CrossFit Santa Rosa 1005H Cleveland Ave, Santa Rosa, CA 95401 (707) 542-7725

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Annadel 2010 is a two day festival the weekend of September 11-12, and features a 12-mile Race (running), a 24-mile Mountain Bike Race, an Equestrian “Poker Ride”, and an Outdoor Treasure Hunt, great for families. Finishers of the races get a medal, an event t-shirt, and a catered post-race meal that includes a nice, cold Lagunitas beer. Who’s in?

The whole event supports state and regional parks, and is a collaborative effort between the Sonoma County Agriculture Preservation and Open Space District, California State Parks, Sonoma County Regional Parks, Bike Monkey LLC, Fleet Feet of Santa Rosa, REI Store of Santa Rosa and the Sonoma County Horse Council.

This sounds like great fun for a good cause. To learn more about Annadel 2010, or register for any of the events, check out the event website. If several CFSR folks go, let’s meet up. Post to comments if you’re interested.

She’s pretty easy to spot, you’ve just gotta find the right picture. Emily completed CrossFit’s Level 1 certification this weekend! Plan on seeing her shadowing, assisting, and student-teaching private sessions, On Ramp, and regular classes in the future. Congratulations Emily!

I wrote an email to a number of CFSR members, asking them about why they chose to follow a paleo/primal diet, what their goals were in doing so, what paleo and/or primal eating means to them, and what impact it’s had on their lives. This response comes from Brianna, who continues to get stronger and faster each week:

The goals that I have for myself in joining CrossFit led me to paleo/primal eating. I wanted to lose weight (of course) but I also wanted to feel strong, be healthy and be fit. When Joanna recommended it, it was difficult. I mean, I once lived off ravioli with homemade pesto sauce so how could I possibly think I could give up my love of pasta?!

I made it through the first two weeks and I noticed a huge increase in my performance ability. I felt better, had more energy, and was definitely getting stronger. I will allow myself the occasional treat – a great piece of cake at my wedding, some of the homemade pizza my Dad makes – but my digestive tract definitely feels the effects of those choices. As does my ability to perform!

Paleo/primal eating has been the right choice for me in understanding how my body works and what works best for my body. I want the best results so I choose to put the best possible fuel in my body. And I’ve been nothing but impressed with the results so far.

wants all of you to understand why stretching is so important. It’s because you need to eliminate the fuzz! This video was posted on the San Francisco CrossFit blog. Watch it:

Got something to say? Speak up! Post to comments.

When done correctly and with a challenging weight or object, Turkish Get Ups are taxing to the body and brain. If they feel easy to you, then add weight or try an odd-shaped object like a barbell, sandbag, or…?

I wrote an email to a number of CFSR members, asking them about why they chose to follow a paleo/primal diet, what their goals were in doing so, what paleo and/or primal eating means to them, and what impact it’s had on their lives. Here’s the first in a brief series of responses I’ll be posting on the blog. This one comes from Dr. Josh.

The next generation! Josh and Jeneane's son Ryan.

“I chose to begin eating this way upon the recommendations of the fearless leader of CrossFit Santa Rosa. Plus, read Sisson’s book cover-to-cover and made sense. My goals were pretty simple: feel better, lose weight, improve health and lifestyle.

I’m a dairy-inclusive primal eater, though it’s limited to cream in my coffee and raw milk (though not very often) and good cheese. My grain exposure is limited to beer, though on my occasional 20% days have included pizza and cookies. Those, however, are few and far between; beer is less and less.

My journey began with a personal trial of eating primal. At the end of December, I worked 3 overnight shifts in a row in the ER. Ate in the normal way: sandwiches, couple of cookies, chips and salsa, maybe some candy. Anything to keep the motor “running” through the dark hours. Results: felt like crap, mood swings, hunger pangs, didn’t sleep well during the day. Basically, carb hangovers to the extreme. A week later, I had another set of 3 overnights, but had gone primal. The difference was amazing: no hunger pangs, no mood swings, no energy crashes, slept well during the day, felt refreshed and energetic during my shift AND when I was off. My sleep was restful and refreshing. Even my co-workers noticed the difference!

