Sign up for the 2012 CrossFit Open here!

• The sign-ups this year seem to be going smoothly, there do not appear to be serious website glitches in the Athlete sign-ups.
• There is a one-time $20 fee to register as an athlete, payable by credit card.
• After you have paid the fee, you will be taken to your Athlete Profile.
• IMPORTANT: On the left-hand side of your Athlete Profile, select the Affiliate Westlake Crossfit.
• ALSO IMPORTANT: After you select your affiliate, join the Team Westlake Crossfit.
• Prepare for the Open!

***The first Open workout will be announced at 5PM PST on February 22.

We will be holding OFFICIAL open WODS at our box every Saturday at 9am From FEb 22nd to March 24th

Learrn how to move free without being trapped behind your cubicle or gym. Expand your mind and learn how a sport can also be a fun philosophy. Discover the meaning of moving again with Parkour. Learn about fitness that lets you run jump climb and play, no matter the age or level. Parkour is an amazing way to get and stay fit! No equipment required, no spe.cial training required, only your mind and body. This is a beginner workshop so kids are encouraged to come as well!

Features: 

1. Learn the Basics of Parkour
2. Safe Environment at your own pace
3. Learn with others 

Details:

• Cost: $35
• Class length: 2hrs
• Location: Westlake Crossfit
• When: Saturday February 4th, 10:30am to 12:30am
• Coach: Matthew Lee Willis

Westlake Crossfit is proud to introduce On Ramp Classes. This class is ideal for any athlete new to Crossfit who needs he sole purpose of the On-Ramp program is to develop consistent technique and increased capacity so that new athletes can proceed into group classes with solid movement and training habits.  By focusing on truly mastering the fundamentals, developing proper movement strategies, and increasing strength and mobility, we'll provide you with the fitness base to move seamlessly and successfully into Group Classes.  

Class Times

Tuesday Thursday & Friday 11am

The key difference is that the On-Ramp classes purposefully take more time to review exercises, detail good training habits and limit intensity.  Most workouts will be done not for time in the interest of making you move better before you move faster.

Breaking the Mental Barrier

Written by Josh Bridges

The mind is a powerful thing, it can help you get through tough times, or it can cause you to crumble like Greg Norman in the ‘96 Masters. The strong learn how to handle and control their mind when it starts to rant, rave and tell them to stop what they’re doing. The weak let it take over and OWN them. Is it possible to develop strategies to break your mental barrier? Absolutely. I prevent this little boss in my head from taking over in a couple of ways. One more rep. When that voice inside your head is screaming at you to “put down the barbell” or “get off the bar,” you fight back with one more rep. Completing just one more rep when everything inside of you is telling you to stop is a sure way to grow your mental muscles, and the next time you might do two more reps. Over time, this builds and you begin to control that voice.

Small Goals.

When I am in the middle of a workout, I always have small goals in my head. Small goals add up to big goals. For example, if my workout calls for 30 heavy thrusters, my first goal might just be to get to 5 thrusters. When I get to 5 and still feel good, I start thinking, “good, I’ll do 5 more without rest,” and when I get to 10 and start to feel fatigued I might just talk myself into “two more.” But at 12, I might use the “one more rep,” and then do it again. After a few “one more rep” goals, I am at 16 or 20 . . . and all of a sudden I might be close enough to 30 to either take a quick break and knock out the rest in one set, or even finish it off by chipping away on more rep at a time. Break through that wall.

My old wrestling coach used to yell at us when he saw us start to break mentally, “Break through that wall, it’s the only way to get strong.” He would say it over and over again. We would barely be able to stand up on the mat, but we never wanted to lose the mental battle, so we would fight and fight until we physically could not stand any longer. That became so deeply ingrained that now when things get rough I can still hear his voice yelling “Break through that wall.” Your body can handle more than your mind thinks it can. Don’t let that little boss in your head beat you; go out there and show it that you are the boss!

The 2012 Crossfit Open is less than 1 month away. However, regestration opens up on Feb 1st. Anyone can compete in the CrossFit Games season. The first stage of the competition, the Open, is hosted online. You can get the Open workouts validated at a CrossFit affiliate(Westlake Crossfit) or film your performance, upload it to YouTube or Vimeo, and let the world be your judge. If you can make it into the Top 60 in your region by the end of the 5 weeks of the Open you will be invited to your Regional competition. Only those who can make it to the podium will be invited to the CrossFit Games . Westlake Crossfit will be hosting the open for all 5 weeks. This will take place every Saturday at 9am where athletes will be judged and validated to post their results online and see how you measure up. This will be an exciting time and even if you have no desire to compete in the CF Games, you will have a blast during these 5 weeks. Anyone interested in participating in the Open please contact Jevon at Jevon@westlakecrossfit.com

- Wendy stayin in good form while moving weight!

Why can’t I have my snack bars Coach? They’re so convenient and tasty!

