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Paulo_Santos
22 July 2010, 08:09
INTRO:
In December of 2009, one of my co-workers (Lou) began doing a workout called Crossfit. He tried to get me and a couple of other co-workers to do it, but we were skeptical. I was running 12 miles a week in the morning (approximately 3 miles, 4 times a week) and muscle training in the afternoon for about 20-30 minutes. So initially, I didn't want to switch, but I was getting bored with my workouts and they were becoming time consuming. After watching my co-worker do a couple of routines, I decided to give it a try. This was in January and I've been doing Crossfit ever since.

Lou started out at 230 LB's and he is now 190 LB's and in great shape. My other co-worker, Ray, who started doing crossfit at about the same time that I did, started out at 225 LB's and is now 195 LB's. I started out at 170 LB's and I have maintained that weight, but I lost inches off my waist, which is what I wanted to do, and I feel much stronger, faster, and have much more endurance.

Why am I talking about Crossfit in a Weapon Forum? Very simple. A lot of the people that visit/post on this site are LE folks like myself or in the Military. One of the most overlooked aspects of our job is being in great shape. It is nice to be a great shooter and have great tactics, but the majority of times in my line of work, we aren't shooting at people. Most of the time we are talking with people and if things go bad, we generally move from verbal force to physical or mechanical force. Deadly force is last on the force scale. If you look in shape, a lot of times the bad guys will think twice about getting physical with you.

WHAT IS CROSSFIT:
Crossfit is the principal strength and conditioning program for many police academies and tactical operations teams, military special operations units, champion martial artists, and hundreds of other elite and professional athletes worldwide.

Crossfit delivers a fitness that is, by design, broad, general, and inclusive. Crossfit's specialty is not specializing. Combat, survival, many sports, and life reward this kind of fitness and, on average, punish the specialist.

Check out http://www.crossfit.com/cf-info/what-crossfit.html for more details.

CROSSFIT WOD's:
Crossfit WOD's (WORKOUT OF THE DAY), or routines, vary from day to day. Since January, I only remember doing the same routine 1 or 2 times. You never get bored. The great part about Crossfit is the time that I am saving compared to what I was doing before. Most WOD's take anywhere from 5-30 minutes. Most of them being in the 10-20 minute range. The longest WOD that I have done to date is the 4x800 meter run (http://hammerdowncrossfit.com/2010/04/28/thursday-100429/).

Check Section 4 of the Crossfit FAQ Page (http://www.crossfit.com/cf-info/faq.html#WOD0) for a list of all of the routines.

CROSSFIT EXERCISES:
Crossfit exercises include some of the following:
Running, rowing, push ups, pull ups, sit ups, air squats, deadlifts, front, rear, and overhead squats, power clean, clean and jerks, sumo deadlift high pull, kettle bell swings, thrusters, and many more.

Check Crossfit Exercise Page (http://www.crossfit.com/cf-info/excercise.html) for details of exercises and videos on how to perform them.

Some of the exercises look complicated and difficult to do, but they aren't. I recommend that you initially start out using low weight until you get the form down right. You will see on some of the WOD's where it will say 65/95 LB for the weight. That is the recommended max for females and males. I'm not a power guy, so I still use lower weight for my workouts. Scale as necessary. You have to start somewhere.

What did in the beginning is I would go on You Tube and search for the exercise that I had to do, such as "crossfit thrusters", "crossfit pull ups", etc.

GETTING STARTED:
The easiest way to get started is to find a Crossfit Affiliate in your area. Check Crossfit Affiliate Page (http://www.crossfit.com/cf-affiliates/) on the left side and click on the link on the left side with the state you are from. Lou knows Todd Katz from HammerdownCrossfit (http://hammerdowncrossfit.com/) from high school so we get our WOD's from his site. All of the Crossfit sites are set up in the same general format. The trainers post the routines and you can comment on them like a blog. After finishing up the routine, I post my times and or comments on the page. Posting the times is just a way to track your progress. It isn't a competition, it is so you can compare your score to your previous one of the same routine that you did.

I am fortunate to have a nice workout gym at work, so on my days that I work, I do the WOD's at work after my shift. On my days off, I have enough equipment at home that I can workout at home. I thought about joining a Gym, but I don't have a need for it. Some guys go all out and build their own Crossfit Gym (http://www.crossfit.com/journal/library/cfjissue1_Sep02.pdf) in their garage.

