This is the first in a series of personal reflections penned by Elite Athletic Development / CrossFit Arlington Heights / CrossFit Axis athletes about the mental, physical and emotional changes experienced since joining our health & fitness community. Have a story you’d like to share? Email your reflection to karen@eadperformancecenter.com

Amy Pi was inspired to drop us an email after jotting down her thoughts on the 30 Day Paleo Challenge, which concludes February 13 at midnight. If you’ve ever trained with Amy, you know that she’s focused, committed and loves lifting heavy. Her results — thanks to a complete lifestyle change — are dramatic, although far from overnight; Amy’s transformation has been two years in the making. Keep up the great work, Amy, and thanks for sharing your reflection with us. We’re proud of you!

I celebrated my second anniversary with EAD in January, and looking back, I’m amazed at how much has changed since those early days.

Those first workouts seemed so daunting and exhausting, and the warm-ups absolutely brutal. Who would have known that I would one day consider 70 – 90# Deadlifts, 60 Burpees, and 60 – 30#KB swings a good workout?

I remember the day I learned Josh would be our coach. Who would have known that the person that I so vehemently did NOT want to be our group’s leader would become such a trusted, inspiring and supportive person on my journey?

I remember the first time there was a barbell in a workout, and how I felt when the initial fear of picking it up turned to pure power and confidence. Who would have known that I LOVE to lift heavy?

I remember being petrified about my first Saturday morning class, and the “fit guy” who said I was motivating because I kept going the whole time and stayed rep for rep with him. Who would have known that I would be the one convincing women friends to not be intimidated by the guys during a WOD?

I remember joking about eating pebbles and berries as part of the Paleo diet and fighting the idea of leaving behind pasta and cheese.  Who would have foreseen that my own foray into and success with Paleo would get others to try it?

I remember being so intimidated and embarrassed to have to struggle in front of people. Who would have known that I would feel such a sense of challenge and welcome that slight sensation of fear when reading about tomorrow’s WOD?

People always ask me, “How much weight have you lost?”  And while I definitely do care about the shift of the number on the scale, it has become so much more than that. The measure of success is more about what I have gained. The community of supportive people, the confidence that I can do things I thought were once impossible, and the control over how to fuel my body to work and play the way I want are priceless.  While I am far from being finished with this journey, I am so pleased with the path so far, and I am ever so thankful that I had EAD as my vehicle to get this far. Thank you for seeing in me that which I was unable to see.  Thank you for helping a more healthy and empowered me come into being.

I am thankful for the guidance, tough love, encouragement, celebratory spirit and pride that the EAD performance coaches have for us. Thank you for all the work you do and Happy Anniversary!

Photo courtesey of The Daily Herald, Mark Welsh | Staff Photographer

Coach Karen’s original Paleo- and family-friendly recipes landed her as a recent Daily Herald “Cook of the Week”. Check out the article featuring her recipes at Arlington Heights Mom Eats Like a Caveman, or catch the video of her in action.

It’s a dream scenario for every employer: a program that encourages employees to work harder, increase productivity, decrease absenteeism, and perform better. Yet according to a recent survey of American workers at growing businesses with 10 to 1,000 workers, employers need to wake up to the power of offering employees a fitness center discount.

Elite Athletic Development offers custom fitness programs for work groups of all sizes.

“Employees in the survey cite a fitness center discount as their top wellness benefit, which differs from the more passive online wellness information, educational tools and resources employers tend to offer,” said Jim Inman, owner, Elite Athletic Development / CrossFit Arlington Heights / CrossFit Axis. “Investing in the health and wellness of your employees is simply good business, and promoting wellness in the workplace is something every company, regardless of size and budget, can do.”

The nationally-certified health & fitness professionals at Elite Athletic Development work with area companies in a variety of ways to create a culture of wellness. Elite Athletic Development offers companies—large or small—discounts and incentives for employees to participate in the programs.

“We bring our award-winning group exercise classes to your work location, host work groups at our North Arlington Heights or Downtown Arlington Heights locations, develop hands-on workshops, and work with company leadership to structure incentive and reward programs to encourage sustainable participation,” said Inman.

Inman says the benefits of custom wellness programming for work groups is well worth the investment, a statement supported by Lee Dukes, president of Principal Wellness Company, a subsidiary of survey sponsor the Principal Financial Group.

“Employers who embrace a culture of wellness in their workplaces can benefit in return with not only costs-savings but healthier and more engaged employees,” said Dukes.

Key findings from the survey include:

• 52 percent of workers (up from 37 percent last year) said they have more energy to be more productive at work by participating in a wellness program
• Another 35 percent (up from 28 percent a year ago) said that they have missed fewer days of work by participating in a wellness program.
• 41 percent of the workers surveyed agree that having a wellness program encourages them to work harder and perform better at work.
• 45 percent of workers chose better overall physical health as the top benefit to participating in a wellness program.

The Elite Athletic Development training program is inspired by CrossFit and forged by work during more than 38,000 athlete visits since 2006. Steeped in a functional fitness philosophy, Elite Athletic Development programming helps the “every day” athlete achieve their health & fitness goals in a supportive community-based setting, and under the guidance of nationally certified performance coaches. For more information on Elite Athletic Development’s Workplace Wellness program, contact karen@eadperformancecenter.com or call 847.394.8110.

Kim Mikus, business editor of the largest suburban newspaper in Illinois, the Daily Herald, recently posed a set of questions to Elite Athletic Development / CrossFit Arlington Heights / CrossFit Axis owners Jim Inman & Karen Stoychoff Inman. Their responses were featured in a small business profile. Chase the link to read the interview.

Daily Herald Business Section, Monday, Jan. 9, 2012

Pollsters love the holidays almost as much as we enjoy a robust “Variety Day.” Consider the cornucopia of surveys released over the past week on all things Thanksgiving. The distance covered by the average Thanksgiving traveler (+50 miles). The average cost for a classic Thanksgiving dinner (up 13 percent over 2010). The top reason we’re thankful (health of our family). Whether all stores should be closed Thanksgiving Day (87 percent say yes). How many people will eat out Thanksgiving Day (14 million).

