CrossFit Games SoCal Regional Qualifer... Attack begins in T minus 2 days!!

Here's the plan for my upcoming weekend of physical challenges at the CrossFit Games Southern California Regional Qualifier!

I'll be competing at 9:30 am on Saturday for workout #1...
Then I'll return for more at 2:20 pm on Saturday for workout #2...
And I'll finish up at 9:30 am on Sunday for workout #3...


Take a look at what the workouts consist of:

Workout #1

6 Rounds for time of:
30 Squats
10 Chest to Bar Pull Ups
5 Power Clean / Anyway Overhead x 155# (105# women)

This heat will consist of a 25 minute period to complete the workout.

Workout #2

3 Rounds for time of:
450m Run
30 Overhead Squats x 95# (65# women)

There will be a 20 minute period to complete this workout.

Workout #3

Will be announced on Saturday afternoon.

Want to come cheer me on??

The times I've stated above are extremely accurate. At 9:29 am, I'll be standing at my station, ready to kick some ass. Be aware of this if you're trying to come see me!

The spectator fee is $35. You can pre-register online. Or you can pay the fee at the event. Check out the EVENT SITE for directions to the event and other pertinent info.

If you cannot make it, you can be assured that I'll have some video for you next week! And tons of photos, of course :)

The top 6 women and top 6 men will qualify on to the CrossFit Games on July 10-12 in Aromas, CA! Wish me luck, friends!!

Focus on SOLUTIONS, not problems...

In honor of tax day - a day when many of us are forced to focus in clearly on our financial health - I've put together an appropriately uplifting message.

We've all got problems. Situations we need to improve or fix altogether.

Many of us are stressed about money, employment, or security. Even more of us are stressed about our level of fitness, our appearance, our pain and discomfort, and our overall health.

And I don't want to devalue these stressors. They are certainly valid issues.

However, I DO want to discourage the focus on the actual stressors.
Once we acknowledge that we have a source of stress, a tangible problem that we want to fix... then why waste time and energy worrying and worrying and worrying over that problem? What benefit will worrying be to us?? Besides causing additional stress?!

Yes, we need to recognize our problems, instead of ignoring them. But once we've laid a target on that problem, we absolutely need to begin to focus on the solutions that will alleviate, improve, or remove that problem!

• Got a hefty tax payment this year that you can't afford right this minute? Create a payment plan with the IRS. Pay off a certain amount every month. Eliminate some dinners out at restaurants until you've paid off your bill. Don't freak out and lock yourself in your room, playing the victim... Just make a plan!!

• Got unwanted fat on your midsection? (or like my friend Coop put it... got a keg surrounding the 6 pack? ha!) Create a step-by-step plan, with specific nutritional "rules" and expected exercise goals, and follow that plan! Don't whine about how it's not fair that you have fat to lose. Don't wallow in pity for your current situation.... Just find solutions and get going!!

Don't waste your time whining and crying and stressing out over a problem. Problems will always find their way into your life. Get used to it. When you get hit by a big one, there's no use fighting it... it's here to stay. It ain't goin' nowhere!

But don't accept its presence. No sir! Take that problem and attack it with some strong solutions. Because - the more you focus on progressive action... the quicker that problem will leave you alone!

ME... Doing Gymnastics!

Just for kicks!

People have been asking me for EONS about getting a peek at the routines I used to perform in my years as a gymnast. I have piles of old gymnastics VHS tapes that have been sitting in my house, collecting dust. Until now...

After all that procrastinating, I have finally transferred my beloved images into digital ones...

Enjoy the short movie I've put together for ya!

Quotation of the Week

"We must become the change we want to see." -Gandhi


Short and simple.

And in my typical way of positioning any quote toward a fitness or nutrition theme, I'll do it again with Gandhi's words...

You want to be lean and fit?
You need to live the life of a person who is lean and fit.
You need to make the decisions of a person who is lean and fit.
You need to make sacrifices if you don't already live the life of someone who is lean and fit.

You need to change (sometimes drastically) if you want to see visible change.

Remember: Doctors don't know everything!

Just a quick thought...

I visited my doctor this week. A simple annual checkup was the reason.

And as I left her office, happy to have such a caring, considerate, humorous, knowledgeable doc, I thought I might reiterate something important to all of you.

Doctors have A LOT of education and experience in the field of medicine. They know A LOT about how to react to different health issues. They can diagnose disease and sickness, they can order the proper tests that will be more effective at giving them the answers they seek, they can prescribe drugs to help with symptoms, and they can respond to emergencies with ease. They understand general human health, the human body, and its dysfunctions.

BUT...
They are not a great source of help in the preventative fields of exercise and nutrition!!

Case in point: my doctor asks ME for advice on fitness and healthy eating. Yes, she knows the basics. Yes, she knows that exercise is good for you... and she knows what foods are better for you than others. But she's not an expert.

She's an expert in medicine.
She great at reacting to a problem that has already occurred.
But she's not great at helping people to prevent that problem from occurring.

That's where I come in.

