A. Free from ailment and able to have the energy and ability to raise and provide for my family and others. To be a physically, mentally, and emotionally present father and husband.
Q. Why is it important to you?
A. Family means everything to me and I want to be around to experience it for as long as possible.
Q. What are your current health and fitness goals?
A. Decrease visceral fat, and improve what I consume for a healthier gut.
Q. What would you say has been you greatest achievement thus far?
A. Showing up, making new friends, and trying new things!
Q. What have been your biggest obstacles in the past?
A. I thought I was too busy to get fit.
Q. How did you overcome these obstacles?
Turns out if you are too busy to get fit you end up spending time at the Doctors office instead of the Gym. I MUCH PREFER THE GYM AND THE GYM COSTS A LOT LESS THAN THE DR VISITS!!!!
Q. What would you say have been the key factors to your successes?
A. A desire to live a long and active life for my wife, children, and grandchildren!
Q. What do you love most about exercising?
A. Competing with myself and competing with others in our class. Its fun!
Q. What do you love least about exercising?
A. It makes for a lot of laundry with all those sweaty clothes!
Q. Does feeling and looking your best contribute to your overall happiness and if so how?
A. It definitely contributes to the God and Country given rights to PURSUE HAPPINESS. If you are feeling your best you can give your best to God, family, and community.
Q. What advice would you give to others with similar goals to yours that are facing obstacles, struggles, and maybe little to no support from family or friends?
A. COME TO CROWNTOWN AND SEE THE AMAZING GROUP OF PEOPLE THAT ARE HERE!!! The culture is all about helping and cheering each other on! No one cares if you aren’t as strong or fit as anyone else here. It’s not like other gym scenes I’ve been in at all. It’s all about improving together and having a great time cheering each other on.
Q. Favorite health food?
A. Chicken Breast with Mustard!!! SOO DELICIONATEDLY GOOD!!!
Q. Favorite cheat food?
A, MAPLE BAR DONUT 🙂 YUMMMM
Q. Favorite exercise?
A. HERO work outs!!! Hard core sweaty goodness and such a fun challenge.
Q. Give me a one word answer when it comes to the following:
When recovering from an injury, how much is too much when pushing through pain or discomfort?
First off, I am not a doctor, so do not take this as medical advice. My thoughts are from my research, and anecdotal experience with athletes and clients. I will say that I have had many issues over the years of being an athlete, and training hard for nearly three decades.
Sprained ankles, shin splints, torn calf muscle, broken wrist, broken toe, broken thumb, strained knee joint, pulled hamstrings, elbow tendonitis, strained neck and threw out my back to the point I couldn’t lift weight off the ground without feeling it for over a year. I even dropped a barbell on my face and got 15 stitches above my lip where it connects to your nose. That incident came with tons of facial bone bruising, too. I’m sure there are a few other things that I forgot about, but you get the point. I have had my fair share of issues over the years.
Some of these were preventable, some accidental, and some were crazy flukes that were not caused from overuse. Hindsight is always 20:20, right? Let’s just say I learned from all of them. What I could have done to avoid it altogether, or what I can do to prevent it from happening again. I would never trade what I have built as my temple for what my body would look like had I never experienced any setbacks or issues. These setbacks were motivating factors for me to dig deeper why this happened, and in the process forced me to learn how to respond.
Before I get into any of that I want to get your mind right. You guys have heard of the 80/20 rule right? I think it applies to so many aspects of our life it’s not even funny. Well in this case, approaching any setbacks or issues is 20% mechanical, and 80% mindset. Almost everything is 20% mechanical and 80% mindset for that matter.
I love the quote from the legend Bruce Lee:
“Don’t speak negatively about yourself, even as a joke. Your body doesn’t know the difference. Words are energy and they cast spells, that’s why it’s called spelling. Change the way you speak about yourself, and you can change your life.”
I think we can all learn from Bruce Lee, and foster his mentality when it comes to the words you use about yourself. Not just spoken, but how you think, too.
I remember many years ago I had a client always complain that her back was “injured” after deadlifting. I watched her form closely, and gave her many cues to ensure that it was sound. We lightened her load, and decreased her intensity. I watched her like a hawk during the reps, and made certain that she stretched and warmed down properly. The next day she said she was injured again. I told her to come to the gym so I could help her relieve the tension with some stretches, and recovery exercises.
After spending time with her, watching her move, her body language, and responses to the exercises we were doing I noticed she wasn’t injured. She never trained in her life leading up to that point, so this was all new to her. She confused the discomfort of being sore, as being injured. Deadlifts use your back muscles, and yeah honey if you’ve never done them before then you are going to get sore. Being in discomfort from being sore is not an injury, so her words were not used correctly and it actually effected her mindset.
You notice how I haven’t said I was injured? I said “setbacks”, “issues”, “ailments”, but I will never say I was injured. Being injured is possible from a motorcycle accident, car accident, mountain biking, skydiving, sports accident and anything where you are messing with gravity and mother nature. The kind of setbacks from those situations can definitely be referred to as injuries, but I would still like to think it’s best not to say the “i” word.
