Wouldn’t This Be Fun To Do At Your Box?

We Were Just Shooting The Shit

You know…foam rolling and stretching out before today’s WOD.

A few of us noticed a new cubby area for our abmats, PVC pipes, sandbags, and other stuff. One person said, “Uh…where did they buy that? Abmatshelvings.com?”

Not gonna lie. It was a pretty sweet setup. So good that it was hard to find the PVC pipes. They kinda just blended in with the environment.

Then we talked about how we tend to stick to our noon class. Yeah, we’re noon class loyalists 😛

The funny thing when you drop in another class is pretty much no one will know you. Our box has grown so much in the past few months, that even if you’ve had a membership for a while, you can pretty much be a total stranger in other classes.

This Could Be Fun

We were joking around that you could pretend to be a total newbie in one of these classes. Maybe even pretend you just came off the month-long on ramp session.

So you’re doing the warm up, you act like you don’t know what’s going on.Then, when it’s WOD time, you bang out your butterfly pull ups. Throw in some chest-to-bar action. Why not some muscle ups?

This Just Shows

You can’t judge a book by its cover.

And why am I talking about this kind of shit? Well, I’m competing in the Garage Games Team Throwdown this weekend at CrossFit Milford. Many people of course will look like your typical CrossFiter guy or girl. You’ll just know right away.

Then there’ll be the unlikely people who you won’t really notice right off the bat. However, once the competition starts, you’ll be shocked by their performances.

This is the kind of stuff I’m looking forward to this weekend. While I’m just doing this for fun, and am in the scaled division (I tend to crap out on higher reps of heavier weights), I wouldn’t be surprised if my teammates, myself, and the other people competing surprise ourselves with the shit we’ll pull off on Saturday and Sunday.

They just released the WOD’s about 30 minutes ago, and it goes a little something like this:

Saturday

WOD 1:
3 Rep Max OHS

WOD 2:
2 Mile Run (woof)

WOD 3:
40 reps for men/30 reps for women power cleans (185#/105#)
50/40 up and over box jumps (24″/20″)
60/50 shoulder to overhead (155#/95#)
70/60 burpee plate jumps
80/70 power snatches (75#/55#)

Sunday

WOD 4:
Total of 16 minutes max calorie Airdyne test
2 team members go for 8 minutes
Then the other 2 for the other 8 minutes

WOD 5:
Team Fran (4 people)
18 minute cap

Should be a pretty intense weekend, huh? It’ll be pretty damn fun as well.

If you’re competing this weekend or just showing up to cheer on your friends, maybe you’ll run into me…

Kip it real, my friends.

There’s a 22% Chance You’re Reading This On An iPhone

Don’t Get Me Wrong

I’ve owned both an Android Phone & Blackberry before. They’re sweet and all, but I love the ease of my iPhone, AND…a shitload of my mobile readers are iPhone users.

Almost everyone at the box is using an iPhone. You see a lot of the guys and girls who do their own training using their Apple device to keep track of their WOD times, capture vids to check their oly form, or maybe take pics of random stuff to post on Instagram.

I was just looking at the traffic coming into the site earlier today (which has been BOOMING since my return…thanks guys!), and the iPhone visits got me thinking.

What Kind Of CrossFit iPhone Apps Would You Like To See?

Now…I can only do a tiny bit of HTML/CSS web coding (I use a drag-and-drop WordPress theme by the way lol) and have only dabbled in other coding languages, but I know I can definitely make something sweet for the iPhone. Ya know? Get the KippingItReal name out there.

I have to learn some mobile app development anyway so I can audit a future employee’s work. It’d suck if someone in-house or a freelance tried screwing us over with shoddy code.

Also, whatever CrossFit-related iPhone apps out there are most likely lacking. I’m sure I can make your CrossFit life easier with some sort of iPhone app.

So How About This?

I’ll shoot out some ideas to get your imagination flowing. Then post some comments below if you have any thoughts on my ideas or if there’s anything particular you had in mind.

4 Random CrossFit iPhone App Ideas

1) WOD Tracker

Okay, I wanted to start out with the most unoriginal idea, since there are already several WOD trackers out there. I simply use Evernote to sync with my computer (highly suggested…great for keeping track of anything in your life). It’s also what I use to keep track of my eating.

However, there’s always room for improvement for such an app. Maybe it can be combined with other stuff.

2) Timer App

How about different timers? Like a Tabata timer with 20 seconds on, 10 seconds off for however many rounds you set.

Oh you have a workout that’s broken up into different segments? E.g. Part A is 5 minutes long, then a 2 minute rest, followed by Part B which is 4 minutes long, 2 minute rest, Part C which is 6 minutes long…etc…

…you simply plug in the times for each round and for each rest period. Just something simple like that.

3) Nutritional/Paleo App

Haha I know I said Paleo isn’t the answer, but I’m sure a lot of you would love some sort of guidance with your Paleo eating. Hell…maybe even I’d benefit from such an app.