WILL I/CAN I GET BIG DOING CROSSFIT:
If you train the WOD's hard, and eat right and get lots of sleep, you will definitely gain lean mass, lose fat, and yes, you can build muscle mass with the crossfit protocol. More specifically, according to Coach, here is a hierarchy of training for mass from greater to lesser efficacy:
1. Bodybuilding on steroids
2. CrossFitting on steroids
3. CrossFitting without steroids
4. Bodybuilding without steroids
The bodybuilding model is designed around, requires, steroids for significant hypertrophy. The neuroendocrine response of bodybuilding protocols is so blunted that without "exogenous hormonal therapy" little happens. The CrossFit protocol is designed to elicit a substantial neuroendocrine whollop and hence packs an anabolic punch that puts on impressive amounts of muscle though that is not our concern. Strength is. Natural bodybuilders (the natural ones that are not on steroids) never approach the mass that our athletes do. They don't come close. Those athletes who train for function end up with better form than those who value form over function. This is one of the beautiful ironies of training.

CONCLUSION:
Crossfit is fun and addicting. Just like any other form of exercise, you get out what you put in. If your goal is just to get in great shape and not trying to get those six pack abs, doing crossfit and eating the average food will get you there. If your goal is to get in great shape and look it, then crossfit along with a good diet will get the results you want.

Uglyduck
22 July 2010, 09:41
Very nice Paulo. Its good to see this becoming a part of our discussions. The importance of fitness is sometimes undervalued.

My dept. has adopted CF as our PT program. Most of us went through an on ramp class put on by our local Level 3 instructor (we're fortunate to have them 10 miles away) and 5 of us received Level 1 certs shortly after. We earned our non-profit affiliate status in December and haven't looked back since. The program has really taken off and guys that weren't interested before, are now. Everyone is showing improvement and reaping the benefits. Prior to CF I had a similar PT regimen as yourself and couldn't stick to anything for longer than 6 months, I simply got bored and lost interest. As you stated, this isn't the case with CF.

If I may add a couple of things I would recommend to anyone that is interested in trying CF that they attend a "free" day at an affiliate. Many "boxes", as they're often called, have a free day to give potential clients a taste of CF. The WOD's are usually simple exercises that most everyone is familiar with (so you won't be doing the power snatch during your first WOD) . This is a great way to introduce yourself to CF in a safe and supervised manor.

I also highly recommend to anyone that wants to take their skills beyond the home gym to attend an on ramp class. These classes cover the 9 foundational movements as well as the basic theories behind CF and proper scaling. As is often the case with new comers, they're reluctant to try CF because of the technical movements involved in olympic lifting. An on ramp class will teach you how to perform these lifts safely and within your range of skill and ability. On ramp classes are generally offered separate from a gym membership so there may not be any commitment to apply once the class is complete.

Another great resource is the Journal (http://journal.crossfit.com/). It is packed with personal stories, videos, tips, and articles pertaining to CF. Its an invaluable resource with an impressive archives.

Here's a link to our Affiliate Blog Highlands Fire Crossfit (http://www.highlandsfirecrossfit.com/) and another for our sister box, CrossFit Flagstaff (http://crossfitflagstaff.typepad.com/home/), run by Headquarters instructors Lisa and Mike Ray.

Paulo_Santos
22 July 2010, 09:48
Awesome info. I wish we had a program like you guys do..

Uglyduck
22 July 2010, 10:24
It took a lot of work to get it started but its been worth it. The culture previously didn't push us to be better (just maintain) and many of us expected more out of each other. It took us making a conscious decision to do something about it to get the ball rolling. My brother introduced me to CF from his days at 1st Grp back when it was just Glassmans website and Pukey was the headlining mascot, so I knew a little about it from years past. Boy has it changed! I had no idea how much I really didn't know about it and hearing about it in passing discussion just doesn't do it justice, the best explanation is the experience itself. Once our Health and Fitness coordinator and the Chief himself got involved it took off and we had the support needed to get started.

The hardest part of starting a dept. affiliate is the training for both the instructors and the students. Level 1 certs cost money and without dept. financial support (and who has that these days?) the instructors are left to shell out the cash themselves. Once someone has their cert. they can go through the affiliate process, which is fairly simple. After that its a matter of getting your "coaching" feet wet by instructing the other dept. members. As far as the students are concerned, once that Level 1 is up to speed he/she can put on an on ramp class for everyone and then start running WOD's.