In fact, let’s stop saying it altogether now. We know what the “i” word is, and we won’t say it anymore. When I hear the “i” word, I think back to when I was a kid watching Discovery channel where some animal was getting hunted by it’s prey because it was so weak and injured that it couldn’t defend itself. It’s basically nature’s way of letting the ecosystem sort itself out. This lion is injured; you are not injured.
There are a few resources to look at for fixing issues you may have. The Ready State is Kelly Starrett’s website, which has books, online Coaching, videos, and other products that you can use to help you fix your movement.
Also, Squat University is another great resource. The Book “Rebuilding Milo” is a great source of information, and they also have other products available to help you fix your movement.
The last resource that I use is from a contact I met online that I have been interacting with for a couple years. His company is Combat Therapist, and he mainly works with combat athletes, but a lot of it applies to athletes in general.
With the 3 above resources, you can search for a specific muscle group, and there’ll be a way to identify the issue, and an approach that is laid out to guide you through fixing it.
If your issues are shoulder related, we also have a Crossover Symmetry unit in the back of the gym. That also has a book with a protocol for you to ‘fix your shoulder in 30 days’. It’s very specific, but all laid out in the book. It is there for you.
Keep in mind that most issues are related to soft tissues. Your lack of mobility, improper movement patterns, and/or overuse. The lack of mobility can be addressed using the above aforementioned websites, and their products/services. The improper movement is something our Coaches will help you with. We demonstrate the movement, and help you find a variation that is challenging, but doable. If your form is off during a lift, or workout, and we see it, we will definitely intervene. Sometimes we can’t see everyone, so if you’re ever curious if you’re doing something correctly, please do not hesitate to ask a Coach.
Some therapies that I find helpful are including, but not limited to:
Keep in mind that many of the above mentioned methods do not fix issues. They help with recovery, stimulation, and blood flow, all of which can make you feel better, but ultimately will not fix an issue. Look at these as more of a preventative measure once you are ailment free.
The one modality above that can actually fix issues over time is Zone 2 cardio. I renamed it to Shred because it sounds way sexier. Anyway, this low intensity cardio helps your body use the lymphatic system to flush out the byproduct of training hard. This is a way to create blood flow to flush out toxins, increase your aerobic base, burn fat, and recover from high intensity bouts.
I give all of my private clients a weekly goal of 120 minutes of Shred. It can be before or after high intensity training, or on a ‘rest day’/non high intensity day. Doing it right after high intensity for 15-20 minutes will help to take the toxins out of your fatigued muscles to expedite recovery, and reduce soreness. This also plays a role in taking your central nervous system from a heightened state back to a walking intensity (relaxed and not stressed). All you need is a heart rate device (we have these at the gym for sale). The gym pays for the hardware and software to display your heart rate on the screen. Keep your heart rate between 70-75% on the screen using a bike, rower, jog, jump rope with some light skill work, and you’re dialed!
Exercising through discomfort can be a challenging task, but it is essential to push through it to achieve your fitness goals. Discomfort is different from pain, and it is important to understand the difference between the two. Pain is a warning sign that something is wrong, and you should stop exercising immediately. Discomfort, on the other hand, is a feeling of mild discomfort or fatigue that you experience during exercise. It is a sign that your muscles are working hard and adapting to the stress of exercise.
Here are some tips on how to exercise through discomfort:
1. Start Slowly: If you are new to exercise, start slowly and gradually increase the intensity and duration of your workouts. This will help your body adapt to the stress of exercise and reduce the risk of injury. We have a protocol for new members that is 50/75/100 which is referring to the volume on month 1, 2 & 3. In other words, cut your volume in half on the first month, cut it by 25% on month 2, and then by month 3 you should be able to do the full workout. This is assuming you’ve been consistent with 3 x per week up to that point.
2. Focus on Your Breathing: Deep breathing can help you relax and reduce the feeling of discomfort during exercise. Focus on your breathing and try to take slow, deep breaths.
3. Stay Hydrated: Dehydration can make you feel more fatigued and uncomfortable during exercise. Make sure to drink plenty of water with added minerals (electrolytes) before, during, and after your workout. Being just 1% dehydrated can reduce your performance by up to 10%.
4. Listen to Your Body: Pay attention to your body and stop exercising if you feel any pain. It is important to push yourself, but not to the point of injury.
Working around an injury can be challenging, but it is possible to keep getting more fit while avoiding setbacks. Here are some tips on how to work around an injury:
1. Let the Coach Know First: during the workout explanation the Coach goes over the movements, variations, how to tweak/adjust to fit your current fitness level. However, they do not go over how to work around a movement that may cause pain. You must simply ask the Coach for a different movement that does not signal the “check engine light”. For instance, if pressing overhead with a barbell causes pain, then we may have you try dumbbell presses, or push ups as an example. The goal is to use the similar muscles without causing pain, so you get the desired result of the workout.
2. Modify Your Workouts: Modify your workouts to avoid putting stress on the injured area. For example, if you have a knee injury, you can switch to low-impact exercises like the Echo Bike or Concept 2 Rower in lieu of box jumps or running, for instance. You don’t need to ask the Coach to do this, if you already know. We have conversion rates for all modalities. For instance, 400m Run = 24/18 Calorie Bike & 500/400 meter Row.
