Sitting Is Toxic

THURSDAY, MARCH 1ST, 2012

Open Class 4:30pm / 5:30pm

Foothill Volleyball 7:00pm

NOTE: I know there are a handful of you who have already expressed your interest in cruising down to Chico State this Saturday to watch the Northern Section Basketball Championship games. The schedule is wrapping up to look like this - I'm not able to leave any earlier than 1:00pm but the Foothill vs Enterprise game doesn't begin until 4:15pm so there shouldn't be any problem there. If we leave by 2:00pm that should give us plenty of time to comfortably drive down and be a little early. Also, since we're there I am probably going to want to hang around and watch the Division 2 boys game between Shasta and Chico (I'm assuming it's Chico anyways) at 7:45.

WHY SITTING WRECKS YOUR MAD HIP ACTION

Sitting is a subject that I've been hammering home to you lately because it's been so painstakingly obvious how much it's been negatively effecting my life and my performance. The effects I'm realizing from sitting include the tight psoas, which will be mentioned below in the video, as well as a locking of the hips and associated low back pain (read "The Psoas: Is It Killing Your Back"). Over the course of the past month or two I've been making a concerted effort to not sit as much. Whenever I'm at the computer I'm standing or kneeling. This effort has made a huge difference in how I feel. If I sit for too long throughout the day I am not able to perform my workouts afterward. However, when I refrain from this dreaded position I feel up to any challenge throughout the day.

And I know that I am not the only one recognizing the effects of sitting. Within the past few months I have had a handful of you disclose to me your concern for how you feel when you stand after sitting for a period of time. This is the real deal folks and I can feel it ruining my life when I sit and it will ruin yours too.

Initially, when I tell people to stop sitting, they start in with, "Oh coach, I know I should stop watching TV as much. Or, I know I should be more active on my off days." That's totally not it at all. If you are CrossFitting just a couple times a week you are, in general, being pretty active by my standards. CrossFit is demanding right?

The fact of the matter is that sitting, in and of itself, IS THE DEVIL! (See The Waterboy). Sitting not only causes pain and discomfort, it also hinders your ability to become organizationally set up for a movement, limits mobility, and negates your ability to place yourself into posturally correct positions, which all result in a performance decline. Watch the video clip below and check out why...

When you're done watching the video clip click on this link - http://www.mobilitywod.com/2012/02/why-sitting-wrecks-your-mad-hip-action.html - and read the brief, one paragraph, explanation that K-Star has written as an intro. It's worth your time.

Coach Justin
PerformanceQuestFitness@gmail.com

In Search Of The Perfect Human Diet

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 29TH, 2012

Open Class 4:30pm / 5:30pm / 6:30pm

"Health is not convenient, but it's not half as inconvenient as a fatal illness."

Step 1: Watch the trailer below

Step 2: Get as excited about this as I did!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Step 3: Start planning your favorite paleo dish so when I receive the copy that I just ordered we can watch it together as a group over dinner.

Step 4: Become knowledgeable

Step 5: Lead by example

Step 6: Improve the lives of those you care about along with yours

Step 7: Be happy

Coach Justin
PerformanceQuestFitness@gmail.com

I'm A Fat Kid At Heart

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 28TH, 2012

Open Class 4:30pm / 5:30pm

IF there's anyone who wants to go to the Foothill Boys Varsity basketball PLAYOFF game tonight at 7:00pm. Let me know. I'll be going and am looking for a crew to go support my team with me. This will possibly be their last home game as they will (assuming they win tonight against Las Plumas) play Saturday at Chico State for the Section Championship...which leads me to my next question. Is there anyone who might wanna roll down to Chico State with me this Saturday and catch some local championship basketball? Let me know asap in case I need to figure out rides/seating arrangements. Still fuzzy on Saturday's details but I'll update you as soon as I have them (hopefully by tomorrow's post).


