WHAT YOU WILL FIND ON PERFORMANCE QUEST FITNESS & ATHLETICS' BLOG

A collection of websites, articles, blog posts, videos, comments, studies, etc. from other forerunners in the areas of performance that will be covered, along with my own rants, raves, thoughts and ideas about selected topics. Also this blog serves as a showcase of the accomplishments and achievements of the hard-working athletes of Performance Quest Fitness & Athletics.

Wednesday, July 27, 2011

Watch The 2011 CrossFit Games Live!

THURSDAY, JULY 28TH, 2011

No Class

NOTE: There will be no class this Thursday, Friday, or Saturday as I and the rest of the CrossFit Redding Staff will be traveling to Carson, CA to witness the 2011 CrossFit Games in all its splendid glory! For those of you who are not making the trip along with us you can watch the games live here...2011 CrossFit Games Live Streaming Video. Also, you can catch the action at the 2011 CrossFit Games on ESPN3, starting Friday, July 29th at 6 PDT.


Coach Justin
PerformanceQuestFitness@gmail.com

Amazing Race Highlight

WEDNESDAY, JULY 27TH, 2011
Baseball Class 5:00pm
Open Class 7:00pm

NOTE: There will be no class this Thursday, Friday, or Saturday as I and the rest of the CrossFit Redding Staff will be traveling to Carson, CA to witness the 2011 CrossFit Games in all its splendid glory! For those of you who are not making the trip along with us you can watch the games live here...2011 CrossFit Games Live Streaming Video


I understand that this might be completely unrelated to the intention of this blog but I can't help but post it. Hope you're able to enjoy it as much as i did...do!



Coach Justin
PerformanceQuestFitness@gmail.com

Monday, July 25, 2011

The Disease: Muted Hip Function (A Costly Biomechanical Fault)

TUESDAY, JULY 26TH, 2011

4:00pm Open Class

6:00pm Foothill Volleyball


NOTE: There will be no class this Thursday, Friday, or Saturday as I and the rest of the CrossFit Redding Staff will be traveling to Carson, CA to witness the 2011 CrossFit Games in all its splendid glory! For those of you who are not making the trip along with us you can watch the games live here...2011 CrossFit Games Live Streaming Video



MUTED HIP FUNCTION
The most powerful forces that can be generated by the human body are initiated, controlled, and dominated by the hip. Unfortunately, in the majority of trainees, some degree of hip dysfunction creates postures and mechanics that reduce power and stability and are generally unsound. The faulty mechanics arise from inadequate training and insufficient practice of critical hip movements. CrossFit has named this widespread fault "muted hip function" or "MHF."Coach Justin
PerformanceQuestFitness@gmail.com

Sunday, July 24, 2011

How To Get Kicked Out Of Your Gym In 10 Days Or Less

MONDAY, JULY 25TH, 2011

Baseball Class 9:30am

Open Class 6:00pm


NOTE: There will be no class this Thursday, Friday, or Saturday as I and the rest of the CrossFit Redding Staff will be traveling to Carson, CA to witness the 2011 CrossFit Games in all its splendid glory! For those of you who are not making the trip along with us you can watch the games live here...2011 CrossFit Games Live Streaming Video


HOW TO GET KICKED OUT OF YOUR GYM IN 10 DAYS OR LESS


Day 1

Bring your own music - use a boom box - and turn it up to inspirational levels and start working out. AC/DC's "Thunderstruck" should do the trick.


Day 2

Set up a circuit like one of the typical CrossFit "Workouts of the Day" and put a sign up at each station advising others that this equipment is reserved to accurate timing of you effor.


Day 3

While practicing the Olympic lifts drop a max load from overhead. This may do it right here.


Day 4

Find a twenty-inch platform and perform box jumps. Try three sets of two minutes of max jumps. Bizarrely, this one irks the shtuff out of most gym management.


Day 5

Take a pair of dumbbells out into the parking lot to do walking lunges. You may be accused of theft.


Day 6

Bring several powerlifting buddies to do some super heavy deadlifts. Don't forget to grunt, scream, and use chalk!