Hard to believe that with all this querying going on that somehow the pollsters missed Coaches Jim, Karen & Josh S. So we created our own survey with a single question: “What about the EAD / CFAH / CFAX Community inspires the most gratitude?” We found we strongly agreed on the list, which we share with you Thanksgiving 2011.

• Generous. The WOD soundtrack of choice may be The Beastie Boys channel, but the beat that drives the EAD / CFAH / CFAX community is generosity. Dropping change in a jar to help student athletes make quilts for pediatric cancer patients. Cheering on a fellow athlete during a WOD. Donating pantry items for those less fortunate in our community. Reaching out to a new athlete with your “I remember my first WOD / Don’t worry, it gets better” anecdote. Hitting one of the many fund-raising WODs we support, including the “Watermelon WOD for St. Jude’s”, “31 Heroes”, or running the Salute, Inc. 5k / 10k. Sharing feedback with us regularly about the things we’re doing right, and the things you’re not quite so sure about. The spirit of giving throughout our community is warm, welcoming and wonderful.
• Game. Members of the EAD / CFAH / CFAX community are exceptionally willing to give it—whatever “it” may be—a go. The community readily accepts new challenges, and is open to trying new ways of doing things … even when those ways challenge the prevailing winds, or push you to step outside your comfort zone.
• Loyalty. When we started offering CrossFit, we were the 8^th affiliate in Illinois. There are now more 70 affiliates in the state, and the list grows seemingly by the hour. Several of you have embraced the growing marketplace and dabbled in WODs at other boxes, and freely offer us your glimpse into the world outside EAD / CFAH / CFAX. It’s always interesting for us to hear the specific reasons why you stay, or why you returned. We know you have a choice in where you train, and we appreciate that you remain loyal to us.
• Appreciative. We do our very best to bring you our very best every day. Our performance coaches continually seek out professional development opportunities from a wide variety of educational sources—who wants to eat the same meal every single day?—and we regularly offer each other tough love on the most effective ways to lead a class and coach individuals. It’s rewarding to us that you recognize those efforts, and connect our emphasis on professional development excellence to helping you achieve your health & fitness goals.
• Trust. We regularly ask you to stretch well beyond previous performance levels because we see potential in you that you may not recognize. We’re not satisfied with simply finding new and innovative ways to slice the pie; we want to grow the pie. We want you to achieve things you never dreamed possible. You may not come willingly at first, but you always extend to us the opportunity, the trust, to guide you.
• Diversity. There is a seat at the EAD / CFAH / CFAX Community table for everyone. Firebreathers. Endurance Athletes. Student Athletes. Former Couch Potatoes. Seniors. Collegiate Athletes. Look around and you’ll see all these types of people and more. Our Community is as diverse as our training is varied, and we wouldn’t have it any other way. Sit back and listen to the variety of pre- and post-WOD conversations. Observe relationships form between people who otherwise might remain anonymous. The diversity of our Community adds richness to the training EAD / CFAH / CFAX experience, and it makes us unique.

We are thankful for the opportunity to be a part of your life on so many different levels, and in so many different ways. On behalf of the entire EAD / CFAH / CFAX performance coaching team—Jim, Karen, Josh S, Becky, Kristen, Rory, Jenn, Josh R, Amy & Alida—here’s to a festive, fun, and family-centered Thanksgiving.

By Jim Inman, Owner & Head Performance Coach, Elite Athletic Development l CrossFit Arlington Heights l CrossFit Axis

Normally upon hearing the name “Christine,” I’d spin around looking for a demonic 1958 Plymouth Fury. Nowadays, I break out in a sweat thinking about how to pace my 500-meter rows so as not to kill my deadlifts and box jumps.

You may have noticed that over the last few weeks we’ve included a variety of seemingly random tests before the daily workout. Rest assured there was nothing random about “Christine” and the six other tests; they make up the new EAD Combine.
The EAD Combine encourages EAD athletes at all levels to measure and track progress on a set of standardized movements. Each athlete who completes the EAD Combine will receive a composite score to track over the coming months as part of their Elite Athletic Development 3-2-1 Goal! ™ setting.

The name Elite Athletic Development sums up our training philosophy: we use a disciplined, science-based methodology to help our athletes achieve sustainable results. One of the cornerstones of that methodology is SAID: Specific Adaptation to Imposed Demand.

Many of you have heard me pontificate on the importance of SAID, and I’ll explain it in more detail in future articles, but for now, remember that the human body adapts to—and only to—the specific level of demand imposed upon it. That is why if you come in and only use the same 20 lb. kettlebell for every training session, you’ll eventually plateau and STOP IMPROVING. Every athlete must increase the imposed demand on the body on a regular basis to continue to make changes in body composition, and improve strength and conditioning. Simply put, if you keep doing the same weight—even in different movements—progress will stop; once progress stops, backsliding begins.

The new EAD Combine, used along with a training log, encourages you to train with intensity and purpose, track your progress, and achieve sustainable results. Watch for more information on the new, custom Elite Athletic Development training log. The training logs should arrive in the next three weeks, and available to you at cost ($15).

Questions, thoughts or reactions regarding the EAD Combine? Let us know.

By Josh Sroufek, Director, Training Programs & Athlete Performance, Elite Athletic Development / CrossFit Arlington Heights / CrossFit Axis

A training log can provide a detailed record of all the key elements that contribute to a PR like sleep, recovery, and nutrition.

How many times has the most frustrating part of a WOD been trying to remember how much weight to load on your bar? Or what pace you should hit on your 2k row? Or recall your best time so you can dig in and set a new PR?

Starting and maintaining a training log is as simple as grabbing a spiral notebook from the drugstore, and regularly recording basic stats like completion time, rounds logged, reps tallied, and weight used.

In the time it takes you to finish your post-WOD recovery drink or snack, a few additional entries to your training log can provide tremendous benefit. Here are just a few of the many reasons to keep a training log.

Set Goals. Use your training log to clearly define your performance goals – a sure bet to immediately increase the probability that you will reach them. Your goals should be specific, measurable, meaningful and include a target date. For example, add 50# to my press by Dec. 31st.

Review (With Comment). Dedicate several journal pages to regularly review and comment on progress against major performance goals. Back to the 50# increase on the press. An example of a comment might be “Felt great on set 1 & 2, but struggled on rep 5 of set 3. Need to build to max weight quicker next WOD.” Use these pages to prompt changes in how you train – these comments can be a valuable reminder on ways to improve training intensity and efficiency.

