Wod

April’s challenge is a plank hold. This is something that is quick and easy to do. If you’re at work, at home or even traveling. Each day you will have to hold a plank and as the days go on the longer the plank holds! Goal is to go without breaking, but it is fine to break up the plank hold.

• Planks are one of the best core exercises
• Planks will improve your posture
• Planks help get rid of back pain
• You’ll become better coordinated
• Planks improve your flexibility
• Planking will improve your metabolism
• Your mood will improve

Have You Met Vahe?

• How long have you been a member of Nela Athletics?

Close to 7 years I think.

• What’s your favorite CrossFit/Ignite achievement?

Bar muscle ups and general health and wellness.

• How do you think you have benefited most from Nela Athletics?

General health and wellness including stress relief

• How has your life changed from when you first started to now.

Physically feel better and stronger than when i first started.

• What are some hobbies or activities you are into besides CrossFit?

I like spending time with the fam and collecting vintage watches.

• If you could listen to one song for the rest of your life what would it be?

Anything from U2

Starting March 11th, its time to build up that endurance with Coach Wes!

Endurance will feature a warmup, skill and wod like CF classes but will focus on aerobic conditioning as opposed to Olympic lifting and/or gymnastic based workouts. Running, rowing, rucking, will be featured along with body weight exercises and occasionally barbell, kettlebell or dumbbell exercises. A focus on pace and speed for an individual’s run at various distances will be an objective.

Wednesdays at 6:30pm here at CrossFit Eagle Rock. Workout to take place at CFER. Possible runs around area or group travel to Oxy or Eagle Rock High School campus from CFER.

So just show up and increase your endurance! Familiarize yourself with running / rowing specific workouts. Learn how to control your breathing and pace during longer timed or distance workouts.

Free to Ignite and CF athletes

For the month of February it is all about self love!

Your challenge for February is to spend 15 minutes a day using a foam roller or a lacrosse ball.

Below there are a couple of benefits of foam rolling or using a lacrosse ball

• Improve movement patterns

Instead of releasing a muscle that feels tight, we can to use a roller to get people to move better. For example, rolling on a tight hip flexor will help the glutes activate and perform better.

• Help with repairing tissue

You can help to boost supply of nutrients to damaged muscles to accelerate tissue repair

• Reduced DOMS

Using a foam roller can keep tired and torn muscles more supple than they’d otherwise be, while reducing Delayed Onset of Muscle Soreness.

• Preparation

Using a foam roller pre-workout can help ensure that you’re moving better

• Focus pre-workout

Using a roller pre-workout will help with mental preparation. Rolling over key muscle groups before exercise can help to increase cognitive awareness and focus.

• Relaxation

If you hold pressure into tissue and sustain that pressure for a period of time, between 30 to 90 seconds, you engage the nervous system reflex for relaxation

• Chronic pain reduction

Speaking of pain reduction, using a foam roller can also be effective in alleviating long-term chronic pain too

• Flexibility/mobility improvements

Rolling a muscle will help its surfaces and connective tissue slide across each other better, which will help with overall mobility.

• Wake up easier

For those who aren’t morning people, foam rolling can help you wake up more easily each day.

Here are a couple of exercises for each item

Foam Roll

Lacrosse Ball

Your challenge for the month of March is going to be a pull up. Staring in reverse!

Starting with 31 reps on day one working your way down to 1 rep on day 31. If you can go strict do it! If you want to make it weighted pull ups do it!! If you want to mix it up, go for it! If you need assistants like a band, try to go without kipping and focusing on powering through your lats!

The reps do not have to be unbroken but set goals each day.
For example 31 reps try to break it down to in to sets of 5 or 6, if you can do more than that go for it just make sure it is something that is sustainable.

Muscle Group Targeted

Pull ups are great because they are a compound movement that teach different muscle groups to work together: biceps, lats, scapular retractors, forearms, and it even trains the muscles of the core when performed correctly.

 

Have you met Charley?

• How long have you been a member of Nela Athletics?

I’ve been a member since 2014 I think?

• What’s your favorite CrossFit/Ignite achievement?

Handstand push ups and recently backwards handstand walk.

• How do you think you have benefited most from Nela Athletics?

Knowing how far I can push myself, and having my partner Wes enjoy working out that he became a coach.

• How has your life changed from when your first started to now. Can be physically, mentally, emotionally.

My life changed by the gym by enriching my life by giving me all these friendships that have enriched my life.

• What are some hobbies or activities you are into besides CrossFit?