LATELY there's been a lot of comparison between Performance Quest athletes and CrossFit Redding athletes alike about who has the chubbiest baby or who was the chubbiest baby. I figured I'd throw my Adonis-like figure into the mix and maybe give you guys a good chuckle. When I tell you that I had to work EXTREMELY hard to become athletic I'm not lying. With "cheeks" like these there's not a whole lot of athleticism that comes equipped with the standard package. It took years of performance enhancement work and modifications to not only do what I do today, but to just be able to do a single pull-up for God's sake.And I didn't lose this "baby fat" until late in 7th grade!
My family nickname while growing up was "Moose" since you were wondering. Yes, for all the obvious reasons.


Coach-Fat-Kid-At-Heart-Justin
PerformanceQuestFitness@gmail.com

Making A Claim As The Most Important Factor Of Health And Fitness

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 27TH, 2012
Open Class 3:00pm / 4:00pm
Foothill Volleyball 5:00pm

If you don't think sleep is much of a player in your health and your performance think again. Sleep is, as far as I'm concerned, one of the 4 most influential factors when considering health and performance. The other two being exercise and nutrition.

But wait Coach! That's only 3 factors. What's the 4th? The 4th is stress, which is a culmination of a magnitude of factors. Of this magnitude I feel that sleep, nutrition and exercise are several of the most important. Though I didn't necessarily list them in order of importance here I do feel that sleep may very well be at the top of this brief list.

Below is a great article by my good friend Robb Wolf on the subject. Note that it is definitely worth your time to click on and read the link contained within the first paragraph of the article title "BBC piece on sleep".

SLEEP! SLEEP! SLEEP! HOW ARTIFICIAL LIGHTING AND CORTISOL IMPACT ZZZ'S

Also, congratulations to Anna who posted a great score for the first CrossFit Sectionals Open workout 12.1 with a total of 105 burpees in 7 minutes!

Check out the guy who holds the number one spot in the world with a score of 161 burpees in 7 minutes!!! Superhuman...
Coach Justin
PerformanceQuestFitness@gmail.com

Bloody Aftermath

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 25TH, 2012

Open Class 9:30am / 2:30pm

NOTE: I will be at the gym at 2:00pm for anyone who wants me to judge their workout (Click link and see below for details). It is only 7 minutes in its entirety so if you show up by 2:00pm I will be able to get you in before class at 2:30pm. If you are not able to make it by 2:00pm and still want to do the workout then show up right after class at 3:30pm or text me and let me know what time works best for you and we will see what we can work out.

Congratulations to those Performance Quest Athletes that have already signed up and posted their scores for the first CrossFit Games Sectionals workout. I wasn't able to conjure up any pictures of the athletes in the heat of battle because I was their judge for the workout but I was able to capture the aftermath of at least one of them.

Performance Quest Fitness & Athletic's intern, Aaron, pushed himself to the limit and posted an impressive score of 103 burpees in 7 minutes! As Aaron found out, a good score does not come without a cost...
Brock and Chad also posted scores yesterday, each at 77 reps for the workout. Way to go guys. I can't tell you how much your efforts toward your own goals as well as those of Team CrossFit Redding mean to me. All of your scores will help us make it to the regional round of competition.

For those of you who've not signed up yet it's not too late! If you're interested in competing you have until Sunday at 5:00pm to register, complete your workout and submit your score. I will be at the gym Sunday for you to do workout 12.1 if you are not able to make it Saturday.

To register for the CrossFit Sectionals Workouts go to the CrossFit Games Website and click on the red "Sign In" link on the top right hand side of the page.

Coach Justin
PerformanceQuestFitness@gmail.com

Mobility WOD

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 24TH, 2012

Open Class 4:30pm / 5:30pm

NOTE: I am apparently doing the 1st CrossFit Sectionals Open WOD today at 3:00pm! If anyone is interested in coming and cheering me on through this workout, or if you would like to participate in 7 minutes of max rep burpees please feel free to stop by. I would greatly appreciate your support.