3. Focus on Strength Training: Strength training can help you build muscle and improve your overall fitness level without putting stress on the injured area. Focus on exercises that target the muscles around the injured area to help support and stabilize it. Weightlifting is low impact, and will strengthen your muscles, bone, joints, and ligaments. Think of a tree in the wind that doesn’t blow over. It cracks and tears, but doesn’t break. Then when the wind subsides, it grows stronger and more dense to prevent any cracking next time the wind blows. This is how your body responds to weightlifting.
4. Take Rest Days: Rest days are important for recovery and to prevent further injury. Make sure to take rest days and listen to your body if you feel any pain or discomfort. Active recovery is still a rest day. Hike, go for a bike ride, a walk, do some yoga, play a sport, etc.
At the end of the day, I want you to ask yourself these questions: Is my nutrition dialed? Is my sleep dialed? Is my supplementation dialed? Have I done everything in my power to resolve my mobility issues? Have I avoided any movement that causes pain during workouts, and substituted it with a different variation? If you’ve done all of this for 30 days straight, and are still in pain, then maybe you should consider going through the steps to get a deeper look at your issue. Maybe an X-ray, MRI, and two or three different opinions from referred orthopedic surgeons that are not aggressive money hungry come one come all surgery prescribing physicians. Surgery should always be last resort. And, if that is the route you choose be prepared to put in work to rehab it properly.
If you skip these questions and go straight to seeing a doctor, then you are unwilling to put in the work yourself and you’re looking for a shortcut to resolve your issue. Your body is a miracle, and designed to be very resilient and strong. Please do not put limits on what your body can achieve, if you get your mindset right and put in the effort towards helping it thrive!
In conclusion, exercising through discomfort is essential to achieve your fitness goals. It is important to understand the difference between pain and discomfort. There are many resources and tips for you in this article. Bookmark it, and share it with friends/family. It’ll be one that you’ll want to keep handy for future reference.
I hope you enjoyed this article. If you did, please help me out by subscribing to our blog, and sharing it on your social media. Thank you!
Hey everyone! Have you ever heard of Creatine? It’s a popular supplement used by athletes and fitness enthusiasts to enhance their performance and muscle growth. But what exactly is Creatine and how does it work?
Creatine is a naturally occurring compound found in our muscles and is also produced by our bodies. It helps to provide energy to our muscles during high-intensity exercises like weightlifting and sprinting. However, the amount of Creatine produced by our bodies is limited, which is why many people choose to supplement with it.
Studies have shown that Creatine supplementation can increase muscle strength and power, improve endurance, and enhance muscle growth. In fact, a study published in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research found that Creatine supplementation increased muscle strength by 8% and muscle mass by 14% in just 12 weeks.
You know how some experts brag by saying they’ve forgotten more than you know? I feel that way when I tell you about a book I read years ago during my competitive years of CrossFit. The funny part is I can’t remember the name of the book. However, I do remember what I learned from reading it.
Olympics are the biggest business that any country invests in. Well, Australia hired a consulting firm to grade supplements for their athletes. Grade I was not only proven, but required for their athletes to take or else they chanced giving a competitive advantage to other countries. Grade II was proven safe, but not enough evidence to show it was effective. Grade III was proven unsafe, and ineffective. Grade IV was illegal and/or banned.
There was everything from protein, to caffeine, to steroids that was categorized. Can you guess where Creatine fell? Yup, Grade I. This is a multi billion dollar business that hired a top tier consulting firm to research and advise for their athletes.
Another study published in the International Journal of Sports Nutrition and Exercise Metabolism found that Creatine supplementation improved sprint performance and reduced fatigue in elite soccer players.
Some studies have shown the potential of creatine supplementation as a way to improve cognitive function in young and elderly adults and vegetarians. In one study, young adults (average age, 25 years) who supplemented with 8 grams of creatine per day for five days saw a reduction in mental fatigue when asked to continually complete a unique serial calculation compared to the subjects who took a placebo.
The benefits of our Creatine include:
Boosted Muscle Mass and Strength: Enhance your training intensity and duration, promoting muscle growth and strength. It even helps prevent muscle atrophy during injury periods.
Enhanced Athletic Performance: Our Creatine fights fatigue, enabling you to work harder and longer, leading to improved outcomes.
Quick Post-Exercise Recovery: Speed up energy replenishment for shorter rest periods and increased performance.
Improved Brain Function: Studies suggest creatine’s role in fostering brain development and function.
From Centenarius’ website
It’s important to note that Creatine supplementation is generally safe when taken in recommended doses. However, just because one is good doesn’t mean ten is better. Always start out with a lower dose and work your way up over time.
Overall, Creatine can be a useful supplement for those looking to improve their athletic performance and muscle growth. As always, it’s important to consult with a healthcare professional before starting any new supplement regimen.
Click here to shop for the Creatine that I take. Code: WILLETTE
If you’re curious to learn more about Creatine, follow this link. There is a ton of great information with references from Dr. Rhonda Patrick.