Day 7

If the gym has support poles climb them. If not, find something to climb; sling a rope over a beam or rafters, attach some climbing holds to the wall and use them. You won't get to the climbing part if you need to attach anything. You may get stopped at the door coming in with a twenty-five foot coil of two-inch rope.


Day 8

Work out with your shirt off. If you don't get a reaction have your girlfriend or wife take hers off.


Day 9

Walk on you hands, or do handstand push-ups or some other basic gymnastics stuff.


Day 10

If you've gotten this far, this one is the clincher. Record your efforts by writing them on the wall.

Coach Justin
PerformanceQuestFitness@gmail.com

Thursday, July 21, 2011

Will This Be The Last We Ever Hear Of Soy?

FRIDAY, JULY 22ND, 2011

9:00am Baseball Class

6:00pm Open Class

Had enough of the soy posts yet? Maybe you're beginning to understand how easy it is for a good marketing scheme to persuade the media and you about the integrity of your food...warranted or not. If yesterday did not drive the point home then today should.

By Dr. Joseph Mercola

GOVERNMENT AND AGRIBUSINESS SHENANIGANS
Why Silk Soy Milk's Parent Company Is Throwing Farmers And Consumers Under The Bus
Weston A. Price Foundation To FDA: Soy Is Not A Health Food
Soy Ruled No Health Food
Research Uncovers Yet Another Soy Myth
Soy "Miracle" Turns Bad In Argentina
If You're Suffering From A Medical Problem Caused By Soy, You May Now Be Able To Take Legal Action
The Shadow Of Soy
Scientists Protest Soy Approval
Soybean Crisis

SOY AND YOUR REPRODUCTIVE SYSTEM
Soy Supplements Fail To Help Menopause Symptoms
Soy Has Little, If Any, Effect On Heart Disease, Hot Flashes
Eating Soy Can Decrease Your Fertility
Soy-Based Foods No Good As A Hormone Replacement
What Works Better For Hormones - Soy Or Flax?
Soy Supplements Can Decrease Sexual Behavior
Chemical In Soybeans Causes Sexual Dysfunction In Male Rats
Caution Urged On Soy Menopause Remedies
Even Cheetahs Can't Tolerate Soybeans
Doubt Cast On Soy For Menopause
Cancer, Heart Health: Making Sense Of Soy
Study Doubts Soy For Hot Flashes - Supplements May Not Work

SOY AND YOUR THYROID
Fatigue, Dry Skin, Gaining Weight? See Why You'd Better Check Your Thyroid
Soy Formulas And The Effects Of Isoflavones On The Thyroid

SOY AND YOUR BRAIN
Why Tofu Wrecks Your Brain
Too Much Tofu Induces Brain Aging
Soy And Brain Damage
Soy May Cause Cancer And Brain Damage

SOY AND YOUR HEART
Soy Has Little, If Any, Effect On Heart Disease, Hot Flashes
Soy No Help To Women With Heart Disease Prevention
Soy Can Increase Heart Disease Risk
Soy: Too Good To Be True

SOY AND YOUR KIDNEYS
Soy Can Lead To Kidney Stones

SOY AND CANCER RISK
Soy Maker Omits Studies That Soy May Cause Cancer
Certain Soy and Oyster Sauces Containing Cancer-Causing Chemicals
Experts Concerned About Soy And Breast Cancer
Soy May Cause Cancer And Brain Damage

SOY AND ALLERGIES
Genetically Engineered Soybeans May Cause Allergies
Soy Can Cause Severe Allergic Reactions

OTHER SOY ISSUES
Rebuttal To Seriously Confused Soy Enthusiasts
Don't Be Fooled - Calcium Content In Soy And Rice Milk Misleading
Massive Deforestation Of The Amazon For Soybean Crops

Coach Justin
PerformanceQuestFitness@gmail.com

Wednesday, July 20, 2011

Soy Is NOT A Health Food

THURSDAY, JULY 21ST, 2011

Open Class 4:00pm

Foothill Volleyball 6:00pm

If the recent posts about soy haven't been enough to discourage you or your family/friends from consuming it then check out the list below and reevaluate...By Dr. Joseph Mercola

