punkin Ale by Dogfish Head.  My mother and wife liked this one better than I did.  I expected more pumpkin flavored sweetness, instead it is spiced with cinnamon, nutmeg and allspice with hints of brown sugar and pumpkin.  It wasn't bad, I should have gone into it without any expectations (like we should with anything in life).
6. Belhaven Scottish Stout by Belhaven Brewery.  A dark stout with hints of nut, chocolate and hops.  Tasty.  This is the current drink of choice by my lovely wife Jane.

A few more not pictured.
If I am trying to stay low carb I like Michelob Ultra Amber.  There is a little flavor and it only had around 3 or 4 carbs.
Landshark Lager by Margaritaville Brewing Co. is a nice light lager that is refreshing and goes down easy with seafood on a hot day.
If you want to mix it up a little try Hornsby's Crisp Apple Cider in a glass and layer (by bending a spoon and pouring on top of it to keep the two separate) Guinness Extra Stout.   Initially you get a heavy stout bitterness that gradually sweetens as it mixes with the cider.  Yummy.

That's it.  If you would like me to review any more by all means buy me some beer and I will taste it for you :)
We all want to stay healthy and fit but I think we should also be able to enjoy things we like in life as long as it is in moderation.
Cheers

For your viewing pleasure... http://www.ebaumsworld.com/video/watch/81536704/

Being a Coach

Today I had the distinct pleasure of coaching 4 classes back to back.  It made me reflect on how much I enjoy coaching/training/teaching others that want to learn/improve.  I had just as much energy in the fourth class as I did in the first because I got it from those great athletes that showed up this morning.  We did cleans for max weight and I think about 8 people, at a minimum, got PR's.  There is so much positive energy running around you can't stop smiling.
Anyway, the point I am trying to make is that coaches enjoy the hell out of the people that they train and love to watch improvements in.  It gives them a great sense of accomplishment, plus it is fun as all get out.  The class that I regularly attend is coached by Shannan and you can tell she has a great time with her Cereal Killers (they think it makes them sound scary) and they have a great time giving her a hard time(all in fun of course).  If one of our athletes has a bad day, we think about it and wonder how we could have improved their WOD/morning/whatever.  I think our only regret is not being able to give everyone the same amount of instruction.  If we didn't spend much time with you today, that means someone else looked like they needed it more and you were doing pretty good.  We go to the areas where we feel we have the most impact.  If we missed you today, don't worry, we will give you more than enough attention next time (probably when you least want it - getting that full range on burpees).  To all those awesome CrossFit Champions athletes...YOU GUYS AND GALS ROCK!  THANKS FOR LETTING US TRAIN YOU!

Anthony lost 11 lbs in 24 days!

My buddy Anthony took the 24 Day AdvoCare Challenge with me and helped to keep me on track.  Accountability is a wonderful thing.  He posted some outstanding results that I wanted to share.

                                 Starting Stats                              Results                   Difference
Weight                       252                                            241                       11 lbs lost
Right Arm Flexed       17 3/8"                                        17 1/2"                  1/8" gain
Waist                        50 3/8"                                        47 1/2"                  2 7/8" lost
WOD                        19:09                                           15:12                    3:57 improved perf.
The WOD was 3 rounds for time of a 300m run, 9 clean and thrusters with 95#, 12 jumping pull ups and 15 box jumps at 20".

He did a great job following the challenge along with a Paleo diet.  It was the first step in the right direction that everyone always has trouble with.  Anthony finally found out what it was like to eat clean, feel good and have the performance that resulted in almost a 4 min drop in a workout - IN LESS THAN A MONTH!  He has committed to eating Paleo the majority of the time to continue to lose weight and feel good.  He added some of the pre-workout supplements after the challenge and just started using a 24 " box jump which is amazing - no going back now.....(insert evil laugh here)  His only continued challenge will be staying away from the beer (he is a bigger beer snob than me) but we will get there together.  Great job bud, I'm proud of you.

AdvoCare 24 Day Challenge Results

Today is the 24th day and the results are in....
                             July 9th              July 31st         Total lost/gained
Weight                    193                   184                   9 lbs lost
Right arm flexed       14.5"                 14.75"              1/4" gained
Waist                      41"                    39"                   2" lost
WOD                      14:11                 12:28                1:43 improved performance
-The WOD was 3 rounds for time of 300m run, 9 squat clean thrusters at 95 lbs, 12 pull-ups and 15 24" box jumps.
I am very pleased, of course I would have liked to have greater weight loss but I have to remember two things. 1. It was only 24 days and I ate a lot of high caloric meats (pepperoni, bacon and more bacon). 2. I actually gained muscle, 1/4 inch in the arm.  I think any guy would love to gain a quarter inch :)

This was a great 24 day challenge.  It had structure, you had to spend some money which made you commit to it and it has jump started me back on the right path to fitness.
Before                                                                                              After

After

Supplements, hmmmmm......?