Reading

• What is one thing people don’t know about you?

I started CrossFit in Long Beach in 2012

• If you could only listen to one song for the rest of your life, which song would you pick?

The Greatest Love Story by LANCO.

• How long have you been a member of Nela Athletics?

I have been part of NELA for about 5 years now.

• What’s your favorite CrossFit/Ignite achievement?

• How do you think you have benefited most from Nela Athletics?

• How has your life changed from when your first started to now. Can be physically, mentally, emotionally.

The hours spent in the gym not only strengthen my body, but it has strengthened my mind allowing me to overcome many obstacles.

• What are some hobbies or activities you are into besides CrossFit?

Swimming, paddling (on a board), spending time with the kids at the beach.

• What is one thing people don’t know about you?

I can juggle pretty well.

• If you could only listen to one song for the rest of your life, which song would you pick?

I like a lot of songs, don’t have a particular favorite. Really in to BPM and electronic.

Have you met Liz?

• How long have you been a member of NELA Athletics?

About 2 years

• What’s your favorite CrossFit/Ignite achievement?

My favorite achievement so far has to be getting my pull ups ! Though they are not perfect, I try my best to practice them when I can.

• How do you think you have benefited most from NELA Athletics?

NELA Athletics has benefited me in many ways. From understanding my body and the strength I have gained, to all the amazing friends I have met through its amazing community as well.

• How has your life changed from when your first started to now. Can be physically, mentally, emotionally.

From when I first started at NELA to now, I have definitely grown as a whole. I am happier, stronger and more at peace with myself.

• What are your hobbies or activities you do enjoy outside of CrossFit?

A hobby of mine would be planting/potting cacti and succulents. I also enjoy days out on the lake fishing.

• What is one thing people don’t know about you?

Something a lot of people might not know about me is that I used to play the violin in a mariachi ensemble.

• If you could pick three famous people to be a part of your entourage, who would you pick?

Kate del Castillo, Ellen DeGeneres, Barrack Obama

Have You Met Tony?

• How long have you been a member of Nela Athletics?

I think about 4 years now.

• What’s your favorite CrossFit/Ignite achievement?

Being able to link multiple chest to bar pull-ups.

• How do you think you have benefited most from Nela Athletics?

Overall health and staying in shape for the most part.

• How has your life changed from when your first started to now. Can be physically, mentally, emotionally.

Much stronger now than ever.

• What are some hobbies or activities you are into besides CrossFit?

Basketball crazy!

• What is one thing people don’t know about you?

Im a sucker for romcoms. did I say that right?

• If you could only listen to one song for the rest of your life, which song would you pick?

Find a way by A Tribe Called Quest

 

It’s the ultimate tradeoff you must face whether you’re an athlete, bodybuilder, or recreational gym goer. How do you structure your strength training routine and still make time for trail runs, pickup basketball, or your metcon of choice? Strength is good. Cardio is good. So how do you balance the two for optimal health and performance? A great strength and conditioning coach knows exactly how and the truth might surprise you…

 

The perceived problem is rooted deep in bro science. “Ditch the cardio and just lift heavy if you want to get yoked!” Yet there are incredible athletes around the world have found ways to carry muscle mass and maintain a high level of cardiac output. CrossFit Games competitors casually bust out 225 pound snatches between sets of burpees. Hybrid athletes compete in powerlifting meets deadlifting 600+ pounds and complete Ironman triathlons in the same week. The threshold for excuses just dropped through the floor.

 

So why is it such a problem balancing strength and metabolic conditioning? It takes knowledge of exercise science and how the human body adapts to training in order to properly prescribe a routine that works. At least if you wish to improve your strength and maintain your cardio or vice versa. There are many folks who run their body through the ringer day after day. Hard work is not the sole element for achieving fitness success. In fact hard work can be misapplied and eventually become a hindrance to your training if not properly executed. Layering intensity on top of dysfunction or lacking a clear goal leads to burnout and chronic fatigue.

 

So how do balance out your strength and conditioning pieces. The key is to understand how to work in different heart rate zones. Working at different prescribed intensities will improve cardiac output, build muscular endurance, and even help improve recovery from your strength training routine. The volume and intensity spent in each zone will be dictated by your training age and specific goals in training.

 

A great coach will tell you that you can only have one priority for each block of training  you execute.They will also understand that your energy needs, micronutrients, electrolytes, and will all have to be supported in order to sustain greater output. Finding a great coach will be the first step in determining the specific way you should organize your training to make gains in strength and conditioning!