And again, I can't overemphasize enough the importance of recovery. Check out this mobility post from http://www.mobilitywod.com/ and then go check out the website this video came from. There's a new video posted every day that you should be following.

Coach Justin
PerformanceQuestFitness@gmail.com

It Is Time

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 23RD, 2012

Gainer's Class 3:00pm

Open Class 5:00pm / 6:00pm

Foothill Volleyball 7:00pm

(I command you to read this in your most baddest 300 movie trailer voice)...

And so "IT" has begun. Upon entering the gym today you will notice a different smell, a different hue, a different urgency. The time where mere mortals "de-scare" themselves and are said to be "un-scared" (haha Lucy...your turn!) is upon us. The time where "human" no longer suffices and superhuman becomes the norm. The time where pain no longer exists. The time where you have to look deep inside your soul and ask yourself, "am I willing to die for my workout?" Yes...it is that time.

That's right...CrossFit competition season has dawned and with it will emerge performances and feats that you have never seen before and that you would never have thought possible. All year the people whom you surround yourself with every day at CrossFit Redding train for this season. For the chance to prove themselves and enshrine their name in the annals of CrossFit.

Last night, at 5:00pm, CrossFit HQ (HeadQuarters) made the first strike by posting the first of five challenges that are to be completed over the course of the next five weeks. These workouts will be performed by thousands upon thousands of people around the world and you have the opportunity to do them yourself!

Ok, seriously now. I can't keep this up anymore. I know I'm having way to much fun with this and you're most likely just rolling your eyes.

The CrossFit Sectionals (Open) competition kicks off today and you can register to compete and help the CrossFit Redding team improve their standing to make it to the CrossFit NorCal Regionals and hopefully move on to the CrossFit Games. We need as many people in our gym to sign up and post scores as possible. There will be one workout posted each of the next five Wednesday's at The CrossFit Games Website for you to complete. You must sign up at The CrossFit Games Registration Page by Sunday afternoon to compete.

And, the way I see it...you might as well sign up and be a part of this experience. Not becuase there's nothing like it (which there's not) but because I will be programming these workouts into your training weeks over the course of the next five weeks anyways!

If you have any questions please feel free to ask. Check out this video Reebok CrossFit has put together to introduce the open and the games...

Coach Justin
PerformanceQuestFitness@gmail.com

3rd & Long: How Bad Do You Want It? (Success)

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 22ND, 2012

Open Class 4:30pm / 5:30pm

Thank you to Emily all the way from Kansas for suggesting this post. She's still thinking of you guys and wanting you to get better even while half way across the country.

Note that many of you will know even without my stating this that I don't necessarily agree with every last word from the video below. However, it is still inspirational and something to be motivated by.

How Bad Do You Want It? (Success)

By Clint Rider

Success is a term that often defines the end result of a process. I choose to think that success is a mindset, a lifestyle chosen by an individual. Eric Thomas, a motivational speaker, (video below) says that we must "desire to be successful as much as we desire to breathe". It must envelop every part of your being, surround you, drown out every negative aspect in your life. Success must become as important to your daily life as the air that supports your living being. Without success you can't function. You can't bear the thought, that at the moment you take a break, that someone is out there working harder than you, passing you by. I can guarantee you that any moment you are not pushing toward your goal there is SOMEONE in this world getting better. Every moment you spend being unporductive is a moment lost to better yourself. You must be able to sacrifice FUN in order to be successful. You may have to miss a party, a social extravaganza, or you may even have to miss a day off. SACRIFICE is the key to SUCCESS. Pain is a certain byproduct of success, but guess what? Pain is temporary. Pain disappears. Pain is NECESSARY. Fun is also temporary, but "fun" doesn't help you in your quest to be successful. You're going to have to OWN the fact that the pain you feel is more valuable feeling in life than fun.