Like it’d contain a library of Paleo-friendly food so you can quickly look this stuff up as you’re grocery shopping or eating out. Maybe a recipe aggregator that’d grab stuff from the top Paleo sites out there. Or maybe a Paleo recipe generator.

Don’t know what to cook for the week? Shake your iPhone like a Magic 8 Ball and you’ll get the recipe you were meant to prepare haha.

Of course, you can use it to keep track of what you eat, and maybe have certain reminders, such as “EAT ENOUGH GREENS FOR LUNCH” or “GET IN ENOUGH FAT YOU FUCK”

Maybe some sort of social component similar to Instagram can work where you share what you eat. Yeah, you really shouldn’t care if your friends on Instagram or Facebook hate when you post your Paleo meals, but at least on here you can get exposure and suggestions from other like-minded people.

4) The Mobile Coach

Nothing beats getting legit instruction from a legit coach. However, you might be traveling and working out at a globo, or maybe you’re just at home, wondering how the hell you’re supposed to do a muscle up.

It’s gonna be a pain in the ass trying to browse YouTube to get the best instructional videos on various CrossFit movements. Not all of us have the time. I can simply put together a collection of the best videos out there and make them really easy to access on your iPhone.

So What Do You Think?

Post your comments below!

Btw…I’m starting a weekly Kipping It Real newsletter! If you want to hear more developments on this iPhone app or maybe you want to get more tips like yesterday’s burpee post, become a member today!

Don’t worry…it’s free and there’s no way I’m selling your info. It’ll also help me keep in touch with you guys on a more intimate level (you know you like that :P). Maybe I’ll actually reveal more info about myself…

Fill This Shit Out!

First Name:

Email:

1 Simple Tip To Improve Your Burpees By 111%*

*Actual percentage may vary

During my blogging hiatus, this was one tip that was a game-changer for my burpees.

For the longest time, I HATED burpees. I always felt like throwing up after like 5 of them. And every time we had them in a WOD, it’s like my brains were blowing out. Dropping weight did help me A LOT when I did my last Paleo challenge, but there was still something wrong with my burpees.

Part of the reason for this…

…was my lack of breathing.

It’s something that I didn’t learn until recently. To solve this problem, I would simply breath hard through my mouth right off the bat, which has helped me a lot with longer, 20+ minute burners. One of our coaches taught us to breathe 4 times during each burpee – twice on the way down and twice on the way up.

And no…that’s not the simple tip lol. That’d be weak shit.

Here It Is:

Do you ever feel that burn in your legs after a few burpees?

If that’s the case, then maybe it’s the transition from push up to your feet. Do you notice yourself landing in a frog-like, squat position?

Let me demonstrate through some drawings (not my best…but I’ll try):

Yep, that’s our mascot “Kip” showing us how not to do them and how to do them.

Okay, obviously in the first picture, Kip is about to come out of the push up position. Then in the bottom-left pic, he landed in a squat position. That extra strain on your legs is gonna burn you the fuck out.

So the trick is to transition from the push up to your feet with your legs as straight as possible. This maybe seem harder, especially if your hamstrings are tight or you still need to work on your flexibility. Regardless, improving your transition to your feet will change your burpees drastically.

At least it did for me and for others in that Saturday noon class I went to. I can’t thank my coach enough for that 1 tip.

If you’re someone who struggles with burpees, give this a shot. Who knows? You might actually grow to like this movement…

P.S. 1 last tip before I call it a night and read the new Harry Potter…I MEAN…JK Rowling book…

…when you drop to the ground to begin the burpee, once again, don’t land into a squat position and break your fall. Just DROP to your motherfuckin hips!

Practice it a bit, and you’ll learn how to drop safely and properly. Yeah, this may be tough for some of you with really minimal CrossFit shoes that have thin toe areas. Just make any necessary adjustments. Combine these 2 leg-saving tips, and you’ll feel a drastic difference in efficiency.

And as I’ve said before…I’m no expert. This is just shit that’s worked for me. Enjoy!

Paleo Isn’t The Answer

Fuck Paleo. It’s garbage. Eliminate grains? No dairy? What is this nonsense?

What the hell does Robb Wolf smoke?

Don’t you get TIRED of hearing Paleo this, Paleo that?

Seriously, You Guys

Or not so seriously 😛

Okay, okay…Paleo is legit in my eyes. It’s hands-down one of the cleanest ways you can eat and live, and most people do see weight loss and performance improvements you can’t see elsewhere.

And I said MOST people.

I’ve heard of people from my box who’ve done Paleo challenges, and despite staying decently clean, the results weren’t there. Of course, there can be factors such as sleep quality, stress levels, and the like that can throw your progress off.

Or maybe something like a food allergy can come into play. You never know. That’s why it’s pretty cool how my box has been offering food allergy tests to see what may be holding people back.