By CF Verve

We get this question a lot.  Especially during a challenge! Real food is just better for you.  There is no debate here, it’s just the truth.  But we all live busy lives and sometimes a bar might be the only option for food. In the instance that there truly is no other choice, what bar should you choose (this should happen rarely, like maybe once a month)?  Here are some questions you can ask yourself when evaluating bars.  What is the macro-nutrient profile? Is there a balance?  What is the first ingredient?  If it is soy, sugar or grain, put the bar back on the shelf. You’ll notice the high sugar content from most of the bars. That will leave you hungry and only wanting more sugar. We will have a post later in the month about the effects of soy, if that’s a new on for you . And you should all be aware of the effects of grain by now so I didn’t event evaluate the grain based bars. Other questions to ask, what is the sugar source? How close to real food are the ingredients? Will this fit in well with the rest of my meals for the day or will this leave me hungrier then I was before I ate it, leaving me to crave sugar later?

Now I’m not advocating eating bars, I want to make that clear!

However, I’ve decided to buy 10 common snack bars at the local store and give you the data.

Builder Bar
Macro-nutrient information; Protein 20gm,, Carbohydrates 30gm, Fat 8gm.
Zone: 2.8P, 3.3C, 2.6F (Fat is calculated at 3gm per block due to fat free protein source).
1st ingredient: Soy
Predominate protein source: Soy
Percentage of bar that is sugar: 44%
Top 3 sugar sources: Beet juice, Organic brown rice syrup, Organic evaporated cane juice.
Contains Soy? Yes

Eating Right 100 Calories
Macro-nutrient information; Protein 6gm, Carbohydrates 17gm,, Fat 3gm.
Zone:0.85P, 1.8C, 1F
1st ingredient: Sugar
Predominate protein source: Soy
Percentage of bar that is sugar: 56%
Top 3 sugar sources: So many I can’t list them all, including plain old sugar and corn syrup.
Contains soy? Yes

Balance Bar
Macro-nutrient information; Protein 15gm, Carbohydrates 21gm, Fat 7gm.
Zone: 2.14P, 2.33C, 2.3F
1st ingredient: Soy
Predominate protein source: Soy and whey blend
Percentage of bar that is sugar: 42%
Top 3 sugar sources: Fructose, glucose syrup, sugar.
Contains Soy? Yes

Luna Bar
Macro-nutrient information; Protein 9gm, Carbohydrates 27gm, Fat 5gm.
Zone: 1.28P, 3C, 1.66F
1st ingredient: Soy
Predominate protein source: Soy
Percentage of bar that is sugar: 56%
Top 3 sugar sources: Organic dried cane sugar, Organic brown rice syrup, glucose.
Contains Soy? Yes

Lara Bar
Macro-nutrient information; Protein 5gm, Carbohydrates 30gm, Fat 8gm.
Zone: 0.71P, 3.33C, 2.66F
1st ingredient: Dates
Predominate protein source: Almonds
Percentage of bar that is sugar: 62%
Top 3 sugar sources: Dates and cherries.
Contains Soy? No

Think Thin 
Macro-nutrient information; Protein 20gm, Carbohydrates 25gm, Fat 8gm.
Zone: 2.8P, 2.7C, 2.6F
1st ingredient: Protein blend
Predominate protein source: Whey and soy
Percentage of bar that is sugar: 41%
Top 3 sugar sources: Chocolate liquor, Maltitol, natural favors…
Contains Soy? Yes

Clif Bar
Macro-nutrient information; Protein 10gm, Carbohydrates 41gm, Fat 7gm.
Zone: 1.4P, 4.5C, 2.3F
1st ingredient: Organic brown rice syrup
Predominate protein source: Soy
Percentage of bar that is sugar: 60%
Top 3 sugar sources: Organic brown rice syrup, Organic dried cane sugar,Organic evaporated cane juice.
Contains Soy? Yes

Atkins Bar
Macro-nutrient information; Protein 17gm, Carbohydrates 18gm, Fat 8gm.
Zone: 2.4P, 2C, 2.66F
1st ingredient: Soy nuggets
Predominate protein source: Soy
Percentage of bar that is sugar: 37%
Top 3 sugar sources: Polydextrose, maltitol, chocolate liquor
Contains Soy? Yes

Zone Bar
Macro-nutrient information; Protein 14gm, Carbohydrates 23gm, Fat 7gm.
Zone: 2P, 2.55C, 2.33F
1st ingredient: Soy nuggets
Predominate protein source: Soy
Percentage of bar that is sugar: 46% 
Top 3 sugar sources: Sugar, corn syrup, chocolate liquor
Contains Soy? Yes
Conclusion:

Tanka Bar
Macro-nutrient information; Protein 7gm, Carbohydrates 7gm, Fat 1.5gm.
Zone: 1P, 0.77C, 1F
1st ingredient: Buffalo
Predominate protein source: Buffalo
Percentage of bar that is sugar: 24%
Top 3 sugar sources: Sugar on the dried cranberries, no other source.
Contains Soy? No

 My top three choices: 
#1 Tanka; it contains real food, is balanced at 1block, has the lowest sugar % of bar so I will stay satisfied longer with less.  I understood all the ingredients on the label. Contained no soy.