You can't put a limit on success because every accomplishment you achieve can be outdone. No record, feat, or accomplishment is unbreakable. Once we limit our expectations of ourselves & limit the effort put forth into a task, we LIMIT the bounds of our success. Furthermore, if the reason you want to be successful is anything other than the gratification of accomplishment, then you are doing it for the wrong reason. You can't pursue success for the gratification of money or fame. Those are not guranteed rewards of success anyhow. There's nothing in the definition of success that says we will become rich or glorified by others. Success is in your heart. Success is INTERNAL, not a stat in a record book or a salary figure. Only YOU get the gratification of your success, so don't let outsiders determine the value of what you have accomplished. Know it in your heart that you've made every effort to succeed. Accept that pain is positive & necessary. Most importantly, breathe success, live success because a successful mindset & a successful lifestyle will lead to a successful destination...

Coach Justin

PerformanceQuestFitness@gmail.com

Mind Vs Body

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 21ST, 2012

Gainer's 3:00pm

Open Class 5:30pm / 6:30pm

MIND VS BODY

Coach Justin
PerformanceQuestFitness@gmail.com

Positivity Is Contagious

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 20TH, 2012

Gainer's Class 3:00pm

Open Class 5:00pm / 6:00pm

Foothill Volleyball 7:00pm

NOTE: There are a number of athletes who are wishing to gain weight. This is what the "Gainer's" class will be dedicated to.

Positivity Is Contagious

Today, a client related an old experience with a previous trainer to me. She stated that this trainer was always in a bad mood and always wanted to talk about what was negative in his life. She reflected upon the fact that this negative attitude had a direct affect on her performance and experience at this gym.

This got me to thinking of the importance of remaining positive at the gym…

There is a famous quote, which states, “Winners make a habit of manufacturing their own positive expectations in advance of the event.” -Brian Tracy

How is this possible if we are always negative? You WILL NOT be a winner if you do not manufacture positive expectations.

Whose job is it to be positive?

First and foremost, it is yours. When you are positive, others react positively around you. They feed off of your energy, and are in turn, positive themselves. Even when you are having a rough day and you want to vent about it, find a way to speak positively instead. The term “venting”, in my opinion, is misleading. It never makes you feel better. In fact, it usually just gets you more worked up instead. How about doing all of your venting on the barbell??

Secondly, it is your coaches’ job to be positive. I can plainly see this when I teach. On days that I am in a good mood, my classes miraculously respond with positivity. When I am in a bad mood, it is amazing how miserable my students are too! It is imperative that our coaches always remain up-beat and positive!

Lastly, it is the job of every athlete around you to remain positive (of course, if we all applied being positive ourselves, this wouldn’t have to be said). No one likes to be around a “Negative Nancy”. Somedays, you may be having a bad day and find it utterly impossible to be positive, how wonderful it is that we can rely on those around us to make positive comments and change these moods!

Keep it positive. It’s contagious!

Coach Justin
PerformanceQuestFitness@gmai.com

My Daily Perusings

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 17TH, 2012

Open Class 3:00pm / 4:30pm / 5:30pm

The Breast Cancer Hoax Revealed

US Schoolchildren Now Subjected To Sack Lunch Searches By Government Officials

Whole Fraud: Exposing The Myth Of So-Called "Natural" Foods

Coach Justin

PerformanceQuestFitness@gmail.com

Saturday's Olympic Lifting Class Canceled

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 11TH, 2012

NOTE: Coach Jordan will not be holding Olympic Lifting Class this Saturday as he will be traveling with the rest of the CrossFit Redding Competition Team to Sacramento to compete in the Sac-Town Throwdown. He will be returning to his regularly scheduled Olympic Lifting and Barbell Classes on Monday that you can attend.

In the meantime please feel free to complete this workout:

Complete 100 burpees for time
-Do not take more than 10 seconds to rest at any time
-Keep track of how many times you rest more than 10 seconds as each time counts as a "penalty"
-Complete 15 double-unders for each penalty (If you don't have a jump rope by now...GO GET ONE!)

Coach Justin
PerformanceQuestFitness@gmail.com

Your Homework For The Day...