I really encourage you to enlist the help of high-quality fitness professionals when you want to create health and prevent disease. And if you do what is recommended by these fitness pros, you won't really need a doctor! Except during those annual checkups :)

I Love Butts!

Ok, first of all, get your mind out of the gutter (at least for a few minutes!).

Secondly -
Why would I profess such a thing??

Well, other than the obvious reasons...

• A well-shaped booty really IS a thing of beauty :)
• I have famously been endowed with a truly ample backside

...I simply want to describe why I absolutely LOVE to target the gluteal area in my clients' workouts.


Let's first picture a day in the life of most human beings in our current society.
Can you picture a desk, a computer... and a person seated in front of that computer?
Can you picture a car, traffic... and a person seated behind the steering wheel?
Can you picture a tv, a couch... and a person seated on that couch, exhausted after a long day of... sitting?

The average person sits a lot. It's true.
And what happens when we sit for extended periods of time?
The hip flexors become tight, and the butt becomes stretched out and weak.

The average person also neglects exercise. It's also very true, unfortunately.
And when inactivity perpetuates the adaptations of sitting... we've got problems.

When the "booty" is weak, the lower back is no longer protected. That's right! Your butt helps to protect your lower back. A strong butt will keep the pelvis in a neutral position. But a weak butt muscle will not be able to counteract the tight hip flexors. Those tight hip flexors will tilt the pelvis forward, and the muscles of the lower back will become hyperextended and irritated. Low back problems, anyone?

Plus, when the butt is weak, the knees undergo excess stress during compound lower body movements. Yes, your butt helps to keep your knees healthy! If the butt muscle is correctly activated during squatting movements, stepping-up actions, and everything in between, then there can be a balance in job delegation of all the muscles in the lower body. An inactive butt will lead to muscular imbalances (like overactive quads), excess stress on the knee joint, and knee pain. Ouch.

So, for those who sit obsessively throughout the day, working the glutes is pretty necessary for healthy lower back, hips, AND knees.


Let's now picture a group of individuals that desperately want to shed excess fat.
What are the main principles they need to follow in order to shed that fat?
They've got to make better food choices, control their portion sizes, AND burn more calories through working out.

Well...
The more muscles you use during intense training, the more calories you burn. Since your lower body houses the biggest muscles, especially the glutes, AND it contains about 75% of all the muscles in your body... including exercises that target the butt and the legs will really cause a huge metabolic disturbance. Meaning - LOTS of calories will be incinerated.


So, when the average person comes in to the gym to get some exercise, we focus A LOT on activating that big ole' butt muscle.

Not only does the butt help ensure proper alignment and function, as well as stave off pain and injury... but it also gives us a leg up on that whole calorie burning thing!

Plus, might I repeat...
A strong, tight butt sure is nice to look at. As well as tote around :)

Become a member of the butt appreciation club with me!!

Video Series - I'm talking isolation exercises??!

Yes, I'll say it.
There's a time and a place for isolation exercises.
They are not forbidden (even though I may lead you to think I believe so...)

Check out the video below to find out:

• when I might recommend the addition of isolation exercises into a training program
• how so many exercisers perform common dumbbell isolation exercises incorrectly
  

Want to learn more about isolation exercises... AND their antagonistic partner movements, compound exercises? Subscribe to my free monthly newsletter! The next issue is being released in a few days, and it contains a comprehensive feature article about isolation versus compound exercises. Sign up in the box at the top, right-hand side of this page!

Reader question - "Muscle type cannot be changed??"

We're startin' the week off with another thought-provoking reader question...

Hi Kim!!!

I am actually writing you to state my opinion on your recent blog about "Toning"!! I love that you are doing this, it's great! I was just a little concerned on the fact that you say: that muscle type cannot be changed in relation to the type of exercise. What do you mean by that, since I recall having physiology classes explaining the biology behind type of muscle fibers and all... (I, IIa...) I don't want to be picky here, or underestimate your knowledge.. I just was wondering and wanted to challenge you a little!!!

Hope things are great-

Much love
JENN O.

You KNOW I love a challenge, Jenn ;)

Okay... first of all, let's get everyone up to speed on the basics of the topic.




There are three different types of muscle fibers in the human body. Slow twitch (type I), and two types of Fast twitch (type IIa & IIb).

• Type I fibers are used in weaker contractions and endurance activities.
  
• Type IIa fibers are used in stronger contractions and more intense exercises. They contract quickly, but fatigue more easily.
  
• Type IIb fibers are used in quick, powerful, ballistic activities. Movements that are very intense and that require maximal contraction require the activation of these muscle fibers. These super quick fibers fatigue very quickly. Basically, you can't sprint at maximum speed for very long... right?

Now, each muscle has a mixture of all three fiber types. The mixture of fiber types is different in each muscle, depending on the typical function of that muscle. This is the result of eons of evolution. For instance, the muscles in the eye that control rapid eye movements during sleep... those have a greater percentage of fast-twitch fibers. The deep calf muscle, the soleus, which helps us to stand and walk around all day, is much more rich in those high endurance, slow-twitch fibers. And so on...