SOY IS NOT A HEALTH FOOD
New Research On Why You Should Avoid Soy
Which Veggie Burgers Were Made With A Neurotoxin
The Evidence Against Soy
What's So Bad About Tofu
Why Soy Is NOT The Health Food You Think It Is
The Whole Soy Story: The Dark Side Of America's Favorite Health Food
Concerns Regarding Soy Beans
More Evidence Soy Is Not As Healthy As Originally Believed
Soy Milk Is Unhealthy
Experts Finally Recongnize The Dangers With Soy
Soy Myth Exposed: Soy Is Not A Health Food
The Truth About Soy
What You Don't Know About America's Favorite Health Food
Think Soy Is Healthy: Here's Why It's Not As Good As You Think
Soy Milk Is Gaining Popularity In America
Researchers Take A Second Look At Soy Foods
Response To Those Who Believe Soy Is Healthy
They're Taking The Joy Out Of Soy
ABC News Does Special On Soy Friday (Special on 20/20 about the dangers of soy)
New Avoid Soy Update
Soy: Too Good To Be True
Learn The Truth About Soy: Just How Much Do Asians Eat

THE DANGERS OF SOY FOR CHILDREN, INFANTS AND PREGNANT WOMEN
Pregnant Women Should Not Eat Soy Products
Link Between High Soy Diet During Pregnancy And Nursing And Eventual Developmental
Changes In Children
Using Soy In Schools
Soy Weakens Your Immune System
Soy Is An Endocrine Disrupter And Can Disrupt Your Child's Health

HOW SOY INFANT FORMULAS CAN DEVASTATE YOUR CHILD'S HEALTH
Which Infant Formulas Contain Hidden Toxic Chemicals
Soy Formula Exposes Infants To High Hormone Levels
Finally Infant Soy Formula Under Investigation
Healthy Alternative To Conventional Infant Formula
Soy Formula May Stunt The Intestinal Growth In Your Baby
Soy Formula Kills Three Babies
Soy Baby Formula Linked To Behavioral Problems
Experts Dispute JAMA Soy Infant Formula
Australian Pediatric Soy Protein Formula Policy
Soy Milk Is Safe! That Is What The Formula Industry Says
Responses To Manganese In Soy Infant Formula Article
How Safe Is Soy Infant Formula
Learn The Truth About Soy. Just How Much Soy Do Asians Eat?
Genetically Engineered Soybeans May Cause Allergies
Monsanto Under Investigation By Seven U.S. States
FDA Scientists Wary Of Soy

Coach Justin
PerformanceQuestFitness@gmail.com

Tips For Avoiding Unwanted Soy Foods

WEDNESDAY, JULY 20TH, 2011

9:00am Baseball Class

7:00pm Open Class




For a simple rule of thumb, just remember that unless soy is fermented (tempeh, miso, natto, or traditionally made soy sauce), you’re better off avoiding it.

Soy foods to avoid include:

Tofu

TVP (texturized vegetable protein) or soy protein isolate, which contains a large amount of msg, which you should definitely not consume



The best way to eliminate non-fermented soy from your diet is to avoid all processed foods and instead purchase whole foods that you prepare yourself.


If you do buy packaged foods, you can check the label to see if it contains soy. The Food Allergen Labeling and Consumer Protection Act, which took effect in January 2006, requires that food manufacturers list soy on the label, because it’s one of the top eight food allergens.



So, even if soy is hidden in colors, flavors, or spice blends added to foods, it must be clearly stated on the label.



One other common source of soy is lecithin which is used as a emulsifier in many foods and supplements. Most lecithin in the US is derived from soy but there are some newer products that extract it from organic sunflower. We switched over to the organic sunflower lecithin a few years ago in all of our products.



If you wish to know more about soy, I have provided a list of links below to the many articles I’ve posted over the years on this subject. Remember, the only way to avoid falling victim to shrewd marketing and misinformation is to become knowledgeable about what the research actually says, and this is often different from what is commonly passed around as “fact.”

Coach Justin
PerformanceQuestFitness@gmail.com

Tuesday, July 19, 2011

Sunday, July 17, 2011

Friday, July 15, 2011

The Truth About Soy Foods - What Soy Products Are Good For You

FRIDAY, JULY 15TH, 2011
Baseball Class 9:00am
Open Class 10:00am

NOTE: There will be no Saturday class this week.