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 8TH , 2012

Open Class 3:00pm / 4:30pm

NOTE: Wednesday will be the last day this week that I will be holding class as I am leaving town for a week early Thursday morning. I will be returning to the gym Friday (February 17th) to coach classes. In the meantime you WILL attend coach Jordan's olympic lifting class this Saturday at 9am and again next Wednesday at 5:30pm. If these are absolutely not possibilities for you and they are times that you could not normally take my classes then you WILL attend one of his daily barbell classes. A full schedule of times can be viewed here... http://www.crossfitredding.com/. Previously, when I have had to cancel my classes Jordan and I have offered this no one has attended. This time this WILL NOT be the case. It is curious to me how you seem to be healthy virtually all year long until I go out of town and then when I do you can't make it to Jordan's class because you are all sick...ALL OF YOU!!! Really? Needless to say, I WILL NOT be accepting excuses this time. Training does not stop simply because I am not there. And, oh yeah, bring $10 each time you go to an Oly Class or Barbell Class and pay the man.

Your homework for the day is to go to this website www.robbwolf.com and read just one article that catches your attention or listen to one of the podcasts listed. Let me know why you chose what you chose, what you found interesting about it and anything that you learned. I'll be curious to hear your responses. Happy reading/listening.

Coach Justin
PerformanceQuestFitness@gmail.com

Can You Imagine!!!

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 7TH, 2012

Open Class 3:00pm / 5:30pm / 6:30pm

NOTE: Wednesday will be the last day this week that I will be holding class as I am leaving town for a week early Thursday morning. I will be returning to the gym Friday (February 17th) to coach classes. In the meantime you WILL attend coach Jordan's olympic lifting class this Saturday at 9am and again next Wednesday at 5:30pm. If these are absolutely not possibilities for you and they are times that you could not normally take my classes then you WILL attend one of his daily barbell classes. A full schedule of times can be viewed here... http://www.crossfitredding.com/. Previously, when I have had to cancel my classes Jordan and I have offered this no one has attended. This time this WILL NOT be the case. It is curious to me how you seem to be healthy virtually all year long until I go out of town and then when I do you can't make it to Jordan's class because you are all sick...ALL OF YOU!!! Really? Needless to say, I WILL NOT be accepting excuses this time. Training does not stop simply because I am not there. And, oh yeah, bring $10 each time you go to an Oly Class or Barbell Class and pay the man.

Now that we got that outta' the way. Check it. This is one of my favorite websites (if you couldn't already tell by the frequency with which I post videos from it and the fact that it's my top favorite link over there on the right...). www.mobilitywod.com is revamping their website withing the next week or so to include a multitude of new options for you to better take care of yourself. Can you imagine! Mobility Wod getting better! If only you could see the excitement on my face right now! Don't ignore the excessive use of exclamation points here folks!!! This is a big deal!!!!!!

Here's the MobilityWod video of the day and the link (Mobility Wod - Episode 365) so you can go ahead and read the 11 lessons that K-Star (the founder and operator of the website) has learned over the past year. All 11 lessons are incredibly valuable. My favorites are #'s 4, 6, 8 and 9. What are yours?

Coach Justin
PerformanceQuestFitness@gmail.com

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 6TH, 2012

Open Class 5:00pm / 6:00pm

Foothill Volleyball 7:00pm

Coach Justin
PerformanceQuestFitness@gmail.com

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 3RD, 2012

Open Class 3:00pm / 4:30pmCoach Justin

PerformanceQuestFitness@gmail.com

Sick Of The Bro

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 2ND, 2012

Open Class 3:00pm / 5:00pm / 6:00pm

Foothill Volleyball 7:00pm

Admittedly, and unfortunately, the post below describes very well who I "used" to be. Fortunately, that last sentence carries the opperative "used" within. Does this post describe you now...or someone you know? Read to find out.

SICK OF THE BRO

Coach Justin
PerformanceQuestFitness@gmail.com