Equipment is the next challenging part, but most depts. have Globo Gym equipment which is a good starting point. All the equipment needed can be cobbled together, adapted, or done on the cheap. Hell, if Marines can do it in BFE of Iraqistan we can do it.

Paulo - We're all about helping others get started so if you or anyone else needs help setting up a program feel free to contact us. I guarantee it will change your department in a positive way. It may start with just a few folks but its contagious, and not because its a fad but because it works and people enjoy it. Our local PD is getting started now, for example, as many of them experienced it when we lost a local officer serving overseas and did his "Hero" WOD to raise money for his family.

My wheels are turning now with ideas of how to apply it to a PD schedule with several squads and shift changes...[crazy]

Paulo_Santos
22 July 2010, 10:58
We are lucky in that we have the 4 on, 4 off schedule with steady shifts. We have several starting shifts so at the most we only have 2 officers starting and finishing at the same time. If yu have any info on getting something started, I'd appreciate it. If you have something that you can E-Mail me, it would be great.

Uglyduck
22 July 2010, 11:26
Thats a good consistent schedule. Even if your members only worked out before or after a shift and took 4 days off they would still benefit. The recommended work to rest cycle is 3 on 1 off. I do 4 on 2 off but try to go in for a WOD or do something active when my body is feeling up to it on off days. I've found that listening to what my body is telling me rather than sticking to a rigid schedule works best for enhancing performance. Group WOD's are another great CF experience. I always push harder when my brethren are watching and supporting. You guys could probably manage to arrange WOD's at a time when several members are coming on and off duty. If not, they can torture themselves in solitude which improves mental toughness.

I just found a very pertinent article from the journal written by a Capt. with the 101st that discusses how he set up his program for small units within the challenges posed by Big Army. Very good information and references to other good articles. Its a good starting point. I'd post it here but you need a subscription to view it so I'll just email you the PDF and put together some more info.

In the mean time, here are some links to a couple of articles available for free download for anyone interested.

What is Fitness? (http://journal.crossfit.com/2002/10/what-is-fitness-by-greg-glassm.tpl)
"Our pioneering article on fitness..."

Foundations (http://journal.crossfit.com/2002/04/foundations.tpl)
The 9 foundational movements

CrossFit PT (http://journal.crossfit.com/2004/12/crossfit-pt-by-greg-glassman-d.tpl)
"Evidence suggests CrossFit is more effective than traditional military and law enforcement physical training (PT)..."

A couple of videos for mid-day entertainment...
Firefighter Fran (http://media.crossfit.com/cf-video/CrossFitNorCal_FirefighterFran.wmv)
SWAT vs. Fran (http://media.crossfit.com/cf-video/CrossFitCentralCT_SWATvsFran.wmv)

Paulo_Santos
22 July 2010, 14:15
Thanks for the links.

Uglyduck
22 July 2010, 16:40
No problem, I sent the articles to your WEVO email

bern_tm
27 July 2010, 11:12
I have been eager to go check out the Crossfit gym in my town and this provided a pretty awesome explanation of what it is..Thanks for the post!

Paulo_Santos
12 August 2010, 06:36
Just an update:

July 31, I changed my eating habits to the "caveman" diet (Paleo Diet). It isn't a diet, but more of a way of eating the right/natural things. I purchased the Primal Cookbook and began tracking my food intake on www.fitday.com (http://www.fitday.com). Since July 31, I went from 167lb to 163lb. I'm not necessarily trying to loose weight, I'm more looking to tone up. I'm happy to say that I'm starting to show more definition, which is what I wanted. And since I'm 5'7" tall on a good day, I know that I'll probably settle in right around 155lb, and as long as it is a lean 155, I don't care. In comparison, my co-worker is settling in at 185, but he is much taller than me.

I just want go touch up on the "caveman" diet a little bit. The one thing that I have always hated about diets is that I was always hungry. With this, I'm eating 5 times a day and I'm not hungry. Here's an example of my typical day:

Breakfast (07:00-08:00 AM):
1. Eggs with vegetables. My wife makes me the egg muffins from the primal cookbook. or
2. Egg whites with meat and vegetables. or
3. 1 scoop of protein with water, piece of fruit, and almonds. or
4. 1 scoop of protein with almond milk and a piece of fruit.

Morning Snack (09:00-10:00 AM):
1. 1 scoop of protein with water, piece of fruit, and almonds. or
2. 1 scoop of protein with almond milk and a piece of fruit.