I want to be clear that I am not opposed to all soy. Soy can be incredibly healthful, but ONLY if it is organic and properly fermented.

After a long fermentation process, the phytate and “anti-nutrient” levels of soybeans are reduced, and their beneficial properties become available to your digestive system.

You may have heard that Japanese people live longer and have lower rates of cancer than Americans because they eat so much soy—but it’s primarily fermented soy that they consume, and it’s always been that way.

Fermented soy products are the only ones I recommend consuming.


These are the primary fermented soy products you’ll find:


  • Tempeh a fermented soybean cake with a firm texture and nutty, mushroom-like flavor.

  • Miso, a fermented soybean paste with a salty, buttery texture (commonly used in miso soup).

  • Natto, fermented soybeans with a sticky texture and strong, cheese-like flavor.

  • Soy sauce, which is traditionally made by fermenting soybeans, salt and enzymes; be wary because many varieties on the market today are made artificially using a chemical process.

Please note that tofu is NOT on this list. Tofu is not fermented, so is not among the soy foods I recommend.

Coach Justin
PerformanceQuestFitness@gmail.com

Thursday, July 14, 2011

The Truth About Soy Foods - What Makes Soy Such a Risky Food To Eat?

THURSDAY, JULY 14TH, 2011

Open Class 4:00pm

Foothill Volleyball 6:00pm


NOTE: Tomorrow's class (Friday) will be held at 10:00am instead of 6:00pm.




Here is a summary of soy’s most glaring problems.


  1. 91 percent of soy grown in the US is genetically modified (GM). The genetic modification is done to impart resistance to the toxic herbicide Roundup. While this is meant to increase farming efficiency and provide you with less expensive soy, the downside is that your soy is loaded with this toxic pesticide. The plants also contain genes from bacteria that produce a protein that has never been part of the human food supply. GM soy has been linked to an increase in allergies. Disturbingly, the only published human feeding study on GM foods ever conducted verified that the gene inserted into GM soy transfers into the DNA of our gut bacteria and continues to function. This means that years after you stop eating GM soy, you may still have a potentially allergenic protein continuously being produced in your intestines.
    Even more frightening is the potential for GM soy to cause infertility in future generations, which has been evidenced by recent Russian research.

  2. Soy contains natural toxins known as “anti-nutrients.”
    Soy foods contain anti-nutritional factors such as saponins, soyatoxin, phytates, protease inhibitors, oxalates, goitrogens and estrogens. Some of these factors interfere with the enzymes you need to digest protein. While a small amount of anti-nutrients would not likely cause a problem, the amount of soy that many Americans are now eating is extremely high.

  3. Soy contains hemagglutinin.
    Hemagglutinin is a clot-promoting substance that causes your red blood cells to clump together. These clumped cells are unable to properly absorb and distribute oxygen to your tissues.

  4. Soy contains goitrogens.
    Goitrogens are substances that block the synthesis of thyroid hormones and interfere with iodine metabolism, thereby interfering with your thyroid function.

  5. Soy contains phytates.
    Phytates (phytic acid) bind to metal ions, preventing the absorption of certain minerals, including calcium, magnesium, iron, and zinc -- all of which are co-factors for optimal biochemistry in your body. This is particularly problematic for vegetarians, because eating meat reduces the mineral-blocking effects of these phytates (so it is helpful—if you do eat soy—to also eat meat).

  6. Soy is loaded with the isoflavones genistein and daidzein
    Isoflavones are a type of phytoestrogen, which is a plant compound resembling human estrogen. These compounds mimic and sometimes block the hormone estrogen, and have been found to have adverse effects on various human tissues. Soy phytoestrogens are known to disrupt endocrine function, may cause infertility, and may promote breast cancer in women.
    Drinking even two glasses of soymilk daily for one month provides enough of these compounds to alter your menstrual cycle. Although the FDA regulates estrogen-containing products, no warnings exist on soy.