Q. Alright Julie, so what does being healthy mean to you? Why is it important to you?
A. Being healthy means being able to be active and keep moving through my day. I work with young children and am constantly chasing them around and getting up and down from the ground. I want to be able to keep up at work and maintain an active lifestyle outside of work, hiking, walking my dogs and participating in anything my children or friends want to do. I started CrossFit to have something in common with my adult children, now I want to be able to take a classes with them when I visit them and I’m excited to say my daughter and I are doing a competition together. To me, being healthy is to be able to be an active participant in whatever life brings.
Q. What are your current health and fitness goals?
A. I hope to keep moving. As a masters athlete I want to keep learning new skills and building strength for as long as I can. A health goal is to work on eating best to fuel my body and improve my sleep patterns.
Q. What would you say has been you greatest achievement thus far?
A. When I started CrossFit, I wanted to be able to do a pull up and a rope climb. While there may have been 6 months of drama and bloody hands when I was learning how to do kipping pullups, I can do them now. And, I am able to climb the rope.
Q. What have been your biggest obstacles in the past?
A. An obstacle is that I am an over thinker. I overthink everything in life including CrossFit. I have been trying for years to learn how to do double unders. I have tried different programs, different ropes different shoes and nothing works. I think if I could just relax and not overthink them, they would come.
Q. How did you overcome these obstacles?
A.. I feel as though the support of my friends in my 5:00 AM class has contributed greatly to my CrossFit personal successes. They inspire me, encourage me and push me out of my comfort zone.
Q. What would you say have been the key factors to your successes?
A. I have done a variety of sports my whole life from riding horses competitively to running. I have never felt the power of a sport as much as I have with CrossFit. It makes me feel strong and pushes me out of my comfort zone on a regular basis. I feel the exercise part of it in terms of my cardio endurance and functional fitness. The mental part of CrossFit/exercise is what I find so valuable. I am so happy when I can complete a WOD that I had doubts about, use more weight than I thought and beat a time I did not think I could. And, I feel like regular exercise in the morning makes the rest of my day more productive and makes me more “tolerant” at work.
Q. What do you love most about exercising?
A. Exercise has always been a very important part of my life. The hardest thing for me is accepting that I am an older athlete. I want to keep the balance of pushing myself and holding myself accountable but accepting that I am not going to be able to compete with those so much younger and I certainly don’t want to hurt myself. It is hard always being sore and just the general body aches.
Q. Does feeling and looking your best contribute to your overall happiness and if so how?
A. I think that feeling and looking my best contributes to my general sense of well being. In addition, I feel more energized for life.
Q. What advice would you give to others with similar goals to yours that are facing obstacles, struggles, and maybe little to no support from family or friends?
A.. I think the first step is to just move. Do whatever you need to do to get into a gym. I support people joining a CrossFit type gym/program so that they can connect with other like minded people and join a community. Make your world big and go for it, no matter your fitness level age or athleticism. There is never going to be a better time to start.
Q. Favorite health food?
A. Smoothies in my Ninja Creami
Q. Favorite cheat food?
A. Cheat food- anything Taco or Margarita
Q. Favorite exercise?
A. I love chippers, I can go at my own pace, slow and steady. I love pullups and cleans
Q. Give me a one word answer when it comes to the following:
Coach Wayne will be answering questions from the members of CrossFit CrownTown and posting the answers here in a blog post weekly. This is a great way to add value to your membership by asking any questions that you have that may be holding you back mentally, physically, accountability wise, motivational wise, or simply just curiosity. No such thing as a bad question. Anonymity will be kept on who asked the question from the private member group.
This week’s question:
“What are the best oils to cook with? I know you’ve mentioned PUFA oils, and synthetic oils are hazardous to our health. What do you mean exactly.”
Great question! More and more people are starting to become aware about the dangers of PUFA oils. Firstly, PUFA stands for poly unsaturated fatty acids. “They” say that Canola Oil is the healthiest oil, and they also say it is much healthier than saturated fats (animal fat). Watch this video, and tell me if you agree with them.
How Canola Oil is made
My thoughts were probably the same as yours. A genetically modified organism plant that has only been grown in North America for 30 years is processed, chemically washed, bleached, and stored in plastic bottles. The waste product is turned into vegetable shortening, animal feed, and soap. Basically, there is no waste in the process of making canola oil.
Canola oil is liquid at room temperature. All PUFA oils are liquid at room temperature. They are stable at 72 degrees. However, they have a very low smoke point, which means when they are heated up they quickly oxidize. Oxidize is another word for inflammation. What temperature is our body? A tropical 98.6, right?
What about when it gets even hotter? Frying french fries at fast food restaurants, potato chips, cereals, and virtually every food that is processed. Extremely oxidized! Imagine a step further, and I wonder how often the oxidized oil is changed out in the frying pans. It doesn’t matter to begin with because it is already oxidized, but imagine it being heated, and cooled over and over again? Gross!
These types of oils are much cheaper than animal fats, so do you think that food companies are going to use butter, ghee, coconut oil, avocado oil, beef tallow, all of which is much more expensive than synthetic man made oil? Of course they aren’t! That is, unless you pay extra for the food that is made with a higher quality oil.