Lunch (12:00-1:00 PM):
1. Salad. Chicken/steak/salmon/tuna with light virgin olive oil and vinegar and a piece. or
2. Chicken/steak/salmon/tuna with vegetables.

Afternoon Snack (02:00-03:00 PM):
1. 1 scoop of protein with water, piece of fruit, and almonds. or
2. 1 scoop of protein with almond milk and a piece of fruit.

Diner (12:00-1:00 PM):
1. Salad. Chicken/steak/salmon/tuna with light virgin olive oil and vinegar and a piece. or
2. Chicken/steak/salmon/tuna with vegetables.

I have 1 scoop of protein with water 30 minutes after my workout, whether it is in the morning or afternoon.

If I get hungry at night, a banana or a tablespoon of Almond Butter will cure my hunger.

The key is to try to have Protein, Carbs, and Fat at each meal. The ration for the day should be somewhere around 40% Protein, 30% Fat, and 30% Carbs. Some guys use a 40/40/20 ratio, which is what I'm closer to.

Paulo_Santos
12 August 2010, 06:41
I forgot to mention. There is nothing wrong with having a cheat day. Matter of fact, one of my co-workers who was a bodybuilder and who is one of the main guys that I go to for nutrition help, highly recommends a cheat day to throw your body off. And I'm not going to question his results because he is absolutely jacked.

Uglyduck
12 August 2010, 13:18
This sounds like the Paleo, which is my next step to better performance and more energy, it seems we share similar goals. I'm interested so keep us posted. Many guys here are doing the "Zone" which is too regimented for me, if it takes me half an hour to weigh and plan a meal its not worth it. I prefer to just eat well and as necessary.

Paulo_Santos
12 August 2010, 18:30
This sounds like the Paleo, which is my next step to better performance and more energy, it seems we share similar goals. I'm interested so keep us posted. Many guys here are doing the "Zone" which is too regimented for me, if it takes me half an hour to weigh and plan a meal its not worth it. I prefer to just eat well and as necessary.

It is the Paleo Diet. You will like it. Very simple and easy to follow. Even my wife loves cooking this stuff as it is very simple. And like I said, I'm not hungry.

Uglyduck
20 August 2010, 09:33
I ran into some PD friends at the CF Level 1 recert test last weekend. They got approval from the Chief to pursue CrossFit as a dept. PT program. We may be helping them train their squads since we have enough equipment and instructors. I'll post as this project progresses to keep everyone interested, informed as to CF's implementation for PD's.

Paulo_Santos
20 August 2010, 13:45
That is sweet. Our Chief approached my co-worker Lou about putting something together to get more guys involved with the CrossFit since he is impressed with how Lou lost 40 lbs since December.

And I'm down to 160 lb.

Paulo_Santos
5 September 2010, 14:29
I'm down to 157.5 lb and lost 2" off my waist.

With the crossfit, I'm at the point where I am using the RX weight (prescribed weight) and I'm keeping up with the Big Boys.

Uglyduck
11 September 2010, 18:53
Doing the programming as RX'd is no small feat. Nice work, looks like you're getting closer to your goals as well.

Paulo_Santos
4 November 2010, 07:13
We just finished up the month long primal challenge in which we had to eat only Paleo approved food. It was great and found a ton of new recipes. I'm down to 155lb and lost a total of 4" off my waist. I'm starting to see some definition now. Now that I have the nutrition and workout down, I just have to keep up with it.

Paulo_Santos
12 February 2011, 06:10
Just an update. I'm still going strong. My weight has settled down between 154-158 range. My wife is amazed that I eat so much and not gain any weight. My wife, who just had a baby on January 11th, has been following the Paleo Diet since she had the baby, and has lost around 25 LB's. She is planning on doing CrossFit with me in about 3-4 more weeks. Some of my other co-workers have also jumped on board with Crossfit and the Paleo Diet.

Cannon Fodder
18 February 2011, 04:34
Paulo_Santos,

Great to hear your routine is working for you, and you've kept your motivation strong! We're starting a Crossfit routine here, so hopefully we can enjoy similar success when compared to yours. I will be recommending the Paleo Diet!

- Cannon

Paulo_Santos
18 February 2011, 06:41
Thanks Cannon. A couple more co-workers jumped on board.