  7. Soy has toxic levels of aluminum and manganese
    Soybeans are processed (by acid washing) in aluminum tanks, which can leach high levels of aluminum into the final soy product. Soy formula has up to 80 times higher manganese than is found in human breast milk.

  8. Soy infant formula puts your baby’s health at risk.
    Nearly 20 percent of U.S. infants are now fed soy formula, but the estrogens in soy can irreversibly harm your baby’s sexual development and reproductive health. Infants fed soy formula take in an estimated five birth control pills’ worth of estrogen every day.
    Infants fed soy formula have up to 20,000 times the amount of estrogen in circulation as those fed other formulas!

There is also the issue of pesticides and genetic modification.



Soy foods are both heavily sprayed with pesticides and genetically modified (GM). More than 80 percent of the soy grown in the United States is GM. And more than 90 percent of American soy crops are GM.



Since the introduction of GM foods in 1996, we’ve had an upsurge in low birth weight babies, infertility, and other problems in the U.S. population, and animal studies thus far have shown devastating effects from consuming GM soy.



You may want to steer clear of soy products for no other reason than a commitment to avoiding GM foods... unless you wish to be a lab animal for this massive uncontrolled experiment by the biotech industry.


Coach Justin


PerformanceQuestFitness@gmail.com

Wednesday, July 13, 2011

The Truth About Soy Foods - The Dark Side of Soy

WEDNESDAY, JULY 13TH, 2011

Baseball Class 9:00am

Open Class 7:00pm


NOTE: Open Class this Friday will be held at 10:30am.





The vast majority of soy at your local market is not a health food. The exception is fermented soy, which I’ll explain more about later and even worse GMO soy that is contaminated with large pesticide residues as the reason it is GMO is so they can spray the potent toxic herbicide Roundup on them to improve crop production by killing the weeds.

Unlike the Asian culture, where people eat small amounts of whole non-GMO soybean products, western food processors separate the soybean into two golden commodities—protein and oil.

And there is nothing natural or safe about these products.

Dr. Kaayla Daniel, author of The Whole Soy Story, points out thousands of studies linking soy to malnutrition, digestive distress, immune-system breakdown, thyroid dysfunction, cognitive decline, reproductive disorders and infertility—even cancer and heart disease.

Here is just a sampling of the health effects that have been linked to soy consumption:

Breast cancer
Brain damage
Infant abnormalities
Thyroid disorders
Kidney stones
Immune system impairment
Severe, potentially fatal food allergies
Impaired fertility
Danger during pregnancy and nursing

Soy proponents will argue that soy-based foods (they lump the fermented ones with the unfermented) will protect you from everything from colon, prostate and breast cancer to strokes, osteoporosis, and asthma.

But said enthusiasts never mention the studies that illuminate soy’s downside and all of the dangers posed to your health, which are based on sound research.

Another unfortunate fact is that 80 percent of the world’s soy is used in farm animal feed, which is why soy production is contributing to deforestation. Some soy propagandists have suggested that the solution to this is for all of us to become vegetarians—a reckless recommendation rooted in total ignorance about nutrition—whereas a far better solution is a major overhaul in how farm animals are fed and raised.

Coach Justin
PerformanceQuestFitness@gmail.com

Tuesday, July 12, 2011

The Truth About Soy Foods - How Did Soy Foods Become So Popular

TUESDAY, JULY 12TH, 2011

Open Class 4:00pm

Foothill Volleyball 6:00pm


NOTE: Friday's class will be held in the morning at 10:30am instead of 6:00pm this week.




If it seems like soy foods appeared out of nowhere to be regarded as the “miracle health food” of the 21st Century, it’s because they did.

From 1992 to 2006, soy food sales increased from $300 million to nearly $4 billion, practically overnight, according to the Soyfoods Association of North America. This growth came about due to a massive shift in attitudes about soy. And this shift was no accident—it was the result of a massive investment in advertising by the soy industry that’s been wildly successful.

Soy is indeed big business, very big business.

From 2000 to 2007, U.S. food manufacturers introduced more than 2,700 new soy-based foods, and new soy products continue to appear on your grocer’s shelves.