“Founded in 1940, McDonald’s initially used 93% beef fat tallow for their French fries in an effort to save money, according to a piece on the origins of the favored fast food item published by Atlas Obscura”
I’ve gotten a lot of my information about PUFA oils and the damages it causes to your body from Dr. Ray Peat. If you have time, read this article. The TLDR is consumption of PUFA oils causes lipid peroxidation, which leads to:
Increase estrogen
Aging
Slowing of metabolism
Yellow Fat Disease (fatty liver disease)
Alzheimer’s Disease
Retinal degeneration
Cataracts
Age spots (lipofuscin)
Type II Diabetes
Cancer
Decreases thyroid
and much more, but I think you get the point…
Our body was not designed to run off of PUFA overload. We are warm blooded mammals with a temperature of 98.6 degrees. We live on land, not in the cold water. Fish, for example, have a lot of PUFA because of the cold waters they need their fat to be fluid and able to swim. Imagine a saturated fat that is hardened at room temperature get even harder in the cold water? Have you seen a jar of coconut oil when it gets cold? Hard as a rock. The fish wouldn’t be able to move.
What about when you touch coconut oil? It dissolves on your skin because of the temperature. In the 80s and 90s “they” tried to make saturated fat the bad guy by saying it clogs your arteries. We believed it because we saw the fat from bacon grease get hard at room temperature, so we thought it did this inside of our bodies, too.
But, our bodies are not room temperature, are they? We are mammals, tropical, and thrive off eating the majority of our fats from animals (saturated). These types of fat are more stable when heated inside our bodies. They do not oxidize, which leads to inflammation, and in turn one of the diseases/health issues list above three paragraphs.
A small amount of PUFA from nuts, seeds, fish, and other sources are not the problem. The problem is the man made sludge that is used in almost every processed or fast food. It is so cheap for food companies to use, and since people keep eating and buying these foods there is no incentive for them to stop. This is why I always say vote with your money. Do not buy these foods, or support these companies. They will sooner than later find out that people are becoming smarter and more aware.
The majority of your fat should be from saturated like our ancestors who thrived on the animal based diet. The first step to detoxing your body from PUFA overload is to stop cooking or eating food with PUFAs. Start replacing with a saturated fat.
The second step to detoxing your body of PUFA is to take a Vitamin E supplement. Vitamin E is an antioxidant. Remember, that PUFA is a pro-oxidant. Vitamin E has been shown to mitigate the adverse effects of PUFA overload. The detox process can take years. How long have you been eating PUFAs? How frequently? How much quantity? The fact is you need to stop consuming new doses of PUFA, replace with saturated fats, and supplement Vitamin E.
The Vitamin E supplement that I take can be found here. CODE: WILLETTE. You like to read studies? Read this one.
If you found this article helpful in any way, please subscribe to our blog. Also, the only way to help spread the word about the dangers of PUFA is to share this with your friends and family. Thank you for taking the time to read my post.
Coach Wayne will be answering questions from the members of CrossFit CrownTown and posting the answers here in a blog post weekly. This is a great way to add value to your membership by asking any questions that you have that may be holding you back mentally, physically, accountability wise, motivation wise, or simply just curiosity. No such thing as a bad question. Anonymity will be kept on who asked the question from the private member group.
This week’s question:
I’m feeling more aches and pains lately. Which supplements should I be targeting to help with this? (It’s not just workout soreness. It’s probably related to aging.
I love this question for a few reasons. Firstly, I’m not the spring chicken I once was (43 years old now), and at this point in my fitness journey feeling good without any aches and pains is on the top of my priority list. You have a lot of things at play here, there are many variables, and each person’s situation is unique. I’ll try to answer this in a general fashion not taking into account serious injuries (i.e. car accidents, sports injuries, etc. that were not rehabbed properly, and/or have tons of scar tissue creating compensatory movement injuries or special circumstances).
Regardless of all of those variables, I think the majority of people over 30 years old can benefit from most of what I’m about to discuss. Let’s talk about calcification for a moment. Most of us walking around are deficient in magnesium. Why does magnesium matter when we’re talking about calcium you say? Minerals regulate each other, and the mineral that regulates calcium is magnesium. If we are deficient in magnesium and over consume calcium it only makes sense that we are calcified. Keep in mind that minerals work like a seesaw.
Have you ever taken the aerator off of your sink and seen the calcium build up? That is calcium build up, and those microscopic particles end up building up over time like a corral reef inside of your body. Without magnesium to regulate this extra calcium gets build up in your soft tissues.
If our soft tissues are saturated with calcium, and calcium is the mineral of cement, do you see how you lose mobility and range of motion as you age? You’re essentially being cemented alive. Step 1, stop consuming foods that are fortified with calcium. Instead, eat foods that have naturally occurring calcium. My favorite is raw milk. Also, take into consideration your water source. Make sure you have a RO filter at the minimum to take out any calcium particles in your drinking water.
Step 2, start taking magnesium daily. Keep in mind there are many types, and I am not a doctor so I cannot prescribe a dosage for you. I prefer to benefit from Magnesium Bicarbonate (acid buffer that used to be in our spring water), Magnesium Malate (energizing), Magnesium Glycinate (calming), Magnesium Chloride (topical spray for muscles and armpits after deodorant), and Magnesium Sulfate (Epsom salt baths). Here is where you can find some of the different forms I take. Shop different magnesium here.