Tracking Performance. Everyone loves setting Personal Records. But what about the days you don’t set PR’s? What happened? And why? A training log can provide a detailed record of all the key elements that contribute to a PR like sleep, recovery, and nutrition. The training log is also a great place to track the impact of personal obligations like business travel, home stresses, or a heavy social schedule. Just logging a few quick notes can help you understand why a particular training session did not go as hoped. When you check you training log notes, you can immediately gain perspective and see that it was just an off day; overall, you are still tracking to your goal.

Injury History. A training log is a great place to note tweaks, twinges and potential injury. “I felt pain in my shoulder during the round of 9 push jerks. Struggled with the weight on the round of 15. Should’ve dropped 10#. Going to go home and ice.” Or, “My knee has been bothering me every time I reverse lunge. Seems fine with I lunge forward.” With training, sometimes comes discomfort. A training log can provide great background when you talk with a performance coach or your doctor about any unusual pain you may experience. It can help you remember how long you’ve had pain, what movements bother it, what type of home remedies you applied, how long you took off from training and more. Keeping a detailed history of training volume, mobility, stretches, weight added to lifts, and notes on specific days a movement bothered you is only going to make it easier to diagnose and recover from the problem. This log can also serve as a way to not repeat the same errors that led to the injury in the first place.

Start. Today.
Training logs don’t take a lot of time to keep up; it is literally as easy taking time during rolling out and stretching after class to jot down a few thoughts about the training session.  It’s important to the entire EAD performance coaching team that you get the most possible out of your training session. We’re confident that keeping a detailed record of your training can help you achieve more. Start your training log today.

We Want to Hear From You. Do you keep a training log? What are the typical items you track, and how has this tracking helped you? Let know!

By Josh Sroufek, Director, Training Programs & Athlete Performance

“MetCon. Strength & Power. CrossFit Women. Mobility & Recovery. Which class should I be in after Labor Day?”

This is a great question, and one we’ve heard several times since we announced the new EAD training options last week. So what’s the answer?

The people who train at EAD are on a shared journey to do better and be better, regardless of what “better” means to each person. It’s that “community” aspect I love about this place. I sometimes watch people talking and laughing after class and wonder if they would have made that kind of meaningful connection had they not just sweated through a really killer WOD. But even though we share a destination – “better” – the path to get there is unique for each person.

That’s why starting Tuesday, Sept. 6 we’re changing up our training options. The restructured classes will help each athlete within our Community achieve “better” in the way which best suits them, while supporting the CrossFit tenets of “unknown and unknowable”, General Physical Preparedness, and the 10 General Physical Skills (see related post). 

A few athletes have questioned the change – “I’m getting results. Why change?”, they say. We agree, you absolutely did get results from the previous class structure. And we stand by what we offered. However, we believe that in order for our athletes to reach their genetic potential, we need to challenge you in a different way. We also appreciate your honesty. Many of you admitted that you hold back – sometimes intentionally, sometimes sub-consciously – during the strength portion of a WOD in order to go harder during the MetCon.

Based on the goals you set during the 3-2-1 Goal!™ Workshop (register today / “Seminars”), we will help you select the “right” mix and frequency of MetCon, Strength & Power, and Mobility & Recovery classes to support goal attainment. Key to the mix will be periodization, or the progressive cycling of training elements over a defined time period, variety, performance fueling, and recovery. 

Here’s an overview of the new training options.

MetCon.

The Science. Metabolic Conditioning, affectionately known as the MetCon, challenges the body’s three energy systems (also known as metabolic pathways), and increases how efficiently we store and deliver energy.

What Are the Benefits? MetCon WODs are a fun and incredibly effective way to improve overall fitness, achieve specific sports-related goals, and change body composition.

What Can I Expect? Workouts combine strength, power, conditioning and core exercises in a constantly-varied mix. They are shorter, intense and will challenge you.

What Is a Sample WOD? For time: 100 Double Unders + 400m Run + 80 unanchored sit ups + 60 box jumps (24/20) + 400m Run + 40 Double Unders + 20 Wall Balls (20/16)

Can I Do It? Yes! Fitness Boot Camp, CrossFit Women and CrossFit athletes will quickly recognize the movements. Instruction / skill development at the start of class will help you acquire new movements, and the performance coach will scale the WOD to your current fitness level. 

Strength & Power.

The Science. This strength-biased workout will activate more muscle fibers, more rapidly, than any other modality of training.

What Are the Benefits? Strength & Power training is a solid foundation for all sports movement; enhances athletic performance; drives body composition changes; and builds confidence.

What Can I Expect? Olympic and Power Lift instruction, skill development & practice, and plenty of hard work. Make no mistake: this is no “sun’s out, gun’s out” lifting; we’re talking fully-functional movement.

What Is a Sample WOD? 1 Rep Max Snatch + Every 30 seconds for 10 min perform the following triplet: 1 Power Clean, 1 Front Squat, 1 Hang Squat Clean. Once you power clean the weight you cannot drop until completion of hang squat clean

Can I Do It? Yes! This class is perfect for athletes who like Olympic & Power Lifting, and who want increased speed, agility, quickness and strength. Fitness Boot Camp athletes have performed comparable movements with dumbbells (vs. a barbell), and CrossFit Women WODs frequently feature Olympic & Power lifts.

Mobility & Recovery.

The Science. Mobility & Recovery is the “missing link” for most athletes. The single greatest limiter for a majority of our athletes is the lack of mobility & flexibility.

What Are the Benefits? Injury prevention, increased range of movement, improved performance and improved movement efficiency are just a few reasons why you should attend at least one Mobility & Recovery class per week.

What Can I Expect? Classes could feature sports yoga and Pilates; core stability progression, band stretching; self-myofascial release; dynamic stretching; and more.

What Is a Sample WOD? Instruction, skill development and skill practice.

Can I Do It? Yes … and you should do it.

CrossFit Women. This class is a combination of MetCon and Strength & Power WODs. Athletes will attack the same WODs as the mixed gender class – but in a class just for women, led by a female performance coach.   

So here’s my answer to the question “Which class is right for me?”