Paulo_Santos
28 May 2011, 07:53
Just an update. Still going strong with CrossFit. I actually have added a strength program to improve my strength, which I definitely needed. My cardio was already good, so the added strength will help with the workouts even more. I tried the 70's Big Program and Conjugate CrossFit and am currently doing a mixture of the two right now. My weight is holding steady at 158-160 and I'd actually like to bulk up, but it is actually hard to put on weight and maintain it eating Paleo. Never thought I'd have that problem. LOL. I even gave in and bought a pair of those 5 toe shoes. Can't even begin to explain how I feel wearing them, but they work as advertised. LOL.

My wife has also jumped on board and has been doing CrossFit and eating very Paleo like for almost a month to loose the baby fat.

TripleBravo
28 May 2011, 11:53
Thanks for the update, Paulo!

Not to hijack the thread, but for those of you in LE -- are any of you aloted time to workout during work hours?

zero7one
9 June 2011, 00:10
Thanks for the update, Paulo!

Not to hijack the thread, but for those of you in LE -- are any of you aloted time to workout during work hours?

Not at this point, but the department has been talking about a pilot program, allotting around an hour during our shift to workout. I'm not holding my breath, but it would be nice.

As for CrossFit and Paleo, I have been doing both for about a month and I LOVE IT!!!! I feel better, I am stronger, have more endurance, and have dropped some excess weight. It is a great way to go for any LE/FF/MIL in the business.

Paulo_Santos
9 June 2011, 06:21
Thanks for the update, Paulo!

Not to hijack the thread, but for those of you in LE -- are any of you allotted time to workout during work hours?

Sorry I missed this somehow. We are not allotted any time, officially, but some of our supervisors allow us to leave a few minutes early to work out if we aren't too busy. I only know of a few departments that allot time for working out. I workout before work and it works best for me.

Paulo_Santos
9 June 2011, 06:24
Not at this point, but the department has been talking about a pilot program, allotting around an hour during our shift to workout. I'm not holding my breath, but it would be nice.

As for CrossFit and Paleo, I have been doing both for about a month and I LOVE IT!!!! I feel better, I am stronger, have more endurance, and have dropped some excess weight. It is a great way to go for any LE/FF/MIL in the business.

That's awesome. Keep us posted.

Rodman24
9 June 2011, 07:30
I haven't taken to Crossfit as of yet, but I did start the Paleo Diet 3 weeks ago. Man do I feel better. Thanks for bringing it to my attention. More alert, more energy... I've also dropped 5 lbs and 1" off my waist.

I read the Paleo Diet by Dr Loren Cordian before I started and learned a lot of great info. Having suffered from Kidney Stones, this gave me a lot of information on how the diet can prevent them by balancing acid and alkaline levels. That will prevent clacium loss through my urine. Hopefully that will prevent future stones from formiing.

You may have helped save me from a great deal of pain. Thanks!

Paulo_Santos
9 June 2011, 08:22
I haven't taken to Crossfit as of yet, but I did start the Paleo Diet 3 weeks ago. Man do I feel better. Thanks for bringing it to my attention. More alert, more energy... I've also dropped 5 lbs and 1" off my waist.

I read the Paleo Diet by Dr Loren Cordian before I started and learned a lot of great info. Having suffered from Kidney Stones, this gave me a lot of information on how the diet can prevent them by balancing acid and alkaline levels. That will prevent clacium loss through my urine. Hopefully that will prevent future stones from formiing.

You may have helped save me from a great deal of pain. Thanks!

That's awesome. I'd you need extra calcium, check out the Almond Milk. I get the Blue Diamond Unsweetened Vanilla (40 calories). Great for smoothies. There is no magic to feeling healthy. Everything starts in the kitchen. You eat like shit, you will feel like shit.

Paulo_Santos
9 June 2011, 08:27
Here is a great article: http://www.crossfitsouthbay.com/2011/05/skinny-fat/

Skinny Fat
by Cody

Disclaimer: I have been getting a ton of questions about this topic from both inside and outside the gym, from lots of different people, so this isn’t directed at anyone in particular. Although, if this topic resonates with you, take the time to read it. This post is more a psychological and analytical approach to body image, Sean has the scientific approach in the comments.
One of the most difficult things to fight as a coach is the thought that “Lifting weights is going to make me ‘bulk up’” from women. My first response is to shake my head and contemplate shoving my hand in a toaster to cure the frustration… Yet, when I stop and think about it, I honestly like the way CrossFit makes my body look. And I know there are many of us in the gym that wouldn’t be as enamored with CrossFit if we didn’t see aesthetic results in combination with fitness results, so I do think it is a valuable question that needs to be answered.