There are a couple more supplements that will help, so I appreciate your patience in allowing me to articulate each one. This response is tough to keep short, so bear with me.
Next is Vitamin K2. This vitamin is very difficult to get through nutrition. It is in certain aged cheeses that are not regularly in our diet. Additionally, you’d have to eat so much cheese to get the Vitamin K2 you needed that you’d be overeating fat. That is why I choose to supplement K2. There is a multitude of proven research that shows Vitamin K2 transports calcium in the soft tissues (muscles) and delivers it to your bones.
Americans have a huge problem with weak bones due to your bodies intuitive way of stealing minerals from your bones in order to get what it needs. Cemented, immobilized muscles, and weak bones doesn’t sound like the recipe for longevity does it? Strength train, take magnesium, take Vitamin K2, and your bones and muscles will be supple, mobile, and strong!
You can shop Purely K here, which is the same Vitamin K2 supplement I take. Code: WILLETTE
The last supplement that I recommend for helping with the aches and pains of aging is called Wobenzym. This is a systemic enzyme that is taken before you eat. After the age of roughly 28, your body slows down the excretion rate of your enzymes. It does this as a preservation mechanism to ensure that you do not die too young by secreting all of your enzymes.
These little yellow pills are like PacMan inside of your body gobbling up all of the fibrin. Excess fibrin builds up in soft tissues like scar tissue. This causes a loss in mobility of muscles and joints. It does this by impeding the flow of blood, and we all know that blood flow is life.
By taking systemic enzymes your body is able to have enough chemical reactions to break down your food into small enough particles to be absorbed through your small intestines. When this happens there is less waste product, and less fibrin. Hence, allowing your muscles and joints to have better blood flow.
This product used to be a pharmaceutical product in Germany decades ago. There is proven research on thousands of people who have been using this product dating back to the 1950s.
That concludes this week’s AWW. Thank you for reading! Please share with your friends and family, and don’t forget to subscribe to our email list.
Starting this week, Coach Wayne will be answering 5 questions from the members of CrossFit CrownTown and posting the answers here in a blog post. This is a great way to add value to your membership by asking any questions that you have that may be holding you back mentally, physically, accountability wise, motivation wise, or simply just curiosity. No such thing as a bad question. Anonymity will be kept on who asked the question from the private member group.
#1 Wayne I would like to know your thoughts on Intermittent fasting? Pros if any and cons? Also is there such thing as “fasted Cardio “ to burn fat?
WW: Great question! I can go on for days about this, but I will try not to. For the majority of people walking around it does NOT work. The word breakfast is literally “Break-Fast” because it is designed to break your fast. Not going an additional 8 hours or whatever they say before you can eat. This is not the best way to stabilize your blood sugar levels, and frankly it stresses out a body that is already stressed out.
We have smart phones, jobs, bills, significant others, kids, school, and everything else that is going on around you that stresses you out. We don’t need to add another thing to the mix. The only reason why some people might have said they have success with it is because they’re cutting in half the waking hours they’re up usually overeating. It is more effective to spread your feedings out over the course of the day, building your meals around protein, keeping your blood sugar levels stabilized, and not stressing your body out because you’re hangry.
In closing, a good rule of thumb is stay away from extremism and fads. You don’t need to be a carnivore, you don’t need to be a vegan, you don’t need to IF, you don’t need to do too much of anything. Balance is fun, and effective. I always joke that I’m enjoying a burger with a bun while a carnivore and vegan are arguing what’s healthier. Note, my burger is 100% grass fed on organic sourdough, haha.
Fasted cardio is fine if it is first thing in the morning upon waking, as it is too early to get a meal in and train for those that workout early. However, be sure to get a high protein/high carb meal within 2 hours of finishing your session.
If you do Zone 2 / SHRED fasted first thing in the morning then it is easy to get in the zone quicker. If you do CrossFit try to get a shake with Fuel 5 (carb) + protein in your system before/during/after to bolster recovery quicker.
#2 What do you think is CrossFit’s biggest shortcoming when compared to other avenues of training, such as calisthenics and bodybuilding?
WW: Another great question. I’d say Zone 2 cardio (Olympic Zone Training). Have no fear though! I renamed Zone 2 to SHRED because it sounds way sexier than Zone 2. Zone 2 aka SHRED is not programmed in a class workout though because nobody would show up to class if I posted a workout like “45 minute Bike in 70-75% HR zone”. It’s too boring. People want to sweat more, feel their heart racing, and get those endorphins. This is why I provide the hardware, software, and education on what SHRED is. Hopefully, some of you will listen and show up early, stay after, or do it on your own over the weekend/rest day.
I try to do 2 hours per week (been short lately, but this is the ideal amount for us). 20 minutes before and/or after your workout will add up quickly. Try it!
By the way, for the record I love anything fitness. Yoga, BB, Running, Powerlifting, CF, etc. However, Bodybuilding neglects so many aspects of fitness. Unless you are a pro, your body will be disproportioned, you will lack mobility, endurance, and other neurological aspects of fitness from training solely BB. Calisthenics is better, but still many downfalls. You are lacking strength, which is the most important component as you age. No bodyweight exercise is going to make your testosterone jump, or bones dense compared to a Back Squat.