They all are. The real question is what is the right mix and frequency for you? You’ll know that after you set your October – November – December goals at the 3-2-1 Goal!™ Workshop the week of September 12. 

Here’s a few other tips:

• Try each class a few times. Focus on what you recognize. Embrace what is new, different and challenging.  
• Come to class with an open mind. Meet new people. Expand your Community connection. Learn something new.
• Ask questions. Many classes will have two performance coaches, so you’ll have ample opportunity to learn and grow.
• Have fun. Celebrate accomplishments.
• Get better.

CrossFit founder Greg Glassman opines that you are as fit as you are competent in each of ten general physical skills. EAD's new training program is designed to improve performance each of these ten skills. A nod to CrossFit South Bend for the image.

“Do you miss it?”

That’s what people frequently ask when they discover I left behind a 25 plus-year high-heeled climb of the corporate ladder for a pair of Innov8s, a pony-tail and small business ownership. My response? The sassy paycheck was nice, but the payoff from being part of Elite Athletic Development / CrossFit Arlington Heights / CrossFit Axis  is much richer.  

Success in public relations is defined by how much a campaign impacts the attitudes and behavior of the target audience. Did the campaign sell more pizza, move more barrels of beer, increase worker productivity, or promote positive media coverage? 

Skilled coaching, sweat, sacrifice, shared experience and success help make the EAD Community experience priceless.

We’re concerned with return on investment at EAD, too. But the metrics we track are far more meaningful because they are — consistent with our mission — unique to the individual. There’s the former bodybuilder who can raise his arms over head for the first time in years, and who now understands that being able to move is more important than striking a pose. Or the 74 year-old woman who regales the ladies in her knitting club and bible study group about her recent deadlift PR. Or the older sister of a collegiate athlete, who prior to EAD, never exercised (that was her sister’s “thing”) and who recently completed two half-marathons and is currently training for her first marathon. Or the women who have put their lives on hold – for husbands, kids, careers, elder care and life in general – and thanks to their EAD experience, rediscover the very essence of who they are. Strong. Powerful. Capable. And able to conquer just about any physical or mental challenge they confront.  

The physical changes are impressive. But the mental transformations—those singular moments when someone accomplishes something they never dreamed possible—are truly what I find inspiring. The combination of hard work, dedication, education, camaraderie and support make the EAD experience priceless.

The cul-de-sac in my suburban Detroit neighborhood was home base for after-dinner games on steamy summer nights. Kick the can. Red Light, Green Light. Red Rover, Red Rover. And the dreaded Mother May I?

For the uninitiated, the sole purpose of Mother May I? is for players to yield power for their every move to the approval of another. Each player makes a request—“Mother, may I walk like a crab?” or “Mother, may I complete 100 burpees?” (I grew up on the tough side of town)—and “mother” denies, accepts or alters the request.

The creator of “Mother May I?” probably thought the game would instill manners, a sense of order and an appreciation for consequences throughout the pediatric pride. Not for me. I found continually seeking permission to take a baby step back or umbrella step forward ridiculous. It was probably a good thing “mother’s” back was always turned as we played; she might not have appreciated my silent protests.

Memories of those long-ago summer games recently returned when I described someone in the EAD Community as an athlete, much to her surprise. Quite simply, she never gave herself permission to compare the giant leaps she logged during Fitness Boot Camp and CrossFit Women with those of an athlete. But an athlete she is.

When is the last time you granted yourself permission to celebrate a training or nutrition success? To take note, breathe deeply and let pride wash over you? To brag to a friend without hesitation?  If you can’t list at least three times over the past week, it’s time to embrace the athlete within you. No Mother needed.

By Becky Rivard

How many times have you visited the CrossFit Women page on eliteathletic.com, looked at the workout of the day, and thought to yourself, “There’s no way I can do that!”  Before you even set foot in EAD, before you even pick up a barbell, you’ve decided against trying something new or perhaps attacking something you find difficult.

Stepping outside our comfort zone is never easy. More often than not our bodies can physically handle whatever task is in front of us, but sometimes our minds tell us differently. Everyone has mental hurdles; the challenge becomes how to conquer them.

I’ve been a competitive athlete for almost my entire life, so I’m no stranger to challenges.  Give me a long jump pit, 45 inch box, or basketball court, and I wouldn’t think twice about attacking the task in front of me. Make it an endurance/distance event, however, and I’ll avoid it at all costs. Why would I want to put myself in a situation where I’m not comfortable and fear I won’t do well?

Despite this, I accepted the challenge I’m going to issue you and tried something different and totally outside my comfort zone. Actually, I tried two things outside my comfort zone — the Chicago Indoor Rowing Championships and a local 5K — and I’m still alive to tell about it.

First up was the Chicago Indoor Rowing Championships. I had known about this event for several months and reluctantly agreed to participate. In the months and weeks leading up to the competition, I kept telling myself I would get some rowing practice in and do a baseline 2K row. Every time I was about to get on the rower, I would talk myself out of it. I knew it was going to be very uncomfortable, so I kept putting it off. I kept thinking to myself, “How the heck am I going to survive rowing 2000 meters? So instead of attacking this challenge like I normally would, I let it get into my head and hold me back.

Flash forward to race day about 10 minutes before my flight starts. Here I am, sitting on the rower, for about only the 4^th time in several months, warming up about to do something I never thought I could. 3, 2, 1…go. I start pulling and quickly settle into a pace that was comfortable. Wait a minute…this isn’t supposed to be comfortable…it’s supposed to be the hardest thing I’ve ever done, right? Well it turns out I was wrong. All I had to do was focus on my breathing, take it one stroke at a time, and before I knew it I had less than 200m to go. My adrenaline kicked in and I rowed as fast as I could to the finish. The feeling of “I think I’m going to die” that I was certain would come following the race, never did. I survived. Not only did I survive, I actually had fun.

One event down, one to go; next up was a 5k run. I hate distance running more than ANYTHING. I would rather do 100 burpees than run anything longer than a 200m sprint. So why the heck did I sign up to run 3.1 miles? It all goes back to pushing my limits and going beyond my comfort zone. I’m never going to get better at distance running if I don’t do it. I even managed to do a tiny bit of “training” for the race. I use the word training loosely because it consisted of maybe 3 or 4 runs prior to the race at a very slow pace because that’s all I thought I could handle.