#2 Lara bar; I choose this one because it was all real food, with only three ingredients.  The fat is nuts and will keep me satisfied.  I would however have to have it with a protein source like jerky or the sugar cravings would surely come later in the  day with a 62% sugar content. Contained no soy.

#3 Think Thin; I would consider this a 2.5 block snack.  It  is well balanced and contains a higher amount of whey then soy.  They have a lower percentage of sugar content then most of the other bars.  Has higher protein content then all the bars without raising the sugar also.

So there is my two cents on how to look at bars.  I hope this helps in a pinch! 

- T. Price embracing the journey

Training has to be more than an physical act. Training is about the journey. When we do or don't achieve our goals in the gym , its important we analyze the journey. The physical act of lets say accomplishing a PR plays a subordinate role to the actual process that allowed one to do so. Discipline of proper training , eating , recovery , etc trump the actual act itself. If we lose sight of this , then in my opinion we miss the essence of why we do what we do. The journey is where all the growth comes from , the PR is just a physical reflection of the growth. On the contrary , if one doesn't reach his/her goal , we still look at the process as to correct the cause. Ultimately our athletes strive for excellence with an understanding that excellence can never be attained thus never creating a fealing of "arrival".

Modern man is conditioned to expect instant gratification but any success or triumph realized quickly, with only marginal effort is necessarily shallow. Meaningful achievement takes time, hard work, persistence, patience, proper intent and constant self-awareness. The path to such success is punctuated by failure, consolidation and renewed effort. It is wet with the tears of emotional breakdown. Personal reconstruction is art. Discovering one's self, one's talent and ambition and learning how to express it is a creative process so may not be rushed. What's the hurry? Pressure to succeed according to a particular timeline comes from outside. If the goal is selfish self-improvement there is no schedule, no deadline. One's rate of progress is influenced by the intensity used to address the task. Hard, intelligent work speeds us along the path. Neurotic obsession and compulsion may steepen the trajectory but usually lead to illness and injury. In the end, the process takes as long as it takes -- you can't push the river. We are in it for the long haul and demand the same of the athletes we train - Gym Jones

Congrats to Coach Jesse, Coach Jarrod and John D. who all completed their first Ultra Run over the past weekend in Big Bend. The crew trained for this great task in an untraditional way. They logged about 25% of the mileage running thats typically suggested leading up to the race, they instead gave themselves a heavy dose of Crossfit training along with optimal nutrition. Way to go guys, we are all super proud of you guys!

- Who says you can't work hard and have fun at the same time? Just ask Mindy!

Great start to 2012! Classes are filling up fast, so PLEASE make sure you show up if you are signed up, or be respectful of your fellow athletes and cancel plenty ahead of time.

What derails you?  There are so many things that can send a well intended train right off it’s track.  It’s simple enough right? You wake up and say to yourself, “Self, today I will stay on track with my diet, eat enough veggies, get enough water, exercise, fish oil, spend some quality time with my family or friends or self and get to bed at a decent hour.”  But somewhere along the day our well intended train can fall off its track.  How and why does this happen?

I’ve come up with a few things that derail me, maybe you can relate.  Travel; this is the worst because I have no kitchen and am on somebody else’s schedule.  Sleep: all to often I don’t go to bed early enough.  This is sure to start the next day on the wrong foot.  I get busy and overwhelmed, which creates lack of planning, anxiety and impatience, a vicious cycle.  When you are busy, who has time to take care of themselves, there are other things to be done?  I go to long without eating, if I pass that five hour mark before having a meal, watch out! What derails you?

All of these things are common enough and easy predictable. So why do we perpetuate these cycles?  It’s biological and know as the Second Law of Thermodynamics – Entropy

The second law of thermodynamics concerns the transformation of potential energy into heat, or random molecular motion.  It states that the disorder (also known as entropy) in the universe is continuously increasing.  In other words, disorder is more likely then order.  For example it is much more likely that your bedroom will become messy overtime, then that it will spontaneously clean itself up, or that a mountain will crumble instead of build itself higher, order turns to disorder spontaneously, but not vis versa.

Entropy is the measure of the disorder of a system.  When the universe formed, it held all the potential energy it will ever have, it has become progressively more disordered ever since. (“energy cannot be created nor destroyed, it can only undergo conversion”). 

So let’s apply this to our biological lives, disorder of our systems is inevitable, as we age entropy begins to take over.  I say fight entropy!  Fight the urge to allow disorder in your life.  Entropy is our biological ticking clocks.  How many people do you know that have become lazier as they get older (I have), less inclined to get off the coach and on the trail, slopes or gym?  This is the natural order, fight entropy!  Fight the urge to allow disorder, don’t roll over instead create routines, get stronger and defy your natural tendency.  Be a biological rebel!