The first thing you need to do is look around the gym at girls that have been CrossFitting for a long time. If we created “bulky bodies”, you would see them at CFSB. All the above are CrossFitters that have been with us a long time… Strong, not bulky, don’t you agree?? (Sorry for not including all our awesome girls, but I only went back three pages on flickr).
Definitions and Misconceptions:
To begin, we need to address some misconceptions about how the body works…
You cannot “tone” a certain portion of your body. Your body will not lose fat in one spot at a time, it will only lose fat. Thus, you must reduce your overall body fat percentage to see results in the area you want. This is why the “ab-(insert attention-grabbing verb)” you see on TV won’t work to help you get a better midsection.
Lean – having little to no surplus fat - Thus, to look “lean”, you need to have low levels of body fat.
Toned – seeing muscle definition on a human body - Thus, to look “toned”, you need to have low levels of body fat combined with having enough muscular development that you can see the shape of the muscle under the skin. This is usually accomplished at below 20% body fat on women, and below 10% on men.
You will never “bulk up” overnight, except from maybe an ice cream and beer binge (guilty). You will never wake up one morning, look in the mirror, and realize that you just built bulky muscles in your sleep.
First, I want to establish that having muscle doesn’t mean being bulky…
The first thing you need to do is compare these two women:

http://www.crossfitsouthbay.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/runway-model.jpghttp://www.crossfitsouthbay.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/Crystal-682x1024.jpg
For reference, the girl on the left is a runway model and the girl on the right is an elite CrossFit athlete. Both have approximately 12-15% body fat. Both are doing something they love, and the bodies they have created help them do that.
On the left, we have a runway model who has almost zero muscular development while also having almost zero fat deposits. She has enough essential muscle to not fall over walking, but not much more. If you want to look like the woman on the left, sorry, but we cannot help you get there. Although, if you have an apple and a cigarette a day for about a year, you could get close. It supposedly worked for Christian Bale in the Machinist. However, CrossFit South Bay will not help you create that type of body.
The female on the right has spent years developing her strength and muscle. She has battled heavy weights and pushed herself to the limit to squat, deadlift, and lunge heavier weights every time she comes into the gym. She weighs approximately 35-40 lbs more than the runway model due to the large amount of muscle that she has acquired. She is likely approaching her genetic limits in the amount of muscle she can develop without going on a bodybuilding routine. Between her and the runway model, there is likely very little difference genetically, yet there is a huge difference in training and diet (more on this shortly).
Same elite CrossFitter, now dressed up, still bulky??
Thus, you can have a large amount of muscle without ever looking “bulky”. Don’t you agree??
Now that we know that muscle doesn’t make you “bulky”, what does??
Well, the answer is fat. Excess adipose tissue will result in less than satisfactory aesthetics. This is regardless of the amount of muscle you have. This is easily seen in the image below:
http://www.crossfitsouthbay.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/dressed-up-300x274.jpg

http://www.crossfitsouthbay.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/Skinny-Fat1.jpg
The image above shows a female figure that has a large amount of fat, while having a very small amount of muscle. This is described in the fitness community as “skinny fat”. While not overly “bulky” she doesn’t have the aesthetics that most of us work so hard to attain. The woman in this image is likely at a level close to 30% body fat and likely has a similar amount of muscle as the runway model. So even though she may look fine wearing a sweater, it is a different story at the beach.
The trick is how to fix this. Well, option 1 is to eat less and do tons of cardio, surviving on a diet heavy with running and light on food, and you will end up looking more like the runway model above. Option 2 is to develop muscle to burn away the excess fat while doing cardio, resulting in looking more like the elite CrossFitter above.
Ok, so we have started to establish that building muscle isn’t a bad thing, right?? Yet, you are afraid that by squatting and deadlifting, you are making your legs and butt bigger, thus getting more “bulky”, correct??
Here is the kicker, the reason your legs (and shoulders and arms and back) are getting a little bigger is that you have now started to add some muscle to them. Now, that muscle will burn more calories, starting to help whittle away at the amount of fat you have on your body, even while you sleep. You now are able to achieve that “lean” and “toned” look, as your body fat levels have decreased, and your muscle is starting to show, giving the “toned” look.