On the morning of the race my stomach is doing back flips. I am not looking forward this. The gun goes off, I start running and I find myself passing people left and right. My confidence is pretty high and I’m actually feeling good about the race at this point. That feeling quickly fades as I pass the one-mile marker, and things start to go south in my head. All I can think about is that I’ll never finish this race without walking. I still have more than two miles to go and I’m ready to stop. Instead of experiencing how good my body felt, how effortless the run was going up until that moment, and what a pleasant surprise it was to feel so good, I let my thoughts overwhelm my actual experience. That is until somewhere around mile two that I thought back to the rowing competition and how I had just concentrated on my breathing to get me through. I made the choice to just focus on my breathing and take it one step at a time. Before I knew it I was approaching the finish line. I had survived another distance event.

How can it be that I was wrong TWICE? I worked these events up in my mind to be way worse than they really were. I let my mental hurdles get the best of me. Luckily, I found that staying focused on my breathing kept my mind from thinking irrational thoughts. Knowing what I know now, I can’t promise I won’t ever have a mental block to distance events, but I can keep telling myself that it’s never as bad as it seems and push through any hurdles that come my way.

You can overcome mental hurdles, too. It’s just a matter of finding what method works for you. Perhaps simply staying focused and taking it one step or meter or rep at a time will get you through. Getting comfortable with being uncomfortable is a necessary evil when it comes to pushing our limits and moving forward.

So here is my challenge to you: Don’t be afraid of stepping outside your comfort zone. The next time you face a challenge (whether it is a single movement, whole workout, or event), don’t let your mental hurdles stop you from attacking it with everything you’ve got. You just might be surprised at what you can handle.

“Through the Eyes of an EAD Coach”

By Josh Sroufek

Coach Rory, Scott C, Coach Amy & Coach Jenn (okay ... Coach Jenn's knees) at the CrossFit Games North Central Regionals.

The 2011 Crossfit North Central Regionals were held this past weekend at nearby Navy Pier.  This is the second consecutive year I have had the honor of representing Crossfit Arlington Heights as a team in the competition.  Now that I have had some time to reflect back on the event, I’d like to share some of the memorable moments of each athlete that I was able to witness first hand.

Scott Carlson – I would be willing to bet that Scott’s performance on Event #1, particularly the hand stand push ups, will stick in the mind of many for a long time.  After each member rowed 750 M, the team had to then knock out a total of 50 HSPU.  When Scott’s turn came to kick onto the wall we had 0 as a team. When he dropped down from that first attempt we had 29.  It still astonishes me that someone can make such a difficult movement look so effortless.

Amy Procarione – Various moments come to mind when I think about what sticks out over the weekend when it comes to Amy, like for instance, her nonchalant smiling and looking around at everything around her as she rowed during event #1.  However, what will always be burned in my memory is Amy’s performance on WOD #3.  I, along with Amy, did a team deadlift and box jump workout for #3.  After I performed my portion of the workout, I then tagged Amy and she proceeded to do the rest.  Maybe it was because I was suffering and knew just how bad it was about to be for her, but watching her perform the workout with all she had was inspiring.  I could not be more proud of the heart, guts, and fortitude she displayed during that workout.

Rory Oliver – Rory is known for many things in the EAD community.  Great athlete, phenomenal father/husband, veteran, borderline model,……..you get the picture.  But I was able to see something that many already know, but you tend to forget if you don’t see it on a regular basis.  Rory was involved in both team WODS #1 and #4.  Those workouts consisted of four athletes in each.  With that many movements/exercises and that long of time domain a lot can go wrong.  However, nothing did as Rory was the leader in those workouts.  He stepped up and talked Jenn through her hand stand push up attempt.  He didn’t panic when we were last off the pull up bar during #4.  Instead he showed great leadership in staying calm and talking each athlete through the remaining movements.  Those athletes that get to work with Rory in class daily get to see this side of him on a regular basis, but it stands out so much more when that is not the case.

Jenn Vautier – Jenn’s moment was touched on above.  Her moment had to be the hand stand push up “challenge.”  In short, during WOD #1 every athlete had to attempt a HSPU.  Little did we know just how strict those standards would be on an attempt.  Jenn continued to kick onto the wall to meet the standards of the judge, but continued to get no repped.  I believe I speak for everyone when I say a silence fell over our crowd as we feared for the worst if Jenn did not succeed.  However, being the fighter she is, she prevailed.  She never argued with the judge.  She never quit and gave in.  She kept kicking and kicking until she succeeded.  Reminding everyone there that you can’t ever count Jenn out.

Samantha (Sammy) Olson – Last but not least Sammy.  Sammy is mentioned last because she ended the weekend with such a memorable moment.  During workout #4 teams had to complete 250 chest to bar pull ups, 250 kb swings, 250 double unders, and 250 overhead squats.  Only one athlete could work at a time.  Hearing this workout may seem challenging, but watching it in person gives a person a different perspective.  As team members cycled through the pull ups, Sammy sat by anxiously watching as the game plan was to save her for the swings and squats.  It is always tough for a coach to watch an athlete hold back as you never know how they will respond.  EAD could not have asked for anything more from Samantha Olson once the thirty minute time limit went off.  She continued to pick up the barbell and do squat after squat when the expression on her face said it all.  The crowd felt for all of the athletes involved, but particularly for Sammy as her shoulders looked to be breaking under the stress of the weight and she continued on.  Her performance put an exclamation point on how EAD and Crossfit Arlington Heights was represented.

It started six weeks ago for some to simply see if they had what it takes. For others, it was to chase a dream and perhaps compete at the next level. And for all, it would become an intense physical and emotional challenge.

The 2011 CrossFit Games Open certainly had its share of drama. But the story that will live on in the Elite Athletic Development / CrossFit Arlington Heights / CrossFit Axis community will be of athletes who made us incredibly and indescribably proud.

Jim S gives it his all during a Games Open WOD.

We will relive tales of seasoned competitors, along with athletes who were just weeks ago in Fitness Boot Camp, logging PRs. Of athletes who refused to yield to a weight that was just thismuch too heavy. The visiting athletes who enriched our community. Competitors who fought through injury, obliterated self-imposed barriers, bounced back from soul-searching lows, celebrated awe-inspiring performances, unquestionably supported their fellow athletes, and deepened their commitment to their long-term development goals.

