CROSSFIT MONCTON April 2015

Find Balance in Your LifeDrive, passion, intensity, and focus are all great tools to have in your tool box in order to succeed in CrossFit, in your career and in life in general. However, another tool that is equally as important, yet sometimes overlooked is balance. Being motivated in one genre is fine, but you must be cautious so as to not become one-dimensional. !Putting too much emphasis on any one thing puts life in an unbalanced state. !In the world of CrossFit, I have found that lately many athletes are becoming specialists. This is fine if your goal is to be a part of the National Pro Grid League (NPGL) and find your niche on a roster that is in need of the particular skill that you possess. However, the sport of CrossFit is looking for a jack of all trades. This means that you can lift heavy and perform well in

metabolic conditioning. Neither is mutually exclusive. Both are very important. We all know that guy in our gym who is super fast at gymnastics and bodyweight exercises, but when he sees a

heavy barbell, he goes straight from Super Fast City to Struggleville. The same goes for the other way around. In an ideal world we would be taking part in a CrossFit program that is constantly varied with a goal of creating that well rounded, perfectly balanced athlete that’s good at both. !If you are lifting a lot or working on gymnastics, you also need to balance that activity with running, rowing,

swimming, and cycling. Repeating the same thing over and over is a great way to gain efficiency and become more proficient in that particular task, but it is also a way to become both physically and mentally stagnant. Constantly varied movements

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Balance is not just physical with training, though. It is also mental. Balance needs to be created both inside and outside of the gym. We must all strive to not allow one aspect of our life to consume us so that we neglect the others. Our concentration on honing your skills in CrossFit should not overpower. Your family and friends are there to remind you when you are falling too far on one end of the spectrum or the other. Which reminds me, look in to your circle of friends. I am a sports guy, so lets use this analogy, “Who is on your team? How is your team doing? Is your bench depleted?” This can be an indicator as to if your

relationships and personal life are suffering. Balance can put things into perspective, bring you joy when you are down, and can allow you to be at your best in all aspects of your life. !In life and in CrossFit, we must learn to deal with pain. Ironically, pain is often caused by a lack of balance. Many athletes deal with shoulder issues due to tightness in the anterior portion of the shoulder girdle. These issues will not be alleviated by doing more exercises involving the shoulder like push presses, jerks, burpees, ring dips, etc. These issues of imbalance can only be fixed through an attempt to restore balance. Some ways to do this would be through mobility exercises, use of the Crossover Symmetry system, Active Release Technique therapy (ART), Graston Technique Therapy, isolated strength exercises, lacrosse ball myofascial release, and stretching. Instead of focusing on restoring balance, however, most people would rather continue doing CrossFit because it is fun and they feel like badass when fighting through an injury. If this sounds like you, know that recognition is the first step. Analyze why you have pain or why you are not improving in a

certain area and seek help so that you can address imbalances and correct them. !Nutritionally, our body is also always striving for balance. If we consume too many sugars and processed carbohydrates, our blood sugar rises leading to an insulin spike. A few hours later, our blood glucose levels crash leading to our energy production looking like a roller coaster. We should be striving to maintain a constant energy level with a mostly horizontal line rather than one filled with peaks and valleys. Sticking to a diet of meat and vegetables, nuts and seeds, some fruit, and little starch is a great foundation for optimizing energy levels and maintaining homeostasis. !Balance is the secret. As Edward Abbey once said, “Moderate extremism. It’s the best of both worlds.” When you look at CrossFit as a whole, it is a fitness regime that specializes in moderate extremism. It offers a small helping of gymnastics, weightlifting, bodybuilding, conditioning, plyometrics, running, and many other things. !Whatever you do, do it with balance; except awesome, you can never have too much awesome!

via CrossFit Invictus

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Ingredients:

1 medium spaghetti squash

2 chicken sausages, diced

½ cup canned coconut milk

½ cup vegetable broth

½ yellow onion, diced

1 garlic clove, minced

1 bundle of spinach, stems removed

1 teaspoon fresh rosemary, finely chopped

1 teaspoon fresh tarragon, finely chopped

1 teaspoon dried basil

1 tablespoon choice of fat (I used bacon fat)

salt and pepper, to taste

via PaleOMG

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Directions:

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.!Cut spaghetti squash in half, lengthwise, and remove the seeds and excess threads.!Place cut side down on a baking sheet and cook for 20-25 minutes.!While your spaghetti squash is baking, pull out a large skillet and place under medium heat.!Place a tablespoon of fat in your hot skillet then toss in your minced garlic.!Once your garlic has become fragrant, add your diced onion.!When you onion has become translucent, add your vegetable broth and coconut milk.!Then add your seasonings, salt and pepper, and diced chicken sausage and spinach. Cover and let simmer for about 3-5 minutes.!Once your chicken sausage is cooked through, use your fork to to de-thread your spaghetti squash and add your threads directly to your chicken sausage mixture.!Use tongs to combine.!Consume!!