Bad cardio and worse cardio…
Some people keep saying to be leaner they just need more cardio and less strength. Well, yes, if you just do “more cardio”, you will lose more fat, but you would also lose muscle because without strength training, your body burns muscle as well as fat. So, instead of looking more like a Victoria Secret model, you start to look more like a runway model. Then, once you stop doing “more cardio” you will gain fat even faster now that you don’t have the muscle to burn the extra calories, resulting in the “skinny fat” look. You can see this in ex-athletes that have tried to “get leaner” by doing “more cardio” only to result in having more fat with less muscle.


http://www.crossfitsouthbay.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/skinny-fat-butt-300x225.jpg
Skinny
vs
Strong
http://www.crossfitsouthbay.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/allison_stokke-350-179x300.jpg

This can also happens as we age, as the muscle we built by running, jumping, and playing in our childhood and teens atrophies due to under-use with a more sedentary life, so people in their early twenties are seen as having “high metabolisms”, supposedly not having to work to maintain lean body shapes. This “high metabolism” is because the muscle they built in their teen years is burning excess calories and fat, and with the low body fat levels, you can see their “toned” muscle underneath. However, as they take day jobs and do not stimulate their bodies, their muscles atrophy, burning less calories and thereby lowering their “high metabolism” and leading to increased body fat as they age. Usually, people try to do “more cardio” to regain their lean, toned bodies that they had when they were younger. However, since they do nothing to build new muscle or maintain their current muscle, they slowly transition to a thin, but “skinny fat”, look as they age.

Train like an athlete…. Look like an athlete…
Most people can agree that they want to get “toned” and “lean”, but have you ever asked someone that was “toned” and “lean” what they have done to get that way?? You should, because almost every athlete I know that looks “toned” and “lean” has spent years working to develop strength, power, speed, endurance, and stamina for a sport. They move HEAVY weights quickly.
Lastly, you will never be able to create muscles like a man lifting weights.
A WOMEN THAT LOOKS LIKE SHE HAS MUSCLES LIKE A MAN HAS LIKELY TAKEN STEROIDS!! This is the defined truth, a woman’s muscle development is much different than a man’s. Unless a woman has a very different genetic make-up (a very, very small portion of the population), or does bodybuilding type workouts, specifically designed to increase the size of the muscles, it is almost impossible to build muscle like a man. (And, as much as you might think it is true, you only have a 1 in a million chance of being the 1 in a million that has the different genetics, so stop saying, and believing, it)
This is because males have 20-30 times the testosterone of women, resulting in deeper voices, more body hair, and more muscle development. Women just physically cannot build muscle like men can, sorry but it is a scientific fact. Some of the maximal amounts of muscle you can put on a female frame with CrossFit training can be seen below. These are women that built their bodies using sports and strength training.

http://www.crossfitsouthbay.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/jessica-sharratt-200x300.jpghttp://www.crossfitsouthbay.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/lauren-plumey-199x300.jpghttp://www.crossfitsouthbay.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/athlete-miranda-oldroyd-157x300.jpg

An extremely high level of muscle on a female will look like the pictures above, but again, only with many YEARS of weights training and a focus on a clean diet.
So, lastly, just to clarify, “bulky” means fat. Which does not happen when you work hard at CrossFit South Bay!!

zero7one
9 June 2011, 08:41
As for my progress...I have lost about 15 lbs since Easter...lost about 1" from my waist...and gained about 1.5" to each thigh. I guess all of the CF squats have paid off. I'm not really concerned with how much I weigh, rather how much strength and endurance I gain.

Paulo_Santos
9 June 2011, 09:06
As for my progress...I have lost about 15 lbs since Easter...lost about 1" from my waist...and gained about 1.5" to each thigh. I guess all of the CF squats have paid off. I'm not really concerned with how much I weigh, rather how much strength and endurance I gain.

That is real good. CF has a lot of leg/core/complete body movements. There is no wasted motion and you won't see any bicep curls.

With me, I was and still am pretty weak compared to most others, so I added a strength program to help me with the Olympic lifts. My cardio was already great, so I can sacrifice some cardio until my strength improves.

Uglyduck
9 June 2011, 09:19
I'm not really concerned with how much I weigh, rather how much strength and endurance I gain.

This is an excellent attitude and approach to fitness in general. If your focus is on performance and appearance is secondary you'll be much happier with your results, especially being an athlete who relies on your body at work. Vanity shouldn't be a measure of fitness, and thankfully it isn't in the CrossFit culture.

Paulo,
Have you taken any certs. yet?

Paulo_Santos
9 June 2011, 10:17
Paulo,
Have you taken any certs. yet?

Not yet. I'm going go check into it after the summer.

zero7one
9 June 2011, 10:22
Vanity shouldn't be a measure of fitness, and thankfully it isn't in the CrossFit culture.