Now what about performance?

A buddy of mine I’ve known since elementary school just recently dropped out of the Lurong Living Paleo Challenge. No, it’s not because he sucks at keeping his nutrition intact.

He seems like the kind of guy who can naturally burn off fat, so losing fat wasn’t the issue for him. It’s just that under that challenge’s guidelines, it was hard for him to get enough food in his system to fuel him for his tough workouts.

Sure, he could probably up his fats and his carbs, but he does fine with throwing in some grain into the mix. The guy was a swimmer all his life, so he’s used to it.

Paleo Nutrition Isn’t For Everyone

As much as I love the results it can give most people, it’s not the be-all, end-all of nutrition.

In the end, it really comes down to what works for you.

I’m really stoked to see my friends at the box participate in this challenge, and I really hope they do reach their goals. However, from my own experience and what we know of human nature, Paleo challenges tend to end in disaster for the majority.

For the first timers, that’s fuckin awesome. Doing a Paleo challenge really opens your eyes to what’s possible. And some of you out there actually stick with it for the long run, like my loyal reader Elisa.

For a lot of people, they do well with the challenge, but then shit the bed right after. And what about the pre-challenge binge weekend…or should I say week?

As I said, if it’s your first challenge, that’s cool. Once you know what you have to do, try to find a nutritional lifestyle that works with the kind of person you are. Some people might find the lifestyle of eating 98-100% clean fine for them, while many, like myself can’t live without all the terrible, terrible food out there.

Seeing one of my friends say how much she hates the dieting she has to do during this challenge made me think of this. If you really hate it that much, do you really expect to keep this up forever?

Do you think you’ll constantly be progressing? Or will you just go through the whole yo-yo effect?

Part of the challenge is that internal battle you have. You are your own worst enemy. My take? Why pick fights when you can figure out ways to satisfy your cravings along with your goals?

For the longest time, I was having this internal struggle when it came to eating healthy. I’d catch myself blaming others and all sorts of external factors.

That’s weak shit.

It took me a while to realize, yes, this stuff is in my control. I just needed to stop finding others to blame for my lack of progress.

Why?

The only person I could really blame was myself.

Once I managed to accept that and started developing a more long term solution to my nutrition, I became a much happier, more carefree person.

Learn To Listen To Your Body

As you’re the only one who can really tell what’s right for it.

Think of Paleo as a starting point. You can do many awesome things with your health by following this blueprint, but the only way to really reach your goals and feel happy as you take upon this journey is to find a path of your own.

Kip it real, my friends.

I Love Bacon: Try Out This SIMPLE Recipe

First of All: Why I Love Bacon

Okay, I LOVE BACON because of the grease, the smell that spreads from your kitchen to the rest of the house. Yes, your whole house smells after cooking something with bacon, but it’s so damn worth it.

Your mouth waters whenever you think of it.

And once you sink your teeth into those hot and crispy bits of bacon, you feel a sense of euphoria. All that other crap in your life? You can forget about it.

All that matters is bacon.

Shit, I can smell it right now as I’m typing this entry out, and I’m fuckin craving what I cooked earlier today. Man is it good. Even my parents approved, and they’re not easy to please when it comes to food since they’re all about cooking, especially my dad.

Okay, Enough About Why I Love Bacon

So what did I cook?

Broccoli & Bacon.

It was pretty damn quick and simple. Got some inspiration from part of this Everyday Paleo recipe (bottom section about brussel sprouts & bacon). Her brussel sprout version is actually quite delicious, making that vegetable most of us hate actually quite enjoyable. She does have her own Paleo diet cookbook, so it’s no surprise.

Gotta love these Paleo bacon recipes.

Ingredients:
• Pack of bacon (mine was maple-flavored)
• 8 cups of broccoli diced (can be fresh or frozen)
• Dill weed & black pepper

Dice the bacon and place in a skillet until it’s crispy. Dice the broccoli during this time. Defrost if frozen. Once the bacon’s crispy, toss the diced broccoli into the skillet and cook for around 10 minutes. Season with dill weed and black pepper to your liking.

Drain the bacon oil if you think it’s a bit too much for you. Personally, I enjoy having a decent amount still in the skillet so the broccoli absorbs that GREASE.

Is That Really It?

Yep.

This takes me like 15 minutes to prepare, and it sure makes it easier to enjoy greens. You can pretty much replace the broccoli with the vegetable of your choice.

Usually I just force myself to consume vegetables, which is fine at first. Then it really gets to my head after a while.

So why not throw some bacon into the mix? Fuck yeah.

I’ll admit that I’m someone who doesn’t live the Paleo lifestyle 100%, but this is a great addition to whatever healthy eating plan you use. Tomorrow I’ll delve deeper into my nutritional development over the past few months.

Let me just ask you this: Is Paleo the be-all, end-all nutritional path?

Enjoy the bacon and broccoli!

Kip it real, my friends.