Keep Inflammation at Bay
What is inflammation? By definition, inflammation is the “reaction of a tissue to injury or infection, characterized by heat, redness, swelling and pain”. This reaction is a necessary process for o...
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When it comes to nourishment, one prescription we give out to all our clients is a bountiful assortment of colors in their diet each day from fruits and vegetables. In this blog post we are going t...
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What can I learn from Mat Fraser and other elite athletes to better my performance? One word. Consistency. One principle that transcends all elite performers is consistency over time. Before we div...
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Get Better Sleep
What is the most powerful performance enhancer that’s also free? Sleep. Paraphrasing a section from Matthew Walker’s book entitled “Why We Sleep” will give some perspective: “Obtain anything less t...
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Open Strategy Guide: 19.5
Download: Open Strategy Guide 19.5 Many of us predicted based on past CrossFit Open seasons that the last workout of 2019 would be a variation of thrusters and pull ups. That being said, 19.5 is....
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“You miss the trees in the woods if you try to build Rome in a day”. That nonsensical made up quote really reminds me of the point I’m trying to get across today. ‘Longevity’. We are all on this ...
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Open Strategy Guide: 19.4
Download the Open Strategy Guide: 19.4 In the fourth week of the CrossFit Open, Dave Castro gives us burpees... and snatches... and bar muscle ups. Our coaches have broken down the workout, equipme...
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Open Strategy Guide: 19.3
Download the Open Strategy Guide: 19.3 Week 3 of the CrossFit Open brings us some new movements. The real work starts at the strict handstand pushups, sHSPU, and inside the guide we go over how to...
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The athlete and the goal will always dictate the training and nutritional program. Each athlete is unique, and so should their program reflect that. For the sake of our discussion, we are going to ...
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Why Athletes Need Fats
But I thought fat makes you fat? Eh, there’s a bit more to it than that. In this post, we are going to discuss why we need fat and why it’s an important tool in an athlete’s diet. The points we wil...
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Open Strategy Guide: 19.2
Week 2 of the CrossFit Open brings a repeat workout from 2016. However, there is one key factor that changed; there is an 8 minute clock to start the workout rather than consistent 4 minute clocks....
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Athletes are focused people. They work hard, they want to learn about their sport, and they crave progress. They’re willing to put it all on the line to succeed. In their pursuit of success they a...
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Open Strategy Guide: 19.1
By now we have all learned what the CrossFit Open Workout 19.1 is: Complete as many rounds as possible in 15 minutes of: 19 wall-ball shots19-cal. row Women: 14lb WB to 9’ Men: 20lb WB to 10’...
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Proteins are one of three macronutrients we consume in our food. Arguably the most important as they are the building blocks for the body. One aspect regarding protein consumption that often gets n...
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Getting Unplugged
When was the last time you went a full day without your phone, computer, TV, iPad? Probably can’t remember. Disconnecting from the “system” is something we ALL need to partake in more often. We are...
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Here are a few pieces to think about: Preparing aerobic system (pulmonary, cardiovascular, and muscular systems) for work ahead Getting the mind prepared and centered on the tasks ahead Getting th...
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Understand Your Poop
Poop. We all do it. Excreting out waste we don’t need. While it may be a “faux paw” to talk about poop, there’s a ton of value we can extract from our poop. In this post, we are going to talk about...
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What does breakfast mean? Breaking our fast, of course. Coming out of an 8-9 hour period where food intake is halted, our body begins to upregulate various hormones and enzymes for nourishment. The...
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One of the pieces that I continually value for my growth both personally and professionally is reading. Amongst other aspects, there’s a common theme between people who reach the pinnacle in their ...
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In the last post, we broke down the difference between motivation/extrinsic drive and inspiration/intrinsic drive. We also utilized a great exercise to highlight our highest values, which are the s...
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What’s the difference between motivation and inspiration? Between extrinsic and intrinsic drives? Or are those the same thing? In this post, we are going to break down the differences between the t...
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Importance of Hydration
The ability to hydrate our cells transcends nearly any other somatic control and choice we make as humans. Though our bodies are comprised of nearly 60% water, it does not neglect the fact that it’...
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The main takeaways: 1) The recovery process starts once your session has finished 2) Easy blood flow and mindful stretching post training are great tools to start the recovery process 3) Diaphragmatic breathing is a great tool to help transition the body from a sympathetically driven state to a parasympathetic state 4) Ensure your body has cooled down before consuming food or shakes post workout 5) Prioritize food hygiene (great chewing, sitting down, relaxing) when consuming food post workout 6) Post Workout macronutrient prescriptions and the food choices within it are highly individualized
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Daily Sun Exposure
The sun. What would we do without it? Die faster. The end. Just kidding. One of the simplest ways we can increase performance, recovery, mood, digestive health, immune function, and neurological he...
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The Best Time to Train
What if I told you there were optimal times to train in the day? That’s probably something you’d be interested in hearing. The truth is, there are times throughout the day that are more optimal tha...
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Athletes know that in order to reach peak fitness you have to put gas in the tank. What happens though, if you have a leak in your gas tank, or if your engine can’t take in gas, or if you flood yo...
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The main takeaways: 1) Identify the key point of the session; if its strength based, think nervous system preparation 2) Great blood flow and movement specific work on the front end 3) Prepare the pattern with lighter/faster variations 4) Allow for an adequate build up to tough sets to prepare the brain for the voluntary contraction required The main phase: “Prepare with purpose”
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Main phrase: “Wind down to wear the crown” Main Takeaways: -We need to wind down in order to recover -Lots of stimulation during the day equals no stimulation at night -Put away from screens, lights, excessive food, and stimulation later in the evening -Sleep in a dark room that’s very cold
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For release: July 27, 2018 Established in 2008, the Big Dawgs built a storied history in coaching athletes in competitive functional fitness. We pioneered remote coaching in fitness by building a t...
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What is your fuel of choice when it comes to supporting or recovering from your training? Peanut butter and chocolate milk? A particular protein powder? Gatorade? Perfect Food Bars? Ice cream? Ask ...
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