I've been married for 11 years....the need for vanity was gone a long time ago. LOL

Rodman24
9 June 2011, 16:51
That's awesome. If you need extra calcium, check out the Almond Milk. I get the Blue Diamond Unsweetened Vanilla (40 calories). Great for smoothies. There is no magic to feeling healthy. Everything starts in the kitchen. You eat like shit, you will feel like shit.

Good info on the almond milk.

What's interesting is that need to consume so much calcium (think of how many things are calcium enriched) could be due to the fact that so many people are excreting high levels of calcium due to the acid/alkaline imbalance.

zero7one
17 August 2011, 09:37
Just a quick update...I have lost 25 lbs since starting CrossFit and Paleo right after Easter. I have never felt better and I will not stop. I have more energy and strength than I have had for years.

Paulo_Santos
18 August 2011, 09:18
Just a quick update...I have lost 25 lbs since starting CrossFit and Paleo right after Easter. I have never felt better and I will not stop. I have more energy and strength than I have had for years.

Nice job. Are you going to an affiliate or are you just doing it on your own? Ever since I switched to a strength based CrossFit programming (Conjugate CrossFit), I'm finally getting bulky and stronger, along with maintaining my cardio.

zero7one
18 August 2011, 09:52
I'm going to an affiliate. I will never be able to go back to a regular gym. I have some stuff at the house for the days that I can't make it to the box, but the options are limited.

Paulo_Santos
18 August 2011, 10:46
I'm going to an affiliate. I will never be able to go back to a regular gym. I have some stuff at the house for the days that I can't make it to the box, but the options are limited.

That's cool. I have basic stuff at home so on my days that I don't work, I can get a good workout at home.

Uglyduck
18 August 2011, 15:56
Paulo, anything happen with your department becoming an affiliate?

Paulo_Santos
18 August 2011, 17:46
Paulo, anything happen with your department becoming an affiliate?

Our chief just retired, so it will be a few months before we get a new chief. Depending on who gets it, I'll see what will happen.

Uglyduck
19 August 2011, 07:47
Depending on who gets it, I'll see what will happen.

I hope it works and the benefits are apparent to the next chief. We mandated PT but most of the crews do CF. Let me know if I can help when/if the time comes.

Paulo_Santos
19 August 2011, 09:25
I hope it works and the benefits are apparent to the next chief. We mandated PT but most of the crews do CF. Let me know if I can help when/if the time comes.

Thanks. I'll keep you updated.

Paulo_Santos
29 May 2012, 20:42
Just an update to this old thread. We got a new Chief in November and boy, has he changed some things. We recently spent a ton of money re-vamping our gym at Police HQ (PBA Money). We are now allowed to workout on-duty for an hour, and somehow, I got roped into being the main PT instructor, so I had to put together a program. We will also be putting together a PT test, but we still have to come up with one. I have some ideas, but we are deciding if we want to include shooting with it or not.

I'm also going to be going to the CrossFit Level 1 Cert in August (with my own money, unfortunately), and we'll be able to become a non-profit affiliate. I already do the programming for my PD and several guys are already jumping on board and following the programming. The best part is that pretty much everyone is on-board with everything that is happening.

Uglyduck
5 July 2012, 17:20
Glad to hear it Paulo! Having support makes a lot of difference. Where are you taking your level 1? Our lead instructor got an invite to be an HQ apprentice instructor, I'll see if he'll be at your class. HQ "should" help you out on cost since it'll be for a dept. affiliate, if you get hung up on it let me know and I'll get some more details.

BTW...I think you should use "Murph" for your PT test :)

Paulo_Santos
5 July 2012, 18:09
Glad to hear it Paulo! Having support makes a lot of difference. Where are you taking your level 1? Our lead instructor got an invite to be an HQ apprentice instructor, I'll see if he'll be at your class. HQ "should" help you out on cost since it'll be for a dept. affiliate, if you get hung up on it let me know and I'll get some more details.

BTW...I think you should use "Murph" for your PT test :)

It will be in Morristown, NJ in August. I alread contacted HQ and they will waive the affiliate fees, which is cool as hell.

Murph would make a good PT test if I wanted to kill my co-workers. LOL. We actually just talked about the PT Test and I think we have finally come up with a goof one. I have to talk to the Chief tomorrow about it. I'll post it when it is finalized.

charleskarr68
29 June 2014, 14:46
Very informative. Thanks for sharing.