We will measure the success of our athletes by the path each chooses to take from here, not by where they ranked in the worldwide standings. The six-week Games Open gave us a chance to spotlight strengths and expose weaknesses. What will set our athletes apart going forward is the commitment to confront, address and convert those weaknesses into strengths.

Congratulations to the Elite Athletic Development / CrossFit Arlington Heights / CrossFit Axis athletes who accepted the challenge of the 2011 CrossFit Games Open, and who are now ready to commit to taking their performance to the next level.

Elite Athletic Development / CrossFit Arlington Heights / CrossFit Axis 2011 CrossFit Games Open Team
Justin Bailey
Alida Bray
Brandon Bocianski
Scott Carlson
Malaika Corsentino
Jennie Foreman
Jacqueline Haynes
Jim Inman
Karen Stoychoff Inman
Mike Katsenios
Mike Kolander
Jessica Maciejewski
Mary Kate McCarte
Dave Mode
Laura Mode
Rory Oliver
Brian Olson
Samantha Olson
Kristen Parenti
Amy Procarione
Joshua Refenes
Becky Rivard
Becca Sheade
Josh Sroufek
Jim Struck
Craig Stucker
Jennifer Vautier

By Karen Stoychoff Inman
Fitness Boot Camp & CrossFit Performance Coach, Nutrition Specialist & Group Centergy Instructor
karen@eadperformancecenter.com

Public sentiment about sugar has certainly soured over the years, and the recent New York Times Magazine article by Gary Taubes, “Is Sugar Toxic”, has crystallized conversation on the topic. But is it possible to eat too little sugar for the body to properly function? It depends on your lifestyle, according to Jessica Kuzma, registered dietitian and Paleo Nutritionist.

“If you are sedentary, or participate in low-intensity, aerobic exercises like walking, you are capable of burning fat for fuel,” said Kuzma.

That’s not the case when it comes to participating in high-intensity, explosive, metabolic conditioning-style workouts like CrossFit and Elite Athletic Development’s Fitness Boot Camp, or endurance events like cycling and fast-paced, long-distance running. These workouts rely on muscle glycogen, which is a quickly-accessible – yet limited-reserve – glucose supply.

Glucose is made when the body digests the sugar and starch in carbohydrates into a functional form of energy, which is then absorbed through the small intestine and into the bloodstream. How much glucose-generating food to take on board each day depends on your sport and goals, but should support exercise intensity, according to Kuzma.

The honeypot ant, its mid-section filled with glucose, recognizes the importance of proper fueling for MetCon-style workouts like Elite Athletic Development Fitness Boot Camp and CrossFit. Photo courtesey of NHPA/Extreme Insects/HarperCollins

“The demand for glucose during high-intensity workouts is considerably higher and must be supplied by glucose from the diet,” said Kuzma. “A good rule of thumb for the average MetCon-style athlete who would like to perform well, yet remain lean, is somewhere around 80 – 100 grams of starchy carbs per day. The majority of carb consumption should immediately follow exercise,” said Kuzma. 

Food sources of favorable post-workout carbohydrates include sweet potatoes, yams, spaghetti or acorn squash, bananas, berries or other fruits. Home-brewed or pre-packaged recovery drinks are also an option.

It’s also important to properly fuel before an intense training session. Future columns will offer insight on pre-workout fueling.

Editor’s Note:

If you haven’t read Gary Taube’s article, chase the link:  
     http://www.nytimes.com/2011/04/17/magazine/mag-17Sugar-t.html     

If you’d like to see Dr. Robert Lustig’s thoughts on “Sugar, the Bitter Truth” chase the links. Dr. Lustig is Professor of Clinical Pediatrics, in the Division of Endocrinology Director of the Weight Assessment for Teen and Child Health (WATCH) Program at UCSF:
     http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dBnniua6-oM (full video)
     http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tdMjKEncojQ (abridged video)

Put a cap on expensive, pre-packaged fluid-replacement potions this race season. Instead, stock your pantry with a few common ingredients and brew a variety of tasty and inexpensive post-workout beverages.

Home-brews are simple, convenient and important to your post-workout recovery because they replenish the electrolytes lost during exercise. An athlete may sweat one-half to five pounds per hour during exercise, which could translate to 80-100mg of potassium and 400-700mg of sodium lost per pound. Sodium, potassium, chloride, calcium, magnesium, bicarbonate, phosphate and sulfate – electrolytes – allow the body to contract muscles, generate electricity, maintain cell wall stability, and move water and fluids within the body.

The base for most home-brew recipes includes water, sugar, baking soda and organic sea salt. Organic sea salt is similar to the electrolyte composition in our blood and contains potassium, iodine, magnesium, calcium, manganese, zinc and others. If you’d prefer, you can use a salt substitute. Add sass to your sip with green tea, fresh juices or citrus zest.

In addition to the following recipes, consider pure, organic coconut water as a post-workout recovery drink. Coconut water contains electrolytes, has lower acidity than juice and most sports drinks, and has more potassium than a banana. Just be sure to read the label carefully – don’t purchase a product with added sugars (usually in the form of sucrose).

Have a recipe for a penny-pincher home-brew? Post it on the Elite Athletic Development / CrossFit Arlington Heights Facebook Page, or comment on this article.

Penny-Pincher Recovery Brews

Lemon-Orange Sports Drink
1 caffeine-free lemon tea bag
16 ounces water
2 tablespoons sugar
1/8 teaspoon salt
4 tablespoons orange juice
Bring 16 ounces of water to a boil & steep lemon tea bag; add sugar and salt. Cool; add orange juice and chill.

Juice-Green Tea Sports Drink
Pure Organic Fruit Juice (no added sugar, high fructose corn syrup or corn sugar)
Water or Green Tea
Organic Sea Salt
Fill a sports bottle with half juice and half water. Add a pinch of organic sea salt; shake.

The Biggest Loser Brew / Bob Harper’s Recipe
1 liter water
1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 tablespoons sea salt
2 tablespoons Agave Nectar
Juice of 1/2 a lemon
Combine all ingredients; shake to dissolve.