According to the survey Consumer Attitudes About Nutrition 2008 (by the United Soybean Board):

As of 2007, 85 percent of consumers perceive soy products as healthful
33 percent of Americans eat soy foods or beverages at least once a month
70 percent of consumers believe soybean oil is good for them
84 percent of consumers agree with the FDA’s claim that consuming 25 grams of soy protein daily reduces your risk of heart disease

This is a tragic case of shrewd marketing and outright lies taking root among the masses with the end result of producing large profits for the soy industry and impaired health for most who have been deceived into using unfermented soy long-term.

As you can see from the extensive list of articles that I will post in the next few days, there is a large amount of scientific research showing that soy is not the nutritional panacea of the 21st Century.

Coach Justin
PerformanceQuestFitness@gmail.com

Monday, July 11, 2011

The Truth About Soy Foods

MONDAY, JULY 11TH, 2011

Baseball Class 9:00am

Open Class 6:00pm




If you were to carefully review the thousands of studies published on soy, I strongly believe you would reach the same conclusion as I have—which is, the risks of consuming unfermented soy products FAR outweigh any possible benefits.

Notice I said unfermented soy products.

For centuries, Asian people have been consuming fermented soy products such as natto, tempeh, and soy sauce, and enjoying the health benefits. Fermented soy does not wreak havoc on your body like unfermented soy products do.

Unfortunately, many Americans who are committed to healthy lifestyles have been hoodwinked and manipulated into believing that unfermented and processed soy products like soymilk, soy cheese, soy burgers and soy ice cream are good for them.

Coach Justin
PerformanceQuestFitness@gmail.com

Wednesday, July 6, 2011

Most Vegetarians Become Ex-Vegetarians!

THURSDAY, JULY 7TH, 2011

Open Class 4:00pm

Foothill Volleyball 6:00pm





Below...Beau and Holden get acquainted with the kettlebell swing
Kiley, Emily and Allison perform 10 minutes of push-ups and deadlifts


And Cole and Carson get their kettlebell swings in for the day as well
Coach Justin

"Faith" (By CrossFit Lisbeth)

WEDNESDAY, JULY 6TH, 2011

Baseball Class 9:00am

Open Class 5:00pm




Faith: you got to have it. I’m not talking about “throw your hands up to Jesus” faith. You can have that or not, I don’t really care — that’s up to you.

I’m talking about faith in yourself. In the person next to you. In your loved ones. In what you’re doing here. In your life.

Faith that if things are bad, they’ll get better. Faith that if you work hard, dreams will come true. Faith that love is out there, waiting for you in so many ways — you just have to open your eyes.

Without faith, life is kind of mean. You look over your shoulder all the time. You expect the worse. You prepare for the letdown. And so the dark dreams come to pass. Your life feels hollow and dry and interspersed only with random points of happiness. Joy eludes you and seems always to sit in other people’s pockets.

Without faith, the bar is always too heavy, the kettlebell is too much, the pull-up bar is too high, there are too many muscle-ups in the workout. You’re not a gymnast after all, right?

You can feel this way. You can be this way. It’s probably valid.

Or you can just say “F**k it.”

Life isn’t perfect. The bar is heavy, but I’m going to lift it. The pull-up bar is too high but I can get there. The other guy got this promotion but I’m getting the next one. That spot on the x-ray? F**k it: I can beat that. So he left me? Yeah, there are a million other fish in the sea. F** it all.

I‘m here. I’m strong. And I’m not going anywhere. I got faith.

Your life. Your choice. Your ending is happy or sad, your life is happy or sad, your day is happy or sad — depending not on the circumstances in it, but on how you view things.

So don’t come to me with your stories of woe. Don’t come to me with your self-pity and your Poor Me Syndrome. Come to me with your victories of the spirit, with your smiles and joy. Same breeds same. With every breath and every thought, you decide what you want more of. Choose darkness, or have faith. Of this you can be certain: Life will reply.

Coach Justin
PerformanceQuestFitness@gmail.com

Tuesday, July 5, 2011

Paleo Magazine

TUESDAY, JULY 5TH, 2011

Open Class 4:00pm

Foothill Volleyball 6:00pm

Hope everyone had a great 4th of July!

Paleo Magazine

Coach Justin
PerformanceQuestFitness@gmail.com