I have never taken supplements other than a protein shake until the last 2.5 weeks.  I don't like pills, that's why I started CrossFit in the first place to avoid high cholesterol medication.  Always thought it was a waste of money, as long as you eat the right things you should be getting everything you need right?  I don't know how to say this, but I may have been mistaken (hard to believe, I know).
So, I started the 24 Day AdvoCare Challenge 18 days ago and I have been pleasantly surprised with the supplements.  The results I have gotten so far is 8 lbs lost and an increase in strength/performance during workouts (whenever I have dropped weight in the past I also lost strength).  The only changes in addition to the supplements is that diet wise I got rid of alcohol (not having a beer for the first 10 days was torture but I hardly miss it now) and the Friday night pizza.  But, the amount of exercise has stayed the same.

Here is a list of some of the things I have tried and the results....
Herbal Cleanse for the 1st 10 days is supposed to detoxify your kidneys, liver and clean your intestines out and it did.  I felt better and lost 5 lbs in the 10 days.
My coach, Matt at CrossFit Champions, swears by a little pre-workout cocktail he makes with 1 scoop each of the Mass Impact, Arginine Extreme and 1/2 scoop of Spark.  I really thought he was full of it and then I used it.  I have hit 2 personal records in the last 3 weeks and I am able to exercise longer and harder with it. The Spark is a energy drink that my wife, Jane, loves.  It perks you up without making you all jittery.
The Nighttime Recovery is an amino acid/herbal/mineral that I have been taking at night  that reduces soreness and helps you recuperate faster, I looooove it.  If I had not been taking it there would have been a few workouts that would have made it difficult to walk.
A non believer has now jumped on the supplement band wagon and the ones I just listed I like the most and have seen great results from.  If you are interested in trying some and you are local give me a holler and I will see if I can get you a sample or just click here to look around.  I will be posting my final results late next week.

Egg Smithmuffin

My wife Jane made some really good egg muffin's the other day out of the Paleo Comfort Foods Cookbook.  They are really easy to make, you can make a bunch at once and they are great for leftovers.
1. Basically chop up what you like and saute it in olive oil
2. We used 1 jalapeno, 1 onion, 1 pepper, 2 garlic cloves and lot n' lots of bacon
3. Crack a dozen eggs and whisk
4. Mix everything together and use a ladle to put it into the greased muffin pan
5. Bake at 350 for around 15 min.  They will rise on top and turn golden brown.  If it's jiggly, it's not done.
6. Eat

Next time I think I would like to do spinach and feta cheese or pepperoni and jalapeno.
I have been eating these for a couple of days.  Today I added Tabasco's Buffalo Wing Sauce on top.  Yummy.

Time to Man Up

I have procrastinated for the last week to put up this new post because I didn't want to put pics of myself  sans shirt until my 24 day Advocare challenge was over and I could show everyone the great results.  Well, it's time for me to man up.  If I put them up now, I will be that much more motivated to get better results, no risk, no reward, etc, etc.  For those of you that don't go to Crossfit Champions where I train, the whole gym did this challenge.  I didn't get in on it in time to start with everyone else so I waited until July 9th so I could get my "beer on" for the fourth.  Thankfully my lovely wife Jane and a few friends are doing the challenge with me.  When you are trying to make a change in your lifestyle that will stick, your spouse has to be on board with it.
I can exercise hard 5 times a week and not keep my weight where it should be because of the crap I put in my body (beer, pizza, more beer).  I am not a moderate person, I could eat 3/4 of the pizza knowing I would feel horrible after.  I think a lot of guys are like that, we know stuffing ourselves makes us feel bad just like we know the pizza is hot and if we take a bite it will burn our mouth, so...we take a bite anyway.  Getting off topic here....

The challenge is for 24 days of eating proper nutrition (Paleo), exercise and take the supplements-of which I have never been a  big believer in till now, but more on that later in another blog.  Take your stats on day one and then compare them 24 days later.  So the stats are..193 lbs, 26% body fat (woohoo!), 14 1/2" right arm and 41" around the belly button/stomach area.  The baseline work out was 3 rounds for time, 300m run-9 clean and thrusters (95 lbs)-12 pull ups and 15 (24") box jumps, it took me 14:11. I am looking to improve in all categories in the three weeks of the challenge, but I have to remember that it is only 24 day's so I shouldn't expect to drop 15 lbs.  I believe the whole purpose of it is to start off on the right foot, to get started on improving our health because anyone can do anything for 24 days.  This last week that I have been on it I have had 0 alcohol.  The worst thing I have eaten was some beef jerky that had 5 grams of sugar per serving, so the challenge has already achieved some of it's purpose.  I don't feel like I have lost a bunch of weight (4 lbs) this week, but I feel physically better than I have in a long, long time.  Hopefully after I post the results in 2 1/2 weeks some of my other friends will become motivated to make a positive change in their life.