Besides, anyone can do CrossFit. The workouts are adjustable for anyone. This makes it have the best community, and why you will see an array of athletes in any given class all with the same goal in mind. You’ll never find bodybuilders, or calisthenics gyms that have a community like a CrossFit gym. And, to that point, the best fitness regimen is one you can stick with! It’s easier to stick with when you’re having fun.
#3 How much sodium is too much?
WW: According to RDA it is about 2,300mg per day. To me, that is not a good guideline because we are all different. We weigh different, we have different activity levels, etc. I like to give myself a goal of 10-15mg per pound of bodyweight. Now, I am not a doctor so I cannot prescribe dosages. I am just letting you know what works for me and my clients. On days I sweat more, I take more sodium in.
Also, we need more potassium than sodium daily, and many people further dysregulate when they overconsume sodium and underdose potassium. Be careful there. I take Adrenal Cocktail by Jigsaw Health first thing in the morning, and again mid morning before my workout. That gives me close to 1,000mg of salt and potassium right there. I also take their Pickleball product to get my Potassium higher. Then I add salt to my drinking water, and foods throughout the day.
#4 When should a master athlete use the master Rx workout? Most times I can handle the weight but my endurance or body weight movements are slower. When I do scale the weight I move through those movements faster. But, I wonder if I shouldn’t be scaling the weight-will I lose muscle???
WW: Too many good questions in one week. You should look at it on a case by case basis. If you can see the recommended time or result of the workout and achieve that by using regular RX, then do it. However, if the regular RX slows you down to the point that you are not getting the desired result of the workout, then using the Master’s RX is best.
You will not lose muscle from using a lighter load in the WOD. The main muscle gaining piece is the heavy strength components that are not for time, ensuring that you eat enough protein, and getting proper sleep. Using the right load in a workout will allow you to get more work done in less time, which improves your fitness overall.
If you’re ever questioning what the desired stimulus of a WOD is, check the athlete notes in SugarWOD, or ask the Coach. Happy training!
#5 Is there anyone that you look up to in the fitness industry?
WW: Ooooh, that has changed throughout the years. Of course, since I grew up in the 80s, my first fitness idol was Arnold. After high school I got certified as a personal trainer and looked up to Fred Hatfield, and Tom Platz. After that, it was Greg Glassman (not for his body, but his mind), but now it is none of those. I respect and like Rich Froning for being the unbeatable fittest man on earth 5 years in a row, a father, husband, man of faith and generally all around nice guy. Let’s not get it twisted though, I never idolized him because I was competing when he was. You can’t idolize someone you are trying to beat. At the time, I thought I could beat him, and that’s how you have to think in that position. Nowadays, I look up to the members that show up day in and day out. The average Joe’s and Jane’s, if you will. Those are the people that inspire me to keep writing workouts, and keep answering these kinds of questions to make them the healthiest and best versions of themselves as possible.
Q. Alright Allison, so what does being healthy mean to you? Why is it important to you?
Healthy to me is both mental and physical with a good clean diet fueling my body with what it needs. Physically is important for me so I can take care of my kids and keep up with them for years to come. Physically is also important to keep my mental functioning properly. Most mornings I’m tired and want to pass on the gym, but once I’m there, in that environment I start to feel a whole new mood change.
Q. What are your current health and fitness goals?
My current health goals are to eliminate more junk food. I have a bad sweet tooth and it’s hard to say no to a sleeve of Oreos. So making better snack choices is a goal of mine. My fitness goal is to build strength while cutting an inch or two off my waist line. I’d like to build more upper body strength. Being able to do pull ups or wall hand stand push ups.
Q. What would you say has been you greatest achievement thus far?
My great achievement this far is having discipline. Waking up and getting to my work out. Also doing double unders. Being about to get them unbroken has been a huge achievement for me.
Q. What have been your biggest obstacles in the past?
My biggest obstacle would be mentally getting my mind right to even go in to a CrossFit style gym. And pushing myself to try new workouts.
Q. How did you overcome these obstacles?
I think I have. I’m not nervous going into any class and and trying for new strengths.
Q. What would you say have been the key factors to your successes?
Seeing results. Looking back and seeing how far I’ve come in a short amount of time. Almost 2 years in a CrossFit crowntown
Q. What do you love most about exercising?
The release of endorphins. It always puts me in such a good mood. And knowing I’m getting stronger each time
Q. What do you love least about exercising?
Being sore. Some days are brutal and I can barely move.
Q. Does feeling and looking your best contribute to your overall happiness and if so how?
Being vain yes. When I fit in my clothes comfortably, when I have energy to go out and celebrate all comes from working out looking good and feeling good.
Q. What advice would you give to others with similar goals to yours that are facing obstacles, struggles, and maybe little to no support from family or friends?
Get up and get moving. Don’t waste time being lazy you deserve to feel and look great.
And our family and friends aren’t always our best supporters. You have to find that community that hold the same values in health as you. Your biggest supporter will be yourself and 90% of the people with you in the gym. That’s where you find your team of people.
Q. Favorite health food?
Indian food and sushi
Q. Favorite cheat food?
Margs., Breads and cheeses
Q. Favorite exercise?
Most of my favorite workouts are with the bar. Power Cleans, snatches, back squats. I also love a good EMOM.