PLUS, based on genetics, each individual contains a personal mixture of fast and slow twitch fibers throughout the body. Which explains why some people are great at sprinting, and have quick reaction times, but find themselves awful at long-distance running and other endurance activities. And vice versa.

What Jenn is saying in her question...
She's heard that fiber types can change through training.


It seems as though the topic is still unresolved.

Some researchers have decided that...
Training can allow your existing fibers to better cope with whatever consistent exercise stress you create. They believe that you cannot morph one fiber type into another, but you CAN adapt to training and improve the natural abilities of your existing muscle fibers.

Other researchers have noted that...
Type IIa fibers can convert into Type IIb fibers with a well-designed program of high intensity resistance training or endurance training. AND, on the other side of the coin... Type IIa fibers can become Type I fibers in instances of deconditioning (lack of exercise, people!!) or spinal cord injuries. It goes both ways!

So, as I mentioned, the verdict is still undetermined. But we DO know that exercising - specifically the exercise that challenges your body - will always help your muscles improve.


That being said...
I must say, Jenn, that your question was a fabulous one! However, in the TONING blog post to which you are referring, I never really said that you couldn't change your muscle fiber type...

But I DID say that you can't change the SHAPE of your muscles!

You can make them bigger by adding size to your muscle fibers. You can make them smaller by failing to exercise and losing your lean muscle (and therefore, getting weaker!). But you cannot elongate your muscles, and you cannot make them short and stumpy. Unless they already are.

Thanks for the brilliant inquiry, Jenn! Hope that answers your question.

Keep 'em coming, friends!

**Remember!! Any other fitness/nutrition questions can be directed to kim@deliberatemovement.com!

Quotation of the Week

"Regardless of what success means to you, you can't achieve it without the help of others." -Vivian Buchan

Last Sunday, me and my homies headed down to San Diego for the spring edition of the San Diego Mud Run. We pulled together 3 teams of four. One team ran the 5K race, and the remaining two braved the 10K (which is two laps of the 5K course).

Yes, I ran the 10K :)
What else would you expect?!

It was certainly fun to compete in this super messy event as a team. This group of amazing people constantly push each other... in the gym AND at venues like the mud run.

I wouldn't have gotten as far in my physical progress as I have without them. And I'm sure they'll all be there to cheer me on in my upcoming Regional Qualifier for the CrossFit Games. Thanks for everything, you guys!!

Okay, now go and enjoy the pics below...


Captain Kim is ready to get muddy!


Part of the crew, waiting for the bus to the mud pits...


Lovely ladies, pre-mud!


Horsin' around on the bus...


Team "Mud360", right before the start of the 5K race


And here they are at the starting line!!


Team "Chocolate Surf" - looking good after an hour of obstacles


Team "CannonBallers" - ready for a big meal!!

Have a good weekend, readers :)

Willpower

I have a friend who is a psychologist.

I love learning tidbits from her concerning the brain and how we really use it.
Fascinating stuff, I tell ya!

And, today, I wanted to share with you a really interesting piece of information that I gained from my super intellectual friend.

We were discussing the idea that one's willpower doesn't seem to be strong enough to overcome the temptations we feel toward eating. I mean, why is it so hard to maintain that self-control around food in certain situations?

I'm sure you've felt it before. You may be trying to follow a healthy eating plan for performance, for fat loss, or simply for better health... and those cravings for something "bad" set in. Oftentimes, it happens when we are in social settings. It just seems so much more acceptable to drop your plan when other people are around to unconsciously coax you into doing so.

It's really a case of willpower versus emotions. And willpower often wins out.

Are we simply weak and uncommitted?

Well, no... there's more to it than that.

Let me get a little scientific for a sec.
Did you know that you don't have a section in your brain that specifically houses your willpower?

To repeat: the trait, willpower, does not have a concrete home in your brain!
And if it did - maybe it would be a visitor in the personality part of your brain.

Emotions, on the other hand, have a HUGE section of the brain to call home.
The emotional part of the brain is the first part to develop, so its the oldest, strongest, most developed part of the brain.


When we pit the emotional part of the brain up against willpower (who is unfortunately a houseguest in a smaller, weaker part of the brain)... it's almost like David vs. Goliath. Except David doesn't have any weapons to defend himself!!

So, when we get a bit stressed, emotional, or tired, that big emotional part of our brains takes over. Bye, bye, willpower. Hello, ice cream!

It's just a part of being human.

And in social situations, our behavior is determined by our expectations, our emotions, and the affect of social norms themselves. Our social behavior is NOT determined by our personality and our willpower.

The takeaway??

You DO need to have a nutritional plan, and you DO need to follow it consistently.
But you cannot punish yourself for falling off the wagon every once in a while.
Mistakes will happen. The emotional part of the brain is way too strong to prevent it.

You CAN prevent too many slip-ups by avoiding those situations when social pressure and emotional pulls can all too easily take over.

So, yes, skip that lunch outing with girlfriends when you already have a cheat meal planned with your significant other.

Maybe don't keep ice cream in the house, just in case you have a really shi**y day.

And if you mess up, don't dwell! Just remember that willpower will come visit you again someday...

(Thanks, "Dr. J"! Wink, wink)