World Health Organization Rehydration Solution
1 /2 teaspoon table salt
1 / 2 teaspoon salt substitute
1 /2 teaspoon baking soda
2 tablespoons table sugar
1 quart + 2 tablespoons water
Place all ingredients in the pitcher or water bottle; mix thoroughly and chill. Option: add a squeeze of fresh lemon, lime, orange or grapefruit.

EAD Endurance Athlete Steve H (fifth from right) sports the vibrant EAD colors during his 30-minute time trial.

Fresh from awesome performances at the 13th annual Chicago Indoor Rowing Championships, EAD Endurance Athletes Al W & Rick T pedaled to 4th and 6th place finishes, respectively, at the American Bicycle Racing 2011 Mid America Time Trial Series in Highland Park. Al, Rick and fellow athlete Steve H raced the Tour de California Solvang time trial course, courtesy of CompuTrainer. Great job, guys!

Set another fitness milestone. Commit to complete the CrossFit Games qualifying workouts — one workout per week for six weeks. Maybe you’ll rank high enough to progress to the Regionals; maybe you won’t. Either way, you’ll have bragging rights that you tried something new, and that you challenged yourself in an entirely new and different way. Qualifying workouts begin March 15. See a performance coach for details.

CrossFit Games Video / https://games.crossfit.com/features/videos/what-are-crossfit-games

Welcome to EAD’s  first nutrition workshop guest column. Today’s post is from Jessica Kuzma who helps guide clients through the transition to a Paleo lifestyle.  Jess enjoys helping people reach their health and fitness goals by tailoring plans to individual needs. In her post, Jess advises that if you include dairy in your, or your child’s, diet be sure to seek out full-fat, grass-fed products whenever possible.

There are conflicting views in the Paleo community regarding milk, cheese, and other dairy products and whether they should be strictly excluded from the diet. We need to use caution when labeling foods ‘good’ or ‘bad’ based simply on whether or not they were part of our hunter/gatherer ancestors’ diet, as this should serve only as a template for further investigation.

Shop local & organic. Chase the link for information about Illinois-based farmers who provide grass-fed dairy products. http://www.eatwild.com/products/illinoisresources.htm & http://www.eatwild.com/products/illinois.html

Milk is an inexpensive source of highly bio-available protein and is packed with antibodies, immune factors, and growth promoters. Intuitively, this makes sense—cow’s milk is naturally intended for calves which have growth rates that greatly exceed those of humans. Cows nurse for a shorter time and are weaned, on average, at about 6 months; therefore cow’s milk must supply all the growth hormones and nutrition necessary to support a steep bovine growth curve.

It follows then, that when humans consume cow’s milk, the same strong growth response occurs. Primarily, milk proteins cause a steep rise in insulin—the master ‘storage’ hormone. This is counter-intuitive as dairy products are fairly low in carbohydrate and the rise in blood glucose is minimal compared to the unmatched sharp increase in insulin. Again, keeping this in context, it makes sense that milk protein would promote growth and nutrient storage independent of the carbohydrate concentration.

Additionally, there are several other naturally occurring hormones in milk that promote growth. Chronic exposure to these hormones provide opportunity for cancerous cell growth and it is not entirely surprising that milk drinking is correlated with an increased risk of cancers. Potentially problematic hormones include:

• IGF-1: IGF-1 is a potent growth hormone that remains active in non-pasteurized milk. Additionally, our human IGF-1 isoform rises concomitantly with a rise in insulin—as milk drinking causes a strong increase in insulin secretion, the levels of IGF-1 also increase. High circulating concentrations of IGF- 1 during childhood result in greater height as adults but also increase risk for breast, colon, and prostate cancers.
• Betacellulin: Found in cow’s milk, whey, and cheese—survives pasteurization. Betacellulin is a protein hormone that binds to receptors in the human gut called Epidermal Growth Factor Receptors. As the name implies, when activated, these receptors initiate growth and repair in the gut. This is a good thing—on a small scale. We secrete Epidermal Growth Factor in our saliva that binds these receptors and repairs gut damage. However, Betacellulin concentrations in milk far exceed the healthy amount we produce naturally. A single glass of milk has 10 times more Betacellulin than your body secretes over an entire 24-hour period. Epidermal Growth Factor Receptors follow a positive feedback mechanism, which means the more something binds to the receptor, the more receptors will appear at the site. Such uncontrolled, increased expression is one of the hallmarks of cancer.
• Steroid Hormones: It appears humans receive the majority of estrogen-like compounds from dairy products. Furthermore, the majority of milk is obtained from cows later in pregnancy, during which milk production increases, and the level of estrogens are at their highest. There are also several dihydrotestosterone (DHT) precursors present in varying concentrations.
• Links to Disease: Several epidemiological studies have linked dairy intake to the development of Type-1 diabetes, with the risk increasing the earlier dairy is introduced in the diet. Multiple Sclerosis, Crohn’s disease, Sjogren’s syndrome, and Celiac disease symptoms have all been alleviated, to some degree, by excluding dairy products from the diet.

One caveat to this research: undoubtedly, these studies have all used conventional, homogenized, pasteurized milk products from corn-fed cows. The fatty acid profile of pastured milk is completely different than its conventional counterpart. As there have been no trials examining health outcomes between groups consuming dairy products from conventional sources versus those consuming only non-processed, pastured dairy, we cannot definitively conclude that all dairy is harmful. We do know the fatty acid profile of butter from grass-fed cows is quite different and appears to be a healthy and beneficial saturated fat source. Perhaps more so, ghee (clarified butter) is a process by which residual milk proteins in butter are separated and removed by heating and the pure fat is retained. This is a tasty and healthy way to obtain omega-3 fats, CLA, and butyric acid—all necessary for gut health and to help decrease inflammation.

Lastly, in some instances, the growth-promoting properties of milk can be utilized for performance benefits. For example, an athlete who wishes to increase muscle mass might use milk in the postexercise window to take advantage of insulin sensitivity and glycogen-depleted muscles to optimize protein synthesis and muscle repair. In other words, milk is a good way to pack in a lot of  ‘bang for your buck’–dense calories coupled with a potent growth and nutrient storage stimulus.

Conversely, individuals wishing to ‘lean out’, or drop a few pounds of body fat would be better served to avoid diary and choose another protein source post-workout, such as egg-white protein or meat.