Q. Give me a one word answer when it comes to the following:
Q. Alright Nate, so what does being healthy mean to you? Why is it important to you? •To be being healthy means living a consistent lifestyle that I can maintain for years. This is important to me because I want to continue to feel good in the next 30+ years.
Q. What are your current health and fitness goals? •My current health and fitness goals are to find a more consistent way of eating and gaining more muscle so I can lift heavier.
Q. What would you say has been you greatest achievement thus far? •Starting to put up “heavier” weight for me
Q. What have been your biggest obstacles in the past? •My biggest obstacles in the past was finding a gym that works for me. I started at LA Fitness sitting in boring machines feeling unmotivated to workout.
Q. How did you overcome these obstacles? •I saw a chance during the “pandemic” to workout with Cindy and I took. Ever since I was hooked.
Q. What would you say have been the key factors to your successes? •One key factor is Consistency in the gym.
Q. What do you love most about exercising? •The very few times I beat Cesar in a work out, just kidding I like the way I feel after a hard workout.
Q. What do you love least about exercising? •Not being able to complete a workout I know I can complete, but I guess this is more motivating at the end of the day.
Q. Does feeling and looking your best contribute to your overall happiness and if so how? •Yes, I thinking the confidence I have gained over the past few years speaks for itself.
Q. What advice would you give to others with similar goals to yours that are facing obstacles, struggles, and maybe little to no support from family or friends? •Give it a shot and start somewhere. Find a fitness plan you enjoy and do it for yourself.
Q. Favorite health food? •Ground beef (give me more protein)
Q. Favorite cheat food? •Any kind of dessert
Q. Favorite exercise? Any workout that is long and has some muscles ups in it.
Q. Give me a one word answer when it comes to the following:
I know what you are thinking. “Vitamins and minerals are good for you; it makes no sense to throw them away”, or “You cannot get all the micronutrients you need from food alone”. You are partially right in thinking this way, but let me explain.
If you go back in history all the way back to industrial revolution and the burning of fossil fuels, you will understand the entire mosaic of our food system. These pollutants have created a smoke ring around our Earth, and the process of our spring water starts with rain. This rain passes through the smoke ring to become acid rain. Most filters do not get out the liquids from this process (nitric and sulfuric acids).
Combine this with the mass production of foods, no regenerative farming, and the spraying of pesticides on our food sources. Our soil is depleted. Our water is tainted. We are not getting the same nutrients from our foods that we once got.
Yes, we must supplement certain vitamins and minerals in order to combat these issues. However, the “if 1 is good then 10 is better mindset” does not apply to micronutrients. We do not need all vitamins and minerals in a multi vitamin. Minerals need to be regulated. For instance, copper regulates iron, and magnesium regulates calcium. Too much of one can cause dysregulation, and take your body out of homeostasis.
Some micronutrients we can get from food alone, and others we have been consuming too much of due to fortification. Ever since 1945, inorganic iron filings have been added to foods. Simultaneously, copper has been depleted from our Earth. So, copper regulates iron and we are deficient in it. Iron has been added to our foods while copper has essentially been taken away. Are you starting to see how we are dysregulated? By the way, studies have shown a breast tissue cancer cell versus a noncancerous cell to have five times the amount of iron in the tissues.
We are basically rusting from the inside out. Do not worry, it is not too late. First step is learning and understanding. The next step is to stop consuming inorganic iron, aka foods that are fortified with iron. Iron is essential, but it must be bioavailable like what comes from meat. Having that said, we must foster the “nose to tail” concept. The animal was designed for us to consume everything from nose to tail.
Our culture has forgotten about the nutrient dense organ meats. In modern day, it is gross to think of eating liver, heart, kidney, or other animal parts aside from the muscle protein. Did you know that gram for gram, the most nutrient dense food in the world is liver. Beef liver is the most abundant and bioavailable source of Copper. It also contains other key vitamins and minerals we are deficient in (gee I wonder why we are deficient in them – because we do not eat them anymore!).
B12 is a key vitamin that is only found in animal products, and has been shown to cure Vegans from certain diseases they acquire from cutting out meat. Additionally, Vitamin A Retinol is a vitamin not to be confused with Beta Carotene, that we are deficient in, and happens to be abundant in beef liver. I know, another shocker, right? Liver is natures multi vitamin.
Throw away your synthetic multi vitamins. The “Vitamin C (as ascorbic acid)” is not the same as the Vitamin C you get from whole food sources. Also, the “Vitamin D” is not the same thing you get from the sun. The FDA has allowed food companies to label certain micronutrients as such, when they are derived from something completely different. There are too many to even list.
We do not need all of the vitamins and minerals in multi vitamins. We only need certain ones, and the others need to be cut out. Also, we want real food so the bioavailability is there (your body’s ability to absorb something real vs something synthetic). These food companies are in business to make money, so the ingredients they choose are for profit, and not for longevity.
You can save up to 20% off our Beef Liver supplement through our Be Lean Save Green program.
Regardless, throw away your multi vitamin, order beef liver, and stop consuming foods that have added iron. It should be naturally occurring.
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