SPRING PASTA

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ATHLETE PROFILE When did you join CFM? Had you been involved in other gyms or fitness programs before?

I joined CrossFit Moncton in the Fall of 2010. I had started at Concept Ekilibre in Sherbrooke in Dec 2009. Before CrossFit I very rarely went to a “conventional” gym.

Do you have an athletic background?

I have always been addicted to sports. In junior High and high school I played volleyball, soccer and field hockey. I had a power yoga phase, a bootcamp phase, a badminton phase, an ultimate frisbee phase (one of the longest) and now CrossFit and running.

What made you decide to join CFM?

I have always liked things to be intense and challenging… I have that masochistic characteristic that I believe all CrossFitters need…when I heard someone complaining about the insanity of CrossFit workouts, I was totally drawn to it!

What are your fitness or skill goals? Have you accomplished any of them?

Not sure… I’ve always wanted to push myself to always get stronger, faster, fitter…and although I don’t think I’m over the hill yet (at least I haven’t admitted this to myself) I do realize that with aging, my goals will need to change. I’m not sure exactly what that is going to look like, but I do want to keep moving and grooving for as long as I can.

NATACHA HEBERT

Stats

-CrossFitting since 2010"-Deadlift: 190#"-Press: 92#"-Grace 2:55 (65#)"-500m Row: 2:04"-C & J: 120#"-HSPU: strict"

“Couldn’t walk for 4 days

afterwards…I was hooked!”

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Do you remember your first workout? !Cindy scaled with ring rows and knee push ups…wow! I could barely walk for 4 days…I was hooked!! !Describe the atmosphere at CFM. !What I appreciate the most from CFM is that everyone, regardless of age, size or level of fitness is fully accepted and supported… that’s cool! !Give us a few words of advice for someone in their first month of CrossFit. !Embrace the pain… it will get easier… also enjoy the very fast gains and transformation you will be going through… your body and mind will thank you for it! !What would you tell someone who is hesitant to try CrossFit? !One of my favourite Disney movies is Ratatouille where the food critic at the end of the movie says “Not everyone can become a great cook but a great cook can be found in anyone.” That’s CrossFit. !What is your best (and worst) WOD memory? !BEST: Well, 15.4 left me feeling really uplifted, thinking I can surmount any challenge I had

previously thought impossible (not just in CrossFit…) WORST: The worst ones are probably all those WODs I would probably never finish if I wasn’t at the box…but I do finish them and work on my goats at the same time, which is good in the end! !What is your favourite lift? Favourite WOD (or type of WOD)? !I like snatches, and I love the sweaty WODs! !What would you say is the greatest benefit you've received from joining, (not including fitness?) !It makes me feel strong and powerful which is pretty cool! Also, my core muscles really come in handy when I need to push my neighbour’s

car out of snow banks!! It also helps me (try to) keep up with my athletic boys! !Any other comments? Crossfit will always challenge you, whoever you are…and that’s awesome!

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WHAT’S COMING UP IN THE CFM COMMUNITY?!April 11-12 !!April 18-19 !!April 25 !!May 2-3 !!May 7 !!May 12 !!

!CFHQ Level 1 Cert at CFM

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CFHQ Level 1 Cert at CFM !!!NBWA Weightlifting Provincials at MCF !

!!SPRING FLING! at CFSJ !!!Running Clinic at CFM !!!Prep Class Begins at CFM !

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!!!!!

Open 2015 CFM Style!

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We C&J’d, We Thrustered, we HSPU’d We Muscled up, We Wallballed,

And we always came back for more!

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Interested in joining? !Come try a FREE workout on Saturday morning at 9am. Leave your money at home. We don’t want to sell you anything; we just want you to feel the difference CrossFit can make.

!!Contact Kevin Wood at info@crossfitmoncton.com to confirm your FREE session, or call (506) 962-0710. !

!!CROSSFIT MONCTON 359 Baig Boulevard Moncton, NB

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