Jess currently lives in Seattle, Washington, and frequently posts tips, recipes, and advice at http://stonewaycrossfitnutrition.blogspot.com/ She works with clients locally, and remotely..

Have something you’d like to share with EAD / CFAH / CFAX athletes, or is there a topic you’d like to learn more about? Contact karen@eadperformancecenter.com

This is it. 2011 will be the year you achieve your personal best.

Research shows that people who work with an experienced professional coach are more likely to avoid common barriers to achieving their goal, like disappointing results, boredom, burnout and recurring injuries.

Jim Inman, head performance coach and endurance sports specialist at Elite Athletic Development, will make the difference in your 2011 race season. Jim is a 25-year endurance sports veteran. He is certified by USA Cycling, USA Triathlon, USA Weightlifting, CrossFit, CrossFit Endurance, and he is a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist.

As an accomplished endurance athlete, Jim understands your drive. As a professional coach, he knows how to help you turn your drive into results.

Call 847.394.8110 or email jim@eadperformancecenter.com for a no-obligation consultation.

Broccoli and green, leafy vegetables are a versatile, food-based source of calcium.

Most women dutifully pop a daily calcium pill or two on the advice of their doctor, but without understanding the elemental truth about this important dietary supplement.

Calcium is an essential mineral, necessary for the healthy growth of bones & teeth in kids, and to maintain adult bone health. Calcium also helps muscles contract, promotes hormone and enzyme secretion, and supports nerve impulse transmission.

Stores typically carry calcium supplements in the form of citrate or carbonate. Calcium citrate is water soluble, making it easily absorbed by the stomach and small intestine. People tend to experience fewer side effects with calcium citrate, and it is best taken between meals. Calcium carbonate may cause some people indigestion, gas, constipation and headaches. It is best taken with meals because it requires stomach acid for absorption.

It is  important to consider the elemental calcium content of your supplement, not just the total calcium content. That means you must read the label and do a bit of math (unless your label specifically lists elemental calcium content). Calcium carbonate is 40 percent calcium by weight, so 1000 mg contains 400 mg of calcium. Calcium citrate is 21 percent elemental calcium so 1000 mg will provide 210 mg of calcium. That means if you want to meet the current recommended daily allowance for calcium for 19-50 year-old men and women (1000 mg), you’ll need to take approximately five - 1000 mg calcium citrate pills or 2 .5 -1000  mg calcium carbonate pills.

Whether you opt for calcium citrate or carbonate, take 500 mg or less of elemental calcium per dose. It’s also best to avoid taking calcium supplements at the same time as any medication that needs to be taken on an empty stomach, or at the same time as antibiotics, iron supplements, thyroid hormones or corticosteroids.

Tip. The National Osteoporosis Foundation recommends placing your calcium tablet in a glass of warm water for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. If the tablet hasn’t mostly dissolved in that time, it won’t get absorbed by your stomach.

By Becky Rivard
CrossFit Women Performance & Programming / Fitness Boot Camp Performance Coach / Athletic Trainer, Corrective Exercise Specialist & Certified Personal Trainer

Kathy S started as a Fitness Boot Camp athlete and now tears up the CrossFit Women WODs

The idea of CrossFit can be very intimidating, especially for some women. The thought of doing deadlifts, snatches, and pull-ups seems a little bit scary and might turn away even the bravest of women. Here at EAD/CFAH we wanted to create an environment where women can experience everything CrossFit has to offer-minus the intimidation factor. Thus the Women’s CrossFit program was born. Taught by women for women, these classes combine teaching of fundamental movements with CrossFit style workouts in a more relaxed environment.

Since the start of this program, I have seen tremendous growth with more and more women giving CrossFit a try. So how are things going? From a coaching perspective, I could easily rattle off 10 or 12 words to describe the classes and how they have impacted the lives of so many wonderful ladies. However, my observations pale in comparison to what the women themselves have to say about the CrossFit Women’s program.

My unofficial survey of the women in these classes revealed nothing but positive thoughts. First, they described the workouts as challenging, yet exhilarating. These women feel strong, empowered, and energized during class. There is an amazing sense of camaraderie and community among the women that keeps them coming back for more. They always feel encouraged and motivated, even on days when they are tired or sore or the workout seems impossible. They are pushed to their limits and, as a result, grow both physically and mentally stronger.

Ask any one of the women and they’ll tell you that CrossFit isn’t as scary as they once thought. This concept of CrossFit that once seemed beyond their ability is now possible. This is exactly what we had in mind last summer when creating the CrossFit Women program. My vision for the future is that this program will continue to grow bigger and better and more women will come to know and love the CrossFit Women classes at Elite Athletic Development North Arlington Heights / CrossFit Arlington Heights.

By Josh Sroufek / CrossFit Performance & Programming / CrossFit Sectionals Team & Individual Coach

“What are you doing?”

“It’s called What Fit?”

“I don’t get it.”

“That can’t be for me. I’m just trying to get off the couch.”

How many times have you tried to explain CrossFit to family, friends, or colleagues and yet they still don’t seem to get it? Even after months of training at CrossFit Arlington Heights or CrossFit Axis, some still find it tough to define what they’re doing and how it’s delivered such great results.

By definition, CrossFit is simply a strength and conditioning program. It incorporates a variety of fitness domains including cardiovascular/respiratory endurance, stamina, strength, flexibility, power, speed, agility, balance, coordination, and accuracy. By using the CrossFit methodology, one stands to improve their individual level of fitness. What is fitness you may ask? Well from the words of CrossFit, fitness is increased work capacity across broad time and modal domains. Annnndddd …I just lost you.

When was the last time you looked this happy after just drilling a workout?

In short, CrossFit gets you healthy and fit so you can get the most out of your life — whether that means a faster marathon, better endurance throughout the day, improved work performance, feeling more confident when you hit the beach, or because you’re bored with the same old “gym rat” routine. CrossFit is popular because it works. And it doesn’t get much simpler than that.

Here’s a little piece of advice the next time you describe CrossFit to someone: save your breath. Just tell them to grab their workout gear, a bottle of water and join you at Elite Athletic Development North Arlington Heights / CrossFit Arlington Heights or Elite Athletic Development Downtown / CrossFit Axis for a free class. There is no better way to explain CrossFit than to let someone experience it!