I’ve even managed to turn my parents on to eating primal. My mom, a recovering smoker and arthritis sufferer, has had no hand pain and minimal joint pain. My stepdad has lost 15 pounds and has more energy than my mom can handle!

My difficulties are the usual: “You don’t eat rice/bread/pasta/cookies?” “Your heart is going to explode with all that bacon and eggs.” “Where are the burger buns?”

My answer is: I’ve never felt better. Never been thinner. Totally tell the difference when I “cheat” and eat grains and simple carbs (can you say carb hangover???).

It’s easy to eat, easy to do, just takes some getting used to. Once you go Primal, you’ll never look back; the alternative just makes ya feel too crappy.”

Josh recently had shoulder surgery and is rehabbing, but we’re looking forward to his return!

It’s the middle of summer, and many of us have been away – vacations, honeymoons, work travel. Sometimes life gets in the way of our training regimen and we end up with an extended period where we’re not hitting classes, and maybe not getting any exercise at all. Heck, I myself had a three week hiatus from training this summer!

I know that it can be intimidating to return. You’re afraid you won’t be able to do it, won’t finish the workout, will be way too sore afterwards. So maybe you avoid coming back in, telling yourself you need to, but putting it off till another day? Well here’s a little primer on how to return to training after a break:

1. The first step is just to get your butt in here. We love you. We miss you. Chances are that someone here wants to see you, as I’ve been regularly asked, “Where has (insert your name here) been?” You’ll get smiles, maybe some hugs, people will be happy to see you. Get in your car, or on your bike, or whatever, and just show up at a class.

2. Plan extra time for your warm up. Arrive 10 minutes before class, get a general running or rowing warm up in, then start doing some dynamic stretching. If you’re not sure what stretches to do, ask us. Follow the prescribed warm up, then use the foam roller. A really, really thorough warm up is essential to anyone returning to training after a break.

3. Focus on the strength training portion of the class, not the WOD. Depending on what the strength workouts are the week you return, we may modify the rep scheme or the movements to get your body and brain back into the swing of things. This is not the time to go for any PRs; focus on form. The strength sets will feel good, and will fire up your neuromuscular communication so that by the end, you’ll feel ready to go into the WOD.

4. Take it easy! As I already said, this isn’t the time for try for a strength PR or to up your numbers. And if you happen to hit a named WOD, don’t think you’re going to beat your last time. Do the best you can, but stay focused on treating your body right, not on your score. Once you’re in the swing of things and have attended several classes over a few weeks, you’ll get back to your former performance levels.

5. Plan extra time for your post-workout stretching and recovery. Just as you should come in a little early, plan on staying a little later. Stretch with the class after the WOD, and then spend a little extra time on the areas you know will be or are tight. The foam roller is your friend!

6. As usual, drink plenty of water before and after working out, and avoid inflammatory foods – sugars, grains, alcohol, trans-fats and vegetable oils, maybe dairy or nightshades or any foods you know you’re sensitive to.

Ok? We’ll see you soon.

If you missed Good Cooking Fats, Part I, it was about ghee. Go read it.

Now we bring you:

Rendered duck fat (left) and pork fat (right)

These are great cooking fats. Make sure they’re sourced from pastured animals! I got the duck fat at the Santa Rosa Farmers Market from Salmon Creek Farm ($8 for the jar) and the pork fat (a.k.a. lard) from Marin Sun Farms at the Marin Farmers Market ($4 for the tub). The duck fat is rich and flavorful, great for eggs, vegetables, and meat, and is classically used to make confit. The pork fat I find to be quite flavorless, and has been perfect to brown and saute small pieces of meat, like chicken, in a skillet, adding whatever seasoning and herbs I wish. Anyone have recipes or other suggestions for their use?

Read “The Skinny on Fats” from the Weston A Price Foundation to understand more about why these high quality saturated fats are actually good for you, and how the modern fats (canola and soy oils, any hydrogenated oils, margarine, etc.) – touted as the solution to high heart disease rates- are actually bad stuff. Go. Read it now. Then go to the Know Your Fats article index and geek out on any of the other articles you find.

Thoughts? Questions? Post to comments.

Click here to watch the live webcast all weekend. Post to comments.